Grunge/Stoner Rockers 10% Reptile are releasing their new album Holographic Fuzz on September 26th and it's one hell of an album with the band focusing upon the legendary Grunge, Desert and Stoner Rock sounds of the 1990's.
Building upon the great work achieved with their celebrated 2021 debut album The Big Boycott, Their new album allows the band the perfect chance to deliver even more aggressive and catchy hooks whilst adding a more modern day edge to their sound.
I caught up with Damon Tommolino (Singer) from 10% Reptile to discuss the making of the new album which you can read below.
Hi there. Thanks for doing the interview. How are things with you today?
Hey, things are pretty good…can't complain, thanks for having us.
For folks not in the know, can you give a brief history of how the band came together and where it is today?
Wow, we actually go back to the late 90's, playing lots of bars all over New York. We were doing originals, but never really focused on the studio as much. Now, we try to get things recorded well to be clear about what we're thinking about creatively.
How would you describe your own sound for this album? As it's quite different compared to your debut release.
I'm glad you noticed the difference. Well, for Boycott, lyrically it refers to the instability of the social structure and how people of a plebeian class can utilize tools, let's say, to counter the machine. For those reasons, we wanted a degree of chaos to hold the music together. Fuzz on the other hand, we wanted to be more deliberate in our approach. We intentionally shortened songs, we put together riffs that were direct and to the point and we definitely paid a lot more attention to vocals doing something totally different, but in compliance with the music.
Why did you call yourselves 10% Reptile?
When we started as a bar band, we were looking for a unique name and a friend Vinny was saying something along the lines that all people are about 10% Reptile…we looked around at each other and basically said, "I can see that"... so, it stuck.
You're about to release your new album Holographic Fuzz in September 2023. What can people expect to hear from this album?
I'd like to think something more musical, to the point, hard hitting at times, but more cohesive…maybe smarter.
Why did you call the album Holographic Fuzz? What does the title actually mean for the band or to the album in general?
The album started out being called The Last Patrician, like the 3rd track…. And that refers to the last land owner from ancient Roman times (which further explains the album cover). So I've been seeing these dystopian catch phrases like, "you'll own nothing and be happy".
That just gets me so mad…the elite indoctrinating us to basically eat shit and like it….. but further thinking and discussing the topic it's more about the indoctrination, which alludes to the media, and later leads to the convincing or the solicitation of an Idea or agenda…. So, in the Holographic Universe, the name implies that we have a choice.
We get to choose, by sifting through the piles of media white noise, which reality we get to be connected to. So, the mind control agenda becomes as thin as a fake projected image and has no basis in the actual world.
What bands and artists influenced you when recording this album?
Yes….. ha ha, I mean all the above. We've been listening to all types of music from all walks of life with the widest, most eclectic range. Every genre, every style works its way into our writing and how we interpret it.
For example, I was on a ferry 2 days ago from Connecticut back to Long Island New York…. And as it was ready to dock, I heard the repetitive thump and gears grinding, and with that an overriding buzz that had a rhythmic key.
I grabbed my phone, recorded it and started humming a melody over it…. Where the sound was more machine like, the humming had more dissonance.. so, I'm going off on a rant, but I think you get the point…ha ha
Was this a hard album to write and record for compared to your first album.
I would just say more thoughtful. Where Boycott derived from more free flowing jams and improvising, this EP was more planned and the execution of our sound, after a first go of it, is something we evolved to me more in agreement with. We were clear on Holographic Fuzz on EXACTLY what we wanted it to sound and look like. I mean nothing can entirely come from how your mind's eye envisions it, but let's say we got a little better in intuitively filling in gaps and letting a song naturally take shape.
What is the creative process or setup within the band? Do you all write the music together or do certain people within the band do that?
I'd say that the main riff, guitar/ bass line of any kind of substance, and of course something new sounding usually gets a melody or lyrical phrasing immediately after…once that gets pitched, and everyone is in agreement to move forward with it, we start exploring the right beat for the riff in order to create a decent groove….
Then ultimately to avoid being redundant we start to hand pick good arrangements. And that, arguably, could make or break a song.
How did you get involved with music? Was it a particular album, group or artist that made you want to write and play your own music?
Well, aside from getting hit over the head with ALL classic rock from our parents, we're pretty much generation grunge. I think one writer referred to us as post grunge and we like that description.
Your debut album had a great response from the Underground scene. Did this surprise you the way folks have taken to your music in general?
It's always the best compliment any musician can get…I mean, to come up with some guitar line and start screaming about the inequities of the world is satisfaction enough..
But to have people like that and want to listen to it over and over is what it's all about. So I have nothing but surprise and gratification…and we kind of feel lucky to get to this point and have all the intentions in the world to keep moving forward.
Looking back at your debut album. Would you change anything about it?
Yes I would. Hindsight is 20/20 and I think we would all agree that our ability to capture sound has improved a lot. As far as the writing goes, the spontaneity and chaos captured some real energy of a good jam, but looking back critically (as we always do) some of the fat could've been cut.
What formats is the new album being released upon?
I know that before the release date you can listen to City and the Furnace, our single, and pre-order the EP on Bandcamp.
There you can choose either digital or a Digipak CD to buy along with other merchandise and everything to do with The Big Boycott (our debut EP).
Then you can find us on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon, iTunes, and YouTube.
What is the current state of the local Metal scene within New York? Do you get the chance to perform gigs on a regular basis and do you have a local scene that you're actively involved with?
Well, we don't actually consider ourselves metal. We categorize ourselves as somewhat of a hybrid post grunge/desert/stoner.
Since our time has been dedicated to getting our sound right and making the best EP possible, live performances had to be next in line. Now, that time is upon us and we are hoping that the local New York music scene undergoes somewhat of a resurge.
Desertfest New York has been very promising, and we are keeping an eye out. We are actively rehearsing a one hour set and look to be placed on a billing on some North East music festival. So, that's the plan.
Before you go, do you have any words of wisdom for your new and potential fans out there?
Thanks to everyone who supported us up to this point. For the listeners who hadn't discovered us you won't be disappointed…we're confident that we're bringing a fresh new sound to the stoner/rock genre….
If you like solid dirty grooves, catchy vocal hooks and hard hitting riffs, give us a listen. Follow us on social media to stay up to date on upcoming live shows.
Words by Steve Howe and Damon Tommolino
Thanks to 10% Reptile for doing this interview.
