Unearth

When we got the new Unearth EP in the mail, I listened to it, and it was awesome! However, seeing them live is 100 times better! Out of A Static Lullaby, Unearth, The Hope Conspiracy, and From Autumn To Ashes, Unearth was by far the best, no question. I had the opportunity to interview most of the band, and they are really cool guys. If they come to your town, don't miss them!

Ok, so if you could just give some background info, like where you guys are from, how long you've been around, the names of the other members, and how your band name came about, that would be great.
Trevor: Ok, we formed in August of '98, and it was pretty much the same group, but we had a different bass player, his name was Rover. We played area shows for a couple years, then did some local tours and then we got signed to Eulogy. Then our other bass player couldn't tour with us, and then we heard this guy playing in a great band called Flatline, and we stole him. We were just borrowing him, but we ended up stealing him. So, it worked out. What else? Yeah, we got the name Unearth because we wanted to come up with a new sound in the whole flooded metal-core genre, and we all thought Unearth sounded good. Plus, we all liked one word names because they sound like they have more punch to it.

Did you just send a demo to Eulogy, or how did they hear you?
Trevor: Well we had a demo CD out. Endless Fight Records put out our first CD, it was four songs, actually a demo tape and they put to disc. So, we sent that to them, and we recorded two new songs that we had, a song called "My Desire," and a song called "Monition." One was on a 7" with Undying, and "My Desire" is actually on the new EP that we did, so it's just a demo version of it. They liked it a lot, but they were kinda busy at the time. They just wanted to see us develop more, ya know, tour a little more. Then they picked us up, we did a full length for them, and we've been pretty much touring non-stop since.

Right on, so it's working out good then?
Trevor: Working out really well, yeah. So yeah, we love Eulogy. We've had a lot of success touring. All across the country, clubs like this, kids are really responsive.

They must be good if they sent your CD to us. We're pretty small, but we got the new EP, and I think it's awesome!
Trevor: Really?

Yeah, they're doing a good job. By the way, your guitar players are rad! How long have they been playing?
John: Uh...shit, I don't even know. Buz has probably been playing for over 10 years. Trevor: They're both in their mid 20's, and have been playing since they were at least 12, at least. Yeah, this guy's well-versed in a lot of instruments. Tell 'em Slo. John: I went to school for classical piano, and played guitar in a hardcore band for a while. I played keyboards in a progressive metal band, and now I'm playing bass in Unearth!

There ya go! So, how's the tour going so far? How far along are you?
John: Like a week into it, and we've got like a week and a half to go. Just a small one before Christmas. We'll get back just in time. Trevor: Yeah, just shoot to California and back. We actually missed last night in Boise, because our van broke. It broke twice in 24 hours. What broke? The distributor cap broke, and then like 24 hours later, the fuel pump broke. So we spent $1000 in repairs, and we had to miss Boise, and we just came to Seattle, and then San Fransisco tomorrow. That's a long drive from here.

That is a long drive. What's the funniest thing that's ever happened on tour?
Trevor: On our first tour, a guy broke into our van and stole a bunch of stuff. There was blood everywhere, and we end up catching him...the cops found him, and it turned out he had AIDS. That was pretty funny. (akward silence)

Where is your favorite place to play outside of Boston, and where is not so fun?
Trevor: Uh..favorite place to play? That's a real tough one, because everywhere seems really cool. Our most recent really amazing show is Chicago. Chicago is always awesome. Yeah, Canada...Quebec, a little provence in Quebec is just amazing. John: Everwhere...The East Coast, California. There's really nowhere that's bad. Everything's been doing really well, snowballing everywhere we go. We're not trying to be PC at all, we just have a good time wherever we go. Trevor: Each city you just expect a certain reaction, and when it happens, it's amazing.

What's the worst injury anyone has obtained onstage?
Trevor: Onstage...probably me. What's happened? Nobody's really gotten that hurt. I split my finger open at a show a couple weeks ago. I think it's broken, I'm not too sure. My guitar players, they spin their guitars around, around their backs like that. And Buz chopped me with a guitar. I was bleeding all over the stage, all down my hands, my legs n' stuff, it was crazy. It was pretty good. John: Didn't Rover get hit in the head one time? Trevor: Oh yeah, yeah...our old bass player, before John. A guy was doing a chop with his guitar, smashed him right in the head, he was bleeding from his head and everything.

What do you guys do besides the band? Do you have other jobs or hobbies?
Trevor: (pointing to John) This dude's a pimp, and a drug dealer. John: (laughing) I run a liquor store at home. And, I don't know...the straight edge kids probably don't like that, but it's a job. I'm a card shark at the casino. I play a lot of poker.

Five card draw?
John: Five card stud.

Nice.
Trevor: I work shipping and recieving, and I just started my own record label, Iron Clad Recordings. The first band I put out is called Rise Over Run. And Mike here...tell them your job. Mike: My real job? Trevor: Yes. Mike: I do sales for a printing company in Boston. And I just sit on E-Bay all day. I sell vintage metal shirts to kids overseas who don't understand the value of the American dollar.

What do you guys do in the van to pass the time, besides sleeping?
John: Haha! Poop jokes. Mike: That's it...just a two word answer. Trevor: Talk about girls, poop jokes, and listen to music. Mike: Sonata Arctica! A lot of power metal. Trevor: And we play Playstation. We had a VCR, but it broke. So, no more porn.

Playstation One?
Trevor: Yeah

What games?
Trevor: We wore out Fifa '99, and Madden '99. Ken: Fuckin' jocks!

So, are you guys Patriots fans?
Trevor: Big time! Mike: Absolutely man, why wouldn't we be? They are the World Champs!

Ok, if your house was burning down, and you only had time to grab 3 CDs, and 3 other things, what would you grab? I'll start with you man....
Ken: Fuck. Oh...3 Cds, and 3 other things? Geez...I would grab Dead Poetic, Blindside, and I would grab my...oh, this last one's hard. Probably Cave In - Until Your Heart Stops CD. And I would grab my lightning bolt guitar strap, my telecaster, and probably some soap. Trevor: Uh...you don't really need CDs anymore though, right? You've got it all on the computer! Ken: Shut the fuck up, and just answer the question! Mike: Think back to '97. Trevor: Alright, back in '96...before they had computers Mike (sarcasm). I guess Vulgar Display Of Power by Pantera. Mike: Yeah, since you can't find that anywhere. Trevor: I know. And...Down - Nola, and Life of Agony - River Runs Red. Mike: What 3 things? Trevor: Ok, Mom, Dad and brother. Mike: That's not things! Trevor: Oh, people...ok. Mike: Which brother? Trevor: Yeah, which one? Oh - cats, 'cause cats aren't smart enough to get out. I'd take both in one swoop. Nothing else...my TV? Mike: So you can watch it in the streets, right? Trevor: Yep, my TV.

(to Mike) You better have damn good answers, alright?
(everyone laughs) Trevor: Yeah, that's about it. I don't really having anything valuable I don't think.

It's all good.
John: Well, I keep all my CDs in my car, so I wouldn't bring any CDs. I'd grab my casino players club card, my car keys, my shoes; and I'd go win enough to buy another house!

There ya go!
Mike: For my three CDs, I would grab Extol - Burial, Sonata Arctica - Ecliptica, and Rhapsody - Symphony of Enchanted Lands. And my three things...I would take my glowing Gandalf Burger King goblet, my foot high Michelin Man - that I don't know where it came from, and my Tris Speaker 1909 T-206 baseball card.

Seriously?
Mike: Yes.

Do you collect?
Mike: Yes.

So do I!
Mike: Ya do? (to band) Do you see that?

People make fun of me, but...
Mike: Please...are you kidding me? I collect everything. Trevor: My Jerry Rice rookie card then. John: And I'll bring my Jerry Rice rookie card, so he can have two of 'em.

There ya go! Alright, if you could get rid of one band, who would you get rid of?
Trevor: Has to be a hardcore band?

Any band.
Mike: Eminem. John: Come back to me. Mike: Hey mine's a tie...Eminem, and anything that has to do with John Lydon. Trevor: Christina Aguilera. John: Are you kidding? Keep her around! Trevor: She's gross! John: I was gonna say Britney Spears, but she's fun to look at! Mike: But she can sing, she's a nice singer...Britney Spears! Trevor: Yeah, she's attractive, Christina Aguilera is disgusting.

She does look like she has grey hair.
John: She wants to look older. Mike: All I have to say is that she doesn't have to take her clothes off to have a good time.

Alright, if you won $1 million from the lottery, or from playing cards, what would you do with it?
Mike: Start with them! Trevor: Oh, he's got something good! Million dollars? Give my family money, give myself money, invest some money, and uh...I'd buy up some rainforest. Ken: I'd start a record label, and pour the money into that. John: Yeah I would do something similar to that with a little of the money, and the rest I would probably buy commercial property with. Mike: Well, ya know what? I'd spend 10 G's on a '79 Corvette, 'cause that's the car I always wanted. Then how much do I have left? Alot. I'd get it all at once, and roll around in it! (laughter)

What do you guys think of MP3s, and people downloading your music on the Internet?
Mike: I have no problems with that at all. Because, a kid's gonna download your music, you're not gonna go out and stop 'em, there's no police for that. I don't care, I couldn't care less! Because if a kid comes out to the show and enjoys our show because he heard our song online, I don't care. Because if I see a smiling face in the crowd, I don't care how he got our music. We don't make our music to make money, we make our music to be heard. However it gets heard...if 10,000 more people hear it from downloading it online, that's totally cool ya know?

Alright, do you guys have any thanks, or props to smaller bands - either from Boston, or that you've played with on tour, or just anything else you want to add?
Mike: Obviously, all the bands that we're touring with right now...From Autumn to Ashes, Hope Conspiracy, Static Lullaby. Red Chord - from around our parts, a little bit of Purity's Failure, those guys are cool! Who else we got? Ken: Killswitch! Mike: Killswitch Engage... Trevor: Killswitch Engage, Poison The Well, Shadows Fall...Sworn Enemy! Mike: Sworn Enemy! Trevor: Hey...yo! Ken: Light Is The Language!

Alright, thank you very much guys!
Trevor: Yeah, take it easy.

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