Interview With Barry Kerch of Shinedown
Posted: 21 August 2007
Contributed By: Nick
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Barry Kerch: (to road crew) You guys can chime in if you want, I mean that's totally cool.
[They decline, drawing an imaginary wall in the air.]
BK: Oh, you're gonna put up the wall? The wall of silence? Oh ok, gotcha.
TuneLab: Well if they change their minds we can always take the wall down.
[laughs]
TL: Shinedown always manages to tour in the midst of recording. How do the one-off tours help in the writing of a new record?
BK: Doesn't help at all and it makes us really tired. It's a good time-it keeps us playing. That's pretty much the point of this tour is to keep playing again so when we hit the studio we're in top form.
TL: During the touring cycles behind 'Us and Them', a bulk of the band's shows were performed in large arena settings. Which does the band prefer-the intimacy of small clubs or the exposure of arenas?
BK: I like the toilets of arenas, but I like playing the clubs. Clubs are fun-you get to see the fans a lot more.
TL: Shinedown's single "I Dare You" made a splash on the pop charts. How did it feel hearing your music on top 40 pop radio?
BK: It felt good and the paychecks were better. I mean, it's nice either way, because if radio's willing to play it we're happy. We just hope that all the singles keep doing well so we can have more top 40 songs.
TL: If the band could have picked one more single off 'Us and Them', what song would you pick and why?
BK: That's a good question-wow, um, I don't really know. Probably "Shed Some Light" because it's an acoustic song and I think it would do really well with the fans considering "Simple Man" did so well and they both kind of have a similar vibe so I think it would have been a good single.
TL: Some of the band's new material has surfaced recently, including acoustic versions of "Junkies for Fame" and "The Crow and the Butterfly". How do these songs represent the new material and how much of the new album has been written so far?
BK: The bulk of the album has been written so far. I'd say there's probably about 50 songs written, but there's no telling what's gonna make it on the album-I mean you never know, those two songs might not even make the album. We'll play a few more tonight, but really they [the new songs] will change in form quite a bit. I mean it all depends on what we do in the studio with the producer and what the vibe is in there. They may change form or they may stay exactly the same so we'll see.
TL: What producers have you been working with?
BK: Um, we've been working with quite a few but the producer that's gonna do the album is Rob Cavallo, so he's uh, it's gonna be good.
TL: What is the best prank any band has ever pulled on Shinedown and how did you guys retaliate?
BK: Wow, that's a good question. I don't think we've been pranked out too bad. I guess maybe when we were first touring with 3 Doors Down on the last show they came on stage in 80's wigs, threw cards on a card table and started playing cards while we were finishing our last song. I don't know if it was necessarily a prank or what happens on the road but Van Halen did piss in our deli tray once and that was nice. As far as retaliation, a big, pink stuffed dick from some store in Tampa, Florida that we threw on stage at Halestorm and that was a good one. We're not really big on playing pranks, man.
TL: How did the band and new addition Zach Myers team up and how have fans responded to his presence?
BK: Well Zach's a cocksucker.
Zach Myers: They hate me.
BK: We hate him with a passion. But naw, Zach's been touring with us for quite a bit for some different things. He did guitar touring for us on the last tour and he was nice enough to fill in for us right now during the transitional period and everything, and he's a good player so we're happy to have him.
TL: The band hails from Jacksonville, Florida which has a highly regarded local music scene. Now that Shinedown has hit it big on an international level, how does the local scene perceive the band today in comparison to years ago.
BK: You know I wouldn't know. I don't really pay attention to the local scene too much and we're not really home enough to pay any attention. You know I think we're respected and we respect other bands, but it just takes time-a little bit of luck and a lot of hard work is what gets you to this level. And if, you know, people have a problem with that I really don't have time to pay attention to that. And those bands, and even if you're a local band or a bigger band like us or even a band like Nickelback we're all musicians and you respect each other and that's the most important thing.
TL: Shinedown recorded and released a cover of John Lennon's "Happy X-Mas (The War is Over)" around Christmas time last year. Where did that idea originate?
BK: I think that was Brent and producer Tony Battaglia that did the last record that kind of had the idea to do that. I think they just recorded it and we didn't even really know it was gonna be released until it was already released so I think it was just one of those things that happens.
TL: The band spent time overseas playing shows for the soldiers in Iraq. How did that affect Shinedown personally?
BK: It was an honor, it was an honor. It was tough to be over there and see kids who are, you know, some of 'em are 17, 18 years old just out of high school and laying their life on the line. Regardless of what your political affiliation is those troops are doing their job and we really respect them and we do anything that we can to support them, so it was a big honor to be around those people.
TL: Shinedown has worked with some notable people in the music industry, including Bob Marlette and Rick Beato among others. Who would the band like to work with in the future?
BK: That's a good question. I mean I'm looking forward to working with Rob Cavallo for this record. He's a pretty big name and a good producer and some day down the line when we're an even more seasoned band you know maybe a Rick Rubin kind of guy, but it really just depends on what's going on at the time. There are some great producers and great musicians out there and whatever the vibe is you're going for kind of determines the person you want to work with, so you never know.
TL: If Shinedown could be remembered for just one thing, what would you choose and why?
BK: [cell phone rings] Well, not my cell phone ringing, but remembered for just one thing?-being a kick ass rock band. That's the most important thing, we want to get out there and play music and we want people to remember us as a band that they love and that's the most important thing.
TL: That's about it man. Anything else you'd like to add?
BK: Drink some cold beer!