Paws, Pets & Metal is Metal Insider’s newest column on bands with pets, discovering who watches them on the road, and more. Get to know more about these metal furbabies. We caught up with Atomic Trip guitarist Gary talks all about his amazing 17-year-old cat, Funky.

Tell us more about your pet(s) and their names?

Hey, nice to meet you. Let me introduce my pet. He is a 17-year old cat, his name is Funky. I adopted him in 2005 so the poor guy has heard me playing punk-rock, neo metal, stoner, glam metal, doom and now instrumental doom. He has also witnessed all the biggest home parties I had with my buddies. He saw me sleeping in the toilets. He saw me puke and cleaned my own vomit. But hey, he can’t tell anything because I also clean his vomit!

Have you ever taken your pet on tour?

This guy HATES going into his cage because he knows that it means going in the car and to the vet. So whaaaaaaat ? going on tour with 3 stupid humans drinking, smoking, and playing loud music ?????? HELL NO! However, he loves me touring, because he can stay quiet in our house with my wife and boys taking care of him (extra food !).

Who looks after your pet while on the road?

The wife and the boys! However, the wife and the boys also like it when I am on tour because they can do cool things without Dad. So it happens that Funky goes on holiday to my mother’s place. Far quieter than home.

What’s your pet’s favorite song or album?

No doubt, Satan Worshipping Doom by Bongripper. Because it’s the best introduction to instrumental doom and because it’s Bongripper, motherfucker! However, Funky is now 100% deaf. Not because of music, don’t worry, just because he is an old guy.

How did you introduce your pet to metal?

That’s not how it happened. I actually introduced metal to my cat. I guess the first guy he met in metal was Fred Durst (bring it on !) or maybe Jonathan Davis or Kemar from Pleymo! Hopefully, Kurt Cobain and Nirvana have always been on top in my discography, so his education was not that bad. Then Electric Wizard arrived. And of course, my own projects, Hangoverdosis, Cult of Occult, and Atomic Trip.

What animal charity means most to you?

I am not a big fan of people telling you: you should do that or you shouldn’t do that, so I usually avoid all the great animal cause defenders. I am more into the local scene. Giving food to the French « Animal Society » or giving a hand to a very small association. Or walking the dogs of my neighbors.

Thanks a lot for your time Metal Insider and do not forget to DOOM BOOZE FUZZ WEED / PET everyday.