FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's ERIC 'AK' KNUTSON Says NICKELBACK Gets A Bad Rap: Their Songs Are 'Brilliantly Written'

In a new interview with That Fuzzing Rock Show, vocalist Eric "AK" Knutson of veteran Arizona metallers FLOTSAM AND JETSAM was asked if he thinks NICKELBACK "gets a bad rap." He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yes and no. From what I understand — I really don't know any of the original story of why people hate them so much, but they started off pretty heavy, did the smart thing and went a little more commercial because that's where the damn money is. And from what I understand, [NICKELBACK frontman and main songwriter] Chad Kroeger's kind of a monster to deal with for almost anybody. And I think it was the hate for him that started the whole 'NICKELBACK's horrible' thing. But really, if you listen to their songs, they're brilliantly written. They fill arenas for years and years and years now. So it's really a musician thing. Musicians that have dealt with him, that have opened up for him or whatever, just hate his guts. I don't know why, but that's what I've heard. And that's where the whole 'if you're a musician, you have to hate NICKELBACK' thing came from, I think."

FLOTSAM AND JETSAM's latest album, "I Am The Weapon", is the band's fifth release since the return of guitarist Michael Gilbert, who is the only other member of the current FLOTSAM lineup, besides Knutson, to have played on the group's debut LP, 1986's "Doomsday For The Deceiver".

Knutson told the Arizona Republic in a 2021 interview that Gilbert's 2010 return to FLOTSAM AND JETSAM after a 13-year absence was a pivotal moment in the band's rebirth.

"Michael was always a big part of the writing team back in the day," Knutson said. "And when he left, I just kind of used the band as an excuse to go on vacation in Europe a couple times a year. I really wasn't that worried about what the songs sounded like. I was just like, 'Okay, let's put a record out so we can get out on tour again.' We weren't serious about it." When Gilbert returned, Eric said, "We decided to make another serious stab at it and we've just been going uphill ever since."

"I Am The Weapon" arrived on September 13, 2024 via AFM/Believe.

It's been 38 years since FLOTSAM AND JETSAM, formed in Phoenix, Arizona, released "Doomsday For The Deceiver", the only album to ever receive a 6K rating from the influential British magazine Kerrang! Bassist Jason Newsted would jump ship to METALLICA while the band released "No Place For Disgrace" in 1988. "Cuatro" (1992),"Drift" (1995),"High" (1997) and "My God" (2001) all still rank extremely high in heavy metal circles. But it was the first part of this unofficial trilogy in 2016's self-titled "Flotsam And Jetsam", followed by the crushing 2019 successor "The End Of Chaos" that a certain rejuvenation and reset was clearly felt.

Image credit: The Metal Scream