Lucem Fero | Interviews | Six Feet Under

“Ghosts of the Undead” - Six Feet Under vocalist Chris Barnes delivers ten bludgeons of his philosophical hatchet with seventh record Commandment

By Anthony Morgan

Back in the year 1995, a Death Metal record entitled Haunted hit the shelves. The group responsible happened to be a Floridan outfit dubbed Six Feet Under, comprising a host of talented musicians pooled from well known Death Metal acts such as Cannibal Corpse, Massacre and Obituary. In that very same year the group transformed from a part time concern to a full time endeavour, especially following Chris Barnes' musical differences with his Cannibal Corpse members during the Vile album sessions.

Given the high profile stature of their previous associations, like other hyped groups some thought they would lurk under their daunting shadows. Fortunately, this isn't the case. Albums such as 1999's Maximum Violence and 2003's Bringer of Blood followed, Six Feet Under gaining momentum after every release. Aside from the departure of Allen West in 1997 so he could return to Obituary, the lineup has remained firmly stable for the last ten years. That in itself is a surprising anomaly, and a testament to how closely knit they really are.

Fast forward several years and we arrive all the way up to April 2007's Commandment, the seventh slab of misery, decay and human suffering in the form of a full length studio effort from Six Feet Under. Basic tracks and mixing were recorded at Mana Recording in St. Petersburg, Florida, while Barnes' vocal tracks were recorded at The Hit Factory Miami with long time friend and engineer Chris Carroll. And what is the end result? Ten numbers which ruminate over many grisly thoughts of the fragile nature of mortality, all set to a hook laden Death Metal blueprint.

Vocalist Chris Barnes kindly discussed Commandment at much length with Lucem Fero via telephone conversation, all the way from its pregnancy to its ultimate birth. The recording process, the vocal approaches, the philosophical musings; you name it, we asked it. Additionally, Barnes also touched upon upcoming plans for Torture Killer's as yet untitled third opus, returning to the microphone for a second time with that group. The words Cannibal Corpse may be on the tip of your tongue at this point, and don't worry; we did throw some questions at the man himself as concerns his tenure with that equally seminal group. Reasons and circumstances surrounding his departure from the group, his thoughts on the incarnation he left behind and the possibility of a live reunion with the band were amongst the subjects we spoke about. A genuine delight, it easily ranks amongst the top highlights of Lucem Fero's interviewing history thus far.

Hello?
Hey, this is Chris Barnes from Six Feet Under.
Hello, this is Anthony. How are you?
How are you doing?
I'm alright. How are you?
Pretty good.
Is it alright if I start the questions?
Sure, man.
How did the new album come about?
The new album? The new album is called Commandment, it came out about a month or a month and a half ago, and we're very pleased with it. It's the seventh full length original CD from Six Feet Under, we worked very hard on it, and we love the way it turned out. All the fans out there are enjoying it.
What do you love about Commandment?
I just like writing new songs, and having some new material out there to play at the live arenas.
Do you feel it's important to have new material to show the fans in the live arena?
Yeah, it's important. I think it's always good for the fans to hear new material as they always enjoy hearing new material live, so I think it's important. It's not a necessity, but it definitely helps.
What feedback have you had from the fans for Commandment?
The feedback we've gotten so far has been pretty positive I think. Our fans really enjoy a strong Six Feet Under album, and from what I've heard from our fans they like the songs a lot.
Have they told you any reason why they particularly like this one?
From what I've read, they just feel as though it's a great sounding record and also that the songs are very aggressive and straightforward. A lot of them seem to think it's more in line with our earlier material.
Is there a reason why you went back to that sound of the earlier material?
I don't think we really did. I think that's how a lot are interpreting it, which is fine. I just feel myself, being involved in the writing so much, I really don't think like that. It's our next album, and the next evolutionary step in the band, so I kind of have a different outlook on it. That is due to not being a fan, and not looking the same way as others look at it.
What is your outlook on it then?
Like I said, I think it's just the next step further in the evolutionary process musically speaking for us. When we sit and write an album, it's not like we look back at anything we did in the past and try to update it. We really approach every album as though it's our first album that we're writing, and just take it song by song. I just really enjoy a song, otherwise I wouldn't put it on the CD. I just have a different outlook on it being involved in the writing process.
So whatever appears on the CD, you make sure that you like it first?
Oh yeah, for sure. We don't put anything out that we don't really enjoy.
Do you feel it's important to look ahead instead of look at the past?
Well, I didn't say we look forward. It's just we write every album as though it's our first album we're writing, so I'm not really looking forward; I'm just focused on the present, and the task at hand.
Some bands try to recreate past glories so to speak, so do you feel that's a mistake on behalf of other groups?
I think that would be a mistake for us. I can't really comment on how others do it, as that's their own vibe. For me though, it's more important what makes you happy at that moment in time than it is trying to recreate something. I think the second you try making things for other people, it comes off as forced. It just doesn't work for me that way. Everything happens there, and you really can't go back and recreate things. For me, you just focus on the task at hand and one song at a time.
How would you describe the recording process this time around?
It was an interesting session, and definitely a learning experience. We had a good working environment when we were writing the songs, and it worked out well. It was a little bit different and was difficult at times, but it always is - this time it was as far as the mechanic recording goes. As far as writing the songs and laying tracks down, it's not usually difficult. It's a lot of fun to write for us, and that's always a great experience.
Why was it a little bit different this time around?
The surroundings were different. We laid the basic tracks down in a studio that we've never worked in before, and it was with an engineer we had never worked for. It was different in that way from what we were used to.
How did you find recording in a place you'd never recorded before?
It was good, and I think it felt comfortable. We wrote in a rehearsal space for roughly three weeks before the recording, so that got us comfortable with our surroundings. That didn't take us out of our element, as far as writing in a different location is concerned. We came into the studio and had to get used to that new location, a studio that we'd never been in before. On that note it was ok and wasn't too bad than what we're used to, being in there and writing etc. It was a little bit different working and laying down the tracks with a different person. I recorded my vocals where I usually work at, in Miami at the Hit Factory, and that felt very comfortable. It was a good session for me in many ways.
Do you know if Six Feet Under is going to record there for future material?
At Mana? No, I don't think we will record at Mana Recording again.
Is there a reason you won't record there again?
It was a good session, but I just think that we've done all we can at that studio. It's a little limited as far as technology and equipment goes, though it's a smaller studio. It has different sounds and mixes because you're limited by the size of the room, and a lot of the equipment they have is antiquated.
Are they going to try yet another different studio the next time around?
I think we may go back to Morrisound in Tampa for the basic tracks, but I'll definitely be laying my vocals down at the Hit Factory again. That's the only studio where I work.
What are your personal reasons for naming the album Commandment?
I felt that it was an interesting word that conveys power, and it also has the ability to be interpreted in different ways by the reader, viewer or listener. It was a word that encompassed the idea of power that I wanted to realise within the lyrical ideas.
What is that “power” exactly?
My personal opinion is that power is the idea of commandship, and being put in your place by the wealthy and by those in power. It's the common man being in a certain position of subservience to those in power and the idea of that. It's also the idea behind the notion of the Ten Commandments and the history of that too.
Is that like the class system or something similar?
I think that's where religion is born from for sure, it's from a class system. It was utilized to put common man in their place by government, so it's the idea of that and the idea of that being a lie that infatuates society. It's the idea that the only real, true commandment is blood.
Is Commandment a very political album?
No, I don't think so. I think it's about the hypocrisy in society, but it also has a lot of fickle storytelling within the lyrics.
Does the name Commandment have some kind of symbolism to it?
I think so. I think there's definitely symbolism; it invokes certain visual ideas when you first look at it as a word. Sure, I think that it invokes religion and thoughts about that.
Could you tell me about the biblical connotations of Commandment?
Like I said, I think on that level it's more of the idea behind the commandments and how they were put in place; the reason, and the history behind that. I think it's an invention, and it's worked pretty well. If you're good and you don't do these things then you go to Heaven, but if you don't then you'll go to Hell and suffer forever. I think that's kind of used by politicians and by those in power to put the population in their place, and in fear of punishment.
Do you think it's important to have that fear in society?
It's an interesting question too. You ask yourself this; if there wasn't these rules that were put on us by religious organisations and government, would it be total anarchy? I guess it's an interesting question. It's an interesting question; if there wasn't damage, would there be chaos in society? I don't think l'll come to a total ending with that question (laughs), as it's just speculation. If I had to guess, I would say that it'd be a different world we live in if there weren't those commandments that were put in place. They're not necessarily a positive thing, but we don't know if there would be chaos if the world was be able to self-govern itself on that level as far as morality is concerned.
A lot of the names sound biblical, like “Doomsday”, “Thou Shall Kill” and that kind of thing.
Sure, sure. “Resurrection of the Rotten”... there's little symbols in this yes. It's the way I write; I like to have a little bit more there to entice the readers, and just because it's of value.
How do you feel those biblical references affect the songs? What do they add to them?
I think there's a little more to think about when reading the lyrics. It's really up to the person reading it as to what they get out of it. It's really hard for me to say “Here, this is what it means”, and that would take a little fun out of it. It's hard at heart though.
So you want everyone to have their own interpretation?
I've never been a fan of someone interpreting us for me, so I don't really want to interprete our lyrics for someone else.
So you want everyone to have their own personal feelings on the lyrics?
It's bad enough that there's videos. I kind of like the idea of reading a book, which is better than seeing a movie. This is just because you can visualise things in our own head and make up your own mind yourself. It's the same thing with music and lyrics; you listen to music, read the lyrics and you have a visualisation in your own head. If it's the character that you're reading about, then you have it's face in your head. If you went to see a movie though after reading the book though, then it doesn't make much sense to you.
So you feel it's limiting then?
Yeah, it takes away something from the experience for me. I've always felt like that with lyrics, and saw if it's more of a personal experience that I can come out of lyrics with. It's for me; when I write lyrics, I put those things in there because it's almost like I'm questioning things that I'm thinking about, and it goes in the story.
Is it philosophical?
Yeah, my work is philosophical. I really feel that, and it's a way of me trying to figure out a life I guess.
Do you come to any conclusions when you philosophise in your songs?
Yeah, I definitely have. I think I have in my songs, and in my daily life by just thinking about things. I think one thing I've come to a realisation about is that the meaning of life is definitely the quest for knowledge, and we take it onto another plain. I think we're definitely here to gain knowledge, and that fuels the meaning of life. That quest is never ending, and the search for that knowledge is something that just fuels the point of it. That I enjoy.
Do you feel you're still searching for that knowledge?
Oh yeah. I don't think you ever stop.
A lifelong journey then is it?
Yeah, I think it is. I think we all live many many lifetimes, and each lifetime we live we come out with a certain amount of knowledge to take on to the next life.
So you believe in reincarnation do you?
Yes, I do believe in that.
Could you tell me about that, such as what you feel about reincarnation and why you believe in it?
I think there are many hints in life, such as familiarity with certain things, that are unexplainable. These are possibly explainable by the idea of having lived before, which is what I think. My dreams seem very real, and I tap into those places.
Could you tell me about the lyrical stories some of the songs have on Commandment, such as what they're about?
Like I said, I don't really like to explain the lyrics.
You want to leave it vague?
Yeah, I think that they're serious, and it's cool.
Where your lyrics contain graphic content etc., do you feel some people don't see past the graphic nature and don't see the deeper meaning of the lyrics?
Yeah sure man, but it's ok; however anyone wants to interprete things. I'm really cool about a person experiencing and thinking about the lyrics, so however someone wants to experience it and whatever vibe they get from it is up to them. I'm sure though that there are people who really just take it for the imagery, and don't really get the rest of it. I can't really predict what people will take from something.
Do you feel those people are “closed” though? Some of them think “Six Feet Under got a new album out and it's more blood, death and murder etc.”, so do you feel they write it off before they actually investigate your lyrics?
Yeah, I think some people do. I think that there's different types of fans, and different types of people that listen to music. Everyone has their own opinion; that's a part of life, and that's ok. People that really know where we're coming from really get our vibe, and those are the fans and guys that follow you. They're really enjoying our music, and they're a part of those albums.
So you don't care about all those people who write off the band?
I don't really waste my time with what other people think about my material - it doesn't really change my opinion of myself or my opinion of what I do. I'm not a shallow person, and I have really high self-esteem so I don't understand how people can let other people's opinions change their minds about how they feel concerning life and what they do. I think it's a very shallow person who would be affected by those things that other people say. For me, I'll see some of the things being said and I'll be thinking “Well, it's the way they see it. I guess they didn't get it”. It's fine, as I don't waste my time thinking about what other people think; it's been a long road man, so if I would've worried about critics twenty years ago I wouldn't be here right now. I've always had the same idea ever since I grew up; “I'll be here a lot longer than you by keep doing what I do”.
You said you've thought about your final day on Earth? Could you tell me about what you thought?
I think in that biography conversation I had with Tim (Henderson, writer of Commandment press release), it was just mainly a discussion about life in general. I think what has always been a main influence of mine in my writings is mortality, which I think is a driving force of writing horror. You really have to raise the idea of mortality, and that's something that I've always looked at as something I would always question and always wonder about. Being able to embrace that is helpful in writing Death Metal and horror lyrics, and that's always something I've been inspired by in a way I guess.
Does that help you cope with the idea of dying?
No I don't think so. You're asking me if it's a therapeutic thing, right?
Yeah, that's what I'm asking.
Does it help me cope with the idea of death? Does it make me feel better? No, it really doesn't. Writing these lyrics and exploring those ideas just helps me learn about things, whether it's learning about myself or learning about society. I think that experiencing things and learning is, like I said before, the gaining of knowledge, and that's what we take to another life.
So you feel like everything is a learning experience?
I really do man, I believe that. We're here for a reason, and we're gifted by life for sure.
Do you feel it's hard to keep the lyrics fresh if you focus on mortality a lot?
No, as there's all sorts of different levels of that and different perspectives on that. Penning fiction and utilizing factual ideas in my writing gives me a wide variety of pointers, as far as storylines go within horror and the subject matter that I deal with.
Does thinking about death affect the way you approach your life in general?
Perhaps. I think that a lot of people would think that it would desensitize you to violence or death. I think over the years though it's made me more sensitive, almost hypersensitive, to the fragility of human existence and life.
Could you tell me how you feel working with Chris affected how your vocal tracks turned out on Commandment?
Working with Chris Carroll is great. Personally, I will never let anyone else record my vocal tracks. He's my main man, and really motivates me in the way that really gives my best performances in the studio. He knows what I can do and what my abilities are, so he really keeps me focused in that direction when I'm in the studio laying tracks down. Chris is out there on tour with us and does all our live sounds, so he knows the band the best and is really like a fifth member. The guy's awfully talented and has recorded some of the most major recordings in the music industry; he's recorded albums by Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and then Six Feet Under, so he's done loads of material basically. He's a really talented guy.
Does he work on your vocals when you do music for Torture Killer?
Does he record my vocals? He recorded my vocals for the Torture Killer album (), and I'll be working with him on the next one as well.
How does he get the best vocals out of you? What is his approach?
Chris has a very laid back approach. We're very good friends, and have been very good friends for well over ten years now. We have a comfortable working relationship - it's not a drill sergeant type of attitude - he is laid back and just tells me to do better if I need to do better, and I usually know before he says it anyway. He can read the expression on my face while I'm laying tracks down by the way I'm doing things and by my attitude - he really knows me better than anyone else does. He's just a really laid back guy; he doesn't force me, and he knows how to talk to me so I don't get upset or change my attitude. It's harder for the singer in the whole band, and it doesn't matter if it's me, or Michael Jackson, or Shakira, or Jennifer Lopez; like I said, it's a gift that guy has. It's a gift the engineer and the guy mixing the album have, to be able to work with people so sensitive like guys in bands (laughs). They have to have a special talent.
Do you have a really good chemistry with Chris?
Really good chemistry - he's my brother. he's out there with me on the road taking care of me, he's in the studio taking care of me; he's like my brother man. All the guys in the band love him, and as I said he's like a fifth member. I won't go out on live tour unless he's out there with us, so I have to rotate my live schedule around him.
So he's like one of your best friends is he?
He really is.
How does he help you get into that singing mood, that groove?
It's just me and him. Chris is just a really comfortable guy to be around in any environment, whether you're going to dinner with him or you're touring with him in a tour bus. He gives off the persona of an easy going guy, and gives me a positive vibration to feed off. He's never worried, and he's never really upset. That vibe comes off, so I always feel laid back.
How would you describe your vocal contributions to Commandment?
Well I think as all the CDs I work on, I really work off the music; when I write my vocals, the actual vocal tone that I'm going to use and the phrasing that I use, I write all my lyrics and vocal parts after I get the music. Following that, I'll just start putting on the vocals and lyric patterns. I really feed off the music I'm given as concerns writing my lyrics and vocal patterns, accomodating the song with a vocal tone that I think works well with it. As a result, I think my contribution on this is like every other album in that I really work hard at accomodating the best vocal tone and presentation. In that way I think I really did a comfortable, all round great album from my end and gave the best vocal tone that really worked well with the album. That's always my number one worry.
How would you describe your vocals on Commandment in musical terms? Is there a lot of growling, or...
I think I use a lot of different tones, and I use different growls. Some songs have a vocal attack, and there's some that have a more varied tone as far as the vocals goes. I think it accomodates whatever the tone is basically, as long as its also rhythmic so that there's variation. It's not all just all...
Yeah. Is there a reason why there was only twelve days to write and record Commandment?
Well first of all, when people read that it took twelve days to record and write it that's inaccurate... what really happened was we used a rehearsal space for three weeks. We came in, wrote the songs and used the rehearsal space. The number one reason for this was, like I said before, to get comfortable with our surroundings so we were not like finding our feet when we came into the studio. We were really getting in touch with our surroundings by using the rehearsal space - what we usually do, like I said, is block ourselves off before recording. The material isn't really recorded at that time other than some demo tracks for me to write lyrical things, but it's a lot more relaxed. It actually took us about three months to record this album, so it was our longest album as far as time goes. I think people get freaked out and think "Oh. They wrote the album in two weeks" - well you have to remember that usually when you write an album over a six month duration you may only be in the rehearsal space for two hours a day. When we sit there and write an album, we're in that studio twelve, fourteen, fifteen hours a day. We have a lot more time though to focus in the writing area - it's just really hyperfocused writing; we're not sitting down writing for an hour, going home and coming back a few days later. When you do it that way, it takes six months.
Do you feel Commandment's more glued together because of that?
I do. I think it gave us a really great opportunity to all come together as a band, and really bounce ideas back and forth off each other. We really saw what works well as we wrote it, so we didn't waste any time trying to get the sound right. Sometimes when you have six months to write an album, you'll write a song, you're worried and it's just not working out - we just know. We don't do a song that's not really going anywhere, sitting down working two, three or four hours a day on the track. It's now or never - if it doesn't feel right you just throw it out and start over. It's really a great phase picking each others brains, and all it takes is effort. It's just really hyperfocused writing.
Was it really hard to settle down and get into the groove of writing decent material?
Not really, as we know what really works well for us. When we came into the studio on this session, we'd just got off the road literally a week before the writing process. We were really comfortable with our various bits, and well rehearsed from being on the road for a month or so. It felt really really easy to get in there, and just knock the songs out. Yeah, we felt really strong in there, and it was special as far as the writing went.
Do you feel that people hear that you've done it in twelve days and think “I'm not listening to that, that's got to be rubbish” or something similar?
That's what I'm trying to explain. I think there's a big misconception when people see that “fact”, that we supposedly wrote the album in twelve days. If I tried to explain it, I think that some people get bothered about the misconception when they see something like that.
Do you think the press release was a bit misleading then? It used the words “from scratch”, so I thought Six Feet Under had gone into the studio without anything written...
I think so. I think that, by my understanding, I didn't know that people would possibly take that the wrong way. I remember it was said on the last album too, and I had to explain it. I should've been a little more precise in how I explained that during the interview, but I didn't. Sometimes it gets away from you (laughs), so I try to explain to people that it's really not what they're thinking.
On the next album, are you going to make sure people get it right this time?
On the next one, if we work the same way, I'll definitely make sure to outline it a little more specifically.
Is there any leftover material?
There's no left over material; we recorded everything we had really.
So there's not going to be a special edition of Commandment?
No there won't be bonus tracks or anything like that. There's no other material; we put out everything we had.
Have you wrote anything since after that time that you might release as bonus material?
No we haven't, we actually haven't done that. The guys have started concentrating on other things.
In what ways do you feel this album is a natural progression?
Well it just feels that way, though I don't really have any specific detail on that other than I don't think it really relates to anything we've done in the past. I think if I have to look at it that way, I feel as though it's more closely related to our last album than anything. That's how I would look at it as a natural progression; it's the next step in our sound in terms of what we were on the last album.
How do you feel this album expands upon 13? How does it take it that one step further?
Different things in the content I feel just stand out a little more on the album. There was a little less focus on the fast tempo songs, and more of an emphasis on rhythmic type songs. I think that's something that we knew we wanted, to not worry about the past as it's not really our thing. We focused on the riff, made sure it was a memorable riff and made sure there was a very rhythmic type sound.
Do you feel some of the songs have catchy elements to them, like the riffs and some of your vocals?
I think really writing memorable riffs was a big focus for Steve (Swanson, guitars) as always, because we always try to write memorable riffs. I think though we focused our attention more on rhythm, and I think was something that helped us in the riff department with some of the riffs being a little more memorable. That doesn't mean anything off our last album wasn't memorable - I still believe “Shadow of the Reaper” is one of our more interesting songs, and it's my favourite video we've ever done.
Is that more of a favourite than “Ghosts of the Undead”?
I hate to say favourite, but I did just like the way “Shadow of the Reaper” turned out. I love “Ghosts of the Undead” though; I think it has a really nightmarish quality to the way its filmed, and it has a great feel.
What do you like about “Shadow of the Reaper”, the video for that?
It just felt like it was a clip from a movie.
Was it any particular movie you felt it was like, or any particular director's work?
It just seemed there was a real strong visual quality to the video that kind of hinted more towards cinematography and videoclip material. The actors that were cast for “Shadow of the Reaper” proved to be more along the lines of.... well they were actors, and some of the cast from the video were actually in some big production films. It was that though and the visual quality which I liked. I think the directing style on each of those videos was really really great, but on “Shadow of the Reaper” we had some people that were involved in the mechanics of the video who really were rooted more in the film industry. You could just tell with the shots and how the angles were - the shots were just incredible, and I just love the way they shot that video. The storyline behind the little girl with the ball is just very great, and I love the way the band was filmed in more of a green type light. I like the imagery also though. It was a tough video to work on in the various stages, as they utilized a lot of different takes. All the videos have their own special vibe for me, but “Shadow of the Reaper” just sticks out.
Are you going to use the director who directed “Shadow of the Reaper” again?
Probably not, because we had some issues after filming with certain things that weren't cool. You know what though? I would love to work with Gary Smithson again, but I just don't think it's probable myself.
Was there personal issues? Or financial issues? Or...
There were some little financial issues that weren't really taken care of the way that I thought they were in the beginning. Sometimes things cost a little more, and the record company doesn't like it when that happens. Overall though it was a great experience, but there's always a little bit of something in everything you do. It's not an easy job to put a record together, nor is it the easiest job to put a video together. It's just like many other jobs; you might be working in an advertising company, and there just might be something wrong with that last project. There's always those little things, so I don't think you can ever do anything where everything's done exactly right and nothing happens. It's just the way things are in life, as there's always the smallest black cloud overhead.
Do you feel these songs go down well live?
We haven't played any of the songs live yet.
Do you feel they will?
It'll be interesting, as soon as we get on the road..
Because I think they will. I've heard them, and I've found myself humming along to them, so I think they'll go down well I do.
Thanks man, I hope so. I know there's a few standouts that I'm sure will add to the setlist for many years to come.
Do you feel Commandment is less experimental than past releases?
Well... ummm... I don't know. I don't think anything is experimental (laughs), I really don't. Like I said, we look at everything as though it's the first album we've ever done when we're in the studio writing. I think that those terms are more embraced by the media, and used to market different things to the public. I really don't look at anything like that - if it had turned out like a John Denver album or something like that, then you could probably say “oh, this is experimental”. I don't think our last album was experimental though; I thought it was a progression from the previous album Bringer of Blood, and the same with that album and True Carnage. We're just plodding along at our own pace and doing what we do.
Could you tell me about your favourite track on Commandment?
Oh... umm....
Well, do you have one or not?
I really don't man. I don't really ever have a favourite song - it's just more of a fact that I like the whole thing. Each album has its own vibe to me, and all the songs are great to me. I always like the first song I begin to write, and the last song I write on an album. This is because they're a certain point in time for me; on one end, with the first song you always feel like “Wow! Where do I go with this thing? Where does this start?” It's always a little daunting somewhat starting an album out, combined with the wonder of it all and not knowing what's going to come of this thing. You should just hit the tracks out and let it flow. The last song on an album is kind of the opposite way, where you feel like “Wow! I'm glad that's the last song”. After that, it just finishes it off. That last song is the key to what you've done, and it kind of ties it all together from a mental perspective - that's always an exciting song to get through as well. I look at having a favourite in a slightly different way because it has a slightly different meaning to me than it would for a fan out there listening.
So you definitely don't have a favourite?
No, I really don't. Each of the songs hold something a little bit more personal.
Do you feel it's important for the last song to be memorable, and leave a really good impression in someone's mind?
Yeah, and that's why “Ghosts of the Undead” is the last song on this record. I was thinking with this record that a lot of bands put all their good songs, or what they think are their best songs, first on the album. I thought “Ghosts of the Undead” was one of our stronger songs, and I saved it for the very last track because I think it's fitting for the album in a way. It's just the song, the way it ends and the way it plays - it has a good ending to it.
Why was “Ghosts of the Undead” chosen as the first video?
Basically, I chose it because I felt that the storyline concept lent itself to a visual format. It had that particular quality more than the other songs, and it was more open to interpretation in that way. I didn't want it telling a very specific storyline within the song lyrically, and then it having to stick to the storyline of that video. I really wanted it to be a little more open to interpretation, and a little more vague as far as the storyline of the video goes.
Have a lot of people come up with theories about what the video is about?
No-one has really told me what their view on it is. So, I really haven't... What do you think?
I was just wondering about those masks to be honest. You know where they're wearing the masks in the video?
Yeah.
I was wondering if that had a deeper meaning to it?
You can interprete it in any way. How did you interpret it?
I thought it was possibly a statement on what people are like in society and how they don't show themselves for real.
Interesting, interesting. There's no right or wrong, that's what I mean. I think that's what I was intending to go for; to give you your own idea about what it is.
I thought it was saying that with one person you act one way; you act to what people expect in order to make them happy. Some people do.
That's great, and an interesting insight. I like it.
Thanks. How do you feel your lyrical writing has matured over the years?
I guess I'm more focused in terms of what I want to say within my lyrics than when I began writing songs. I still feel as though I attack things in the same way that I've always done, and that's straight from the heart which really affects me in a way; whether it be a particular storyline I'm trying to write, I'm still affected in a certain way when I'm writing those words. I think that in this band, as opposed to former bands I've been with, I feel as though I have more room to play around with certain ideas in my lyrics. Therefore, in that way I think that I've matured - I've never just written about one thing, although it's generally the same type of lyric. I don't think that I've been forced to write the same thing every time in this band. As a songwriter I think that I've learnt how to touch upon those things in my own way over the years, and I've learnt to apply certain things in my writing.
Are there any other videos planned from Commandment? Will there be another video?
I don't think so.. I really didn't think I'd be able to do one video for this album (laughs).
Is that for financial reasons?
Yeah. I think the music industry is a whole different animal at this time and place where we're at right now. I think we're in a transitional phase as far as it goes on the business end of things; in terms of how record companies are run, and how they promote and market bands.
How do you feel that's changing? How labels promote bands and so on?
Oh yeah, definitely; it's changed a lot over the past year or so. I think it'll change even more with the phasing out of CDs over the next five or ten years.
How do you feel that's affecting business for Six Feet Under? The transfer to the digital market?
How is that going to affect us?
How is it affecting Six Feet Under? With people beginning to download?
It really hasn't affected us too much at present. This album is exactly on target; it's selling as much as 13 did worldwide, so on that end of things the record label is really happy. Record labels are happy nowadays if a band shifts just as much as they did on the last album, as opposed to five or ten years ago when a record label was disappointed if a band sold as much as they did on the last album - that's a major difference. Ten years ago they were hoping you could sell ten thousand more in the first month at least, so if you hold you're own like we are then they're really happy; that's like selling ten thousand in the first month ten years ago.
So you're really happy with things are you?
Yeah, I think it's going to be an interesting industry within the next few years as it goes digital. What will the record company's role be in the future? Will it be a bank that loans money to bands? Will it be strictly a marketing tool that helps a band's promotion? What will their job be in the future? If they're just the middle man like they are right now, what will their job be? Will we need record companies in the future? Will the bands be selling singles online through places like iTunes? Will the bands be more in control? In that sense though, will it work? Will the bands be able to market themselves? How will things be accounted? Will there be Billboard anymore? Will there be a Hot 100? How will they account for records sold? It's going to be an interesting time; it'll be the restructuring of an industry which has been the same since the fifties when Rock N Roll was big.
Are you thinking of self-releasing material in the future instead of using a record company?
It's definitely something to think about. For a band like us that has known only one way of doing things, it's definitely going to be an interesting transition. We're going to have to look at it as we get closer, but I still think a record company would be involved in some way. I think the relationship with the record company and the artist though is going to change in many ways.
You're happy with Metal Blade at the moment though aren't you?
Yeah, I'm definitely happy with them. I've been signed to Metal Blade since 1989 and it's a great family type of home that really takes care of the band. Really, in my case, they've helped to cultivate my career. It's still one of those rare labels that is interested in building a longer career for a band, as opposed to trying to sell as many records on one release as possible right at the start of a band. They've been very involved in that part of my career, and have just helped in building a long, long career in music for me; that's one of the things I really like about them.
How do you feel the chemistry in the group has changed since you all first got together all those years ago?
Well, I think that they've been such great friends since the beginning. It's really a strange relationship; a lot of bands and so on don't feel close to the other members. These guys are like my brothers, and it's just always been a great relationship. Lots of bands have their fights and that, though we very very rarely ever argue with each other about things. That's kind of a rare thing - I think our personalities are so similar, especially Greg and myself. We're just very mellow, so people will just think we're so boring as we're so mellow in our daily lives (laughs). I think that has helped over the years though, as we all have no problem hanging out with each other. We haven't gotten sick of each other, and it's stayed the same as far as our chemistry has gone over the years.
So you have a good personal and working relationship with them?
Yeah, we really do.
Do you feel you've got closer over the years though?
Oh yeah, definitely. Sure we have. When we came into it, it was me and Allen West from Obituary. We were the only songwriters at that point, and then we got Greg (Gall, drums) and Terry (Butler, bass) into the band - they were good friends for awhile, and I had known Terry. Over the years now though, since Allen's out of the band, it just really feels like a vibe. We've definitely gotten closer over the years, and we've spent a lot of time together over the past ten or twelve years.
Do you feel they add a fresh ingredient to the band, Greg and Terry?
Yeah, I think that they offer something that no other bassist and drummer could offer. Their sense of rhythm is evident in our recordings, and their songwriting style is evident as well. Of course as far as great guitarists go, I think Steve (Swanson, guitars) is one of the most underrated guitarists in Death Metal.
Is it alright if we talk about Torture Killer?
Sure man. Sure.
What plans are there for a new Torture Killer album?
The guys are over in Finland, and I think they've pretty much finished writing the new CD. We're just planning our studio preparations, and we'll be recording all the basic tracks in Finland. I'll of course be recording the vocals down in Miami with Chris, and most likely mix it down there as well in fact - I'm not 100% sure on that yet.
Is there a date pencilled in for recording?
We're definitely looking at sometime in November time to lay down the tracks. Hopefully I can record my vocals in time, but if not we'll finish the record sometime in the holidays.
Does this new Torture Killer album have a working title at the moment?
No no, not yet. I haven't started writing the lyrics or anything like that yet.
Is there any music written for it?
They've mostly finished it.
Have you heard what they've written thus far?
I haven't heard anything yet. I should be hearing some demo material to see what I think before the November date.
Is there a date pencilled in for when it gets distributed?
Not an exact date, but I think we're going to start recording in November and take it from there.
What qualities did you see in Torture Killer when you decided to be their vocalist?
I was really impressed by their approach towards Death Metal. I felt that it was a rare thing when you find a band, in this style of music, that is more focused on rhythm than they are on blast beats. They had also learnt their lessons in writing within Death Metal from bands such as Obituary and Six Feet Under. That really impressed me as well, that they were influenced by Death Metal bands that really helped with how this band was brought together. Their outlook on Death Metal is interesting - I love it.
I'm not sure if you want to talk about it, but are we allowed to talk about Cannibal Corpse? Or you don't want to touch on it?
We can talk about that, it's no problem.
Is that alright?
Yeah.
First of all, does it annoy you to be constantly asked about your time with Cannibal Corpse?
In fact, it would annoy me more if people didn't remember that I was the guy who sung and helped that band (laughs). I'm real proud of what I did with them.
Do you have a favourite album with Cannibal Corpse? That you sung on?
I love them all, I really do. I really enjoyed them all, but I think one of the underrated ones is the Hammer Smashed Face EP with the cover songs on there such as “Zero the Hero”.
Black Sabbath and so on...
I think that's one of the most underrated ones.
Are you a big Sabbath fan?
Yeah, I think that cover of “Zero the Hero” which we did is one of the greatest covers.
Is there a reason why you chose that period? It's not exactly a period that many groups choose to cover, is it?
Yeah I know, and that's maybe the reason I think. Ian Gillan is one of my favourite vocalists of all time - myself and the drummer of Cannibal Corpse (Paul Mazurkiewicz) were really good friends growing up, and the Born Again tour was one of the earliest concerts we went to. It was one of the greatest shows that I've ever seen, and I think that was probably one of the greatest lineups possible - it was a real great time. I remember thinking of that tour, and "Zero the Hero" is one of my favourite Black Sabbath songs.
That period in the band's career tends to be overlooked a lot doesn't it?
It's a different time, and that album is very dark. It's an in depth type album, and I think it captures Black Sabbath in the early days even more than.... so yeah, I really like it. It was a one off album that they did with a singer that they didn't have for very long, and it seems like they really woke up the creativity on that album.
What do you think about the album cover though on Born Again? Don't you think it's a bit rubbish, or not?
I like it man, I really like it.
You really like it do you?
Yeah, I really do. It's pretty frightening to me in some respects - it's the birth of the Antichrist basically, so..
I don't know what to think of it now to be honest because I've heard so many critics say it's a rubbish album cover, so it's hard to hold a fair opinion on it.
I like it because it's really the birth of the Antichrist in a Pop Art way which is scary of sorts on a few different levels for me.
How do you feel about your time with Cannibal Corpse looking back?
I look back on it with a lot of fond memories. It was pretty much my starting point - it wasn't exactly my starting point, but it was as a professional musician. I think that I really helped bring about a certain style of music, and with that band I really outlined what most people think Death Metal vocals sound like - I'm part of that. I'm really proud of the imagery, and the lyrical stories that I put together on all those albums. We set out to conquer the world though, and I think we did as far as our corner of the world was concerned.
What do you think about the person they chose to replace you?
George Fischer? I know George is a good singer, though he wouldn't have been my choice personally. I kind of like it though because he was never able to sing my songs better than me; that's always made me feel proud (laughs), that I was able to write songs that couldn't be imitated. I think he does a proud job though, and he's a real nice guy.
Are you being diplomatic though? I noticed on Six Feet Under's official website it says your least favourite music is the Cannibal Corpse music recorded after you left..
(Laughs) I can still have an opinion, I mean..
Yeah I know that, I was just wondering if you're being nice...
On a personal level I think they're great guys, and I think they're doing the best job they can. As far as their music goes though, it's not as exciting as Cannibal Corpse's music once was - I'm not saying that because I'm not the singer, but because I think that it's drifted a little bit from the initial message.
Do you feel it would've been better if they had changed their name after you'd left?
No, I don't think so. Alex (Webster) came up with the name of that band, so he was all of it.
It seems as though.. well you got Heaven and Hell now, and that seems to have worked wonders for Black Sabbath.
They went into the direction they wanted to go in, and that's why I was removed from the band. I can't really... it's hard for me to comment because I didn't really like the way things were going there.
What didn't you like then?
What didn't I like about it? I just felt like they were deviating from what we did on earlier things, and it wasn't making sense. I like the songs that I wrote for that last session, but if you hear earlier material it's going in a different direction. I think that was because of Bob Rusay being removed from the band, and him being fired was something I wasn't too happy about.
Do you feel the band has lost its graphical nature since you left?
I think that their lyrics have suffered obviously, and now there's less interesting lyrics that are more generic. Musically they've grown though, and of course they've grown musically... but do I think they've gotten better as musicians and by writing songs that are harder to play? Is that better? I don't think so; I think they've lost a little bit of something trying to make things more complex.
Do you regret some of the lyrics you wrote with Cannibal Corpse, such as “Necropedophile”?
No, I don't regret them at all. I'm really proud of that material.
Did you get a lot of criticism for writing a song like “Necropedophile”?
No, I don't think so. I think that it reflects a lot of things in society; when you tell a story like that and society mirrors it later on, it's kind of a weird interpretation of the world. I've done that a few times, so... but it's only a story, whether it's true or not. If it becomes true later on though, then that's the way the world is. There's some sick fucks, and I just think of them inside my head.
In Germany last year a ban was lifted on some Cannibal Corpse songs, and I'm just wondering if you wish you had the opportunity to perform those tracks over there?
Yeah I did. Actually that's why they were banned because we performed those songs, and then we were banned afterwards.
Oh right.
So I did get to perform a lot of those songs before their bans.
Would you like to have gone back there after the ban was lifted?
After it was lifted? We played a lot of them before their ban, so I did get to perform a lot of those songs live anyway.
Do you think it would've been good for the German fans to hear them again though, with you as the singer?
Yeah, I think so. I think all the fans out there of Cannibal Corpse would like to hear those songs sung the way they were originally sung. It's not where we're at nowadays though, so I don't..
Is that out of the question? A live performance with you singing alongside Cannibal Corpse?
I'm more realistic about it now, and I don't think that they would want to do it. I would do it if I was approached, and I would do I have no reservations about doing it. I really don't think it'll ever come together though because I think that they're just a little negative about doing something like that. If they wanted to do it, I would do it for the fans. I propose to the band and record label that I offer my services for free; I offer to do it, and not even be paid for it. I wouldn't want the money.
If the members of Cannibal Corpse were here right now, what would you say to them in order to convince them to do it?
There's no convincing them. There's no convincing them for anything, and I wouldn't even try - I stopped trying to do that many many years ago (laughs). It's up to them if they ever want to do something and if they want to them I'm up for it.
Do you feel they wouldn't do it out of respect for George maybe?
I think that's a lot to do with it, yeah. I do, I really do.
Was it hard to soldier on when you left Cannibal Corpse? Was it hard to lift yourself up and carry on with Six Feet Under as your main band?
No. Like I said, I wasn't happy during the last year and a half when I was with those guys. I was really going to quit anyway after that record, but I was on tour with Six Feet Under and got back from that tour which was really successful for a first album. We then parted ways - it wasn't really hard at all, and I wasn't depressed or anything. I was actually relieved; there was such relief that I didn't have to go back to being around people that I didn't like as friends. I just dreaded being around them everyday.
Was there a reason for that? Why you didn't get on?
It's just because their attitudes were negative, and I think that they looked at me as... I think that a lot of.... I hate to say it but there was a lot of jealousy there because I was getting a lot of attention. They used their anger over that as a way to make me the brunt of a lot of jokes, and I just didn't appreciate being talked to in a certain way and not being given the respect that I felt like I deserved. When I started playing with Six Feet Under though, I just had this really mellow feeling in our environment. I felt like “You know what? This feels like a band of mature people”, whereas being in Cannibal Corpse was like being in a band with a bunch of ten year olds. Being in Six Feet Under really made me feel comfortable though, and I felt we had the utmost respect for each other because we all came from bands that were really successful. Besides those little type things that I was involved in with Cannibal Corpse, it's been about being in a band, writing some good music and exploring ourselves. It really widened my horizons when I got into Six Feet Under because I was so over being in a band of people that were so immature for their age. Being with a group of people that were on my same wavelength and respect me as a person and as an artist was like a breath of fresh air. I was so relieved about being out of Cannibal Corpse though; it was one of the best things I ever did I think (laughs).
Could you tell me what you meant by them being “immature” and acting “like a bunch of ten year olds”? I wasn't there, so I don't really understand how you mean.
It was just the general attitude of everyone in the band. It just felt like I wasn't respected as a person and as a writer, and it seemed like there was jealousy.
Were they acting like primadonnas?
No, not like primadonnas. It was more of a hostile type of atmosphere. You work a job for so many years, and they're just negative towards you every day; why would you want to continue in that job?
Ganging up on you were they, like taking the piss out of you all the time or something?
At some points I felt like that on different levels, but I've always had thick skin so I'd just let it pounce off of me. I would always think in the back of my head though that “You don't say something like that to someone that you're friends with”. I think even on my end, because I was in that environment, that I learnt to have certain feelings towards certain people in the band too, and I just wasn't in a comfortable environment. I didn't think that anything I said mattered, and that's not where I wanted to be. I have a vision of what I want with my vocals, and it isn't a nice thing when you don't feel like you have a lot of input.
Are you speaking about the band as a whole, or are you speaking about certain members?
I think there were certain members of the band. As I said, I didn't agree with the removal of original guitarist Bob Rusay; I think that was the beginning of an end.
Why do you feel that was “the beginning of an end”?
I felt that we came into this thing as a bunch of friends really playing music they like, and at one point it just became business. Some of the guys in the band just wanted to become more technically proficient due to some of the people in the bands they were hanging out with at the time, and that was because they were in those more progressively styled type Death Metal bands. I think that maybe Bob's style and his writing wasn't where they wanted to go because of the other people they were trying to impress with their abilities. Their attentions pointed in a certain way, deviating from writing good music that a whole bunch of guys got together to have fun with towards writing a bunch of Jazz stuff which I didn't get. I think Bob's writing style helped, even though it wasn't the most technically proficient. I think that it outlined a certain way of writing for us, and when we lost that we lost a little bit of the fun.
Do you feel his contribution to Cannibal Corpse is underrated?
It's 100% the most underrated contribution to that band that there ever was. I know for a fact that Butchered at Birth and all those albums, none of them, would have been like that if it wasn't for Bob's writing style.
Are you still mates with Bob then?
Haven't heard from him since man. I tried to get in contact with him but no response.
Is he still in music or not?
Not that I know of, no. He's actually a golf pro from what I understand.
Do you find that's a bit odd or not?
No, knowing him growing up and him watching golf, tennis and things like that.
Do you feel Metal's missing something without Bob?
I always wish that I could've stayed friends with him, and I guess that's one regret; that I didn't take more of a stand on that whole thing.
You said some of the members were joking around. Do you feel they sometimes took it too far? Did they say something they shouldn't have and crossed boundaries so to speak?
It's hard to remember anything specific. I don't remember any one thing that stands out that they did, like you're asking. I just think that over time though, some of their attitudes just wore thin on my personality. If you're a real mellow person like I am and just laid back and you got people trying to control your life in certain ways, then it just becomes very tiresome. You then just go into rehearsal, and it becomes too much of a task. It's music, you know? It's supposed to be fun, but it wasn't that way in the end. I think Bob Rusay was a member who acted as a kind of balance between the personalities in the band, and when that was lost a lot of things were lost.
He was the glue was he?
Yeah I think so, and when that part of the equation was taken away certain things went in a different direction as far as the personalities in the band are concerned. He kept a lot of things in check, and I think that's when the balance of power went to one side. That's my honest opinion about the whole situation. I'm still friends with those guys - it took five, six or seven years for us to all get past all that stuff, and I think now that we're all friends. When we see each other and hang out, it's always a great experience. We get together now, and we're happier than we ever were in the band; we seem to have more fun when we get together now than when I was in the band towards the end there, and I think that's been a good thing for us. I've done what I wanted to do and I've had input that I've wanted while they have what they want and they're writing the songs that they want. On their level I'm not holding them back and on my level they're not holding me back, so it's all to their own. Like I said, when we get together now we're laughing about all sorts of things and we have a great time talking about old times. It's a whole different relationship than it was then. I have no problem explaining the way I felt about that time in the group, but it's different now. Now it's all good, and nobody has any hard feelings. I have no hard feelings about then, and it's been a good ride for me.
Instead of singing with Cannibal Corpse again, do you feel like you could do some kind of side project with some of the Cannibal Corpse members?
Oh... umm... I don't think so, I really don't. We're just so far removed from each other at this point.
Is that on a personal level or a musical level?
I think on everything really, definitely on both. We're in the same solar system, but they're Mercury and I'm Pluto. You know what I mean? (laughs) We're at opposite ends of the solar system, but we're still in the same realm. We've travelled too far from each other.
But you'd still like to do a live gig with Cannibal Corpse?
Sure. I'd love to do a date where I come out and maybe just sing four or five songs or whatever they want to do - I would be up for it. Like I said, I have no qualms about any of it. It's been put in their court for many years now.
If you did this live date with Cannibal Corpse, do you feel it would be a good note to end on with that band?
There's different ways to look at that. You could say it was a great ending the way it originally ended, but then again we could have a good ending by me doing a reunion gig with them. If it isn't good though, then we'll be disappointed. It's a catch twenty-two, so we either let's leave sleeping dogs lie and leave things as they are or we do a gig and it turns out good. It's hard to think what would be a good ending. I'm still confident we ended this thing the way it was inevitably supposed to end (laughs), but I would be up for it if it ever came together it'd be a lot of fun for me and for them too. I think they've forgotten what it's like.
I feel as though if George wasn't there, they might do it.
Oh no, I even said to them, “Hey, I'd do it if George wants to sing a duet”.
Yeah, that sounds good.
I'd do it like that, it doesn't matter to me. I'd just like to sing those songs again for Cannibal Corpse fans.
Are you going to possibly dust some of them off and do them live with Six Feet Under?
I think I would've already done that with the band, so..
Do you feel that would be disrespectful to Terry and the boys, if you did that?
It might be, and that's kind of why I've held off on one level. I think that that they would stem in the shadow of something else.
And they're worth more than that?
They are man, they really are. They hold their own more, but in the meantime I think I might do some live Torture Killer. They've already learnt some songs.
If the album Vile had ended up being released with you singing it, how different do you feel it would've sounded to what it is?
Actually, on their box set that they did a couple of years ago..
Yeah, but that was demos wasn't it?
The demo is on there.
But what if the songs were the finished articles so to speak? If it was finished properly, and it was a whole album of material?
If I would've finished that record, how would it sound compared to their version of it?
How would it sound? How would your version have sounded compared to theirs?
My version would destroy their version of course (laughs).
Oh right, I didn't mean for you to slag them off. I meant..
(Laughs).
.. on a musical level. I'm not trying to get you to run them down, I'm just wondering how different it would've sounded musically that's all.
(Laughs) I think that my versions are more... I think that was one of their reasons. They wanted to make it a better album than what they thought I could do when I laid those tracks down. Their version after though, which was so many years ago, I felt like “They didn't make that album better than what I would've done”. That was my opinion when it happened. I really didn't think that they made a better album, but then again I had my opinion and that's why I wasn't in the band. I just didn't think that it was what they hoped it would be after I got out.
Do you feel they were desperate for something new at that point and thought “Hmm if we get rid of Chris and hire a new singer, we might enjoy more commercial success”?
No, I don't think it was for commercial success. I think Alex's idea was they wanted to become more underground once again, and I think the commercial success of The Bleeding kind of scared them a little bit. They didn't want to go in that direction any more than they'd been in, and I think that's something that Alex didn't want. I think he wanted to become more underground and purer; it didn't make sense.
Could you tell me about the moment you thought you wanted to be a singer?
You can go back as early as you want. There's three different levels.
Did you hear a certain singer? Or did something happen? Or...
I was really enamoured with Gene Simmons from Kiss and the whole visual idea of a demon being a singer in a band, which kind of stuck with me in a way. When I saw Kiss in 1979, 1980 for the first time as a eleven or twelve year old kid, I was really enthralled. I felt “Wow! This is a live performance”, and I really loved Simmons and what he was doing. At another level I kept listening to music and it got more and more heavy, and then at one point as a teenager I said “Well I love this music so much, so I think maybe I could do that also”. At that point, I started singing along to my favourite albums by Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Motorhead, Venom and so on. I'd sing along to the tape, and I'd try to sing like those guys would in those bands. It just progressed from there really. When I was in my first year at college in the university, I was in a band at that point writing original music. It was the most fun in my life, and being in school I didn't really know what I wanted to do so I wasn't really sure of my place. I just thought to myself one day when I was in school, I said “I don't want to be here”. As a result, I got up, walked out, got in my car, and then cranked it up. I drove up to rehearsal and said “This is what I want to do”.
Which singers did you idolise and why? When you was growing up?
When I was growing up, I think, like I said; Gene Simmons, David Lee Roth (Van Halen), Jim Morrison (The Doors), Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead), and of course Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and Paul Di'Anno (Iron Maiden).
What did you see in all those singers particularly? What did you like about their particular way of singing?
Powerful voices, and almost their typical figures.
This is my last question now. Could you tell me where would you like to take your career in the coming years?
Well.. umm.. I'm still in search of that perfect song man, so I hope that quest someday gets realised. I hope to take pride in what I do and write quality music that I enjoy first and foremost, and music that my fans go with in that part of my career.
Are they the goals you'd like to achieve then?
Well yeah, to write that perfect song, that perfect piece.
Do you feel you're capable of achieving that?
I think it'll probably take me down with it (laughs).
Well thanks for the interview anyway.
Thank you too. I don't know if that's my last interview for this run, but if it was then that's the way I would've wanted to end it.
I'm sorry I kept you on so long..
Hey, that's the best interview I could ever have.
I prefer longer interviews but the problem is a lot of the time the interviewee has an interview afterwards, and they got to leave.
(Laughs).
Hopefully when you bring out a new Torture Killer album, hopefully I can speak to you then as well then is it?
I hope so. You ask excellent questions and I wish everyone was like that as far as interviews go.
I'm really happy with this interview, fair play, and you're a really nice guy. I definitely hope I interview you when you bring out new Torture Killer music.
Thanks man. I appreciate it.
Ok. Take care, I really hope you do.. and good luck with Six Feet Under and everything.
Well thanks man.
I wish you all the best.
Thanks very much. The same to you man and take care of yourself.
Bye.
Bye now.