Heavier & Independant, But Still the Same Orgy
Gordon & Crew Don't Let the Industry Stop Them

>> Orgy's Bobby Hewitt, Ryan Shuck, Amir Derakh, Jay Gordon & Paige Haley. >>

>> It’s tough for any band when your first hit is a cover of a classic rock song, as was the case for Orgy, who scored huge with their cover of New Order’s “Blue Monday.”  Not only did the song catapult them into the national spotlight, but also their 1998 debut, Candyass, put them solidly out front as leaders of the industrial metal genre.

Unfortunately, the six years since have not been quite so easy on the LA-based band. 

Their next record, 2000’s dynamic Vapor Transmission, served to entrench them even further with their large fan base, but didn’t go quite as far in bringing in new fans.  In a genre that now included the likes of Marilyn Manson, musical dynamics didn’t go as far as bizarre behavior – image seemed more important than substance, and Orgy, though clad in plenty of leather and makeup, didn’t find themselves on the front pages of the tabloids.

Likewise, their mentors, Korn, had channeled their collective energies and were well on their way to megastardom, leaving the genre behind.  For vocalist Jay Gordon and his band mates, they seemed to get lost in the ever-changing tides of musical tastes, label overhauls and declining record sales.

Fast forward to 2004, and miraculously, the Orgy lineup is still intact, and a new, vibrant and much harder Punk Statik Paranoia is here.  Released on V1 Records, the label founded by Gordon and his father, the album is darker than Orgy’s past works and explores areas that the previous two records passed over.  There’s also a much more prominent display of guitarist Amir Derakh’s abilities.

All this made us wonder where the guys had been and how Punk Statik Paranoia had evolved.  We figured, where better to go than the source?  Here’s how our discussion with Jay Gordon evolved:

VOX: So, it’s been 3 ½ years since your last record – what have you been up to?
Jay Gordon: I’ve been working a lot – doing the new record and before that getting a label together.  I realize it’s been a long time between records, but it hasn’t been really down time for me.  I feel like I’ve got a whole new outlook on things, and now with the label I feel like we’ve got more control over everything. 

Not that things were bad before…Korn really took us under their wing and showed us the ropes of the business and how to get things done, but Reprise was going through so many changes, and it was a tough time for them.  I think they were caught in a situation where they didn’t want to drop us buy they couldn’t really bring us up either.  We were one of those bubble-bands that could have gone either way.  I can’t say I’m unhappy about the way things went.

VOX: You’re releasing this record on your own label – what made you decide to start a label of your own?
JG: It’s something I’ve always wanted to do.   My dad has been in the industry forever and had all the experience, and it gave me a chance to do this with him.  I think it’s been a great experience for me.  It also meant we [Orgy] could do our own thing and make it happen our way.  So far, so good.

VOX: On the business side, have you signed any bands?  Anything you’re excited about?
JG: Absolutely.  That’s one of the best parts of doing this…we’ve got a couple of hip-hop things, a project my cousin is working on and some other stuff.  We’re looking to find the really quality things out there and make them happen.  We’ve also got a couple of rock projects we’re working on.  One has had some name problems, legal stuff where there are copyright issues…

VOX: What’s changed with the band over the last three years?
JG: Well, everybody’s got their own little side projects they’re working on, but as a core we all have Orgy as the primary thing.  There haven’t been any line-up changes or anything that put us at the point where I thought we were going to lose anyone.  I think that at the core this is what we all want to be doing and it’s the priority.

VOX: How is Punk Statik Paranoia different from the other Orgy records?
JG: It’s definitely a lot heavier…I think it’s much heavier than our past stuff.  It’s got less electronica in it, lots of guitar…the first couple of tracks have a kinda synth basis to them, but overall it’s a lot more guitar driven.
VOX: So, you’re kinda showing off Amir?
Definitely!  He’s better than anyone has given him credit for anyway…

VOX: What’s the first single going to be?  What’s the song about?
JG: It’s called “The Obvious.”  It’s about, well, LA, I would have to say.  It’s a commentary on this city and what it’s all about.   I’m pretty sure it’s clear from there.

VOX: Do you have any tour plans set up yet?
JG: I think we’re definitely going to try and tour with the release of the record.  It’s one of those things where a lot of it’s up to the booking agents…I’m hoping that we’ll be on Lollapalooza this year.  I just got a call, and I’m hoping that all works out.  I’m not saying we’re definite or that it’s even close, but it’s something I would like to do.

VOX: How do you think you guys have been able to survive in a genre that has seen so many bands fall by the wayside?
JG: Hmm.  I don’t know…we’ve just stayed busy, I guess.  When we’re not doing the Orgy thing, everyone has something they’re working on, and I think that keeps this fresh.  It’s not a dictatorship, and I think we all feel like what we want gets heard and we get to put into it what we want to, and we get it back.  It’s really worked out to our advantage.

VOX: With the big question of downloads, where do you guys stand?
JG: Well, it’s there, it exists, and there’s nothing anyone cal do to stop it.  I mean, it sucks for bands who are worried about sales, and we’ve all been there, but it’s not like you can really stop any of it.  So, we have to deal with it and work with what we have.  It’s not something I can really care about or worry too much about.  We just have to make the best records we can and hope that the music does what it does.