TOM MAXWELL: 'We Wouldn't Be Able To Make A HELLYEAH Record In Chicago'

Ruben Mosqueda of Oregon Music News recently conducted an interview with HELLYEAH guitarist Tom Maxwell. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

Oregon Music News: Should HELLYEAH we considered a supergroup? What's your take on that?

Tom: You know, that's what the media says, but we consider HELLYEAH the biggest garage band there is. It just so happens that we have some pretty killer players involved who like each other, like to get together, have a few drinks and write some good songs. To me, it's amazing that we've sold a combined 600,000 albums and that the idea that Chad [Gray, vocals] and I had years ago became what it is. It's taken over our lives. We just got back from Europe from our very first proper tour there. In the past we've played the festivals in front of 80,000 fans but this was the first time we did appearances that weren't in a festival. I think this run we did has set things up nicely for when we go back later in 2011.

Oregon Music News: HELLYEAH has this outlaw type vibe to it. Where does that come from because you're from Baltimore, Chad and Greg [Tribbett, guitar] are from Illinois and Zilla [Bob Kakaha, bass] is from L.A.? The only Texan in the band is Vinnie [Paul, drums].

Tom: It's the Texas vibe that you're referring to. It's a hard to explain. We adopted this kind of mentality; when we went down to Texas, we fell in love with the culture and the people. We didn't have a plan that we'd start wearing cowboy hats or anything. In fact, if you look at any of the press photos of me from 2000 and you look at one from this year, I look basically the same. I was wearing a hat back then, too. Vince has been an influence as with the culture. Vince brought in that southern stank to it; we all grew up listening to SKYNYRD, ZZ TOP and bands like that. I don't know how to explain it. Texas has this kind of magnetic grip on the people that go there. You just can't help but become a part of the environment. Let me put it to you this way; we wouldn't be able to make a HELLYEAH record in Chicago! You know what I'm saying? Everything influences you, there's real cowboys down there. It's a lifestyle and a mentality. I'm always going to be a Baltimore boy, but I love Texas, man. This band has kept me incredibly busy and it is my number one priority; after a two year cycle I just to go home and be with my family. I can't speak for Chad and Greg and their plans for MUDVAYNE but I know currently their priority is HELLYEAH.

Oregon Music News: What is it about HELLYEAH that is so appealing to your fans?

Tom: We speak from a generation that has this blue collar mentality. People have to go to work and go back to the grind week in week out. These people want a release on the weekends, fortunately with us they get Friday night every night. When I was kid and I went to see a band I wanted to leave with the memory of a band that rocks. I got that from bands like VAN HALEN, they made me forget about all my problems and if I was lucky I'd get laid that night. HELLYEAH doesn't have a political agenda and we don't have a tough guy mentality where we stare at your shoes. We're about getting your drink on getting some from your girl and having good time. That's the kind of band that we want to be; like the bands we liked when we were kids. Kids today don't know that and that's what we are giving them. You'll see that tonight; there will be 50% chicks and 50% guys. There will be a pit for the guys and the girls will let loose and lose their tops while the sit on their boyfriend's shoulders. Nothing wrong with that at all, it's people having a good time.

Oregon Music News: Is NOTHINGFACE done at this point?

Tom: Who knows what the future holds?! Right now I can't really say if we'll ever do anything again. It's the furthest thing from my mind at this time. I spent a lot of years of my life in that band and I'm still very tight with the guys in the band; I think everything runs its course. Honestly I'm so overwhelmed with HELLYEAH right now. I'm proud of what I did with NOTHINGFACE; I'm on a different road right now and on a different place in my life than I was then. I'm so content. I was telling my wife, "Honey we might not have a lot of money but we are so rich. We have great friends, an awesome little house, I get to play music and I love doing what I do for a living." When I go home, I'm home and I play with my little boy and do the dad thing. Remember when you first got into music? How magical it made you feel? That's how HELLYEAH makes me feel. That‘s a feeling that I haven‘t felt since before I became jaded by the music business.

Read the entire interview from Oregon Music News.