Corrosion Of Conformity

Interview - Mike Dean

5/27/05

Home | Interviews | Live Pictures | Reviews | News | Tourdates | Message Boardz | Links | Search | CD Store | Trade Index | Mailing List | Sam: We waited a long time for the new C.O.C. album, but it was worth it, why did it take so long for the new album to be put together? Mike: "Pretty much a little band called Down making a record, and a Down record kinda begot a Down tour, which kinda begot a bunch of downtime for us. Then once we got started it took awhile to get a patch of songs we were interested in really pursuing. All that added up to about four and a half years." Sam: How's the new drummer working out on the road? Mike: "Pretty well, we're still working Stanton in where we can, he's gonna come out and play, he's gonna do Europe with us in the fall. And he's coming out for a week in June, and a week in July, he's gonna come play with us. We're gonna have the tag-team drummers again, the James Brown approch this summer, then Stanton is gonna go with us in Europe. Jason's hangin' in there too, he's soundin' good." Sam: I saw the 'Stonebreaker' video, it looked pretty Sabbathy, like you guys had a 70's vibe going on in there. Mike: "Yeah, I mean, basically, we just kinda went and pretended to play music in a a bluescreen soundstage in New Orleans. We didn't really know what it was going to look like until computer boy put it in the computer, and that's how it came out, but I was kinda happy with it so...you know. I saw all these flyers..I heard that they were playing it occasionally on M2 or something, at least on Headbanger's Ball. So, I was in the conveinence store, think he's got way more channels than I do at the house, and I saw M2, and the VJ was sitting there introducing some video I've never heard of, but in the background they were using all that fire and lava and stuff. When you send them your video they can just use whatever they want whenever they want for it." Sam: Seriously? Mike: "Yeah, they're introducing whatever and...stop using our fire!" Sam: So you guys are touring with Crowbar, Alabama Thunderpussy, and Weedeater? Mike: "Yeah, and I think we may have a couple of different acts, Fu Manchu is going to be playing when we get out west for a little, but generally that's West Coast. Crowbar is up for the whole thing, for certain." Sam: Are you guys changing up the setlist? Mike: "Yeah, absolutely, it's kinda like, right now we've got Stanton and Pepper in New Orleans jamming, and Woody, Jason and I are up here rehearsing and every day we get a call about something different. It's like 20, 30 songs we're working on, and every day we get a call from them, like 'oh you've gotta do this, and the Led Zeppelin cover too'" Sam: Zeppelin cover? Mike: "For example, that's just one of many, many suggestions from down there...they're a little bit manic...not really, maybe just with suggestions, apparently it seems like they're planning to play for at least 3 or 4 hours." Sam: How long do you think you guys will actually be playing? Mike: "After all those heavy bands? I couldn't see it going on really for more than about an hour and a half, an hour 20." Sam: How's that record you were working on coming along? Mike: "Oh, Earthride, pretty good, about to send it to the mastering expert, Mr. Seva who has mastered such diverse releases as the last 2 Dolly Parton records and Place Of Skulls... Sam: wow, that is pretty diverse... Mike: "..C.O.C. He's there in the Great Smokey mountains in Knoxville, TN. I guess Dolly didn't want to go too far from Dollywood..or wherever she lives." AbsolutMetal �2005