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 You've heard the rumors flying about, you've seen the members pop up all over town in different bands. Two years and a handful of promises later, one of Detroit's most popular live rock bands, FACE, are exploring their options after failing to score label interest for their smash, self-titled debut. We caught up with FACE guitarist Mike Smith for an interview to find out once and for all, "Is there any way to save FACE?" About Face
Interview by Mitch Phillips
MB:Let's get right to the point. Is FACE breaking up?
SMITH: Face isn't breaking up. We're all just doing what we can do and as much as we can do. There's no bullshit animosity, or shit-talk going on. In fact Courtney just came to one of our BARSTAR shows. Face has a gig coming up at The Wayne Road Pub.
MB:Is courtney working on a Solo project?
SMITH:Yes, she's working with producer Mike Poole. She's still doing some stuff with FACE but it's not where she's focusing her energy right now.
MB: Are you auditioning new singers for FACE? SMITH:No
MB: Is Barstar a cover band or is it simply FACE without Courtney?
SMITH: Barstar is an original band and a cover band right now. We're still doing some FACE songs; "The Drive" for one. "No More" is kinda a newer FACE song, I wrote the words so we're doing that. But we're doing a bunch of new stuff and we've learned a bunch of covers so we can gig. We're not doing any major original shows until we tighten up the originals. Playing covers is a good way to do that.
As far as playing covers, we all knows it pays the bills and gets your band tight. I want FACE fans to come see us in a few months when we're tight. But we're doing good gigs now, not shit gigs. No $100 gigs. We won't do that anymore.
MB: So, you're writing new material exclusively for Barstar?
SMITH: Yeah. Mike B., Steve Fernino and I got together to talk about what we were going to do while Courtney was working on her solo project. We started to jam at rehearsal while going over some covers, etc... One thing led to another and before we knew it we already had a few tunes written already.
What does Barstar Sound Like?
SMITH: Barstar's heavier, edgier, the lyrics are maybe more darker and some of the lyrics are about sex; rude and angy stuff. Not about Courtney, just a lot of stuff that wouldn't work with FACE. The inspiration, confusion and frustration just poured out of all of us. I'm doing the singing.
MB: If Courtney's solo project takes off will that be the end of FACE?
SMITH: You can't predict that. It's a matter of, will Courtney's solo project take off, will FACE's new record take off, will BARSTAR take off? I predict all three records coming out around the same time. You can't predict what will happen. We're all so tight, if one project took off, it would be good for everybody.
The whole thing is you don't have to have just one project. If your making a living playing music it's in your best interest to have more than one project. If a club comes calling you for a gig and one of the bands members can't make it, you can offer the services of one of your other projects. If FACE can't do a gig, I can offer Dr. Hifi. If Dr. Hifi can't do a gig I can' offer BARSTAR. I'm just trying to cover my bases. I've also done 10 or 12 shows with The Howling Diablos. If none of them are working I can still teach guitar at Music Plus in Livonia.
MB: How did The Howling Diablos gig come about?
SMITH: Jeff Grand wanted two guitar players in the Diablos. I played a show with them opening for Hank Williams Jr. and I've been playing with them ever since.
MB: I understand you've recorded tracks for a new FACE record. Where are you recording and when do you think you'll finish the record?
SMITH: We're working with John Smerek at The White Room. The music is 95 percent done. The vocals aren't done because Courtney got sick the last time we went into the studio.
MB: When can we expect to hear a new FACE record?
SMITH: I can't tell you when it will be done. We did 13 or 14 songs (that we've been doing live for months). It's a money issue. We feel obligated to release it but the money will have to come from gigs. It's not coming out of our pockets. If someone, like a label, wants to put it out for us, then fine. We're exploring other interests right now but we'll finish what we started.
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Re: About FACE (Score: 1)
by ChrisZilla (cinemafan2000@go2netmail.com) on Monday, December 16, 2002 @ 13:51:23 MST
(User Info | Send a Message) | Indeed. I had heard rumors from "inside the scene" and had not heard ANYTHING officially. Thats where this website can be the one step above the other local rags. It was nice to hear from one of the two MIKES in Face, and I hope even if they do splinter......they all do well. This biz seems to get harder and harder to break into - and thats from someone OUTSIDE. I can totally feel for FACE.......and thanks to MITCH for being the Site to crack this story. Great Job !
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Average Score: 4.8
Votes: 5
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