Published 10th March 2011 on voltagemedia.com.au
Ex-Coal Chamber front man Dez Fafara has just released his fifth studio album with his current band Devildriver. The album, Beast, broke the top 10 in the Australian music charts while they were kicking off the Soundwave tour last month. After being present during their incredible performance at the Sydney leg of the tour last Sunday, I was given the honour of interviewing the man himself.
How is the Soundwave tour going for you guys?
Dez Fafara: It’s been absolutely incredible so far. We’re swimming in humility. We’ve worked hard and it’s paying off – people are loving what we’re doing. I’ve got my wife and kids down here and it couldn’t be a better time.
How long did it take to write and record Beast?
Dez Fafara: We were writing on and off while we were on the road so I can’t quantify how long it took. The recording took about a month to a month and a half. I had to leave a few times due to personal issues but we got the job done!
How do you feel about people downloading Devildriver’s albums?
Dez Fafara: For me, you’re getting the music anyway and most people who listen to us end up coming to a show. We have to understand in this day and age that any underground art may get killed off if it doesn’t come to fruition and if the bands don’t get signed. I’m indifferent at this point. I saw it come from a day when you couldn’t download albums, so let’s see how the future goes.
How has Devildriver changed from the first album to the most recent?
Dez Fafara: The change is coming around in a huge way! We were only together 6 months before we recorded the first album, so we’ve got quite a large body of work behind us in such a short time. So that album is a pretty linear one if you go back and listen to it. On that record we were really just beginning to find ourselves and define ourselves not just for us but for the fans. We’ve come full circle with Beast and on every record we’ve always pushed ourselves to keep defining the band.
What is the lyrical content about on Beast?
Dez Fafara: It’s street lyrics – it’s what was in my head and my place in life at the time. Art should be just that – something you can look back on and see what was in the mind of the artist at the time. It’s aggressive and it has anger issues. To quote our drummer, “Dez has some things to get off his chest.”
What’s one musical influence that nobody would expect to enter the Devildriver musical melting pot?
Dez Fafara: I’m hugely influenced by Bauhaus. I’m also influenced by Black Flag and Black Sabbath. I listen to all sorts of music, from blues to black metal. I’m not closed minded, I grew up on everything from psychobilly to punk and metal.
When you left Coal Chamber and started Devildriver, where did you see the band going? What were your goals at the time?
Dez Fafara: No expectations. Our goal was to make art, to travel the world, to grow as a band and see what happens. That was it. We gained fans one show at a time. We like to think we’re the hardest working band in the metal scene. We want to go out there and have a great time, and it’s very fulfilling.
Have you met any of your musical heroes along the way?
Dez Fafara: I’m fortunate to have met all my musical heroes. I’m blessed that way. I met Ronnie James Dio two weeks before he passed away. We were recording a Christmas album along with some guys from Testament and other bands. I was leaving the studio as he came in, and he came up to me and pinched my cheek and said “Hey kid, you look good!” I wanted to go back in and get a photo with him but I didn’t get the chance. God rest his soul.
He had the best voice in metal, up there with Bruce Dickinson and Ozzy Osbourne. He was a special guy and when I met him he wasn’t talking to anyone but me. To have him look at me and talk to me was enough for me. I feel really honoured to have met him. I met Bruce Dickinson yesterday and got a photo with him. He’s a total gentleman.
I also got to talk to his son, who’s on the Soundwave tour with his band Rise to Remain. He’s a good kid and his father is an outstanding bloke. He’s really humble and it’s great that he doesn’t turn people away.
So, what’s next after Soundwave?
Dez Fafara: Well after this we go home for a pretty short amount of time, then we go out on tour with Glenn Danzig. Glenn gave me the first Coal Chamber tour ever, and we’ve been friends ever since. He’s a legend, a hero and a good friend of mine.
What are your thoughts on Slayer not being able to play on Sunday?
Dez Fafara: I was sitting backstage with Kerry King at the time they had to make that decision. He’s a close friend of mine. I hope Tom’s getting better and I wish him all the best – it must have been horrible for him to arrive at the venue and have to cancel like that. I hope he gets better soon.
How would you describe Devildriver’s music?
Dez Fafara: The music really stands for itself. We’re doing something different and you can’t nail it down in terms of sound. It’s hard to tag-line what we are – we’re very far from the “New Wave of American Heavy Metal” and the emo thing. We have our own sound.
Will Devidriver be returning to Australia?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, definitely. We’ll be returning in January or February of next year. The package is looking absolutely insane right now. I wish I could give you a preview of who I think will be coming out with us but it’s going to be insane.
Visit: www.devildriver.com
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