Coal Chamber - Dez Fafara
Questions: Adam Parry
Coal chamber are back. Not just for another brief run of live shows, but back with a new album! Formed in 1993, Coal Chamber released three albums before disbanding in 2003. The band reformed specifically for a brief run of live shows as part of Australia’s Soundwave Festival in 2012, followed by a handful of shows across the next few years. In mid 2014 they announced they were working on a new album, with recording finishing in December. Rivals, their first album in 13 years, will be out in Australia on Friday 22nd May 2015.
Vocalist and co-founder Dez Fafara took some time out of his busy schedule to chat to Caught in the Mosh about new album Rivals, Al Jourgensen and... guacamole!
Thanks for your time Dez. You’ve been to Australia many times, but the only time with Coal Chamber was for the special reformation shows for Soundwave 2012. Were those shows a test for the band to see if you were able to do more things together, like the album Rivals, which is about to come out?
Absolutely! I also think that going somewhere we had never been before was essential to us, like “let’s go place we haven’t been and see if we can have a good time”. I think that’s where we are all about right now with Coal Chamber; are we having a good time? Is this fun? All right, let’s keep moving forward. That’s how we’ve booked tours and that’s how we decided to do the record as well.
How did you find the Soundwave tour went for the band?
Yeah, that was incredible! To step out in front of thousands of people and to hear people just singing along, just really into it, makes you feel good as an artist. Especially after being gone for 13 years! That makes me think either people have a long memory or they have been waiting a long time to see Coal Chamber live and it seems to be both.
In the time since that tour, was it hard to get new material together given your commitments to DevilDriver as well as the release of their Winter Kills album?
Not really. Winter Kills has been out for a while now and in the DevilDriver world we have toured 12 years straight, with six records being released. It became apparent to me that we actually needed to take a break and in 20 years I’ve never really taken adequate time off. Most bands take time off between tours and records, spend time with their family and lead a normal life but I haven’t really done that. So I wanted to take at least a year, year and a half off and be at home. It just happened to be coincidental that Coal Chamber hit me and asked if I wanted to do a record, and since I was having time off, if I’d like to do a little touring as well. Which we’re doing. South America was eight days, United States was six to seven weeks and Europe is only 20 days. It’s not like we’re grinding but we are touring and working before the record comes out. DevilDriver needed time off and in the interim I’m doing Coal Chamber. I’ve got 12 new DevilDriver tracks right now that are blistering and I’m recording October/November for a new DevilDriver album to be released next year.
Vocalist and co-founder Dez Fafara took some time out of his busy schedule to chat to Caught in the Mosh about new album Rivals, Al Jourgensen and... guacamole!
Thanks for your time Dez. You’ve been to Australia many times, but the only time with Coal Chamber was for the special reformation shows for Soundwave 2012. Were those shows a test for the band to see if you were able to do more things together, like the album Rivals, which is about to come out?
Absolutely! I also think that going somewhere we had never been before was essential to us, like “let’s go place we haven’t been and see if we can have a good time”. I think that’s where we are all about right now with Coal Chamber; are we having a good time? Is this fun? All right, let’s keep moving forward. That’s how we’ve booked tours and that’s how we decided to do the record as well.
How did you find the Soundwave tour went for the band?
Yeah, that was incredible! To step out in front of thousands of people and to hear people just singing along, just really into it, makes you feel good as an artist. Especially after being gone for 13 years! That makes me think either people have a long memory or they have been waiting a long time to see Coal Chamber live and it seems to be both.
In the time since that tour, was it hard to get new material together given your commitments to DevilDriver as well as the release of their Winter Kills album?
Not really. Winter Kills has been out for a while now and in the DevilDriver world we have toured 12 years straight, with six records being released. It became apparent to me that we actually needed to take a break and in 20 years I’ve never really taken adequate time off. Most bands take time off between tours and records, spend time with their family and lead a normal life but I haven’t really done that. So I wanted to take at least a year, year and a half off and be at home. It just happened to be coincidental that Coal Chamber hit me and asked if I wanted to do a record, and since I was having time off, if I’d like to do a little touring as well. Which we’re doing. South America was eight days, United States was six to seven weeks and Europe is only 20 days. It’s not like we’re grinding but we are touring and working before the record comes out. DevilDriver needed time off and in the interim I’m doing Coal Chamber. I’ve got 12 new DevilDriver tracks right now that are blistering and I’m recording October/November for a new DevilDriver album to be released next year.
Well, it seems you really don’t like much time alone!
Well, y’know, I like to work. People always ask me how do I do two bands and I say it’s not really how I do two bands but how much I hang out with my family. That’s really what it’s all about for me. When will I see my family, spend some time with my wife, with my kids? How many months do I need to be off? Then at that point, if I am at home, I got a home studio, so can work for an hour and then have dinner with my family. Most people work for 8/9 hours a day. I was raised on a construction job site so I realise what 10 hour days are like, so I appreciate it when people say “I gotta work”, but it’s normally like an hour at my house, while my wife is outside making margaritas for everyone. So I don’t look at it like a job. I have a good time with what I’m doing because I have worked real jobs in my life and I understand that kind of thing. You gotta have a work ethic in this business.
Well I guess it’s all about the perfect balance. Now with Coal Chamber being away for so long, do you feel you have a lot to prove with the album Rivals?
You know, to be honest with you, I don’t think we had anything to prove. I think what we needed to do was make sure we remained different. If you listen to the first, second and third Coal Chamber records, they are so far different from each other. I think that’s what we wanted to do with this; no one wanted to be a part of some throw back record. We all wanted to be a part of an evolution. No one wanted to do anything nostalgic and we all had changed so much as musicians. I mean their writing is much more mature than it ever has been and their ability to come up with different arrangements, different tones, different textures has brought a fresh new sound to the scene along with Mark Lewis (producer) who really did a great job. Now that I’m listening back to the record, it’s really apparent that we have created something special because we made this record straight from our heart.
The new album sound more aggressive that previous albums, was that planned?
Well, if you listen to the first Coal Chamber record and put it into context, of the time it came out I mean, we were heavy. Then by the third album, Dark Days, for that time, it’s a heavy record. I think what you need to do is come up with something fresh. Now with what we are doing on Rivals, there are bands out there doing things more brutal, but I think what we are doing is something unique and something that has it’s own flavour, along with more aggressiveness. It’s hard not to be more aggressive, given what I’ve been doing for the last 13 years, as well as what they have been going through in their headspace. I think it all just came together.
Well it’s a great sounding record, the guitar tone is absolutely fierce and the production of the album sounds monstrous.
Thank you! I think choosing Mark Lewis (as producer) was a great idea. Having worked with him on DevilDriver records, he knows how to work with me. Vocally, I want to hit things on the spot. If I don’t get it first or second take, or the vibe isn’t there that day, let’s not do that and move on. He has the ability to make each band he does to sound unique and each band sound different. I knew he’d be the guy for Coal Chamber because he realises we all have such different influences and such different backgrounds. We’re a band that listens to everything from Bauhaus to the heaviest of heavy, so he understood that dark thing that we have and understand that amongst the fans of the genre that have either gone or stayed around, that we had something special, something that was a little darker, a little more on the edge than most. He really wanted to dig in and wanted to do it, so I love working with Mark.
Well, y’know, I like to work. People always ask me how do I do two bands and I say it’s not really how I do two bands but how much I hang out with my family. That’s really what it’s all about for me. When will I see my family, spend some time with my wife, with my kids? How many months do I need to be off? Then at that point, if I am at home, I got a home studio, so can work for an hour and then have dinner with my family. Most people work for 8/9 hours a day. I was raised on a construction job site so I realise what 10 hour days are like, so I appreciate it when people say “I gotta work”, but it’s normally like an hour at my house, while my wife is outside making margaritas for everyone. So I don’t look at it like a job. I have a good time with what I’m doing because I have worked real jobs in my life and I understand that kind of thing. You gotta have a work ethic in this business.
Well I guess it’s all about the perfect balance. Now with Coal Chamber being away for so long, do you feel you have a lot to prove with the album Rivals?
You know, to be honest with you, I don’t think we had anything to prove. I think what we needed to do was make sure we remained different. If you listen to the first, second and third Coal Chamber records, they are so far different from each other. I think that’s what we wanted to do with this; no one wanted to be a part of some throw back record. We all wanted to be a part of an evolution. No one wanted to do anything nostalgic and we all had changed so much as musicians. I mean their writing is much more mature than it ever has been and their ability to come up with different arrangements, different tones, different textures has brought a fresh new sound to the scene along with Mark Lewis (producer) who really did a great job. Now that I’m listening back to the record, it’s really apparent that we have created something special because we made this record straight from our heart.
The new album sound more aggressive that previous albums, was that planned?
Well, if you listen to the first Coal Chamber record and put it into context, of the time it came out I mean, we were heavy. Then by the third album, Dark Days, for that time, it’s a heavy record. I think what you need to do is come up with something fresh. Now with what we are doing on Rivals, there are bands out there doing things more brutal, but I think what we are doing is something unique and something that has it’s own flavour, along with more aggressiveness. It’s hard not to be more aggressive, given what I’ve been doing for the last 13 years, as well as what they have been going through in their headspace. I think it all just came together.
Well it’s a great sounding record, the guitar tone is absolutely fierce and the production of the album sounds monstrous.
Thank you! I think choosing Mark Lewis (as producer) was a great idea. Having worked with him on DevilDriver records, he knows how to work with me. Vocally, I want to hit things on the spot. If I don’t get it first or second take, or the vibe isn’t there that day, let’s not do that and move on. He has the ability to make each band he does to sound unique and each band sound different. I knew he’d be the guy for Coal Chamber because he realises we all have such different influences and such different backgrounds. We’re a band that listens to everything from Bauhaus to the heaviest of heavy, so he understood that dark thing that we have and understand that amongst the fans of the genre that have either gone or stayed around, that we had something special, something that was a little darker, a little more on the edge than most. He really wanted to dig in and wanted to do it, so I love working with Mark.
You also managed to get Al Jourgensen of Ministry to do a guest appearance on the album! How did that come about?
Al has been a good friend for a long time. He’s has been a mentor. He’s a fuckin legend! I mean, he's an innovator of the scene. You wouldn’t have industrial music if it weren’t for Al Jourgensen. He’s a man who really understands really heavy and really dark stuff and really understands different genres too. For example, we were recording at my home studio. We BBQ’d, we had some wine, and somebody had an iPod on shuffle and the B52’s came on. Al says, “That’s my favourite band!” I told him that’s what I love him; I can talk to him about any style of music, like heavy industrial music, to the B52’s, the blues, to country music. A guy like that is a perfect fit to be a guest on a song of ours. If you listen to the track Suffer in Silence, he understood what I was talking about within the track, he got the lyrics. He came in and absolutely killed it. Let me tell you one more thing. Listening to a person like Al Jourgensen do his signature sound for our song, in my home studio, was a magical moment. I’ve been very fortunate over the last 20 years to work with a lot of great artists, everybody from Ozzy, to Nikki Sixx, to Max Cavalera, I could go down a long list of people. But listening to Al in my home studio doing his signature sound was a dream come true for a bricklayer kid from Orange County, so I was stoked man! He’s a great guy.
With the album set to be released in Australia on the 22nd of May, is there any chance we may see you here again with Coal Chamber?
Well I just spoke with AJ Maddah from Soundwave, who is basically family to me. He is in New Orleans right now and is heading to California and coming round to my house and we are gonna talk and decide then. I can tell you I do enjoy the Soundwave festival and love coming down there, but playing 45 minutes... For me, I believe for Coal Chamber to come down to Australia, we need to get a headlining tour. We need to play an hour and a half of tunes because in an hour we crush 15 songs. It’d be great to do 20/25 songs for people. So I’d love to see that happen this year. If not this year, then next year. So if it can happen and work for everybody, then of course we would love to.
Finally, it’s funny you should mention AJ. He has come out and said you make the best guacamole in the world.
Just wondering if there is any chance we could get a recipe or any secrets to the perfect guacamole from you Dez?
Hahahahahaha! First of all, I’m from California, so I definitely understand good Mexican food! AJ’s got a great sense of humour (laughs). There’s a lot of great recipes man. You gotta find what you really like. I put cilantro (coriander), onion and lime in mine and a couple other little secret ingredients that I’m not going to give away (laughs). But I do love a good guac’, that’s for sure!
Well, again, thank you very much for your time Dez. It had been an absolute pleasure talking to you. I think the album is fantastic and I’m sure your fans will agree. Thank you very much.
Thank you, it’s been my pleasure. I appreciate the support. Enjoy the album and tell everyone down under I said hello and we’re looking forward to coming down.
Al has been a good friend for a long time. He’s has been a mentor. He’s a fuckin legend! I mean, he's an innovator of the scene. You wouldn’t have industrial music if it weren’t for Al Jourgensen. He’s a man who really understands really heavy and really dark stuff and really understands different genres too. For example, we were recording at my home studio. We BBQ’d, we had some wine, and somebody had an iPod on shuffle and the B52’s came on. Al says, “That’s my favourite band!” I told him that’s what I love him; I can talk to him about any style of music, like heavy industrial music, to the B52’s, the blues, to country music. A guy like that is a perfect fit to be a guest on a song of ours. If you listen to the track Suffer in Silence, he understood what I was talking about within the track, he got the lyrics. He came in and absolutely killed it. Let me tell you one more thing. Listening to a person like Al Jourgensen do his signature sound for our song, in my home studio, was a magical moment. I’ve been very fortunate over the last 20 years to work with a lot of great artists, everybody from Ozzy, to Nikki Sixx, to Max Cavalera, I could go down a long list of people. But listening to Al in my home studio doing his signature sound was a dream come true for a bricklayer kid from Orange County, so I was stoked man! He’s a great guy.
With the album set to be released in Australia on the 22nd of May, is there any chance we may see you here again with Coal Chamber?
Well I just spoke with AJ Maddah from Soundwave, who is basically family to me. He is in New Orleans right now and is heading to California and coming round to my house and we are gonna talk and decide then. I can tell you I do enjoy the Soundwave festival and love coming down there, but playing 45 minutes... For me, I believe for Coal Chamber to come down to Australia, we need to get a headlining tour. We need to play an hour and a half of tunes because in an hour we crush 15 songs. It’d be great to do 20/25 songs for people. So I’d love to see that happen this year. If not this year, then next year. So if it can happen and work for everybody, then of course we would love to.
Finally, it’s funny you should mention AJ. He has come out and said you make the best guacamole in the world.
Just wondering if there is any chance we could get a recipe or any secrets to the perfect guacamole from you Dez?
Hahahahahaha! First of all, I’m from California, so I definitely understand good Mexican food! AJ’s got a great sense of humour (laughs). There’s a lot of great recipes man. You gotta find what you really like. I put cilantro (coriander), onion and lime in mine and a couple other little secret ingredients that I’m not going to give away (laughs). But I do love a good guac’, that’s for sure!
Well, again, thank you very much for your time Dez. It had been an absolute pleasure talking to you. I think the album is fantastic and I’m sure your fans will agree. Thank you very much.
Thank you, it’s been my pleasure. I appreciate the support. Enjoy the album and tell everyone down under I said hello and we’re looking forward to coming down.
Coal Chamber's first album in 13 years, Rivals, is out in Australia on Friday 22nd May. Pre-orders for vinyl, CD and digital download are available now.
Check out Suffer in Silence with Al Jourgensen
Check out Suffer in Silence with Al Jourgensen