Page 43 - Black Velvet Issue 94

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think that making a heavy record wasn’t be- kind of skeletons of the songs… they’re kind this. You’ll get better.” Rarely you go, “Hm, I
cause “You should do something different,” of called the mannequin, the undressed don’t know, doc. I’m going to need another
and we said, “You know what? Screw you.” I mannequin… we take them into the studio doctor’s opinion.” Usually, your immediate
think it was more of, we’re just going to do and then we can do whatever we want, we reaction is to go, “OK, this is my doctor”. So
what we want to do and it turned out that was can dress them in a tuxedo or we can put I find it sad that you get doctors prescribing
what we wanted to do. I think that’s out of us blue jeans on them, we’re free to do what- all this medication to people and they get
now, and I think this is the first time ever I’ve ever we wanted. We did the record in London hooked on it. It’s an opioid. Heroin is an opi-
been able to write from a place of complete with Martin Terefe. We just felt there was so oid. It’s so hard to get off of it. These people
freedom. When I started writing the songs much more diversity and willingness to just are being paid to promote this stuff and
that would end up on the record, I really just try anything with Martin. We literally were dump it on people. It’s sad. I’ve never had an
told myself, “Just write whatever you want.” like, “What do you think we should do?” and addiction to any kind of drugs, so my per-
Sometimes I felt limited to what I could write he’d say, “I’ve got this great idea. Hold on...” spective is may be different. That’s the part
because rock is such a great format, the fans A Wurlitzer, keyboards with these crazy that I don’t get. It’s not a street drug that
are so great. Even with metal, the fans are sounds and echoes. We were like, “That’s you’re trying to get kids off like meth or
more into the band. They’re not into a song, amazing, that’s awesome. Can we use that?” something. This is happening with the gov-
they’re into the band. An Iron Maiden fan whereas before, we’d be like, “No, that won’t ernment. This is the FTA. This is people
loves Iron Maiden no matter what. So, for us, work. That’s not a guitar.” I think when we passing laws allowing hospitals to give you
sometimes I felt limited. “Well, you know, I were in the studio we would say no to noth- the stuff. That’s pretty much what the song
can’t really write this.” It was ridiculous. So ing. We would just be completely open. stems from. I think it’s just exposing some-
on this record, “No, dude, write whatever the “Let’s try it. Never say no.” Which was thing that we already know. I know one fan
fuck you want. Write anything.” And this is great.” asked, “Do you think you are exploiting it or
the record. And I think this is the first time But the album isn’t all a completely new kind of making fun of it?” No, no, no, it’s a
I’ve never felt freer to just sit down and go, Theory. They do still have some humorous, serious song. I think it’s my unique way of
“I want to write a song about this. This is catchy rock tunes that poke fun at others. communicating, sometimes I poke fun at
how I want the sound. I want it to be on ‘Po Mouth’ is amusing, for starters. something that is ridiculous. It’s become so
piano,” and we just did it, and I think it Tyler agrees, “Yeah, there are some fun ridiculous now. This is how ridiculous it is;
worked. I think we did a great job. I’m so lines there. “You open up your wallet and a there are old people that are probably on opi-
proud of us for kind of thinking outside of moth flew out,” Po mouth – a lot of people oids right now, like cops, the President, etc.
the box and not being limited to our format. don’t know what that means. It’s kind of a It is a ridiculous song, but it’s also a serious
Even though rock has been so great to us; saying about people that always bitch about one.
we still are a rock band, we felt this is a great never having money. But then they’re always “I’m not an expert on it. The last thing I
time to maybe do a different kind of produc- going out with you to dinner and buying want to do is come off like I know all the an-
tion on songs. If you think about it, the drinks and partying, but then they don’t have swers. But we did partner with this organiza-
songs are the same, it’s just us going to the any money and debt collectors and creditors tion called Shatterproof.org, which is a
studio thinking, ‘What would be different are calling them and stuff. We all know those non-profit that helps people with addictions.
here rather than heavy guitars?’” people so I decided to write a song about Just because, I think when we write a song
Tyler wrote a lot of the songs on piano – them. It’s funny. It’s definitely a Tyler song. I like that, the least you can do is say, “Hey,
and indeed, the album kicks off with a piano enjoy writing stuff like that because it’s fun.” you know what? We don’t have all the an-
intro to ‘Straight Jacket’. swers. I don’t. I don’t necessarily know what
“I really felt kind of stuck,” says Tyler. he band even have a more serious, I’m talking about, so… if you want answers,
“I’ve been playing guitar my whole life and Tthought-provoking song. The first check some of these places out. There are
every time I’d pick up a guitar I’d play a G grat track, ‘Rx’, is probably one of the most people that can help you.” That’s the least
chord or a D chord, or an A chord, and it’s serious songs the band have ever written. It we can do, I think.”
like, how many more chords are there? How is about the opioid epidemic that is affecting Going back to the start of the interview
many riffs…? I’ve written every riff I could the USA – and the band have even partnered and our question about being the best of the
write. I felt a little kind of stifled in a sense, with an organization that is dedicated to end- best. Knowing that Theory Of A Deadman
creatively. There were a couple of songs I ing the devastation that addiction causes to care about people and causes like this, that’s
had tracked. I sent one to the band; they families. what makes THEM the best of the best.
were like, “Yeah, that’s cool.” I could tell the “It’s sad in a sense when you think about Visit www.theoryofadeadman.com and
reaction wasn’t, “This is amazing!” I bought how much it costs a family,” says Tyler. buy ‘Wake Up Call’, on Atlantic Records.
a piano and put a piano in my house and de- “There are not a lot of people that you trust
cided to sit down, and all of a sudden this with your life. There is someone outside of Words By Shari Black Velvet
new thing happened to me. I had all these your family that you do and that’s your doc-
Photos By Jimmy Fontaine
great ideas coming out of everywhere. That’s tor. You go to the doctor, he says, “You’re
kind of where it started. So we took those sick. This is what’s wrong with you. Take

SUPERSONIC FUTURE SUPERSTARS

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THEORY OF A DEADMAN / SFS