interview with the band Mindbender

Mindbender is a band mainly led by David Mendez, founded in the early 1990s. We will discuss all this in the interview. Most recently, he released a new album, which is available in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. And that is very early because it is intended for a tour that will take place in November 2025. Follow our pages and you will find out everything in time.
David - I'd like to say that while I may manage the band, James Henry Miller, (Guitar and main vocals) is a heavy contributing member of the band. He is very talented and inspiring to work with and is the main melody and vocal writer for our music. I just run the business side of the band with everyone's agreement.
Alan – Hi David. After a long time, we are connecting again, but now for an interview. Are you ready?
David - Yes! Hi Alan! Thanks for having Mindbender and myself on your show! Hello everyone! I hope everyone is well!

Alan – When was Mindbender formed? And who was at its birth?
David - Mindbender was formed in my garage in Fresno California in 198:
The band was founded by Mike Roberts, Marino Mongelli and myself. We recruited a former band  mate, Dave Moore to sing and play 2nd guitar. A year after, Andrew Castilanos joined when Mike Roberts had to abandon the his position because he was moving to San Francisco. This is the MINDBENDER that came till the Czech Republic in the 90s. At that time we had a Mr. Bungle or Faith No More influence.

Alan – How are things with the albums? You have released two cassettes and one mini CD, which was in the early 1990s. Then nothing for a long time? And now the album Nemesis?
David - Yes! It's true! We took a very long time to bring this music and record to our friends and fans. The music was written and performed live in late 1990s. We were in the studio making this record when we felt that the music was not ready to be received by the public. The feed back we were receiving, was that its lyrics and music was too hard and heavy for most people.
We decided to disband Mindbender and move on to play with other people and other bands. That is is how it has been for the last 30 years. But we, James Henry Miller, Marino Mongelli and I have kept in touch as we are still great friends.
The coming about of this new record NEMESIS is all due to my wife Nancy Mendez. She is why we are back together again and touring! To make a long story short, she was cleaning our garage and found a rough mix tape of the unfinished untitled record we were making when we disbanded. She played it for me and suggested we release it on YouTube. I contacted James and Marino to ask about releasing the music for fun. They listened to it and said it was not good enough for the public. Nancy demanded we return to the studio to make the album for her. She said she would pay for it. I asked the band, and they agreed to relearn the music and to make the record.

Alan – Nemesis was released on LP and CD. Complete set by Petr Růžička? Or how are you with this release?
David - We are very happy with the new record! We have had quite a few really good reviews of the record and people are buying it. Petr at ANK Records has been very instrumental in getting our music distributed in the Czech  Republic and Slovakia. 

Alan – If possible. What bands does Mindbender's work rely on?
David - Our influences are Public Enemy, KDMF, NWA, RATM, Slayer, Slipknot, Bad Brains and the Beastie Boys.

Alan – You can't say that you play punk. You have much more there. Alternative rock. I also read in a German zine that you also have funky metal in your work.
David - Marino Mongelli is bass playing monster that cannot be stopped! His bass playing on the record is phenomenal! Our recipe is to start with my ass shaking, slammin dance beats, add Marino's funky bass riffs and mix it all up with James Henry Miller's infectious guitar hooks and real life lyrics that cut to the soul. That is the sound.
People say if Rage Against The Machine and the Beastie Boys had a kid, it would be Mindbender.

Alan – Can you briefly describe the songs on the album, both musically and lyrically?
Guns And Alcohol
Guns and alcohol is one of the 1st songs written for Mindbender by James Henry Miller. It's a driving, fast song that opens our show and record to let you know what to expect from us on this album. A crazy wild ride that takes you to the edge of tearing every up and burning everything down around you. If you want to tear up or fuck something up, this is music to listen to while doing it!
Guns and alcohol is about crazy hick farmer people in the USA that like to get drunk and shoot guns for fun from thier 4 wheel drive vehicles. It's a fast heavy driving song that has double bass kicks in the course and in the middle of the song there is a bridge section that really kicks this song into 4th gear all the way to the end.
Comedian
The Comedian has a Led Zeppelin Beastie Boys feel as it start out with a drum fill and go's right into a lyrically remembrance "some times I feel I'm brain damaged, the decision I make in my life, I can't help it. I feel insane, crazy, stupid Wanna kill the mother fucker named Qupid.
XXX
XXX starts out with James Henry Miller's quick timed guitar riffs and then Marino's bass and my drums join it for a very fast paced, hard song about record label coming around, saying big thing and fucking everyone over they meet. The song has a breakdown in the middle that changes the course of the river of this song to very winding section of super heavy guitar and bass hooks. The slow heavy part of this song ends abruptly with a lots of feed back, drums and cymbals crashing to the end.
Nemesis
This song is that last song written by Mindbender in the 90s. It reflects the course we were heading in when we disbanded. It's mix of heavy bass as the main driver of the song with dark, guitar accents that sound like machine noises. Vocals that talk about a kid that is very shy everywhere but his bed room. When he is playing video games in his bedroom he becomes some thing else, the most ruthless player anyone ever encountered. The "NEMESIS" And he like to brag about it by singing this song.
Fuckin Sic
This song starts with a fast opening  that has cymbals crashing for accents  and punctuation, then slows to half speed right as the lyrics start with a slow heavy metal groove. The guitar hooks on this song are relentless. The song speaks to people that hate politics, politicians and bullshit lies from government people. "Burn it down, oh yeah how's that sound? Show them what you think of their system, resist resist resist them."
Delusions
My favorite song!
I love to play this song. Its full of emotion and feelings. It has a bass solo in the very beginning that bring the band in at the right time for a songs that makes you feel out of your body with the lyrics saying how much you don't care about anything or anyone any more. It's song about hopelessness and the desire to end it all in a ball fire and a hill of gun fire.
Your My 98
My 98 is cover song originally written by Public Enemy. We, James Henry Miller and I love this band and song. We thought it was a perfect song to perform live as it is unresistable to women to dance to. There's nothing like a beautiful woman shaking her ass off dancing and having a great time! This one us about driving around town in your favorite car and how much you love it! It's old, it's cool, it's yours! It's about your personal freedom and how you feel it with this car.
Big Bad Wolf
This song is a great ending to the record. It wraps up the album nicely. It's theme is a tribute to all the heavy metal bands that came before us. The likes of Black Sabath, Deep Purple, Alice in Chains.... A song about falling down and failing in life, and about how pissed off your are about your own decisions and regrets.

Alan – Are you preparing for an autumn tour? Where will you be? Countries – The Czech Republic is clear, which one next? Slovakia, Italy, Germany?
David - We are now preparing for our November tour of The Czech Republic, Slovakia and hopefully Poland. We have a few new songs to perform along with all the new material on the NEMESIS record. We are very much looking forward to being with our Czech friends and fans again for a great time and party!

Alan – When will you play in the Czech Republic? Petr Růžička is preparing the tour for you in collaboration. Write us a little more about it so that people can all come to one of the concerts.
David - We will tour in early November 2025.
We will be in the Czech Republic for 3 weeks. We will have the information available for all tour dates  and places soon on our website www.Mindbendermusic.com. You will be able to pre-purchase your tickets for some shows from us directly on our website.

Alan – After the tour concert, we will have another interview about this, there will be 100% something to talk about.
David - I saw the love for live music form the people. It has not changed. There is a very big appreciation for musicians there. Bigger than than the USA.
Lots of things have changed. I love that the diesel cars are now a lot cleaner. The country seems like it's cleaner than it was in the 90s. The food is super fresh and healthy. I ate very well and still lost unhealthy weight while I was there.  My old Czech friends tell me that it is now very hard to make a decent living at thier jobs. Most have two to 3 jobs. This is very surprising.

Alan – Speaking of the Czech Republic and Slovakia, do you know any bands from these two countries? Do you have any favorite bands from these two countries?
David - My favorite Czech bands are SPS, The Faliky, V.U.E. Tragedies and Honza is very talented Honza. The Czech Republic has the best punk rock bands ever! And Daniel Lepsis band. CTR he and his son are very talented! They have song I can't get out of my head. The played with us at the KNAK last November.  

Alan – Thanks for the interview, I hope you will participate in the concerts (tour) in November if your health permits, I will see you at some event.
David - Thanks for the Interview Alan! We look forward to seeing you in November! 

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