The END A.D. Interview, five months in the making.
Interview conduct in 2019
by Dan Locke
The End A.D. Has members from some of the filthiest Philly bands to ever plague the city of brotherly love since the mid 80’s.
The END A.D. was formed in 2014 and has members from some of the filthiest bands to ever plague the city of brotherly love. Ami Friend who is one of the most exciting singers to see live joined The End A.D. on vocals back in May of 2017. The band has already pounded out two releases since Ami joined the band: Their 12inch color vinyl EP “The Smell of Despair” via Kill Time Records and their split cassette release “Sermon of Violence” with the all female Thrash band Tormentress from Singapore via Hellforced Records.
Band Members
Ami Friend Vocals
Lorin Savadove Drums
Paul Juestrich Guitars
Steve Rogers Bass
Dan Locke: What is the musical background of each member?
Lorin Savadove: I was born in 1964 and growing up my mom loved bands like Iron Butterfly and Led Zeppelin while my dad loved opera and classical music which is pretty brutal too. I loved surf music but when I was 11 yrs old in the summer of 75 I discovered Kiss then Kiss Alive came out and it changed my life. I remember that summer too cause my parents just bought a new refrigerator, washer, and dryer and they let me keep the huge boxes that all the new appliances came in which I painted black and screwed in old beat up speakers into these cardboard boxes and ran them off the speakers that were plugged into my stereo. So now armed with a 3ft Length Of hot wheel track I was good to go for my air guitar onslaught while listening to Kiss Alive.
Paul Juestrich: Middle school I learned Saxophone, high school played Saxophone & Trombone in concert and marching band, learned to play guitar in Art School.
Steve Roger: I started playing guitar at age 15. At 18 I wrote my first few songs and recorded a demo, as the singer-songwriter and guitarist of my first band. That band lasted for a little more than 12 years, while I also played rhythm guitar and backing vocals for a second band that I’m still currently with.
Ami Friend: I got my start in musical theater s the lead in “Oliver”, at age 11. That same year I discovered Motorhead and The Damned. I started fronting bands in the late ’80s and throughout the ’90s. I appreciate just about any genre of music, but I consider myself a punk/metalhead.
Ami- What is Doing the next right thing?
Ami: Doing the Next Right Thing the credo by which I do my best to live. It’s tied both to my sobriety and my desire to live a moral life. I don’t drink or do drugs because to me, it is not right for me. I don’t eat meat/dairy or use animal products because to me, it’s not right for me. I don’t lie, cheat, steal, or make promises that I can’t keep. And as my friend Mike McC is fond of pointing out, very often the next right thing is to do the dishes. So before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water. After enlightenment, carry wood, carry water.
Ami- You worked at the National Massage Therapy Institute. How long was your training?
Ami: I have roughly 2000 hours of training and I’m a nationally certified Bodyworker and Massage Therapist. I no longer practice professionally, but my job at the Massage Arts Center of Philadelphia was one of the best jobs I’ve ever had.
Ami- You are from Philly. What club did you go to, to check out live music?
Ami: I am from Philly, but I’ve since moved to Delaware, so I go to Bar XIII, The Oddity Bar, and 1984. In Philly, I can be found at Connie’s Ric Rac, The Tusk, The Fire, and Century Bar.
Lorin- What brand of drums do you play?
Lorin: I play Mapex Armory series.
Paul- How many guitars do you have?
Paul: 8, really not that many at all: 4 Electric guitars, 1980 Gibson Flying V, 84 Gibson Les Paul Custom, New Gary Holt 600 Signature Series ESP and my first guitar I bought in 1982 at Sam Goody, an Ibanez Artist. I thought it was the closest style to my favorite guitarist Brian MayÕs double cutaway. Plus 4 acoustics.
Lorin: Paul and I have known each other since the mid ’80s and I have been bugging him since then to start something with me. Paul finally gave in to me in 1998 but I was kind of a mess still back then. Finally, in 2014 I just left a band called Power Theory and had 11yrs of sobriety under my belt too. Power Theory made me a better drummer and when I asked Paul this time around things really worked well and it was a blessing to be in a band with a great friend. The original line up had a couple of members from the Philly bands Anvil Bitch, Dominance and the She-Males we recorded an EP and a Full-Length Scorched Earth for Massacre Records. By 2017 our singer had some personal issues he needed to work on and the original bassist and the other guitarist could not commit to playing out more so they stepped down. Having Dave and John from Anvil Bitch in the original lineup was awesome though as they were old friends from the old Philly scene it was just hard for them to be in two bands at that time and take care of your family. So from April of 2017, Paul and I were trying out singers until Ami came in and blew us away. We knew right after she sang the first song she was in. Most of my prior bands had female singers and after our first sing had to go I wanted to try out some female singers and see where this might take us.
Steve- Do people mix you up with the another STEVE RODGERS (· Musician, Artist at Self Employed Musician, · Former Owner / Founder / Director at Space Ballroom, · Former Founder /director / owner / captain at The Space – Hamden CT, Studied Life skills and survival tactics at Mighty Purple school of music – the USA
Steve: I’m actually aware of another artist with my name, but no I’ve never been confused for him. I think the most common thing I hear about my name in recent years are the Captain America references. It’s a really common name.
How did the band start. And how did Ami ended up in the band?
Lorin: I believe our first singer came up with the name. Originally we were The End but of course, after we had our shirts made and all that shit a bunch of famous musicians got together and called their project The End. We were like wtf so we just added the A.D. to the end of our name and sent our shirts back to get redone.
Ami: I let the universe know that I wanted to be in The End A.D. after seeing them play at The Fire. Then I went to all their shows and learned all their songs. And the universe rewarded me.
How did the band get to avoid with all-female Thrash band Tormentress from Singapore via Hellforced Records?
Lorin: about eight years ago I discovered Tormentress on Facebook and then one of my favorite Underground labels Infernö Records signed them. I started to talk to Mas from Tormentress back in 2016 just about music and what was it like to live in Singapore and things like that. I also spoke now and then with Asnita, Gwen and Neezie Of Tormentress. At the beginning of 2018, I asked if they would be interested in doing a split and I was so happy when they said yes. It was perfect timing as we needed to get some music out with Ami singing on it. After Tormentress said yes I approached Kerry Kaufmann Of Hellforced Records from Malaysia if he would be interested in doing a Cassette release for us and he said yes. Kerry and Hellforced Records did an amazing job of releasing our Cassette.
What are some of the bands from the old Philly hardcore/metal scene?
Paul: I started playing out in west Philly basements, warehouses, churches and bars 2-3 years after learning a couple of bar chords from Sex Pistols and Ramones album in 1985. My first band Deadspot played in PhillyÕs second wave of punk/hardcore/thrash shows. Bands I remember DeControl, Ruin, Legitimate Reason, Homo Picnic, Scab Cadillac, She-Male Encounters, Anvil Bitch, Pagan Babies, FOD, Throttle, YDI, McRadÉ so many really great influential bands for me at that time.
Lorin: Deadspot, Pagan Babies, Shotgun Wedding, Scab Cadillac, She-Males, Dominance, Faith or Fear, YDI, Stepping Razor, Savage Silence.
Why did you release a cassette of your new cd? Would you been better to do it as vinyl?
Lorin: I love Cassettes! It’s nostalgic and for some odd reason they are making a comeback plus it’s the only investment so far I didn’t lose money on.
Your band is from Philly and you perform a lot in Philly. What is the best club in Philly to play in?
Lorin: I like The Fire and Century Bar however there are many great clubs in Philly we are still hoping to play.
Ami: I love playing at Connie’s Ric Rac because it’s like a Philly family reunion. I’ll see people out there that I’ve been seeing for 30 years!
Steve: There are a lot of great places that have closed throughout the years, but I’d have to say Connie’s Ric Rac is the best right now. That place often has a vibe that literally spills out onto the sidewalk during some really great shows.
What is the best club for food. And what is your favorite food to eat there?
Ami: I can’t eat food if I’m singing, so I have no idea! Plus I’m a gluten-free vegan and you don’t often see that on the menu anywhere.
Steve: Again I’d have to say Connie’s Ric Rac. While the club itself doesn’t serve food, it’s right next to a Greek restaurant, a few taco shops, pizza shops, and it’s a short walk away from Philly’s 2 most famous cheesesteak shops. Have your pick.
Have you played any clubs In Philly which has things like showers for touring bands?
Ami: I once saw a tech provide towels on stage for a touring band. I felt envious, so at our next gig, a fan-made sure to bring me a towel!
Steve: No I have not, or that I wasn’t aware of a club had such features.
Since your town is closed to Philly, I am going to ask you about some bands from Philly. I would like you to say something about each band.
The Roots: Paul: Wow most talented and successful group ever from Philly hands down.
Steve: I’m happy that they’ve been so successful.
Ami: I saw them in Vermont once
Lorin: In 1995 I lived with Paul in a big house on 44th and Locust stand some of the guys from the Roots lived across the st from us. I just met my now wife back in 95 however she went back home to Tokyo for six months before she was gonna come back to start school at Temple University. During this time a rang up a $900 phone bill on one of my roommate’s phones. My Grandma gave me her Audi 5000 in 94 and I ended up selling it to one of the guys from the Roots across the street so I could pay my phone bill. Lol
Joan Jett: Paul: Cherry Bomb! Cleveland might have Chrissie Hynde BUT PHILLY will always have Joan Jett! Rock Legend
Ani: Jett rules! 17
Steve: I saw Joan live in Atlantic City, NJ about 10 years ago. Great performer!
Patti LaBella: Paul: School dances to Lady Marmalade, always love that song, Getcha getcha ya ya da.
Steve: Iconic. Huge voice.
Hall and Oates: Paul: By the way, Todd Rundgren should be on your list!!!
Steve: I feel like they’re every 80’s kid’s guilty pleasure band. They have some great songs.
Cinderella: Paul: First Metal/Rock band from Philly I saw on MTV.
Steve: Apparently I played little league baseball on the street the bass player lived on. I lived in that same neighborhood as a kid.
Jim Croce: Paul: PLEASE NO MORE ROCK STAR DEATHS IN SMALL PLANES
Steve: I only know a few of his songs, but they’re pretty good songs..
Chubby Checker: Paul: AMI we need a combination song and national dance craze, IÕm thinking both with the same name. What do you wanna call it? You with me?
Steve: I got to meet him when I was a child. I was pretty young though and don’t remember it well.
Stanley Clarke: Paul: Thank you for mentioning Stanley Clarke, gonna finish the interview listening to Stanley Clarke live at Variety Playhouse Atlanta. SICK.
Steve: It’s cool when a bass player is such a big focus of a group, but I’m sadly behind the curve on much of his music.
Josh Smith (bass player): Paul: YES Halestorm!!
Steve: I haven’t listened to much Halestorm, but again it’s always nice to hear when a Philly artist is out there kicking ass.
What are your feelings about Donald Trump signing the Music Modernization Act? (The new law—the first substantial copyright legislation to pass in decades—accomplishes three main changes: The use of music by streaming services will now (more about that in a minute) be paid for in a regularized royalty arrangement;
Audio producers and engineers who participated in musical recordings will start to be paid when their recordings are played on online and satellite radio services;
Digital services will have to pay for their use of songs recorded and released before 1972 (these recordings were not previously protected by copyright law).
There are also smaller sub-sections of the law which are of less general interest.
Much of the discussion has been around the pre-1972 artists and their recordings, e.g. Smokey Robinson provided testimony in support of the bill last year, and President Trump handed the pen he signed the bill with to Sam Moore (of Sam & Dave). This seems fair. But, for copyright mavens, another interesting aspect will be the section of the law that calls for setting up a new “Mechanical Licensing Collective” for the newly-authorized monies that will start flowing from digital uses. Setting up and operating a collection of this sort may be trickery than it seems.
Ami: No opinion.
Lorin: If only Donald did more things like this. Yes, this is positive but personally, he will always be a piece of shit in my eyes.
What is the next step in your development?
Lorin: After our album comes out November 29th we will be trying to put together a small tour of Europe in the spring of 2020. Plus right now we are trying to book some good shows to promote our release in the winter months.
Ami: Hopefully a massive arena show in Japan
How do you see yourself in 5 years?
Lorin: I see myself still plugging away as I love this band and the music we make. I am truly grateful to our fan base and I hope with this next release it will grow.
Ami: Absolutely shredded from pushups
Anything you would like to close with for your fans?
Ami: I love you all! Keep your PMA, be here now, and support your local bands! We’ll have a new site up soon and I’d love to chat with you all. Bonus points to any vegans out there who send me recipes or food pictures.
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