MUDVAYNE Guitarist Says New Album Goes In 'A Different Direction'

Brad Burke of the Journal Star recently conducted an interview with MUDVAYNE/HELLYEAH guitarist Greg Tribbett. A few excerpts from the chat follow:

On the reaction of the MUDVAYNE fans to HELLYEAH's formation:

"There were definitely some fans freaking out. They'd go, 'Is MUDVAYNE done? Are they breaking up?'"

On the HELLYEAH band name:

"I think the name HELLYEAH definitely fits the vibe of the band. We're just out to have fun, play some music, have some drinks and, you know, whatever."

On writing and recording with HELLYEAH:

"When we sat down, we were just, like, bouncing ideas off each other. There was a lot of energy the first day we sat down, and there was nervousness because we didn't know what was going to come out of it. Yeah, I mean, it's way different than what me and Chad do in MUDVAYNE. ... This was a lot easier, actually."

"MUDVAYNE's more complicated and more intricate. There's a lot more thought process there. This was more like, you know, whipping out riffs and filling grooves and Chad pretty much writing about whatever he wants to write about. That's why it came together so quick. I mean, we wrote seven songs in eight days. All those songs are on the record."

On MUDVAYNE's current status:

"I ran into a few people in Dallas that would ask me, ask me or Chad if MUDVAYNE was breaking up. It's just like, MUDVAYNE's still doing the same thing. We just finished recording a record; the record's done and we're going to be mixing. ... MUDVAYNE's still happening."

On the fact that HELLYEAH offered a creative outlet while at the same time reinvigorating them for the forthcoming MUDVAYNE album:

"We definitely needed this, you know? We definitely needed some other outlet to go out and do something different, some-thing easier. Me and Chad wanted to write a heavier, kind of groovin' record, and it just so happened that we ended up doing it with Vinnie Paul and the guys from NOTHINGFACE, which turned out great. [MUDVAYNE has been] writing and recording and touring for seven years now. And it's like, to have this break was much needed. And I think it did put a lot more focus on the MUDVAYNE record. We really did come back to write."

On the next MUDVAYNE album:

"It's going to be different. It's definitely another step for MUDVAYNE. I don't think that we are repeating ourselves, which is what we're trying not to do. We don't try to, you know, write the same record over and over. ... There are some riffs on this new record, there is some really cool stuff. It's definitely in a different direction. There's a lot of singing on this record, a lot of big choruses. It's cool, man. We're all excited about it."