RN: Let’s talk about your new CD Opposite Gods.
TH: Yes it just got shipped to me on Monday April 5th and right now I’m sitting in my computer room filling orders. They are coming in at a nice clip. It’s a little much for one person to handle but its here and im happy after all these years of working on it.
RN: Is there a label behind you?
TH:There is no label it’s just me. Labels are finicky. They are scarred to death and I understand why. Unless your have a big label with a big a money machine behind you , its real tough to get any thing moving.
RN: Tell us about the recording process on this CD. Did you do the whole thing by yourself?
TH: I did this CD the same way I did Cobalt Polar that came out in 1997. I did it this way because it’s a challenge, its fun, the scheduling turns out to be the best because I can record how ever and when ever I want. I played all the bass, the drums. I sing and play guitar I had my youngest daughter sing on what I call answer parts on a song called Tell Me.
RN: How does this CD differ from your other CD’s?
TH: This CD is pretty heavy handed.
RN: What inspired some of the songs?
TH: “Opposite Gods” was actually a conversation me and my son had when on a skiing trip in big Bear Mountain. We we’re talking about religion and politics and the term opposite gods came in to play and I thought that was a tremendous name for a song.
“Way Down South “is about my daughter and my grandson and their escape from their mother
“Jimbos Bunk” is about my best friend that was a Harley rider and a model that is now paralyzed because of an accident on his Harley.
“The Artist “is about my son the one that did all the art work on this CD
“Layne” is about of course, Layne Staley who was a phenomenal singer Alice In Chains is one of my favorite bands
“Alfi’s Torment” is a 16 track all vocal that is named after my dog.
“Tell Me” is about missing a message on the phone from some one you really cared about
“Change” is about this current political administration
“On Your Own” is a song about my youngest daughter
“Veteran” I played this at a few veteran benefits that I have done
“Dancing Through The Pain “is a fantasy vampire type song
“October Sun “is a keyboard instrumental that I wrote for my son. You can read the lyrics at my web site.
RN: Do you have any plans on touring behind this CD or doing any shows?
TH: I’m trying to assemble a band to do songs from this CD and I’m going to have the band do a lot of Frehley’s Comet.
RN: I think a lot of fans would like to hear the Frehley’s Comet songs.
TH: O yeah that so important I got to do Break Out , Some Thing Moved, Time Ain’t Runnin Out, Fallen Angel would be a lot of fun to do.tunes as well. Because I didn’t do that in the other bands. Maybe throw in a 707 tune. Some Cheap Trick some Ted Nugent. I want to capitalize on some of the big bands I played with and maybe do some stuff from Silloet my first solo CD. West of 8 and Cobalt Polar as well. songs.
RN: Do you plan on doing any Kiss expos?
TH: I have not done that in a few years. The reason is I didn’t have any new product to push. I didn’t want to peddle old CDs. Now with the new CD I am considering doing one in Brazil in October we’ll see. As far as any U.S. conventions I haven’t even thought about that yet. I should.
RN: On your myspace you have an acoustic version of Time Ain’t Runnin Out. Do you have any plans on doing a collection of acoustic songs?
TH: If I’m going to do it. Will I do it for myself? Am I going to do it for a few fans or a lot of fans? That’s yet to be seen. It depends on what the demand is and who wants to hear it.
RN: You played with a lot of great musicians . What keeps you going and what keeps you inspired to write?
TH: I do it for the love of music and the fact that I still can. In my school, it has to have hart and soul, if it doesn’t, it’s not good. It might not have the greatest production or the greatest recording but at least when I write and sing a song you know that I mean it. I still feel the need to play, sing and perform and I think I did pretty damn good if I do say so my self for the age that I’m hovering around and I thought that some people might want to hear some more. So well see.
Big Thanks to Tod for doing this interview.
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