Tommy Victor (Prong)

Interview by Randy Mallett

Friday, February 13th 2009

BP: Tommy! Thanks for the interview. What are you up to these days?

TV: I'm working on songs for the next Prong album along with Monte Pittman and Aaron Rossi. Monte has

to go back out with Madonna again, so I'm on the bass player hunt yet again. I also helped a bit recently

(to) put together a remix record for our last release Power Of The Damager called Power Of The Damn

Mixer for 13thPlanet Records. Since Ministry is over, I started playing with Glenn Danzig again as well.

We have a couple of shows coming up. I'm going to start getting geared for that as well.

BP: So you were a soundman at the infamous CBGB back in the day. What was that like, and

who were some of your favorite bands that performed there?

TV: It was a lot of work. Six bands a night, crap rice and beans meals from the filthy deli across the

street - and too much booze and amphetamines. I lived off the Bowery, walked to work and dealt with

the rats and the homeless. But that inspired me to get my band together and hit the road.

There were a lot of great acts of course. I'm trying to think (of) who was the best band I saw there. It's

a tough choice. I really truly can't say.

BP: So, you've been going strong for over two decades now. What do you attribute to

your longevity?

TV. Lots of booze and amphetamines.

BP: Tell us about the early days of Prong, and how you guys got together.

TV: I met Mike Kirkland working at the club. I knew Ted from Swans. Mike was in Damage and wanted

out of the band. He heard from his girlfriend that I played so we started writing. I got Ted down to jam and that was it. We made a demo with Wharton Tiers. We found a guy to pay for a record. We played a lot of local shows. We sold our own records to stores and at the shows. I bought a van for fifty bucks so we played shows down in D.C. and upstate and Jersey. Relativity bought out our second record. Then Epic wanted us. Then I was gone. Out of New York, seeing the world.

BP: Does songwriting to you mean making a statement, or just something that you simply enjoy doing?

TV: It represents ideals in reflection of desires, thoughts, philosophies, frustrations and the like. New ideas "guitar-wise" have always been important for me.

BP: What's your favorite city, state, or country to play in, and why?

TV: I like Milwaukee and Chicago a lot. Or wherever mass quantities of beer and sausages are consumed.

BP: You spent a good amount of time touring with Ministry. That's got to be one of the most interesting and influential combinations in the last twenty years of heavy metal bands. Tell us more about working with Al (Jourgenson), and his label 13th Planet Records.

TV: Al is as crazy as people make him out to be. But he's very intelligent. He's also a little psychic. His understanding of human nature is incomparable. His dedication to sheer artistry is remarkable. He's a rebel to the utmost as well. He despises mainstream society more than anyone I've ever met. On the other hand he's a massive sports fan, like me. He can drink with the best of them, yet remember statistics and trivia. He can be a very dark and suspicious character at times but be the best drinking buddy/madman the next. I don't agree with everything he has to say, unlike a lot of people in the "camp" feel compelled to. I think we have a mutual respect. He's one

of my biggest fans! He's very upbeat and confident about his projects. Sometimes I want to kill him, so

obviously, we are very close. Working on Rio Grande Blood was one of the craziest, enjoyable and

challenging musical projects I've ever done. It was utter chaos. But Al "get's it done." You don't think

he can, nor will, but it just happens. He's the most creative dude in the studio I could ever imagine.

And with songwriting, he'll take a lame-ass riff and make it into a masterpiece.

BP: What's it like working with Glenn Danzig?

TV: It's an absolute honor. To me, he's the Godfather of modern rock. Without him there would be

no Metallica, no HIM and maybe no Hot Topic for that matter. To think that there's something out

there called the "Misfits" without GD is an abomination. People definitely don't give him the respect

he deserves. Not that he really cares. He's written tons of amazing songs. The guy can sing his

ass off. He's another guy that despises the whole pop music rat race. He's totally committed to

what he does. He's got the biggest balls of anyone I've met. In all the years I've worked with him, I

can count the problems I've had with him on one hand. He's a total pro and a gentleman. And believe

it or not, he has an unbelievable sense of humor. I'm really proud to be somewhere in the Danzig tree.

BP: On October 20th, 2006 the band lost a dear friend, Paul Raven. Can you tell us about him,

and what you miss most about him?

TV: That bastard! I could really use him now. I wish he was here. Things are definitely not the same without him

around. I miss his crazed phone calls bitching about the whole music scene and what-not. His playing was the absolute best, no one could ever come close. Raven was an OG punkrock gangster pirate rebel. And you talk about a guy with a sense of humor! He was the funniest kookiest madman around. I still laugh my ass off thinking about his antics. Whether he was grumpy, pissed off or whatever, he was hilarious. He lived his life to the fullest. He never denied himself anything. One day in Costa Rica - then on a plane doing another Killing Joke tour. We all truly miss him. It certainly would have been awesome to do another Prong record with the old Cleansing line-up. Now we can't.

BP: Alright, let's get to some fun stuff. If Prong had one major weakness, what would it be?

TV: I think it's been my lack of confidence. I've always been hampered by insecurity. You know, "these songs aren't good enough, my complexion sucks, my cock is too small, the label hates us, I'm not practicing enough, you're not practicing enough." It never ends.

BP: If you had one personal regret about your music career, what would it be?

TV: Watching the charts (and) seeing other bands' popularity and thinking Prong was worthless.

BP: If you could add any musician to your band (dead or alive) who would it be?

TV: Raven, hands down.

BP: If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?

TV: I said it years and years ago; if you want security in record sales eternally, cut the prices! Cd's should have never been more than five bucks - that's it. It's the money-draining 80's acts and their mentality that ruined it all.

BP: If you could change one thing about the US Government, what would it be?

TV: Universal health care. Walk into a hospital, no wait, get anything done you want. We could afford it. But the old-timers are greedy and hate the lower classes.