A Dirty Dozen with LANE STEELE of WORLDWIDE PANIC – February 2019

According to a recent press release: “WORLDWIDE PANIC have released the lyric video for their cover of Alanis Morrisette’s 90’s hit “You Oughta Know.” The track was mixed by legendary producer and engineer, Mike Plotnikoff (Chris Cornell, The Cranberries, KISS, Fear Factory, Aerosmith) and mastered by Joshua Wickman (KING 810, Within the Ruins, Motograter). The single has been released on all digital platforms. In addition, the band will hit the road with Mushroomhead, Hellzapoppin and Ventanaon the Madness & Mayhem tour that begins on February 15th in Detroit, MI at Harpos Concert Theatre.” We get Lane Steele to discuss new music, influences, and much more…

1. Tell us a little about your latest release.  What might a fan or listener not grab the first or second time they listen through? Are there any hidden nuggets the band put in the material or that only diehard fans might find?

Well we had a crazy idea to take a woman power anthem from the 90’s and revamp it to fit into a dark, heavy rendition of Alanis Morissette’s “You Outgha Know.” Listen closely and you will notice there are moments that are “tips of the hat” to the original but at the same time this is an entirely different song in every way shape and form.

2. What got you into music, and can you tell us about the moment you realized you wanted to be a musician?

There is no short story.  But here lemme try… I was in boarding school and then there was tons of abuse going on that I witnessed there.  There was no music or tv.  So I would take lyrics to songs I knew from memory and I would stay up late in the shower and sing them softly and it was my escape. My world. My solace. My sanctuary. It saved my sanity and my life.  So I feel that I need to devote my life to music to pay “it” back for everything it did for me.

3. Building on that, is there a specific song, album, performer, or live show that guided your musical taste?

Ozzy’s “No More Tears”

4. Who would be your main four musical influences?

John Micheal Osbourne, Robert Cummings, Vincent Furnier, and Brian Hugh Warner

5. If you could call in any one collaborator to do a song with, who would it be, and why?

It would be someone completely out of the norm to make something really dark and twisted.  Tom Waits would be interesting, Alanis duh.  But for Panic might be best to do something with Rammstein or Till Lindeman as they are one of my favorite bands.  I wouldn’t generally be overly excited to co write a generic metal song with a metal artist I would want to make something dark and heavy with someone with levels.

6. How would you describe your music to someone who’d never listened to you before? What is the one comparison a reviewer or fan has made that made you cringe or you disagreed with?

Heavy, American, industrial infused Rock N Roll that’s palatable and easy to sing along to and have fun with. Oh god there was one that made me really pissed.  Gee it’s escaping me…. I remember I didn’t quite take kindly to it😍

7. What’s the best thing about being a musician?

There’s ups and downs to every profession.  You have to look at things objectively and logically. Most of us are mentally ill and are starved for attention and validation.  Here’s math so my current tour with Mushroomhead I am out for 41 days total that’s 948 some odd hours just to be on stage for 930 some odd minutes. Think about that. That’s tons of time on stage but so much time in a van, setting up etc. So if your if content with this then your a bit off in my perception. But to answer your question those 930 minutes on stage is why I do it.

8. When the band are all hanging out together, who cooks; who gets the drinks in; and who is first to crack out the acoustic guitars for a singalong?

Me, me and me. Just kidding. We all take turns.

9. When was the last time you were star struck and who was it?

Meh it’s all a blur really.  Best advice I can give to bands or artist coming up just act like you belong and then you won’t make people feel star struck and hopefully they can view you as their peers.

10. If you weren’t a musician, what would be your dream job?

Long story… working in the family business. NOT FUN

11. Looking back over your career, is there a single moment or situation you feel was a misstep or you would like to have a “do over”, even if it didn’t change your current situation?

There are far to many situations I was a addict for the better part of 10 years.  My life was terrible.  So I am 4 plus years sober now.

12. If you could magically go back in time and be a part of the recording sessions for any one record in history, which would you choose – and what does that record mean to you?

Antichrist Superstar – it isn’t my favorite songs or favorite band just as an album it speaks to me as a whole.

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Category: Interviews