| Interview with Mark Lopez By: Richard Rodriguez |
Richard Rodriguez: What type of
musical genre would you best
describeThe Ruined Few?
musical genre would you best
describeThe Ruined Few?
Mark Lopez: We would probably all
agree that our sound basically is Old
School Thrash Metal, with a wide
variety of influences ranging from
Black Sabbath to Carcass, Celtic
Frost to Pig Destroyer, Iron Maiden
to SOD, Venom to Exodus, etc, etc,
and so on you get the picture. We
draw upon a lower calling, to subdue
agree that our sound basically is Old
School Thrash Metal, with a wide
variety of influences ranging from
Black Sabbath to Carcass, Celtic
Frost to Pig Destroyer, Iron Maiden
to SOD, Venom to Exodus, etc, etc,
and so on you get the picture. We
draw upon a lower calling, to subdue
the inner demons which drive us to the edge of our calling, and alcohol helps too,
among other natural wonders of this world, which help us to be who we are and
what we represent.
among other natural wonders of this world, which help us to be who we are and
what we represent.
Richard: When did The Ruined Few start?
Mark: I would have to say many, many moons ago, not to get to much into
specifics, but it basically started back when I was still in Las Cruces, and in my
spare time and off time from the band, I would frequently get together with fellow
band mate Steve Martinez( Drums and Bongs for The Ruined Few) and we would
spend hours belting out song ideas and and becoming familiarized with one
another's influences and building upon that, which in turn eventually led to the birth
of The Ruined Few.
specifics, but it basically started back when I was still in Las Cruces, and in my
spare time and off time from the band, I would frequently get together with fellow
band mate Steve Martinez( Drums and Bongs for The Ruined Few) and we would
spend hours belting out song ideas and and becoming familiarized with one
another's influences and building upon that, which in turn eventually led to the birth
of The Ruined Few.
Richard: You are a former member of legendary doom metal act Las Cruces.
Please explain some of your experiences with that band?
Please explain some of your experiences with that band?
Mark: Not wanting to dive to much into my past with LC, my over all experiences
with the band, were good ones, but with the good comes the bad. Traveling from
town to town, recording and distributing two full length albums, and opening up for
numerous national and underground acts were the most satisfying to me in the ten
years I performed with LC, Oh ya, and all the fans that helped us to gain the
recognition, that we had worked so hard to achieve. The fans probably help me to
have some of the best experiences in the band, on the road and at home. To all
the fans of LC, thanks for the ride, you totally Fucking Rule, Doom On Brothers
and Sisters. CHEERS.
with the band, were good ones, but with the good comes the bad. Traveling from
town to town, recording and distributing two full length albums, and opening up for
numerous national and underground acts were the most satisfying to me in the ten
years I performed with LC, Oh ya, and all the fans that helped us to gain the
recognition, that we had worked so hard to achieve. The fans probably help me to
have some of the best experiences in the band, on the road and at home. To all
the fans of LC, thanks for the ride, you totally Fucking Rule, Doom On Brothers
and Sisters. CHEERS.
Richard: What is the highlight of your musical career so far?
Mark: For me, I would have to say making the transition from my previous
band(LC) and getting together with my current band mates(Steve Martinez, Brian
Grimes, Patrick Hewlett, and Greg Martinez). Being able to find a chemistry
between band members is not an easy thing to do, and to me starting all over from
the ground up and succeeding in achieving the goal of becoming a solid unit once
again, speaks volumes for me and my band mates.
band(LC) and getting together with my current band mates(Steve Martinez, Brian
Grimes, Patrick Hewlett, and Greg Martinez). Being able to find a chemistry
between band members is not an easy thing to do, and to me starting all over from
the ground up and succeeding in achieving the goal of becoming a solid unit once
again, speaks volumes for me and my band mates.
Richard: What is a low point of your musical career so far?
Mark: I guess the low point or points in my career would have to be with the
dealings of so many fake people in the industry and scene, as far as ignorance
and the politics of trying to become successful, and achieve an over all positive
goal in life. Life in general is a stumbling block, it is whether you can pick yourself
up, dust yourself off, and proceed to move forward, which sets you apart from the
rest of the pack. ROCK THE FUCK ON, BITCHES!
dealings of so many fake people in the industry and scene, as far as ignorance
and the politics of trying to become successful, and achieve an over all positive
goal in life. Life in general is a stumbling block, it is whether you can pick yourself
up, dust yourself off, and proceed to move forward, which sets you apart from the
rest of the pack. ROCK THE FUCK ON, BITCHES!
Richard: What are some other projects other than The Ruined Few that you have
on the side?
on the side?
Mark: Currently I am working with Ben Garr (former drummer of Las Cruces who
recorded on the Ringmaster LP). We are writing and recording for an up and
coming 6 song EP, self titled Mending Sorrows. Taking the time to dive back into
my Doom roots, has made me appreciate even more where it all started from.
recorded on the Ringmaster LP). We are writing and recording for an up and
coming 6 song EP, self titled Mending Sorrows. Taking the time to dive back into
my Doom roots, has made me appreciate even more where it all started from.
Richard: What are your goals for this band and where would you like the band to
be at the end of the year?
be at the end of the year?
Mark: Our goals are to complete the EP, begin to perform live shows and
hopefully find a distribution deal for our EP.
hopefully find a distribution deal for our EP.
Richard: What are your thoughts on the upcoming show presented by RR-336
Productions entitled The Metal Classic?
Productions entitled The Metal Classic?
Mark: Ready and Willing, this will be our third outdoor event, since the inception of
The Ruined Few. We are really looking forward to performing at The Metal Classic,
with all the other great bands, it sure to be an awesome show, and hopefully it can
become an annual event in San Antonio, that would be totally cool, no pun
intended.
The Ruined Few. We are really looking forward to performing at The Metal Classic,
with all the other great bands, it sure to be an awesome show, and hopefully it can
become an annual event in San Antonio, that would be totally cool, no pun
intended.