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BIO | INTERVIEW
2008 - Ben McCrow about 'Get Dead Or Die Trying'
Hey! THE ROTTED = the artist formerly known as GOREROTTED. What happened?
Well, obviously having been a touring band for ten years this was a pretty big step for us to take, but it was a very necessary step for us when we considered what we’d become. GOREROTTED had reached it’s natural conclusion, we’d done everything we wanted with the band so continuing down the same path would have been very limiting and pointless. After all the progressions we’d made, the new line-up, different lyrical content, and the way that the music has developed way beyond what GOREROTTED was, we decided it was time for a fresh start.
Do your fans have to be afraid of you becoming serious and mature?
Musically and lyrically I’d say the new stuff is far more disciplined and far more focused than the older stuff, everything about it has come on leaps and bounds. On a personal level though, we’re still the guys that wanna hang out at the shows and festivals and have a drink and a laugh with everyone. Over the years various injuries, arrests and nasty incidents have taught us a few things, but we still get ourselves into trouble from time to time.
Your new album ‘Get Dead Or Die Trying’ is soon to be released. What can the fans expect in comparison to GOREROTTED?
It’s a far more aggressive album than before, it contains pure anger and rage, and there’s a lot more going on in the music. It’s still catchy and infectious as hell, but the instruments are doing so much more, we have a lead guitarist now who has been able to stick some amazing melodies in, but we also have a big 80s UK Punk & Hardcore influence that keeps things nasty. You can listen to it the first time and instantly start singing along, but the more you listen, the more you notice, know what I mean? If I had to sum it up I’d say our music’s gone from being straight up death/grind to being angry, brutal metal with a UK punk undercurrent running through it.
Did Hip Hop act 50 Cent inspire you at some point with his ‘Get Rich Or Die Trying’?
No, that’s a pretty well used phrase over here: “Get (blah blah) or die trying!” We just played on it. A lot of my lyrics and song titles are based on puns, and this just summed up the whole idea of how we do all these things to enjoy life more that are ultimately bad for us. Kind of like the whole “killing yourself to live” idea. The very notion of getting rich or dying whilst trying is frankly repulsive as far as I’m concerned, our songs are about real life, things people can relate to, things people go through every day, not bullshit crap about having expensive cars, diamonds, gold and bitches. That shit gives morons unreachable aspirations and an insight into a lifestyle most people will never experience.
There’s a track called ‘It’s Like There’s A Party In My Mouth (And Everybody’s Being Sick)’. What is it all about?
Haha, this is basically a tour story. Over the years we’ve found more and more ridiculous, dangerous or just plain disgusting ways of keeping ourselves entertained while we’re on the road, and from time to time something will happen that causes you to just take a step back and think: “Shit, this really isn’t right!” Of course, it still gets worse each tour. I won’t go into too much detail, people can just check the lyrics, but it involved urine, drinking, vomit, eating and a lot of narcotics and alcohol. And although I’m telling the story in the first person, it definitely wasn’t me!
Who is the ‘Angel Of Meth’?
I AM THE ANGEL OF METH!!!! That’s about a time I got totally fucked up at a show and then that night as the tour bus was speeding to the next town I decided it would be a good idea to get naked, climb out the front skylight and onto the roof and ride the bus for a while. Eventually, the chronic fear kicked in and I realised what I was doing, so I went head first back into the bus and ended up landing on my head and totally fucking up my neck and back. By the end of that tour my bunk was a mess of blood and vomit, absolutely disgusting! I still have cramps if I sleep wrong too! Probably the stupidest thing I ever did.
What exactly did you do while ‘Fear And Loathing In Old London Town’?
It’s just a standard song about wandering the streets of London having taken a load of ecstasy and cocaine, then the come down hitting you. Being surrounded by the general public, the world tearing past you at a hundred miles an hour, and paranoia and psychosis kicking in. Fuckin’ horrible!!!
How are things in England during the European Championships with your team not having qualified?
Pretty glum I guess, but people over here are still getting drunk and fighting as usual, British people don’t need football to act like assholes, it’s just a natural trait we’re born with.
You will play Wacken and Summer Breeze Open Air. What can the fans expect? The last time you were at Summer Breeze you threw some raw chicken into the crowd. What happens this time?
That chicken got thrown at us son, I was merely returning it to the crowd! I don’t eat meat, if I did I may have had one of the legs or wings off it, just throw me alfalfa sprouts and soya beans this year please, ladies and gentlemen! And if you see us, offer us booze and things of an illicit nature! That’s always a good way to put a big smile on our faces!
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