Baring bow in hand and wielding a stand-up bass attached to an array of effects, Chris Wyse, known mostly for his current position as bassist for The Cult, spreads a thick, metallic, psychedelic haze over the heads of the sparse crowd gathered at NYC’s small club, Arlene’s Grocery. Adding a dirty layer of guitar distortion is Jason Achilles Mezilis, while drummer Dan Dinsmore lays down everything from simple back beats to intriguing, jazzy, polyrhythms. The trio, simply called Owl, was a delightful swell of beautiful noise, not lost on the attendees, yet it was a show that somehow got lost and overlooked in the glut of what the Lower East Side NY music scene has now become.

Chris and the guys had to pack up the van and drive directly on to their next gig that night, but he was kind enough to arrange to take the time to answer my questions via email. So, read on to learn about all things Owl.

CHRISTINE NATANAEL: What were you like as a child?

CHRIS WYSE: I was quiet until I got to know you.

CN: What is your earliest memory of music?

CW: Neil Diamond at the Wyse home.

CN: At what age did you first start learning an instrument? What was it?

CW: Fourteen. Bass.

CN: Are you a self-taught, play-by-ear musician or can you read music?

CW: Self-taught originally, then I went to college for upright bass.

CN: Tell me about your first band. Did you know Dan Dinsmore at that point? If not, when did you meet and start playing together?

CW: My first band was pretty great for a bunch of kids, but when I met Dan we knew we could top that. So Dan and I started my second band ever.

CN: At what point did you decide to make the move to Los Angeles?

CW: I ran my course in NY and needed a new start. I had a couple people who I planned on working with and it fell apart, but I decided to stay, recognizing all the opportunity in L.A.

CN: What was your first gig when you got to L.A.?

CW: Lusk, which was Paul D'Mours band from Tool. He played guitar and Iplayed upright bass with a bow... That was a real stand out to play upright bass.

CN: How did you get involved with the Camp Freddy collective of musicians?

CW: Billy Duffy brought it up when they needed a bassist, and I’ve gotten to do several since… It’s totally fun when I get the chance.

CN: Tell me about your time as the bassist for Ozzy. How did you get that gig and what is your fondest memory from that time?

CW: I met Mike Bordin (Ozzy's Drummer/ Faith No More) playing with him in Jerry Cantrell’s band. He hit me up right away when they decided to do a new record. That was always a dream of mine, and I loved every minute of it. Ozzy is into loud riffy bass and I guess just being in the room with him talking about riffs and having dinner, etc., at the studio would rank as my fondest memory. It was really cool to have my buddy Jerry Cantrell there, too.

CN: Tell me how you got your current “day” job playing with The Cult. Were you a fan of the band before you met them?

CW: Bob Rock introduced me when they needed a bassist for Beyond Good and Evil and I ended up doing the record and toured a bit with them. When we got back in ‘06 Ian and Billy called up and said, “We’re getting back together and we want you to do it.'' I was excited and said, "I’m in!" It was odd timing because Jerry told me Alice in Chains was getting back together and that meant Jerry’s solo stuff would be on hold. And of course, I loved The Cult before I met them.

CN: How long were you writing and compiling the ideas and songs that are now part of the repertoire for your band Owl? Were they things you had for a while or are they all new?

CW: In a certain sense, my whole life. This is my first album that I produced and wrote, etc... I felt that I was ready after learning so much from playing and working with the best.

CN: When did you reconnect with your childhood friend, drummer Dan Dinsmore? And how long after that did he decide to be part of Owl?

CW: I had some problems with my line-up a couple years ago and Dan was hitting some road bumps with the Clay People, so the timing was perfect. Dan is one of the best drummers in the world and I’m excited to have him back.

CN: How did you meet guitarist Jason Achilles Mezilis? What was it about his style that was the element Owl needed?

CW: Jason and I met at a Hollywood club he used to do sound for, and we’ve been friends ever since. He came out to Owl shows and he and I would run together, so he was well-versed on the band and style. Jason has a unique style that compliments the drum and bass very well.

CN: Tell me about some of your bass basics. Also, how did you come to begin using the bowing methods on the bass? This is very common in classical music, but strange for rock.

CW: Well I always try and push the edge a bit, and playing upright bass with FX and leads just inspired me. I definitely feel like an under dog sometimes, but it’s lots of fun.

CN: Who and what are your musical influences?

CW: Initially Steve Harris from Iron Maiden, then I got into every hard rock guy there was. After two years I picked up the upright.

CN: What artistic disciplines, other than music, inspire you?

CW: Well, its not really art, but I’d say yoga.

CN: Which of your musical influences would you most like to meet, (or have met, if they are deceased), and why?

CW: I’d still like to meet Steve Harris, Geezer Butler and wish I could meet Jim Morrison. I live in a house Jim spent a lot of time in here in Laurel Canyon. It was his guru’s house. Ian was the singer for The Doors for a while, and I like to hear the stories and points of view.

CN: What gear do you use in the studio? And what gear do you take on tour to try to replicate that studio sound?

CW: I’m a Fender P Bass/Ampeg kind of guy. My upright electric is a ''Messenger". I use the same stuff all the time.

CN: Tell me about the first time you, Dan, and Jason all sat down to jam, to write, or to record the music of Owl. Place, situation, mood, instruments, etc., and what came out of it.

CW: Well, we did pre-production for the record, so by the time we were at Matt Sorum’s studio, (Drac), we were just kicking ass and loving it. I trusted Matt’s team we hired and it was the most fun I ever had in the studio.

CN: What would you say influenced the songwriting most on your debut CD?

CW: All those early bands that taught me you can break boundaries with music, like Zep, Sabbath, Floyd, Hendrix, and The Doors.

CN: What is the most unexpected thing that happened in the studio during the recording?

CW: Andy Dick came running through a couple of times and I have no idea what he was doing... he just wanted to see what was happening, I guess.

CN: Which, do you feel, is the boldest song on the Owl disc in terms of creative and recording process, and why?

CW: "Violent Center" is pretty different. It’s got melody and freaky lyrics and also it gets very heavy. It’s a song that needs pyro/bombs live.

CN: Tell me about the video for the track “Pusher”. Who came up with the concept and the idea to make it half live performance and half animation?

CW: "Pusher" is about a girl that’s killing us band members one by one, and we are not dead because of a supernatural twist. Animation mixed in was the best way to show the story because we wanted a comic book-like vibe.

CN: If you had the chance to sit down and interview anyone, living or dead, who would you choose, and why?

CW: Michael Jordon, because he was the best and inspired my music.

CN: What is your greatest fear?

CW: Being perceived as out of touch.

CN: Who inspires you most right now?

CW: My Mom and Dad. They have a “no excuses” attitude but are super supportive all at once.

CN: What are you most grateful for at this point?

CW: When people are moved by the Owl music.