Page 3 - ISSUE 13

ROCKNATION ISSUE 13 PAGE 3

Rocknation: Let’s talk about the We went into another room around the
Stimulate This Tour. Who’s on the tour corner and just did one take, each SHINEDOWN
and how did you get it? person, and that became the video.
Barry: The tour is Halestorm, The director Darren Doane came up
Chevelle, us and Staind, and Aaron with the story line a little bit later, down
Lewis this is his brainchild and he the road, when we were actually
approached us to do the tour. We looking to do the video. It’s pretty dark,
played a bunch of festivals with but it relates well to the song. The
Stained over the years and we always “Sound of Madness” is every day life
wanted to do a tour together and and it’s something as maddening as
we were finally the missing child
able to put that thing, or it could
together. The be waking up to
reason the tour is an alarm in the
called Stimulate morning, or it
This is because could be this guy
it’s going to be a snoring in the
low dough tour. middle of the night
Tickets are going or this guy getting
to be under $40, drunk and yelling
concessions are at me, it doesn’t
going to be cut matter. It could be
down, parking anything.
is going to be Rocknation: You
cut down, to get guys have said
back to the people. that the band is
We are lucky enough to be in the posi- your reason for being. What is the
tion where we can give back, when the meaning behind that? That is a pretty
country is having hard times and a lot heavy statement.
of these shows are going to be in cities Barry: I don’t know any other way to
where the market has been the worst. live. Zack: It’s all we know. We are
That’s the whole point of this. It’s a family. We don’t get up on stage
going to be 40 shows starting in July. because of money or any other sick
Rocknation: A lot of bands are going feeding thing. We get up on stage
on tour and tours cost a lot of money. because we love playing in a band Interview with Zack, Barry and Eric of SHINEDOWN
So how are you able to get away with together. We look forward to it all day
that? long, going on stage and playing music Photo by: David Bergman By Jeffrey Easton
Zack: I think it’s the tour package that with each other.
we have now, it’s not about money. I Eric: I think I look at these guys more good, I think this is our best to date, Then, Brent, vocally, he wrote
think everyone is pretty happy where on stage than anything else when I’m and sonically, it’s the best record lyrics straight from the heart, which
they are in their career and so we are up there playing. It’s fun. Take your we’ve done too. Rob Cavallo is an he always does, but this one he was
able to cut prices of tickets down. We three best friends in the world and play amazing producer and Doug McKean more blunt. He just told it like it was,
work with venues and vendors on the music with them on stage every night. is a great engineer and they made or it is, and people relate to that
price of concessions and stuff like that. Rocknation: You guys have had this record sound the way it does. a lot more.
Barry: We are personally taking pay several albums out. You guys have
cuts and spending more on production gone gold. When do you think you’re
to put on a good show. Like I said, we going to platinum status? You guys
are lucky enough to be able to do that are working hard.
and that’s a great thing. Barry: I’m doing it this time. We’re
Eric: It’s a difference between going to try. It’s hard these days, but
making money and breaking even. we’re going to try. We still have 2 or
3 more singles to release from this re-
cord. We are touring the world, which
we’ve never done before. We’re get-
ting Top 40 love, which is just strange
to us – to be played next to Lady Gaga
and Kelly Clarkson, but you know what
ever it takes. Hopefully that turns into
record sales. It’s an important goal for
us, but it’s not the only goal. We still
are able to tour and sell out shows,
that’s the most important thing.
Rocknation: What about this album
do you think is different from the past?
Barry: I think the songwriting is more
honest. Though the last albums were

All live photos by: Mary Richardson

If we’re able to break even and
give back a little bit, it’s
important.
Rocknation: The “Sound of
Madness” video just debuted.
What is the story behind this
pretty dark video?
Barry: It’s pretty funny how the
video started. We were actually
doing the “Devour” video, and we
said, “Hey, we might want to get
some B roll footage for “Sound
of Madness,” because we know
that will be a single eventually.”