Declassified with JT: The Many Faces of Randy Weitzel
JT here and this is my inaugural interview for Center Stage Magazine and, unlike Missy Wolf and others, I didn’t have to do much research on Randy Weitzel except to get the correct website addresses because Weitzel and I basically grew up together. We officially met in 1986 I believe it was and started playing music together shortly thereafter; I am a drummer in case you were wondering. Weitzel and I grew up only about 15 miles from each other, we share August birthdays only 5 days apart from one another, and both share an immense love and respect for the greatest rock and roll band of all time, KISS.
Weitzel has been one of those musicians that everyone aspires to be like. He definitely put in his time learning his craft, yet he was blessed from the womb to be able to do what he does, at the level in which he does it, and he has always been this way. Not only is he an incredible lead guitarist, he is also an incredible songwriter, arranger, studio engineer, vocalist, website designer and quite the artist.
I was able to sit down from the comforts of my own home and have a one on one phone conversation with Weitzel. We were able to cover such topics as his role with Atlantic Recording Artists, In This Moment, his two bands outside of In This Moment, the hard-hitting, old school flavorings of Three Thirteen and his newest endeavor, the eclectic acoustic quintet BLACKFALL. We were also able to discuss, his passion for art, his sobriety, the charities that he is involved with and a bit about his family life.
Weitzel is so much more than just one of the guitar players for In This Moment, he is an extremely well-rounded person, very humble, very authentic and looked up to by thousands of people around the globe. So without further ado, grab a beverage, kick back and let Weitzel share with you what his world is all about. ~JT
THREE THIRTEEN -- "Dawn Of The Shred"
Instagram: @threethirteenofficial
Facebook: www.facebook.com/threethirteen313
Web: www.PhantomRepublicOfficial.com
Three Thirteen Artist Bio:
Three Thirteen is the bastard child of Guitarist Randy Weitzel. Weitzel has made a name for himself as the snarling 'other' guitarist of Atlantic Records recording artists In This Moment. Known by the bands' legions of fans as "War Machine", he can be seen shredding, scowling, and stalking the stage on the Black Widow tour. Though ITM is currently working on a new album, Weitzel has once again joined forces during tour hiatus with his badass Three Thirteen bandmates, guitarist Steve Marshall (Soulbleed), bassist Elaina Bangma (Soulbleed) and drummer Jimmy Schultz (Soulbleed/Sunflower Dead). The group has convened at Redneck Ranch Recording Studios in Ontario, CA to churn out their third full length album Dawn of The Shred. "Three Thirteen's first two albums focused on an old school KISS, AC/DC vibe. Dawn of the Shred is influenced by the first couple Metallica, Megadeth and Anthrax Records." Weitzel adds, "There are a lot of people who forget that early heavy music was really melodic, especially vocally. I wanted to do something that old school Metal and Thrash fans would dig - cool vocal melody hooks, shredding guitars and topics about horror movies and aliens." Dawn of the Shred will soon be released through KBB Records, a label distributed through Caroline (Universal).
BLACKFALL
Instagram: @blackfallofficial
Facebook: www.facebook.com/blackinthefall
BLACKFALL Artist Bio:
Los Angeles based BLACKFALL is bursting on the musical scene with a sound unlike any you’ve ever heard. Earthy, tribal, and mystical, the talented 5 piece outfit perfectly balances the line between haunting darkness and powerful positivity. With their pounding, grooving percussion, dueling 12 string guitar leads, driving bass lines, and alluring, edgy vocals and harmonies, the band is poised to create a genre of music that will appeal to fans of all types of music. Drawing on the magical, eerie influences of the supernatural, BLACKFALL’s sound and message is also equally influenced by the personal experiences of each member of the band. Spirituality, passionate journeys, and fantasy all help shape the unique experience that is BLACKFALL.
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About John Tedeski
JournalistI’ve been a musician since the age of 7 when my parents bought me my first drum set. By the age of 16, I was playing the local bar scene. I’ve played around the east coast, and in 1994, through those travels is how I met Founding member of Center Stage Magazine, Tommy Lemon as we were both auditioning for the same band in the Boston Massachusetts area and we’ve been friends ever since. Through the years I’ve met a lot of great musicians such as Vinny Paul (Pantera), Bill Leverty (Firehouse), Ace Frehley (KISS), Marc Ferrari (Keel), Bobby Dall (Poison), and even got to share the stage with Jaime St. James (Black ‘N Blue) and Billy Morris (Warrant), just to name a few. Unfortunately, life had a different path in store for me other than being a full-time musician, yet I’ve been blessed to still be able to play on the weekends with some great local talent. Here I am now with another huge blessing, still within the music world, but this time as a journalist for Center Stage Magazine where I get to talk with and interview musicians who do what I have always longed to do. It’s all good and much less hassle than having to lug my drums all around the country. Rock Out, Roll On & Follow Your Heart ...
