Warp 11

Warp 11

Interviews with band

  1. Warp 11

Overall Rating

Music Styles

Band Info

Founded:   1999
Ended: Active
Location:
City: Sacramento
State: ca
Country: us

Members

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Although recovering from a long Tranya binge on Rigel IV, I managed to squeeze some answers out of Captain Karl (bass, vocals) of the rogue Starfleet Corps of Rockers infantry division, Warp 11. The band was hungover, so apparently only Karl had the power of speech. John Merlino (drums) gave up an answer under torture, however.

BIJHAN:
Warp 11 is a nationally recognized name, and your music has been heard all over the world. So when does the whole country get to see the live experience? Or will we forever need to make pilgrimages to Sacramento to see your performances?

CAPTAIN KARL:
We’ve talked about doing an Alpha Quadrant tour for some time now. I guess it just comes down to getting the timing right. We’re all pretty busy in our non-band related lives. Brian raises and sells pedigree tribbles, many of which have repeatedly won Best of Show. Kiki is busy teaching Klingon martial arts self-defense classes to exotic green Orion women. John is an alcoholic. I’m busy working on an actual holodeck which admittedly at this time is an old shed, using a RealDoll I got on e-bay and some Pirates of the Caribbean costumes someone left at my last Halloween party. But hey… you gotta start somewhere.

BIJHAN:
What was it like to have “Everything I Do I Do With William Shatner” played in front of the man as part of a tribute to his career?

CAPTAIN KARL:
It was like having a quantum torpedo fired directly into the pleasure center of my brain. Now all I need to do is have kinky sex with Jeri Ryan and I can die a happy man.

BIJHAN:
Your promotional material usually depicts you wearing the 1960s Starfleet uniforms. Was the Original Series your favorite series?

CAPTAIN KARL:
Most definitely. Though I do feel a certain bald affinity with Captain Picard, I have to go with the original series. Besides Shatner’s bald too; he just hides it under a toupee. The original series was all about kicking ass and taking names and getting laid. They didn’t need a holodeck to make interesting episodes. All they needed was Kirk, Spock, Bones and an alien girl in a bikini.

BIJHAN:
You sometimes dress up in costumes other than Starfleet uniforms, though, such as the Borg or Cheron. What have been your favorite costumes to perform in?

CAPTAIN KARL:
Our costumes are irrelevant. Only Kiki’s costumes matter. See the website photo section if you don’t believe me.

BIJHAN:
What’s the creative process like for Warp 11? Does one member of the band come to the others with a fully-written song, or does it emerge from jamming, or what?

CAPTAIN KARL:
Everybody writes and everyone has their own process when they do it. My writing style consists of loading up my DVD player with about 40 random Trek episodes and opening a bottle of Jim Beam. Then I sit in naked in my living room with a pencil and a pad of paper and press play. I don’t really remember much of what happens after that but the next morning I usually have about 6 or 7 songs written. (Strangely they never appear to be in my handwriting.)

BIJHAN:
Fans have been eager to accept John “Number One” Merlino as a crew member. But it marked the departure of beloved Chief Medical Officer Jeff Hewitt. Jeff still has writing credits on your latest album “I Don’t Want To Go To Heaven As Long As They Have Vulcans In Hell”, though. So what’s the story? Why did Jeff leave and how did you find John?

CAPTAIN KARL:
We wrote some of the songs before Jeff left and we always give credit where credit is due. As for why he left, I can assure you it was on good terms. Jeff dislocated a groin muscle whilst practicing for a Full-Contact Klingon Origami match. I always told him those things would be the end of him but he was obsessed. What can you do? After that he had a lot of issues playing the drums and graciously bowed out of the band. It was a sad day for all of us. Not really sure where we found John. I think he answered an ad or something. Or maybe he’s someone’s cousin. I don’t really remember.

BIJHAN:
(To John Merlino specifically) What was it like to join a band that had already developed a dedicated following?

JOHN “NUMBER ONE” MERLINO:
Warp 11 fans are the best. They buy us drinks whenever we ask and they treat me like the rock star that I always knew I was. What more could I ask for? Other than to stop bringing up that damned Jeff guy – FOR EXAMPLE!

BIJHAN:
Some fans want to see you in the next J.J. Abrams Star Trek film. I must say I would be excited. Have you been approached? Even if you weren’t, what kind of roles would you want to play?

CAPTAIN KARL:
Are you kidding? I’d give Jeff’s other groin muscle to be in the next film. If anyone reading this knows J.J. tell him were interested. As to what we’d play, two words — ”Red Shirts.”

BIJHAN:
In your promotional video for “I Don’t Want To Go To Heaven As Long As They Have Vulcans In Hell” we can see what appear to be Enterprise badges circa 2266 tattooed on Captain Karl Miller’s chest along with his Vulcan companion. Who is the man in the Spock mask? And are those tattoos real?

CAPTAIN KARL:
Yup. The tattoos are real. I always said that when this band made me my first million I would get the Starfleet logo tattooed on my chest and I am not one to break my word. As for the man in the Spock mask… It’s actually Leonard Nimoy! He owed me a favor. Don’t ask for the details.

BIJHAN:
What’s next for Warp 11?

CAPTAIN KARL:
Probably more songs about Star Trek, I imagine.

BIJHAN:
Thank you very much for your time and answers! Live long and rock hard!

CAPTAIN KARL:
Lick long and proper!

 

Concerts

Mark Knopfler

2013-05-08 - Lodz, Atlas Arena 19:30 165-616 PLN

Roger Waters The Wall

2013-08-20, Warszawa, tickets: 242 zł - 1310 zł

Sonisphere Festival

2013-10-12 - Wroclaw 19:30, tickets: 165-1616 PLN

Iron Maiden

2013-08-20, Warszawa, tickets: 242 zł - 1310 zł

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