Time to Kill
An interview with founder/guitarist Keith Monville
by Aaron Manogue
January 2012
Time To Kill from Wisconsin Rapids
They say that punk is dead. They say that thrash metal was born and died in the 70’s and 80’s. They say if anyone wants to be successful that they need to pick a genre and stick to it. They also say that you absolutely cannot mix and mash punk, thrash and metal all together and make a sound worth living together. Clearly, the band Time to Kill never got the memo. And clearly, “they” don’t know what the hell they’re talking about. Time to Kill is a devil’s concoction mixed up to prove that if you love music, you can create something unique and something that stands out from the crowd for all the right reasons. As guitarist Keith Monville put it, “It’s a mix drink with one shot of punk, one shot of metal then top the glass off with some thrash.”
Maximum Ink’s Aaron Manogue spoke with Monville about Time to Kill’s history, some pretty funny “Spinal Tap” moments, and their huge upcoming show with Motorhead, Megadeath, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil. Time to Kill is Keith Monville on guitar, Shannon Hicks on bass, Jon Munro on vocals and Steven Heath on drums.
Maximum Ink: Give me a little history on Time to Kill. When did you start, how many records released, where did you all meet, etc.?
Keith Monville: Time to Kill started in a basement, with some long time friends, at the end of 2006 after I took some time off from the band scene. Next thing we knew it was 2007, we had a full band, playing shows, released a demo, signed by Turkey Vulture Records and released a CD. Then we toured the Midwest for 2008 in support of the “Insanity” CD, including many shows with national bands. 2009, I had to replace the lead singer and bass player and we toured the Midwest and released a demo. Then we spent 2010 refining the line up and writing new music. In, 2011 got the new line up set and started writing new music and here we are with a new demo CD for 2012 and writing and recording for a full length CD to be released this summer.
MI: When did you guys start playing music personally?
KM: The current line up all started when we were 18 and young yet, now we’re older but wiser.
MI: Tell me about your upcoming show on February 12th with Motorhead, Megadeth, Volbeat and Lacuna Coil.
KM: This is our first big show with the new line up. Time to Kill has played The Rave before with many national acts but this will be the first for this line up and the new music. Megadeth and Motorhead are major influences of ours. The set up will be two stages with the main stage in The Rave “big room” and the side stage in the Rave bar next to the main stage. I believe 8 bands will be playing and starting at 5:30. All-ages, drink with ID, show gets done about 11:30pm.
MI: What is the most exciting part about being able to share the stage with metal legends like this?
KM: Lemmy. But, Volbeat is a newer band that is really awesome and I want to check out. Lacuna Coil is good and Megadeth is awesome of course. It will be great exposure for Time to Kill and the new music plus get to have a drink with Lemmy.
MI: Have you guys had the pleasure of sharing the stage with any other national acts?
KM: Time to Kill did a show in Madison with Primer 55 and Marc Rizzo. Otherwise, in Milwaukee with Hell Yeah, Machine Head, Non-Point, Green Jelly, Jungle Rot, and more. We also were part some central Wisconsin events opening for Kicking K8, Anew Revolution, Mobile Death Camp, Rocket, Psychostick, Weird Al and others.
MI: We’ve all seen Spinal Tap. Do you have any Spinal Tap moments as band that you can share?
KM: I smashed a guitar at a Milwaukee show and cut my hand open. There was blood all over. Luckily it was our last song of the set. Also had a band cancel out of a three band line up and the headliner Kicking K8 was booked to play the middle slot due to travel time. So Time to Kill had to play first and last with Kicking K8 in the middle. The event was sponsored by Jagermeister and after our first set we got free Jager…damn Jager Girls! After KK8 got done with the middle set, most of the packed venue thought the show was over and they left. We played last in front of 20 people and don’t really remember it. I know we stopped playing and just drank some more.
The new Time to Kill music can be heard by going to Reverbnation at http://www.reverbnation.com/timetokill , Myspace, Jango Radio and Facebook. Most Wisconsin metal stations have our music so request it! Our music is also on the Bastard Den Radio Show on MaxInk radio. Our website is www.timetokill.us and watch for the new CD for summer 2012 release.
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