MUEN: Growing up in a small town in Wisconsin, when was it that you came to the realization that a music career was your calling?

GREG THIEL: When I saw Keith Moon destroy his Drums on TV.

CRAIG HAWKINSON: (Laughter) Indeed. For me, it was the moment of hearing the opening notes, or should I say "coughs", of Black Sabbath's "Masters of Reality" album. I was 14...and my world was changed. I wanted to be as close to music as possible from then on.

MARC GOLDE: I don't remember a time before I knew I was going to be in the music business. As a kid I had big dreams and supportive parents that never let me think I couldn't be what I wanted to be. I also knew that the artists on record jackets didn't come from my little town and I'd have to move to a larger market. I left Nowheresville, WI on my 18th birthday.

MUEN: Craig's voice is quite unique and clean. Has he had any formal training?

CRAIG: I do have some formal training. I've always struggled to get where I want to be vocally. I searched and searched until I found the right methods... it was just raw determination to develop it to where I could communicate the way I wanted to.

MUEN: How did you come up with the name "Vulgar Pang"? Is it your belief that deep down in the human psyche everyone experiences vulgar pangs from time to time?

CRAIG: I am certain everyone does. I coined the term "vulgar pang" for the unavoidable urge to raise your voice and speak your mind in an unfiltered and brutally honest way.... whether it be an articulate diatribe or a simple "Fuck Off!". Manners and tact are important in society, but you need to at least have the ability to stand up for your beliefs and act with conviction. These "pangs" are part of what makes us human... and recognizing them makes us stronger.... I really believe that.

MUEN: You have a new cd out "The memoirs of Don Juan Gacy". What does this cd deliver that your previous cd "Pleasures of Schizophreniz" doesn't? Did you try anything different on the new?

MARC: Stylistically, this cd is more focused in the hard rock/metal genre. It dives a bit deeper into darkness and stays there where PoS doesn't keep you dangling over hellfires for more than a song at a time.

CRAIG: I really went back to my roots writing "Don Juan". It's still quite experimental, but the CD's foundation is very solid... it is more focused as Marc said. I feel this CD does well to define Vulgar Pang.

MUEN: You did a re-make of Peter Gabriel's "Games Without Frontiers". What was it that made you want to cover this song? Has Peter heard your version? What does he think of it?

CRAIG: The re-make came on a whim. We're all big Gabriel fans - he's a true artist and amazing human being. The song turned out to be a perfect transition to the war theme of "Army of Darkness" from the obsession/murder theme of "Heaven Without You". I heard a different and more modern feel to it and a way to make it our own while paying tribute to Mr. Gabriel. I don't know if he's heard the new version or not, but it would be a treat to know his thoughts on it! A big thanks, by the way, to his publishing company Real World for allowing the release of our version.

MUEN: When you do a show, do you believe it is important to bring a strong stage presence to your audience?

MARC: Ask the other guys. That's what I keep preaching. The technical showy stuff is great, but only if it doesn't distract from the artists' stage persona.

CRAIG: It's vital! Without a strong stage persona, you might as well be watching a jukebox.

MUEN: Your video "Heaven Without You" is beautifully shot. Very artsy and provocative. Who came up with the concept of this video? What were your feelings when shooting it? Who produced it? What was it like working with everyone on the set?

MARC: The video, as well as all of Vulgar Pang, is Craig's baby. I don't even want to tell anyone how low-budget the video was. That's Craig in front of the camera as well as behind the camera. He conceived, shot, produced and edited the whole thing. I think the budget was under $500. That includes sandwiches for the cast. It's a great example of what one person can do with a vision and an artistic eye.

CRAIG: The sandwiches were half the budget. That was top-shelf bologna, baby! ... The guys were great. It was intense for me wearing so many hats in the production of it. They hung in there... it was a great experience.

MUEN: How close are you to getting a chance to play "The Taste of Chaos" tour?

CRAIG: Hard to say. I know there's a lot of great local and regional bands campaigning for the slot. I know we've done our part and our friends and fans have been a huge help as always.

MUEN: Who does the writing for the band? Were there any "situations" in life that influence your writing?

CRAIG: I do pretty much all of the writing. Then the band members put their own personality in it, but I'm quite specific in what I want out of the song. I think my entire life, including all my current curiosities and explorations, make up the influence on my writing. The main concept is "know thyself". You come to terms with who you are and who you can be, you learn to question all things, and then... and only then... are you fit to truly make a change in the world.

MUEN: Are the band members involved with other musical projects? Will the line-up of people that played on the cd be the same line-up that goes on tour? With the recent release of your new cd do you plan on kicking off a tour in the near future?

CRAIG: We all have our side projects and fill-in gigs and such. Marc runs Rock Garden Studios... which for my money is the finest recording studio around. Greg is constantly busy, being one of the best and most versatile drummers in the area. Ken's a licensed pilot and aircraft affectionado... that's his other main gig... as well as running a business.

MUEN: We have been hearing the name "Vulgar Pang" a lot recently. What do you attribute to this recognition?

GREG: It's something different.. fresh, new, but yet strangely familiar.

MARC: Vulgar Pang comes from a very human place. The audience is smarter than most artists give them credit for. They can sense a phony and there's nothing phony about Vulgar Pang. It might be a bit over-the-top for some, but you can't deny it's integrity.

MUEN: Who does the artwork for the band? Are there any people that have helped you out in the past that you would like to give props to?

CRAIG: Kris Maz did the fantastic photography for the first CD. Greg Waters did the artwork for "Don Juan Gacy" and the layouts for both. Those guys we're outstanding in taking concepts and bringing them to fruition. There are too many people to list for props... one is Helen Exner, an outstanding pianist and vocalist who laid down the piano work for "Charenton"... Bill Maloney, a local club owner whose been a great friend and supporter... and Gary of Sapere Productions, who has believed in Vulgar Pang from the start and turned on a lot of very cool people to the band. I could go on and on.... we have amazing friends and family.

MUEN: Where can people purchase your music? Do you have other merchandise for sale?

CRAIG: Just the CD's at this time. CDBaby.com is who we go through. They are terrific. The Pang site for the new disc is cdbaby.com/cd/vulgarpang2

MUEN: What is the next step you would like to take the band through? What is your ultimate goal?

CRAIG: We're just starting to gig out to support the new disc. Obviously, we would love to tour as much as possible... continue to record.. .continue to reach new audiences. We're blessed with terrific supporters now... we'd just love to see the numbers grow.

MUEN: yeah we'd like to see that too! Thanks for doing this interview, and we wish you all the best for the future!

Interview by Jeanne Thomas