Metalocalypse's Brendon Small Goes To Rock School

Brendon Small has been summoned back to the stage. But instead of hamming it up with his fellow clandestine musicians as a part of Dethklok—the mythical group around which his Adult Swim series Metalocalypse revolves—he’s doing a mini-tour with Paul Green’s School of Rock All-Stars.

The caravan will spend this week rocking the East Coast like a hurricane, so be sure to check for dates closest to you. Opening the concerts are Tragedy (a metal-inspired Bee Gees cover band) and Misstallica—an all-girl Metallica tribute act that switches personalities on alternate nights to play as Queen Diamond, which heralds the career of Danish shock rocker, King Diamond.
    

I got a chance to speak with Brendon as he, Paul, and the kids were barreling down the highway on their way to their fist gig at DC’s infamous 9:30 Club. As usual, his bigger-than-life personality made the conversation a hilarious one.

Brendon: Are you high right now?
HT: I’m not.

Whatever. Interview over… Are you sitting in a hemp chair?
I am not, but everything here is ergonomically correct and I’m staring at a 2009 Doobie Award, which is the world’s only award you can actually smoke out of.

You guys get away with giving away bongs as awards?
Yes, because there’s nothing in them. What you do with it afterwards is your own business.

Let’s get back to you. How did you hook up with the School of Rock?
I was a fan of Paul Green’s documentary, Rock School. I’ve been playing guitar ever since I was 14, and I wish there was a Paul Green in my life pushing me onstage and making me do stuff that I was too scared to do. And I just identify with all the kids.
    I went and saw my buddy Mike Keneally (who ended up being the Dethklok live guitarist player, and played with Frank Zappa and Steve Vai) perform [with School of Rock]. They played “Mustapha” off of Queen's Jazz album and I was in love. Queen is one of my favorite band, my jaw dropped. We kept in touch and I saw them play again—the coolest shows I’ve seen in the last couple of years have been because of Paul Green and these kids.

And now you're a guest professor for the School of Rock. What advice did you give the kids about rocking out?
I spent the last few days rehearsing with the kids, and it was so much fun. We all made sure at one point yesterday to get into the metal position/leg stance thing…

The James Hetfield-like stance that you perfected?
Yeah… which started out as me having to duck the frame line because we were showing a big projection [with Dethklok]. But it ended up looking cool.

Anything else?
I gave them a little bit of showbiz advice, like: Don’t Be a Dildo, is a big one. Nobody wants to hang out with a fuckin’ dildo.

Which songs are you playing with School of Rock?
The set list is some of the stuff that got me excited about guitar, and some of the bands that I was listening to when I was developing my musical identity as a 14 year old. There’s some Guns N Roses, some old Metallica, Megadeth… some fun odds and ends from Metalocalypse that have never been played live before.

How did this tour come together? And how do you feel about heavy metal cover bands?
I think it’s awesome. My philosophy on heavy metal—and cover bands, and kids playing metal—is that if you play guitar, you’re going to cross paths with metal at some point. And you better make friends with it, because you’ll be humiliated by it one day.

Speaking of metal, will there be another Dethklok album?
Yes, I’m working on it right now. I made the second season faster than the first season. Right now I’m doing overdubs and vocals… trying to find other stuff that rhymes with “murder,” “kill…” It’s really good, this one is going to give the first one a run for its money.

This interview is for HIGH TIMES, so I have to ask: Are you a fan of marijuana?
I have smoked pot before… and I didn’t exhale. In my book, nothing beats getting rip-roaringly drunk and hurting yourself. I just haven’t found enough pot to get me that cross-eyed drunk. One day I’ll tell you about a miserable getting high experience with Dethklok.

Do you envision any of the Dethklok characters to be heshers?
I’d say that Pickles is high in every single scene—and drunk.