Utter Trash--Calabrese

Brotherhood of Horror

An interview with Jim and Bobby Calabrese of Calabrese

By Bob Ignizio

Calabrese are a horror rock band from Phoenix, AZ consisting of three brothers – Bobby Calabrese on guitar and vocals, Jim Calabrese on bass and vocals, and Dave Calabrese on drums. With Halloween almost upon us, it seemed like the perfect time to check in with the brothers Calabrese.

Utter Trash: Siblings are known to fight, especially brothers. What made the three of you decide to put up with each other even more than you would normally have to and start a band together?
Bobby Calabrese: We did it all for rock and roll! Contrary to popular belief, being in a band with your brothers is ten times easier than with friends. It’s a simple formulaic conundrum I’m just not up to explaining!

UT: There are a fairly large number of horror rock bands out there. What do you do to try to distinguish yourselves from the rest of the pack?
BC: We keep a simple philosophy going with our band, and it’s to play the music we want to hear. It’s all the more better if people want to hear it, too! There’s nothing worse than going to a show and seeing a band with no style, looking like they just got off of work. Every show we play is an event!

UT: I noticed from the pics on your website that you don't really go in for the whole makeup and costume routine a lot of horror rock bands do. Not being judgmental, just wondering why?
Jim Calabrese: Our music is not so much about gore and killing so it just does not feel right to dress that way. It's a fine line we walk when it comes to costumes and stage show. We are slowly trying to build up to a kick ass White Zombie style stage show, concentrating on visuals instead of costumes. But when you dress in costumes and stage make-up, one false move can turn what's cool into stupid.

UT: The Misfits had it easy - when they came out they had their pick of horror movies for inspiration. I notice that on your EP, at least, you avoid any overt references to specific films/monsters in your song titles. Where do you get your lyrical inspiration?
JC: We find it where ever we can; books, movies, video games, comics, and real life. We try to make our song lyrics creepy, descriptive and obscure. We try and create a feeling more than we try and tell a story. We want the listener to create his or her own horrifying meaning to the songs.

UT: I saw in another interview the band did that Jim says he’s into ghost hunting. Was that a serious answer? If so, what's the spookiest thing you've ever encountered?
JC: I’m glad you asked me that. Let me tell you a story about what got me started into ghost hunting. We used to live in Illinois in a somewhat rural neighbor hood. Surrounding the neighborhood were 2 large cornfields. Being adventurous teenagers my friend Gary Geer and I would walk those cornfields at night. This one particular night Gary was taking me out to a spot where he and another friend Shane Anton saw a floating blue light. They swear it was a ghost but ran away before the orb got any closer. After hearing this of course I had to check it out!

When we finally arrived to the location where they saw the floating blue orb, what we found shocked and amazed us. There next to the dirt road was a small grave, the size of a child, with a cross at the head of the grave. The cross read Baby M. We were curious to find our more about this Baby M. Someone suggested we dig up the grave to find out it if really was a child or just a small animal like a dog or cat. We were morbid, not twisted. Gary knew of another way to search that grave.

Gary brought over an antique Ouija Board he had bought at a garage sale. It did not have the planchette any more (that plastic part that moves) so we used an old teacup from my moms kitchen. We lit a few candles and I turned on the tape deck to play some creepy organ music. A part of me thought this was just a joke but another part really wanted us to communicate with the spirit. As we rotated the teacup in a circle eight I asked if anyone was out there. Our hands moved to the words YES. I asked to speak to Baby M, we got no response. I asked again if anyone was out there and our hands moved to the words YES. Then Gary asked, “Who are we talking to,” and our hands moved to the alphabet; D then A then L, and it stopped. I thought Gary was moving the tea cup to spell out this name so I said, “DAL, if you’re really out there give us a sign!” At that moment my tape player stopped with a loud click. “Holy Shit,” Gary and I said. I got up and pulled out the tape from the player to see if the player chewed the tape, but it was fine. I sat down and we moved the teacup in a circle eight again. This time Gary asked, “DAL, if you’re really out there give us a sign.” CLICK! The tape player stopped again. “I’m done,” Gary said, getting up from the table. Foolishly I called Gary back. “Gary wait, I have one more question for DAL”. Gary sat back down and we pushed the teacup around one last time and I ask, “DAL, are you a good spirit,” and our hands moved to the words NO.

Needless to say Gary took the Ouija board home and tossed it in the trash. But ever since then, our house in Illinois was never the same. There would be a mysterious moving “dead rat” smell. One day it would be coming from my sister’s bedroom closet up stairs and the next day it would move down to the basement. Also ghostly noises were heard as well, not those cliché noises like footsteps or doors slamming, but the noise of several people opening the front door and talking with each other. We also discovered the face of what looked like the devil on our basement door. It was a natural wood door and the patterns from the wood looked like a man with a beard and horns. True story.

UT: Not only are all three members of the band brothers, but your sister wrote lyrics to one of your songs. How did all of you turn out so morbid? Were your parent’s big horror fans, too?
BC: As much as I like to think of my family as a real life Adams Family, it’s simply not true. We’re more of a “Manson Family” type group. Because I don’t think the Adams Family ever committed murder…

UT: What are your three favorite horror movies?
BC: We all love all sorts of horror films. But I think it’s safe to say, as a whole, the band really enjoys the horror/comedy genre such as Dead Alive, Evil Dead 2 and Fright Night. On a side note, we love the Resident Evil video games. The movie was ok but the games rule!

UT: What would be your idea of success for the band?
BC: I think we’d find success in playing shows all over the world and making a living at doing so.

UT: Anything I didn't ask about that you want to mention?
JC: Of course we want to plug our new EP Midnight Spookshow, which can be purchased at our website for only $7 (shipping included)! www.CalabreseRock.com
BC: For any struggling horror film directors and screen play writers out there looking for that extra “kick” to make their movies go from good to great, shoot us an e-mail and we’ll be glad to make a cameo!