Lotus: How�d you hook up with COC�s Mike Dean? Where did you record the album?
Sherm: It was Greg�s idea to work with Mike � I�ve known him for a while (Spirit Caravan toured with COC for a little bit). We recorded the album at Sonic Wave studio in Raleigh, NC, and I recorded some of the vocals at the Wig Shop. We knocked it out in about two days down there back in the summer of �04. We also got Mick from Clutch to do the keyboards up here at Jean Paul�s studio in Maryland.
Lotus: Judging from the results, it seems you guys and Dean definitely connected in terms of approach, sound, etc.?
Sherm: Yes, absolutely. This is one of the best recordings that I�ve ever done. Wretched and Spirit Caravan never had this kind of production and mastering.
Rob: Mike was on the road a lot and he�d bring his laptop to do mixes. Once he�d finish one or two, he�d mail them to us to check out and we�d get back to him with our comments. It worked out real good.
Lotus: Vampire Circus really sounds massive. The guitar and bass tones are monstrous, the drums, the songs are lyrically powerful; everything just seems to click.
Sherm: Thanks, man! Everything went together really well. It was actually the smoothest recording process that I�ve ever been involved with. I think that we did take this record to the next level in a more aggressive and brutal style of doom. Not that Taming of the Demons is bad or anything, but you know, this one is just killer. No filler!
Rob: Plus, there was like, you know, a new bass player in the band, so maybe the songwriting process ended up being a little different this time around. I dunno.
Lotus: Other than recording with a new producer, did you approach the CD any differently this time out? Did you guys use the same gear as you have in the past?
Sherm: Kyle (VanSteinburg) pretty much always used his wall of Orange and Matamp gear, but as far as recording technique goes, everybody has their own style.
Rob: Plus, with the studio being all the way down in Raleigh, we had to make sure we had everything down so we could bang it out without screwing around. It�s not like we could just come back whenever we wanted to finish up.
Lotus: Mick from Clutch plays organ on �Dirtnap� and �Swamp Witch,� and the new ingredient works extremely well. How�d Mick come to be involved? Is adding more organ something you�ll explore further? Any plans for Mick to do live shows?
Sherm: The original plan was to have Big Ross from Clearlight do the keyboards, but for whatever reason, he ended up not being able to do it. I called Jean Paul up and asked if Mick might want to do it, and he said sure. Mike was willing to drive up to record it, so it all worked out. We definitely dig the organ on the tracks, but we doubt anything will work out so that he could play live with us. Unless we go on tour with Clutch!
Lotus: �Loss� is another highlight for me, and it�s a slight departure. First there�s the bluesy mellow guitar intro, then there�s Sherman�s vocal approach, which finds him practically singing during some spots.
Sherm: JD Williams (of Internal Void) wrote the lyrics and presented them to me for Earthride. I looked �em over and mutated them just a little bit. Kyle came up with the riffs. The song is basically just about loss � loss of friends, loved ones, anything, really.
Lotus: Will you do major touring in �06? Any new recording plans yet?
Rob: We headed out for the first week in April just around the central Midwest and East. After that we�re going to try and buckle down and write some new songs so we don�t have such a long gap in between records.
Sherm: We�re going to keep playing out, and hopefully we�ll go to Europe next year.
|
