Seether Interview with John
Miranda: How long have you been with the band Seether?
John: The band has been together a little over 10 years now. Shawn and Dale co-founders of the group are originally from South Africa. I joined in 2003, I’m from the states I’m from Oklahoma.
Miranda: I noticed the accent differences.
John: Yeah yeah their from South Africa and I’m from South Oklahoma City.
Miranda: Has the music evolved and changed since you joined the band?
John: I think so, We all contribute a little bit with our own style stamp to the music. Shawn the singer is the main writer of the band, but he is also very open-minded and lets us be able to put in our own ideas, or own opinions, or own play. He doesn’t really command over us how we should be playing our instruments. He kind of lets us do our own thing and I think through that the music is evolved, and has improved, We are getting ready to work on a new album, and it gets better I think with every year.
Miranda: How long have you been playing drums?
John: I’ve been playing the drums, geez about 27 years.
Miranda: Who influenced you to play?
John: I’m definitely a rock fan. A big rock fan and a visual rock drummer at that, I love like Tommy Lee, Dave Grohl, and Alex Van Halen. These guys not only contributed to music but were fun to watch to play, and to watch when you went to see them Live, you know they contributed to the band that way as well. Not to say that you’re not a good drummer unless you’re back there showing off or something. There is just a lot of energy, fun to play, and a lot of power in their playing, and definitely a rock drummer guy, I like those kinds of drums.
Miranda: On your website I was watching some of your recording studio videos, When you go into the studio to lay down drum tracks is it something that you create in your own mind or is it something that needs to be pre-determined?
John: I play it by ear, I grew up took some lessons, I was a band geek I did the marching band thing, and did all that and was in the jazz band. I used to be able to read charts at one time. But with rock music, I mean it’s been garage bands. I have to say behind me was my mom who has been an amazing support and all the bands always practiced at my house in our living room or in our garage. With that, yeah I just learned through imitation really either watching a drummer or listening to music, or playing along with the music and it still applies to this day. We kind of have this really weird short hand language that we speak as a band about ideas when we want to change things or arrangements. We have a friend or somebody hangout they want to know what are you guys talking about it’s like some alien language, only we understand it. Because we aren’t noting it like on charts or anything. We do this through ear and memorization.
Miranda: Your like a family and you know what your family is feeling.
John: Yeah, after we have been together as long as we have; Me, Shawn, and Dale have been together almost 8 years that kind of chemistry come through too. After playing so many shows, touring, and were together with each other more than are with our own families. So we know each other really well, we’re brothers and I think that comes out through the music.
Miranda: when can the fans expect the new album to be released?
John: We shooting for late Fall, like September or October. We have 4 songs completed already recorded. We’ve come out for the month May to do this run and do some shows, which is a really cool break for us, to kind of get out here visit the fans and play some music. We’re going back to work June 8th, to finish up the album, we’re really looking forward to that. We’re recording in Nashville, and Brendan O’Bryan is producing, which we’re very honored to have.
Miranda: Has there ever been a time when you've been taking a break that you are like" WOW this is what I do for a living!"
John: That’s the beauty of it, sometimes it a fall back. When were on tour we’re gone. The last album we were out 22 months, that’s not to say every 6 to 8 weeks we would go home for a week, 10 days, or take a 2 week break of Christmas. But we were pretty much out for 22 months, and it has been that way for the last 7 or 8 years. So we finally had an 8 month break and we needed to, we needed to go away for awhile, and we needed a little balance and sanity in our life, yeah the beauty of it is Seether is full time 24-7 were gone we work hard on it and we go home. Yeah I don’t have to do anything else I’m home, I’m with my family I have 2 boys and I’m dad. I take them to school, and pick them up from school. I go to Wal-Mart, Basketball games. I do the whole thing and it’s great to have the band and I’m very fortunate to have be my job.
Miranda: What’s your most memorable show that you have performed?
John: Wow theres to many, you know I have to say the shows we’ve done in South Africa, I’ve been fortunate enough do go back with them several times and it’s a beautiful country. But about 4 years ago we did these huge stadiums over there the rock festivals opening for Metallica. So not only was it homecoming for Shawn and Dale but also to be playing in front of these the people who are heroes. People we grew up listening too, and then to be doing your set and to look over and see Lars Ulrich or James Hetfield watching you play. But I think that was a great memory for me and that beautiful country and it was some place I hadn’t been before playing with these heroes at these amazing shows. That kind of stands out for me. We’ve done a lot of great tours, we’ve toured with Audioslave, Chris Cornell was great, all those guys are great. Even Nickleback guys which we were out with last year was a lot of fun. We have a lot of friends, and a lot of great memories to, and today’s gonna be great we’re playing with Slash, and Limp Bizkit is reunited so it’s gonna be great.
Miranda: Any message for your fans?
John: We’re gonna go back and knock out this album, we will be back out later this year and expect Seether on the road, and come see us live we’ll be in a big town small town somewhere near you!
I would like to take the time to thank John for sitting down with me and answering a few questions. I look forward to seeing him and the rest of Seether out on the road in 2010.