Page 10 - ISSUE 12

PAGE 10 ROCKNATION ISSUE 12
On March 24th, Papa Roach will it. We just saw eye to eye with Jay. We’re
release their latest album Metamor- great with our own arrangements and we
phosis. With singles “Hollywood write our own music and he just seemed
Whore” and “Lifeline” already like the right guy. We got great tones in
gaining momentum this album was the studio, the sonic quality of this album is
a battle cry for the band (Jacoby kickass, and it bumps in the car.
Mary: Jerry said that for this album that
Shaddix on vocals, Tobin Esperance “you weren’t focusing on one particular
on bass, Jerry Horton on guitar, and style” and that you were “opening your-
Tony Palermo on drums) who call selves up to everything” – in your own
it their rock record of the decade. words what do you think the results of that
Dynamic frontman Jacoby Shaddix approach was for the album?
took some time to talk to ROCKNA- Jacoby: The result is just a record that is
TION about it… so diverse yet cohesive at the same time.
To give Jerry some props, his guitar playing
Mary: You returned to the Paramour stepped up crazy to the next level. We
Mansion in Los Angeles to write the album went back and listened to a lot of classic
and you disconnected from TV and media records and realized that the guitar players
a lot during the process and listened to a stand out, and it was time for Jerry to make
lot of old great rock albums for inspiration. that move as a player. His riffs and solos
Give us a general idea of how the writing on this record are just next level and I think
process went down? our fans will recognize that. It is what it is,
Jacoby: While we’re in the Paramour it’s baby.
different than any other time we’ve made Mary: Other than the two singles that a
records. We didn’t have cable television, lot of people have already heard, what are
all we had was a record player and our some of the tracks you’re most proud of on
computers. That was fun because we re- the album, and can you tell us a bit about
ally had to focus on the music. We’d wake them?
up around eleven, go work out at the gym, Jacoby: I think “State of Emergency” is a
then come back and be jamming by one stand out track on this record. Lyrically it’s
o’clock. We’d play until the wheels came a little more abstract; the song has a really
off and we had ourselves some musical ad- Photo by: P.R. Brown massive dynamic. The verses are kind of
ventures. It was a really good time making slow and open and the lyrics are abstract
this record but about halfway through and when the chorus drops it goes from
the time I was there I kind of lost it. I was mellow to rock and roll/punk rock/frenetic
just so deeply immersed in the creative pro- Interview with Jacoby Shaddix energy with just this siren guitar and the
cess that I didn’t know which way was up title lyric, then it trips into this prog rock
or down, what sounded good, what didn’t By: Mary Ouellette bridge where our drummer goes off. It’s
sound good, and I lost my perception. All just a very dynamic rock song that spans
the while everyone around me was trying to so many different styles in five minutes, its
convince me that the music we were mak- rad. Another song “Into the Light” has just
ing was amazing but I wasn’t sure, I wasn’t blitzkrieg drums and the verse and chorus
there yet. It got me trying new things and “I drink a couple Red Bulls, but I could rhythms are totally different from each
singing differently and I was really just try- other, it’s a bit of a breakdown chorus
ing to push myself and evolve. When I got go up there without Red Bull and still with a bit of stoner rock to boot. It’s about
to the other side and was able to step away being trapped in your head, in your own
and listen to it I was like “Alright, cool. I’m hell, in your own cell inside yourself and
on board. I’m convinced. I like this direc- snap off the hinges...” - Jacoby Shaddix screaming to be freed from yourself, a song
tion.” We sat down before we made the of desperation and hope. Mick Mars
record and we said we’ve been in this from Motley Crue laid down the lead guitar
band fifteen years, this is our fifth major new drummer, we had a lot of changes “State of Emergency” and another song track on that one as well; a rock and roll
label album, we have to make a statement that went on - we changed booking agents, “March out of the Darkness”
here. We have to make our rock record of we changed management multiple times. which has personal tones
the decade. Once we said that, I couldn’t There’s a synergy around us now that we to it but is also pretty broad,
turn back, so that added a little bit of pres- haven’t had in years. The sound of this but I can imagine that many
sure, but I like pressure. record and our lives is a metamorphosis, it people feel the same way
Mary: Yeah you don’t strike me too much is an evolution. – had enough of the war,
as someone who’s fazed by pressure… Mary: There are a few songs on the album had enough of the violence,
Jacoby: I wig out sometimes, but that’s that seem to be politically driven as far had enough of terror, had
just because I care. as the lyrics go, is this just a result of the enough of fear, it’s just me
Mary: There was a different working title current state of our country or were you waking up.
for the album and then you decided on call- challenging yourself to take a different Mary: You worked with
ing it Metamorpho- approach to your producer Jay Baumgardner
sis. Is that indica- lyrics? again on this album who
tive of any specific Jacoby: In the past also produced Infest, your
changes the band we wrote a song best selling album to date,
went through from called “Legacy” that what was it about his work
your last album to had a political edge that brought you back to
this one? to it but then we him? legend on Papa Roach’s album.
Jacoby: I would strayed away from Jacoby: It was really just his back to Mary: Tony has become a permanent
say that the work- that for awhile, and basics approach towards recording. A lot member of the band now, how was that
ing title Days of then it just became of bands got off the chain by using protools transition for the band?
War, Nights of unavoidable. I was and when they play live they play tape Jacoby: It was tough, it was an emotional
Love just took too just so opinion- behind them because they have all these transition for the band. To play music with
long to say. We ated about how this loops and samples and jingle bells. We someone for fifteen years and to have to
wanted something world has affected wanted to make an album that was just just go separate ways was hard. At times I
that was simple me. How can I give guitar, bass, drums and vocals, maybe a miss Dave. He’s an amazing person, he’s
and to the point, back and how can I keyboard here or there or some added like my brother. I’ll always be tight with him
something striking. be a part of society percussion but we wanted it to have a real and we’ll always be friends but it’s just a
Metamorphosis through my music? human feel and not really salt it up with little different. Tony on the other hand, is
just seemed to fit. We wrote a song too much goo and slick production. We an amazing drummer. He’s a little faster
That is what we’re called “Had Enough” did produce a couple of songs a little more and he’s got a little bit of a punk rock edge
in. We have a and another song than others but just because they needed and a crazy prog rock style to him so when