Miscellaneous

News Flash!

January 8, 2002

Bill Mallonee announced the end, at least temporarily, of the seminal folk-rock band, Vigilantes of Love, this afternoon...and the start of his new solo career.

In town promoting his new movie, "I married a teenage Christian ghost writer," Mallonee waxed enthusiastic: "I am very, very excited about the new songs, the whole acoustic format and of course playing with Kenny Hutson." Fans of the band will remember Mr. Hutson's wonderful contributions to the band's critically acclaimed record, "Audible Sigh."

Speaking briefly to reporters at a Hollywood press conference, the accessorized Mr. Mallonee, (looking confident and authoritative in an Armani suit) delineated the reasons for "putting the thing to bed."

"2001 was the most strained year of VOL's history...It was a strained year all over the world. We're still slightly shell-shocked as to how one can sign a deal, release a record, get great reviews, tour like mad...and go broke in 6 months. It's very complex and i won't bore you with the lurid details, but suffice it to say that one chapter is over...and another one has begun. I'm very optimistic about the future...it's a bit of a return to form, eh?" When asked if he thought new changes would bring a new style, Mallonee proffered:

"It's always been my band from the beginning," he said while looking wistfully over a dry martini at the Brown Debby Restaurant. "I've always attempted to build the VOL sound of each record around the creative strengths of the current members. This particular line-up has been by far and away the most inspiring and nurturing group i've ever been involved with....but in the end, it's the tunes that i'm about."

"The formula has always been very basic from the beginning...so whether you get a folk-rock record like "Killing Floor," a noisy one like "Slow Dark Train," a shot of country-alt like "Audible Sigh" or a chaser of pop pleasure like "Summershine," it's always been about my songs, a basic acoustic guitar...and a session with my shrink."

In a rambling, often incoherent line of thought, Mallonee said: "We've done about as much as one band can do under these conditions both creatively and economically for the past 3 years and still live to tell about it..If it weren't for the graciousness of the fans we'd have been history a while back. 4 guys in a van, without much superstructure around it and no safety net beneath it, is a formula for demoralization...that''s where things were heading," he said.

Gesturing to the masses on Hollywood Blvd. Mallonee said: "Jake Bradley (VOL's Bassist and Exhibitionist) and Kevin Heuer (VOL's Drummer) are heroes for enduring this ritual we embark on every year of making a record, touring till we bleed and then wondering what the heck happened...it can steal your joy. I will miss them andthe joy of the friendships i've had with them on the road...musically, i think we made some of the coolest music of the past 4 years...but they (Jake and Kevin) have looked inside the black bag of reality, so to speak, and can no longer find a reason to keep on killing themselves. If most people knew how little we get by on, they'd never pick up an instrument."

When asked if there was a chance of getting VOL back together Mallonee opined, "I'm not ruling anything out...when it's feasible and reasonable i feel sure that will happen...there was a lot of love in the air when we met this morning to decide these things...But right now it's myself and Kenny doing what we do...and let me tell you, it felt pretty fine at rehearsals today!"

 

 

 

 

 

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