Metal and food are too things that I don’t always think of as going together. I don’t know why; metalheads have to eat after all. And I know tons of metal heads that know their way around the kitchen. So when I found out about a cooking show called Brutally Delicious I was floored by how brilliantly obvious it is. Metalhead and cookbook author Bruce Moore cooks insanely yummy things with Metal artists. Brilliant! From Lamb of God’s Cory Pierce to Saint Diablo Bruce lures  bands into the kitchen to talk about their work and most importantly food! I got to have  a little email chat with Bruce on food, Metal and all things delicious.

Sameerah: How long have you been cooking and what inspired you to a career in food?

Bruce: "I increasingly found myself creating and experimenting in the kitchen and it just seemed a natural progression for me. I wanted to learn the nuts and bolts of food and more specifically cooking. So I put all of my effort into learning it. While I don't have any formal culinary training I do have a lot of experience in the kitchen."

Sameerah: Where did the idea for the brutally delicious come from

Bruce: I have written two musical cookbooks, “For Those About To Cook” and “For Those  Cook Pure Metal” both are books that contain recipes from musicians all around the globe (both are available everywhere books are sold) and I am a fan of The Food Network and cooking shows in general. The idea to combine the two seemed like a no brainer to me and the idea was born.”

Sameerah: You’ve worked with some pretty heavy people on the show, most of which are known for their ability to shred than cooking. How do you find artist that are heavy and know their way around the kitchen?

Bruce: “I have been a writer for PureGrainAudio for the past 10 years or so and I am thoroughly entrenched in the metal scene so the connections were already in place. I have found that most musicians like to experiment in the kitchen whether it is in the creative genes or the fact that many work in restaurants to support themselves when starting out I am not sure. Either way there really is an endless list of people who would like to join us in the show it is just a matter of fitting them all in.”

Sameerah: Who has been your favorite guest on your show so far?

Bruce: "That is a tough one because they are all special to me for various reasons but I think perhaps the episode with Rain Irving of While Heaven Wept. It was the first episode and there was a lot of excitement and nervous energy on the set. Plus he made one of my favorite dishes,  “Holy Diving Scallops,” Scallops in a white wine cream sauce with bacon and asparagus topped off with Gorgonzola Cheese.” It was absolutely fantastic!”

Sameerah: On the Cory Pierce episode you made a burger with smoked Gouda and confessed that was your first experience with that cheese. How did you manage to live without this the most vital of cheeses?

Bruce: That is funny you mentioned that and I have been asked that a few times since that episode aired. I guess I am not sure. I am certainly a cheese lover and I like to think that I am well versed in the area but I was totally caught off-guard with the Gouda. I should say pleasantly surprised because I am now totally into it.”

Sameerah: What has been your favorite dish on the show so far?

Bruce: Well as I mentioned the “Holy Diving Scallops” were probably my favorite but there were others that stand out as well. Bill Leverty from Firehouse made a killer Salmon dish with capers, white wine and mango salsa and Justin Adams from Saint Diablo whipped up a terrific Chili loaded with Chorizo and Queso Fresco. Honestly though in the more than 20 episodes we have filmed I have yet to have to fake my reactions at the end of the show; Everything has been extremely tasty.

Sameerah: " Every cooking show gets that one dish that starts out looking sketchy but turns out brilliant in the end. Has there been a dish that  made you raise an eyebrow before you've tasted it?"

Bruce: "Yeah, that is an easy one. We shot an episode with Paul Ablaze frontman of the band, Blackguard and he cooked what he called a 'Pan Omelet Cake.' Basically it was two onion and pepper omelets, two pancakes with bbq sauce and bacon in the batter. He created a sandwich type thing placing the egg inside the pancakes and then he layered a red bean, Siracha, garlic paste between each layer to hold it together. I was actually quite worried especially since we always get the big money shot of us trying the meal on camera but much to my surprise it was fantastic."

Sameerah: What are some of your favorite ingredients to work with?

Bruce: "I am a seafood fan so I would say anything from the sea for sure but bacon always makes things better, much better. Cheese is also something I try to work into as many dishes as possible. I like to experiment with cheeses especially after learning about different ones while doing this show."

Sameerah: Are there any artist or dishes you would like to have on the show?

Bruce: Wow there probably isn’t enough space here to name them all but my short-list would probably be, Any of the guys from Black Sabbath, Tom Araya of Slayer and of course Gene Simmons or Paul Stanley of Kiss.”

Sameerah: What bands do you listen to when you cook?

Bruce: “My player has a little bit of everything on in it and it is usually set to shuffle. So at any given moment you could hear things as varied as Slayer and Megadeth to Tori Amos and Fiona Apple.”

You can check out some of my favorite episodes here http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/latin-chili-saint-diablo-style and here http://www.ifood.tv/recipe/stuffed-hamburgers-by-cory-pierce-of-god-forbid. And all 35 episodes of Brutally Delicious are at http://www.ifood.tv.

Some ladies are cool because they work hard at it. Others are cool because they have an army of stylists and shit working over time to give them the right look, then there are those that were just born cool. They take the amazing and make it look effortless. Viola Davis, Ertha Kitt, Meryl Streep, Abby Travis, and Sarah Deva Jezebel are just a few examples of women who exude awesome from every pore of their being. And now I can add fellow Libra and all around kick ass chick Susan Surftone to my list of incredibly awesome women.

Susan Surftone is an amazing lady, who has had an equally amazing career. She got her start in music as a child of the 60s. A time where free love filled the air, but the idea of women playing guitar was still frowned upon. Honing her craft throughout her life, Susan’s path eventually turned to law school at Boston University and ultimately a career with the FBI. Between hitting the books and catching spies at the height of the Cold War, Susan played gigs all over NYC making a name for herself in the Bowery district. Ultimately Susan chose her love of music over a life of mystery and intrigue, and I am glad she did. Susan has been making music that sounds like liquid sunshine since the 80s . In that time she has managed to maintain the magic and whimsy that embodied 60s surf rock while embracing musical changes around her. At this stage in the game many artists either don’t have anything interesting left to say, or are content to rest on their laurels and let their reputation fuel the wave a nostalgia dollars that comes their way. But Susan has found a way to keep her music as fresh, fun and exciting as it was the day she picked up a guitar for the first time. I was able to have a little Internet time with Susan before her show at the Redwood on March 3rd, and I can say Susan Surftone is hands down one of the coolest ladies I have ever had the pleasure of talking to.

Sameerah: Growing up in the 60s there weren’t a lot of women who played guitar, let alone lead guitar. Who would you credit the most in encouraging you to playing guitar even though it wasn’t “what girls did” then?

Susan: I started taking guitar lessons in 1964 when I was nine. My parents were encouraging. My mother was an Elvis Presley and Rolling Stones fan so that helped. My guitar teacher was very encouraging. He knew I could play and that was all that mattered to him. I’d do something good in a lesson and he say “atta boy” then quickly correct himself. I got a kick out of that even as a little girl.

Sameerah: You led what some may call a double life early in your career; working for the FBI after law school and playing music in your off hours. What was the driving force behind your decision to leave the law behind to focus on music full time?

Susan: I was leading a life based on someone else’s expectations. When John Lennon was killed in 1980 I started to think about my own life as people often do when someone influential to them dies. Music was what I wanted my life to be about. It took a few years to make the necessary changes and I’ve never regretted it.

Sameerah: For some of the songs on “Shore” you wrote the bass lines first. What made you want to put so much emphasis on bass for this album?

Susan: Playing the bass is new to me. I’ve been playing guitar for a long time. I think it was just that natural thing of being drawn to what’s new and somewhat exciting. Also a bass line provides a good foundation when you are building a song by yourself.

Sameerah: There is no doubt that you know your way around a guitar, but playing bass is a bit different. How long did it take you to get into the swing of playing bass before you were ready to record “Shore”?

Susan:It took about two years. I learned by going back to The Beatles, of course. Paul McCartney can be credited for being my bass teacher. With Audacity software I played his bass lines right along with him to Beatles songs. Then I branched out to early Rolling Stones, Blues and early Elvis Presley. After I could handle the Elvis material I felt I had it.

Sameerah: Like millions of other people I am a massive fan of The Doors, and I must say that your cover of “Riders on the Storm” may be the best cover of a Doors tune I’ve ever heard. Was approaching a cover of one of the greatest songs in rock history intimidating?

Susan:A bit. My approach to covers has always been to take the song and try to make it my own while leaving the song intact and recognizable. That took a bit of doing with “Riders in The Storm”. Once I started recording it I got comfortable with it and could see it was going to work.

Sameerah: How did you approach balancing the original creepy vibe of “Riders on the Storm” with your own style?

Susan:I just recorded the parts with no preconceived notions. I was completely winging it on the keyboard. I just played what sounded right to me. The guitar and bass parts were a bit more structured before I recorded them but, with the guitar parts, not much.

Sameerah:“Shore” was recorded at Jackpot Studios in Portland, OR. What made you decide to record the album there?

Susan: Jackpot is the premiere recording studio in Portland, OR. It had everything we needed. The producer, Steve Kravac, was willing to make the trip from LA up to Portland so we decided Jackpot was it.

Sameerah:Your music feels like it takes a more traditional slant on recording, keeping all of the digital bells and whistles to a minimum. What do you think about the wave of digital recording that has swept through the music industry? Do you feel the technology hurts or helps the creative process?
Susan: I think the digital wave is good. Having new and sometime better tools to work with is always a good thing and it certainly doesn’t mean old approaches are lost. It’s nice to have both. Technology can both help and hurt the creative process. (Do you get the sense from my answers that I am a Libra?) It hurts when players start to rely heavily on the technology and do not learn to master their instruments. Time must be spend learning to play your instrument. You will be a better player and in the long run it will pay off. This is especially true for female musicians. We still have to constantly prove ourselves and the best way to do that is by developing your talent to its fullest. You know you are going to be judged harder so play better. Technology helps the creative process when it is used to enhance proficiency that is already there. Robert Johnson played a beat-up acoustic guitar. Imagine what he would have done with today’s technology.

Sameerah:All of your music has the upbeat swing of the 60s surf swing to it, but there is always an under current of a modern edge to what you do. Is it difficult to keep finding new ways to update the sound of classic Americana?

Susan: It is somewhat difficult. I try to blend the surf influence with other genres to get something new and a bit different. I get fixated on some genre I haven’t really worked with too much and off we go. The 1960’s garage influence is a constant for me as well as surf but it’s usually that third ingredient that takes us somewhere new. Right now I’m finding myself drawn to ska….upbeat, fun and challenging bass lines…what more could I want?

Sameerah: If you could say one thing to all the people who said “girls can’t play guitar” when you were coming up what would it be?

Susan: Two things. First “there are a lot of female guitarists out there proving you wrong” and secondly “I have always found inspiration in being told I can’t do something.”

Susan is playing at Max Stieners in Long Beach or March 2nd and  the Redwood Bar in LA on March 3rd you can get tix and showtimes at http://www.theredwoodbar.com/ or http://maxsteiners.com/. Now go out there and get some Surftone!