An Interview with Mark and Christian Danger from the Rosedales

The Undead Have Never Sounded so Good! By Suzanne Donahue

Whether you like horror punk, spookabilly, ghoul rock, or 50's-style dance music, the Chicago-based band The Rosedales has a little something for everyone. The four-man lineup of Mark Danger (bass and lead vocals), Christian Danger (drums), Johnny Krypt (guitar), and Rip Fantom (guitar and lead vocals) delivers an unforgettable combination of amazing melodies, heart-stopping riffs, and adrenaline-boosting beats. On top of that, not only are The Rosedales responsible for one of my favorite CDs of all time (the 2003 release Raise Your Spirits from Shallow Grave Records), but they also dress up like the undead and drive to every gig in a flame-covered hearse. So needless to say, I was thrilled when Mark and Christian Danger recently took time out of their busy graveyard schedule to chat with me about music, horror movies, the afterlife, and much more...

SUZANNE: Welcome, Mark and Christian. Let's begin at the beginning. Did you guys already have an interest in music as children, or was that something that came later? And who were some of your favorite musical artists growing up?

Mark: I discovered KISS at a very young age. They were the coolest band for a little kid. The blood, fire, and costumes were awesome. I had a pet hamster named, “Ace”. My favorite bands growing up would be Iron Maiden, Danzig and KISS. Lot’s of great memories are associated with those bands.

Christian - Being that Mark is my older brother, I was exposed to music at a young age. The band that stands out in my mind the most was Iron Maiden. They were and still are a big influence in my playing.

SUZANNE: Danzig, KISS, and Iron Maiden are all dear to my musical heart, as well. (thumbs-up) Now how about your childhood Halloween costumes? Were they run-of-the-mill, or did you really go for it horror-style and whip out the disembodied hands and fake blood? And would you please nominate your choice for the best Halloween candy in the entire universe?

Mark: My mother would MAKE my costumes….old school. She never let my brother, sister and I run around the neighborhood with the cheapo costumes from the drug store. She made each one by hand. Let’s see… I was the Mummy, Dracula, a Warlock, Yoda, and Superman. That’s all I can remember. My favorite Halloween candy is by far is candy corn in the shape of pumpkins.

Christian - I wasn't always something scary. I do remember being a skeleton and a devil.

SUZANNE: How would you describe yourselves in high school (goth, geek, freak, athlete, prankster, etc.), and did you enjoy the high school experience overall (or not)?

Mark: I was an athlete that had a dark side. At my school you could not have long hair. You had to wear dress pants and a shirt with a collar. We though we were so cool when we would wear an Iron Maiden shirt under our polo….and yes, I did enjoy my High School experience.

Christian - same as Mark, I went to a high school with a dress code. I remember being the one who listened to all the bands that no one knew of (Korn, Tool, Manson, Deftones).

SUZANNE: How did all the members of The Rosedales get together for the first time?

Mark & Christian: Most fans did not know that the Rosedales started out as The Onlys. It was a tribute to Jerry Only from The Misfits. Once we started to define our own sound, it made sense to stand on our own with a new name.

SUZANNE: For those who don't know, can you explain where the band's name comes from, and why you chose it?

Mark & Christian: We all met at a cemetery in Chicago called, “Rosedale Cemetery”.

SUZANNE: How would you describe the kind of music you sing/play/write?

Mark: That is a hard question because we have a lot of different influences. Our new album that is coming out is soooo different from the last two.

Christian - We each bring our own unique style to the music. Think about it; you have Mark who is into Danzig, metal, etc and then Rip is into rockabilly. Johnny is a big 70's rock kinda guy while I am into anything from AFI to Zeppelin. The great thing about our sound is that each person’s influence can be picked out but together it forms something that is hard to categorize. That is why we appeal to metal heads as well as the pop girls.

SUZANNE: Which musicians have been the most influential for you?

Mark: Danzig, Peter Steele, Martin Denny, Rob Zombie.

Christian - Getting the obvious ones out of the way (Bohnam, Peart, etc) I would have to say Nikko McBrain, Stewart Copeland, Dave Grohl, Chad Sexton, Danny Carey, Travis Barker.

SUZANNE: What has been your favorite Rosedales song so far, and why?

Mark: Hmmm. Good question. I really like, “Nightgown” it really sets the mood and takes you on a ride.

Christian - "Its Midnight" is cool because it is fun to play and people seem to enjoy it. Frozen Ghost is cool too.

SUZANNE: In a similar vein, what has been your favorite live performance so far, and why?

Mark: Hands down, the House of Blues show we played October 13th 2006 in Chicago. It was sold out and the crowd was awesome.

Christian – Yeah, HOB was the best. It will be hard to top that one. Great sound, great crowd, great venue.

SUZANNE: Out of curiosity, have you ever had anything exceptionally funny, strange, or otherwise out of the ordinary happen at a live performance, and if so, can you describe it?

Mark: One time we were on stage opening up for Dr. CHUD. We were jamming our hearts out and my guitar player/singer Rip signaled me to come over to him onstage. So I walked over to him and he told me that I was gay. Pretty funny because I though that there was something wrong.

Christian - We were playing this show at Nite Caps in Chicago. It had to be 95 degrees on stage with all the lights. I was struggling the entire show. At the end I stood up a barfed all over my drums. Not many people saw it but those who did got their money’s worth that night.

SUZANNE: Those are both great stories! (laughs) On the flip side, what do you think is the most rewarding thing about being musicians?

Mark & Christian: Seeing fans in the audience sing every word to the songs we created.

SUZANNE: I can imagine how good that must feel. (nods) Speaking of nice things, how did you come to own "The Ride Of Frankenstein"? Who gets to drive it the most? And is it tricked out inside with special features? (interviewer's note: I have included a photo of this car so you can see how groovy it is)

Mark: Rip picked it up about 8 years ago. He is the owner and driver. It is a vintage 1965 Cadillac Hearse…all original including a casket.

SUZANNE: I was so hoping it had a casket inside! Cool! (another thumbs-up) Okay, if you had to name three of your favorite songs by musicians other than yourself, which ones would you choose?

Mark: “Love you to death” by Type O Negative, “Unchained” by Van Halen, “Crave you gone” by Cellophane.

Christian - Anything off of October Rust, "Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)" by Deftones. and I cant think of anything else right now...

SUZANNE: Who do you consider to be the most underrated band in the world, and why?

Mark: Cellophane. They put out one of the best albums that no one ever heard. If you do a bit research on the web you can find a copy. Truly one of the best bands and albums I have ever heard.

Christian – Yeah, I would have to agree with Mark.

SUZANNE: With that kind of recommendation, I will definitely have to find myself a copy of the Cellophane album. I'm intrigued. Now switching gears a little bit, if you had to name your favorite horror films of all time, which ones would you choose?

Mark: My favorite horror movies would be, The Shining, The Exorcist, and anything by David Lynch.

Christian - I would have to say Hitchcock is pretty cool.

SUZANNE: Great choices. Along those same lines, do you guys have a favorite supernatural creature?

Mark: Any kind of creepy girl ghost like the one in “The Ring” and the Creature of the Black Lagoon.

Christian - Zombies are pretty cool...

SUZANNE: Who is your favorite Scream Queen?

Mark: I really don’t have one, but I think that Rose McGowan is very hot in Grindhouse.

SUZANNE: Out of curiosity, what kinds of horror-related toys do you own, and which ones are you most proud of?

Mark: I do collect a lot of horror stuff but my favorite is building vintage monster models. I really enjoy painting them more than building them. I have a pretty awesome collection going.

Christian - I used to collect a ton of action figures. I still have them but they are packed away. I have some really cool Alien action figures that are unopened.

SUZANNE: Okay, now we're going to play the what-if game. If you were stranded on a desert island for the rest of time with a magically-operational CD player, which five CDs would you want to have with you to pass the hours?

Mark: Misfits “Greatest Hits”. Guns N Roses,“Appetite for Destruction”. Martin Denny, “The Exotic sounds of Martin Denny”. Type O Negative, “October Rust”. Anything from the Ultra Lounge collections.

Christian - Itunes!

SUZANNE: Excellent! And how about if you could spend 24 hours with any band/musician in the world (living, dead, or undead)? Who would you want to spend it with and why?

Mark: Rob Zombie. He is doing everything that I would like to accomplish.

Christian - Yeah Rob Zombie would be pretty cool to hang with. Maybe even Marilyn Manson but I think after a while it would get kinda "weird"

SUZANNE: Rob Zombie's Sinister Urge album is fantastic. I love it. (thumbs-up number three) Now, if money and availability were no object, and you could have any actor or actress star alongside you in a music video (no matter how famous or infamous), who would you want along for the ride?

Mark: Giovanni Ribisi. I have always liked his work and I think he is cool.

Christian - Christopher Walken

SUZANNE: As far as I'm concerned, Giovanni Ribisi should get an award for his performance in The Gift and Christopher Walken should get an award for being the best film angel ever (if there are any readers out there who haven't seen The Prophecy movies, rent the DVDs today). Moving along, if you could do a concert in any location in the world, where would you choose?

Mark: In Denmark or Switzerland at some crazy outdoor venue or in a castle. Also, remember that live U2 video for Sunday Bloody Sunday…at that place.

Christian - Yeah some outdoor fest sharing a bill with tons of crazy bands. Those European festivals are crazy because at one minute Iron Maiden is playing, then the next its like Gorillaz or someone like that. That would be funny.

SUZANNE: How about if you weren't musicians? What would be your ultimate dream jobs?

Mark: Retired on a beach.

Christian - Drum Maker (see www.myspace.com/christiandanger )

SUZANNE: And what if you had to describe the afterlife in one sentence? What would you say about it?

Mark: Like being in the womb.

Christian - Peaceful

SUZANNE: Speaking of the afterlife, are coffins comfortable to sleep in? Do they ask for ID at cemetery parties? And do you prefer blood or wine?

Mark: They are not comfortable for two. But for one it is just fine. I never need ID and I prefer wine.

SUZANNE: Rockin'! And finally, what's coming up for The Rosedales in the rest of 2007?

Mark: We have a new album coming out soon that we are very proud of. Fans of The Rosedales will get a sneak preview this Summer. Join our Fang Club at www.therosedales.com or be our friend on MySpace and we will hook you up. SUZANNE: Thanks so much for talking with me, guys! It's been a lot of fun! MARK & CHRISTIAN: Thank you!

Straight from the bowels of the Chicago cemetary come The Rosedales! These guys are a true testement to what great Horror Rock music is today, we had the chance to speak to drummer Christian Danger, here is what he had to say:

First let's begin by Introducing yourself and what instrument you play? Christian Danger..drums.

The Rosedales have been together for sometime now how did you guys meet? CHRIS: We all met after being buried in the same Cemetary in Chicago, IL. It is now a park...Rosedales park.

How would you Describe your sound? CHRIS: Elvis, meets the Munsters, meets the misfits, meets the damned, meets Beach Boys.

In I beleive 2004 you released "Raise Your Spirtits" any plans for a new album? CHRIS: Mark and RIP are busy writing new tunes as we speak. We are trying to get some new tunes out by fall 2005.

What is the most influential person or thing as far as The Rosedales Musical sound is concerned? CHRIS: I can only speak for myself so I would have to say horror films.

Your song " It's Midnight" is featured on This Is Horror Punk 2, you also have a video for the song on your website, a personal favorite to me. What is your Favorite song from "Raise Your Spirits" and to play live? CHRIS: For me, I like to play "In the dark." It is a great song to play live and I like the messege behin the music.

Your sound has a rock n' roll/punk rockabilly sound what is your favorite band or artists from the 50's? and which bands inspired you? CHRIS: Elvis.

You are writing new songs write now? will you tour the U.S. in support of the record when it is finished? Europe? CHRIS: Yes, Mark and RIP are currently writing and as soon as they have some basic structures, Johnny and I will step in and add our parts. As far as touring goes, who knows? Lets just worry about getting an album out first.

What is Your Favorite Horror Film? CHRIS: My favorite horror film would have to be anything hitchcock. Even though they are more suspense than anything else, I like them because he got his point across without being over the top; kinda like our music.

If you could replace the soundtrack to any film with The Rosedales what would it be? CHRIS: Donny Darko... How is The "Horror" music scene in Chicago and are The Rosedales well recived? As far as the horror scene in Chicago is concerned, there really is none. We are pretty much the only gigging horror rock band in Chicago. As far as The Rosedales are concerned, we are recieved really well. We have played shows with bands from metal to pop. We can hold our own.

If you could tour with any band, which one would it be and why?how about Horror punk? I would like to tour with Blitzkid because we played a show with them in Bristol, TN and we complimented each other really well. PLus, they are a bunch of cool guys.

Tell us your best and worst gig story? For me, the best story lately is pulling up to Iresons in Bristol, TN and seeing people waiting around with The Rosedales T-shirts on. That made me feel cool...

As far as the worst, I dont really have one. Every show is fun for me.

What is next for The Rosedales? CHRIS: Putting out a record, changing the horror music scene, redefining ourselves.

Word association I will say a name you tell me the first thing that comes to mind:

Pope John Paul II? -Leader

Michael Jackson? -Sinner

Michale Grave? -American

George W Bush? -Misunderstood

Pauly Shore? -Funny

and Finally do you have anything you would like to say to all of our readers? CHRIS: Keep your minds open for the next record.

2003 Musical Ministry Interview with Christian Danger

A little background info before we start on The Rosedales. They are a new style of punk "Re-Born", no pun intended. With sounds similar to that of the Misfits and Dazing and on occasion Rip Fantom has a vocal tone equal to Type O Negative. The Rosedales combine punk with a pop style beat similar to the Beach Boys. This is the music, and the lyrical content should you dare pay attention is much more dark and creepy. With lyrics like "It didn't have to end this way, now your six feet down" and "Can things get any worse now I'm driving in a hearse, we only come out at night" They truly separate themselves from the mainstream. So who are they? As the story goes they are four lost souls who died tragic deaths and have been reborn but yet remain the undead. Each meeting his tragic end at a separate time and then by fate ended up buried in the same location in un marked graves. You can get the whole story in their new cd "Raise Your Spirits". Ask yourself, is it a marketing ploy and just an image or gimmick? Or is it true? You decide...

It has been some time since a staff member from the ministry sat down with The Rosedales and many things have been happening for them in the past few months. I decided to contact them to see if they would be interested in another interview. As we all know there is only one way to contact the dead, so I broke out the old faithful Ouiji board and waited until midnight to reach out to the four lost souls who make up the band. Mark Danger was the one to reply, and upon asking for an interview he simply said "yes", but where and when were yet to be said. The location was given and no time was stated. I asked Mark again what time? "You know what time" he replied, which I know meant midnight. So I was off to an undisclosed location to meet with The Rosedales. I arrived around 11:50 to await their arrival. As the clock got closer to midnight I noticed a deep fog set in around 11:59 and then I heard it. The distinct chilling roar of an engine and squealing tires which could only be "The Ride Of Frankenstein" The Rosedales trademark form of transportation a '65 Cadillac hearse. The minute I heard the squealing tires in the distance a haunting chill came over me, not like the chill of a cold breeze but that chill which makes your hair stand on the back of your neck. Then exactly as I heard the clock tower in the distance chime 12:00 I felt a hand grasp my shoulder and heard the frightening voice of Christian Danger say, "It's Midnight". I turned and seen only Christian Danger, and knew from previous encounters it's best not to ask where the others were. And so we sat down and the interview began.

So besides the release of your new cd "Raise Your Spirits", being played on Chicago's 94.7 The Zone, Playing a show with Dr. Chud's X-Ward, and your live performance on WGN Chicago's morning show what else has been going on with you guys?

-We are pushing our album right now. All four of us are really happy with the outcome and people seem to agree. We are selling tons on line through our website and Cdbaby.com. Also, we are being contacted from all over the world about it. A German radio station e-mailed to tell us that we are being played. How cool it that?

Now the band has been together for some time and played numerous shows, mostly 21 and over, do you feel like The Zone playing your music now will help you gain the all ages shows?

-Definitely. Any type of radio play helps out tremendously. Brain at MPshows.com is working with us to line up some sweet fireside shows at the beginning of January. We are dieing to play all ages shows.

You have a Misfits influence in your music, and recently played with Dr Chud's (former misfits drummer) X-Ward, what did it feel like to share the stage with him, as well as hang out backstage with him and his new band?

-It was a great experience because The Misfits are great band and Chud is a fantastic drummer. The best part about it was that Chud has heard of us before and they were really impressed with us. The band is a bunch of nice guys and it was fun talking with them about The Misfits and the old punk scene from out east.

You also appeared on WGN live, what was that performance like for you guys?

-The performance was so cool. While we were loading our gear into the WGN studios, we noticed that they still had the entire Bozo Show set. Needless to say, we took some pictures with it because Bozo was the man. The performance was great and we would love to do it again. People were scared of us in the hallway because it is not everyday you see four ghouls towering through the WGN studios at 5:00 am. (NOTE: the shortest person in the band is six foot two.) Once they heard us play, they warmed up a bit.

How did the WGN show come about?

-Tony, our manager, hooked us up. It was really simple. He just submitted our Disc and they contacted us. WGN liked what they heard and saw so they called us up right away.

The sound quality of the new cd "Raise Your Spirits" captures the sound you guys have live much more then your previous cd "Gravest Hits" what did you do differently to capture that sound?

-The biggest thing was the studio. We tracked "Raise your Spirits" at CRC recording studios in Chicago, IL. I got to track my drums in the big "live" room where bands like Smashing Pumpkins and Filter have tracked. Plus, Sean Sutton, our producer, really understood what we were sonically going for on this record. He is a magician behind the board.

The one thing I think truly packages you cd's well is the artwork, after all presentation is key in this industry, who designs your album art?

-Mark Danger does all the artwork for the albums and flyers. Presentation is key in the industry and we are happy with ours. No bands seem to care anymore about making a killer looking album. We want to bring back the glory days of album artwork like Iron Maiden still does. Granted, our artwork is nowhere near the complexity of Iron Maidens but we are holding our own. We just like all the detail and time put into the album art. You can look at an Iron Maiden album cover for hours and find little hidden things that you never knew where there. Have you ever seen the cover of "Power Slave"? That is some great stuff. If our artwork could be as half as good as any of Iron Maidens are, we would be happy.

The lyrics of the new cd also seem a bit darker, is there a reason for that?

-That's just the way RIP and Mark write. Personal experiences play a big part in it.

Could you explain to me what exactly is taking place on the intro and exit track of the cd?

-Well, hmmm...it's kind of self explanatory. Some spirits driving a '65 Cadillac hearse abduct a young woman while she is listening to our album on a rainy night. What's so hard to understand about that?

Rumor has it you guys heard from a record label, Is This true and what did they say about your sound?

-We have been contacted by several and all are blown away by The Rosedales. The cool thing about it is that they contacted us. We have not solicited any labels because that is not a big concern for us right now. Sure we will entertain offers and if the right one comes along, who knows? But yeah, some of the feed back is really cool. Comparing us to other "horror rock" bands, the labels say we lead the pack. Nothing like they have ever heard before. We are really blown away by that but we are not going to let any of this give us egos or anything. We are doing what we want and how we want to do it. Everything else is second.

Let's take a step back to the beginning, most bands have a lot of hype within the first year or so, this was not the case for The Rosedales, In fact your hype has come recently with radio support and television appearances, was there ever a time you felt it was not worth continuing?

-Never. Like I said, we are doing this because we want to, not because we want to impress anyone or anything. Most bands fight over who sings what and why they are not getting "signed". The biggest thing The Rosedales ever fight about is who will drive the hearse next.

What do you think separates you guys from the millions of other local unsigned bands out there?

-First off, no one is original anymore. Remember that. As far as what separates us from the "millions of other local bands" I can't say. As far as the Chicago scene, it is simple. We are doing something in the Chicago scene that has the potential to appeal to a large group of music fans. We have the ghoul look that appeals to the punk, horror fans while we have the pop sound that can appeal to people who normally would not like this kind of music. It is funny to hear a person's reaction when they first hear our music. Most of them are like "Wow I was not expecting that at all!" At first I took that as a back handed compliment but now I like it. We are glad that people don't expect what to hear because today, just by looking at a band, 9 times out of 10 you can guess how they will sound. What's even cooler is when people actually listen to what we are saying in the songs. Perfect example is "In The Dark". Sounds like a normal rock song. Listen closely. You will see what I am talking about.

What can someone expect to see if they come to a live show?

-They can expect just that; a show. We have the visuals and energy that you normally don't see. Sure it's about the music but we put equal weight onto the performance itself. Ask anyone who has seen us and they not only remember the music, they also remember the stage show.

I hear you guys are doing Monster Model type dolls, what was the influence for this?

-We are all fans of anything horror related. We thought it was a cool thing to do so Mark and RIP have been working on them. The process is slow but it will be worth it.

What is the status of the Monster Dolls?

-The Dolls have been put on back burner in order for us to focus on our models. No definite date yet. The models are our number one priority right now.

A lot of very credible things have been happening to the band within the last few months, if you had to make a prediction of things to come what would it be?

-Hmmm...Well, distributions deal looks promising and maybe some international exposure. Anything else I don't want to say because it can all change at the blink of an eye. We will continue to do what we are doing right now.

2003 Musical Ministry Interview with Christian Danger

Although nowhere near Halloween it is a time of horror when I meet up with The Rosedales. Following blood written directions which led me deep into a dark fog filled cemetery in Chicago, I seen a haunting figure before me which I soon realized was Johnny Crypt, who proceeded to guide deep into the lair of The Rosedales. Being my second one on one encounter I should not have been afraid. But this was the first time I would be exposed to them alone and in their home. As Johnny approached the dark mausoleum style cavern which these 4 wondering spirits reside in the door seemed to creek upon on its own. Never once uttering a word Johnny signaled for me to enter. Upon entering I seen Rip Fantom Removing a casket from the '65 Cadillac Hearse known as "The Ride Of Frankenstein" , Rip gave me a haunting glare then proceeded to return to work, I did not want to ask. As I was greeted my Christian Danger at the bar I heard the sound of foot steps approaching, I turned to see none other than Mark Danger, covered in blood with a shovel in hand, and fresh mud upon his boots and shovel. I did not ask anything about these frightening events fearing the answers. Johnny made Christian and myself martinis which I was afraid to drink due to the intoxicating smoke flowing from it and the green haze emitting from the glass.

Rev- Last time we did an interview with you guys you had stated you were going to record a new CD what is the status of that?

Christian-The CD is 100% recorded and we are in the final mix down of the music itself. It will definitely turn some heads.

Rev- What has the band been accomplishing so far on the local scene in the past year?

Christian-One accomplishment has been that we played two big double door shows, one being "The Nightmare before Christmas" show with our fellow monster rockers Monster Trux, The Elvi and Vacation Bible School. We also debuted a single off our upcoming album on Halloween at the Cubby Bear. Our main concern has been focusing all off our attention on the album and getting our name out there.

Rev- You spoke of action figures possibly "monster movie" style dolls of "The Rosedales" any updates on that?

Christian-They are in the prototype phase right now. We are adding the finishing touches on them and pictures of them will be posted on out site once we OK the final product. They are way cool. All the kids are going to want their own "Christian Danger" Monster Model.

Rev- What can we expect on the new CD in comparison to the previous CD you released?

Christian-The Number one thing is going to be production quality. We recorded at CRC in downtown Chicago. Lots of harmonies, lots of layers. Think The Beach Boys "Pet Sounds" meets Misfits "Walk Among Us".

Rev- You have had some big shows at Double Door since we last spoke has the band started to gain more of an appeal to fans, i.e. larger turn outs at shows?

Christian- We have noticed more hits on our website along with more name recognition. The Double Door was one of our best shows to date. We will play there any time.

Rev- Any luck with the all ages Bracket yet?

Christian -We are still eagerly pushing the all agers in Chicago. The funny thing is we have played more all agers out of Chicago than we have in Chicago. We played an all agers at The Hi Pointe in St Louis that was a huge success. We had radio play on 93x along with sponsorship from a local record store. The club was packed the first time we played there. We also had a number one hit on KCSUFM (http://www.kcsufm.com) in Fort Collins, CO. We flew out there, did a bunch of interviews, and headlined a great all ages venue. The question that I always ask is "Why can't we do that here?" We love Chicago and want to be able to play all agers here. More to come I guess.

Rev- We have exposed a few youths in the area to your music has this been of any help to you and what do they think of your music ?

Christian- The Youths Love It! We are constantly getting e-mail's from kids saying "When are you guys playing an all ager?" and "When can we get to see you?" Musical Ministry has been a big part in the youth success of The Rosedales and we thank the REV and all of his Clergy.

Rev- I once heard a rumor that "Jerry Only" may do some work on your new CD is this true ? and what can you tell me about it ?

Christian- We can not confirm nor deny this Rumor. Next Question.

Rev- What are the twisted plans for the summer any big events or shows ?

Christian- This summer, plan on seeing the new album, Rosedales Monster Models, and lots of shows (concentrating on all agers). Hopefully, The Rosedales can work with Musical Ministry and get some great shows lined up.

2002 Musical Ministry Interview with The Rosedales

I met up with The Rosedales at the Brat Stop in Kenosha, WI. For a show they were putting on there. Now I made the mistake of arriving while it was still light out and as we all know the dead only travel at night. As the sun set and the dark skies fell upon us I noticed a 65 Cadillac hearse come rolling into the parking lot of the Brat Stop and not far behind was a PT Cruiser. The Rosedales had arrived. R.I.P Fantom in his 65 Cadillac hearse called The Ride Of Frankenstein and Christian Danger in his Pt Cruiser. I knew the Brat Stop was in for something they might not be able to handle. A lot of people might wonder what type of music four dead guys would play. Well you can get the sound on the web site (in mp3's)  TheRosedales.com so do check out the site and drop a line to these corpses on there message board. And if you get a chance check them out live your in for a very good show.

So where did you come up with a name like “The Rosedales “?

Mark- it actually came from a park in Chicago ...

R.I.P - where four guys were murdered

Mark - yeah, we actually got the name from the spirits that in habit the park called the Rosedales

Rev - now you guys started as “the onlys” a misfits cover band, then changed to the Rosedales doing mostly original music was that hard for you guys?

Mark - no just the name changed

Rev - so it was always the same stuff

Mark - yeah most of the music was there it just crossed over with the name change

Rev - so who is Marie? (Mentioned in a song “ sweet Marie)

Mark - “sweet Marie” is basically about losing somebody your close to and she comes back and haunts you, and we have another song called “its midnight” which is about resurrection Mary (Chicago ghost legend)

Rev - that's a classic Chicago tale

R.I.P - we are a classic Chicago tale

Rev - so are all the songs about things you have experienced?

R.I.P - basically all the vampire and undead stuff is all us

Rev - “ the only way”? What’s that one about?

Mark - the only way

Rev - which came from when you were the onlys

R.I.P - now the name is just mere coincidence, its basically about a pack of serial killers who travel town to town

Rev - listening to the Rosedales

R.I.P- and it never ends, “slick your hair back, paint your eyes black, wipe the blood of your face” (lyrics from the song) and move to the next town

Rev - now the usual crowd here at the Brat wont know what to do when you guys come out on stage

Mark - they never do

Rev- now you guys have a mellow sound, but an image of a much more darker creeper gothic style of music, its kool

Mark - I guess you could say the music does appeal to a lot of people, on the pop rock end of it, but the lyrical content is a lot darker then one would imagine

Rev- yeah totally, if you just hear the music and don't listen to it and listen to the words its very poppy but once you pay attention to the words you see how it’s dark and twisted

Mark - absolutely that was kind of the whole point get people to listen to it and then when they realize what they are singing along to its like wow

R.I.P - the lyrics are def. darker then the music

Rev - it works though it’s different then everyone else with dark lyric content ,like type o lyrics with oldies beats

R.I.P- i think a lot of it has to do with when we were are all killed

Rev - so when did you guys re incarnate and start doing music

R.I.P- just a few years ago

Mark - it was the undead calling, trying to change the music and wipe out all the crap, and circus music, were not trying to be fancy we just want to jam the tunes and have a good time

Rev - exactly I mean you can always approach a band after the play and find out what the song was about

Christian - or do an interview

Rev - yeah and then read it of the web cause everything on the web is fact

R.I.P- what's the Internet???

Mark - I think if you explain the lyrics before you sing the song it takes some of the mystery out of it

R.I.P - people can take it anyway they want, we are not a political band we are just out to entertain, were about hot rods and all the finer things in life Mark - and even if you don't like us you will never forget what we look like

Rev - you guys do have that stage presence that gets burned in your memory

Mark - totally we don't have that look of a bunch of guys that just got of from work and are pissed to be up on stage

Rev - how long has the band been together?

Mark - three years, roughly we played our first show back in the summer of ‘99 we played Wrigley vile sluggers

R.I.P- yeah and they complained about all the bodies in the alley afterwards so we have yet to be asked back

Rev - do you find that your image makes it hard to get a show?

Mark, R.I.P, Christian - nope

Mark - people want to play with us, they have never seen people do what we do, and it has been a benefit more then a hurt

R.I.P- we always do what we would like to see and what we want to do

Rev - the web site says you have action figures in the works? What’s the status on those?

Christian - yes anatomically correct

Mark - yeah we each way over 200 lbs a piece, we are casting molds and they should be available in the next five months