Liz Ramanand, Loudwire Gojira frontman Joe Duplantier was the guest on Full Metal Jackie’s radio show this past weekend. He spoke all about the band’s upcoming North American tour with Devin Townsend and Atlas Moth. Duplantier also voiced his opinion on the situation of Lamb of God vocalist Randy Blythe being imprisoned in the Czech Republic. If you missed Jackie’s show, read the full interview with Joe Duplantier below: Devin Townsend and Atlas Moth, you’re going to be touring with these guys. Just out of curiosity, do the bands on a tour influence or change the way you think about music? Yes absolutely and that’s why we are who we are today is because we toured with all these bands throughout our career. They’ve had an influence on us – the way we behave onstage, the way we play, they way we approach the whole thing, sometimes it’s purely technical like the way they plug in their gear. So we always learn something from touring with people that’s why I’m so happy to tour with Devin, he’s such an incredible singer – one of my influences actually and he’ll be opening for us [Laughs] how crazy is that? We’re all huge fans of Devin Townsend, Strapping Young Lad, it’s a great honor to have him on tour. He’s such an awesome and really intelligent guy so I’m sure there’s going to be a lot of crazy late night conversations between the two of you guys. Yeah [Laughs] sometimes you get lost when you talk with him because it’s so wide – you have a wide range of subjects he can talk about. He’s an awesome guy. Devin sang on your ‘Sea Shepherd’ EP and you sang on his ‘Deconstruction’ album; any chance you’ll be joining each other onstage on this tour? We’re trained to do good, we’re trained to do our homework, we stress all day because we want to give it our best and he’s still like that. It makes it harder to jump onstage for him after he played or for me when I’m warming up. We haven’t talked about it actually but maybe by the end of the tour we will do something together – that would be awesome. We did in Australia one time – it was a disaster [Laughs]. We didn’t get the chance to rehearse the song at all so it was really weird but it was great because we were onstage with Devin and Fredrik [Thordendal] from Meshuggah so it was very exciting to be onstage with those guys – almost too exciting, we played way too fast and I was watching them onstage and made a lot of mistakes on the guitar. Originally, Gojira was on the bill of the Lamb of God tour that got canceled, France isn’t far from the Czech Republic, what surprised you most about Randy’s [Blythe] situation? What surprised me the most was that they were not aware that one of their fans died before they went there. They were so surprised when they arrived there that police came straight there in the plane and took them to jail – the whole band went to jail the first day. I talked to Chris Adler on the phone, the same day and he was so depressed and they were shocked and surprised that it happened. I don’t know something went wrong somewhere that the information didn’t go to them. I’m sure they would do something if they knew a kid died at one of their shows – at least try to reach the family, send some money – the surprise is what made it really bad for them because they’re gentlemen. Randy is such an incredible guy and I’m sure he would have done something before – I just thought about this now while you were asking me the question, for me it was a bad situation, a very sad situation. I saw Randy when he came back, he has a good, strong spirit so he knows how to react to this and he’ll go back there and finish this whole thing. I hope it will turn good for him, I hope he will not give have to give some more money or go to jail. It’s a well known band it would not have been difficult for someone to get a hold of him, for two years to pass and no one to even try – call the venue, call the agent call the manager, it would’ve taken two seconds. It still just baffles me. The Czech Republic is very, very different than France and other countries – yes you’re right it’s not far, it’s like another state for you Americans but in Europe each country is such a different world. I don’t know how it works over there, it seems like they took advantage of that – having a big American star in their jail, maybe they tried to get some money out of this probably. For me it’s just an accident, he’s not guilty of anything, he’s just a rockstar. He’s a beast onstage and you go to see him onstage, you’re not supposed to be onstage. Anybody who’s been to a Lamb of God show knows it can get violent down there and to go onto the stage while somebody’s performing, it’s not smart. Yeah absolutely, I kicked so many people off stage. Sometimes people get onstage and they dance in front of the microphone so I cannot even see the crowd with them in front of me so I just kick this person, nicely but it could turn out bad. This person could fall on their head and now everybody’s thinking about what happened and I talk to a lot of singers and they said “Never again they will touch a fan, it’s too dangerous.” The new video for ‘Explosia’ really shows the intensity of Gojira live. On tour how do you come down from so much adrenaline? I think it’s the faith that we have in what we do. We really, truly, deeply embrace our music and believe in what we do, I usually say that we’re not great musicians – Mario [Duplaniter] is a very good drummer and he’s very stable, he’s very tight and inventive and he can groove but the rest of us [Laughs] my God it’s a big mess. If you could hear the separate tracks of each show, every guitar player knows when you move your head, you dance on the stage or whatever, it’s hard to play tight so we’re also very, very focused and we try to deliver a very tight show. That show was really hard for us because it was really hot and the stage is small so at one point we said “You know what, let’s be a punk band tonight” [Laughs] because we did this tour recently in the States in small clubs and it was awesome to go back to small clubs and to feel the craziness of the crowd and the heat. I don’t know when we jam onstage we just play our music which is the thing we like the most in life and we feel inspired by this music in general. Full Metal Jackie will welcome Mark Osegueda of Death Angel on her next show. Full Metal Jackie can be heard on radio stations around the country — for a full list of stations, go to fullmetaljackieradio.com .
Photos: Razor & Tie / Chapman Baehler P.O.D. are going for their fifth and final Cage Match win as they edged out Hellyeah in the previous matchup. Can Sonny Sandoval and his crew take down today’s competition for entrance into the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame? Coheed and Cambria enter the Cage Match with their new track ‘Domino the Destitute’ off of the first part of their double album ‘The Afterman: Ascension.’ The band has a few tour dates in the States before embarking on a European trek at the end of October. For a full list of dates, go here . So will Coheed and Cambria start a ‘Domino’ effect with a serious win or will P.O.D. make their way to Loudwire’s Cage Match Hall of Fame with a final victory? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite track below! (This Cage Match will run until Monday, Oct. 22, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to P.O.D., ‘Higher’ Listen to Coheed and Cambria, ‘Domino the Destitute’ ? Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. ? Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!
Facebook: While She Sleeps UK act While She Sleeps are ready to break in America after winning Kerrang’s Best Newcomer Award . Now, in addition to getting to know the band, you can win a signed copy of While She Sleeps’ ‘This Is the Six’ album, as well as a bunch of other great items from the group’s label, The End Records. Included in the bundle is a Skull t-shirt, a Paradise Lost box set, a Cradle of Filth box set, two The End Records beer cozies, an AxeWound flat, an Audio Bullys bag, a “Here’s the Metal” hot sauce, and, of course, the While She Sleeps ‘This Is the Six’ signed CD. To learn a little more about While She Sleeps, check out our interview with the band, and then enter your details in the contest box at the bottom of the story for a chance to win The End Records Bundle Contest. We spoke with While She Sleeps guitarist Sean Long, who discussed the significance of their new album title, how they’re differentiating themselves from their peers, and what it was like to win the Kerrang award at such an early stage in their career. The title track, ‘This Is the Six,’ definitely has a special meaning for the band. Can you talk about where it comes from and if it was the obvious choice to be the first song heard off this record? It’s really hard to find an album title that is original and means something to you, we are really happy we landed on ‘This Is the Six.’ It basically means that we are the 5 and 6th member of the band is the crowd, our fans, anyone who has supported us in anyway, they are the six. So together we are part of the same this, THIS IS THE SIX! Guitarist Mat Welsh has stated that the band wants ‘This Is the Six’ to be an album that people grow up on? What were the qualities that drew you to the bands you listened to growing up and do you feel this album captures that, as well? Just music that stands out to me, I am a big fan of note selection. I believe the slightest change in note selection can change how you feel instantly so picking the right note for a certain song is very important. I really hope we have captured that because there are notes on that album that make me feel great and I get a feeling in my stomach that makes me love music. While She Sleeps have gotten some credit for thinking outside of the box in terms of their sound. What’s your take on the music scene and how do you differentiate yourself from other acts? I guess we just try our hardest to be different inside of all the music we love. I believe that all the music we listen to, which ranges from folk to metal, is captured in our music even without us knowing. You have a hard-rocking sound and there’s definitely a punk ethic to how the band addresses lyrical content. How much do you value having the platform to discuss things like politics, patriotism, and issues affecting the youth in your songs? I’d like to say at least we are singing about things that are real and that we are living in, things we all have experienced and about our lives as friends. The more people who like our band, the bigger voice we will have to let everyone know our opinions and join us! What are a few of your favorite songs off the record and can you discuss why they stand out to you? If I picked one I’d be lying to myself. I honestly love them all so much. We all really surprised ourselves with this so we listen to it like another band. Haha, but why not you know, we are very proud of it and love what we have created. What did winning the Kerrang Best Newcomer Award mean to you this early in your career? You have no idea. I cried for a start and I rarely cry. It just felt so amazing to know that what we are doing is real and people are actually agreeing with what we are doing. It was the best day of my life for sure! Fans wishing to check out While She Sleeps’ ‘This Is The Six’ album can currently pre-order the effort here . To enter to win a signed copy of the disc, along with items from Audio Bullys, AxeWound, Paradise Lost, Cradle of Filth and more as part of The End Record contest bundle, be sure to enter your information in the box provided below: While She Sleeps + The End Records Giveaway Enter your e-mail address for a chance to win a singed copy of While She Sleeps’ ‘This Is the Six’ CD plus a Skull t-shirt, a Paradise Lost box set, a Cradle of Filth box set, two The End Records beer cozies, an AxeWound flat, an Audio Bullys bag, a “Here’s the Metal” hot sauce. Contest ends Nov. 19, 2012. Click here for official rules . By entering this contest, you will receive email newsletters from Loudwire. You may unsubscribe at any time. Email Watch While She Sleeps’ ‘This Is the Six’ Video
Photos: Razor & Tie / Eleven Seven Music P.O.D. continue on the path to victory with their new single ‘Higher,’ as they beat out Kid Rock in the last Cage Match. Hellyeah enter the matchup with their latest single ‘Drink Drank Drunk’ of their recent disc ‘Band of Brothers’ The group is made up of vocalist Chad Gray (Mudvayne), drummer Vinnie Paul (Pantera), guitarists Tom Maxwell (Nothingface) and Greg Tribbett (Mudvayne), and bassist Bob Zilla (DamagePlan). They are set to play Rocktoberfest and they will also be joining Lamb of God and In Flames on tour starting at the end of November. For a full list of dates and cities, go here . So will Hellyeah knock back an easy win with ‘Drink Drank Drunk’ or will P.O.D. be one step closer to the Cage Match Hall of Fame with ‘Higher’? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite track below. (This Cage Match will run until Friday, Oct. 19, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to P.O.D., ‘Higher’ Listen to Hellyeah, ‘Drink Drank Drunk ? Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. ? Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!
Photos: Razor & Tie Records / Clay Patrick McBride P.O.D. knocked out Mark Tremonti and his crew over the weekend for a big Cage Match win, but will they be able to beat out today’s competition. Kid Rock enters the matchup with his new single ‘Let’s Ride’ off of his upcoming album ‘Rebel Soul,’ due Nov. 19. For more on the new album, click here . Plus, check out Kid Rock’s new politically charged video with actor Sean Penn here . So will Kid Rock ‘Ride’ off into the sunset with a win or will P.O.D. continue to soar with their track ‘Higher’? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite single below. (This Cage Match will run until Wednesday, Oct. 17, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to P.O.D., ‘Higher’ Listen to Kid Rock, ‘Let’s Ride’
Photos: Razor & Tie Records / Daniel Tremonti P.O.D. and their latest single ‘Higher’ beat out Hinder in the last Cage Match, but can they take down today’s challenger? Mark Tremonti , guitarist of Creed and Alter Bridge, enters the Cage Match with his solo project Tremonti and the new single ‘So You’re Afraid’ off of his debut album ‘All I Was.’ In the song, Tremonti goes to work on both vocals and guitar riffs; check out the video here . Tremonti is currently on tour in Europe; for a full list of dates, go here . Also check out our photo gallery of the outfit’s stop in New York City. So will P.O.D. continue to soar to victory with ‘Higher’ or will Tremonti scare off the competition with ‘So You’re Afraid’? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite track below! (This Cage Match will run until Monday, Oct. 15, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to P.O.D., ‘Higher’ Listen to Tremonti, ‘So You’re Afraid’
Photos: BWR / Leann Mueller In a ridiculously close race in the last Cage Match, Hinder and their new single ‘Save Me’ edged out Thousand Foot Krutch, but will they be safe against today’s heavy hitters? P.O.D. enter the matchup with their new single ‘Higher’ off of their latest disc ‘Murdered Love.’ After being part of this year’s Uproar tour, the band is gearing up for some dates with 3 Doors Down, go here for a full list of dates. P.O.D. are also set to play Shiprocked 2012; check out our exclusive interview with P.O.D. singer Sonny Sandoval and In This Moment frontwoman Maria Brink about the rockin’ cruise. So will Hinder fans continue to ‘Save’ them or will P.O.D. reach a soaring victory with ‘Higher’? Get in on the action and vote for your favorite track below! (This Cage Match will run until Friday, Oct. 12, at 8AM ET. Fans can vote once per hour! So come back and vote often to make sure your favorite song wins!) Listen to Hinder, ‘Save Me’ Listen to P.O.D., ‘Higher’ ? Sorry, you need to have javascript running to see this poll. ? Email Me When Cage Match Winners Are Announced Enter your email address below to receive the Loudwire newsletter, which will include notification of the daily winner of the Cage Match, as well as our top stories of the day. Email Rules of Cage Match: Fans can vote once per hour for their favorite song. If a song remains the reigning champ for five straight cage matches, it is retired to the Loudwire Cage Match Hall of Fame. With so many great songs out there, we have to give other bands a chance!