Every now and then a band with a unique perspective and a fresh take on a scene comes out of our city. Right now, that band is the up-and-coming The Tomb of Nick Cage. After rocking out with the popular ska band Local Skank, lead singer and visionary Melissa Crory wanted to create something edgy, stylish, and fun to watch. With the help of an incredibly solid band who can hold their own easily, they seem poised to become a local favorite. Take my word for it: you want to see this band on stage. If you’re into immediate spooky punk with a 1980s horror film backdrop, these guys (and gal) are for you. I believe they’re going to be energizing crowds for a long time. New Orleans, you’ve been warned! The Tomb of Nick Cage is real, and it’s awesome.
WYAT: What’s your approach or state of mind when you start to write a song? What fuels the flame?
Crory: We love horror movies, conspiracy theories and dark, edgy rock and roll that you can dance to. Sometimes I’ll write a dark keyboard part, loop it, take a movie I like and sit in my room until the inspiration comes. I wrote “Nightbreed” when I woke up from a dream with the melody and refrain in my head.
WYAT: If you could describe your music in 10 words or less, what would you say?
Crory: Old World Horror for the New World Order.
WYAT: So, you’ve named your band after a real monument here in the city. What does the Tomb of Nick Cage actually look like?
Crory: It kind of looks like a white miniature of the Luxor Hotel in Vegas. It’s totally out of place in St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, which is what makes it so amazing. Everything from the spooky inscription of “Omni Ab Uno,” to the sheer size of it, to its location close to the same latitude line as the pyramids near Cairo, Egypt, are on is shrouded in mystery and speculation. I love it.
WYAT: What concepts were most important when thinking of the style and face of the band?
Crory: I wanted to recreate a 1980s type feel. I love post-punk as well as the styles of punk rockers in the 1970s. Vivienne Westwood still inspires me, as does the Visual Kei movement in Japan.
WYAT: If you could play with any living band, who would it be and why?
Crory: Personally, Alice Cooper. I love bands with a stage vision that just like to have fun. I’d like to start playing with other horror punk bands from all over the world. I get a kick out of seeing what their interpretation of the genre is. One common thread they all seem to have is that they are supportive and happy. That seems against type, but how can you be angry when you are having this much fun?
WYAT: I watched your video for “Nightbreed” and a few of the things that stand out to me are the black and green costumes, the static background and the various scenes filmed in the rubble of a home. What went into the making of the music video?
Crory: We wanted to recreate the decayed look of a 1980s film and a post-punk aesthetic without losing our own individual style. Lewis D’Aubin filmed, directed and edited it with a like-minded vision. He “got it” immediately. I wanted to suggest outcast status and solidarity to go with the theme of the song, and keep a smirk on my face at the same time. I don’t think I can ever play anything straight. This project is about fun, engaging our audience and putting on a great show.
WYAT: Where would you like to see The Tomb of Nick Cage in the next two years?
Crory: Japan, Germany, Russia, the Caribbean—anywhere with a beach, a mountain, castles or exotic food. Traveling is my favorite thing to do in the whole world, so I’m going to answer that question literally.
