Interview: Bret “Epic” Mazur of Crazytown

I was given the opportunity to conduct an email interview with Bret Mazur, AKA “Epic”, founding member, vocalist and producer of CrazyTown.

Pictured above L to R: Seth “Shifty Shellshock” Binzer, Bret “Epic” Mazur

BearlySinister: Thank you so much for doing this, for those who don’t know, can you introduce yourself to our readers?

Epic: Hey guys! Bret “Epic” Mazur, founding member, vocalist and producer of CrazyTown

BearlySinister: How does it feel to be releasing new music after all this time?

Epic: We feel grateful for the opportunity. It all happened organically so, we’ll take it. It feels good.

BearlySinister: What is it that brought Crazytown back together?

Epic: We had started a new record that never came out and I approached Seth “Shifty” about just releasing these songs…we have fans that would love to hear them. Anyway, we decided to do a couple of new songs to throw into the mix and it turned into a whole new record

BearlySinister: Your new single, “Megatron” is getting a lot of hype. Tell us how that song came together and the meaning behind it?

Epic: We were in the studio with our friend Boondock working on a song. He is a Marine combat veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is also a really great artist and I am producing his record. The song we did, Megatron is really about second chances and how good it feels to be able to pursue your passion.

BearlySinister: Can we expect a music video for that track?

Epic: We are shooting the video next week…yes

BearlySinister: Any plans for the next single that you can divulge?

Epic: I believe we will be releasing two singles. Born To Raise Hell and Keys. Born To Raise Hell actually features DJ AM on scratches. As you know, he passed in 2009 and we were planning on doing our new record reunited with him before we passed and I added some of his scratches to the song. I believe radio is going to pick up on that one…it is pretty heavy too. The other song, Keys is really an underground hip hop song featuring Mad Child and Xzibit

BearlySinister: Your new album, “The Brimstone Sluggers” comes out later this year. Who did you work with on this album, what’s changed with the band and what can fans expect?

Epic: Well, our band members are like family and when Seth and I got back in the studio, we knew that we had to find the right guys to do this with. They are badass musicians and good people. Deadsie on guitar, Dax on Bass and Kevin Kapler on drums. It’ sick…playing with these guys is amazing.

BearlySinister: What song has been your favorite to record on the new album?

Epic: Can’t say I have one favorite. There’s a song called Ashes that really hits home for me…it’s about rising from the ashes. Pick yourself up when you’ve been knocked down.  

BearlySinister: What is the ultimate goal that Crazytown hopes to reach with “The Brimstone Sluggers”?

Epic: No ultimate goal really. Just enjoy what we are doing. Sustainable success. Used to want to prove to the world how underrated we always were, but I don’t give a shit about that anymore.

BearlySinister: It has to be said… Crazytown’s most popular hit, “Butterfly” is an iconic pop/rap/hip-hop track and no one I’ve met today can tell me they don’t know it. Will we ever hear something else along those lines?

Epic: There are definitely songs on this new record that have that appeal I think.

BearlySinister: Now that Crazytown is officially back, are there any tours in the works? If so, can you divulge any details?

Epic: We will be playing with Yellawolf and some festivals. Our agent is working on booking the rest of the year, so…yes of course. Not much more I can say than that at this point.

BearlySinister: I ask this question to everyone I interview because it’s interesting to see the responses and it’s a 2-part question.

A) If Crazytown were to do a headliner of their dream tour package… who would you want supporting you and why?

Epic: Honestly, I can’t answer that…sorry. The bands I would like to tour with would not be supporting us; we would be supporting them for sure.

BearlySinister: B) The same question but as an audience member… you can choose any bands you’d like, no genre restrictions.

Epic: I would be willing to put money on the fact that probably the band you get in these answers the most has to be the Deftones…and the same goes for me. I hate this question. Hall and Oats, Atari Teenage Riot. NIN (Downward Spiral era), Bob Marley, Slipknot, Todd Rundgren, Die Antwoord, Wu Tang (with Method Man)…man, is that random enough for you?? I can keep going…Rage, Korn…lol

BearlySinister: What is the biggest struggle that you’ve faced with writing/recording “The Brimstone Sluggers”?

Epic: Genre. The business always wants you to fit within a genre or box neatly. We never have and never will be that. There is always pressure from the label or radio promotion staff, even our fans. Some want heavy guitars, some want more hip hop. It gets maddening sometimes and I have learned to turn it off and just do what we do.

BearlySinister: What song on the album are you most excited for fans to hear… or the one you think will pop out/surprise them the most in a (hopefully) good way?

Epic: Great question. There are really so many different sides to this record. I just hope that people realize the scope of what we do and that we get recognition for it. That would be nice.

BearlySinister: What inspires you to write music in the style that you do?

Epic: Moods, beats, attitudes, trials and tribulations, success and failure, emotion. That visceral reaction you get when you hear music that moves you. That motivates me. I create music in two distinct ways, as a musician / producer and as a lyricist / vocalist. Each approach is different. Lyrically its about “what exactly do I want to say” and hopefully I have an answer for myself!

BearlySinister: We all hear/see these crazy vids or read stories about the crazy things that bands like to do on tour. Can you tell me: A) Does Crazytown participate in pranking one another/management/other bands and, if so, what is the worse prank that has ever been pulled on you? What is the best prank you’ve pulled on someone else?

Epic: Of coarse we engage in such shenanigans. Not so much to management, but to each other for sure. I would say the prank pulled on me that sticks out is when they covered my lips with tobasco while I was asleep in my bunk.

Not sure that it’s a prank, but we were playing this huge festival in Germany with The Deftones and Rage against The Machine. We were really out of our minds this day night and decided to cut the ends off of all these glow sticks and we just completely “Jackson Pollocked” the inside of our tour bus. That was fun yet expensive and stupid.

BearlySinister: What has been your favorite tour Crazytown has ever been on, why?

Epic: We love playing the festivals in Europe. The fans are great, the food is great and traveling is great.

BearlySinister: If fans could take one thing away from “The Brimstone Sluggers”, what would you want it to be and what would it signify to the return of Crazytown?

Epic: I would want fans to take away the fact that we stand on our own and have our own sound and that they fuckin love it!

BearlySinister: Thank you so much for doing this, I’ve been a fan for a long time and it’s an honor to have you. Is there anything else you’d like to say to our readers, your fans and the general public?

Epic: Thank you as well and we really appreciate your time and anybody else who took the time to read this. See you soon!!!!!

Check out “Megatron” below and check out the official artwork for The Brimstone Sluggers, out this Spring via Membrane/The Orchard: