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6 Degrees Entertainment

The Thunderlords The Thunderlords

'Thundering Thru The Generations!'

Get lost, Raffi! Take a hike, Barney! Go plant a new crop, Veggie Tales!

Tykes from ages 5-10 and up across America are having a helluva lot more fun rocking and rolling to Noisy Songs For Noisy Kids, the revolutionary debut CD by The Thunderlords — the world's first Kid's Metal Band.

The brainchild of Alan Flores, a veteran punk and metal guitarist, bassist, writer, producer and, perhaps most importantly, devoted parent of two children, The Thunderlords play loud, heavy music with goofy, fun lyrics that everyone can enjoy…except maybe for those looking for peace and quiet.

Already a cult favorite with fans of classic heavy metal who are raising little future rockers of their own, Noisy Songs for Noisy Kids has spawned two satellite radio hits which are currently being played on the XM Radio Station XM Kids. “I Like Dirt” (an ode to kids getting dirty, taking a bath, and getting dirty again) and “Ice Cream Headache” (which warns not to eat too much or too fast) are also available for digital download on Apple itunes, Sony Connect and other internet outlets. “I Like Dirt” will also be featured in the video game “Tony Hawk's American Wasteland,” available for the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube on Oct. 18.

Chatting recently with creator/originator Alan Flores, I first wondered where he suddenly came up with the idea of creating The Thunderlords - the first kid's Metal band?! "Well, I’ve been in lots of bands through the years. I tell people I’ve played every crappy club in L.A. But I got married and had a couple of kids and didn’t have time to do the band thing anymore. So I started listening to a lot of my kids’ music. Some of it was great and some was downright terrible – you know really patronizing kinda stuff. So I thought it would be cool if someone wrote some kids music that really rocked. And I wasn’t thinking of kid friendly brit-pop. I thought it would be cool to make a real over the top heavy band with goofy lyrics. Partly because I thought kids would think it’s funny and like the noise. What kids don’t like to make noise?! And partly because I had plenty of experience playing metal."

Was making each track two minutes or less simply a gut reaction to the known knowledge of your average 5-10 year old's attention spans?! "Yeah it was partly that and partly because of the influences of the band. I tried to write the record like I was writing a late 80’s hardcore thrash record. So I got lots of inspiration from bands like S.O.D. and D.R.I. And those bands always had some short quick blasts. That just seemed to fit."

For the Average Joe who may not have heard of The Thunderlords and was thinking of buying your upcoming new CD 'Noisy Songs For Noisy Kids,' how would you yourself describe the sound? "The Thunderlords are the first metal band for kids. Loud, heavy music with goofy, fun lyrics that anyone can enjoy. Kinda like Gwar for kids…minus the blood. Or if Rob Zombie replaced Captain Feathersword in the Wiggles!"

Your new title 'Noisy Songs For Noisy Kids' is great, but what else could it so easily have been entitled? "I was considering calling it “Kid Metal” and doing a parody album cover of Venom’s “Black Metal”."

If there was one track on this album that truly encapsulated The Thunderlords at their musical and lyrical finest, which one would it be? "I would have to say “I Like Dirt.” It seems to be the song that most of the fans enjoy the most. It was also the very first Thunderlords song that I had written."

Were any discarded lyrics or licks from your days with Guttersnipe, Superhate or Half Eaten unearthed for this new Thunderlords album?! "No, I had to put myself in a very different mindset when I wrote the record. Actually it was quite liberating. There is always that part of you that gets embarrassed when you write something and worried that it’s too silly. With The Thunderlords I didn’t really worry about that. It was like “Hmmm… this song is silly. Cool, the kids will like it".”

So, please tell us more about yourself and why you were the man to do such a project "Well I do have the metal background. But I also have a day job as a videogame designer. So I guess making kids music is appropriate since I never grew up."

Just so we can get a better grip on some songs, please tell us more about what went into the lyrics behind these three album tracks:

'I Like Dirt' "This was inspired by my kids. And really most kids in general. Anyone who has a two year old can tell you how much they like getting dirty. A few months back I took my kids and a bunch of their cousins and friends out to this dirt farm to film a video for “I Like Dirt” We told them “don’t worry about getting dirty. Play in the dirt” They had so much fun. They were so dirty afterwards we had to hose them down before we could get them in the car."

'Song About Nothing' "My daughter wrote the first line of this. One day she was just walking around the house singing “Tuesday, Monday, Satur-day” and I asked her what it meant. She said nothing. So I wrote a song about it."

'Night Of The Living Lunch' "Just a goofy idea about broccoli and other foods that come alive. Taken from personal experience."

What '80s (and possibly cheesy!) pop/rock song would you love to lyrically change today in the style of The Thunderlords if asked ... and why?! "I think 'Safety Dance' would be funny and educational since it spells out Safety."

Lastly, I like Penguins ... do you?! "Sure. My kids loved 'March of the Penquins'."

Interviewed by Russell A. Trunk

If you would like to win an AUTOGRAPHED copy of The Thunderlords' brand new CD, just answer this easy question: The first song on the album is entitled ‘Old Man Olaf,' but which other more renowned children's 'song' is it based on?!

Send me your answers and if you're correct you'll be in the running to win one of these great new and AUTOGRAPHED CDs! Just send us an e:mail here before July 1st with your answer and the subject title 'THUNDERLORDS SIGNED CDs' to: exclusivemagazine@flash.net

www.Thunderlords.com

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