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LIFE AFTER AGONY
ALAN ROBERT, 12.08.02


Life Of Agony... January 3rd and 4th... Irving Plaza, NYC. Mark it on your calendars. Actually, scratch that. If it’s not already marked on your calendars then it’s too late. Both dates sold out in less than 20 minutes.

It’s been 6 years since Keith Caputo, Joey Z, Alan Robert and Sal Abruscato have played together as groundbreaking band Life Of Agony. On those two sold-out dates in January, the four of them will once again join each other on stage in what has to be the most anticipated reunion of recent memory.

Born out of NY’s hardcore metal scene, Life Of Agony’s signature sound hit us like an irreverent breath of fresh air. Heavy yet thoughtful, hard yet sensitive, their music made us thrash while their words made us think.

With 3 full-length releases from ‘93 to ‘98, Life Of Agony burned bright, burned hard and burned out.

After the departure of singer Caputo in ‘98 [drummer Sal Abruscato had already been replaced by Dan Richardson], LOA would enlist ex-Ugly Kid Joe singer Whitfield Crane to front the band’s tour for 3rd release “Soul Searching Sun.” Soon after the tour wrapped, however, it became clear that Crane was not the singer of choice for the band’s sound. In early ‘99 they announced Alan would take over the role of vocalist while Corey Lowery would come on board to play bass.

A short -lived experiment, it would be just a few months later that the band would announce its break up.

We caught up with bass player Alan Robert and talked about Life and life after Life.


Show & Tell – So how long had it been since the four of you [the original line-up] were in a room together?

 Alan – I think it’s been 6 yrs.


S&T – And what was it like that first time?

Alan – We’d seen each other individually during the last couple years… Keith [Caputo] came up on stage at CBGB’s with my new band “Among Thieves” for an old LOA tune last December and that really kinda got the wheels turning. Then me, Joey and Sal met in the city for dinner, first time in a very long time and just started talking about old times. Keith had just flown back from Europe. He was doing shows out there, solo shows. We were actually approached by Metal Edge Magazine to do a New Year’s Eve show, as a reunion, and we said, “Hey, we’re all around… why not? Let’s do it!”

That show fell apart somehow and we decided to do our own NYC show and it sold out in 20 minutes without any advertising. We were kinda surprised so we added another night.


S&T – I was going to ask if the response had surprised you.

Alan – Yeah. We didn’t know what to expect. We’ve been gone and out of the scene for a while. The Linkin Parks of the world took over and we were fine with that but we didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into.


S&T – Right. And then you have to add a second show. Now I know everyone’s got projects going on but was there ever any thought to “If there is demand should we look at a couple more dates or putting something out?”

Alan – This is really all we had time for with everyone’s schedules. We would love to do more I’m sure, but right now this is all we could commit to.


 S&T – But there is always the possibility, right? I’ve been on line snooping around and the fans are going ballistic.

Alan – Yeah… the demand is there it’s just a matter of working it out with everyone’s priorities. Everyone’s doing their own thing but I’m sure there will be a time for it again.


 S&T – When Keith came up and sang at the CBGB’s show… was that something you had planned on or did he just happen do be there?

Alan – I think we talked like two days before. He was in town and I asked him to come down to the show and he’s like “Let me come up on stage and do a song with you” and my guys were cool with that.


 S&T – So that was the spark for it. Was there ever any thought to bringing in any of the other guys from the line up. Like Dan [Richardson, Sal’s replacement on drums after LOA’s second album] specifically?

Alan – We really just wanted to stick to the original [lineup]. I think a lot of kids weren’t able to witness the original and we wanted to keep it real and play a lot of the older tunes.


 S&T – I heard a rumor that you guys might be taping the show.

Alan – Well… we’re still battling that out with the powers that be.


 S&T – A “who-gets-the-money” thing?

Alan – I can’t really get into it. It’s so funny... when you’re trying to do a good thing that people in power try and squash it just to make a buck. It’s a shame… but I think it will happen.


 S&T – I think with you guys playing just the two shows will leave everybody hungrier for more.

Alan – Yeah. Especially... we have a lot of fans overseas that aren’t able to come. I know there’s a handful of people flying in for it but that’s a lot different than a full European tour.


 S&T – Right. Now you’re actually going to be doing double duty that night with your band [opening act and Alan’s current band] “Among Thieves.”

Alan – Yeah.


 S&T – Why don’t you talk a bit about what everyone’s doing? Joey [guitarist Joey Z, now of Stereomud] basically has to be on loan right because [Stereomud is] working on a new album?

Alan – Yeah, they have a new record coming out in February, I think on Columbia, and he’s really excited about that.


 S&T – We liked the first album. It was very good.

Alan – It’s a good record. I heard some new stuff… it sounds great.


 S&T – What about “Among Thieves?”

Alan – We just got Danny [Danny’s last name?] from Biohazard on drums and we’ve been recording with Michael Barbiero. He did Metallica and Guns n Roses.


 S&T – For another demo?

Alan – They will probably wind up on the album.


 S&T – Are you signed yet?

Alan – No. We are still shopping around. And still working on new material and now we have Dan in the band…


 S&T – That changed the sound?

Alan – Yeah. Changed the tightness and the feel.


 S&T – How about Sal? Is he doing anything?

Alan – He’s really looking to be a session musician. He does a lot of production work.


 S&T – That’ll do it for us, Alan. Thanks much for your time.

Alan – Thanks.


 It was clear 20 minutes after tickets went on sale that though Life Of Agony was no more, their impact has certainly not been forgotten. And for two nights only this January, some of us will be lucky enough to see why.

review by scott sisti