Interview

DOWNCOUNT Interview, 11-11-09:

1. If you could only name one band as your all-time favorite, which one would it be? (Amanda P.)

Eric - Pantera!!!

Will - Just one? Oo, tough! I like so much different stuff, depending on my moods, but I"m gonna have to choose 2; one for upbeat days and one for when I"m feeling low.
Upbeat: The Ramones. They always make me smile, and though they are not the most technically proficient of rockers their energy is infectious. Downbeat: Morphine. "Low-Rock," as they call themselves. Good music for late at night, in a smoky room. These guys are the definition of cool.

Marlon - River-Bottom Nightmare Band. Their performance on Emmit Otter's Jugband Christmas was instense. I've never seen muppets play with more ferocity.

Doug - I like many different bands, for different reasons, so this one is extremely difficult. If I had to pick just one it would probably be Alice In Chains with Layne Staley. At first, I didn't know what to make of their sound, but it quickly grew on me and I realized that Metal could be heavy, dark, powerful and melodic at the same time.

2. What type of music gear would you like to use, if you had endorsements from various instrument companies? (Douug U.)

Doug - There are several equipment manufacturers that I have grown to love, spanning everything from recording, mics and guitars, to amps, drums and cymbals. But I'm going to hold off on mentioning any names at this time. Just know this: I will never endorse any kind of product that I don't use. I can't stand to see a musician pose for magazine ads, endorsing a particular type of equipment and singing its praises, only to watch him use something else when he performs. At best, it's very tacky. At worst, it seems dishonest.

Eric - Any gear that is FREE! Seriously, that is a tough one since there are so many great companies. I'd have to say Morley has been the best to deal with thus far. Others would include, in no particular order, CoreX2, Krank, Eminence, Gibson, GHS, Takamine, Digitech, Elixir, Fender, Fractal, Shure, Sennheiser, Carvin, and I could go on and on.

Marlon - The kind of reliable instruments made by a reputable company that would give me a great endorsement deal. Until that time, they shall not be named.

Will - Well, I haven't tried all the stuff that's out there, but I'd go with SWG amp heads with Hartke/Ampeg cabs--best of both worlds. On the guitar side, I'd love a vintage EBO bass--the SG looking ones, like Jack Bruce used--along with a modern Sadowsky, with active PU's. I generally prefer a mix of digital compressors with analog effects, but so far keep my signal pretty clean for the DOWNCOUNT stuff. I might let my inner Bootsy run, when we start writing new stuff, however.

3. What is your favorite song on "Soundtrack of the Revolution," and why? (David S.)

Will - "Altered State" and "Escape" are my two current faves.

Marlon - "Altered State." The song, as a whole, is really solid from top to bottom--melodically, heaviness, riffs, arrangement, rhythmically, and lyrically. All put together in one nice package--which is what all the ladies tell me I have.

Eric - Anniversary since its so personal to me.

Doug - I have several favorites, because most of the songs contain a certain message or record a personal experience. For example, "Altered State" tells the story of the motorcycle accident I had, a couple of years ago. "Free," "Against The Law" and "Come And Take it" are basically freedom-lover anthems. "Life Support" is a song I wrote a long time ago, and was the first song I ever professionally recorded, so it's very special to me. But if I had to pick just one for the top of the list, it would probably be "I Regret." It's heavy, powerful, melodic, dark and chugging. It tells a story of a recently-deceased man, remembering how he mistreated everyone around him but knowing and regretting that it's too late to fix it.

Part 2