Interviewed by Brian Rademacher
Date: September 2009

(You can WIN an autographed 4 x 5 photo of OUTLOUD signed by Chandler by sending an e-mail to rockeyez@comcast.net) winner will be picked October 31st) In the subject title put Chandler contest. )

Brian Rademacher: First off I would like to thank Chandler for coming over to New Jersey for this in-person interview.

Chandler Mogel: Thank you Brian it was my pleasure.

Brian Rademacher: Let’s start off with your training with Tony Harnell; tell me a little about that?

Chandler Mogel: I started with Tony in November 03’ when I found his website. I was a fan and found out he was offering lessons in midtown, New York. I was living in Pennsylvania at the time and I was sure I could learn a great deal from him because he’s a great singer. I was commuting for about three years before I moved up here, up to New York every weekend for training. He taught me a lot not only in music but also in life, he’s very diverse in just about everything and we became good friends and I consider him like a brother now.

Brian Rademacher: Yeah Tony is a great guy; he actually uses one of my photos that I took of him at the Katrina benefit at Starland Ballroom of him leaning back holding the mic in the air.

Chandler Mogel: Yeah I know which one you mean!

Brian Rademacher: So tell me a little about Marty Mellinger of SPIRAL STARECASE?

Chandler Mogel: He’s another great guy who’s a friend of my family’s. He produced my first on-line demos. My Dad grew up with him and now he’s the musical direct for SPIRAL STARECASE.

Brian Rademacher: And you also worked with AJ Pero of TWISTED SISTER?

Chandler Mogel: Yeah briefly I was in the band CITIES, for which he was the drummer and we did one show at the Hook in Brooklyn; it was a great show, Rod Morgenstein came out and a bunch of other people. They were looking to do a reunion with Ronnie Angell the original singer but he didn’t want to do it. I knew the bass player Sal from another band. So he gave me a call.

Brian Rademacher: I listened to some of the music on your official site. You seem really diverse in the styles you sing from Soul, Funk, Motown, Rock, just about everything. Do you worry at all that some people might be turned off to some of the stuff you sing since a lot of people just know you for the hard rock style?

Chandler Mogel: Not at all! I don’t want to be a plain old rocker (Laughing). I was raised on funk and soul bands like TOWER OF POWER, AWB, EARTH WIND AND FIRE, all these great bands. The music was amazing in these bands and I took so much from it. Once I got into high school I was turned onto hard rock and heavy metal. I always wanted to add more to my music except maybe country and rap.

Brian Rademacher: So when did you find out you had a talent in singing?

Chandler Mogel: I didn’t start singing until I was twenty-two. A friend of mine was in a local band and he asked me to come sing for them. I was playing piano and keyboards way before that. We were just hanging out and he asked me to sing and I thought it was pretty cool. I think the first song I sung was "Breakin’ the Law" by JUDAS PRIEST and I was like wow this is fun. I was always a record collector and a CD collector; I’m a nerd about it. I was always into that and I guess I wanted to take it a bit further and found out how these things were made. I just went forward and didn’t turn back. It’s not one of those stories were I tell you I was singing in the womb. (Laughing). That’s not me maybe every once in a while I sung in the shower but I was mainly just a listener.

Brian Rademacher: The first time you sung were you nervous?

Chandler Mogel: Not really but I think I blew my voice out after one song (Laughing)!

Brian Rademacher: So how were you in school?

Chandler Mogel: School was OK. I went to a private school for ten years. I didn’t always do my homework, I wasn’t the straight A model student. But if I only knew then what I know now (laughs) – I think everyone says that anyway!

Brian Rademacher: You worked with Doogie White?

Chandler Mogel: No not really, I appeared on an album that he sang on. I did some background vocals on Vitalij Kupri’s album "Revenge".

Brian Rademacher: How did you hook up with UNTIL DESTINY?

Chandler Mogel: The drummer’s dad Frank who is a big supporter of hard rock and melodic rock and I started talking on MySpace and he sent my page to the guys in UNTIL DESTINY. Their singer had just left and Robert (the guitar player) called me and we have been doing shows ever since.

Brian Rademacher: I know UNTIL DESTINY had a few different singers, was those times just fill in spots where you had other obligations?

Chandler Mogel: They did. I was in LA for a while so they had to get someone else.

Brian Rademacher: You know when I saw you play with UNTIL DESTINY I got the feeling that you and Rob were long time friends…

Chandler Mogel: That is what pulled me into those guys. They have that vibe where you just fit in. Rob is the type of guy that gives one hundred percent and everyone follows suit. Rob and the guys are all wild and full throttle on stage, it’s always a blast.

Brian Rademacher: Do you think UNTIL DESTINY will release anything?

Chandler Mogel: I hope so. We have done some stuff in the past and there is potential for some great things to happen. Robert’s busy with Doro and I’m busy with OUTLOUD among other things, so it will have to wait for now. The Keyboard player just did an album with Timo Tolkki and Johnny Mac is back with ARK now.

Brian Rademacher: Tell me a little about TALON?

Chandler Mogel: Last year we did a very cool record and got a lot of great press, not to mention opening Firefest in Nottingham, England. It started a while back when I met John Kivel (Kivel records) at a record show and we stayed in touch for a couple years and it came about that TALON needed a singer and John gave me a call. Earlier this year, TALON, and I mutually decided to part ways as they wanted to go in a bit of a different direction, and I was getting quite busy with OUTLOUD, so it worked out for all of us.

Brian Rademacher: Let’s get to OUTLOUD. Is OUTLOUD your main focus and how did you all get together?

Chandler Mogel: I met Bob Katsionis on-line, we connected at a FIREWIND show and we were talking about the project at the time. Tony Kash was taking lessons from Bob, just like I was taking lessons from Tony Harnell. It was nothing big at first but then there came to be a lot more to it and everything and OUTLOUD became a band.

Brian Rademacher: As a vocalist do they give you the music and you put your vocals to it. Is that how it works?

Chandler Mogel: It doesn’t always work like that, but in this case it did. For this they had all the music done when they contacted me. Tony had a lot of the ideas and hooks written but not all the verses so I helped with that and solidified some of the melodies. Three songs I wrote the lyrics from scratch.

When I picked you up today I had the CD in my deck but I didn’t have it on because I didn’t want you to say look he’s listening to my shit. (Laughing)

Chandler Mogel: Don’t worry everyone is listening to it!

Brian Rademacher: When you decide to jump an octave how does that work?

Chandler Mogel: You just feel it. When I hear the song needs to lift I just do it. I don’t think about it, I just know. Sometimes the song has to get more intense or level off, it depends.

Brian Rademacher: So you signed to Frontiers?

Chandler Mogel: Yeah, I sent the album to Frontiers and Serafino loved it. They really have been pushing the record and it has been going really well. Plus the band has been busting our ass with promotion.

Brian Rademacher: Was it a one album deal with Frontiers?

Chandler Mogel: We are talking about doing another record with them and that second record has already been started and will be ready next year. All I can tell you is it will be better than the first (Laughing). Bob and Tony are working hard on the tracks as we speak.

Brian Rademacher: Your drummer Mark seems he does a lot of promotion, He seems to push on his end?

Chandler Mogel: He does, he has his own promotion company and does a lot of the booking.

Brian Rademacher: So let’s talk about each member and you feelings towards each member…

Chandler Mogel: Ok let’s start with Bob Katsionis. This guy is amazing; he was in FIREWIND and other Greek bands like NIGHTFALL and has his own solo stuff. He is an incredible musician, incredible guy, a great writer and a man of many talents. He filmed our video We Run and directed it. He does photos and graphic design. He’s a great asset in any band.

Jason Mercury our bass player, he’s been in local bands in Greece and Europe. He’s mainly a guitar player and a good friend of Tony’s.

Mark Cross is one of the best drummers in the world, we are happy to have him aboard. He’s been with bands like HELLOWEEN, KINGDOM COME, METALIUM, FIREWIND and others. He’s a stellar guy and does a lot for the band on the promotional side.

The last guy is the man Tony Kash. This is his baby. It started out as a project and now it’s a band. Tony was taking lessons from Bob and he and Bob structured the songs in the very beginning. Through all this he actually has become a very good friend.

Brian Rademacher: Who came up with the cover?

Chandler Mogel: It was Tony’s original idea but Bob designed the cover. A lot of people think the album is called We’ll Rock You to Hell and Back Again, it’s not. It’s like the first self titled ALCATRAZZ album the subtitle was No Parole from Rock N' Roll. We did the same type of thing.

Brian Rademacher: How does it work with a long distant relationship with a band?

Chandler Mogel: It’s tough in some aspects but we make it work. We’ve been together for all the main recording, photo and video shoots. When we start out tour next year we are going to be getting together for rehearsals. Thank god for the internet where we can keep in touch all the time and we talk on the phone all the time. We talk every day.

Brian Rademacher: Do you have any other projects you’re working on?

Chandler Mogel: Yeah I’m working a project with Stephen DeAcutis and he’s producing it. He’s worked with Cory Glover, TT QUICK, and Russell Arcara and lives here in NJ. We are working on a release for next year. It’s sick. It’s tentatively called BIG NATURE. I’m really excited about it. More on that soon!

Brian Rademacher: I heard something about a hard drive crash with OUTLOUD. Can you tell me if that’s true and what happened if it is?

Chandler Mogel: I recorded all my vocals over there. They had me back a second time because the computer crashed and wiped out almost everything, and we went back in the studio in 08’ and re-recorded. We were really happy because it came out even better. After that we had it mixed by Tommy Hansen, and that in itself was the icing on the cake!

Brian Rademacher: What do you do in your spare time?

Chandler Mogel: I exercise, I write, I work, I eat, sleep. I’m a Vegan…. Nah give me more of those meatballs. Hey man, thanks for inviting me over today. I had a blast. We’ll talk again.

Everyone, pick up the new OUTLOUD CD and prepare to be rocked to hell and back again!!!!! See you all soon. Thank you Brian.