GOD FORBID Guitarist Talks About Upcoming CD

AnarchyMusic.net recently conducted an interview with GOD FORBID guitarist guitarist Doc Coyle. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

AnarchyMusic.net: You're pretty much taking the summer off to do a new record right?

Doc: That's the plan, unless something comes out of the woodwork where some huge bands asks us to go out or something crazy that you really can't say no to. The idea is to start working on the next record. We really want to take our time, not rush it and get something out just to get it out.

AnarchyMusic.net: Since, you're not going to do it, what are your thoughts on the "free" Ozzfest?

Doc: More power to them. I think last year they struggled. I guess ticket sales weren't as good as they have been. Obviously, Ozzy is getting older. Every year could always be the last. Honestly I feel like the line-up is a bit weak overall, so you kind of get what you pay for. That's not to say that bands like LAMB OF GOD and HATEBREED aren't awesome, but it's not what you think of when you think Ozzfest. When we did it it was JUDAS PRIEST, SLAYER and SLIPKNOT, these massive, massive arena bands. It was a big deal.

AnarchyMusic.net: Don't you think it's also kind of the fact that they followed JUDAS PRIEST with IRON MAIDEN and then IRON MAIDEN with DISTURBED. Nothing against DISTURBED or anything, but they just aren't on that level.

Doc: Also, it's DISTURBED after touring straight for a year. They had already been to those cities three or four times on that record so I think a lot of their fans probably had seen them a few times and it wasn't special. Obviously having JUDAS PRIEST make their comeback tour was special. I don't know. Sharon Osbourne's complaining that she didn't make money last year but that's probably because ticket sales didn't do as well. Even SYSTEM OF A DOWN, they had toured a ton too and that band on their own do 10,000 people a night. On their own! Obviously something there wasn't clicking with that tour last year, I don't know.

AnarchyMusic.net: You have said that you "wouldn't be surpised if the next record was a significant change." What does that mean? Where do you think it's going to go?

Doc: I've been thinking about it constantly. I think ideally I'd like something that's a cross between having songs that are even more cohesive and tigher and catchy... almost like heavy metal hits... paired next to elaborate, progressive, OPETH-ian-type songs. We got a little progressive on the last album and I feel like we can take that further, but at the same time I still think we can write a standardly structured song better.You don't want to get too far inside your head and forget to write songs and hooks and the things that makes a mother fucker headbang to. At the end of the day it's not about sticking your head up your ass.

AnarchyMusic.net: You can get so progressive that you lose the concept of a song.

Doc: Yeah, well, I think some bands. Speaking of OPETH, they are masters at what they do and brilliant songwriters and way ahead of 90% of everyone. But I've been really into the new MACHINE HEAD album. That album is really progressive and has been really inspirational for me. Like I said, with our last album it's just gotten more progressive, more epic, more dynamic and that's part of our sound that I definitely want to explore.

AnarchyMusic.net: "Constitution of Treason" was such a leap over the previous records. Do you feel like you're having an equal period of growth now?

Doc: it's odd because we didn't discuss anything or make it to be this one thing. Honestly, even though you might say it's a huge leap, i still see it as a natural progression. If you listen to "Determination" and "Gone Forever" there's a stark difference between those records. That's what i can foresee happening where we take a left turn and do something a little different. We get bored really easily. Take HATEBREED. They have HATEBREED's sound and that's what they do, and they do it better than anybody. When you buy the record you know what you're going to get. To an extent we're like that but we're not like that. We're not like SLAYER, MOTÖRHEAD, these bands that kind of have that thing and they keep doing what they do very well consistantly. We're a band that's a little more exploratory and we're trying to change, we're trying to surprise people. If you do that it's probably not as good for your career. It's probably better to have a fanbase and stick with that. What we do is more risky. We've turned off some old fans, and gained some new ones as well, but it's definitely riskier, I think.

Read the entire interview at AnarchyMusic.net.