Interview With Marc "The Kid" Orrell From The Black Pacific Formerly Of Dropkick Murphys

Critical Mass: Thanks for taking the time to talk with Critical Mass, Marc. I understand you've been a busy guy lately. You're in The Black Pacific with former Pennywise singer Jim Lindberg. And have some tour dates coming up on the Warped Tour as well as some festival dates in Europe. How have the shows been going so far?

Marc Orrell: The shows have been going great. Jim, Gavin and Alan are all super talented so it's not hard for us to win the crowd.

Warped tour should be a blast, we've gotta lot of friends on there this year so I imagine I won't be sober much. Larry And His Flask, The Aggrolites, Street Dogs, Sum 41, Veara, and many new friends to make. Can't wait!

CM: How did you get involved in The Black Pacific?

MO: My friend, Joe Sib from Side One Dummy records hooked me up with them. I went and jammed with them one evening and we just seemed to click.

CM: How is this band different musically, from your past bands?

MO: Not much. It's not like I switched to a flamenco band. It's punk rock. Pretty similar. Just different hearts playing.

CM: Does the band have an album out yet? Or are you guy's still in the writing stages?

MO: We do. It's self titled. I joined the band a month or so before it was released so I am not on it. But we are always writing and plan to put out another in the future. We're a new band and everyone is really talented so I'm excited to see where it takes us. Especially since the band has evolved with new members since the previous self titled album.

CM: The bands based out of the South Bay, Los Angeles, but you're originally from Boston. Is LA your new home? Or do you still reside in the Boston area?

MO: I live in Hollywood (HoHo bro). I moved here about two and a half years ago from Worcester, MA. I love it here. So much to do, so many friends, beautiful weather. Los Angeles is my new home.

CM: You're a pretty young guy. And you've been touring for over 10 years now with various bands. How old where you when you first picked up a guitar?

MO: I played drums first actually at the age of 11. It's a great instrument to start with. I call it "The Dum Dum Instument" (no offense to any drummers). You don't have to try and find the shapes where to place you fingers. Just grove and use your heart to find you're rhythm.

A year later, I saw a bass with an amp at a yard sale. I begged and pleaded with my mother to buy it for me and she caved. I'm so lucky I had her. She put up with a lot of my shit. When you have both of those instruments your basement turns into a practice space and people leave their gear around for the next practice. So I picked up my buddies guitar and started jamming away with it. I'd pick anything up with strings and make up annoying songs that would go on for hours. I would do the same thing in music stores too. My mom would drop me off at a music store and leave me there for a few hours. She knew I wasn't going to leave so she felt it was a safe place for me. Then my brother eventually gave me his guitar. What a good older brother, huh? We would fight over it. "He never plays it!!!", I would scream to my mom. "It's mine! Go play the drums!", my brother would shout at me. Eventually he gave it to me and that was my first guitar.

CM: Who are some of your musical influences? Who really made you wanna pick up the guitar and play in a band?

MO: Jeez, too many. I saw Marty McFly in "Back to the Future" as a kid and always wanted to do that. So Chuck Berry was always one of them. AC/DC, The Ramones, Rolling Stones, STP, Green Day, Rancid, Tom Petty, Weezer. Right now I'm loving Ryan Adams and the Cardinals, LCD Soundsystem and Sleigh Bells.

CM: Besides The Black Pacific, are there any other projects you're currently involved in?

MO: I'm always writing so I hope to have something out a bit of the road. Still working the kinks out of starting a new band.

CM: With all the touring you've done in your years, and having seen so many places and smiling faces, do you still enjoy being on the road? Or are there times where you wish you could just sit back and relax without having to tour as much as you have over the years?

MO: I haven't done that much touring lately but I do remember back in the Dropkick days I would get a bit home sick on the road. But you have to ignore that voice in your head and realize how lucky you are.

CM: Is there any websites where fans can get in touch with you, or any of your current projects? A place where we can get up to date news on music releases, tour dates and merch?

MO: Either www.theblackpacific.com or if myspace is still alive you can hear a few tunes I've messed around with and posted awhile ago on www.myspace.com/marcorrell .

CM: I wanna thank you again for talking with Critical Mass, Marc. Such a pleasure on my end to talk with you and find out what you're up to. I hope we get to see you and The Black Pacific in Chicago real soon! All the best to you and the band! Take care.

MO: Right on my man! I hope to see you sometime down the road too. Take it easy man!