| In
this vast world of metal, there are always new things to listen
to, but also bands that even when they don’t have an awful
number of years out there, constantly work to improve both their
live acts and recordings, in the pursuit of new ways to reach
the audience.
DEVILDRIVER is currently in the middle of a great
journey, visiting all the corners of the world spreading the sonic
brutality of their upcoming album entitled The Last Kind
Words. During their pass through Dallas, Texas, I had
the chance to talk to Dez Fafara (Vocalist) about touring and
the immediate future plans for DEVILDRIVER.
Terror:
Dez, Thank you for your time.
Dez: Thanks for having me.
Terror:
How are you feeling in Dallas?
Dez: Killer, great… we are gonna own it tonight,
I can’t wait.
Terror:
How much time have you spent here today?
Dez: We got here last night, so we had the chance to
go out, go to a good steak house, eat and stuff.
Terror: Did you try Texas Style BBQ and stuff?
Dez: Of course…We love Texas, I love coming
to Dallas
Terror:
Now, I am impressed with the lineup for this concert, how do you
feel about it?
Dez: I think it’s great, when you get to see Unearth
which is a hardcore band, Dimmu Borgir who plays Black Metal,
you get to see all this different versions… and I think
that’s killer, and nobody sounds alike so you get more for
your money.
Terror:
Do you think that touring with these different kinds of bands
might open an opportunity to collaborate in the future?
Dez: You mean tour again?
Terror: I mean touring, song collaboration or
something like that?
Dez: Right now I am not thinking about that,
we just tour with cool people, we are having a good time on this
tour, and we would like to tour with everybody again… specially
Kataklysm.
Terror:
We know that you are really busy, and on stage all the
time… What is your favorite activity when you are trying
to chill?
Dez: Hmmm red wine… Good Italian wine,
good Spanish wine… that’s my down time. I get a good
bottle of wine; I drink a couple of glasses… that’s
how I relax.
Terror:
Now you have this upcoming album, what are your expectations with
this new production?
Dez: Expectations lead to disappointments, so I don’t
do that when it comes to art.
My expectation would be that people could see and understand where
we are going and what we are doing, step into get it heavier.
If you like DEVILDRIVER you are going to love
this new record, if you didn’t like us because maybe it
wasn’t heavy enough you are going to love what we are getting
ready to do right now.
Terror:
What are the most powerful songs in this new album?
Dez: Every song is intense, from the middle of the record
even on, it gets faster and heavier. So we are playing 2 new songs
tonight, Not All Who Wonder Are Lost and Clouds Over California,
and you’ll see for those two where the direction is going.
Terror:
How was the recording experience?
Dez: Excellent, we recorded in El Paso Texas again; in
Sonic Ranch… it’s a mile far from the Mexican border…
There’s not a lot to do out there. And, we just recorded
really quickly, working with great people.
Terror: Did you have chance to go to Mexico?
Dez: No, I didn’t have a chance. But I’ve
been to Mexico many times…
Terror: Do you like it?
Dez: I love it man, I was raised in California
so it’s basically Mexico (laughs).
Terror:
Now, what is the reason for the early release of the album in
Europe?
Dez: It just happened to coincide with us having tours
and festivals there and usually July and August are not very good
months to release in Europe because everybody is on vacation in
Europe, everyone. So it just seemed appropriate, to choose that
release date to be able to play it and back it up.
Terror:
Now, The NBC Show Scrubs they used 3 DEVILDRIVER short clips,
how did that happen?
Dez: Jeff, our guitarist knows the producer, and they
initially wanted to put Nine Inch Nails in Scrubs, but Jeff said
“no, put Devil Driver” and they listened to DEVILDRIVER
and they rewrote the script in order to put us in, and it’s
a great way to show us to other people, and we are really pleased
they did that for us and I never watched the show myself until
I seen it, now I think it’s fucking hilarious.
Terror:
You and the rest of the band are going to London in June 11th
for the awards. How are you feeling about that?
Dez: It’s gonna be great man, Dimmu is playing
so it’s gonna be great… Machine Head is playing too.
It’s good to get to hang out with a bunch of musicians;
Award shows are cool because you have that chance.
Terror:
Now, how do you feel about Download Festival?
Dez: It’s going to be incredible Download…
we play the day Iron Maiden is playing, so it’s going to
be incredible.
Terror:
What other festivals are you playing in Europe?
Dez: Tons! Graspop, Rock Am Ring… we are doing
9 or 10 festivals in Europe this year… probably more.
Terror:
Any plans to tour South America?
Dez: We are going to tour South America, we are getting
the South America run together now but it probably won’t
take place until October-November or November-December.
We are going to Japan; we are going to Australia, Europe…
We are going around the world man.
Terror:
Could you please tell me the briefs on the new video you are preparing?
Dez: I can’t.
Terror: Oh come on!
Dez: All I can tell you is that Nathan “Karma”
Cox did it… and we are very appreciative of him coming and
making a video for us. And he’s a wonderful guy and can’t
wait to see what he’s gonna do.
Terror:
So far, what’s been your favorite city or the concert you’ve
felt more interaction with the audience?
Dez: I feel interaction every night, we connect every
night. The Audience and the band, and when that stops happening
I will not do this anymore, so you don’t need to ask me
that question (laughs), it has to be total interaction or I will
not have it.
Terror: So you enjoy it the same way?
Dez: I love it, and the people asks me what is
the best city and the best crowd, it’s not that way…
anyway there’s more than a 100 people in a microphone, it
just so happens to have 1000 people a night sometimes… and
it’s been incredible.
Terror:
Have you had any technical problems on stage?
Dez: There are always small technical problems but you
work it out, you fix them.
Terror:
When you are touring, do you like to get some rest after the shows,
or do you like to go out to party and do other stuff?
Dez: Different nights are different things, you know?
Sometimes we go out; sometimes you end up in somebody else’s
Bus having a good time, other times you come back here, you shut
it down and you turn on a movie, and you try to have a normal
life, it just depends if you are tired or what you need to do.
Terror:
Do you have any listening favorites right now?
Dez: Amon Amarth, Satyricon, Artimus Piledriver…
I listen to Artimus Piledriver every day.
Terror: I haven’t heard that one…
I have to check it out man.
Dez: You have to.
Terror:
Do you have any final comments?
Dez: Thank you.
Thanks
to Dez Fafara and Edie Ortelo for making this possible. |
