A Dirty Dozen with BLACKLITE DISTRICT – February 2023

According to a recent press release: “Chart-topping viral rocker, Blacklite District (Kyle Pfeiffer) released a new recording of his 2018 hit “Cold As Ice,” titled “Cold As Ice XL.” Following the commercial success of the original single (100+ million streams, #35 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock Chart), Blacklite District has continued to grow as an artist and person. From basement demo to Nashville recording studio, Blacklite District partnered with  multi-platinum producer Brett Hestla, elevating the original viral sensation to new heights. “It’s such an exciting time to be an artist,” commented Blacklite District, “the rule book has been thrown out the window–creativity and passion have taken over. I’m beyond excited to release ‘Cold As Ice – XL,’ the way the song was meant to sound.” The re-recorded single comes in anticipation of an album release later this year.” We get Kyle to discuss new music, influences, and more.

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

Definitely! On the last chorus of the track, there is a new guitar part that comes in and kind of synchronizes the melody of the entire song in an impactful ending. It was a very cool moment in the studio and we all had a look on our face like “yeah, this is it!”

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

I remember the exact moment. My uncle Dean was driving me around, and he put on Ozzy Osbourne’s “No More Tears” (the song), and I was hooked instantly. I asked him who it was, and when he said “OZZY,” I just had the image in my head of this madman, and I was pretty close! Haha. This all came just a few months after the death of my mother. Timing was everything. 20+ years later, the obsession that started that day is stronger and bigger than ever.

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

After I listened to “No More Tears” the song for a few weeks, I convinced my grandfather to buy me the No More Tears album on eBay, and it came with another Ozzy album called The Ultimate Sin – those two albums changed my life. Literally. Fast forward to 2005, I saw Mötley Crüe for the first time on their Carnival of Sins tour, and I was blown away by the production. It taught me that there is so much more to a show than musicians on a stage, and it makes me want to deliver that feeling every time I step on the stage myself.

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

I would love to do a joint with Jelly Roll. I was listening to him a couple years before he really blew up, and always felt the music connected with me on a personal level. We’ve DM’d a few times and I thought I almost had our collab locked in at one time, but it didn’t happen. Since then, he’s obviously blown up into one of the most popular artists out there today, and I couldn’t be happier for him.

5. What is your favorite activity when out of the studio and/or not on tour?  What do you like to do to unwind?

I collect high-end Pokemon cards, vintage and modern! My son and I really bonded over this in 2022. I used to collect when I was a kid, and he brought some cards home from school one day, so I went and found my 20+ year old binder and we hit a gold mine! Haha, Not literally, but there were many cards that ended up being worth thousands of dollars. So that’s my main “hobby” or “activity” away from show biz.

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?

I describe this music as a foundation of classic hard rock, with all of the technology and sounds of today. My video director Clinton Cunanan said it best… it’s like the Rolling Stones making their first album with todays’ sounds and techniques available. Not to compare to the Rolling Stones, but the vibe of what he was saying was spot on. I’ve heard everything from Linkin Park and Twenty One Pilots, to Eminem and other hip hop artists. The sound has such a broad range, it’s hard to compare to one act.

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

We haven’t really had a chance to hang out as much as you would think, aside from working together. I’m sober, so no drinks on my end! But I’m very excited to kick off “The XL Tour” in April, and maybe we can come back to this question next time!

8. When was the last time you were starstruck and who was it?

I haven’t really been starstruck, but I met Ozzy in 2012 and that was crazy! Being 3 feet across the table from someone I looked up to my entire life was pretty surreal.

9. What is the best part of being a musician? If you could no longer be a musician for whatever reason, what would be your dream job?

Being able to focus 100% of my time on the music, and really plan things out. The fact that I make a full time living and can provide for my family is the best part. If I wasn’t an artist, I would probably be involved in high-end Pokemon cards 🙂

10. What is one question you have always wanted an interviewer to ask – and what is the answer? Conversely, what question are you tired of answering?

The “how did you come up with your band name” question is pretty tiring at this point, lol. I’ve been fortunate to be in some very amazing conversations over the years, with many great publications and outlets, and can’t really think of a question that I haven’t been asked.

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?

Absolutely. I think everyone feels that at some point. And it’s cool, because with “Cold As Ice XL,” and the upcoming Blacklite District – XL album, I got the chance to do the one “do over” and that’s getting these old songs production value up to par with the current releases! But aside from that, I wouldn’t change a thing, even in the bad times, because you live and learn. You HAVE to fail, sometimes multiple times, to keep moving forward. That’s just my opinion.

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?

I would have loved to have been a “fly on the wall” during the making of the very first Black Sabbath album. Credited with inventing heavy metal, the album was recorded in one 12-hour session. It was literally history in the making.

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Category: Interviews