Spitting Bloody Bars in Tennessee

The thwacking of a sledgehammer on a grungy toilet seat in a Tennessee bar fuels the audience as band members of Freemans Dead gyrate around in their eccentric oblong paper mache masks.

“There was blood all over the floor,” said Kassel. “The bartender had to mop blood off of the counter.”

At The Cobra bar, many punk rock lovers thrashed as lead singers unintentionally cut their wrists on stage from destroying porcelain thrones and moshing too hard.  

Lorenzo playing his new guitar.

Photo taken by Dawn Raven.

Packed in a van with worn heavy metal instruments along with other band members of Freemans Dead, Lorenzo Kassel toured all across the United States throughout 2018.

22-year-old Kassel is “Baby Carlos” of the rock ‘n’ roll punk band, Freemans Dead.

“On the road is the way to be,” said Kassel. “You go down that road and you see that vanity point. You’re just going.”

A memorable chunk of Kassel’s tour was his unexpected performance with Freeman’s Dead at a rustic bar called The Cobra in Nashville, TN. The Freemans Dead band members, Donny, Zane, Isaac, Jordan and him hooked a gig that they would never forget.

A post shared by Freemans Dead (@freemansdead) on Nov 15, 2018 at 4:25pm PST

“I had to put on the [paper mache] head on and dance like a maniac,” said Kassel. “I put it on and I’m this different person.”

Lorenzo shaking his head in the clouds.

Photo taken by Dawn Raven.

During Freeman’s Dead anomalous show, Kassel shook yellow “CAUTION” tape from his waist and left trails around the cozy venue to add to his performance.

“That was my favorite show,” said Kassel. “I am a rag doll... I can do flips, and sometimes we fake death [during shows].

Later that night, Kassel’s band was asked to play another gig next door and ended up moshing with his bandmates in the nude.

Travelling across state lines, Kassel networks with the people he meets during the tour to help gain connections to promote his band for their next performance.

“Knowing people helps me book shows and sometimes people just put you on,” said Kassel. “Be impressionable.”

Kassel is the ra-ra-rioting stuntman of the group.

“They’ll see me and want to come into the bar.” said Kassel.

"Baby Carlos" - Lorenzo Kassel.

Photo taken by Dawn Raven.

The outlandish paper mache masks with bandages and tape were introduced to Freeman’s Dead when they were on a music video set previously designed for an unknown band. However, Kassel and his band knew the cameraman of the previous band and found out that the mache pieces were just left for grabs.

Kassel said that he and fellow bandmate, John ended up wearing the obscure masks on stage later at Donny’s house and it became the novel device for the band.

Kassel’s visibility in the bizarre mask is limited, because it is constructed with one open eye hole. While wearing the mask, Baby Carlos noshes and moshes with the crowd-goers to get them to dance. He breaks the barrier of personal space with the audience to hype up the music throughout the performance.

“I just want to live life as much as possible.” said Kassel.

Kassel describes Freeman’s Dead style as hard, grunge rock n’ roll music with Motorhead and Nirvana influences.

Lorenzo playing with his “golden baby”.

Photo taken by Dawn Raven.

Another gimmick of Freeman’s Dead includes 40-year-old band member Isaac, who wears a dress and convulses his body on stage with a banana.

Kassel uses instruments such as a Fender vamps and shadowcasters, along with a Korg Electribe Sampler to sample beats.

“I want to write revolutionary shit.” said Kassel.

Kassel’s music is a fusion of rock ‘n’ roll and heavy metal. Kassel plays the drums, guitar and is currently learning to play bass. He describes his music as melancholy, powerful positive music.

“This is my style and I play it,” said “People like it when you’re showing your whole self. That is the point of music.”

Kassel said he tries to steer a different direction away from the mundane life of his college peers.  

“We have only so little time to be young,” said Kassel. “Why waste it.”

In his free time, Kassel creates art videos, paints, writes and plays music. Artists like Johnny Cash, The Pixies, The Misfits and other hardcore punk bands inspire Kassel’s music taste.

Kassel’s favorite compositions of his are, “No Racism”, “Petty People”, “Hood Over Suburbia” and “FOUGHKED”.

Lorenzo: I can honestly say I’m a good drummer now! After years of practice. I’m a perfect drum whore!

Photo taken from @zo_kassel Instagram.

Photo credit to @frank_lee_grim Instagram.

Kassel releases bits of his music on Instagram and Soundcloud.

“I want to inspire other artists and team up to make something bigger.” said Kassel.

Kassel, a native of San Bernardino, CA, moved to Long Beach when he was 15 years old. His music began to sprout during his time at Renaissance High School for the Arts in Long Beach.

“As time goes by, we get a little numb to everything that’s kind of fun,” said Kassel. “We have fun, but it’s kind of like made up fun.”

Kassel’s other stage name is “Mr. Foughk”. He is a member of multiple bands such as, Mr. Foughk and the Human Error, Freeman’s Dead, and Wack-O.

Wack-O is a power-balance, grimy punk band.

Kassel is currently working toward starting up a band called, “Speed Autist”.

“It bumps,” said Kassel. “It’s got techno and it’s rough.”

One of the many Shadows of Baby Carlos.

Photo taken by Dawn Raven.

Kassel begins his music process through finding an interesting chord and creating a pattern. He is a self taught guitar player who is discovering and fine tuning his sound everyday.

“I want to inspire people along the way.” said Kassel.

Kassel advises new artists to have fun and to create as much as you can.

“Whatever you have for the next step will just happen,” said Kassel. “We should constantly be growing and aiming for better things and get more involved with other people. We’re all in this together and we've gotta create something.”