ROY MAYORGA: STONE SOUR Is 'Everything I've Wanted In A Band'

Heather Brown of the 105.9 The Grizz radio station conducted an interview with STONE SOUR drummer Roy Mayorga prior to the band's July 16 appearance at this year's Chicago Open Air, which was held at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. You can listen to the full chat below. A few excerpts follow (transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).

On why he feels comfortable playing in STONE SOUR:

Roy: "It's everything I've wanted in a band. There's camaraderie. I'm able to express myself as a drummer and a musician in this band, as opposed to before. I could have in every band I've been a part of, but this band is really special to me because I just love what I do in this band. I loved what I've done in every band I've been in, but I love this more. I get a lot more [artistic freedom]."

On the recent "feud" between STONE SOUR frontman Corey Taylor and NICKELBACK frontman Chad Kroeger:

Roy: "Here's the thing: I'm not going to get into that or engage in that. It's not worth my time talking about it."

On "Hydrograd"'s lead single, "Song #3", reaching No. 1 at Active Rock Radio and if the success of the single proves STONE SOUR is more than just a side project:

Roy: "I hope so. I think so far it has. We've never had that before. I've never been a part of a band that's had that. It's a first for me, very unexpected. Yeah, I'm humbled by it. It's a hell of an achievement. I thank everyone for making that happen."

On what his listening "guilty pleasure" is:

Roy: "You know, I don't have a guilty pleasure with any kind of music. I love all music. It can be country, it can be disco, it can be classical, I love everything. To me, the 'guilty pleasure' phrase doesn't really attach to that. I'll listen to ABBA. I'll listen to Curtis Mayfield. I don't sit at home and just listen to the kind of music that I do. Of course I do; I throw on KISS, or I'll throw on KRAFTWERK or LED ZEPPELIN or Gary Numan, but then I'll throw on ABBA, THE PLASMATICS."

On what inspires him:

Roy: "It's more of an internal passion. I've always had the passion to play. I love doing what I do. I haven't been out on the road for three years, so there's that drive behind me where I want to go do it. I still get the nervous butterflies in my stomach before I play every day still, so that's good."

On his favorite STONE SOUR song to play at the moment:

Roy: "I really love playing 'Song #3'. It's a fun song to play; it's just a punch. That, and 'Fabuless', I love playing that. We just started playing 'Blotter' again, which is off the first album and 'Get Inside'. I always love playing those. We haven't played those in a long time, so I think they are starting to be my new favorites to play live. We got a pretty cool set now. We're playing a couple songs off of every record, which is kind of cool."

STONE SOUR is continuing to tour in support of its latest album, "Hydrograd", which was released on June 30 via Roadrunner Records.