PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Drowning Pool bassist Stevie Benton took time out from the road touring the States to answer some questions about the release of their up coming new album RESILIENCE and also their up coming UK tour with Fozzy.
PM – Your new album Resilience is set to come out in just over a month (April 2nd) and is the first with new singer Jason Moreno can you tell us a bit about how you approached writing this album?
We hit Jasen with everything we had, as fast as we could. We had to make sure he could work under pressure. He is a great singer and songwriter. There’s nothing he couldn’t pull off. I’d send him a rough demo one day and he would turn it into a bad ass song by the next day.
PM – Did you have any specific influences for writing the new album?
Anything and everything, from rocking out to Ministry to just having a shitty day. From a brief moment of happiness to being pissed off at the world. It’s all in there.
PM – Is there an overall subject or theme to the new album or does each song deal with something different?
I’d say that each song deals with something different but there does seem to be an underlying theme of anger and frustration.
PM – You released the single “In Memory of” to celebrate the memory of Dave Williams on the 10th anniversary of his unfortunate death, is it fair to say that he is still very much a part of the band?
Dave will always be a huge part of everything we do. We think about him or talk about him every single day. He was truly one of a kind.
PM – You’re currently on tour in the States just now, how has the tour gone so far and are you looking forward to the remainder of the tour?
Tour so far has been awesome. We are out with Flyleaf right now and they have been great. Plus the crowds have been crazy every night. I never want the tour to end!!!!
PM – When you tour, do you prefer to play big arenas or smaller club shows?
I love both. It’s great when a tour has a little bit of both. It changes things up from night to night and keeps you on your game.
PM – Have you been playing any songs off of the new album so far? If so how have the fans responded?
Response has been awesome. People are already familiar with a couple of the singles. So, its great to see them rocking out and singing along.
PM – You’re coming to the UK in April with Fozzy, where did the idea to tour with them come from?
I have absolutely no idea but we jumped at the chance.
PM – Do you find you get a different response in the UK and Europe to the response you get back home?
Maybe just slightly different. But at the end of the day, people just want to rock out and have a good time.
PM – What is your favourite track from the set and why?
Bodies will always be a favourite just because the crowd always goes crazy. Right now, I’m digging “One Finger and a Fist”. The song is energetic and catchy.
PM – Are there any plans to play any festivals this year?
I’m not the guy that makes the plans. I just go where they tell me. But I sure as hell hope so!!!!
PM – What do you like most and least about touring?
The thing I like the most is the time you get to spend on stage rocking out and interacting with the crowd. What I like the least is everything else.
PM – When you go out on tour is there anything that you absolutely MUST have with you?
Ear plugs. Not for the show but so that I can sleep while people run around our bus raising hell !!!
Drowning Pool return to the UK for a co-headlining run with Fozzy on April 11th. Main support on all dates comes from UK metal cases Revoker.
The new album Resilience comes out on April 8th.
