Chesty Malone playing at your wedding party?
Interview with Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups by Lady Kat Chaos (Obscure Chaos zine) and Dave Wolff (Autoeroticasphyxium and Cerebral Agony zines).
Photos from the Lucky 13 Saloon, Brooklyn, NY - May 29, 2015
Lady Kat Chaos: What has been going on with Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups and CDbaby lately?
Anthony Van Hoek: We here at Chesty HQ enjoy some finely aged chaos.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Someone reported one of our songs, which doesn't even have explicit lyrics so I didn't know you could do that, so one of our songs we had for download (Slay To Kill, Kill To Slay) was removed temporarily, but we got it back up!
Lady Kat Chaos: That really sucks. How long did it take you get your song back on there? Was it a hard battle?
Anthony Van Hoek: Yeah that was stupid. They said the lyrics were too violent but it's about our cat!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Kitties are bad! It was about a month I think. We just had to keep filing back saying that it wasn't explicit blah blah blah and eventually we won.
Anthony Van Hoek: Took a month so it helped kill some momentum for sure.
Lady Kat Chaos: Did you have to send them your full lyrics? It really sucks that bands still have to deal with this type of ordeal. Glad that you've won. Are you guys in the process of writing new material?
Anthony Van Hoek: People just like to complain I guess. We are finishing up recording the last song from the Destroy All Humans ep, "Midnight Madhouse" we are hoping to have it out by Halloween.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We are also going to be recording a video for that song.
Lady Kat Chaos: Are you recording in a home studio?
Anthony Van Hoek: No we're recording at Domicile in NYC.
Lady Kat Chaos: At first you were only going to record two songs for your EP, what made you decide on adding another song?
Anthony Van Hoek: We decided two songs weren't enough for a 7 inch.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yeah we had a few song ideas tucked away, we really liked this one.
Anthony Van Hoek: Plus we had the song written.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: It's our interpretation of a rockabilly-esque song.
Lady Kat Chaos: Both of you write most of the songs. What songs are you including on your EP and what are they are they about?
Anthony Van Hoek: It's gonna be Destroy All Humans, Slay To Kill (Kill To Slay) and Midnight Madhouse. DAH is about how humanity stinks, Slay is about our cat Soupy and how she likes to kill and eat things. Midnight Madhouse is about being wrongfully imprisoned in an insane asylum. Or perhaps rightfully imprisoned!
Dave Wolff: Kat tells me you are partly influenced by punk and horror punk. What are some of your favorite punk bands and what do you like about them?
Jaqueline Blownaparte I can't speak for Van Hoek, but my faves and biggest influences are Misfits (I guess fairly obviously) and Samhain which I actually am more inspired by in a lot of ways, lyrically Samhain really motivates my lyric writing. I also really love the Bad Brains, Black Flag, Necros. Before recording our second album I didn't listen to anything but Negative Approach for like a week straight because I wanted to sound more like John Brannon.
Anthony Van Hoek: As far as favorite punk and HC bands, I'd say Black Flag, NA, Bad Brains. C.O.C., good shit like that. Dr. Know. Those were good days for music and bands for sure!
Lady Kat Chaos: Most of your song are about how humanity in general sucking, what makes your irate and what you find funny. What are some concepts you wouldn't write about and what has pissed you off lately?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: A lot about humanity generally upsets me. There are certain things I won't sing about, I refuse to weigh in on politics and things like that in our songs but I do like to touch on how cool people are treated shitty and the working man gets fucked. We always put a layer of humor on things to keep it light, I hate political bands and political songs I just want to enjoy music and not have to have an agenda.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline you spoke about some of your influences. As a band some of your influences are: Black Flag, Misfits, Negative Approach, Bad Brains, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Venom. Do you miss the days of 80s Hardcore scene? What do you feel has changed over the years and what do you think of the Punk, Hardcore and Metal scene today?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I unfortunately am too young and missed a lot of great stuff, I have gotten to see NA play which was amazing. The scene is strange these days, shows are still cool but there’s so much stereotyping of bands these days. We generally have a problem because the punks think we are too metal and the metal heads think we are too punk.
Anthony Van Hoek: I'm one or two years older than Jaqueline Blownaparte so I got see most of those bands yeah. Saw Motorhead with Philthy Phil on drums. Never saw Venom or Black Sabbath.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I saw Motorhead open for Dio.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you ever think that individuals would find a command balance between the two? Many Punk shows have pretty much went underground. Do you feel today it’s hard to see a good punk show? Do you also feel that many clubs don't support Punk Bands like they did in the past? What changes would you like to see happen this year?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: You’d think this day in age people would be more open minded, I get excited that it’ll be a good night when punks at the show have some metal patches on their vests. Venues in NY are definitely becoming fewer.
Anthony Van Hoek: Here in NYC there aren't many "aboveground" places for a band like us to play, though we did play Webster hall which is one of the larger places here.
Dave Wolff: We lost CBGB which was a huge blow to punk and music in general, but we still have ABC No Ro and Tompkins Square Park.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you think the venues in NY are becoming less because of the laws that many clubs need to follow today? Or do you think it has a lot to do with people just can't afford to go out or say fuck it someone will film it I can see it for free on you tube? Anthony Van Hoek: Yeah still sucks about CB’s.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Our second show ever was at CBGB.
Anthony Van Hoek: Saw Murphy's Law there at one of the last hardcore shows there and Jimmy said CB’s was just a building and it doesn't matter but I think he was wrong because CB’s was a real focal point and I don’t think it’s been replaced.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: There's a lot of problems regarding lack of venues here, unfortunately one of them being violence at shows and then they don't wanna book these kinda shows anymore.
Lady Kat Chaos: At least you had the experience to play at CBGBS which many bands never had that moment. What did you like about it? Did you record at CBGB's as well?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Oh man it was great, we hated our rhythm section at the time and wanted to fire them after the show. We spent like three hours prior getting WASTED at mars bar.
Anthony Van Hoek: We had a weird rhythm section then that we didn't really love so we didn't wanna hang out with them! If you're reading this NZA, we don't mean you, we love you! We did record the set that night but no one’s ever heard it (including us!).
Dave Wolff: How hard did you take the loss of the club when it was evicted from 315 Bowery? Do you think there was a chance to keep the place open or not?
Lady Kat Chaos: Did you add your band stickers to the wall?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I loved CBGB OMFUG. My old band played there a lot I really miss that place.
Anthony Van Hoek: No, we knew they weren't ever gonna save it, Hilly just pocketed all that cash!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: At our second show we didn't have stickers yet unfortunately but we do have pics of the show where I drunkenly made out with a rubber skull. And we went to the last hardcore matinee there.
Anthony Van Hoek: We saw the Dead Boys there that week too and I thought it was awesome when Johnny Blitz got up and yelled, "Fuck CBGBs burn it down!"
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Oh yeah that was the best
Anthony Van Hoek: Then he sprayed a full bottle of Budweiser into the stage lights.
Lady Kat Chaos: For a while they've been looking for another location. What are your thoughts about them reopening CBGB's if they find the right place to do it?
Anthony Van Hoek: Eh, they can do what they want obviously but it won't really be CBGB.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I hope they don't to be honest. It was a moment in history and it’s over. I mean look at those lame ass CBGB fests or whatever they called them. The shows were sooo not what they shoulda been.
Dave Wolff: Do you remember the bill of the last HC matinee? I saw the last ever CBs show (Patti Smith) online via the live feed on CBGB's website. In many ways it seemed a fitting way to say goodbye to the club.
Anthony Van Hoek: It was Murphy's Law and Harley's War. HR from the Bad Brains made a cameo appearance singing two solo acoustic reggae tunes.
Lady Kat Chaos: Wasn't Madball and Agnostic Front on the bill as well?
Anthony Van Hoek: Probably they were, I don't remember! Got there late.
Lady Kat Chaos: After that show was over they were going to rip the stage up. Did you take any memorabilia?
Anthony Van Hoek: There were a lot of French journalists taking pics.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: No but we kept our wristbands from entry.
Anthony Van Hoek: They didn't rip anything up, it's all in storage.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I wanted to take a bathroom stall door.
Lady Kat Chaos: What other venues do you like playing at?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Trash Bar is lots of fun; we play there often. The Lawless Downstairs there is great.
Anthony Van Hoek: Well they try and make it a bit less lawless these days. We also like Lucky 13 Saloon a lot.
Lady Kat Chaos: Also both you and Anthony had a special celebration together in 2011 at Trash Bar.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We were their first and only wedding. We had a Misfits cover band and a hardcore cover band play.
Lady Kat Chaos: You've added a piece of history to the Trash Bar. Did you think of playing at your own wedding? Since both of you were in bands in the past did you meet each other from playing together or meet a show?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We played three songs at the wedding. There are pics of us all dressed up.
Lady Kat Chaos: What bands were you both in when you first met and where did you play together?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: My band was Lady Unluck he had Sammytown Jones. We played together at Connections in Clifton, New Jersey.
Anthony Van Hoek: She wasn't old enough to get in the first time we met and played together. They made her wait outside til they played then they kicked her back out!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I was embarrassed because I was underage and they drew giant x's on my hands and made me wait outside.
Anthony Van Hoek: You were straight edge!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I stood outside drinking milk and singing Minor Threat songs
Anthony Van Hoek: I knew right then I was gonna make her mine.
Lady Kat Chaos: I would have added NYHC to the big X. LOL I hope it wasn't cold outside. At what age did you start playing in bands?
Anthony Van Hoek: I was 14 when I started my first band. I only knew two chords.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I started messing around in bands that never did anything in high school, I think I was only 18 when Lady Unluck started.
Anthony Van Hoek: Had a hardcore band called Positive Hate with my brother on drums. He told me I was gonna play guitar so even though I wasn't ready, I did.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony, love at first sight I guess does really exist. The both of you went out one evening having some T-bone steaks and having a few beers and from this came your band name Chesty Malone And The Slice ‘em Ups. Some get your band name and others don't. Care to explain it?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We knew we wanted a long band name. We were tossing around some ideas and that was the best one. Friends were picking on me all the time calling me Boobs McGee and Chesty Larou so Chesty Malone just popped up. I'm technically not Chesty Malone, it's just a ghoul based on my likeness.
Anthony Van Hoek: Yup, we were joking around about her new band name (I wasn't gonna be in it originally) and we came up with Chesty Malone and then Slice 'em Ups just popped into my head for unknown reasons. We thought it was hysterical.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony what made you decide to join in after all?
Anthony Van Hoek: It's funny, because as I'd said earlier we didn't really love all the 1st band members we had but this one guy who I taught the 1st song we wrote to insisted that I was in fact gonna be in the band and I had to stay and play when they/we were auditioning drummers. So I did and he was right. Thanks dude, wherever you are!
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, as a female in the scene what hell have you gone through as a female vocalist? Do you feel today its more appreciated compared to when you first started?
Anthony Van Hoek: Jackie's the Gloria Steinem of NYHC.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: It kinda sucks because there's always assholes who don't even give us a chance because I'm a girl, then they hear us and go uh, wow that doesn't sound like a girl. I mean aside from the occasional reference to fucking there's nothing girly about us.
Dave Wolff: What's your view about how women are seen in punk in general, going by your experiences?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Hmm, I'm not a good person to ask about this. I am a known disliker of females.
Lady Kat Chaos: There are few girls who will give up because of the rudeness and disrespect woman get in the scene, maybe you can give them some advice when they yell out "show us your tits" and how you deal with it.
Anthony Van Hoek: People are stupid mostly and I don't really care and you shouldn’t care either.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I'm the first to pick on girls and push them around a pit. I just don't take shit.
Anthony Van Hoek: Surprisingly no one has ever said “show us your tits” at one of our shows!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I've never taken shit, and girls who take shit need to grow a pair.
Anthony Van Hoek: I thought it was gonna be like that (idiots yelling shit like that) especially when we started playing out of NYC but really we don't get a lot of that crap. Maybe they know better.
Lady Kat Chaos: I agree.
Anthony Van Hoek: Jackie'd be the 1st one to fly off the stage and el kabong someone over the head then they'd have to deal with me.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you remember the first time you went into a pit?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yup I was 14 seeing Metallica and I went crazy and broke my leg.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, how did you break your leg, from stage diving, or did you get stepped on?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I dove into the pit and started shoving these big dudes and got kinda trampled. Good pits always got me really over excited even when I was a wee one.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony, how often do you like getting into the pit while you’re playing your own live gig?
Anthony Van Hoek: There's enough of a pit on stage with Jackie crashing into me all night! Last Halloween we opened for Murphy's Law and I wore this ridiculous spandex skeleton suit with no shoes and she totally trampled me.
Lady Kat Chaos: If your crowd is just standing there at first, do you Jaqueline say fuck this and start up a pit?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yes I won't tolerate standing I always start a pit.
Anthony Van Hoek: She does! And she calls people out for sitting.
Lady Kat Chaos: Today, with some fans suing bands because they are getting hurt in pits, what are your thoughts about this?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: They are pussies and should be executed.
Anthony Van Hoek: Lame. Stay home and watch YouTube.
Lady Kat Chaos: Some bands today don't want fans jumping on stage with them because of what has happen. Do you like your fans to join you on stage?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Don't do to a fucking show then! Ugh I hate that we went to the Danzig legacy show and we were going nuts during Samhain and the people around us were getting all upset. I love when fans are excited that's what playing’s all about!
Anthony Van Hoek: Well as long as they jump right off. Don't really want anyone hanging around with us up there though.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do your fans try to take of over your mic?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Not take over but people jump in on choruses which is fun.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you like playing small venues or larger venues these days?
Anthony Van Hoek: I mean, if there's a crowd then the larger the better! But if a place only holds 100 people then that's a lot less pressure on us.
Lady Kat Chaos: Who handles your booking and where can one contact you if they are interested?
Anthony Van Hoek: Right now us. Either here on FB (www.facebook.com/chestymalone) or via chestymalone@gmail.com or our site: www.chestymalone.com
Lady Kat Chaos: I've heard that you wanted to be a dick for this interview... what happened to that thought?
Anthony Van Hoek: Ha, I'm always a dick (just ask our bass player Paulie)! Was just responding to when Jackie wrote for people to ask us questions or just be a dick.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: It was a backup plan in case someone else was a dick first.
Lady Kat Chaos: Did you have hard times in the past with others interviewing you?
Anthony Van Hoek: No, everyone's been kool. We've been interviewed by zines from all over the world and everyone's pretty awesome. We love being interviewed. Jackie's a dick too so she likes writing stuff like that.
Lady Kat Chaos: I guess at times she has to give it back to you Anthony. How do you separate your band issues from your life together? Do you ever bring it home or leave it a rehearsals?
Anthony Van Hoek: Ha, well that's why I wasn't gonna be in the band originally!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We pretty much never mix the two. We usually have the same beefs about things.
Anthony Van Hoek: We don't? Wait, the band isn't your life?! What the fuck?! I'm pissed!!!
Lady Kat Chaos: How often do you rehearse?
Anthony Van Hoek: Depends on what we've got going on. Like once a week usually. I live and breathe this band though. Seriously, I can't sleep at night because I'm always thinking about it.
Lady Kat Chaos: You've played with Michale Graves in the past. Since he is touring in NY again are you going to try to get on one of the shows?
Anthony Van Hoek: That was a good show and he's kool. If we get asked again we'd love to!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Even though he complained that we left blood on the stage.
Anthony Van Hoek: He wasn't a blood guy on that tour I guess.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I thought it was hilarious. Probably, I usually make kind of a mess when we play. I get excited and things just kinda get tossed around.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you have any upcoming gigs or are you focusing more on your recording now?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We wanna get the ep out hopefully in time for Halloween and play again then and probably this summer too.
Lady Kat Chaos: What are your thoughts about pay to play and selling tickets these days?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: That's the worst! People need to stop participating in that. It's ridiculous that bands and venues try to get away with that crap.
Lady Kat Chaos: If you were asked to sell tickets do you or you just don't take part in that show?
Anthony Van Hoek: Fuck no!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We wouldn't take part in it. No way.
Anthony Van Hoek: Unless we were opening for the (real) Misfits or Venom. Or the Bee Gees. But even then, probably not, we’re the motherfucking Slice ‘em Ups!
Lady Kat Chaos: Today, many venues don't do all ages shows, what is your thoughts on that? Do you like playing all ages shows?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I wish more venues allowed it, I think in our history we've only gotten to play 2 or 3 all ages shows which is ridiculous.
Lady Kat Chaos: Have you ever had your set cut short?
Anthony Van Hoek: Hmm I don't think so. We didn't get to play one time because someone called the cops.
Lady Kat Chaos: Does it ever bother you when a show is running really late?
Anthony Van Hoek: Yes that's super annoying! I hate it when bands think they're soooo awesome that have to play for an hour and a half. I once saw Agnostic Front play for about 20 minutes without stopping between songs at all and then they were like, "That's it thanks!" It was fucking great.
Lady Kat Chaos: What was the longest that you've waited around before you took the stage?
Anthony Van Hoek: Well we always try to get to shows from the beginning to the end.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you prefer vocalist not talking to the crowd and just play through their set? Or do you feel that bands should speak to the crowd?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I think some talking is necessary but I hate people who obviously just love hearing themselves talk.
Anthony Van Hoek: Depends. Sometimes Jackie's really funny and sometimes she's basically telling people to fuck off. We had a drummer once who told her she should be nicer on stage. That and when he tried to fight me were pretty much the end for him.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I jokingly was like “you mean I should tell everyone I love them thanks you guys rock!" And he was like, yeah! Clearly didn't understand the sentiments of being a Slice ‘em Up.
Lady Kat Chaos: Does he come to support your shows these days and do you still see him at other shows?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: No we saw him slothing around the neighborhood once or twice but that's it.
Lady Kat Chaos: What was the most obscure or chaotic thing that has happen to you as a band?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: One time we played in a high school gymnasium and I wore a prom dress for fun and I actually got pigs blood tossed at me from the rafters.
Anthony Van Hoek: Another time we were supposed to open for Cheetah Chrome and Jackie was a bartender at the time and her customers got her wasted all day and she ended up passed out on the bathroom floor instead of playing the show.
Lady Kat Chaos: Maybe they wanted to create their own Prom Night scene. While that was happening what did you do?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I was totally happy until it didn't taste like corn syrup.
Anthony Van Hoek: They wanted us to play but I took her home instead. Couldn't really leave her on the bathroom floor while we played. "Sorry baby, gonna go ahead and play, you just stay here!"
Lady Kat Chaos: Is your first album, ''Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means" still available?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yup you can get it on our website or if you're a download kinda guy iTunes and all of that.
Anthony Van Hoek: Yes it is. Dwindling supplies but we've still got some. We had shirts from the 1st show on but it took a while for stickers and an album. Now we're on album 2 with a split 7" and numerous comps in between
Lady Kat Chaos: How did you land a deal with Wrecked Records?
Anthony Van Hoek: Casting couch! Isn't that how all record deals go down? Don't even ask how we got Dennis Fedup to put out our 7" on UNITED RIOT RECORDS!
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you have any band endorsements or who would you like to get endorsed by?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I wish we were endorsed by Jack Daniels, Coors and a leather boy store so I can get a new wardrobe.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you design and create your own wardrobe, Jaqueline?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yup, all my outfits are frankenstitched by me. My signature pointed bra weighs like 20 pounds.
Lady Kat Chaos: Where do you get your merchandise done? And who drew your first band logo?
Anthony Van Hoek: I do all our artwork. Check me out if ya wanna: www.anthonybegnal.com. We print our own shiz and we also used to use Billy Malöney over at Werewolves of Brooklyn but I guess he’s retired now.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony, how did the beginnings of your drawing look like? Have you been drawing as a child? Have you been attending any art schools?
Anthony Van Hoek: Honestly I started drawing Jackie's boobs and took it from there! I think Jaqueline Blownaparte poked my eyes out once and I wasn't even in the venue yet. I was drawing since before I can remember. My dad used to save all my early shit, superheroes and monsters and stuff like that. I indeed went to Penn State as an art major. Always coming up with ideas.
Lady Kat Chaos: Obviously a horror fan, what about the macabre made you want to start a horror-punk band? What was your, “horror-defining moment”? Was it a book, movie, band, comic, etc?
Anthony Van Hoek: The first movies to almost literally scare the crap outta me were The Shining and The Exorcist at a very young age and it just expanded out from there.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I've always been a horror fanatic, I wrote the lyrics to our first song "Ghouls And Gangs" from the first album about a combo of The Hills Have Eyes meets The Warriors.
Lady Kat Chaos: Are you a fan of the Walking Dead? Which I missed this evening and well worth it. What do you think about horror remakes? How much horror movies influence your songs as Jaqueline mentioned "Ghouls And Gangs"?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I love the Walking Dead comic a lot more than the show, but we still watch it. Remakes always fuckin’ suck. Well actually I thought the Crazies remake was better than the original. As for our songs actually not so much, we write more about General blood and Gore then movies specifically. But sometimes we do nice little homages to the ones we like. Such as Livereaters, which is an homage to the movie Spider Baby.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, have any of your lyrics ever struck a nerve with friends, family, loved ones or fans?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: People take things too seriously. People have actually been afraid of us and thought we were violent people, but it's just in fun if you're actually paying attention.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you feel that many people today don't know what having fun is all about these days?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yes everyone is waaay too fuckin’ uptight these days. Including punks and metalheads.
Lady Kat Chaos: How do you feel your music has progressed? Is it what you imagined it would be?
Anthony Van Hoek: We started out being influenced almost exclusively by Negative Approach, Misfits, Black Flag, Cramps and VENOM. And now we've added Stooges, Metallica and Bee Gees as influences.
Lady Kat Chaos: Kind of a random question but if someone come across this interview having no idea of Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups, how would you describe the band?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I'd tell people it was as if Venom and the Plasmatics had a baby that worshipped Satan and listened to KISS, that'd be Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups.
Anthony Van Hoek: I'd say it was as if Venom and the Plasmatics had sex (fucked) while listening to KISS at a Black Flag and Misfits show in '82 while a Twilight Zone marathon was happening on WPIX.
Lady Kat Chaos: How long have you been playing guitar and tell us about your gear including picks and strings? Are you self-taught or did you take lessons?
Anthony Van Hoek: I've been playing since I was 14 (so that's like 5 or 6 years now). I initially taught myself (I'm left-handed and it took a week or two for me to figure out why nothing sounded good since I was playing upside down). I then took lessons for a year or so but mostly it's all me and my favorite records.
I play a Yamaha something or other and a Reverend Guitars Ron Asheton signature flying V guitar through an ancient Marshall Silver Jubilee amp.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, did you take any vocals lessons outside of school?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Hahaha no. In fact, true story the one time I wanted to learn to sing from school I got kicked out because the choir teacher, Mrs. Katz called me parents and said I was terrible.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you think today your old choir teacher would change her mind? What do you think she would think of your shows today?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I think she'd have a stroke. My parents sent me to an uptight private school.
Lady Kat Chaos: Private schools can be really strict. Did you ever do talent shows?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: No but I did play Rizzo later on in a school play of Grease.
Anthony Van Hoek: You should play Rizzo in a Broadway Grease revival!
Lady Kat Chaos: That must have been fun. She did have big vocal parts. LOL To me your band is unique brand of horror-punk with tinges of metal. One person got me in a chat saying you sound like “Zombiecore” or “Horrorcore”. What are your thoughts about individuals labeling your band?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: That's cool. I think I've used horrorcore before to describe us.
Anthony Van Hoek: But hey people can call us whatever they want I suppose, just buy a CD or a shirt or a shot of Bushmills!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I just get annoyed when I hear "oh that horror punk band" because that can get sooo lame these days.
Anthony Van Hoek: Yeah we don't wear skeleton gloves and Jackie doesn't try to sound like Elvis/Danzig.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: In 2014 when you hear horror punk band you think skeleton gloves and devillocks and singers who only want to sing like Danzig.
Anthony Van Hoek: Plus, that stuff is really only a small part of any kind of influence for us. We just love horror, metal and punk! And whiskey.
Lady Kat Chaos: What is it that keeps you all going? What is it that inspires you on a daily basis to keep doing what you do? How do you feel about free downloading sites?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I think we rule. I fucking love our band. That's what makes me keep going with it every day and trying to take it as far as we can.
Anthony Van Hoek: I literally can't sleep from thinking about this band and we just love playing. Kumbaya and all that good shit. Plus without us, who's gonna bring the blood, whiskey and boobs?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I don't have a problem with free download sites. As much as I'd love to get paid. People just hearing us makes me happy.
Anthony Van Hoek: Why not support, especially a band like us where we do it all ourselves? I guess free downloading at this point gets us spread around so that's cool. And you know what? Even when you pay for a download from us the company we work with takes most of it anyway so go to our site and help a hardworking horror/metal/punk/whatever band out and buy something why don’t ya?
Lady Kat Chaos: It’s a fact that the bands will see very little of the money from sites and labels. It’s not easy for bands. How important is it for you to promote yourself?
Anthony Van Hoek: We pretty much constantly promote ourselves, we're probably pretty annoying.
Lady Kat Chaos: What is your favorite release you've put out so far and why? Which songs do you love playing live?
Anthony Van Hoek: Hmm, I suppose I'd say our 2nd album Torture Rock (tough question!). When the Destroy All Humans 7" finally comes out I'll probably say that!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Live I love doing Favorite Things, Destroy All Humans, Bloodthirsty Hungry and Mean.
Anthony Van Hoek: Midnight Madhouse was fun at Bonefest, the first time we played it live.
Lady Kat Chaos: Have you reworked any of your songs from the past?
Anthony Van Hoek: We slowed down a couple tunes from the 1st album that the old drummer played too fast in the studio
Lady Kat Chaos: You had a moment in Inked magazine. Tell us about it?
Anthony Van Hoek: That was from the Barred For Life book launch show last summer. Great show and great book!
Lady Kat Chaos: Thank you Jaqueline and Anthony for all your support...would you like to say anything to your fans?
Anthony Van Hoek: Thank YOU! Eat more fahlayesh (that means FLESH in English) and rock the fuck on!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Eat meat and hail Satan! Be loud! Fuck shit up! Come see Chesty Malone and the muthafuckin’ Slice ‘em Ups!
Photos from the Lucky 13 Saloon, Brooklyn, NY - May 29, 2015
Lady Kat Chaos: What has been going on with Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups and CDbaby lately?
Anthony Van Hoek: We here at Chesty HQ enjoy some finely aged chaos.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Someone reported one of our songs, which doesn't even have explicit lyrics so I didn't know you could do that, so one of our songs we had for download (Slay To Kill, Kill To Slay) was removed temporarily, but we got it back up!
Lady Kat Chaos: That really sucks. How long did it take you get your song back on there? Was it a hard battle?
Anthony Van Hoek: Yeah that was stupid. They said the lyrics were too violent but it's about our cat!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Kitties are bad! It was about a month I think. We just had to keep filing back saying that it wasn't explicit blah blah blah and eventually we won.
Anthony Van Hoek: Took a month so it helped kill some momentum for sure.
Lady Kat Chaos: Did you have to send them your full lyrics? It really sucks that bands still have to deal with this type of ordeal. Glad that you've won. Are you guys in the process of writing new material?
Anthony Van Hoek: People just like to complain I guess. We are finishing up recording the last song from the Destroy All Humans ep, "Midnight Madhouse" we are hoping to have it out by Halloween.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We are also going to be recording a video for that song.
Lady Kat Chaos: Are you recording in a home studio?
Anthony Van Hoek: No we're recording at Domicile in NYC.
Lady Kat Chaos: At first you were only going to record two songs for your EP, what made you decide on adding another song?
Anthony Van Hoek: We decided two songs weren't enough for a 7 inch.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yeah we had a few song ideas tucked away, we really liked this one.
Anthony Van Hoek: Plus we had the song written.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: It's our interpretation of a rockabilly-esque song.
Lady Kat Chaos: Both of you write most of the songs. What songs are you including on your EP and what are they are they about?
Anthony Van Hoek: It's gonna be Destroy All Humans, Slay To Kill (Kill To Slay) and Midnight Madhouse. DAH is about how humanity stinks, Slay is about our cat Soupy and how she likes to kill and eat things. Midnight Madhouse is about being wrongfully imprisoned in an insane asylum. Or perhaps rightfully imprisoned!
Dave Wolff: Kat tells me you are partly influenced by punk and horror punk. What are some of your favorite punk bands and what do you like about them?
Jaqueline Blownaparte I can't speak for Van Hoek, but my faves and biggest influences are Misfits (I guess fairly obviously) and Samhain which I actually am more inspired by in a lot of ways, lyrically Samhain really motivates my lyric writing. I also really love the Bad Brains, Black Flag, Necros. Before recording our second album I didn't listen to anything but Negative Approach for like a week straight because I wanted to sound more like John Brannon.
Anthony Van Hoek: As far as favorite punk and HC bands, I'd say Black Flag, NA, Bad Brains. C.O.C., good shit like that. Dr. Know. Those were good days for music and bands for sure!
Lady Kat Chaos: Most of your song are about how humanity in general sucking, what makes your irate and what you find funny. What are some concepts you wouldn't write about and what has pissed you off lately?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: A lot about humanity generally upsets me. There are certain things I won't sing about, I refuse to weigh in on politics and things like that in our songs but I do like to touch on how cool people are treated shitty and the working man gets fucked. We always put a layer of humor on things to keep it light, I hate political bands and political songs I just want to enjoy music and not have to have an agenda.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline you spoke about some of your influences. As a band some of your influences are: Black Flag, Misfits, Negative Approach, Bad Brains, Black Sabbath, Motorhead and Venom. Do you miss the days of 80s Hardcore scene? What do you feel has changed over the years and what do you think of the Punk, Hardcore and Metal scene today?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I unfortunately am too young and missed a lot of great stuff, I have gotten to see NA play which was amazing. The scene is strange these days, shows are still cool but there’s so much stereotyping of bands these days. We generally have a problem because the punks think we are too metal and the metal heads think we are too punk.
Anthony Van Hoek: I'm one or two years older than Jaqueline Blownaparte so I got see most of those bands yeah. Saw Motorhead with Philthy Phil on drums. Never saw Venom or Black Sabbath.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I saw Motorhead open for Dio.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you ever think that individuals would find a command balance between the two? Many Punk shows have pretty much went underground. Do you feel today it’s hard to see a good punk show? Do you also feel that many clubs don't support Punk Bands like they did in the past? What changes would you like to see happen this year?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: You’d think this day in age people would be more open minded, I get excited that it’ll be a good night when punks at the show have some metal patches on their vests. Venues in NY are definitely becoming fewer.
Anthony Van Hoek: Here in NYC there aren't many "aboveground" places for a band like us to play, though we did play Webster hall which is one of the larger places here.
Dave Wolff: We lost CBGB which was a huge blow to punk and music in general, but we still have ABC No Ro and Tompkins Square Park.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you think the venues in NY are becoming less because of the laws that many clubs need to follow today? Or do you think it has a lot to do with people just can't afford to go out or say fuck it someone will film it I can see it for free on you tube? Anthony Van Hoek: Yeah still sucks about CB’s.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Our second show ever was at CBGB.
Anthony Van Hoek: Saw Murphy's Law there at one of the last hardcore shows there and Jimmy said CB’s was just a building and it doesn't matter but I think he was wrong because CB’s was a real focal point and I don’t think it’s been replaced.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: There's a lot of problems regarding lack of venues here, unfortunately one of them being violence at shows and then they don't wanna book these kinda shows anymore.
Lady Kat Chaos: At least you had the experience to play at CBGBS which many bands never had that moment. What did you like about it? Did you record at CBGB's as well?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Oh man it was great, we hated our rhythm section at the time and wanted to fire them after the show. We spent like three hours prior getting WASTED at mars bar.
Anthony Van Hoek: We had a weird rhythm section then that we didn't really love so we didn't wanna hang out with them! If you're reading this NZA, we don't mean you, we love you! We did record the set that night but no one’s ever heard it (including us!).
Dave Wolff: How hard did you take the loss of the club when it was evicted from 315 Bowery? Do you think there was a chance to keep the place open or not?
Lady Kat Chaos: Did you add your band stickers to the wall?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I loved CBGB OMFUG. My old band played there a lot I really miss that place.
Anthony Van Hoek: No, we knew they weren't ever gonna save it, Hilly just pocketed all that cash!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: At our second show we didn't have stickers yet unfortunately but we do have pics of the show where I drunkenly made out with a rubber skull. And we went to the last hardcore matinee there.
Anthony Van Hoek: We saw the Dead Boys there that week too and I thought it was awesome when Johnny Blitz got up and yelled, "Fuck CBGBs burn it down!"
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Oh yeah that was the best
Anthony Van Hoek: Then he sprayed a full bottle of Budweiser into the stage lights.
Lady Kat Chaos: For a while they've been looking for another location. What are your thoughts about them reopening CBGB's if they find the right place to do it?
Anthony Van Hoek: Eh, they can do what they want obviously but it won't really be CBGB.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I hope they don't to be honest. It was a moment in history and it’s over. I mean look at those lame ass CBGB fests or whatever they called them. The shows were sooo not what they shoulda been.
Dave Wolff: Do you remember the bill of the last HC matinee? I saw the last ever CBs show (Patti Smith) online via the live feed on CBGB's website. In many ways it seemed a fitting way to say goodbye to the club.
Anthony Van Hoek: It was Murphy's Law and Harley's War. HR from the Bad Brains made a cameo appearance singing two solo acoustic reggae tunes.
Lady Kat Chaos: Wasn't Madball and Agnostic Front on the bill as well?
Anthony Van Hoek: Probably they were, I don't remember! Got there late.
Lady Kat Chaos: After that show was over they were going to rip the stage up. Did you take any memorabilia?
Anthony Van Hoek: There were a lot of French journalists taking pics.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: No but we kept our wristbands from entry.
Anthony Van Hoek: They didn't rip anything up, it's all in storage.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I wanted to take a bathroom stall door.
Lady Kat Chaos: What other venues do you like playing at?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Trash Bar is lots of fun; we play there often. The Lawless Downstairs there is great.
Anthony Van Hoek: Well they try and make it a bit less lawless these days. We also like Lucky 13 Saloon a lot.
Lady Kat Chaos: Also both you and Anthony had a special celebration together in 2011 at Trash Bar.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We were their first and only wedding. We had a Misfits cover band and a hardcore cover band play.
Lady Kat Chaos: You've added a piece of history to the Trash Bar. Did you think of playing at your own wedding? Since both of you were in bands in the past did you meet each other from playing together or meet a show?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We played three songs at the wedding. There are pics of us all dressed up.
Lady Kat Chaos: What bands were you both in when you first met and where did you play together?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: My band was Lady Unluck he had Sammytown Jones. We played together at Connections in Clifton, New Jersey.
Anthony Van Hoek: She wasn't old enough to get in the first time we met and played together. They made her wait outside til they played then they kicked her back out!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I was embarrassed because I was underage and they drew giant x's on my hands and made me wait outside.
Anthony Van Hoek: You were straight edge!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I stood outside drinking milk and singing Minor Threat songs
Anthony Van Hoek: I knew right then I was gonna make her mine.
Lady Kat Chaos: I would have added NYHC to the big X. LOL I hope it wasn't cold outside. At what age did you start playing in bands?
Anthony Van Hoek: I was 14 when I started my first band. I only knew two chords.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I started messing around in bands that never did anything in high school, I think I was only 18 when Lady Unluck started.
Anthony Van Hoek: Had a hardcore band called Positive Hate with my brother on drums. He told me I was gonna play guitar so even though I wasn't ready, I did.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony, love at first sight I guess does really exist. The both of you went out one evening having some T-bone steaks and having a few beers and from this came your band name Chesty Malone And The Slice ‘em Ups. Some get your band name and others don't. Care to explain it?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We knew we wanted a long band name. We were tossing around some ideas and that was the best one. Friends were picking on me all the time calling me Boobs McGee and Chesty Larou so Chesty Malone just popped up. I'm technically not Chesty Malone, it's just a ghoul based on my likeness.
Anthony Van Hoek: Yup, we were joking around about her new band name (I wasn't gonna be in it originally) and we came up with Chesty Malone and then Slice 'em Ups just popped into my head for unknown reasons. We thought it was hysterical.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony what made you decide to join in after all?
Anthony Van Hoek: It's funny, because as I'd said earlier we didn't really love all the 1st band members we had but this one guy who I taught the 1st song we wrote to insisted that I was in fact gonna be in the band and I had to stay and play when they/we were auditioning drummers. So I did and he was right. Thanks dude, wherever you are!
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, as a female in the scene what hell have you gone through as a female vocalist? Do you feel today its more appreciated compared to when you first started?
Anthony Van Hoek: Jackie's the Gloria Steinem of NYHC.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: It kinda sucks because there's always assholes who don't even give us a chance because I'm a girl, then they hear us and go uh, wow that doesn't sound like a girl. I mean aside from the occasional reference to fucking there's nothing girly about us.
Dave Wolff: What's your view about how women are seen in punk in general, going by your experiences?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Hmm, I'm not a good person to ask about this. I am a known disliker of females.
Lady Kat Chaos: There are few girls who will give up because of the rudeness and disrespect woman get in the scene, maybe you can give them some advice when they yell out "show us your tits" and how you deal with it.
Anthony Van Hoek: People are stupid mostly and I don't really care and you shouldn’t care either.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I'm the first to pick on girls and push them around a pit. I just don't take shit.
Anthony Van Hoek: Surprisingly no one has ever said “show us your tits” at one of our shows!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I've never taken shit, and girls who take shit need to grow a pair.
Anthony Van Hoek: I thought it was gonna be like that (idiots yelling shit like that) especially when we started playing out of NYC but really we don't get a lot of that crap. Maybe they know better.
Lady Kat Chaos: I agree.
Anthony Van Hoek: Jackie'd be the 1st one to fly off the stage and el kabong someone over the head then they'd have to deal with me.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you remember the first time you went into a pit?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yup I was 14 seeing Metallica and I went crazy and broke my leg.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, how did you break your leg, from stage diving, or did you get stepped on?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I dove into the pit and started shoving these big dudes and got kinda trampled. Good pits always got me really over excited even when I was a wee one.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony, how often do you like getting into the pit while you’re playing your own live gig?
Anthony Van Hoek: There's enough of a pit on stage with Jackie crashing into me all night! Last Halloween we opened for Murphy's Law and I wore this ridiculous spandex skeleton suit with no shoes and she totally trampled me.
Lady Kat Chaos: If your crowd is just standing there at first, do you Jaqueline say fuck this and start up a pit?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yes I won't tolerate standing I always start a pit.
Anthony Van Hoek: She does! And she calls people out for sitting.
Lady Kat Chaos: Today, with some fans suing bands because they are getting hurt in pits, what are your thoughts about this?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: They are pussies and should be executed.
Anthony Van Hoek: Lame. Stay home and watch YouTube.
Lady Kat Chaos: Some bands today don't want fans jumping on stage with them because of what has happen. Do you like your fans to join you on stage?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Don't do to a fucking show then! Ugh I hate that we went to the Danzig legacy show and we were going nuts during Samhain and the people around us were getting all upset. I love when fans are excited that's what playing’s all about!
Anthony Van Hoek: Well as long as they jump right off. Don't really want anyone hanging around with us up there though.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do your fans try to take of over your mic?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Not take over but people jump in on choruses which is fun.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you like playing small venues or larger venues these days?
Anthony Van Hoek: I mean, if there's a crowd then the larger the better! But if a place only holds 100 people then that's a lot less pressure on us.
Lady Kat Chaos: Who handles your booking and where can one contact you if they are interested?
Anthony Van Hoek: Right now us. Either here on FB (www.facebook.com/chestymalone) or via chestymalone@gmail.com or our site: www.chestymalone.com
Lady Kat Chaos: I've heard that you wanted to be a dick for this interview... what happened to that thought?
Anthony Van Hoek: Ha, I'm always a dick (just ask our bass player Paulie)! Was just responding to when Jackie wrote for people to ask us questions or just be a dick.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: It was a backup plan in case someone else was a dick first.
Lady Kat Chaos: Did you have hard times in the past with others interviewing you?
Anthony Van Hoek: No, everyone's been kool. We've been interviewed by zines from all over the world and everyone's pretty awesome. We love being interviewed. Jackie's a dick too so she likes writing stuff like that.
Lady Kat Chaos: I guess at times she has to give it back to you Anthony. How do you separate your band issues from your life together? Do you ever bring it home or leave it a rehearsals?
Anthony Van Hoek: Ha, well that's why I wasn't gonna be in the band originally!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We pretty much never mix the two. We usually have the same beefs about things.
Anthony Van Hoek: We don't? Wait, the band isn't your life?! What the fuck?! I'm pissed!!!
Lady Kat Chaos: How often do you rehearse?
Anthony Van Hoek: Depends on what we've got going on. Like once a week usually. I live and breathe this band though. Seriously, I can't sleep at night because I'm always thinking about it.
Lady Kat Chaos: You've played with Michale Graves in the past. Since he is touring in NY again are you going to try to get on one of the shows?
Anthony Van Hoek: That was a good show and he's kool. If we get asked again we'd love to!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Even though he complained that we left blood on the stage.
Anthony Van Hoek: He wasn't a blood guy on that tour I guess.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I thought it was hilarious. Probably, I usually make kind of a mess when we play. I get excited and things just kinda get tossed around.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you have any upcoming gigs or are you focusing more on your recording now?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We wanna get the ep out hopefully in time for Halloween and play again then and probably this summer too.
Lady Kat Chaos: What are your thoughts about pay to play and selling tickets these days?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: That's the worst! People need to stop participating in that. It's ridiculous that bands and venues try to get away with that crap.
Lady Kat Chaos: If you were asked to sell tickets do you or you just don't take part in that show?
Anthony Van Hoek: Fuck no!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: We wouldn't take part in it. No way.
Anthony Van Hoek: Unless we were opening for the (real) Misfits or Venom. Or the Bee Gees. But even then, probably not, we’re the motherfucking Slice ‘em Ups!
Lady Kat Chaos: Today, many venues don't do all ages shows, what is your thoughts on that? Do you like playing all ages shows?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I wish more venues allowed it, I think in our history we've only gotten to play 2 or 3 all ages shows which is ridiculous.
Lady Kat Chaos: Have you ever had your set cut short?
Anthony Van Hoek: Hmm I don't think so. We didn't get to play one time because someone called the cops.
Lady Kat Chaos: Does it ever bother you when a show is running really late?
Anthony Van Hoek: Yes that's super annoying! I hate it when bands think they're soooo awesome that have to play for an hour and a half. I once saw Agnostic Front play for about 20 minutes without stopping between songs at all and then they were like, "That's it thanks!" It was fucking great.
Lady Kat Chaos: What was the longest that you've waited around before you took the stage?
Anthony Van Hoek: Well we always try to get to shows from the beginning to the end.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you prefer vocalist not talking to the crowd and just play through their set? Or do you feel that bands should speak to the crowd?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I think some talking is necessary but I hate people who obviously just love hearing themselves talk.
Anthony Van Hoek: Depends. Sometimes Jackie's really funny and sometimes she's basically telling people to fuck off. We had a drummer once who told her she should be nicer on stage. That and when he tried to fight me were pretty much the end for him.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I jokingly was like “you mean I should tell everyone I love them thanks you guys rock!" And he was like, yeah! Clearly didn't understand the sentiments of being a Slice ‘em Up.
Lady Kat Chaos: Does he come to support your shows these days and do you still see him at other shows?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: No we saw him slothing around the neighborhood once or twice but that's it.
Lady Kat Chaos: What was the most obscure or chaotic thing that has happen to you as a band?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: One time we played in a high school gymnasium and I wore a prom dress for fun and I actually got pigs blood tossed at me from the rafters.
Anthony Van Hoek: Another time we were supposed to open for Cheetah Chrome and Jackie was a bartender at the time and her customers got her wasted all day and she ended up passed out on the bathroom floor instead of playing the show.
Lady Kat Chaos: Maybe they wanted to create their own Prom Night scene. While that was happening what did you do?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I was totally happy until it didn't taste like corn syrup.
Anthony Van Hoek: They wanted us to play but I took her home instead. Couldn't really leave her on the bathroom floor while we played. "Sorry baby, gonna go ahead and play, you just stay here!"
Lady Kat Chaos: Is your first album, ''Now We’re Gonna See What Disaster Really Means" still available?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yup you can get it on our website or if you're a download kinda guy iTunes and all of that.
Anthony Van Hoek: Yes it is. Dwindling supplies but we've still got some. We had shirts from the 1st show on but it took a while for stickers and an album. Now we're on album 2 with a split 7" and numerous comps in between
Lady Kat Chaos: How did you land a deal with Wrecked Records?
Anthony Van Hoek: Casting couch! Isn't that how all record deals go down? Don't even ask how we got Dennis Fedup to put out our 7" on UNITED RIOT RECORDS!
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you have any band endorsements or who would you like to get endorsed by?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I wish we were endorsed by Jack Daniels, Coors and a leather boy store so I can get a new wardrobe.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you design and create your own wardrobe, Jaqueline?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yup, all my outfits are frankenstitched by me. My signature pointed bra weighs like 20 pounds.
Lady Kat Chaos: Where do you get your merchandise done? And who drew your first band logo?
Anthony Van Hoek: I do all our artwork. Check me out if ya wanna: www.anthonybegnal.com. We print our own shiz and we also used to use Billy Malöney over at Werewolves of Brooklyn but I guess he’s retired now.
Lady Kat Chaos: Anthony, how did the beginnings of your drawing look like? Have you been drawing as a child? Have you been attending any art schools?
Anthony Van Hoek: Honestly I started drawing Jackie's boobs and took it from there! I think Jaqueline Blownaparte poked my eyes out once and I wasn't even in the venue yet. I was drawing since before I can remember. My dad used to save all my early shit, superheroes and monsters and stuff like that. I indeed went to Penn State as an art major. Always coming up with ideas.
Lady Kat Chaos: Obviously a horror fan, what about the macabre made you want to start a horror-punk band? What was your, “horror-defining moment”? Was it a book, movie, band, comic, etc?
Anthony Van Hoek: The first movies to almost literally scare the crap outta me were The Shining and The Exorcist at a very young age and it just expanded out from there.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I've always been a horror fanatic, I wrote the lyrics to our first song "Ghouls And Gangs" from the first album about a combo of The Hills Have Eyes meets The Warriors.
Lady Kat Chaos: Are you a fan of the Walking Dead? Which I missed this evening and well worth it. What do you think about horror remakes? How much horror movies influence your songs as Jaqueline mentioned "Ghouls And Gangs"?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I love the Walking Dead comic a lot more than the show, but we still watch it. Remakes always fuckin’ suck. Well actually I thought the Crazies remake was better than the original. As for our songs actually not so much, we write more about General blood and Gore then movies specifically. But sometimes we do nice little homages to the ones we like. Such as Livereaters, which is an homage to the movie Spider Baby.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, have any of your lyrics ever struck a nerve with friends, family, loved ones or fans?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: People take things too seriously. People have actually been afraid of us and thought we were violent people, but it's just in fun if you're actually paying attention.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you feel that many people today don't know what having fun is all about these days?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Yes everyone is waaay too fuckin’ uptight these days. Including punks and metalheads.
Lady Kat Chaos: How do you feel your music has progressed? Is it what you imagined it would be?
Anthony Van Hoek: We started out being influenced almost exclusively by Negative Approach, Misfits, Black Flag, Cramps and VENOM. And now we've added Stooges, Metallica and Bee Gees as influences.
Lady Kat Chaos: Kind of a random question but if someone come across this interview having no idea of Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups, how would you describe the band?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I'd tell people it was as if Venom and the Plasmatics had a baby that worshipped Satan and listened to KISS, that'd be Chesty Malone and the Slice ‘em Ups.
Anthony Van Hoek: I'd say it was as if Venom and the Plasmatics had sex (fucked) while listening to KISS at a Black Flag and Misfits show in '82 while a Twilight Zone marathon was happening on WPIX.
Lady Kat Chaos: How long have you been playing guitar and tell us about your gear including picks and strings? Are you self-taught or did you take lessons?
Anthony Van Hoek: I've been playing since I was 14 (so that's like 5 or 6 years now). I initially taught myself (I'm left-handed and it took a week or two for me to figure out why nothing sounded good since I was playing upside down). I then took lessons for a year or so but mostly it's all me and my favorite records.
I play a Yamaha something or other and a Reverend Guitars Ron Asheton signature flying V guitar through an ancient Marshall Silver Jubilee amp.
Lady Kat Chaos: Jaqueline, did you take any vocals lessons outside of school?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Hahaha no. In fact, true story the one time I wanted to learn to sing from school I got kicked out because the choir teacher, Mrs. Katz called me parents and said I was terrible.
Lady Kat Chaos: Do you think today your old choir teacher would change her mind? What do you think she would think of your shows today?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I think she'd have a stroke. My parents sent me to an uptight private school.
Lady Kat Chaos: Private schools can be really strict. Did you ever do talent shows?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: No but I did play Rizzo later on in a school play of Grease.
Anthony Van Hoek: You should play Rizzo in a Broadway Grease revival!
Lady Kat Chaos: That must have been fun. She did have big vocal parts. LOL To me your band is unique brand of horror-punk with tinges of metal. One person got me in a chat saying you sound like “Zombiecore” or “Horrorcore”. What are your thoughts about individuals labeling your band?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: That's cool. I think I've used horrorcore before to describe us.
Anthony Van Hoek: But hey people can call us whatever they want I suppose, just buy a CD or a shirt or a shot of Bushmills!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I just get annoyed when I hear "oh that horror punk band" because that can get sooo lame these days.
Anthony Van Hoek: Yeah we don't wear skeleton gloves and Jackie doesn't try to sound like Elvis/Danzig.
Jaqueline Blownaparte: In 2014 when you hear horror punk band you think skeleton gloves and devillocks and singers who only want to sing like Danzig.
Anthony Van Hoek: Plus, that stuff is really only a small part of any kind of influence for us. We just love horror, metal and punk! And whiskey.
Lady Kat Chaos: What is it that keeps you all going? What is it that inspires you on a daily basis to keep doing what you do? How do you feel about free downloading sites?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I think we rule. I fucking love our band. That's what makes me keep going with it every day and trying to take it as far as we can.
Anthony Van Hoek: I literally can't sleep from thinking about this band and we just love playing. Kumbaya and all that good shit. Plus without us, who's gonna bring the blood, whiskey and boobs?
Jaqueline Blownaparte: I don't have a problem with free download sites. As much as I'd love to get paid. People just hearing us makes me happy.
Anthony Van Hoek: Why not support, especially a band like us where we do it all ourselves? I guess free downloading at this point gets us spread around so that's cool. And you know what? Even when you pay for a download from us the company we work with takes most of it anyway so go to our site and help a hardworking horror/metal/punk/whatever band out and buy something why don’t ya?
Lady Kat Chaos: It’s a fact that the bands will see very little of the money from sites and labels. It’s not easy for bands. How important is it for you to promote yourself?
Anthony Van Hoek: We pretty much constantly promote ourselves, we're probably pretty annoying.
Lady Kat Chaos: What is your favorite release you've put out so far and why? Which songs do you love playing live?
Anthony Van Hoek: Hmm, I suppose I'd say our 2nd album Torture Rock (tough question!). When the Destroy All Humans 7" finally comes out I'll probably say that!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Live I love doing Favorite Things, Destroy All Humans, Bloodthirsty Hungry and Mean.
Anthony Van Hoek: Midnight Madhouse was fun at Bonefest, the first time we played it live.
Lady Kat Chaos: Have you reworked any of your songs from the past?
Anthony Van Hoek: We slowed down a couple tunes from the 1st album that the old drummer played too fast in the studio
Lady Kat Chaos: You had a moment in Inked magazine. Tell us about it?
Anthony Van Hoek: That was from the Barred For Life book launch show last summer. Great show and great book!
Lady Kat Chaos: Thank you Jaqueline and Anthony for all your support...would you like to say anything to your fans?
Anthony Van Hoek: Thank YOU! Eat more fahlayesh (that means FLESH in English) and rock the fuck on!
Jaqueline Blownaparte: Eat meat and hail Satan! Be loud! Fuck shit up! Come see Chesty Malone and the muthafuckin’ Slice ‘em Ups!
