Industrial rockers Murder FM recently released their full-length album, Happily Never After, last month. It’s an 11 track album that reminds me personally of bands I loved growing up, like Orgy, Stabbing Westward, and many more – but with a sound and energy they can proudly call their own.
Vocalist/guitarist Norman Matthew of Murder FM stopped by to deliver 5 albums that had a huge influence on him growing up. Many of his choices are audible in the music Murder FM makes, which makes his selections even more interesting. Check out his picks after the jump.
KISS Alive II
I saw Kiss when I was maybe 3yrs old at the tale end of the makeup years, too young to remember, but the memory of meeting Gene Simmons as I was crying at the side of the stage while my mom left me with her friend will forever live with me. Her friend was the Coliseum manager, And I was able to see many concerts growing up. KISS “Alive” was amazing, but keep in mind, I missed the curve on any 70’s Kiss albums as I was not born yet, haha! When I saw the cover of KISS “Alive II”, Gene’s bloody face instantly connected with my little soul. I opened up the double album cover to the massive stage and I wanted to be in that moment and I knew then, I had to be onstage. It was my calling. All the songs are all of my favorite Kiss Songs. If “Cold Gin” and “Strutter” could have been on this, I would have been set. What attracted me was how over the top the stage was. I would listen to the album on my mickey mouse record player and stare at the album cover for hours on end. I still do now. The biggest reasons why I love KISS Alive II was that it had songs from “Rock and Roll Over”, “Love Gun” and “Destroyer” which were three of my fave KISS albums and I could get them all in one shot along with a live version of “Shock Me”!
GUNS N’ ROSES (Appetite For Destruction)
In 5th grade, every other week, we were allowed to bring in music on Fridays to play for the class. My classmaters were bringing all the Hip Hop and Pop artists of the day, Pretty sure I heard Run DMC or Will Smith, excuse me, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince at least once every week and I thought I was so cool when I brought in Poison “Nuthin’ But A Good Time” on cassette (yup! i said it. It’s about to get even BETTER). So I was king of the class for the moment. Then my homey Jon Paul brought in Appetite for Destruction (on Vinyl….u heard it here) and played “Paradise City” and my life was forever changed. From KISS I knew I wanted to be onstage, I just didn’t know in what capacity, I was too young to know, but by this time, when I heard Axl’s signature scowl and Slash’s licks, it hit me light a ton of bricks. I had to be a singer and guitarist in one and thus the quest was on and the journey began. My parents were cool as hell considering all the F Bombs and S#it droppin’ you could handle, but it didn’t register with me, I was too busy trying to master “Mr.Brownstone” and “Nightrain”. I didn’t care what Axl was saying, I just knew I loved HOW he said it. So much attitude in one album, it still plays in my car at least once a week. Keeps me grounded and real and reminds me of where I came from and why I wanted to be here.
THE CURE (Disintegration)
Growing up with an 80’s album collection with some 70’s throw in (Aerosmith, Sabbath, Kiss), as I grew up, I realized I wasn’t a partier and had little to no connection to the lyrical content that my heroes sang of. I knew I liked a good time, I knew i loved women and sex, but I didn’t know that it was the voice for me, how could I sing about this when I had not these life experiences. Then I heard THE CURE. It was dark, romantic, poetic, seemed like short dark stories. I had become a fan of the darker side, due in HUGE part to MOTLEY CRUE’s “Dr.Feelgood”, “Wildside” and “Dancin’ On Glass”. I was afraid of the bright colors my 80’s heroes adorned and seeing THE CURE in all black with pale faces tapped that part of KISS that I loved, but was much drearier, darker and moodier.
“Disintegration” really opened up my creative side. Those clean celestial guitars spoke to me, told me I could make an impact without having the distortion cranked. Robert Smith’s vocal delivery told me I didn’t have to be an amazing operatic singer, I just had to have a great story to tell. Axl had the dark tinges I loved with stories of drugs, decadence and rough sex, but Robert Smith had another side of that same beautiful dark coin that enchanted me and helped me form who I was as a frontman.
DEFTONES (White Pony)
Chino Moreno is one of the greatest frontmen of our time. He can paint a picture and tell a story without even saying anything in particular in the passenger seat, while the band is taking you on a completely different ride, yet they all seem to meet up in that same place within you. Using his voice as an instrument,”Change (In The House of Flies)” was the first time I felt heavy could be beautiful. Ethereal, dark, brooding, sexy, DEFTONES’ encapsulated everyhing I loved about Kiss, Guns N Roses and The Cure and really put them all in one, for me. Bigger than life band, great lyrics,stories and dark landscapes setting the tone for these dark places that somehow felt and sounded gorgeous. It was the first time I put a face on music. Amazing Drumming, Guitar work , an amazing live band (rest in peace Chi Cheng), I was able to see Deftones on several tours, opening for them on the “Adrenaline” tour, seeing them begin to blow up with “Around the Fur” and at their zenith at “White Pony” and I felt like I had grown up with the band. I felt all the things they had felt and they paralled where I was at the time emotionally. “White Pony” like “Appetite for Destruction” blasts and least once a week, only not in my car, usually in my bedroom, because after all….it is a magical and sensual album.
NINE INCH NAILS (The Downward Spiral)
Trent reznor is the man, end of story. He broke new ground that I hope he always gets credit for. Trent inspired my previous band NEVER 3NOUGH and MURDER FM. I adopted Trent’s model of production very early on. I was never a jammer when it came to writing, I always wanted to have a blue print before I took it too a band. Im able to play all the instruments it takes to be in a rock band and as a frustrated 15yr old who was full of piss, vinegar and vision, I refused to be held back. When it came to light Trent Reznor did a majority of the studio work and was NIN, i began to put my trusty little Tascam 4 track to work, went through THREE of them in the process and MANY repairs, no joke. I loved the big arean feel of the production, the big anthems, the huge choruses, the in your face vocals, fuzzy guitars and industrial elements all wrapped up into great compositions. “Downward Spiral” played like a movie score from beginning to end and really helped cement where I wanted to go as an artist and how I wanted to get there. Live, Trent did not give one fuck, and thus begun the seed being planted for “the Gnar” and Murder FM.
