"NewGNRnOldGNR" Q&A With Bryan "Brain" Mantia.

[Chinese Monopoly]

1. Who would you consider to be your biggest musical influences to date?

The one and only Miles Davis
 
2. How has the recent touring with Bernie Worrell, Blackbyrd McKnight and TM Stevens been, and will there be more dates added to the present schedule?

It's been awesome... They are all legends in my book!!! I'm learning so much about music and life from those heavies!!! I won't be touring with them anymore... That incarnation of the band is defunked now and I'm not sure who's in the current line up.

3. Have you been working on any of your material that you feel is near completion and ready for release? Please describe the current sound and vibe of your studio work.
 
Bucket and I just recorded a 5 disk set entitled 'Best Regards'. We call it 'Binge' music!!! (?Best Regards? is available from ?T.D.R.S Music? and each copy has its own drawing actually drawn by Buckethead, Bryan and the keyboardist Melissa.)

4. Axl mentioned that you were "working on things for the band" during his forum appearances in December 2008, what exactly did and are you working on for the band?

That's top secret stuff!!!

5. Seeing as your involvement with the band now consists of mainly studio work, is it fair to say that you will be featured on a future Guns N' Roses album?
 
I hope so!!!!!

6. You toured with the band at a time when Buckethead and Robin Finck were also members, have you kept contact with both, if so, how is Buckethead?

Yeah a little bit... Just recently hooked up with bucket again for that disk we did. He's awesome!!!!!!!

7. You have released an instructional package for drummers before, do you have any plans to release a similar package in the future?

I just made 'Brain Has Made the Worst Drum Instructional Ever'. It came out a couple of years ago!!!

8. I believe your wife gave birth to a child during 2006 when you were on tour with Guns N' Roses, how has becoming a father been for you?

It's been great! I love being a dad!!!

9. Have you been viewing the videos of the "Chinese Democracy World Tour" which have surfaced, and if so, what do you think of the band on tour so far?

They look fuckin awesome!!!!!
 
10. What has DJ Ashba brought to the band for you, and do you feel his addition was a positive one?

He seems great! I haven't worked with him yet.

11. Regarding your current work with Guns N' Roses in the studio, have there been any possible tracks you have worked on which have really stood out for you?

Can't talk about the top secret shit .

12. Are there any plans for the current band to hit the studio with you when they return from their travels?
 
No nothing that I've heard

13. Since the release of "Chinese Democracy" I'm sure you've had time to reflect upon your work on the record. What on the record stands out as your best work? Could you see yourself remixing parts of the album?
 
i'm proud of all of it...  i love i'm sorry (?Brain? recently revealed in an interview that he had been working on some really cool remixes for Guns N' Roses. According to http://brainandmelissa.com/ Bryan and Melissa have produced three Guns N? Roses remixes from ?Chinese Democracy? at the request of Axl Rose to be released on an upcoming remix album.)

14. What exactly is Mr. Mantia occupying himself with at present?

i'm currently composing for tv, video and film

15. Could you dislose something interesting which happened during the recording of "Chinese Democracy"?
 
i recorded three songs in the nude!!!

16. And lastly, what are you listening to on your iPod?

chick corea "Frieds"

Love ya -peace

Bryan ?Brain? Mantia stated that he's ?out of the band for now?. He also shed some light on his old band from quite some time ago, ?Ted Zeppelin?. He stated that both ?Ted? and ?Zeppelin?were his favourite bands whilst he was younger hence the name combination. ?Ted Zeppelin? was an era he personally ?loved?.
 


http://brainbeatz.com/

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Bryan Mantia for agreeing to answer the above questions. He's a really cool guy!

[Kiki]

Nice    Thanx for posting!

[One.In.A.Million]

Thanks for this interview.

I always loved Brain, and I feel very lucky to have seen him live with GN'R. When Brain had to leave during the European tour in 2006, and I saw Frank play the remaining UK dates. Then I flew to Vegas to see the 2 Joint shows, and I couldn't believe it when Brain was behind the kit, such a surprise.

I also love Frank loads as well, I feel he has more than lived up to Brains' skill level. I hope Brain can still be involved in the writing process on GN'Rs' material. And judging by Axls' comments, we know Brain still involved at some level.

[HBK]

Can't talk about the top secret shit

 

Thanks By Interview

  BRIANAIC

[Christian]

The best drummer GN'R ever had

[estebanf]

The best drummer GN'R ever had

[HBK]

The best drummer GN'R ever had

My Favorite

 

[The Hinge]

three Guns N? Roses remixes from ?Chinese Democracy? at the request of Axl Rose to be released on an upcoming remix album.

Sounds pretty interesting. 

[faldor]

three Guns N’ Roses remixes from “Chinese Democracy” at the request of Axl Rose to be released on an upcoming remix album.

Sounds pretty interesting. 

It does.  But we've been hearing that for 2 years now, so I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Trist805]

Thanks for posting the interview.  Brain is so cool.  I just got that new boxset, it sounds really cool.  The Melissa girl plays synth, and some of the songs do remind me a bit of Chinese Democracy.   That is interesting that Axl is gonna have them remix some stuff, as the article stated.  Also, "top secret" sounds like he is still invovled on some level, even if he isn't touring right now.

[Buddha_Master]

I am going to go out on a limb and say that this remix album will be kind of what we thought of the Appetite rerecorded album only this time, will be remixed and rerecorded versions of many of the BIG GUNS from GN'R from back in the day on through to Chinese Democracy. I say fucking sweet. Sounds like a cool way to keep us busy until the next full GN'R album and Chinese D follow up comes. Kind of like what Lies was (but, with a lot more tracks). A new song on it or two would be fucking sweet. I wonder when we can be expecting this?

[tippasaurus]

I am going to go out on a limb and say that this remix album will be kind of what we thought of the Appetite rerecorded album only this time, will be remixed and rerecorded versions of many of the BIG GUNS from GN'R from back in the day on through to Chinese Democracy.

Somehow I remain skeptical that Axl would ever re-release anything (remix or otherwise) from 'old guns'....he still seems a little on the bitter side about Slash in particular; unlikely he'd want to pad Slash's wallet further w/ a re-release.

If there is a remix album; it might be 5 or 6 extended version songs from C.D. along with a remixed "Oh My God" (w/ new lyrics) and perhaps a couple songs of the old "industrial," late 90's sort that won't be on subsequent GN'R releases (Silk Worms?).  The "Lies" comparison seems apt.  ....a little bit of the old mixed in with a little bit of the new.   

[faldor]

From "apex-twin" over at www.gnrevolution.com

The Shackler Club Mix was mixed by Sean Beresford, who's mostly worked with Third Eye Blind.

Sunday, January 4, 2009

My friend Brain is the drummer for Guns N’ Roses (he also used to be the drummer for Primus). He wrote two of the songs on the new Guns N’ Roses record “Chinese Democracy" released late last year.

He and his musical collaborator Melissa Reese worked up a hip hop/club version of the song “Shackler’s Revenge" with programmed beats and additional loops and cool sounds. They asked me to mix it. I’ve been chipping away at it for a few weeks over the Christmas holidays and finally I think it is done. I’m quite happy with how it turned out, it is pretty wacky though!

(later, sometime in Febraury) Brain called to say that Axl Rose finally heard the remix and really likes it. Yay!...

- Blighty Sound


His resume also carries a mention of the track.

11/2008 - 12/2008 - Guns N Roses - Shackler's Revenge club remix
Pro Tools editor, mixer

Editing and mixing of  a Guns N Roses track off the recent Chinese Democracy record. This is a club remix of the song Shackler's Revenge written by Brain. Beatz by Brain and Melissa.