Michigan Artists Magazine

 interview by Cheri Clair

How long has Sonic Smut been a band? Can you tell us about how you formed?

Sonic Smut has been a band for 3 1/2 years.

Formed in September 2022.

On an autumn night, Alice and Latcha were gigging at Part & Labor. Playing music that they had both been working on during the pandemic. After the set, a lad with as much hair as his torso, approached Alice to let her know how much he enjoyed the set. He then critiqued that he was missing one element in the sound… drums. When asked if Dave played any instruments, he answered, the drums! Later that night, Alice, Latcha, and Dave met up at a friend’s house. It was there that they talked more about music, tv, movies, mutual acquaintances… it was decided, we will get together the next weekend, jam, and see if there is anything.

The following weekend, they all felt the excitement that the blend of Alice’s sultry & roaring keys, Latcha’s hallucinating & screaming guitars, and Dave’s bombastic & ferocious drums gave them. It was then that the three were destined to become Sonic Smut.

If you haven't answered this in question one, who are your members and what instruments do they play?

Alice Sun - Keys & Vocals

Dynamic Diamond Dynamite David Dick Cwik - Drums

Mike Latcha “Comin Atcha” - Guitar & Vocals

Who and/or what events are some of the influences of your band members?

Sonic Smut’s musical influences start with Parliament/Funkadelic & Deep Purple. Mix with Prince, Motown, David Bowie, and take turns with Monk, Faith No More, James Brown, Kiss, Guns N' Roses, Rick James, Van Halen, Down, Erykah Badu, Wu-Tang Clan, Black Sabbath & Sepultura.

Sonic Smut is a group of individuals who are inspired by life & dreams, reality & delusions, love & heartbreak, traffic jams & lakes, honesty & deception, craftsmanship & chaos.

Not to put a label on you, but what do you personally call the style of music you play?

Freaky Psychedelic Garage

What's coming up? Shows and other stuff.

Released Eye Bleach, the third LP, November 2025. Can be found on Bandcamp, at local record shops & at our shows.

Upcoming Shows:

2.28.26 - Lucid Furs Wedding at Small’s

3.7.26 - Old Miami w/ Red Eye Raccoon & Twin Freaks

3.21.26 - Cabin Fever Fest Mío MI

3.27.26 - Rose St. Germaine Album Release

Next Release:

4.10.26 - Split 7” w/ The Hourlies.

Recorded by Jon-Mikal from the Idiot Kids, pressed at Third Man Records.

Release party at The High Dive, with special guest, ZzVavalike to share with our readers?

Paul: We truly appreciate anyone’s support. Coming to shows, buying merch, chatting with us, the whole 9 yards. We feel that rock ‘n’ roll needs to make a huge comeback, and we just hope that you all want to be a part of it.

 The LP Queen death on Dead Beat Records April 24th
A 7 inch on Sioux Records that will have its release in the end of May.
And a split 7 inch on heavy medication/ghost highway records from Poland/Spain. 

Interview & Photo by Cheri Clair

Cheri: What was the first album you bought?

Paul: The first album I bought on my own would’ve been Kiss Alive! Previous to that, for my fifth birthday, I got a record player and three records. One was a Beatles record. One was a Monkees record, and one was an Elvis record. I barely listened to the Monkees or Elvis. I took to the Beatles immediately and have consistently listened to them and been a fanboy since then.

Cheri: Looking back, did that album influence your music?

Paul: Oh, absolutely. You can hear Kiss and the Beatles in many of our songs. The biggest part of the Beatles was the harmonies; even when I was a kid, I was harmonizing along with the records. With Kiss, it was more of an attraction to the image. In later years, I realized what knuckle draggers they were, but that never diminished my respect or love for that band and the music they made.

Cheri: Was the guitar always your instrument of choice? What other instruments do you play?

Paul: I love playing the bass. I can keep a steady mid-tempo beat on the drums with some decent fills, but I’m by no means a Drummer.

Cheri: I hear your recording studio, Burning Ear Studio, has expanded hours and mobile recording now. Can you tell me more about that?

Paul: Since my mid 20s, I have always had a recording studio. For many years, it was my only source of income. When I moved from Germany to Detroit 14 some odd years ago, I decided that I was done trying to make a living with the Studio. I was doing it on the side for the last several years

just to have fun. I found myself suddenly unemployed, so I figured, why not step it up a notch? Give it another shot with a new twist. I’ve already pretty much got all of the things I need for mobile recording. I thought of this because I do have a lot of bands from out of town that would love to record here, but they don’t want to drive that far. So I can bring the game to them. I’m trying to turn my misfortune into a success.

Cheri: You're in The Strains, and that band has been particularly active since your lineup change. Who are your members, and what do they play?

Paul: I’ve got some pretty killer players currently. It’s my dream team. I go way back with these maniacs. I’ve known our Bass Player since he was seven. I’ve known Jamy since the 80s. Gretta and I have been friends since 2011. Who does what you ask? My old cohort, Jamy Holiday, on guitar, our former merch gal, Gretta Smak, on guitar, and her son Kellen Mutter on bass, all backed with the thunderous audacity of the drums from Al King Diamond. I’m not negating what the original lineup did or achieved. I should also add that I’m still close to those guys. Pete and Greasy and Andy are killers, and I love and appreciate all that they contributed, but I had a mission to do as much touring as possible, and that wasn’t gonna work with my pals. The shift happened unexpectedly, really. A series of events that was not particularly intentional or pleasant. I just landed with the right folks. It’s the only way to do things now. Show up on people’s doorsteps and rock the hell out of them. Can’t stay in an endless tour of the Detroit clubs. One has to branch out to spread the gospel of rock n roll.

Cheri: What's coming up for The Strains? Shows and other stuff.

Paul: Starting on 24 April, we’ve got a two-week tour in Europe, mostly in France. We will be going out with the Dogs in May for three shows. We are playing a run in Texas with a band called Thunderosa and our pal, little Frankie Meyer. We’re also in talks about West Coast touring in the fall with Handsome Dick Manitoba. We try to stay as busy as possible. We got a new LP coming out. We’ve already got the third LP in the bag, and we have

two or three 7-inch records coming out on various labels. The new album is officially released on Spotify and vinyl on 24 April, by the way.

Cheri: Is there anything else you'd like to share with our readers?

Paul: We truly appreciate anyone’s support. Coming to shows, buying merch, chatting with us, the whole 9 yards. We feel that rock ‘n’ roll needs to make a huge comeback, and we just hope that you all want to be a part of it.

Haf/Life 

Band of the Month Interview,

Written by Cheri Clair 

How long has Haf/life been a band? Can you tell us about how you formed? 

Formed somewhere around 2021, as an audio experiment from the Atomic Gyration Institute 

If you haven't answered this in question one, who are your members and what instruments do they play? 

MD20/20- vocals and percussion 

Handi J- guitar and sampling 

Tar Boomba- Bass 

Kenny Mac- Percussion Extrordinaire 

Who and/or what events are some of the influences of your band members? 

WE are constantly exploring the human condition, and the forces that prey upon it; Our sound is a musical car crash between JAMES BROWN AND ROB ZOMBIE SOMEWHERE ON THE AUTOBAHN 

. 

Not to put a label on you, but what do you guys personally call the style of music you play? 

BOOTY CORE 

What's coming up? Shows and other stuff. 

We tend to only play special events, but in 2026, we are planning on releasing one single a month for the rest of the calendar year. 

Link to Haf/Life FB

If you did not know Johnny Bee as a great drummer, he is also an Artist of visual Art.  Johnny Bee has a long history (over 63 years) as a highly acclaimed drummer, writer and band member with some legendary acts. Like his musical exploits, Johnny Bee's visual art works have a flair for the dramatic and striking, often featuring bold colors, textures, and forms. Johnny Bee's exceptional artistic talents have been showcased in numerous galleries, with his captivating paintings finding homes in private collections and adorning public spaces. While his musical prowess is undeniable, Johnny Bee's artistic endeavors deserve equal recognition, as they reveal another facet of his multifaceted creative genius. 

What drives your Art?

Inspiration comes from many different sources. It could be dreams or seeing something that awakenings your senses, patterns in a carpet. Making art is like trying to sneaking up on magic.  I may start out a painting and halfway through, it can change into something else. A painting will tell you where you are going. And sometimes that this is terrible, What was I thinking. And you have to start on white out a potion of the canvas, and paint over what you did.

What made you pick up a paint brush and or pencil to make Art?

I was always drawing as a kid. Six or seven years old. I took a few art classes in grade school and through Jr. High and High School. I also had two musical classes. Band and Orchestra. I was just starting out to play drums.

 The teacher told my parents that I was gifted and that they should get me private lessons, which they did. I ended up playing in a wedding band at twelve years old. We make good money on the weekends. Our parents had to drive us to the hall and pick us up at one in the morning. I wasn't drawing much, more rehearsing and playing. And then I met Jim McCarty who was also a drummer playing in a wedding band and he was teaching himself how to play guitar. I played the drums, and he'd play guitar, and we made up songs. It was like an early version of the white stripes. Then I brought in Earl Elliott on the bass. We went down to The Village were all the black acts were playing and we met Bill Levise (later Mitch Ryder). He brought in his friend Joe Kubert on guitar. The first rehearsal was in my parents' house. We became pretty big locally. I wasn't doing any art. Producer Bob Crewe heard a tape we sent him, and he brought us to New York City. We were living and playing every night in Manhattan. Until we started having hit records and playing with many groups on the road. After many hits and getting married and having two kids. I may draw a little bit. This would be in the seventies. I was just playing and recording. In the late nineties. I was tired of all the bands and the fighting and closed the door and said, I'm going to become an artist. Not having any idea what really becoming, and artist meant. I was in for a rude awakening. I knew a lot of the artists in The Cass Corridor who were friends. I'm self-taught. I started painting and reading biographies and art magazines and just started painting. It was a rough go for a few years. I was still playing the drums and touring again, Europe and Asia, the U.S.A. I've been painting for almost twenty-five years, I've learned a lot, some days can be inspiring and some days your ready to chop your ear off. 

Did the drums influence your Art?

I paint more Abstracts than I do painting realism pieces. And I have a lot of rhythm in my brush. I'm know more as a scribblier. 

Do emotions drive your Art?

 I also play guitar and have written hundreds of songs. I'm still writing songs today as we speak. Two years ago, I released my own Record "Arc Of The Sweeping Sky" by Johnny Bee And The Murder Hornets on Funky "D" Records produced by Tino Martin Gross. And I have written many of The Rocket's songs on seven different major labels. Being an emotional person has much to do with all art. Songwriting and painting.

How long have you been making Art? 

 Art around 25 years. Drums close to 63 years.

What is the state of mind when you start to make a new Art piece? 

Insanity! It can be really nerve wracking. Women painters are intuitive, they just paint. Were the men had to drink for three months just to figure out what they were going to paint.

There's a much longer history, and a deeper connection to my grandmother, who was more of a folk artist. I believe I get my art from her. She was born in Hrastavica Yugoslavia, as was my mother. Enjoy. Bee

Link to Johnny Bee

Unique blend of blues, funk, and infectious melodies, establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the regional music scene. Comprised of Ryan Yoskovich on drums and vocals, Ryan Stafford on keys and saxophone, Will Richardson on guitar and vocals, and Danny Flynn on bass and vocals, the young and talented quartet has been steadily building a dedicated fan base through their magnetizing performances, chilling harmonies, and an exceptional style of jamming. 

Interview

 Detroit has such a rich musical history. How has the city influenced your music?

 We have been going to shows in Detroit for most of our adult lives. Between the historic venues and great atmosphere that Detroit brings it has always had an impact with our funkier side of playing. Of course you have the great artists like Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, and Ted Nugent, to name a few, that we have to try and live up to but beyond that I think that just having that big city vibe along all the great acts coming through; it really makes us want to strive for a great sound. And most of all it makes us want to be genuine as well as original to keep that Detroit pedigree alive.

Your live performances are known for their high energy and infectious grooves. What's your approach to creating that live experience? 

We go to festivals and have a very wide array of musical tastes between the 4 of us. We always try to mix everyone's comfort zone in their respective instruments and styles to create something fresh and original. The biggest thing is of course listening to each other both live and in rehearsal; whether that be coming up with ideas on where to take certain songs or being fluid enough to hear changes in our songs live and adapting to them to hopefully make something the crowd can really get down with. Luckily for us we have known each other for long enough that it makes it easier to hear what we’re or going for on the fly. 

Can you tell us a bit about the creative process behind it?  Album?

 This album, (Living A Lie), was a really eye-opening and fun project to put together. We never really approached our music as methodical as this album. We usually try and let the creativity process take us on a journey but with this album it was a lot more deliberate and conscious of a theme and a direction that we wanted to go. We wanted to make it semi pop with a little of all our individual influences sprinkled in. Fresh Out The Shower for example has elements of funk bass and shreddy style guitar mixed in with Stevie Wonder-esque clavinet and great pocket drums. It was an exercise in trying to stay disciplined to adhere to what the song calls for and the overall arcing theme of a tighter, more concise album as opposed to our more freeing and spacey styles that we can get playing live. It was our first time writing lyrics and singing as well so that had its own challenges as well as rewards. 

 What are your future plans? Any upcoming tours, festivals, or new music on the horizon? 

 We have some really big plans coming up for 2025! We are hitting the studio within the next couple months to record another album that we could not be more stoked for. We also have a very big NYE show coming up with an amazing band called Dopapod for their last show ever in Columbus OH. All next year will be revolving around pushing our musical and professional limits as far as we can. Between the festivals and a couple surprise theme events that we got planned with some great artists, it is sure to be the band's best, most fun year to date!  

Where can we see you live? How did your band start? Members?

 You can catch us live around the Metro-Detroit area mostly. However, we are branching out of state a lot more so be sure to check us out in Ohio, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, Colorado, and everywhere in-between. We have shows coming up in Grand Rapids on 11/22, Toledo on 11/27, and Ann Arbor on 12/13 so be sure to catch one of those! Our band started almost 9 years ago with just a group a friends getting together at Danny’s house just to get the led out. That quickly evolved into something that we all knew had potential and wanted to try and spread the word around to anyone who would listen. Originally it consisted of 2 guitarist (Will Richardson and Nick Small) Ryan Stafford on keys and Sax and Ryan Yoskovich on drums. Since then, we have had a couple member swaps and replacements, but w  have never lost sight of our vision to shred and what we wanted to accomplish we have never lost sight of our vision to shred and what we wanted to accomplish.

Act Casual Link