“I didn’t like solos for the first
year I was playing because
I thought of [Poison’s] C.C.
DeVille and that high-pitched
wankery.” —Oli Herbert
sound. Obviously, we’re not a groundbreaking
band—we’re not trying to be like Frank Zappa
or something like that—but I think all our elements combine to create something unique that
you don’t hear in any other bands.
Martin: It’s easier than you may think, considering the differences in what we all like. There’s a
lot of clashing personalities with music in this
band, but everybody understands what variety
will bring to the song. There are a lot of bands
out there that, to me, sound really flat. A lot of
straight thrash-metal bands bore me to tears.
When you say there are differences, are you
talking polar opposites—like, there’s someone
in the band who wants more of a Dixieland
jazz sound?
Herbert: We all know that we’re trying to make
metal music, but a lot of us don’t really listen to
metal too much on our own. For example, Phil
[Labonte, vocals] listens to a lot of pop music,
and Mike listens to John Mayer and stuff like
that. I like a lot of jazz and classical music. I
think it makes us the band we are. If we’re all listening to the same five metal bands, guess what?
We’re all probably going to sound like them. I
think it’s cool to incorporate some of those more
eclectic influences.
Martin: But I don’t come into practice saying,
“John Mayer would play it like this!” [Laughs.]
I would never come in with a riff inspired by
John Mayer—it wouldn’t fit. I don’t do too many
leads, but when I do play them, you can tell
they’re a lot bluesier. I like a lot of blues guitar
players. Oli plays such technical guitar solos—
he’s a note festival—so I like to do something
completely out of the norm. Phil and I are basically there to create some air. It’s a cool contrast
and it works out really well.
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Compared to your previous record, For We Are
Many has more dynamics, more melody, and
more hooks. In my mind that’s a good thing,
but some of your fans are like, “They’re trying
to be more pop and mainstream!”
Martin: That crap has been happening for the
last six years now. As soon as we had one part
that had actual singing—which came out seven
years ago—people started running their mouths.
Those black-T-shirt metal kids are just scared to
death of melody. I never got that. I never came
from that whole school of thinking where it has
to be screaming and brutal, and if it’s not it’s
“gay.” Ever since we’ve had singing, there’ve been
people who are just like, “Oh, they’re going more
pop.” It’s just annoying. We’ve had singing on
the last four albums now, and people keep talking about it. It’s stupid.
