"We’re doing something different from all the bands out there right now."

Dez Fafara and his band DevilDriver are releasing their 4th studio effortВ 'Pray For Villains' throughВ Roadrunner.

A great reason to talk to the frontman.

and interview conducted by Vassil Varbanov

I BELIEVE THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT YOU TALK TO A BULGARIAN MEDIA. AM I RIGHT?
This is true. We appreciate you having us.

WE HAD THE CHANCE TO WATCH YOUR BAND LIVE ON THIS GREAT STREAM ON THE INTERNET LAST WEEKEND AT THE DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL. SO WHAT HAS THE BAND BEEN DOING SINCE THEN?
Unbelievable. Just travelling, travelling and doing shows. We haven’t had any time off and we’re just rolling through, you know.

DO YOU STILL HAVE THE POSSIBILITY TO REMEMBER EVERY PLACE YOU HAVE BEEN TO OR IS IT JUST A BIG ROCK ‘N ROLL CIRCUS GOING THROUGH YOUR HEAD?
Well, you try not to make it a rock ‘n roll circus. You have to try to see some of the places and some of the culture and people, but some of it does become a blur because it is day after day. But you have to give it 110%, man!

WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN SINCE THIS FAMOUS DOWNLOAD APPEARANCE?
We’ve come in and out of Spain, we’ve come in and out of France, we had a nice stay there and we just keep rollin’, keep rollin’ on.

SO ACTUALLY THE IDEA TO HAVE YOU WITH US NOW IS THIS BRAND NEW ALBUM OF YOURS. SO HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT? IS IT THE MAIN THING THAT YOU PLAY LIVE…
At this point, because it is a new record we play only one song but after it comes out we will be playing more. Right now the feedback has been incredible for it and we’re having a great time playing this song. We’re playing ‘Pray for Villains’ from the new album.

THE OPENING AND TITLE TRACK.
Yeah. When the record comes out we’ll play more songs from the record. Playing new material is always exciting for us.

ACTUALLY THE DAY IT COMES OUT IN EUROPE IS THE 14TH OF JULY, THE NATIONAL HOLIDAY OF FRANCE.
Oh, yeah. In the USA as well.

I GUESS YOU’LL SAY YOU ARE PRETTY SATISFIED WITH THE ALBUM AND THAT YOU FIND IT TO BE THE VERY BEST YOU HAVE DONE WITH THE BAND, BUT…
Yes, of course we all know that every musician would say that his latest album is the best work they’ve done. But for me I think being satisfied is a good thing, being too happy is another. If you are the next one comes out bad. So I’m satisfied with this record, we keep moving forth to define our sound and make sure we don’t sound like anybody else out now.

TO SOUND DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE BUNCH OF BANDS AROUND, AND ACTUALLY YOU HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A WHILE NOW WITH YOUR PREVIOUS BAND COAL CHAMBER AND NOW DEVILDRIVER, IF YOU COMPARE THE TWO BANDS COMPARED IN TERMS OF ATMOSPHERE INSIDE THE BANDВ  - WHERE DO YOU SEE THE MAIN DIFFERENCE?
I actually see similarity. When Coal Chamber came out we were doing a very different thing than most of the bands and eventually we got moved in a category with a whole bunch of bands. And I think DevilDriver now is doing the same thing now – we’re doing something different from all the bands out there right now. Those are the similarities.

The difference is that DevilDriver have their heads more around what happens in this scene. There is no one who uses hard drugs on a daily basis and nothing is going to interfere with the work of the band. We have a good time and we all know we’re in it for the long run and we know we’re going to tour for this record until the end of 2011, which is in many years. So everybody is kind of starting off and keeping themselves together. That is the main difference.

YOU SAID THAT DEVILDRIVER IS VERY MUCH DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE BANDS AROUND. OK, BUT DIFFERENT IN WHAT?
We have a different style musically. I have a vocal style that is different. We have a groove factor that not many bands have now and we rely very much on that groove. And so I think it is very different from a lot of bands that play right now. A lot of them are trying to get heavier and faster and we have really concentrated on the songwriting and brought it back there which is so critical at this time. Like I said, there is so many bands populating the scene.

TO WHAT EXTEND DOES HAVING AN EXPERIENCED WORLD FIRST CLASS GUITARIST LOGAN MADER HELPED YOU DEVELOPPING THIS SO CALLED NEW SOUND ALTHOUGH WE COULD HEAR IT IN YOUR PREVIOUS RECORDS TOO?
I think he is very focused. He has a very Zen-like focus to him and he comes to the studio extremely focused. He is not one of those producers who put their sound on the band but rather lets the band put its sound on the record. So he can produce two or three records and you would not know it is his production, although you are going to hear something great and sincere from him. Both his Zen aspect in the studio and his focus as well as him letting us be us.

SO HE IS PROBABLY PRODUCING THE NEW BRITNEY SPEARS RIGHT NOW?
Good God! Who would turn that down? There’s probably a lot of fuckin’ money.

GREAT NEW ALBUM ACTUALLY. I WAS SINCERELY IMPRESSED WHEN I HAD A CHANCE TO HAVE A FIRST LISTEN TO IT, BUT YOU ARE READING MY MIND (OR THE OPPOSITE) AND GROOVE, MELODY AND DIFFERENT VOCAL STYLE ARE THE KEY SELLING POINTS OF THIS ALBUM, SO CONGRATULATIONS…
Thanks very much, man! All you do is you make your art for yourself in your band and then you put it out there and hope that people like it and come to it. It has been four records for us and many, many years on the road so people have really started to wake up and take notice that hard work pays off.

IS IT SO EXPENSIVE NOWADAYS TO MAKE A HIGH QUALITY SOUNDING ALBUM?
I think it is. You have to spend some amount of money to make it right. But then again there is people who so it out of their house and out of their rooms and it sounds absolutely amazing, so I think technology is catching up with what we used to need as far as money to go into the studio and sooner or later you’re going be able to make at home.

IT WAS REPORTED THAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO A TOUR WITH ANTHRAX. ARE YOU WITH THE GUYS NOW?
Well, we’re doing off-shows with Slipknot and Anthrax and a lot of other bands so it’s been a great time between festivals. We have played with them two nights ago and it was great to see the legends and our friends, I have been friends with Scott Ian for many, many years. Everybody is out there and we’re helping each other and it’s very fuckin’ cool.

rights Tangra Mega Rock