Interview: Severin Allgood of Namazu

Here's our latest get to know you feature on Severin Allgood of Namazu.

Namazu's a new band made up of veteran fellows from the metal scene of Memphis, TN. It's not often that we get into music from Tennessee really.

What struck me about their press release is that they hate my banjo. If I owned a banjo and was totally metal, I think that might possibly cause me to write a dis track.

In the meantime, it's all good.

GM: What made you want to become a musician?

Severin Allgood: My dad was a musician. I’ve been around singing and songwriting my whole life. The summer I turned fifteen I asked for guitar lessons.

My life has been a mess ever since. Hahahaha!

GM: What's the best way to enjoy music?

SA: Nothing beats seeing your heroes live. I’ve been going to shows for over 25 years, and seeing a band you love live never gets old.

I like listening to music on a long car ride by myself, when no one can bother you with questions and the music and your daydreams intertwine with each other.

I’ve got an old Diamondback BMX bike, I think it’s from 1992 or so, and I love to hop on there, throw some earbuds in, and cruise around the park blasting Ride The Lightning.

GM: Tell me the last five songs played on your MP3 player.

SA: Starbenders- “Blood” Reserving Dirtnaps- “Reserving Dirtnaps” Mutoid Man- “Bridgeburner” Kurt Vile- “Pretty Pimpin” PEARS- “Breakfast”

GM: Who's your greatest influence?

SA: Probably Tony Sly from No Use for a Name. He wrote songs that were so fast, and yet so catchy.

 And he could write a really tough one when he wanted. Great music to skate to, too! Same with Russ Rankin from Good Riddance. And of course, I’ve always loved Black Sabbath.

I had a cassette dub of Paranoid in the tape deck of my mom’s station wagon for years.

GM: You tell me, what do we need to know about you?

SA: I started playing guitar in 1994, I’ll let you do the math.

Whatever band I’ve been in, we’ve always been just a little ahead of whatever is cool at the time, so as we would not be considered cool. Right now, I could grow a beard, buy a banjo, and start a Genericana band and probably have lots of people come to my shows.

But I’d rather run two full stacks and not be able to hear for three days. I still refer to people as posers. There are A LOT of them out there.

Same with those garage bands who all sound like they record in a closet to a cell phone. I could wear my girlfriend’s jeans and put on a baggy sweater, and play my guitar up around my throat; but then I’d have to kick my own ass.