Interview by Eric (The Bruce Dickinson And Then Some Page).
I was a bit surprised to find out that Eddie
was out of the band. Can you explain that?
Eddie and I have known each other for a long long
time. We're similar in a lot of ways and also very different in a
lot of things. Basically, I think it was that we've been working
together so long that he wanted to start steering the ship a
little bit more and it wasn't the right direction. He wanted to
go really super funky and I just wanted to do what ever we do.
There was that aspect of it and he just recently, before we left
for the Brazilian tour, became a father and so his priorities
changed around a little bit. That's basically what happened
there's no bad blood. Was it pretty was it nice? No it wasn't
perfect. But in the end we saw eye to eye on how we felt and we
all just decided it was a good idea right now to stop playing
together for a while. But it doesn't mean we won't ever play with
Eddie again, it just means that right now is not a good
time.
So it's just a long-term temporary
thing?
Yeah exactly. I'm just trying to find chemistry
and I want play with people that are A - hungry and B - I want to
play with people that get along with everybody and Eddie didn’t
always get along with everybody. Myself aside, we didn't always
get along and it’s the kind of thing when you are not making a
lot of money doing this there is no need to put up with certain
things. I have nothing bad to say. Eddie is a great bass player
and he's got a big heart and he's a good guy. People grow
differently sometimes and it doesn't mean we won't work with him
again.
Why was Richard Podolor brought on to produce
three songs, when you have done all of the producing in the
past?
Well I just happened to be here at this studio
where we did that stuff and these two gentlemen, that worked with
us, Richy (Podolor) and Bill (Cooper), they are very very good
friends of mine. They are guys that I look up to. They've done
some records that I've always been in awe of. When you have a
good friend like that the opportunity will arise too work
together and I though now is a good time because the hardest
thing for me to do is play my own music and do everything else. I
don't have an objective voice because most of the time, when the
guys aren't around, I'm just doing it by myself that kind of
freaks you out after a while. And I haven't had the success that
I wanted to have over the years so, I figure I'm willing to try
other things to have the success that I'd like to obtain with
this band. I'm already talking to him about our new album and
doing the whole new album.
You just released this one and you are on to
the next one.
It's that kind of thing for us. We finished it a
long time ago and it's been sitting in the can for a while and
I'm already itchy. I've got a lot of things to do till I get to
another Tribe record but I'm gonna try to get to a new one by the
end of this year.
The three songs that Richard produced were the
most radio friendly songs, was that the goal with him?
That's always his goal. He's a hit-ster. He's been
associated with a lot of big, big hits. And he just naturally
goes this way.
Are these three songs what you wanted him to do
or he decided he would do these three?
We wrote 7 or 8 tunes in four days and then he
heard all what we had and he so ok I like this one, this one and
this one. That's how it was. I totally just let go of the reins
all of us did. We were like hey, let's let these guys do their
magic and see what they come up with.
Was that hard for you since you've been in the
driver's seat?
No, no, no. You've got to understand I've got a
lot of respect for people that know what they are doing. If
someone knows what they're doing I have no problem. I'm not an
ego maniac. I 'm not a control freak I just want results.
You want the bottom line.
Bottom line. I don't care who comes up with the
idea let's just get the best. For me it's a trust thing and these
people I've known for a lot of years and I trust them. It's the
experience as well to be around and to learn and to watch and to
see how things are done on his level is good for me. It's like
going to school. I'm learning from a master. My type of music is
so different from what I produce that I need to get exposed to
some other things so that I can keep growing.
I find it amazing that you can produce the
other bands you do and play it.
Well, that kind of music is apart of my life and
it's what I started with. I started listening to those types of
groups and I understand everything that makes it. And it's not
phony it's apart of me. But is it me? No. No it's not the
complete me. It's just apart of who I am and my growing up
process. Maiden and Priest were some of my favorite bands when I
was a kid and I use to go see them play. So I know the type of
energy that they need to put out now when I work with the guys
that I'm working with. And groups like Downset was a new thing
where we just created and we took a whole bunch of different and
tried to create something new with it.
I haven't had the opportunity to listen to all
of your previous CD's but the new CD seems to be not as
aggressive. Was this the intention with this to go in a certain
direction?
When I make records now I try to make them all
fit. It's really hard to do when you are someone like me who can
do so many different things. Consciously trying to put out a
product, whatever it is, that has a cohesive energy from the
beginning to the end and yea I agree it is a little bit mellower
in some areas. But what I was going for was more ambient and
spacier vibe.
With Puro Party and What Cha Want
there's definitely a harder edge.
It's like I said that's where we were when we did
that stuff and now where we are is completely different. It will
still sound like the same group but the ideas I have right now
but I don't know what it's gonna sound like, we're just gonna do
it. The thing is we really don't make any money at this. So its
more art for us. What can we do to have a good time? What do we
want to play? We don't care if it sells or doesn't sell that's
not the attitude. Do we want success? Yes, we want success
everybody does that's not the most important thing. The most
important thing is doing what you want to do.
Was the Mercury Records deal a pretty big set
back when that deal fell apart and they went belly up?
Yeah.
Did that damage your ego or your
pride?
I don't know if it damaged my ego so much it was
like man, this so typical for me. It was just so typically, cause
basically it was my whole life there in a nutshell. I get things
going and they look real good and I'm not one to count my eggs
until they hatch, but it was like I couldn’t believe it but I
could believe it at the same time. What that did it just broke
apart my original group. One of the guys got so depressed that he
reverted back to taking heroine. It created a lot of bitterness
amongst the group, as to who was managing the group. And that was
part of out fallout of Dean, cause he didn't like the management
we had, which was Sanctuary, and I just like no dude it's not
their fault s**t like this happens. It was a weird thing and you
make choices in life and you just go with what you know and feel
and hey it didn’t work out.
Would you consider the new CD to be make or
break in the US?
Not really man. The timing is ok for us right now
but we were doing it when it wasn't popular. It's popular now and
tomorrow if it's not popular I'm still gonna do that facet of
music. It doesn't mean that's all I'm gonna do. I'm already in my
mind putting together something else outside of the Tribe and it
will be a whole another thing. But I'll never stop doing Tribe
records. I'll always make a record on some level. We have too
much fun doing it. We all get together, we all get along, we all
joke around and we just have a good time. And people that see us
play it a great groove. It doesn’t matter who's in the group it
just when you fuse that many good musicians together, it's magic.
To answer your question, no it's not make or break. This release
is coming out in the States in June and in Europe on Air Raid in
Europe and Sanctuary in America. Right now we've go all of the
big labels calling us and asking us for music, which is a novelty
for us. That hasn't happened in a lot of years. That's why I've
got to hurry up and get some more music together, cause people
are interested in it. And if it's not this one that pushes us
through then I want to have the next one ready to go and I want
to keep working with Richie and Bill handling the sound and
production and just go with that. But I've got to tell ya, the
new stuff I'm writing is a lot more aggressive and it's a natural
thing. It's where you are when you're doing it. Imagine an
artist. An artists paints a piece of art he's not there any more
a year down the road he's somewhere else, but people think that's
where he is cause that's what they see. But, it's like when
you're an artist your moving around just going for it.
I know there is a tour in Japan coming up. Is
there a tour in the States?
I've been talking to Bruce a lot and we’ve been
talking about doing a Europe tour. That looks pretty good.
As far as opening up for Bruce one
day?
No, us going out with whoever we fit with and
whose touring. And right now we are working on some states
things. A lot of them are really far fetched and a lot of them
could happen for a summer tour. So that's kind of where I'm at
right now. This comes out in the summer here and in Europe and
we're just gonna try to string some dates together. And I'll be
done with whatever productions I'll be doing and I'll dedicate
the summer and whatever part of the fall to touring and then I'll
take the opportunity in the Winter to do some new Tribe and
possible some Bruce stuff.
So there's a chance for an East Coast
swing?
There's one tour that somebody over at Billboard
is trying to help us with. There's a guy over there that gave us
an article and he's just really into the group. He's got friends
in high places and we've got friends in high places and it seems
like we have a lot of the same friends. We're trying to get on
this one major tour and if we get on that then the whole things
gonna change, but that's the good thing about having the release
in the states even if its small scale the distribution base is
there. It's just a matter of just going out and promoting the
product. And I have no problem getting in my car or van and just
driving.
Do you know much music theory?
Yeah. I studied for a lot of years.
At a college level or private?
Private. I got pretty intense with it. I started
transcribing these real crazy classical pieces and started seeing
what made it tick. And once I did that I started doing it with
Rock records. I'd take Deep Purple records, whoever I was into,
and I'd dissect the whole thing. I'd learn what the drummer was
doing I'd learn what the bass player was doing. The whole thing.
So that's how I learn how to put things together by dissecting
records. There's even some records I re-recorded.
Like what?
I can't remember but there was a bunch of stuff
that I re-recorded just to see if I could replicate it.
How often do you practice?
Never.
C'mon on.
I never do man.
I guess when you're writing is your
practice?
Yeah. I just shoot from the hip. I stopped
practicing 10 years ago.
Let me ask you a couple of safe Bruce
questions. As far as working with Adrian how has that gone for
you? Was it something you were excited about or just yea ok let's
do it?
It was kind of both. You got to understand, when I
was young that was the s**t even part of me now it still is the
s**t and to think that they're a hot group. Playing with Adrian
was cool he had a lot of ideas that were really cool.
When I interviewed Adrian, in Oct 97, he said
when came to rehearse for the AOB tour he was thrown off
by the down tuning a half step.
It freaked him out. After a day he wanted to go
back home. I'm not kidding.
He was that disgruntled?
Yeah, just thrown off.
What was your impression of
Skunkworks?
I thought it was cool.
Did you talk to Bruce a lot during that
time?
Not a lot but we'd hand out together.
I read that you wanted to be a player for the
Los Angeles Dodgers.
Oh yeah.
You had a heck of a fastball I
guess.
Yea I could throw a ball pretty good. I was really
into it. I still am a sports freak. My passion is NFL. I like
basketball and I love playing baseball. I played baseball and
football for a lot of years.
What guitar do you always pick up?
I have a gold top Les Paul. That's the one.
What about amps and effects?
I use Marshall amps.
What about effects?
Delay.
What about guitar influences? Can you name a
few?
Oh man. Everyone under the sun.
Is there anyone who influenced you the
most?
I don't know. There's so many cats.
What bands do you listen to now?
Radiohead. That's like my favorite group.
What's your favorite Radiohead CD?
O.K. Computer. That kind of helped me come
up with some of the ideas that I came up with for some of the
stuff I'm doing. I'm just really into that record.
Are you a big rap fan?
Oh yea I like Gangsta Rap. I like it. I think it's
hilarious.
What was it like working with Jake E Lee on the
Rob Rock sessions?
It was great. It was my idea. He's a great
guy.
What was the experience like working with Rob
Halford? Better than you thought?
It was holy.
Is there a big difference in producing him and
Bruce ?
Yea. It's a whole other animal.
Are there a lot of similarities
there?
Oh yea, Loads and loads.
At this time Roy had to end the interview due
to his schedule. The last part of this interview I was trying to
get in as many questions as possible since I knew time was
running out that is why the questions jump around so much.
However, the interview went great and Roy was super
cool.