FEATURED INTERVIEWS                          

Soilent Green

These unnasailable agents of metal are true survivors in the metal movement.
By: Gian Erguiza - - October 24th, 2008 - 1:39 pm PST



Through years of enduring tragedy and tribulations and constant shifts in the metal world, Soilent Green remains on the front lines, delivering no bullshit metal as true and as honest as can be. These guys will never say die. With a brutal metal album in 'Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction,' Lousiana's best has unleashed a monster! Here's the Soilent Green interview.

For the people that don't know the history of Soilent Green and that are anti-internet, can you guys help me out and please give our readers a brief history lesson on the band and how it all began?

Well we started in '88 with me, Tommy and Donavan. We were 18 and just wanted to play some loud crazy music and threw the years it is about the same. We have had a lot of bumps in the road, but we are still here for the same reason we started, to play music, it's all we know.

So guys, what's new? What are you guys cooking up in the lab? Basically, what's new in the world of Soilent Green?

A lot of touring right now. We just got home from touring three months straight with some amazing bands. We are doing Ozzfest next followed more touring. It has been a long while since we have been able to tour as much as we should so we are going all out at this moment. We are also starting to write for the next record. We are just trying to stay as busy as we can.

'Inevitable Collapse In The Presence Of Conviction' is by far one of the best metal albums of 2008 and definitely crushes most of the competition, if not, all. What was the most challenging part about recording the album and what was the big picture behind the idea of the album as a whole?

We did what we always do, simple really, just to write the best record we could. For us it is a natural process, what comes out comes out. This time around we were much more focused because of all the drama lifting and minds were cleared, so what came out was naturally, in our minds, more pure music. And hopefully that came through? As far as the most challenging part, hell just waking up in the morning.

"The only formula we know is to never give up no matter what gets in your way. You have to have the love of playing music so bad that you will ruin your life to do it. That is the only reason we are still around and it is the same reason we got started, we love to play."

LOL! I hear ya on that one! By listening to the album over and over again, I can tell that you guys put forth a lot of work into it and a lot of feeling and it truly shows. Where did you guys derive from while writing the album and what is the songwriting process like for you guys?

I usually sit in the room and write a bunch of stuff on guitar and sit back, look at it all, and then put it all together. If Scott has some parts they get worked in. Then the song is introduced to Tommy and the music is done. Sounds simple but it can take a week or two to write a song. We like to make sure all the parts flow together. That is the real challenge, to arrange these different tempo changes without them sounding like we just cut and paste them together.

How important is it for you guys to capture the attitude of Soilent Green in the studio and in a live setting?

Our attitude is just to play some loud and obnoxious music, so it is very important to capture that attitude. In both settings it is mainly up to the engineer. If the tone is there our performance will follow. We prefer live. That is the reason we started. there is no other feeling like playing live. That's were we have always been the most comfortable.

Recently finding a home in Metal Blade Records, which is by far, the best metal label around, what sparked the decision to sign with Metal Blade and how's the relationship coming along?

WE finished up our contracts with Relapse and we mutually thought it was time to move on. The folks in the Metal Blade office have been fans of our stuff for a while, so when we were free, they approached us. We were honored and those guys treat us with respect. They have been behind us 100%.

Being in the metal world for so long and pioneering some of the sound that we hear from metal bands of today, what is Soilent Green's formula for success and what keeps you guys going?

The only formula we know is never give up no matter what gets in your way. You have to have the love of playing music so bad you will ruin your life to do it. That is the only reason we are still around and it is the same reason we started, we love to play. We are lucky because we get to record and tour getting our stuff out there to more ears and we are thankful for it.

Lets take a detour here. The world is in a state of meltdown according to the green peace activists and global warming advocates. Are you guys 'going green' anytime soon and is global warming a real threat in you guys' opinion?

No I don't think we will 'go green'. They are important issues and I'm not saying other wise. Sucks to say but I don't lose any sleep over it. I worry more about the guy that might shoot me in the back to steal my wallet.

Love the honesty. Metal has really embraced the online philosophy and there are more and more metal blog sites and metal web sites that concur and stay true to metal, which I think is absolutely fucking great. Although as much support as it gets from the metal community, you get the bad apples that run their mouth and talk their shit. How do you guys feel about the shit talkers online and in general and what do you guys have to say about this issue?

Everybody has an opinion and should be allowed to speak it. The ones that just want to say things for no other reason than to hurt somebody are who they are. Most people can point them out right away and all they want to do is get a rise out of whomever anyway, so the best thing to do is ignore them and realize they more than likely have a pitiful depressing life with nothing better to do.

This is a good one for you guys. Do you guys ever pay attention to the charts or what's happening to the radio?

I pay attention to it but only a little. I try not to dwell on things like that.

The metal world of today is in my opinion going back to the roots of where it all came from, big solos, no bullshit attitude and no holds barred music with balls. Where do you guys fit into the equation of the current metal musical landscape?

In my eyes, the 'I don't give a fuck' attitude and big solos never left metal. We have tried to deviate from what was going on and popular anyway. That is why we don't have solos or typical "metal" artwork. We never worried about where we fit in. We just do what we we like and hope that people will dig it and if you ask me, it is about bringing something different to the table, not rehashing what has already been done.

Soilent Green loves ______________________________.

WEED!

I second that emotion. Alright guys, who's the myspace whore in the band? Who gets to answer all of the messages and nasty messages, if any? Basically, how do you guys keep in touch with your fans and interact?

Ben handles all that stuff. He is the guy on myspace all the time keeping it up. It is a good tool for getting information out there. We interact anyway we can and the internet is a major part in it these days.

Bands of today keep coming up with new ways to deliver and release their music. In you guys opinion, what do you guys think that bands and artists need to do to stay alive in this cutthroat world of the music industry?

Just have real tough skin and a sharp brain. There are a lot of people that will try to take advantage and if you don't know what's fair and the balls to speak up for yourself than you will get fucked down the line. Touring is, as it has always been the, life of a band. The more you play out the more you grow, it's that simple.

Any additional comments or shout-outs?

If you come see us play bring us lots of money and presents. Thank you bro for the interview. CHEERS!

Cheers my man and kids, don;t forge to bring the money and presents!



  I Email to Friend  I Print

RELATED CONTENT

Soilent Green - "Antioxidant" Music Video Soilent Green "Antioxidant"

Soilent Green - "Leaves Of Three" Music Video

Need more info about this band?
Soilent Green's Myspace

What do you think of Frantik Mag? Tell us your thoughts!