Interview with Poison The Well
drummer Chris Hornbrook
Over the course of the last several years, Poison The Well has become one of the biggest metal-core bands on the scene. After an EP and three full-length albums the band has developed a repuation for it's blistering, yet experimental take on the genre. This is brutal hardcore, with an artistry that few bands of their ilk can match. On April 3rd the band will release their new album Versions, so I spoke with drummer Chris Hornbrook to get the scoop on what fans can expect from one of the most anticpated heavy releases of 2007.
Anarchy Music: You have a new album coming out in April called Versions, what can you tell us about that and how the band has grown since the last record?
Chris Hornbrook: To start off, it's been a good four years since we put out a record. Certain circumstances have been out of our control, whether it be one thing or the other. Just as musicians we've all really grown a lot and wanted to incorporate different types of music and elements into what we do. I'd say the new record is very eclectic. It's kind of chaotic and busy and all over the place, but still a cohesive body of work.
Anarchy: The thing I've noticed about you is that seem to be influenced by bands that aren't very typical to hardcore and metal, which lends to a more layered sound. Do you think that shows through even more on Versions?
Chris: Definitely. When we made our last record, You Come Before You, there were a lot of things that I didn't listen to that i listen to now that have really opened up my eyes as far as music and musicianship goes. I'm very appreciative and grateful that I have that. It's helped me to grow a bit more, and the same thing will happen with the next record. We'll grow more and incorporate more and continue.
Anarchy: What kind of things have you added in?
Chris: Me personally, I've just grown to listen to be able to listen to more music. I listen to everything from country to progressive rock to jazz to Latin, even pop music like David Bowie. I've grown a tremendous amount, and it's the same with the music. Essentially this record is a rock/hardcore/punk/blues/folk/country record. There's a lot of things coming together. I think that when you listen to it you can tell that we don't just listen to hardcore anymore.
Anarchy: The three of you (Chris, Jeffrey Moreira - Vocal and Ryan Primack - Guitar) have been the core of the band throughout it's history, while other members have come and gone. What's the working relationship like there? Do you guys just see eye to eye on where the band should be heading?
Chris: In the grand scheme of things, yes, we all see eye to eye. We all have the same ideals and beliefs in the way we want to make music and conduct our band. On a smaller level, we definitely bicker and butt heads a lot but that's natural. As far as what our goal is, we all realize that we have a great working relationship with one another. We have great friendships so we don't want to take that advantage.
Anarchy: You have a couple of new guys on tour with you right now( Michael MacIvor - Bass and Brad Clifford- Guitar). Are they in the band or are they just filling in for this tour?
Chris: No, they're just touring dudes. When it comes down to writing music, it's going to be myself, Ryan and Jeffrey. Unless we choose after this record cycle working with these dudes that it's time to bring them in. As of now Poison The Well is just Ryan, myself and Jeff.
Anarchy: Your last record was on Atlantic and it did really well, but for Versions you've moved to Ferret. While most bands spend their careers trying to get to a major, you got there and decided to go back to and indie label. What was the reason for that?
Chris: A few. When we first signed with Atlantic everything was wonderful and great and everything couldn't be better. But when we started making this record and played them some of what we wrote for it and they just didn't get it. They're looking for a Top 20 single and have only one way that they really know how to work bands. They basically said "we really don't get this and you guys need to go back and write" and we said "no". This is our record and either you approve us to go record or you let us go because nothing's going to change. We're not going to go back and attempt to write something that isn't us. That’s not to say that we're not capable of writing single-esque material, but I feel like when bands write it, it's very forced and contrived, and you can tell. I would much rather it come along naturally then have to force it.
Anarchy: You had been friends with Ferret for years, does this feel more like family?
Chris: Yeah, like you said we've known them for years. I met Carl, the president or Ferret Records when I was a teenager. One of the dudes Rick, used to be our old tour manager. Most of the dudes at the label have been in bands that we played with and toured with. It's a really comfortable, good feeling.
Anarchy: You used the same producers as on the last album (Pelle Henricsson and Eskil Lövström). What did they add to your sound and was it easier having worked with them before?
Chris: The last record we were learning a lot from this because we had never worked with a producer who really critiques what you do. Before we had worked with this dude Jeremy and we essentially produced ourselves and he helped an outside opinion as far as takes go. On the last record we learned a lot. I know I did individually, as a musician. With the new record it was more like they were collaborating with us. It was cool because they added a lot of great elements to the music and came up with really cool things. It was an interesting thing because it was producing, but at the same time i felt like some of us in the band were producing as well even though it's not credited on the record. Especially Ryan because he played so many instruments and he wrote or co-wrote pretty much all of the material. We all sat back and gave our opinions as far as what stayed or what got taken away. It's really great to work with people who sometimes take something out of left field and you wouldn't really expect but works brilliantly.
Anarchy: And at the same time you get to hang out in Sweden...
Chris: Yeah, I'm never going to complain about going to Europe and making a record. When I'm 60 years old and I look back on my 20's and I'll get to say that I went to Sweden and got to make a really interesting and different record with a bunch of good friends. Nothing really beats that.
Anarchy: You seem to have a more diverse fan base than a lot of bands in your genre, and it seems to stem from the lyrics. Does that inclusive songwriting carry over into the new album? For instance, what is the first single "Letter Thing" about?
Chris: You'll have to ask Jeffrey about that. He doesn't really explain the lyrics and he likes it to be interpretive. Whatever you get from the song is just as valid as what he put into it. I don't know, I have a girlfriend so I don't pay attention to that. Sometimes girls come to shows, sometimes they don't. Like I said, I have a girlfriend so I don't pay too much attention.
Anarchy: Have you filmed a video for “Letter Thing” yet?
Chris: No, we're actually in the process of doing it. We did this little "Not Be Rusty" tour so to speak. Our last show is March 1st, we get home March 2nd. We fly that evening to Los Angeles and the third day film performance stuff for the video. Then the 4th we fly back and then on the 6th we fly to the UK to do a two and half week tour of the UK, France, Netherlands, and Belgium.
Anarchy: Is there a concept for the video?
Chris: Jeffrey wrote the treatment for it, and it's really cool. We're working with this director Roboshobo, his visuals are just really, really cool. I think that with Jeff's treatment and Robo's interesting perspective i think we'll have a really interesting video. As far as conceptually, I wouldn't want to spoil it. I'd much rather someone see the video and have it come across a certain way.
Anarchy: I know the tour just started, but are you playing any of the new songs?
Chris: Yeah, we have two different set lists and we'll rotate. We're playing 6 or 7 new songs and every night we'll rotate them in and out.
Anarchy: Are the crowds digging the new stuff?
Chris: It's hard for me to tell because I'm behind the drum kit. It's hard when people don't have the record in front of them to listen to, or they don't for a long period of time and really feel involved with it. As far as I've heard from the kids are digging it, and I realize it'll just take time and touring and allowing the record to get out there so kids can absorb it.
Anarchy: I know you don't like to plan too far ahead, but what are the general plans for the record? I know you're doing a headlining tour through April. After that are you joining a festival?
Chris: As it is right now, we're starting our full US headlining tour April 3rd and that takes us up into May. We're still waiting to get back some final dates because we're still waiting to find out where our tour ends. Then we have three to three and a half weeks of the Warped Tour. Typically it's been 2 months but this year it doesn't seem to be as many shows as it was when we played in 2003. In between the headlining tour and Warped Tour, because they make you not tour for about a month and a half so that you don't over-saturate the market and when you play kids will come to see you. Instead of just going to see you on your off show, they're more inclined to come to the Warped Tour. I think we're going to do a Japanese and Australian run, but that's not fully sure yet. We're going to see if that's possible. Certain times of the year it's better to go to Europe or it's better to go to Australia. At some point you've got to get a good support tour. I'm sure that once the record has been out for 6 months and we have a single or two out and things are really rolling along then we'll do another full headlining tour.
Anarchy: Versions comes out April 3rd so everyone should go buy it, right?
Chris: Oh, for sure!
Anarchy: He endorses it!
Chris: Obviously, I endorse buying the record, but we're not a band that doesn't advocate downloading. If kids want to download the record and that's all they want to do, that's cool, but definitely buying the record will help us to put food in our mouths and continue to do what we do.
Anarchy: And that's important too.
Chris: There's nothing wrong with making money and surviving. If you download it and you like what you hear, go buy it. that would be cool. that's what i do. I download music, but if I really like something i eventually go out and buy the cd or the vinyl.
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Awesome! I want to thank Chris for his time (and sorry for all the schedule changes bro). Everyone be sure to check out Verses when it's released on April 3rd. For more info on Poison The Well, go to Poison The Well on Myspace