The music industry can be a tough and cutthroat business at times. You can feel like you're on top of the world with your crew and then have it all come crashing down moments later. Los Angeles, Calif. native Deuce enjoyed much success with Hollywood Undead before things got ugly. The artist/producer and his former bandmates didn't split on good terms, but Deuce has put that behind him. The singer sat down with us to talk about his new album, Nine Lives, life after Hollywood Undead and more.

Deuce was getting ready to prepare for his set at the Intersection Wednesday night (December 12) while on a co-headlining tour with New MedicineNine Lives is a collection of older material that's been remastered and a few new tracks. With so much that has happened to the masked musician, Deuce felt a huge weight come off his shoulders when Nine Lives was released in April.

"I felt like a lot of baggage was gone," Deuce says. "I felt like it's a new start. It kind of proves to myself that I could do it again, because I did it before with my old band."

Listeners of Nine Lives can get an idea of what Deuce has been through after the falling out with Hollywood Undead and former label A&M/Octone Records. Songs like "Help Me," "America" and "Nobody Likes Me" expressed his frustrations over what has transpired over the last few years. "Nobody Likes Me" even features Falling In Reverse frontman Ronnie Radke, who has his own very public feud with his previous group Escape the Fate. Deuce admits creating Nine Lives wasn't a walk in a park, but nothing was too challenging.

"It was work, yeah. It took like a year," he says. "Some songs are tough, some songs are easier. A lot of stuff doesn't work but then you finally hit the one that does. I'm stoked on how it came out. There's a lot of dope tracks on there."

Watch the entire interview below, where we also talk about the stress of the business, Deuce's vision for his Nine Lives brand and more. I apologize in advance for the mics failing near the end of the video. Check out our photo gallery from the concert too.

 Watch Deuce Talk to Dave Kim at the Intersection

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