“We shoot Fireworks at “Pdo” every
year.” Paul Starr, guitarist for Tampa metal
band St. Valentine’s Massacre exclaims, as if
to say that not shooting fireworks at “Pdo”
would be like not celebrating Christmas.
Before all you bleeding hearts for the kill all
humans before animals collation get your
panties all in a knot, “Pdo” is not a dog or cat
or an animal of any kind for that matter, he’s a
5’10 husky 24-year-old man who for some
reason enjoys dodging fireworks every year.
Maybe it has something to do with growing
up in Spring Hill, FL, a sleepy central Florida
town about an hour outside of Tampa, or
maybe he’s just bored? It’s not my place to
question him.
Before being invited to a July 4th party earlier
this year by Starr, I hadn’t ever been to the
god forsaken swap town known as Spring Hill.
When Tony Rodriguez, vocalist for St.
Valentine’s Massacre gave me the address I
Mapquest-ed it like any other red-blooded
human being would when they didn’t know
where they were going. After I had typed in
the address on my computer keyboard, my
screen said just five words “Where the fuck is
that?” Like any ignorant man, I just went with
it and said fuck it, calling Starr and Rodriguez
because when I stopped at a gas station, they
had no idea where the fuck I was. This evil
bastard had me going down roads that weren’t
year.” Paul Starr, guitarist for Tampa metal
band St. Valentine’s Massacre exclaims, as if
to say that not shooting fireworks at “Pdo”
would be like not celebrating Christmas.
Before all you bleeding hearts for the kill all
humans before animals collation get your
panties all in a knot, “Pdo” is not a dog or cat
or an animal of any kind for that matter, he’s a
5’10 husky 24-year-old man who for some
reason enjoys dodging fireworks every year.
Maybe it has something to do with growing
up in Spring Hill, FL, a sleepy central Florida
town about an hour outside of Tampa, or
maybe he’s just bored? It’s not my place to
question him.
Before being invited to a July 4th party earlier
this year by Starr, I hadn’t ever been to the
god forsaken swap town known as Spring Hill.
When Tony Rodriguez, vocalist for St.
Valentine’s Massacre gave me the address I
Mapquest-ed it like any other red-blooded
human being would when they didn’t know
where they were going. After I had typed in
the address on my computer keyboard, my
screen said just five words “Where the fuck is
that?” Like any ignorant man, I just went with
it and said fuck it, calling Starr and Rodriguez
because when I stopped at a gas station, they
had no idea where the fuck I was. This evil
bastard had me going down roads that weren’t
even named. I had no idea where the fuck I was.
This evil bastard had me going down roads that
weren’t even named. They just had landmarks
like ‘the trailer with the balloons’ or ‘the house
with the rusty chained linked fence’, and oh
yeah, they don’t believe in house numbers
either. Well this swampy dirt road town is the
town that SVM calls home. It isn’t all too
surprising that SVM is one of the youngest and
most talented band to come out of the Tampa
area considering there isn’t much to do in
Spring Hill other than play music or go get a
new hearing aid or possibly a hip replacement.
St. Valentine’s Massacre have quickly gained
the recognition of their peers and critics a like,
“We were psyched when we heard we were
playing with SVM.” Kyle Swooboda guitarist for
fellow Tampa band Shades of Twilight exclaims.
Rodriguez’s howling screams, which are
reminiscent of an early M. Shadows of Avenged
Sevenfold and supported by Starr’s layered
guitar are all balanced out with a strong rhythm
section by Andre Canale (drums) and Alan
Olshefski (bass). It’s hard to deny SVM’s
presence in the Tampa music scene. Their
Myspace account is intimidating, with nearly
40,000 friends and over 200,000 plays. Not to
mention a street team in Europe when they
haven’t even been out of Florid ayet! SVM gets
a reputation for being jaded rock stars by other
local bands, “That’s because we are!” Starr
This evil bastard had me going down roads that
weren’t even named. They just had landmarks
like ‘the trailer with the balloons’ or ‘the house
with the rusty chained linked fence’, and oh
yeah, they don’t believe in house numbers
either. Well this swampy dirt road town is the
town that SVM calls home. It isn’t all too
surprising that SVM is one of the youngest and
most talented band to come out of the Tampa
area considering there isn’t much to do in
Spring Hill other than play music or go get a
new hearing aid or possibly a hip replacement.
St. Valentine’s Massacre have quickly gained
the recognition of their peers and critics a like,
“We were psyched when we heard we were
playing with SVM.” Kyle Swooboda guitarist for
fellow Tampa band Shades of Twilight exclaims.
Rodriguez’s howling screams, which are
reminiscent of an early M. Shadows of Avenged
Sevenfold and supported by Starr’s layered
guitar are all balanced out with a strong rhythm
section by Andre Canale (drums) and Alan
Olshefski (bass). It’s hard to deny SVM’s
presence in the Tampa music scene. Their
Myspace account is intimidating, with nearly
40,000 friends and over 200,000 plays. Not to
mention a street team in Europe when they
haven’t even been out of Florid ayet! SVM gets
a reputation for being jaded rock stars by other
local bands, “That’s because we are!” Starr
jokes. “I think where they get that from is our
Myspace, websites, and what we do onstage.
We try and do everything professional. We
try to make it look really cool. We’re trying to
get out of the local thing. Not to say it’s bad.
We’re just trying to move up. We’re trying to
get signed. It’s what we want to do and I
guess bands see it and don’t like it. I think a
lot of people think we think we’re better than
them. But we don’t think we’re better than
them. We’re really cool with everyone.”
“Well...we don’t have a problem with anyone
face-to-face.” Rodriguez adds.
Although SVM is still currently unsigned that
doesn’t mean they are stuck. They have
already recorded 3 EPs through Eulogy
recordings along with recordings done on
their own and they are always writing. “I
started this the other day.” Starr says as he
pops in a CD. “This is without drums, and
bass though.” Starr says as he leans back in
the driver seat of his Sports Utility Vehicle,
always writing and always thinking of lies
ahead. If you have yet to see this Tampa act
in action, I recommend you do so before the
ticket prices are over the twenty-dollar mark
and the line is around the block. SVM is
currently in talks with an unnamed label and
Nyght Scene will be sure to bring you the
news first.
Myspace, websites, and what we do onstage.
We try and do everything professional. We
try to make it look really cool. We’re trying to
get out of the local thing. Not to say it’s bad.
We’re just trying to move up. We’re trying to
get signed. It’s what we want to do and I
guess bands see it and don’t like it. I think a
lot of people think we think we’re better than
them. But we don’t think we’re better than
them. We’re really cool with everyone.”
“Well...we don’t have a problem with anyone
face-to-face.” Rodriguez adds.
Although SVM is still currently unsigned that
doesn’t mean they are stuck. They have
already recorded 3 EPs through Eulogy
recordings along with recordings done on
their own and they are always writing. “I
started this the other day.” Starr says as he
pops in a CD. “This is without drums, and
bass though.” Starr says as he leans back in
the driver seat of his Sports Utility Vehicle,
always writing and always thinking of lies
ahead. If you have yet to see this Tampa act
in action, I recommend you do so before the
ticket prices are over the twenty-dollar mark
and the line is around the block. SVM is
currently in talks with an unnamed label and
Nyght Scene will be sure to bring you the
news first.
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