Page 10 - ISSUE 10

PAGE 10 ROCKNATION ISSUE 10
do it. I find my guitar in my lap more of-
ten now. I am not a student type guitar
player, I play with more feel than a lot
of the crazier stuff. I will be pushing the
limits a little more with the next record
though.
Rocknation: Who are you endorsed
by?
C.J.: I am endorsed by Custom amps
acoustic album? and I will be going through B.C. Rich in
C.J.: I think it would be fun to do be- the near future.
cause we have performed that way on Rocknation: So what are the future
radio shows and we are confident that plans for Drowning Pool?
we can pull it off. C.J. : We want to go to Australia and
Rocknation: The cover is interesting. do some American touring but I really
I would not expect this from you, who want a new record out sooner than we
did the art? have been doing it.
C.J.: The art was done by Paul Brown. Drowning Pool are back and in your
He has done stuff for Manson and he face, do not avoid the musical force
Interview by Jeffrey Easton is my favorite artist. Allen that they have unleashed on you.
Kovac asked me if I had
Drowning Pool have been through C.J.: We did something on this al- a dream artist to do the
hell and high water but they are bum that I want to do in the future. album and I said Paul
survivors. After securing the right We wrote a few songs, went out on Brown. We wanted an old
singer they have come up with their the road and tested them and did the school meets new school,
best offering yet in the form of Full same thing on the next set. We pushed something freaky but
Circle. C.J. Pierce, their aggres- ourselves to see how much heavier we not to freaky. I think with
sive mastermind, took the time to could go or how much lighter we can each record we are trying
fill Rocknation in on what is going go. something different.
down with Drowning Pool. Rocknation: One thing I noticed about Rocknation: You covered
the album is that the production is Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell.”
Rocknation: Drowning Pool recently dark. Why did you go in that direction? Why did you choose to
did Rock on The Range. How did that C.J.: The darkness comes from the do this?
go? mixing. We wanted to give it an 80’s C.J.: We were talking
C.J. Pierce: It was an awesome time, vibe production wise. We wanted about doing a cover and
this whole year has been good for us. an old school production vibe. If that with “Rebel Yell” people
Rocknation: Why do you think festivals makes sense. just sing along to it. We
like that only happen in the Midwest? Rocknation: It has that feel and the had a dark album and we
C.J.: I have no idea why. We need song “Paralyzed” has an early 90’s feel did this to add contrast
more things like that in the U.S. That is as well. to the album. We play it
what is so great about Europe in that C.J.: Musically you want to bring about 5 steps lower so it
they have so many festivals to go to. something to the table and I do not is much heavier.
Rocknation: How did you get involved want to date the music but that is what Rocknation: Where do
with Rock On The Range? we wanted. you think your playing is
C.J.: We are the band that wants to be Rocknation: What inspired the writing right now?
every all the time so we really pushed for Full Circle? C.J.: With me the more
to be on this festival so the guys at C.J.: We found a new singer, went to I do it the more I want to
10th Street made it happen for us. Iraq and vis-
Rocknation: To catch people up with ited the troops,
you guys, what happened to Jason? parted ways with
C.J.: He had a great voice and it our label Wind
worked with our record but it is differ- Up, found new
ent when you get on the road. The real management,
personalities came out and you have so many things
to get along if you are going to make it in our lives that
work. We knew Ryan McCombs (new found their way
singer) since we started so we stayed onto this album.
in touch with him and did shows with Rocknation: What
him when he was in Soil. He has a did you bring to
distinct voice that I think works great this album?
with our sound. C.J.: I brought an
Rocknation: He does have a distinct acoustic onto this
voice but he also harkens back to the album. I have not
likes of Layne Staley in some respects. played on it in a
C.J.: He has that vibe to him. while and there
Rocknation: How did you get him in the are some songs
band? where it is in the
C.J.: We knew we were done with background. I
Jason when we were done touring so would love to do
we found Ryan and he was ready to an acoustic al-
get back into singing and he has been bum in the future.
here ever since. Rocknation: How
Rocknation: There are a lot of textures do you think
to this disc, Full Circle. What went into your fans would
writing it? respond to an all