MISERY SIGNALS Singer On DEVIN TOWNSEND's 'Skullet': 'Its Reign Of Terror Is Over'

Way Too Loud! recently conducted an interview with MISERY SIGNALS vocalist Karl Schubach. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow.

Way Too Loud!: What's the meaning behind the title of your latest album, "Controller"?

Karl Schubach: Basically when we looked at it, we looked at all the songs looking for a theme in the lyrics, and it came down to an element of control in the songs, whether it was some person that you knew that had some sort of hold on you, or if you knew the bigger picture of things. Our guitar player writes some of the lyrics, and he even came into some environmental issues where some things are beyond our control, and that was the main theme we decided to go with, hence "Controller"!

Way Too Loud!: Did you per chance say anything about Devin Townsend's ["Controllerr" producer; formerly of STRAPPING YOUNG LAD] haircut?

Karl Schubach: He doesn't have the hair anymore! The skullet is now no more! It was a shock at first when he showed up. The guys were holding bets whether or not he'd have the hair, and its reign of terror is over. I've seen pictures of it. I think he has the hair at home in a box, or so he claims.

Way Too Loud!: Being from Canada personally, I had never tried White Castle until recently?

Karl Schubach: Oh, I tried it, once! Because I saw the movie, and we were recording in Cleveland, and we were out at a bar or whatever one night, and the only thing that was open was White Castle, and I just demanded to our bass player that this is a Canadian due trying White Castle for the first time, and he warned me! He warned me. He said, "Dude, you DO NOT want to do this," and I'm like, "OK, whatever." I tried it. I think I was sick for about a week after that. It's the worst. It is THE worst. I ate the whole thing. I had too! That was my one and only trip to White Castle, and we drove by one the other day, and I shuddered. Augh. A note to all the Canadians out there, do not, DO NOT bother. Bad times.

Way Too Loud!: Have you ever lied about what your band name means?

Karl Schubach: I haven't, actually. Half the time when people ask us the name of the band and we say the name, I don't know what it is, maybe the words are so close to something else, but every time, someone just hears it the wrong way. People will ask us our name, and we'll say "MISERY SIGNALS," and they'll say "MYSTERY SYMBOLS. What does that mean?" "MISERY SICKNESS" is another good one, and at times like that, we don't even bother correcting them, so these guys will probably go home from the concert and try to look up "MYSTERY SICKNESS" on MySpace or something like that. I've never had an opportunity to actually explain the name. However someone hears it, take it however you want.

You can read the rest of this interview at Way Too Loud!