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Interview With Boneyard Drummer Lee Burt
Carla: Why the name Boneyard?
Lee: Our soundman David was wearing a shirt that had a skeleton playing guitar and smoking a cigarette, and the caption said "Graveyard Blues." We though "Hmmm. Cool logo." Boneyard was born. I have to actually give credit to David for wearing the shirt and John for coming up with the actual name.
Carla: Tell us how your band got started for those who don't know?
Lee: I was still playing with "Stryknine" my last band. John had been jamming with us off and on and gave me a call one day saying that he was putting something new together. Seemed like a good idea to me, because at the time Stryknine's bassist, Andy Hall, was leaving us for Elmira Gulch. John, Mike, and Jamie all worked together at a plant outside of Scottsboro, so I was the last vital piece to forming the band. We jammed for the first time at Taff's (Southern Flite) place and the chemistry was just there. We added David and Copeland later.
Carla: How would you describe your music to all the listeners out there who haven't heard of you yet?
Lee: Mixed very well. We do all kinds of shit. I guess the thing is, we all favor one individual kind of music so we play everything. I'm into 80's metal, Jamie likes alternative, Mike is a blues man, and Michael likes a little of everything. When you put all of that into a blender you get Boneyard. If you haven't heard us yet, come see us. We throw the best fuckin' parties around.
Carla: Could you give me a brief history of the band, who has came and gone in the band?
Lee: Well, it started out just John, Jamie, Mike, and myself. We did a few warm up shows and I introduced my high school bud David to the band. He had done some sound work for one of Mike's old bands and we just clicked. We started booking and playing and then picked up Michael as road crew. It worked out pretty good cause he is also a great guitarist. Anyway, we eventually scrapped that idea and just made him a member of the band. So far the only member to leave is John. We wish you well, John. Have fun doin' what you're doin'.
Carla: How long has each member been making music?
Lee: Hmm, good one. Well I've been involved in music in one way or another, just about all of my life. My parents used to have a country band, so I was accustomed to jam sessions from an early age. I've been playing instruments since 6th grade. As for the rest of the guys, Mike has been playing for a long time, and I think Jamie has too. Copeland is kind of new to it, but he's doin' a helluva job. David has a pretty long history too. I was in high school band with him.
Carla: Where do you guys see yourself in a year?
Lee: Hopefully doing the same thing we're doing now, but on a bigger scale. I love playing for big audiences, and I hope they keep getting bigger and bigger. Hopefully we'll have our first CD out also. I dunno, maybe just keep doing what we love doing and hope that people dig it as much as we all do.
Carla: Who are your major influences?
Lee: Mine personally are all the guys that define rock and roll. Drum wise I like Tommy Lee (Motley Crue), Rob Affuso (Skid Row), Steven Sweet (Warrant), etc. I like other musicians too, like Sebastian Bach, Axl Rose, Slash, Bret Michaels, Tom Keifer, etc. Pretty much anything 80's.
Carla: What's in your CD player right now?
Lee: Hmm, let me go look.....Cheap Trick - Greatest Hits, Cinderella - Greatest Hits, and Pearl Jam - Ten. Been learning a lot of Pearl Jam songs since I saw them in concert a few weeks ago.
Carla: What is your favorite local venue?
Lee: I love the River's Edge. I know all the staff, and my dad grew up with the owner (Mack). I used to go skating with his daughter (Tanya), so we all kind of know each other. It's a good atmosphere and we usually draw a pretty good crowd there.
Carla: If you could put on a show anywhere, where would it be?
Lee: Hmm, well short term I'd like to open for some of my favorite bands anywhere around here. Oak Mountain would be cool, as would the BJCC in Birmingham. Long term, I would love to pack out Madison Square Garden. That would be the shit. As long as I'm playing and there's lots of people there, I'm not too picky.
Carla: What is your all time favorite song to play?
Lee: Well, I'm digging the fuck out of playin' Bang Your Head (Metal Health). In my old band we used to cover Everlong by Foo Fighters. That one was a blast from a drummer's standpoint. I like playing challenging stuff. I sometimes get bored during ballads, but they do offer a much needed break at times.
Carla: What was the worst gig y'all ever did?
Lee: Hmm, my personal worst was probably not so long ago at the Bay in Chattanooga. I was having to play some other dude's drums and I was not at home behind his kit. As a band, it would probably be one night that we played BC Lounge in Jasper. We were using the owners PA and the band were completely drunk. Needless to say there were a few rough spots, but that's all behind us now.
Carla: What was the most unforgettable gig y'all ever did? (Note: The night the limo was stolen..lol)
Lee: Yeah, the limo incident was pretty crazy. The last time we played at the Edge with John will always be very memorable to me. My favorite show was one night at the River's Edge, when we broke out the water guns and silly string. Man, it's all good. Every night is memorable. We always have a blast.
Carla: Where are y'all from?
Lee: David, Michael, and myself are all from Fort Payne, AL. Mike and Jamie live in Scottsboro. We practice in Fort Payne currently.
Carla: Do you guys have any original songs yet?
Lee: Yeah we've got a lot written but have only worked up a handful as a band. The only one we've played live is "Get Wasted" a song that John wrote. We still have to work that out to see if we're still gonna play it or not since he quit and all. Hopefully we'll get a CD out soon. If so, you'd better believe originals will be a part of our live show.
Carla: Thank you for the interview and good luck with the band!
Lee: Great Interview Carla. Thanks For Your Continued Support.
