Unchain the Underground is proud to present an interview with
M a t t _Z a n e

Mr. Zane is more than just a porn director. He is breathing new life into the business, combining all the enthusiasm of a newcomer with the talent and abilities of a complete veteran. Piston Rod spent an evening chatting with young Matt. Read on for the first installment. More to come soon!

Piston: Hey how are ya doing?

Matt: Good, man.

P: Hey man, I didn't mean to drag you away from anything.

M: Hey, no, no, no, I planed on this man, two o'clock no problem. We're just running around crazy because I got a shoot tomorrow with Details magazine, and they need some chicks to take pictures with me, and the CES show is in like two days so like no one is in town. Everyone is like really busy, so we are just like running around. I'm going crazy. No problem though, no problem.

P: No problem? Sounds like something that happens on a daily basis in the industry.

M: Yeah, yeah. It's all part of the game. No big deal.

P: Great, great, well...I'm ready to go as soon as you are.

M: I'm set.

P: OK, great. We'll go on to the first question here. How did you get into directing porn?

M: Basically, I was working my job at the time, which happened to be a massage therapist and a trainer, trying to support a music habit, and my father realized how unhappy I was and he was devoid of any new directors at the time, and he kinda came to me and said, "Hey, what would you think of giving directing a shot?" I said, "All right." He hooked me up with a guy, who taught me for like three weeks, a month maybe, and I was off making pornos.

P: Oh good. Chuck is your dad, right?

M: Yeah.

P: And he's been in the business a long time?

M: Like 20 years. He started off with book stores, then got into the video business about 14, 15 years ago.

P: Have you ever performed sexually in any of your films?

M: In Sexual Society I got a blowjob...

P: Oh yeah, I saw that, just didn't ring a bell as I was writing the question though.

M: ...on the back of a toilet, but usually I don't do that stuff all that often. Just because, you know. There's performers and there's directors... sometimes it's fun to hop in front of the camera.

[It's good to note here, that since this interview was completed Sexual Society 2 has come out, and in there Matt has two or three scenes where he not only gets a blowjob, but also fucks. So I guess he wanted to jump in front of the camera a little more after that first time.]

P: Oh, definitely. Personally I feel that as a director you bring a fresh energy to a very stagnant industry that I feel just seems to be going through the motions. What is your opinion of the current state of porn?

M: Well you know, I think that there are people that are really in it, and love it, and try at it, you know. It's just that they are kinda talentless. And then there are those that are just going through the motions, and then there are a whole new breed of directors that are coming up that are kinda following in my footsteps, and trying to rejuvenate it somewhat and make it more interesting and better then it already is. But, you know, there's a place for everything, so just because I think that a lot of the stuff that is out there sucks, doesn't necessarily mean that it's so, and you gotta remember that I'm a rather young kid so...

P: Right. How old are you?

M: I just turned 24 in October.

P: Yeah, I'm 24 too.

M: You see, there you go.

P: Not bad. What are some of the names of some of the directors that you think are following in your footsteps?

M: Well, you know. I'm not necessarily going to say they are ripping me off, first and foremost, but I would say that there are people that have introduced themselves within the genre of "Gen X porn" since I created it two years ago, and a friend of mine Johnny Toxic is one of those guys...

P: Right. I interviewed him.

M: ...that came out a year after me. You know him?

P: Yep, I interviewed him.

M: Nice guy. He's doing like the younger rock and roll stuff. You know he's got his own little flavor though, but it's still in the "Gen X" style. Ahh, Synthetic Video, I don't know if they are still around or not, but they tried to come up and do the more younger hip stuff. There is this Kid Sparkle that was introduced a couple of months ago through Empire Video. You know, that's definitely like a more younger crowd, and so on and so forth.

(Matt screams into the background, "Yeah? What, what, who is it?" The answer is too low to hear, and then Matt say's, "Oh, oh. I'm doing an interview right now," and then back to me.) Dude, can I ask you a huge favor?

P: Sure, what is it?

M: Can you hang on for like two minutes?

P: Absolutely.

M: Is it all right dude? Because I, it's, it's...is it all right?

P: Absolutely. Not a problem.

M: I'll be right back.

(What Piston hears. Matt, "Someone picked up line 8, somebody picked it up." A girl in the background, "I got it off the hook." Matt says, "I'll tell somebody to hang it up. Just wait a second. Which phone is it on?"..., and that's when I got disconnected.)

[I called back...]

M: Piston? [Actually he used my real name]

P: Yes.

M: How did we get disconnected?

P: I don't know man, no problem.

M: How did we get disconnected?

P: Umm...I don't know.

M: Umm, OK, where was I?

P: You were talking about the directors that you felt were bringing new life and following in your footsteps.

M: Yeah, that guy, and who else? There's a guy who's working for Vivid Raw right now named Robbie D. And I think there's a couple of other guys, but I'm not too familiar with them because they just, just started. But what you are gonna see in the next two to five years...whow man, they are gonna be popping up like you wouldn't believe.

P: Yeah, definitely. I mean, before I discovered Zane, before we started getting your company delivered for our site, I was just saying the same stuff. I was like, "You know all this stuff that is coming out is completely formulaic, you know?" Blowjob, eat the girl, sex, cut the scene, add a couple lines of dialogue. Even in gonzo it was like, here's a girl, have sex with her. I was so boring, that I was saying that we need a fresh light, and when I discovered the stuff that you were sending us...and I'm talking about Sexual Society, MZTV, House Of Flesh, Backstage Sluts. I said to myself, "This is exactly what I was talking about," and on my site, I've definitely pushed you guys, and your company, and those movies.

M: Thank you very much. Wait till you see Sunset, Inc. man.

P: Oh, I saw that.

M: Oh you did?

P: Yeah. I am such a fan of Sunset Thomas.

M: Oh yeah, cool!

P: Yeah, Lust And Lies we gave a full five stars, the highest rating.

M: Oh, great!

P: And I gave it the highest compliment that I've ever given a porno, which is the fact that not only did I watch it while I was masturbating, but when I was done I continued to watch the movie.

M: (laughs) Oh dude, that's awesome!

P: Because it really was that interesting.

M: Yeah, that's very cool!

P: So like I was saying, when I discovered your porn, I was like, "This is a fresh light that we needed." Are there any porn directors out there that you admire?

M: Umm yeah, you know who's like really cool? You just gotta take your hats off to him is Gregory Dark. You have to, because the guy, he's crossing over. He's made a couple of music videos. He just did Orgy's new video. He's proving that he has ability beyond just porn films. He's being successful at it, you know. He's doing some commercials. You gotta admire a guy like that, because anybody can be in the porn business. It's an unfortunate thing to say, but it's true. Anybody can pick up a camera and be called a director, but his movies in the business were really good and he's branching out now, and his succeeding over in mainstream really shows that he has a lot of talent and a lot of intellect as far as creativity as a film maker or director.

P: Yeah definitely. I also think that as well. I also feel that that's the problem with the porn industry is that most directors out there really don't have the training that they need to build up the suspense and the eroticism in a scene or in a whole movie. You know?

M: Yeah.

P: Like one director I have found that is great at that is Kris Kramski. You know him?

M: You know, I do know Kris, and I heard a lot of great things about him, but honestly I haven't seen anything that he has done yet. And it's not because I don't want to, it's just because I haven't gotten to it yet.

P: Yeah. Check out the movie Models.

M: Yeah, I'll have to look at that. I met Kris right before he got into the business, and a few times since then. Yeah man, I heard that he was really good.

P: What do you feel is the greatest porn and non-porn films ever made?

M: Oh man you see, because unfortunately you're asking a guy that doesn't watch porno. I watch my pornos, you know what I mean? Sometimes I try to watch other people's when I hear they are really good, but in all honesty it's like since you make so many of them. I've made 75 flicks so far, it gets kinda tough to really sit down and watch through everybody else's, but I will tell you some that I think are the highlights. Andrew Blake's stuff is really great, for what he does. It's just really fabulous, you know. Rocco's stuff, Rocco Never Dies, that series, that's some pretty good stuff for a porno. Other things that I like, you know Gregory Dark, and that's all off the top of my head when I think about people that really get my boat afloatin'. I have look at those and been pretty impressed. As far as bad porn, you can just pick up...uh, I don't know man, there are a million people you could name, but I don't like to badmouth people directly, you know.

P: I hear ya.

M: But, there's a lot of shit out there. And some of the shit that is out there that people think is good, I think sucks, so anyways, you know, so...who am I to say, I mean maybe some people really do like it.

P: Well, it's all opinions.

M: Yeah, you know it really is all opinions. A lot of people say that all my stuff sucks.

P: Well, I don't agree with that.

M: Thank you very much!

P: In your Gonzo movies you are trying to be creative and mix real life situations with good old fashioned sex. Like I brought up before, Backstage Sluts, House OF Flesh, MZTV, Sexual Society. Where that is a lot different from a lot of other gonzo stuff, where it's basically "get a girl in a room and fuck her."

M: Yeah, yeah.

P: I think that what you are leaning towards is a lot of what the Shane (Shane's World, Slumber Party) stuff is. Which is to give a whole lot more...

M: I've watched the Shane stuff, you know, and I does try to make it like really life, you know. And I think sometimes it does it, and sometimes it doesn't, but it's kinda like the same thing I guess. It's weird what we do, because we really go into the real situations. In Sexual Society for example, when we go to clubs, we're actually going to the club, and playing a gig that night. So, that's like real fans coming to see the show, and the whole bit. We'll create circumstances within reality. So, is it reality or is it fake? I mean, who really knows. It's bizarre, it's a little of both, but it's kinda neat, you know?

P: Right.

M: Opposed to where Shane will set up the entire thing, from getting a bunch of people together, and they'll go on a snowboarding trip or go to the beach or something, you know what I mean.

P: I hear ya.

M: It's planned from the beginning to the end, but it's very spontaneous because the people are actually having fun, and stuff like that. But with me, I'll even take it a step further and go into a real setting like House Of Flesh, that's a real party. We had planned things within the party, but the party for the most part was real. It was all out of control, I mean House Of Flesh 2 there was a thousand people there. You know, the cops were showing up. It's kinda similar, but at the same time I really do feel it takes it a step further.

P: It's definitely like a peek behind the curtain for like the fans that would never be able to experience something like that, especially like in House Of Flesh.

M: Yeah, and that's who it really is for. It's for the fans, and for the people.

P: In your scripted films, as well, I have found...in you I found someone who is excited again about making movies. Not just a director or actors that are doing just what everyone expects them to do, so they can get a paycheck. In your movies I find that there's excitement that the people that you work with, and you as a director are excited about making the movies that you are making, and putting out a quality product.

M: Well, that's that's... well, yeah. I mean, you hit it right on the head there. That's what it's really all about. When we go to a set in the morning, we're not there just to get a paycheck, and make an OK film that's just going to make it to Playboy so we can get a paycheck. We're there to make the next best thing. You know what I mean? OK we don't have as much money, we don't have as many actors, we don't have as much time. We still don't care. We're still going to be striving for the best. I think you can see that in Sunset, Inc. I mean, it was the same budget as Lust And Lies, but look at the leap that we made. It's tuff to do, but we love it. We're there to make the best possible product, of the highest quality. Try to make something that is enjoyable. Not a porno, we're trying to make a different form of entertainment. An alternative form of entertainment. That's the best way to think about it.

P: Definitely, and have a story that stands out apart from the sex. Something that you can actually just watch.

M: That's another big goal of ours. After we got a lot of our cable movies done we watch them twice. We look through first and fast forward to all of the sex scenes and say, "You know what, do we want to jerk off to that? You know what, that was pretty good, all right now let's fast forward through the sex and watch the story line. Does it keep our interest? Yeah? All right, well we did our job."

P: That's wonderful. I've had a couple of my writers write that about other pornos. Which is, they sit down and watch a porno and go, "Did anyone ever watch this? Do they sit down and watch their own products before they put it out on the shelves?"... and I'd say most people don't.

M: Well, you know what it is? I think a lot of the directors that make these scripted films are really caught up in making them look like real films. Because, I mean you can get a lot of movies out there that are way better than mine in terms of technicality, you know what I mean?

P: Yeah.

M: I mean, shit, Vivid does two movies a month on film, 16mm, you know. There's other guys that have 5 day shoots. They really do look better, they got bigger sets, better costumes, better make-up, the whole bit, but you know what, when you try to sit down and watch them like a movie something's still not making you want to watch it. You realize, "You know what? These scripts suck!"

P: Thank you. You are absolutely right.

M: ...And that's kinda like funny because they hold their heads high when they walk next to you saying things like, "Oh, I make 5 day films" and "Oh, you had to use all your friends for extras" and "Blab, blab, blab," you know what I mean? You're product does look a bit sleeker than mine, but you know what dude? I couldn't make it past five minutes of it. It bored the fucking tears out of me, it was horrible. A lot of people and a lot of directors they mistake the actual creative aspect for the technical aspect. "Well, I shot it on 16mm and it had great sound in it, and look at these costumes." Well, that's great, but you know what? It was so fucking boring, while I was jerking my dick I fell asleep.

P: (laughs) One director which I feel you are absolutely right about is Brad Armstrong, for Wicked.

M: Uh-huh.

P: Those movies I can't sit through. Like Flashpoint.

M: (laughs) Oh, yeah.

P: I mean...oh, it's pretty bad.

M: Well you know, like I said. To each their own. I'm not into that soap opera stuff, but maybe there is someone out there that likes it.

P: Apparently it's for couples, but...

M: Yeah, and you know what? It might be great for couples. I mean, who am I to say.

P: Well, I don't get it, so who am I to say...

M: Well, neither do I. I mean, if I got it, I'd be making movies like it.

P: Yeah, true.

M: I felt really bad because once I went into editors, right, and there was Flashpoint up on the editing screen, and Jenna Jameson was doing a little monologue piece, or something, and she was crying, and trying to talk this guy off a ledge, or something. I don't know what was going on. I found it so hilarious, I started bursting out laughing. I was just laughing hysterically over this...this...shot, and I turn around, and Brad Armstrong was sitting right on the couch.

P: Oh, no.

M: I was like, "Ohhh...oh." (laughs)

P: Ooops!

M: And you know, the funny thing is, that when I watch my own films I laugh too.

P: Well, I mean yeah, there's a lot of good comedy in it.

M: Yeah, I'm not excluded from the fact that some of it is very laughable, but I felt very bad, because Brad is actually a really nice guy.

P: Oh, I don't doubt he is that.

M: I mean, hey man, you know what? If he wants to make those soap opera movies, way to go Brad.

P: And he's making money doing them.

M: Yeah, he's probably making a lot more money than me.

(We both laugh)

P: What was the first porno you ever saw?

M: Oh man, I don't know. I have no idea. The first porno I remember I saw, that stuck in my head was a Max Hardcore porno.

P: Oh yeah?

M: Oh yeah!

P: So, before that you weren't really watching pornos?

M: Not really, I mean I came across them here and there, but I don't remember exactly what they were. I don't remember what they were, and stuff like that.

P: Are you a fan of old school porn or you don't even know that stuff?

M: You know, not really. I mean, I really didn't watch a lot of porn until I got in. I mean, I watched some of it, because...

(Matt talks to someone else, "Are you gonna get that stuff? All right."

...I got people walking, we gotta go to that show tomorrow, and we got people walking in and out of here. Umm, you know, I saw some older stuff when I used to duplicate videos for my father, but just not a lot. I didn't used to sit around and watch it all the time, and even then when you used to watch it in the duplicating room and look at it for ten hours a day, and you sort a just become numb to it when I watch it anymore.

P: I got ya. All right, here's a little light hearted one. What do you prefer? Busting your nut on a girl's back, her chest, or in her mouth?

M: Humm, back, chest, or in her mouth? Humm, humm. Oh, man that's a tough one. You know what, I'm definitely over the mouth thing, because I've done it so much, you know what I mean.

P: All right.

M: I'm gonna have to say, chest for now.

P: Yeah, chest is pretty wonderful. ICP were featured in one of the Backstage Sluts videos. Did either of the clowns "get it on" with any of the ladies involved?

M: No.

P: Are you a fan of theirs?

M: I like them personally but I'm not into their music. P: Are they as charismatic and charming in person as they appear to be on stage and on their albums?

M: They are very kind and I appreciated them letting us use their concert hall and tour bus to shoot Backstage Sluts.

P: You are thanked in the new Mercyful Fate album for providing "good clean family entertainment" on their '98 tour.

M: I am? Wow!

P: What is the story behind that?

M: I don't know if I should say, but I'm enormous fan of King Diamond and Mercyful Fate. I own every album and I see them play whenever possible.

P: Are they going to be in an upcoming Backstage Sluts?

M: I haven't talked to them since that tour, but if they'd like to be, then by all means, yes. Especially King Diamond.

P: Did any of the members actively "participate" with the girls?

M: Does the 5th ammendment ring any bells?

P: What was King Diamond like in person?

M: Oh, I almost cried when I met King Diamond. He's an extremely important artist to me because of his perserverance and love for his own music regardless of the current trends. I've been a fan since I was 10. He was totally friendly. We chatted for awhile. And I know that all the fans will want to know this, so for the record, when I met King Diamond he was already in full make up.

P: All right, tell me about your band Society 1, when was it formed, and tell me all about it.

M: Man, Society 1 is gonna be the new underground sensation of the year 2000. We got an album coming out called Slacker Jesus. Society 1: Slacker Jesus. It's a loosely based conceptual album about the fall of society and how a new society is going to be set up to this guy names "The Slacker Jesus," and it's going to be based more on a hedonistic lifestyle. Believe it or not, I play the part of The Slacker Jesus, and it really is me because honestly, I've made like 75 porno movies and I live that lifestyle. We're going to be doing regional touring around America next year, and so on and so forth and just see how it goes.

P: Are you signed to a label yet?

M: Well, I have my own label. I started a label, InZane Records, and we actually have our first release coming out in about 22 days.

P: Oh, really?

M: Yeah, a band called Empty Grave, and then we have another release coming out abut a month or two months after that called December, and then my band Society 1, and a band called Weird Head, and after that we got a couple of bands we are in negotiations with right now.

P: And what kind of music does the label carry? Any kind or is it...

M: Not any kind, we do mostly heavy music, but we'll venture out a little now and again for anything that's good, like electronic or gothic or anything like that.

P: Definitely, if you'd like, what our web page does, is we cover porn, but we also cover extreme forms of music.

M: Oh great man, yeah. This album we are about to release, Empty Grave, is great.

P: Is it metal, or is it more heavy alternative or what?

M: Empty Grave is progressive gothic. It's very interesting, and the one after that, December, is total hardcore. Super hardcore.

P: Yeah, we'll definitely review it. If you'd like to send it to us.

(Matt talks to someone else again, "Umm, hey Eric, are you coming back with that stuff, or no?, waits for the answer, "OK, you're not coming here tomorrow. You gotta go be at the shoot tomorrow," again waits for the answer, "OK, all right.")

M: I'm sorry.

P: No, that's all right.

M: Anyway, yeah man, that would be great! And then my band is like...well you've seen Sexual Society.

P: Yeah, definitely. You said you are going to be touring in the next year?

M: Yeah, regionally. Here and there, weekend shows. Like three day weekends. We'll take three or four days at a time to go out on the road.

MORE TO COME SOON... STAY TUNED!!