ROCKET’s Interview With Gary Mader Of EYEHATEGOD

Source: Metalunderground

It’s well known in the metal underground what true legend’s Eyehategod have become, primarily due to the fact they created one of the most controversial and darkest forms of metal music ever, Sludge. Based in New Orleans, Louisiana and having formed originally in 1988, Eyehategod has made more than its fair share of social and political statements, literally going to hell and back to remain one of the most important heavy music bands ever.

Despite numerous reports over the years of the group breaking up, they have truly withstood the test of time, albeit a bit worn, bloodied and bruised for the better. After 2005’s Preaching the “End-Time” Message, a rareties collection, the band found themselves smack dab in the middle of a level 5 hurricane that almost permanently removed them and NOLA off the map for good. For a short period, the band itself was in search of its very own doom poet lead vocalist, Mike Williams, who was found later not to be dead but actually alive and locked up in jail. Philip Anselmo, said it best when uttering the statement, “Mike Williams is New Orleans.” , ending the ongoing horror story come alive by digging into his own wallet and bailing the singer out. I cannot speak quite to the level of just how great this band is in the Rock N Roll pantheon, to be frank. For oft times, life’s true great artists of their field aren’t figured out and fully appreciated until they are no longer performing their craft or even alive for that matter. I am really proud to have this opportunity to interview Eyehategod’s bass player, Gary Mader.

Rocket: My first question is an obvious but highly important one. How the hell is Mike Williams doing?

Gary: Mike is doing good. He spends most of his time bass watching and drinking beer near the ponds at Philip’s. He lost everything tangible during the storm, but we are all doing what we can to help get his life back to normal; just simple shit like getting him copies of records we’ve done, T-shirts, etc. His apartment burned to ash, so he’s been staying at Philip’s. He has gone above and beyond in helping Mike, considering the shit he’s had to deal with in the last year. Mike is more optimistic than ever. He ain’t the type of guy to dwell in the past.

Rocket: I know Eyehategod has been playing shows since Mike got out of jail. Tell me a bit about what that’s like to be on the stage again as a unit.

Gary: To be able to jam again… a feeling that we wouldn’t trade for anything. After driving around and then couch surfin for five months during the hurricane, then not knowing when Mike was getting out and just other random bullshit. for all of us to get together and crank up never felt better. Sometimes you take jamming for granted.You do it so much that it’s something you just really don’t think about as a privilege. It’s really inspired us. We can’t stop writing. Whereas before the storm, we all felt a little stuck creatively for a second.

Rocket: I’ve seen some recent photos of NOLA. I mean, it’s still in some real bad shape but it looks like some good things are starting to happen there, in terms of rebuilding. How do you feel about what you see?

Gary: The rebuilding of New Orleans is a joke. Six months after the storm hit us, there are still traffic lights out of service, and most of the residents that have returned are fighting an uphill battle to reestablish their neighborhoods. It’s not just the ninth ward or St. Bernard Parish like you see on TV. It is most of the city. Everything is backed up because of red tape and not enough people to do jobs, like issuing the necessary permits that allow folks to move back into their damaged homes or trailer. The city is crawling financially and progress all around is non-existent. It seems now that we are out of the media, everythig has just come to a screeching halt. I don’t let all that shit get me down though. Individually, my life is normal enough. My wife and I found an apartment in our same neighborhood after being evicted from our last apartment. We have jobs, can get weed, can jam and see music, and most of our friends are back.

Rocket: When did you first start playing the bass guitar?

Gary: I started playing when I was 14. I started because I was listening to alot of hardcore/punk and just felt like I could pull it off. I think the first song I learned was ‘Sex And Violence’ by The Exploited. I ended up learning how to read music and played in the school jazz band for awhile just to get better. That didn’t really hold my interest, so I started to put more time into playing hardcore. I played bass exclusively until we started to get Hawg Jaw together in ’96.

Read The Complete Interview Here:

http://www.metalunderground.com/interviews/details.cfm?newsid=18523