Kerby Goes Toe to Toe With Mil

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It’s no secret that Billy Milano doesn’t have difficulty expressing his opinions. The problem is that most of the time he comes off as a one dimensional cartoon character straight out of WWF. The press seems more than willing to accommodate this persona and perpetuate it because it generates more interest and sales for their various publications. It’s undeniable that a primary reason people seem to follow Milano is because they believe that he’s always set to make some type of outlandish claim whether it be about Anthrax, the war in Iraq or Serj Tankian from System of a Down. In this respect, I was expecting more of the same. What I didn’t expect was to find was an individual who actually seemed interested not only in presenting his own views but in gathering information and constantly testing his personal values and beliefs as well. Milano’s interests are varied, and his statements are generally informed and insightful. Even if you find yourself disagreeing with him on certain topics, if seems easier to take when you realize that socially speaking, Billy Milano has the capacity to be an affable, accommodating subject—that’s part of the picture that isn’t presented very often.

Billy Milano’s new project with M.O.D. is entitled The Rebel You Love To Hate, which of course seems to be entirely appropriate considering his history and past. Anyone merely expecting angry, ranting lyrics directed at his detractors will be sadly disappointed. Instead, Milano offers up an album as diverse and varied as any in recent memory. With titles like, “Wigga,” “Rage Against the Mac Machine,” and “Ass-ghanistan,” it’s easy to see that M.O.D. is still out to jibe those who are well deserving, but they are doing it with a wit and stylistic diversity that is bound to keep the listener entertained and smiling primarily because this is a clever record—not because Billy Milano is merely expressing himself in a loud, unimaginative way. He has been known to call this record, “his Sgt. Pepper” and feels as though this collection may be hard for him to surpass. In the end, the success of this album shouldn’t be determined by the number of records sold but in how far this record goes to defining Milano as a musician willing to constantly push the boundaries that not only define a given genre but even those that are thought to define himself.

KNAC.COM: The title of the new one is Rebel You Love To Hate—given that, how much of what you are going to tell me is said primarily for shock value? How much of it is something you actually believe in?
MILANO: You may not believe it, but I have a certain amount of conviction in everything I say. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have said it. I believe that everything I’m going to tell you is something I believe.

KNAC.COM: So you wouldn’t tell me anything just for the sake of causing a little controversy?
MILANO: No no, let me tell you something, Jeff—I don’t give a fuck. I’m too tired to care. I don’t care what anyone says. I’m allowed to have an opinion like anyone else. Aren’t I?

KNAC.COM: Yeah, but doesn’t Serj Tankian from System of a Down also have a right to his opinion? The conflict between the two of you has been pretty well publicized.
MILANO: Oh, you mean shit-stain?

KNAC.COM: Yeah, I definitely got the impression that you don’t think too highly of him.
MILANO: Actually, I don’t think too highly of his timing.

KNAC.COM: Could you be a little more specific?
MILANO: I’ll be very specific. He wrote a letter on September 11th about the oil concerns and the attacks on America and what brought it on. I was like, “Dude, you didn’t even offer a fucking apology?” He didn’t even offer any sympathy or condolences to those involved. He just dropped this bomb like, “This is the reason it came about.” Do you think this guy knows what this war is about? It isn’t about that. It may be partly, but are you going to tell me that anyone really knows? This is just his take on it. It’s his leftist, communist take on it. If you want to express that -- then fine -- but there were probably about ten thousand people who wanted to murder his ass after writing that. That’s why he issued a recant of it. I have both documents on my website. The bottom line is that I don’t agree with his timing. He could have easily released this statement about understanding oil in the Middle East and how it correlates to Middle Eastern policy as America sees it. He could have wrote that letter on September 10th, and I wouldn’t have said anything. No, instead he puts out this letter like twenty minutes after the tower gets attacked? It’s just this ignorant, insensitive horseshit written by some ignorant, douchebag millionaire liberal in California—I say, “Fuck you.”

KNAC.COM: So you didn’t have a problem with him having the right to say what he did?
MILANO: No, it was the timing. It isn’t like I had a problem with what he was saying because part of it was correct.

KNAC.COM: Which part?
MILANO: That oil is partly the reason for the war. It’s part of why we’re in the Middle East. If it wasn’t for oil, we probably wouldn’t be in the Middle East or have a presence in the Middle East. We also wouldn’t be backing Israel as much as we are. It’s just a simple truth, and I have to say that he is one hundred percent spot on when it comes to that particular part. It’s just that releasing this idiotic statement during this sensitive time that was just ignorant on his behalf. He didn’t even have the common sense to wait a couple of months before talking about this. Instead, he just used this as a platform to talk about Armenia. Whatever.

KNAC.COM: What if he would have just said, “I don’t agree with this war. We aren’t liberating anyone, and I don’t think we’re going to find any weapons of mass destruction there?” That’s not a problem for you on any level?
MILANO: Not at all.

KNAC.COM: Ok, because I don’t think that distinction was ever really made in the press. It came off more as a “Serj is against the war versus Billy who is for the war” type of black and white situation.
MILANO: Well, that’s the press for you. My only problem with Serj is his timing, and quite honestly, that’s his faux paux. He brought this on himself. When he and Tom Morello started talking about Bush needing to be brought up on war crimes, I’m like, “Shut the fuck up.” If you think Bush is a criminal, and you don’t like America’s policies, then don’t stay here. You can leave, that’s part of the beauty of our country. If you have that much conviction that you’re gonna stand up there and fight, you’d better be prepared for the fight. It’s just like Alex Baldwin, he said that if Bush won the election against Gore, he was going to pack up and leave the country. Where is he now? Sitting up in the Hollywood Hills with all of his buddies drinking champagne and eating sushi. That’s just typical of the liberal, communist, entertainment elitists.

KNAC.COM: So, in your view, they have no credibility because their lifestyle doesn’t match up with the rhetoric they spew in public?
MILANO: Yeah, the last thing he’s gonna do is give up his gas guzzling Cadillac Escalade that he drives or his Range Rover. It’s one of the biggest gas guzzlers that rolls off the assembly line. He lives it up in California as a rock star. You don’t hear stories about them actually going out and doing anything. Wait, there is one thing they do—this Axis of Justice thing where they try to go and feed the fucking homeless in a public park.

KNAC.COM: Do you think they care at all about the homeless people?
MILANO: This is what I think: if you grow up on the west coast, you have a very liberal mentality, but if you grow up on the east coast, you have a very conservative mentality but it’s liberal to a degree. I’m a modern republican. I have many conservative views, but I have one liberal view. That view is, “If I’m wrong, teach me where I’m wrong.” These guys don’t think they’re ever wrong. That’s the fucking problem—they’re elitists.

KNAC.COM: Would you actually tell me that you don’t see anything wrong with following a President like George Bush?
MILANO: No, I never said that. I don’t believe in it one hundred percent.

KNAC.COM: Yeah, you did say the war was mostly about oil.
MILANO: No, I didn’t say that -- I said it was “partly” about oil.

KNAC.COM: Ok, but you also said that we wouldn’t have a presence there if it wasn’t for the oil. Either way, if you don’t think that the war is primarily about oil, then what’s it about?
MILANO: I think we have a big problem with terrorism in this world. I don’t think we have the intelligence on what some of these Middle Eastern countries are doing. When Saddam went into Kuwait in ’91, most people thought it was to gain access to the ports for more oil, but what he really could have been after was the third largest gold depository on Earth. He went into Kuwait and robbed them of eight billion dollars of gold. We found six billion of it. That leaves two billion dollars in gold bullion. What can you do with two billion dollars of gold? Anything you fucking want—buy a government, a safe haven… or nuclear weapons. That’s the truth. I daresay that if Saddam Hussein would have said that he wanted to make peace with NATO and become an ally of the US, I guarantee that within two years we would have sold nuclear weapons to him. I believe that.

KNAC.COM: Don’t you find that extremely disturbing?
MILANO: Absolutely. It’s one of the hypocrisies that fucking unnerves me. The reality is that someday, one of these guys is going to get nuclear weapons. I know it, you know it, and the whole world knows it. The further along down the line they are able to obtain it, the better off we will be as a country to defend ourselves. We got caught with our pants down on September 11th.

KNAC.COM: It’s important for you to note this because having a multifaceted view isn’t exactly what you’ve been known for having, whether it be in printed articles or postings on the Internet.
MILANO: Jeff, if I had the opportunity to sit down with every person who read that article and didn’t believe in me, they would have a better understanding of what I said.

KNAC.COM: Did you realize during this time that you came off as sort of this redneck, Ted Nugent type of persona?
MILANO: Look, I do believe that I’m a redneck. I don’t hate blacks because they’re black. I hate bad people because they’re bad people. Rather than talking about finding love and harmony in your heart, maybe some of these people should be fucking capped. Some people never change, so why bother trying to change them? Just shoot them.

KNAC.COM: Speaking of people you might like to shoot, the title track on Rebel You Love to Hate is a track called, “Wigga.” Of course, everybody knows somebody like this, but what’s especially horrific about a white guy adopting various aspects of the black culture?
MILANO: Why’s it funny? Well, let me give you this set up. In 1997, when S.O.D. was touring, we were doing the Milwaukee Metalfest. While I was gone, there was a fire, and I was left homeless. I lived in a squat that was a rehearsal room that was six by thirteen. It was about the size of a standard prison cell. I lived in that and worked to pay off debt for about three years to pay off what was owed on my recording studio that burned to the ground that didn’t get covered in my insurance. That’s where I was coming from—I was in a prison cell, and the only freedom I had came through my mind. During that time, I had two friends who lived up the hall. They were both black, and after September 11th, I realized they were both Muslim. They still are very good friends of mine, but one thing they said to me was that they were concerned about the theft of identity whether it’s through rap or hoodlumism or what have you. I just see it as I’m not really making fun of these kids as much as I just see the youth of today being mashed. I think they just see their identity as being neutral. The kids just seem to be looking for an identity, and they see this as one that is acceptable to their peers and the community at large.

KNAC.COM: So you don’t see it being any deeper than maybe just a fashion statement and some jargon?
MILANO: Yeah, when I get some seventeen year old kid coming up to me going, “Yo, yo B, wassup?” I just think, where did he learn how to say that? Why is he saying that? I don’t understand why they are saying that to me.

KNAC.COM: What do they expect your response to be?
MILANO: I don’t know, maybe, “Yo G, wassup?” I’m the first guy to bust balls, but I’m also the first guy to try to understand as well. I think there is definitely a genuine lack of identity and guidance in society now. MTV has replaced the family preacher, the father, the mother and has become everything. Then, when it looks like maybe we’re starting to break free of that, here comes the Internet, and that replaces everything. It’s just another step away from what we really need in our lives, which is a sense of community and a sense of belonging. Everyone knows it’s ridiculous. C’mon, people walking around with their ass hanging out? Their pants are so big, you could make three pairs out of them.

KNAC.COM: Yeah, but isn’t it stupid for black people to wear them, too? It isn’t just the whites who look like Omar the Tentmaker is it?
MILANO: I wouldn’t say that it’s stupid for black people. Maybe they have a different perspective.

KNAC.COM: But you have to agree that pants were designed to contain one’s ass, and if said ass is intentionally not covered by the pants, then it mostly defeats the purpose of wearing them, right?
MILANO: Well yeah, I don’t get it first of all, and I don’t understand it. Call me old fashioned, but I like my belt around my waist…. not around my thighs. If you’re gonna portray that type of gangster, hoodie lifestyle, then how are you gonna run from the cops in those pants?

KNAC.COM: Maybe you run out of them first? I don’t know. Can you explain a little bit about “Get Ready” which is also on the album? It seems to be definitely KISS-inspired.
MILANO: The whole record has kind of a parody feel, and each song has a different point of reference, yet there is a cohesive thread to the record. There was this song I was playing, and somebody says, “Hey, that sounds like an old KISS song.” I was surprised because I never listened to KISS, never bought a KISS record and was never a KISS fan. The only thing I could think of was, “Yeah, their fans must be fucking old. They probably have coffins for them and everything.” And then the guy told me that, “Yeah, yeah they do.” I was just thinking about how insane and crazy that is. I thought I’d just write this song making fun of the KISS fans because they’re old and they’re dying—showing up in wheelchairs. That’s when my friend told me that I also had to sing it like Gene Simmons in the song. That meant I had to go back and listen to KISS so that I’d know how to sing the lyrics are come up with the type of lyrics that would be good in this parody type song. At the end of the day, I’m a KISS fan because I like the music. It was simple and entertaining. It was just all about having a good time. How could you not like that?

KNAC.COM: How much do you think these lyrics and music are going to surprise people who think of Billy Milano as this constantly sour guy who talk incessantly about Anthrax?
MILANO: I haven’t talked about them in awhile.

KNAC.COM: Yet it seems like there is constantly some quote or story regarding this so called feud.
MILANO: Fuck ‘em. What do you want me to tell you? What color of shoes they’re going to wear tomorrow?

KNAC.COM: Maybe not me personally, but you do get a sense that people love to talk about it.
MILANO: Well, they’re sensationalizing it, aren’t they?

KNAC.COM: Is this another situation that is similar to the Serj -- one where you are being portrayed in a way by the media that you don’t feel is accurate? Is the media portrayal of you different from who you actually are?
MILANO: That’s funny because what you just did in a microcosmic sense is show what the media is about. It’s about control, and you say that you understand the thing between me and Serj now because you took the time to ask. I personally have been misinterpreted to the point where I don’t give a fuck what people think anymore. I can’t control the media, and the media can’t control me. They can certainly control what they write though. Whether or not they choose to accurately portray the persona of the artist is entirely up to them.

KNAC.COM: Who always wins though?
MILANO: No one wins. The only people who lose are the fans.

KNAC.COM: In what respect? That they’re getting sold a product that isn’t authentic?
MILANO: No, you show me one magazine that is truly unbiased. It comes down to this: If there isn’t a story, they’re gonna make a story. If the myth is bigger than the man, sell the myth.

KNAC.COM: Given that, do you think it’s fair to say—I know you are a fan of Metallica—but do you think it’s possible that they could come out with the worst album in history, and that those magazines you just mentioned would greet it with glowing reviews because they want something from the band? Maybe it’s an interview—maybe it’s a cover that will sell them more copies.
MILANO: There you go, but no journalist is going to give a review of something that he doesn’t agree with because it’s hard to wear that second hat.

KNAC.COM: You’re telling me that you really believe that?
MILANO: I honestly do believe that statement, and I will clarify it for you.

KNAC.COM: Please do.
MILANO: I believe that if people truly believe that it’s a conflict of interest to portray something that goes against their personal views, that they may compromise to a certain degree. They may not give it a great review, but they will definitely give it a good one. Maybe something like, “Hey, I’m not a fan, but check this out—it’s cool.” I see that a lot with my band. People weren’t expecting this record from me. I think it’s a great record, but I’ve got two magazines in Germany saying it’s the worst thing they’ve ever heard.

KNAC.COM: Really?
MILANO: Yeah, but they gave the Scorpions best of record 10 out of 10. C’mon, you’re giving the Scorpions a perfect score for something they released twenty years ago? It’s a little biased. You know, it’s like, don’t do the interview with me. Don’t even review me next time either. In fact, I told my record label that I didn’t even want to deal with them anymore. The thing is, I’ve done a hundred and twenty interviews, and a hundred and twenty people loved the record. Even with that though, I still believe that people can give an unbiased kind of review, but it won’t be written with nearly as much passion as if they believed in it. That’s fair.

KNAC.COM: I really think you’re giving it the benefit of the doubt. I could totally see a guy lying his ass off in a review if he thought it meant getting a story somewhere down the road.
MILANO: But you could tell me to my face that you love the album, and write it up and have your boss tell you that they aren’t gonna print it. Someone may hold your job over your head. There’s a magazine that I know of in England called Terrorizer, and they put out a thrash special. They had Exodus originally slated for the cover of this issue. The story goes like this—someone in Nuclear Blast, and this is my record label--called them and said that if they didn’t put Anthrax on the cover that they were pulling all Nuclear Blast, Century Media and Victory Records marketing from your magazine for the next year. Anthrax got the cover. What does that tell you? I’m speaking out against my record label.

KNAC.COM: But it’s honest, right?
MILANO: Yeah, there you go—what a surprise.

(Photos from BillyMilano.com and Danny Lilker's web site.)