Excerpt from Interview:

Sleaze Roxx: Your music is a fresh take on seventies rock and roll. What about influences? In "Roses" and "Cheap Party Favors" I imagine this is how The New York Dolls would sound today, while "Koke Rock" has a Rolling Stones vibe.

Michael Pate: I absolutely worship at the altar of late 60's-70's rock and roll for sure! KISS, Queen, Aerosmith, Cheap Trick, AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, T.Rex, Slade, David Bowie w/ Mick Ronson, the Alice Cooper Band, The Kinks, Black Sabbath, The Jimi Hendrix Experience... let me stop because you know, we could keep going. I love 70's glam rock because, to me, the songwriting was far superior to what was going on in the 80's. That being said... Vain is a huge influence -- best sleaze band EVER! It's interesting you mention the New York Dolls because although I'm very aware of who they are, I don't have any of their records. I gotta remedy that.

Sleaze Roxx: Describe the song writing process for the band, also specific to the lyrics. You often balance 'light' rock and roll with dark undertones -- care to elaborate where this comes from?

Michael Pate: I wrote all the songs and recorded the album about four months before the band was formed. I used the finished record to find people that actually wanted to play with me. I had formed Electric Black Horse with another guy and we gave a deposit to Stacy O' Dell (who produced the record) with the intent of making a full length album. The other guy wound up wanting to do his own thing and since the Electric Black Horse name was mine, I was left with a deposit and only four songs. Stacy asked me if had 10 songs (which I didn't) and if I wanted to forge ahead and make the album alone. So I just blurted out, "Of course! I have 10 songs! Let's do this!" All I had at the time was "Koke Rock", "Birthday Bitch", "Capricorn Girl" and "Freeman." I did all the vocals, guitar and bass while Stacy played the drums and a few little piano and organ parts.

Concerning the lyrics, I like that contrast of a darker lyric with an uppity beat and melody. Cheap Trick is really great at that and I totally cop from them every chance I get... Alice Cooper too.

Sleaze Roxx: Speaking of "Cheap Party Favors", the lyrics paint a dark picture of Hollywood. Have you had any bad experiences, or is it just a general dislike?

Michael Pate: Oh, Hollywood! I like Hollywood just fine. The city gave birth to a scene that went down in history. The Doors, Van Halen, Motley Crue, Jane's Addiction, Guns and Roses... so, much respect. People out there are just... well, different. I've always been partial to San Francisco (Vain!) and Northern California, folks up there are more like New Yorkers in my eyes. The women are beautiful AND intelligent!

"Cheap Party Favors" I wrote in response to all the 'celebutantes' who just can't handle the money and fame -- specifically, Lindsay Lohan and Paris Hliton came to mind while penning the lyrics. When we play it live, I always dedicate it to Lindsay Lohan and say that I hope she doesn't wind up dead -- so there are good intentions involved! It's my favorite to play live and it's become a crowd favorite.

Read the FULL Interview HERE

David S. Grant is the author of BLOOD: The New Red.  Follow David on Twitter: .david_s_grant