Spiritech: Hey Dez, what are DevilDriver up to at the moment?
Dez Fafara: We just finished the record actually. I finished the vocals on Friday the 13th and I'm in California right now up in Santa Barbara at our house. We leave on Wednesday to come Down Under.
Spiritech: Speaking of the new album, you've recently revealed that the title will be Pray For Villains. What's the meaning behind this one?Dez Fafara: There's a song on the record called Pray For Villains, and the chorus is, "They pray for villains when their heroes let them down". And it's pretty self-explanatory, you know? A lot of times we put our heroes in a mess and they can't do a damn thing, and all of a sudden someone comes along who you think is the bad guy or the villain, and he saves the day. So that's what that's about.
Spiritech: Interesting. How does the new material compare to your previous albums- heavier? More melodic? Faster? More guitar solos?
Dez Fafara: Way, way, way more guitar work, way more solos, the drumming has stepped up, the bass is so heavy it shouldn't even be allowed! (laughs) It's so heavy. Vocally, I'm doing a lot of different things, I broke out of the box. I think the band as a whole has just been growing from the first record until The Last Kind Words and now, we've stepped it up a notch in order to define who we are and define our sound and also not get trapped into the same place. We're never going to make the same record twice and I think that's the one thing that stands out about this record, it's just definitely something different from DevilDriver.
Spiritech: From interviews I've read that seems to be somewhat of a band mantra, to never make the same album twice.
Dez Fafara: I think so. I think art has to grow. I don't want to be stale and make the same record. I tell people if you're looking for The Fury Of Our Maker's Hand Part II or The Last Kind Words Part II, well, you're not going to get it. We continue to grow and define ourselves and as artists, if you don't grow you get stale, and that's not a good place to be in.
Spiritech: You guys have also had some rather cool artwork on your previous albums- have you got the art for Pray For Villains finalised yet?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, I've got a bunch of stuff in line right now. I'm working on all the artwork and all the concept stuff right now, I should have it done by the end of this month and it should be really cool. It's going to be something different- the last three records have just featured the cross predominantly on the front cover and this time we're going to break out of that box and give them something else.
Spiritech: The band has been rather prolific throughout your career, having released four albums now in about a six-year period. Is this an important thing for DevilDriver to do to keep your name out there?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, well we've been together since 2002, so we've just continued to make music. For us, making fans wait two or three years between records is just ridiculous. So there's no reason why we can't continue to tour as much as we do, and we tour more than most bands in the world. So there's not a reason we can't continue to do that and to write at the same time and keep putting out music.
Spiritech: Do the whole band tend to write much while on the road?
Dez Fafara: Ah, well I know that some people do write on the road, some people write when they get home, I think it's a mixture of both. I tend to write once I get the music in my hands and decide what songs I like and what songs are good for DevilDriver and what ones aren't, that's when I start my writing process. My writing process didn't start until December 10 last year, and between December 10th and now I wrote it, demo-ed the whole thing, all 15 songs and recorded all 15 songs. So I've been working hard.
Spiritech: DevilDriver are renowned for having a wide variety of different Metal influences in their music. Is there anything that you've written through your own process where you've thought, "this isn't right for DevilDriver", or it a case of anything goes?
Dez Fafara: Well, no it's not anything goes at all. It's totally the opposite actually. I don't mind breaking out of the box and stretching our artistic wings, but I know what DevilDriver is and I know what DevilDriver isn't. There's so many influences in this band... often times I don't get brought music from the players because they know, this is absolutely not for DevilDriver- it'd be great for another band but not for DevilDriver. So there are those walls and those boundaries that we don't cross, but I don't want us also to be afraid to jump out of the box and do different things and this record is really about, us stretching our wings now and really, really beginning to... when you hear the record you'll understand what I'm saying.
Spiritech: Is there one song on the new record that you're particularly excited about?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, there is. Well actually... I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing, but out of 15 songs we can only find one B-Side. So when you say which one is the one, I don't know at this point. I just got out of the studio and I'm so attached to all of them. But there's five or six that could be the singles and there's one called 'Resurrection Boulevard' that I think is one of the most out of the box, amazing things we've done.
Spiritech: Interesting. Moving on then, you're coming to Australia for the third time as part of the Soundwave Festival. What can audiences expect from a festival set from DevilDriver?
Dez Fafara: (laughs) Pure energy. We're ready for this. We're going to get on stage and whup ass. We're so ready for this one, we've been waiting for it, because we've off doing the writing and recording so we all can't wait to get down back up on stage.
Spiritech: Any other bands on the bill you're hoping to catch live at the shows?
Dez Fafara: We're playing with a lot of bands we've toured with man, over the years, and a lot of bands that we know, so yeah, hanging out with In Flames and Lamb Of God, it's going to be good stuff. I'm going to be watching Nine Inch Nails with a bottle of wine in my hand.
Spiritech: Fair enough. What's your favourite song from the DevilDriver catalogue to play live, or the one that gets the best audience reaction?
Dez Fafara: (pauses) I think it would be 'Not All Who Wander Are Lost' or 'I Could Care Less' off the first record, but they all get good reactions. And it does differ from night to night, which ones are the fun ones to play. But I can't wait to get on stage and play those two right now.
Spiritech: The band attempted a world record for the biggest circle pit at the Download Festival in 2007 and the pits during your last Australian tour were huge. Any plans to make an attempt at the world record on this tour, or at least try and match those from the last tour?
Dez Fafara: And you were ready, you know? That kind of thing happens organically between us and the fans. So I'll give 'em the cue and we'll see what happens! (laughs)
Spiritech: Will you be playing any songs from the new album on this tour?
Dez Fafara: Nah, well we really wanted to, we were thinking about it but we just finished the record and I think we need to give time in the studio in order to learn them well enough to play them live. We don't want to play 'em half-assed so, it's going to be stuff off the first three records for now. And then when we come back in your fall time, I guess is what it's going to be, or I guess your summer time, in October or November, we're going to come back, then we're going to play a lot of the new stuff.
Spiritech: Is that going to be a headlining run?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, we're going to headline, either between October and December of this year. We're looking for a package to put together now, so we'll see what other bands are going to be there.
Spiritech: With the new album coming out in June I'm sure you've got a hectic touring schedule lined up. How long do you plan for the touring cycle for this album to last?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, we're not coming off the road until December of 2010.
Spiritech: (laughs) That's a long time!
Dez Fafara: Yeah, that's a long time and I hope it doesn't make the wheels fall off the thing, but my boys better be ready to tour. 'Cause I don't want to come home, I'm not going to come home. Once we get on the road, we're staying on the road and that's what DevilDriver does the best, is be on the road. So everybody better hang on to their hats in this band 'cause all we're going to do is tour.
Spiritech: I know you're doing Download in the UK this year- are you doing many other European festivals this year?
Dez Fafara: Oh yeah. We're doing tons of 'em. I don't have the list in front of me to go down them one by one, but I know we're doing most of all of them. We're playing Wacken... I think that's the day before Download, so we're trying to do something there where we can catch the ferry or catch the flight over for Download the next day.
Spiritech: Changing topics again, I was talking to Dino Cazares of Divine Heresy last year, and he was saying how refreshing it was for him to try and reach a whole new generation of metal fans that have come through, many of whom had never seen him play with Fear Factory or knew he was in that band. Is it a similar thing for you, now that it's been a number of years since you left Coal Chamber?
Dez Fafara: Yeah, it's always that within this scene, there's always new people coming in and being in it since '96 you see some fads and many things come and go, but the core audience always remains. And for me, I'm just blessed that I've had two careers and I continue to create art and manage to have a good time still doing it and I'm still attached to it emotionally. So yeah, you do see new people coming in and it's always a thrill. I see people who say, you know, "I know you from Coal Chamber", or, "Hey, I never knew you were in Coal Chamber" and they either check it out and they like it or they don't like it. I like to hear all of the opinions, you know?
Spiritech: Do you find with the DevilDriver fan base that there are more people who have followed you over from Coal Chamber, or more heavy metal and extreme metal fans who have "discovered" the band?
Dez Fafara: That I don't know. We've had some good success so I think some people did follow me over from Coal Chamber, but we've got some new ones as well. I think it's a good blend, it's a good mix of new and old.
Spiritech: Do you think that DevilDriver have become accepted as its own entity these days, and people see you as the frontman of that band and not as the former singer of Coal Chamber?
Dez Fafara: I don't know, I just hope they see me as Dez Fafara, maker of art, because you never know what's going to come up in my future, you know what I mean? I'm just making music man and making art, and if people like it then I'm blessed. As long as I'm having a good time and attached to doing artistic moves then I'm into it.
Spiritech: In the early days of DevilDriver it was mentioned that the band had considered the possibility of playing a heavier version of a Coal Chamber song live. Is that possibility completely off the table now?
Dez Fafara: (pauses) You know, over the years we've tossed it around and we've been asked to and actually in Pomona, California we played 'Loco' and Meegs from Coal Chamber got up on stage with us and played it. But you know, it just doesn't work for DevilDriver, you know? For that one night that was fun, but it doesn't work for DevilDriver, it's music from another band from another era, another feeling, another bunch of people, another group of musicians. So it just doesn't come into play with DevilDriver. However, I miss playing those tunes, I really do, and now that I'm friends with those guys and they're off of heavy drugs, it's good to be friends with them again.
Spiritech: Good to hear. On a more personal note, are there any new releases you're enjoying at the moment?
Dez Fafara: The new Satyricon I think is brilliant, absolutely brilliant man. I think the new Hank Williams III is absolutely brilliant.
Spiritech: There has been a great deal of discussion about Metallica's Death Magnetic in the past few months. What do you think of it?
Dez Fafara: I mean, it's alright you know, it's Metallica I guess. I don't know. I'm a huge fan of Master Of Puppets and Ride The Lightning and all that, you know, so... it's different for me, to hear Metallica doing that style of music is just really different for me. They're great guys, great musicians and God knows they're legends in their own time, but it's just a different style of Metallica that I like.
Spiritech: You're known for having a pretty diverse taste in music and a wide range of influences. Have you thought about doing some kind of solo project that's completely removed sonically from DevilDriver?
Dez Fafara: I do a lot of different stuff man, I mean I listen to a lot of different music and I do a lot of different stuff. I just did a Native American Salute with 13 songs on it that I've playing for like three or four years now so I made a record doing that. I'm going to end up doing a Blues record. I just love music, so there's always artistic endeavours on the horizon.
Spiritech: Do you have any non-musical projects in the works at the moment?
Dez Fafara: My concentration is all on DevilDriver at this point in time, especially when it comes to metal. Anything else I'm just going to keep on hold right now.
Spiritech: Final question- do you have any last words for PyroMusic.net readers?
Dez Fafara: Can. Not. Wait. I cannot wait. I'm not looking forward to the plane flight, but as soon as we land I'm going to be having a better time than anybody, that's for sure! (laughs)
Spiritech: Thanks for your time Dez, I look forward to hearing the new album.
Dez Fafara: Oh man, yeah. I've been saying it over and over, I wish I could put it out on the computer right now, but the record company would have my fucking ass! (laughs)
- Spiritech
