T3M: Congratulations on the single "Fake It" being number one on the Active Rock charts for eleven weeks.

DS: Thank you.

T3M: What's Seether's song writing process like? Who comes up with the ideas first?

DS: It's not sort of a set way. Most times Shaun will have a song idea and present it to the band. We all sort of get in and work the song. Try to work it out and do our parts to the song, like drum tracks and stuff like that. Sometimes we'll write a song just jamming it in a sound check, or sometimes in rehearsal. Lyrically it's all Shaun. Music-wise, it's a team effort that starts off with Shaun.

T3M: Since Pat left the band in 2006, was it a big adjustment to start working as a trio?

DS: Not really. We started as a trio when we first started the band. So, when Pat left it was in the middle of a tour and we didn't want to cancel the shows. We pretty much just went back to doing the trio thing. It was time to sink or swim at that point. We just didn't have much time to think about it. It was a bit of an adjustment. Studio was a little bit different this time. If anything, it sort of made it fresh again. You sort of get burnt out playing and touring. When we went back to three, the whole dynamic... the whole show changed. It just breathed new life to the whole thing in a way. Pat is a great player, and we miss him, but I think he's happier at home and we're doing our thing out here.

T3M: Do you find it distracting when the media or the public become focused on your personal lives instead of the band?

DS: It can be, especially with the whole Amy thing. It sort of came into play, and it's tough and annoying in a way. I don't know that you can take that stuff too seriously. As hard as it may be, you have to just let it roll off your back... like water off a duck's back. I think Shaun dealt with it pretty well. After the song and everything, everyone always asked "is there going to be a comeback song to the 'Call Me When You're Sober' song? Is there going to be a comeback tune, album or whatever?" I'm just like "no, no there's not." Shaun chose to take the high road and not air the dirty laundry in public.

T3M: It's so easy to take the low road, so I thought it was refreshing to see how he handled the situation.

DS: Yeah, everyone was expecting it. Even with the artwork, people are like "is that Amy Lee?", and I'm like "no, it's a little Asian girl". It's not about Amy. People want the drama. It just gets into a whole pissing contest. We're not that sort of band.

T3M: How has Shaun's success with sobriety changed things for the band? What's different now?

DS: I think we're really tight. I think with that kind of stuff, when you get through it, it makes the band tighter. There are three of us now. We're really tight and in a good place. I think it's good, and we're in good shape.

T3M: What do you like the most about being on the road?

DS: Being on the road is fun for the most part. It's missing friends, girlfriends, wives, family and stuff like that... all the people you have to leave behind when you come out. That's the hard part. We all love touring, and that's why you start a band in the first place... to play at showrooms, have a good time, hang out with your friends, and be onstage. Even though there are hard parts, it's still the best job in the world.

 
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| 01.28.2008 | Interview by J. Pierson |