MIKE PATTON

How did you get hooked on rock & roll?

Guns N’ Roses.  I was in grade school, and had a passing interest in music – just whatever my folks listened to or what was on the radio.  Then my dad bought Use Your Illusion I (either trying to find “Knockn’ on Heaven’s Door” , or “November Rain”) and hated the rest of it.  So I got a hold of it, and that was the beginning of the end.  They swore!

Who were your heroes growing up? 

Musically, it’s run the gamut over the years, from GnR (see above), to Bowie, Ginger Wildheart, Johnny Thunders, Stiv Bators, Keith Richards & the Micks (Jagger and Taylor)… Michael Jackson and the Beach Boys when I was younger… I don’t know that they really count as heroes, but I sure as hell looked up to them (and still do).

Otherwise… Fuck, I don’t know.  I was honestly a pretty apathetic kid for the most part.  I don’t remember caring about or being inspired by anyone enough that I would call them a hero.  I mean, soldiers and firefighters and whatnot fit the bill, but I can’t honestly say that I cared while I was growing up.

What was your first instrument? 

The first instrument I learned to play was the piano (not counting kazoos or whatever), but I was just borrowing my folks’.  The first instrument that was MINE, was a trumpet.  Which was great, because when I got hassled by some older kids after band practice one sunny afternoon, I was able to smash them in the face with it and run off.  Don’t know what happened to it… Might’ve been a rental actually?  Next was a horrible blue (with black stripes?) Jackson guitar… sounded and played like crap, but man did I have fun with it.  It got lost when my folks moved while I was in college, which I’m still pissed about.

What was your first rock concert and what was its impact on you?

Technically the Beach Boys when I was like 5, but I was just along for the ride with my folks.  My first show with friends… Probably either Pantera, Alanis Morissette (I know), or Smashing Pumpkins/Garbage?  I’m honestly not sure.  And probably the biggest impact on me was Pumpkins/Garbage – because Garbage opened and put on a killer show, and the Pumpkins went on and were lifeless and boring, even though I liked them more.  That firmly cemented the importance of “the show” rather than just playing.

When did you start writing songs? did it come naturally or do you have to work at it?

Elementary/middle school… I think my first song was a catchy track titled “Field Trip to Hell.”  It came naturally, but that doesn’t mean I was any good at it.  I definitely have to work harder at it these days (for the most part – sometimes I get in the groove and it just spills out, which is really the best feeling this side of sex but I still don’t know if I’m any good at it.

How did you guys choose the songs for the debut EP?

‘Cause they kick ass.  Why else? Honestly, while PLS was becoming 3 Parts Dead, there was a lot of bullshit going on for JC and myself (the PLS remnants).  Once we started playing with Fitz and Ramon, we were all just having so much fun, and these songs sort of happened, and we were just so stoked on them that we put them out right away.  I mean, we had been playing together for maybe 2 months when we went into the studio.

Any plans to release a full-length follow-up?

Definitely.  We’ve been writing since we put out the EP, and are looking forward to showing everyone what we’ve been working on.  We’ll get into the studio soon, but we’ve been keeping busy playing out around the country in the meantime.  Fingers crossed for late spring/early summer.

Would you consider recording one cover to bring more attention to the band like VH did and, if so, what might be strong candidates for you guys to do?

I’d love to, but that’s definitely a secondary priority to writing our own tracks.  We do some live covers, both obscure tracks and more popular ones.  I guess if we were gonna do a cover for attention we’d have to pick some top 40 track that we all abhor.  But I’d rather do something by the Wildhearts, or the Stones, or the Distillers, or… You know, something else that really speaks to me as a fan and we can just have fun playing.  But that kinda defeats the “pop appeal” aspect of it.  Maybe doing “Do You Love Me” (a la the Heartbreakers cover) would be a good middle ground.

As 3PD you’ve already shared the stage with a number of luminaries as a solid opener, what’s the secret?

We never thought we were a “local band”, and we never acted like one, and so those opportunities have always just kind of fallen into our laps.  Of course, it doesn’t hurt that we work our asses off to pursue them, write (we think) catchy tunes, and have managed to get a ton of support from some really amazing friends and fans that have helped push us to that next level.

If you could go out on tour with any band this year who would it be and why?

Haha, why, do you know someone looking for an opener?  Seriously though, that’s a tough question to answer.  As a fan, I’d love to hit the road with the Wildhearts, or the Supersuckers, or any of those bands that never seems to leave my cd player.  As a professional musician, I’d probably want to hit the road with someone like Nickelback, or Hinder, that’s packing shows, to get in front of some new faces that would dig what we do but might not hear us otherwise.

I hear Motley Crue is doing a “farewell” tour, so maybe that’s the sweet spot in the middle…  Nikki Sixx, if you’re reading this – give me a call if you need an opener!