August 15, 2007 - After their set on today's Family Values Tour we chatted with Bloodsimple frontman Tim Williams, who talked to us about the Family Values Tour, performing outdoors in Florida during the summer, who is going to replace Chris Hamilton on drums and Bloodsimple's latest album, [which is scheduled to drop on October 9, 2007] among other things.

Tim Williams of Bloodsimple

FES : How did Bloodsimple get selected to play on this year's Family Values Tour lineup?

Tim: Well, it was a shock to me. I was home at my house in New York City on a Wednesday night; I got a phone call that I need to be in St. Louis on Thursday to play a show on the Family Values tour, needless to say I flipped out, I was like “what are you nuts?” I have a lot of shit going on at home. I wasn’t supposed to go back out on the road until September, but whatever. I don’t know if we were supposed to be on this tour, but our management worked some angles, I think they’re doing publicity for Korn and he said, “I’ll do this for you if you let Bloodsimple play on the side stage. Next thing you know a week later I was in Boston and here we are still. I didn’t know what the tour was going to be like; I knew all the bands on the bill and I was skeptical but it’s been really, really good being on the side stage all the side stage bands have been nothing but really fucking cool. I don’t think I have witnessed such segregation between main stage and side stage. You didn’t see too much of people watching people but the crowds been there and all that matters.

FES : Out of all the bands playing on this year's Family Values Tour, excluding Bloodsimple, who would you say is the must see performer?

Tim: Hell Yeah. Maybe I’m partial because I know those guys even before I got on this tour that’s what I was hearing that Hell Yeah was tearing it up. Chad , Vinnie Paul all those guys they’re great guys. That’s the band that is doing it. Hell Yeah! When your side band is that big and does that well it’s pretty fucking nauseating if you think about it; more props to you Chad!

FES : Does Bloodsimple plan on chronicling the band's exploits on The Family Values Tour and if so where can fans go to see or read it?

Tim: We just chronicled something but I don’t if it’s going to be on the internet. We shot some shit you can go to the Bloodsimple myspace page and see some stuff. I know we shot some stuff in the northeast because that’s where our management is based. There was a bunch of camera’s flying around for that, but as we get deeper into the tour I don’t know if there will be much. They’ll be stuff up once the band approves it on the myspace page.

FES : Is it true the next Bloodsimple album is going to be called "Red Harvest"?

Tim: It is very true. It’s coming out on October 9, 2007 , which is amazing. That’s one of the things this tour did for us I think the label saw that we meant fucking business. We got on this tour, we didn’t pay to get on this tour, it’s a big tour and once we got on it the label really started to kick into high gear, we have a radio release [the track] “Out To Get You” on August 21, 2007 , so request that on any local radio station you can see. For any Bloodsimple fans wherever you are, if you like the first record you will love the second record period.

FES : Will 5 to 1 be on the new album?

Tim: That won’t be on the album. We were doing the record it was the middle of winter and we were like we got to get something up on myspace maybe we’ll put up a new song and I was like nah let’s do a cover song of The Doors period. 5 to 1, let’s do it. We did it in the studio live those guys went in the first day and tracked the music, I came in the next day a six pack of Bud cans, I couldn’t find liquor it was Jersey, so I got four air plane shots of whiskey I drank everything and did it in three takes and it was done. It was a really good experience and we had a lot of fun. We played it live in Europe though; we played two headliners in the Netherlands it was pretty cool.

FES : What was the crowd reaction like?

Tim: They were like what the fuck? But it wasn’t a bad show, small club 100-150 capacity, maybe 75 people [were] there and they tripped. I think they liked the Americana about it because we presented it in such a way, that they didn’t not like it, so it was cool.

FES : Who will be permanently replacing Chris Hamilton on Drums?

Tim: That is a revolving door and a revolving question. Chris Hamilton for what ever it is and whatever was is some big shoes to fit. We feel through our experience with Chris, he was a bro and still is and he’s an excellent drummer, a professional, a true professional. I don’t want another drummer until we find a bro on top of a drummer. Until then it’s just going to be a revolving door. We got Will Hunt, we have this guy Bevan Davies, we have Mike Froedge and Brendon Cohen [ex- VOD ] any one of those four guys will be with us until one of them decides to commit full-time or somebody walks out of the woodwork. To me talent and skill is a big part of it, but you need to have the personality, I don’t want to kick out another drummer or separate from another drummer, it’s hard, it’s uncomfortable, and it’s just not healthy for people. Until we find a bro, it’ll rotating cast of drummers. I consider Bloodsimple a four piece and that’s it. We write everything, I write all the vocals, we spilt the business in four ways, we’re a four piece, Me, Mike, Nick and Kyle, that’s it.

FES : What are Bloodsimple’s tour plans after the Family Values Tour ends?

Tim: I’m looking to take off because I have some things going on at home until October 1, [2007] with my luck we’ll be out in late September, which is fine, there are a lot of tour options on the table nothing is solidified but we’re submitted for a bunch of shit; very promising tours. We’ll be busy probably until the holidays, take off for the holidays, and maybe do some shows during the holidays. Next year kick it out and go, keep go, go, go. We were supposed to play Europe in November but I think that fell through which is cool, because I think it’s important when the record comes out to just hammer out the US for the rest of the year, that’s where we need to be.

FES : As a singer that has a lot of energy on stage is it harder for you to do shows outdoors in the Florida heat?

Tim: My saying is get acclimated to the fucking heat, I don’t care how fucking hot it is, I wake up in the morning, I like to get up around 10:00 or 11:00, I’m not some weird rock star, I’m an adult, I like to get up early, I get up and I go out and I run a mile or two miles and I work out outside and sweat like a fucking pig, even in this heat, I ran yesterday and today, I come back dry off and warm up my voice and I go back out on stage again. I try and stay hydrated up until the show, I drink a lot of water then I just go right to beer. That’s part of the gig man, I like playing outside, yesterday we played [West Palm Beach] it was a fucking oven, the show was nuts nothing like today, today was really good, we played a little early, but it was still good, yesterday was a fucking murder fest, there must have been like 75 people in the pit; literally fucking fighting, I was even like, “holy shit.” We play six songs, so I guess four songs into our set it downpours, rains fucking going sideways, we didn’t stop for shit, you sign on to an outside stage whether it’s hot, cold, windy or rain your there to do a fucking job and that’s it, so it don’t phase me, I like the heat.

FES : Do you have anything to say to the fans that have or will come see Bloodsimple perform on this year's Family Values Tour?

Tim: Get ready to see the fucking band that’s the latest added but stomping people every fucking show. All the bands are amazing, I ain’t disrespecting anybody but we’re one of the bands you want to see period. For the Bloodsimple fans you get to hear the old shit so you get off on that you get to see us in a cool atmosphere with a lot of different people in front of a lot of fucking people and you get a taste of the new shit straight up and also with Will Hunt on the drums you are never going to see Bloodsimple better than that. No disrespect to anybody who’s been behind that kit, Will is a good friend of ours he’s been woven into the Bloodsimple/ VOD history for 10 years. He played on the fucking Red Harvest record and he’s fucking amazing! You won’t see Bloodsimple better; if you’re a fan and you want to see the best show you can see us do come see us with Will Hunt!

FES : Can you describe Bloodsimple in few words?

Tim: Death, Stomping live hitting mother fuckers who pound beer.

FES : Tim you for your time I wish you and Bloodsimple much success. Good seeing you again.

Tim: Thank you very much, good seeing you again.

Bloodsimple is from New York, NY and tour on a regular basis. Bloodsimple's latest album "Red Harvest" is scheduled to be released on October 9, 2007 and should be available at the usual outlets. Fans can request to hear the first single "Out To Get You" by calling your favorite local radio station.

Bloodsimple is:
Tim Williams - Vocals
Mike Kennedy - Guitar
Nick Rowe - Guitar
Kyle Sanders - Bass

For more band information log onto the official Bloodsimple website.

To sample music visit the Bloodsimple page at myspace.com.

Musician Interview by Michael Montes – Copyright © 2007 Florida Entertainment Scene – All Rights Reserved.