HELLYEAH Frontman: 'What Our Music Is Trying To Promote Is Self-Indulgence'

RockAndMetalNews.com conducted an interview with HELLYEAH/MUDVAYNE frontman Chad Gray after HELLYEAH's late October gig in London, England as the support act for AVENGED SEVENFOLD and STONE SOUR. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

RockAndMetalNews.com: How are you guys all travelling about — do you all share a tour bus, or are you all private individuals, travelling separately?

Chad Gray: Privacy doesn't exist on the road; it's 13 dudes on the bus. We are all together, the whole band and crew; we roll as a team. We wholly enjoy being around each other — our band and crew — we're all friends a big family. I think that's what we're trying to put out there with our music, too. The hour a day that we get to play is really bringing the fellowship together.

RockAndMetalNews.com: So being on the road with STONE SOUR and AVENGED SEVENFOLD and yourselves HELLYEAH, which band parties the hardest?

Chad Gray: That's a no-brainer — HELLYEAH wins that one. We kind a travel in a big haze; we drink a lot. Once again, that's the vibe we try to bring. There's so much tension in the world now and worry with the economy, especially in America. What our music is trying to promote is self-indulgence, we're trying to bring back the good-time vibe. We promote living in the moment, live every day like it's your last, enjoy your life. Everyone needs a release and that's what HELLYEAH's here to do.

RockAndMetalNews.com: It's so refreshing to hear you guys like to have a good time, have a beer and like to party. You talk to a lot of musicians now days that have stopped drinking, not really optimizing rock and roll, which we all love to read about.

Chad Gray: You don't want to look back with regret, that I didn't live my life to the fullest. It doesn't come down to money; it's all about attitude. I think there are misconceptions with musicians — they think that everyone's a rock star with a Ferrari parked in the garage. Than ain't me; I am not a rock star, I am a touring musician. What I've got I've worked hard for.

RockAndMetalNews.com: As a vocalist, who do you aspire to? What made you wan to be in a rock band"

Chad Gray: I was introduced to great music at a young age — [BLACK] SABBATH, FOGHAT, all this '70s stuff, from my mom playing music around the house. . I was a huge METALLICA fan; early [James] Hetfield was awesome. I was always into heavier stuff. I was kind of a recluse, the class clown. I always had long hair. Being that guy can sometimes be lonely; I found music was therapeutic to me. I didn't start singing until I was 17 or 18.

Read the entire interview from RockAndMetalNews.com.