Interview with Steve from The Midnight Ghost Train

First off, hows things been with you guys?
TMGT: Things been good workin hard on our new record and we are currently booking a tour for this summer. So we are busy but thats how I like it.
Tell folks a bit about the bands history?
TMGT: Well I am Steve Moss i play guitar and vocals I moved out here from california after my best friend John passed away. His death was the spark that got this band started. It is in his memory that this band exists. The members consist of Brandon Burghart from kansas he plays drums. He is a real close friend of mine that I met cause I knocked up his sister years ago. And Odie Lallo on bass a guy from nyc who saw us play a show there and dug us so much that he wanted to play in it so he relocated as well.
Where do you draw most of your influence from?
TMGT: Black Sabbath of course, Clutch, The blues, and fucked up women.
I love the band name. Where did you come up with it from?
TMGT: Actually we just kinda threw names back and forth one day driving back from kansas and The Midnight Ghost Train just seemed to stick. But later on during our second tour I was reading a book called Dharma Bums by Jack Kerouac and he used the term the midnight ghost train which he described as a train that went from LA to San Fran. So even though we allready had the name by the time I found that lets just say we got it from Kerouac. Cause thats much cooled than just sayin we were throwin around names.
You guys seem to do alot of shows outside of Buffalo. How are you recieved in other cities as opposed to in Buffalo?
TMGT: Yeah we tour alot. We have played the hole U.S. twice now. It always seems to go real well. People seem to dig our different style. And we always work our ass off to put on the best live show we can so i think people can really see our passion in what we do, and dig on that. Exspecially in the mid west and the south people have seemed to really like our music.
Dream show. Five bands you'd love to share a stage with.
TMGT: Clutch, Black Sabbath (original line up), Kyuss, Muddy Waters and Tom Waits.
I hear you guys are looking around for labels right now? Did something go wrong with the last one or just trying to see what else is out there?
TMGT: Well we dont currently have a label. Labels kinda scare me so I am really careful and picky with them. I have been dicked around in that field in the past and i dont want that to happen. I just want whats best for our music. So if a small label can help us promote, and help us book more tours (cause its a pain doing it all myself) I would be interested but we just like to be careful.
You guys are one of the better bands I've heard around here but it seems like most of the city has been sleeping on you guys. I know doom is not a huge draw or genre of interest around here. Any idea why that might be?
TMGT: Well thanks for the compliment we really appreciate that. Well as much as I dig buffalo, we dont want to be known as a local buffalo band so we only play as needed out here. I think people out here dont really dig on doom or stoner rock cause of the lack of exposure out here. It seems like buffalo is overcrowded with this pop, emo, pussy rock shit. I guess people dont like to think to much for themselves. They come to shows mainly cause they have a friend who is playing in the band, then when there friends and is done playing they leave, and not even stick around for the other bands. Those same people are the ones that claim they love music, ha. They would rather have some catchy pop song stuck in there head then take the time to understand and embrace real music from the soul. I guess thats what these people are lackin "soul".
Who are some bands out there and around Buffalo that you are digging lately?TMGT: Well of course Hyperion Blast. Also there is this band from OKC called Spacefaze they are a two piece, heavy stoner psych rock band. I love that band so much we have played with them several times, and they just put on a show that is so epic and mind blowing. Talk about soul those two guys got plenty of it. Check them out. Also I really like White Witch Canyon Heavy doom stoner band from Oakland CA.
What are some of your favorite cities that you've gone to with the band?
TMGT: Baton Rouge LA, Cincinnati OH, Eugene OR, OKC, Topeka KS, NYC, And Oakland CA all those cities are great for our music and the crowds seem to really like us out there.
Give us a horror story from the road. Something bad has had to have happened out there.
TMGT: Oh God where to start. I dont know if this is bad or not and i know this will sound crazy but its totally true, Brandon lost his virginity on tour to a 400 pound prostitute in Orlando FL after one of our shows. Thats what our money went to that night from the show. Now if that aint rock and roll what is.
I know a few genres mix well together. Death metal and grindcore seem to mix well. They are kinda like an offspring of each other. It seems when a doom style band plays there really is no other style that really goes too well on a show with it. Agree or disagree? How come?
TMGT: I disagree, The music might not be the same but if the crowd will dig on some doom, mostly they are down with most other kinds of heavy rock and roll. But I do see where u are coming from, cause u gotta to have a certain ear to be into doom. It is shall we say an acquired taste.
Ever heard Orodruin? They are from Rochester and kinda have that same vibe as you guys which is a style of doom that I personally love.
TMGT: Thanks again for the compliment. No never heard them but ill check em out. Maybe we will get a show together in rochester this summer.
What topics do you like to touch on with your lyrics?
TMGT: Anything really. Women, Hell, Death, Life. Anything that will provoke some kind of feeling.
I was brought into metal as a whole by Black Sabbath. Same for you? Are they the blueprint for doom?
TMGT: Definitely, no question about it.
Favorite Buffalo venue to play a show at?
TMGT: Tudor Lounge. It was where we played our first show. Since then we have played almost all of them and still my favorite is the tudor.
Buffalo wings or beef on weck? Wings from DuffsWhat does the future hold for you guys?TMGT: New full length record on the way. Then we just want to tour tour tour. Thats what we love and it seems to help us spread our music a lot.
Any of the members in any other bands right now or is TMGT kind of a full time thing for you all?
TMGT:This is it. We are all pretty dedicated to this band.
Have you gotten a chance to tour down south at all? Seems that doom metal is way more of an acceptable form down there.
TMGT:Yes we have and it definitely is. Also its real big in the mid west.What other kind of music are you guys into?TMGT: Ol Mississippi Delta Blues. Psych Rock. Blues. Singer song writer stuff like Nick Cave and Tom Waits. More Blues. And Old Old Country.
Any final thoughts for the folks out there?
TMGT: For you musicians dont focus on makin money or bein famous, or even just tryin to be the cool guys. Just work on leaving your artistic impression on the world. Remember music is the ultimate trip. And always just do what u love.
You know the drill. Plug away on the site and anything else you want to pop in there.
TMGT:Check us out at http://www.myspace.com/themidnightghosttrainLook for our new self titled record out this summer. Check us out and come see us live we will get ur body movin.
Thanks a ton man. It was a blast. Can't wait to catch the train soon.

www.myspace.com/themidnightghosttrain