Interview: Breathing Diesel

Be involved in any scene long enough and you’ll get every manager, publicist and band member in the world uttering this phrase: “Dude, you have to check this band out.”

It’s a saying as old as time itself it seems. But, every once in a while, you hear one of these bands recommended to you…and you realize the person who put the band in your ears was right.

Breathing Diesel, a hard rock quartet out of Asbury, is that band. Their manager Cory Pedalino slipped a YouTube link my way and said the following: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with them for about a year and besides having some killer tunes they are overwhelmingly appreciative and great guys.” As a long-time long-time hard rock fan I was floored at the soaring vocals of Warren Schueler. The low-end antics of Bill Gerics and and Andy Roland. The blazing guitar work of Alex Roland. Breathing Diesel is thatgood.

I caught up with Breathing Diesel drummer Andy Roland to talk about the band’s upcoming, headlining show at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, hearing their music in movies and the famed musicians they’ve shared the stage with.

Breathing Diesel is: Alex Roland – Guitar, Andy Roland – Drums, Bill Gerics – Bass, Warren Schueler – Vocals

We’re based out of: Asbury Park, NJ

The Story of Our Name: Bad fishing trip…

Any new music coming out: The Greasy EP was our 3rd studio effort.  We have another full LP worth of material that we hope to record and release in 2015.

You’ve seen us before [in other bands]: We were all in Voodoo Stew (predecessor act).

Our sound has been likened to: Three Days Grace, Alice in Chains, Audioslave, Seether, Creed, Stone Temple Pilots

I really dig the vibe you guys have going on — can you talk about some of the bands that influence your sound.

Andy Roland: Our influences span the hard rock spectrum.  Alice in Chains and Jane’s Addiction are deep in the heart of our writing, but we layer in metal, riff rock and psychedelia in heavy doses. Black Label Society, Tool and King’s X are frequent reference points, and it’s all sitting on a foundation of Zeppelin and Sabbath.

Last year you dropped the EP, Greasy. In your bio you state that Greasy was “the first new studio recordings in several year.” Can you talk about the reason for the time between the recordings and also how you feel you’ve evolved as a band between your last record and Greasy? Also, how you’ve evolved between Greasy’s release and now?

Andy Roland: A few years ago we decided to put Breathing Diesel on hold to individually pursue other projects both in and out of music.  At some point in the hiatus, we put the Fragile Reality LP up on iTunes and it began to sell. That inspired the recording of Greasy. Although “Ashes” is more of a cross-over song, most of the new material, including the unrecorded stuff, is considerably heavier…I guess we’re going back to our roots…

You also mentioned you guys are in a number of films and arena promotions — can you talk about the most unusual place (TV, arena, radio, commercial) you’ve heard your music? Also, describe the feeling of hearing your music being used in someone else’s art or in someone else’s venue that you aren’t playing at.

Andy Roland: Our music has been featured on a number of films and promotions, most recently on the to-be-released documentary Kids Are Dying, which tells the addiction and recovery story from a new perspective and offers hope for the prescription drug epidemic in the U.S. Songs from Three Days Grace, Macklemore and other major artists are slated for the soundtrack as well. Also this year, “Feeling Heavy” was featured on the short film Right Turns, along with Richie Sambora’s “Seven Years Gone.” Tracks off the Fragile Reality LP were included on the soundtrack of the drug-culture drama Grace and the Storm.  An unusual thing about hearing our songs on these films is that they all deal in the topic of drug abuse. Although we never set out to write for this space, our songs are generally dark and heavy, and seem to lend themselves stylistically to works dealing in weighty subject matter like addiction. We’re especially happy to be part of projects like Kids Are Dying and Right Turns, because of their message and positive impact… Right Turns was produced entirely with funds seized from drug dealers… pretty cool.  As for us personally, exercise, fishing and hot yoga keep our heads on pretty straight.

You’ve jammed with some Rock Hall inductees — can you go into further detail about that?

Andy Roland: We’ve all been part of some great projects in the past. After earning the title of “Ultimate Unsigned Heavy Metal Guitar Player of the Year” by Guitar Player Magazine in 1992, Al formed the band Talk is Cheap and went on to play some major gigs with Smashing Pumpkins, Urge Overkill, Monster Magnet, T. M. Stevens and many others. I personally had the opportunity to record and perform with legendary keyboard player and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Bernie Worrell of P-Funk as part of a funk project in the ’90s. I also currently play in the Holiday Express (www.holidayexpress.org), an all-volunteer charity rock band formed by NJ renaissance man Tim McLoone two decades ago.  Members of the band are a who’s who of NJ musicians, including members of Bon Jovi, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, and a guy named Springsteen has been known to sit in… somebody wasn’t paying attention when they let me in this band.

You’re headlining The Stone Pony on Saturday — can you talk about your emotions heading into this big show?

Andrew Roland: It feels like home. Our friends, fans and history are all in Asbury Park. Kyle Brendle at the Pony is a legend himself, and it’s great to have him put this show together.

What can the people coming out to The Stone Pony expect to see from you guys in terms of a live experience?

Andy Roland: A mix of songs from all three records, some new material and a surprise cover tune or two.  Also, maybe a fresh haircut for Warren…

There are so many bands out there in the Jersey Shore scene to check out — what do you think separates you guys from everyone else?

Andy Roland: We don’t fit neatly in a particular genre.  Although we love to pound out the heavy stuff, we generally keep it melodic, and maybe even artful (on a good day).

If someone read this interview and never heard you before, but decided to check you out, what song would you recommend they listen to in order to understand what Breathing Diesel is all about?

Andy Roland: It’s hard to pick one, so probably Feeling Heavy, Ashes, Bloodshot and Better Days.

A bit of more broad, sweeping question — what is it that you love about being in Breathing Diesel?

Andy Roland: Having the stage shake when we crank the masters on the Mesa/Boogies and start pounding the Ludwigs…

What do you have planned for the rest of 2014?

Andy Roland: Fine tuning the unrecorded material, putting together some more great shows, and perhaps starting work on another video…

Breathing Diesel performs Saturday at The Stone Pony in Asbury Park, NJ. Click here for tickets.

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