When Alan Robert made his appearance on Loudwire Nights on October 30, he took the opportunity to delve deeply into the rich and storied 35-year journey of Life of Agony. During his engaging conversation with host Chuck Armstrong, Robert reflected on his musical beginnings, tracing his roots back even further than the founding of the band in 1989.

Recalling his upbringing, Robert shared, “I didn’t have big brothers or anything and I wasn’t really exposed to heavy metal or hard rock music.” This lack of exposure made his eventual musical journey all the more remarkable.

Robert reminisced about his childhood in Canarsie, Brooklyn, where he lived directly across the street from Evan Seinfeld, the future frontman of Biohazard. This proximity played a pivotal role in shaping his early musical influences.

“When my parents were still working after school — I was like a latchkey kid — they would have Evan across the street watch me,” Robert recounted fondly. At just eight years old, he was cared for by Seinfeld, who was 12 at the time.

During those afternoons, they would bond over Cheech and Chong movies while Seinfeld blasted KISS albums, which introduced Robert to the vibrant world of guitars. “My first concert was actually Biohazard at L’Amour in Brooklyn,” he noted, marking a significant milestone in his musical journey.

Reflecting on Chuck’s initial question about the influences behind Life of Agony’s sound, Robert succinctly answered, “I would have never even gotten into music if Evan wasn’t living across the street. It really goes back to the beginning.” This statement underlines how pivotal those early years and friendships were to his career.

For Robert, that formative friendship with Seinfeld opened doors to a plethora of incredible and influential music that would ultimately feed into the essence of Life of Agony. “We had the best music come through our town,” he expressed with enthusiasm.

He fondly recalled taking the bus to L’Amour, where they witnessed performances from legendary acts like White Zombie, Biohazard, and Carnivore. “These were really influential, monster bands, and we were part of it. We grew up in the best place on Earth,” he said, emphasizing the vibrant music scene of that era.

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He also reminisced about catching Faith No More just before they skyrocketed to fame, noting that he and his bandmates felt like they were truly “in the thick of it” during pivotal concerts and matinees at the legendary CBGB.

Furthermore, he remarked on the impact of witnessing Metallica during their Ride the Lightning days, recalling how they were transitioning from an underground band to mainstream success, which left a lasting impression on him.

“We were exposed to all these bands at the right time, and we were able to take little bits of all of that and put it all together,” he explained, highlighting the collaborative and evolving nature of their musical influences.

Discover the Key Insights from Alan Robert’s Interview on Loudwire Nights

• Insights into his recent project of designing an official Beetlejuice coloring book, along with a thrilling near-fatal story related to Beetlejuice.
• What inspired Life of Agony to create their new track, “The Crow (In Memory of B.L.),” and their aspirations for its place in the legacy of The Crow.
• Exciting updates on what’s next for Life of Agony, including upcoming music releases.

Catch the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Alan Robert joined Loudwire Nights on Wednesday, October 30; the show is available for replay online here. Tune in live every weeknight at 7 PM ET on the Loudwire app, or check if the show is airing on your local radio station to listen to interviews on-demand.