DevilDriver Interview

1. Introduce yourself and talk about the sound of the new album.

My name is Dez and I'm the singer of DevilDriver, and the sound of the album is really heavy groove rock and roll metal.

2. What did you guys think when you went on The Invaluable Darkness Part I Tour?

Oh with Dimmu, great guys, really cool to tour with, the houses were packed every single night and the reception of DevilDriver was great and the vibe of the new songs was great. We loved touring with those guys, great time. Oh cool and that's a hometown venue and that's why I came out and The Wiltern is a great venue.

3. How was the tour with Lamb of God, Killswitch Engage and Soilwork back in December?

Those guys are all really killer, I love everyone one of them, and love all those bands as well and having a group of guys like that together, the tour is really fun, and the vibe is good all around, and we would love to go out on tour with them again, we also toured with Lamb of God over seas and they're really good friends of ours.

4. Can you tell me of the craziest moment you guys have had on tour?

There are so many of them I don't know where to start, honest to God think I don't know it would take us hours, I'd say almost the possession of weed I don't want to talk about (laughs).

5. Is there any particular theme to "The Last Kind Words," and what are some of your favorite tracks off the album?

The themes of that record is just pressure of getting yourself through, that’s what I think when I was a kid and what metal brought to me, and punk rock as well, and favorite tracks to play off that would be "Clouds Over California," I love playing that song, and "Horn of Betrayal," is a real good song as well.

6. What are your plans for after this tour?

We finish this tour in about 4 days we have less than 15 hours at home and then fly out to South Africa and we're doing 3 shows, and they're already sold out and we're gonna have a good time out there.

7. Is DevilDriver going to release a LIVE CD/DVD anytime soon?

We are going to release a "Making Of..." with the next record and then release a full DVD, which is going to be massive over 5 or 6 years of footage that we haven't even released, we want to take our time with it and we have a lot of live shows and backstage footage that should be cool.

8. If you weren't a musician what would you be?

I don't know I'm a father, I'm a lot of things I did a lot of different things, brick layer I did a lot of things, for me probably be music this whole time and not have to go back and have a normal job, where I wouldn't have to clock in would be great.

9. Do you have a favorite tour that you've done in the passed?

I do, I think touring the world with Black Sabbath and Pantera is probably the highlight of where I've been and what I've done, as so many Ozzfests, I can't even count and the only person that’s done it more than me is Ozzy Osbounre, doing a show with a mic in my hand having a 100 people having a good time, is all good.

10. How was the Listening Party that took place back in July?

That was great! We had food; we watched our video, hung out with the fans, friends, and good people and listen to the record, just a good time.

11. Do you have to be in love to write a love song or sad to write a depressing song?

I think you should try and go with it, and you're not feeling it, then the people won’t feel it. Whatever it has to feel, rather it goes with depression or anger and how you feel it. The way you come out with a track you better make sure it comes out because if it comes out on the song and people sense it, then you're not going to get it the right way. Make sure I'm really connected with it, going with first base and such and really connected with it.

12. Have any plans for Halloween, are you fan of the movie?

I'm not a slasher guy, I'm a horror guy more of a monster guy and science fiction guy, like Dracula and the Mummy, Godzilla, not a big slasher guy so eh Halloween film not really, not a big fan of Jason, to have a guy wearing a mask running around killing isn't scary to me. Having the mummy coming out of his crypt is real horror for me. And for Halloween we're going to be heading to South Africa so for Halloween we'll be in the air!

13. Do you ever get tired of performing the same songs over and over?

No and if we do, we change the set, that was one of the things my drummer always says that same thing I wonder if Slayer ever gets tired of playing "Reign Of Blood," but if we see the kids having a good time then probably not. We're going to have the singer of Coal Chamber, come out and play with DevilDriver, so we never do this but should be really fun. Have you ever toured with Slayer or have you done this already? We have done a few festivals with them, and we would want to tour with them for sure. Getting along with all those guys, knowing Kerry King, has always been one of those guys that would shake my hand, and be really down to earth, like Tom Araya, is like myself a family man has kids, the one guy I really don't know is Jeff. You guys should go out with Slayer in 09 and set something up. Go and talk to everyone to go the message boards and tell them to light it up!

14. What DevilDriver song do you think is a perfect song for a mosh pit or circle pit?

"Meet The Wrench," we close everything with that we'll be ending it 10 years from now, because there's a reason because when you get into that groove you get into it. Either stand back at the bar or get in the pit and be aware of what happens when you come into our pits/shows. It's pretty intense all around the world for DevilDriver, ever since releasing our first record, we've been building our fan base giving people what they want, making heavy metal for ourselves and for our fans we've never gonna have that 1 hit radio song, and then if we do have that one song, then so be it. Having these bands that sound heavy and then goes to the chorus and then sounds like fucking Evanesce and then I laugh and then consider themselves metal, when dude you're shit sucks!

15. Do you have anything you'd like to say to the fans of DevilDriver?

I'm still extremely proud of still doing this for over 13-14 years and this next record we have coming in June of next year is going to be so blistering and there’s not one band around that's not going to take a look and take a listen and say what rare they missing and what they're missing is they’re not us so fuck them!

http://www.devildriver.com/