Interview date: 16.06.2007
After some seriously hellish heat, Saturday’s concert fever was in full swing. The sun had already traveled halfway across the sky and set up camp at its zenith when we went looking for shelter in the shade of the press tent. The first interview of the day was coming up, with John Boecklin, drummer of DevilDriver, whose best-known member is the former Coal Chamber vocalist Dez Fafara. And with the new album, The Last Kind Words, about to drop, there was no fear the conversation would run dry …
RockLine: What a killer start to another day on the Pannonian Plain. Welcome to Nova Rock, where you just played a phenomenal set and kicked off day two of the festival on the Red Stage. How did it feel coming over here and playing smack in the middle of the day?
John Boecklin: It was a lot of fun, actually. Last night we played in Germany, then we had a flight over here around five in the morning, so we landed around ten, and they just drove us straight here. We really didn’t have time for the usual hanging out and hanging with the other bands. And then you kind of forget about complaining, because at noon there are five thousand fans waiting for you… (laughs)
RockLine: And I was one of those thousands. I watched your soundcheck and the show, where you shifted into top gear from the very first song. Like it’s no problem at all to squeeze out everything you’ve got first thing in the morning.
John Boecklin: No problem at all. But I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by the crowd’s response. They were ready to get involved from the first band onward.
RockLine: A lot of fans couldn’t wait for you to get on stage and play some of the new stuff too. If I’m not mistaken, we only heard one new song…
John Boecklin: That’s right! Not All That Wander Are Lost.
RockLine: What can you tell us about the new album we’re all so impatiently waiting for?
John Boecklin: If you want a comparison with the first two albums, then I’d say this one is without a doubt faster and heavier, and now and then a bit more complex. The songs are a lot more in-depth and thought through.
RockLine: And what were the key guidelines you followed?
John Boecklin: I’m not into lyrics – Dez is the one who writes them… I doubt there’s any kind of philosophy behind our Last Kind Words, but I can tell you the name itself is pulled from a piece of the lyrics to ‘Tyrants Of Truth’. Those are the last words you’ll hear in your final moments, before the angels throw you into the abyss. It just means that you’re only human, and the constructive side of your mind steers you toward the idea that, even though it’s not always easy, it’s perfectly fine to exist as a human being fighting for your life. That’s what ties us together, because we’re all going down the same road.
RockLine: Who’d have thought it’s only been four years since you started all this. And you can already boast three albums. Has the chemistry in the band changed in any way since 2003?
John Boecklin: Since 2003 we’ve definitely built on what we had and moved forward as a band. We’ve become friends and so on. Writing material, composing – that’s very different from back then. Everyone in the band (except Dez) plays guitar. Dez writes all the lyrics and the rest of us create the music. Everybody knows what their job is. Songs also get born when we’re on the road, on tour. Then we get together at rehearsals and throw everything creative we’ve got into one big pot, check what we have, and then, as a four-piece, we record it all on the computer.
RockLine: But it doesn’t go completely without influences that shape the music and give you inspiration, right? What are you guys listening to?
John Boecklin: I don’t think you can talk about influences as one whole style of music affecting us, because we listen to a lot of unexpected stuff (if you judged only by how we look and what we play…). Good songs influence us. You could say even Michael Jackson’s songs do. Not because they’re heavy, but because they’re cleverly and skillfully put together musically. Which in no way means I’d want to sound like that myself! The pile of influences is seriously huge. Dez listens to… You’ll never catch him at home listening to heavy metal. He’d rather put on Billy Hollyday, Johnny Cash and similar artists you probably didn’t expect … (laughs)
RockLine: I can’t wait to catch you on tour in the near future, headlining on your own, presenting the new material and flying the DevilDriver flag. When can we hope for a European tour?
John Boecklin: You can get ready for us coming in mid-September. And I’m looking forward to it, because in my heart I feel we’ve made our best album so far, one we dare to proudly put the DevilDriver name on. Expectations? Why would we have any? If everything turns out the way we want, I’ll just be able to say: “I knew and felt it would be like this!” (laughs) And if it doesn’t go as expected and the whole thing flops, then all I can say is that at least I gave it everything I had, and I won’t lose sleep over it anymore. That’s all that counts.
RockLine: What’s your take on the state of the music world today? On bands, the metal scene and so on?
John Boecklin: Do you want me to talk about the business or about metal? Business is business, and it often stinks to high heaven and comes down to a naked fight for your slice of the pie.
RockLine: I was thinking more about the image and the sound you bands are forging as the new expression of metal for the new millennium …
John Boecklin: It’s the same as always: there are truly amazing bands and there are hopelessly terrible ones. Which band belongs where is just a matter of opinion and doesn’t matter. It’s always been like that, right? There are top-notch bands. There are average bands, and then there are the musical paupers who just bore you to death.
RockLine: You’re no doubt filling the gaps on the better end of that spectrum…
John Boecklin: I think so too … (laughs)
RockLine: And a message for our readers?
John Boecklin: We’re not exactly a band that preaches with messages, but if you’re really into it, you can dig a few out of our lyrics. The message is eternally positive: even if you get knocked to the ground and kicked in the face – even then, always try to get back up and stay true to your determination and your goals. And we’ll do our best not to let you down…
RockLine: Hope dies last. Thanks for the chat.
John Boecklin: Thank you too.
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