EDITOR’S
NOTE: This interview was conducted live and has been edited for
content and length.
MWE:
How's it going?
CJ: It's good, your gonna have to excuse me I'm all hopped up
on Coffee.
MWE: That's okay.
MWE: You guys are doing Ozzfest right?
C.J: The cool thing about Ozzfest is that the first show we ever
did with Ryan was at Ozzfest. It's the best rock show of the year.
A lot of our friends will be there, not just playing but hanging
out as well.
MWE: I heard about your new video
for 37 stitches. How do you feel it went?
C.J.: We just did the video. I'm really happy with it, It's very
personal. I can't believe how personal we got with it.
MWE: The song is really personal
isn't it? Its about your families and your crew and stuff, your
support system fans etc.
CJ: You know 37 stitches to keep the pain in, It's a catch 22
you come out here alone to do something you love but you ditch
the loved ones at home. 37 stitches was the last song
recorded for the album.
|
| MWE:
It's kind of a departure for this record because it's got this
whole mellow vibe and the rest of the record is kinda balls to
the wall.
CJ: yeah it's pretty balls to the wall. 37 stitches would
probably be the most mellow song on there. I just wanted to throw
a couple more songs on there. I wanted to throw 37 stitches
on the next record but the cool thing about that is you'll definitely
hear more songs like that on the next record. There's 3 or 4 songs
I already have written that got a very 37 stitches ish
feel. There's also stuff on the next record that's heavier. Like
way heavier than anything we've ever done too. I'm just trying
to push the envelope musically.
MWE: How does it feel to be the
Blender breakout band of the month?
CJ: It's awesome. It's been a battle for us. There's been a lot
of bands that once the singer is gone it's not the same. It's
like third times a charm or three strikes your out. You talk about
credibility and Ryan's already there, he's credible. This is his
third record as much as it's our third record. Something like
Blender saying it's the breakout is an honor because it's been
such a fight. We play 6-7 days a week, we love music we put a
lot of work into that. It gives you respect, it's like okay we'll
listen to you guys, you guys have something going on.
 MWE:
It was kinda out of character for that publication to say that,
you would expect it from Revolver or Metal Edge but their pretty
mainstream to give that title to a rock/metal band.
CJ: It's nice because a lot of people were like why won't they
just die. At the end of the world There's cockroaches then There's
Drowning Pool.
MWE: I know you guys went to capital
hill, What was that like? I know you guys were probably the first
metal band to ever do that.
CJ: Being on capital hill, you know most people drive in and drive
out, We got to walk all over capital hill. We were the only people
without a suit and tie on which was very strange to me. I felt
almost like I was on an alien planet. Everyone was prim and proper
and stuff. Now people consider us a political band.
MWE: I don't see you as a political
band, I see it more like you care about the troops and you care
about what's going on in the middle east because you've been there.
CJ: People here don't see everything. You don't know that they
didn't have water. Now these people have running water and toilet
paper. You don't see that kind of stuff. It kind of puts it into
perspective.
MWE: I know you guys were big with
This is for the soldiers.org. How is that going?
CJ: That's the stuff with the lane evens bill. It's like if you
wanna pass this bill you gotta add this on etc. You know the whole
idea with that is trying to get the best support for our troops
when then get home. You know if they get hurt there just kinda
left to fend for themselves..It's kinda weird you would think
it would be just the opposite. A lot of it is the mental aspect.
They don't have any scars or wounds but the mental stuff, you
know, how do you deal with that?
MWE: On the topic of mental stuff,
since you've been through a couple different singers, how does
your writing process with Ryan (McCombs) differ than singers from
in the past?
 CJ:
Dave would just come in and do his thing and he'd be out. With
Ryan I feel like we can get from point a to point b. I'm really
really excited about this record, I wanna keep pushing Full
Circle because it's a great record but I'm looking forward
to the next one because we all really gel together. We mix it
up every record though.
MWE: The thing you guys have with
Ryan is that he came in as the voice of an established band.
CJ: I love his style he's got a good voice.
MWE: If you were to press play on
your I-pod right now, what would come up?
CJ: Tool, Perfect Circle I have all there records, Led Zeppelin,
Pantera, Mudvayne, etc.
MWE: Who would win in a cereal Death
Match: Frankenberry or Count Chocula?
CJ: That's hard cause I like the way Frankenberry tastes but I
like the Count Chocula cause he's got the counting thing and were
into that. We help the kids across America count to four.
MWE: That True!
CJ: Our fans were like 2 years old or 3 or 4 so like 20 years
from now we'll have a solid fan base.
MWE: That gives your career longevity
CJ: yeah it gives us longevity.
MWE: That's all I've got for ya
CJ: Thank you for your time.
MWE: No, thanks for your time ,
Have a good tour.
CJ: Come out to the show and if you miss us this time I'm sure
we'll be there next month. We played the Machine Shop 7 times
last year and only twice in Houston. Take Care!
MWE: You Too.
|
