As everyone knows by now, Superstorm Sandy (or whatever you want to call it) pretty much destroyed New York and New Jersey. Dayton-based Heartless Bastards were a band who got diverted from their tour schedule due to the storm, but managed to survive and talk about it. Their latest video for “Marathon” channels the Wizard of Oz and though the storm ruined their Halloween plans (hence the delay of this interview) we still managed to hear back from guitarist Mark Nathan, who filled us on all things Wizard of Oz and gave us insight to some behind the scenes info.

DK: What was the inspiration to take on the Wizard of Oz themed in “Marathon”?

MN: It was Brad Beesly’s concept, who directed the video.  He has a great body of work, so it was very easy for us to trust him and buy into the concept.

DK: Who is your favorite character in the movie and why?

MN: I like the lion, probably because he’s so over the top.

DK: Do you think Pink Floyd really meant to sync Dark Side of The Moon with the film or is it just some crazy stoner’s theory?

MN: I have never synced them myself so I can’t speak to its veracity.

DK: How has the tour been so far?

MN: The tour was great, mostly like any other as far as getting out there and playing for our fans.  Being in NJ for the hurricane was a bit scary.  Our hotel lost power and we watched all the transformer explosions on the horizon, they were eerily like fireworks.

DK: What have the set lists been like? Who selects them and what’s the thinking behind them? Or is it uniform every night?

MN: The set list is made by Erika, there is usually a pretty uniform framework to it (certain songs build into each other well and create a flow that works) but we will always vary things a bit here and there.

DK: Are you pleased with the positive reception the album has received?

MN: Yes, we are all proud of the album and the press has been very positive.  We are looking forward to its European release.

DK: Have you hung out with the Futurebirds at all? What do you guys do together, anything wild?

MN: Touring can be a grind, all the travel leaves you with little time to really do all that much.  You can party if you choose to, but it catches up with you pretty quickly if you overdo it.  Futurebirds are all great guys, easygoing and fun to hang out with.  We went out a few times, in NYC and also in Athens, GA their hometown.  We joined them onstage in Athens for their cover of Wild Heart by Stevie Nicks.

DK: What’s the rest of 2012 looking like?

MN: We have had a long and successful year, and we are going to mostly take the rest of it off.  It’s going to be nice to catch up with friends, rest and work on new material.