 Interviewer:
Cameron Edney - http://insideout666.mysite.freeserve.comJerry Gaskill is certainly no stranger to rock n roll, born December 27th 1957. By the age of four Jerry’s musical path was already being paved. Jerry’s father gave his son one of the greatest gifts you can give any child, his first ever drum, sparking a flame inside that has been burning ever since. During those early years Jerry grew up listening to bands such as The Beatles and was inspired even further to pursue a career as a drummer thanks to the great Ringo Starr. For more then twenty years now Jerry has been the backbone for one of the most underrated three pieces in rock history, King's X who are back with one of the finest albums of there career "Ogre Tones" an album that will be a valuable part of any rock fans collection. I recently called Jerry while the band was rehearsing in Texas for their current American tour. We discussed the new album "Ogre Tones", we also spoke about touring, the possibility of playing some shows in Australia, Jerry’s solo album ‘Come Somewhere’ which was released last year and much more. Metal Fanatix: Hi Jerry, How are ya mate? Jerry Gaskill: Hey Cameron, I’m not too bad how you doing? Metal Fanatix: I’m well thanks mate. Jerry first off, I’d like to thank you for taking the time out to answer the following questions for our readers. Lets start with the new album ‘Ogre Tones’ what a fantastic album, were you happy with the overall outcome of the album? Jerry Gaskill: Yeah, I think it’s a good record. I’m happy with it. I always feel like everything I do I should or could do better but there’s gotta be a point where you let things go. Yeah, I think it turned out really good. Metal Fanatix: How do you think the new album differs from previous releases? Jerry Gaskill: This one differs from the last four albums because we used an outside producer Michael Wagner & it was a whole new way of recording for us again I loved it man. I loved working with a producer, it was a relaxing, we could just sit back & make some music & to have the legendary Michael Wagner at the helm, it was great. Metal Fanatix: Why did you guys decide to use Michael when as you just said you had produced the last four or five albums yourselves? Jerry Gaskill: We knew, we had wanted to use a producer, but producers cost money something we don’t have a lot of [laughs]. We actually met Michael at Nashville, he came out to one of our shows, we were on tour & he was hangin' on the bus with us. We got talking & Michael told us about this workshop that he does where people come in & watch him work, ask him questions, just see how he does things in the studio & learn from that. He asked us if we might want to be the band that he recorded for that. We were all “Michael Wagner’? Let’s do it! We went down there & fell in love with each other& thought well maybe we should do the whole album together & we figured out how to do it& we made it happen & now we have "Ogre Tones". Metal Fanatix: How long did it take to record "Ogre Tones"? Jerry Gaskill: Well, we were there for about ten days initially at the workshop. We actually recorded fours songs while we were there & then we came back for a couple of weeks in December then again for a couple of weeks in January. The workshop was during our summer so three two-week periods. Metal Fanatix: The new album has thirteen tracks, in a few words what comes to mind when I mention the following tracks: Jerry Gaskill: Open My Eyes: Rehearse it, gotta do it on tour [laughs] Alone: Rehearse it, gotta do it on tour. I could say that for every answer right now [laughs]. I’m in full rehearsal mode. I’m out here in Houston rehearsing at the moment the idea is to learn them all & play them well. Hurricane: Well that’s actually one of the four tracks we recorded at the workshop. Freedom: It’s a song’s that’s been around for a while now & we decided to put it on this record. Mudd: All that comes to mind is rehearsing the song [laughs]. I think this one was about one of Doug’s Uncles that died recently.  Metal
Fanatix: Mudd is probably my favorite song on the new album,
but somehow I find myself singing ‘Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’
you can really hear The Beatles influence in that track.Jerry Gaskill: I never really thought about it but both Ty & I have always been huge Beatles fans so I’m sure there is gonna be some kind of Beatles influence happening somewhere in our music. I have to say Cameron I never really thought about it, but now that you mention it, I can hear it now. I have to thank you I’ve never thought about that. Metal Fanatix: Well now if anyone asks you to describe the track you can say it’s your ‘Lucy in the Sky’ [laughs] Jerry Gaskill: [Laughs] alright! Metal Fanatix: When you guys prepare to do an album such as ‘Ogre Tones’ what comes first the lyrics or the music? Jerry Gaskill: We come up with songs all kinds of ways we could sit down & all write a song together or someone could have a completely written song with all the parts & we’ll do it exactly like that or one of us may have a song that’s been written but we put ourselves into it & re-arrange it. It comes out of us all kinds of ways there’s no one-way that we write a song Metal Fanatix: After all these years of writing & recording how do you constantly come up with fresh sounding material without falling into the trap a lot of bands do of repeating themselves? Jerry Gaskill: I don’t know [Laughs], that’s just what we do, we make music & music keeps coming out of us, its who we are. Metal Fanatix: Now Jerry, the first single from the new album is ‘Alone’, were you happy with the way the video turned out did you have much say in what went on? Jerry Gaskill: Yeah it was a blast we had a great time making the video. I think it looks pretty cool I even like the idea that we have some girls in it. That’s a change for King's X. At first I thought to myself what the hell are those girls doing in there? But as I watched it more I thought, “yeah that’s cool they can be there they’re attractive”. Metal Fanatix: Are you guys planning on releasing a DVD anytime soon? Jerry Gaskill: Yes we do plan on doing that, its something that’s in the works, I cant tell you much about it I don’t really know much it will have some live footage & bonus footage hopefully it will turn out very cool & informative & will be something the fans will want to watch over & over again. Metal Fanatix: I want to talk to you a little about life on the road; I believe you guys are hitting the road this month. What can fans expect to see on this tour? Jerry Gaskill: They can expect to see us up on that stage, we’re gonna rock & do what we do. No doubt about it. Metal Fanatix: When it comes time to work out the set-list, do you find it hard to choose the right songs, I mean there will always be fans who want to hear the old stuff & the occasional obscure track & of course a few new songs are always expected. Do you find it hard to make a set list that is for fans of all eras? Jerry Gaskill: Well it does tend to get a bit difficult because we have so many songs and we can’t do all of 'em. We know people have there favorites just like you said they wanna here those & there are people who want to hear obscure things, wanna hear new things, all we can do is the best we can & try to assemble a set (we cant play for ever) its kind of difficult we’d like to be able to please everybody but you just can’t please everyone. Metal Fanatix: Touring for so many years must put a burden on family life? Does your family hit the road with you & how did you find a balance with constant touring when your sons were growing up? Jerry Gaskill: I don’t know if I ever had a constant balance. I’d like to find the constant balance, I don’t know if there is necessarily a constant balance between this & family life. I think it’s always a little off balance you wanna be there when you can’t & when you are there sometimes you don’t want to be there, it’s that way with the kids & everybody its just life. That’s the life that I live & I have to come to terms with it, sometimes it’s very difficult. I’ve taken my kids on tour before. I don’t know if I’d suggest this lifestyle to anybody unless you just have to do it. Metal Fanatix: Over the years you have shared the stage with many great bands. Who have you enjoyed touring with the most? Jerry Gaskill: Actually everybody we’ve toured with I have enjoyed. We toured with AC/DC for three months that was amazing. I loved touring with AC/DC I got to see them play every night & they were amazing every night. Pearl Jam, they were amazing. I felt like I was watching history being made, it was just an honor. Mötley Crue we toured with them that was fun, an absolute blast. Metal Fanatix: That would have been a chaotic tour, I’m sure! Jerry Gaskill: It was pretty amazing, put it this way there’s many stories to cherish in my heart. Metal Fanatix: Can you share a funny road story with us from the tour?  Jerry
Gaskill: I remember one night, this just comes to mind because
we’re talking about Motley Crue; when we were on tour with Mötley
John Corabi was the lead singer, they used to do an acoustic set &
they’d bring fans up out of the audience & they had these
bleachers behind them & people would be sitting there. So every
night I would go out there & try to find a cute girl, that’s
just what I did at that period of my life. When I found one I would
take her up onstage & we would sit behind Tommy [lee] & watch
them. There was one night where it had occurred to me that I should
be playing the drums right now [laughs]. So I tapped Tommy on the
shoulder & said “Tommy let me play”, he turned around
looked at me & said “yeah” [laughs] as soon as the
song had a break he got off the drums, I sit down & they kick
back into the song & I start playing. All three of the other guys
all at once on cue turned around & looked at me like “what’s
going on”? I can’t show you the face because we’re
on the phone it was hilarious, they realized it was me all shook there
heads said ok & went back to playing [laughs]. It was amazing.
Afterwards Tommy came up & gave me a big hug “oh man that
was great”. Later on his crew told me that Tommy’s never
let anybody do anything like that before.Metal Fanatix: We mentioned that you guys are hitting the road this month; can we expect to see you guys in Australia anytime soon? Jerry Gaskill: I don’t know I haven’t heard anything about it; I would love to come there. A promoter has to want to bring us. Metal Fanatix: Now as a drummer do you do anything specific to warm up before a show? Jerry Gaskill: No, I don’t do anything at all. Sometimes I lay down and take a nap [laughs] Metal Fanatix: Really? No stretching or anything? Jerry Gaskill: No I don’t, but I’ll tell what I need to start doing that not for my drumming but just for my body itself. I think I’m gonna start taking yoga. I need to do that cause I can feel it in my body; I need to become more flexible not so much for my drumming but for me. Metal Fanatix: I was reading that your dad gave you your first drum at the age of four; it’s obviously always been the weapon of choice? Jerry Gaskill: Yeah, it’s something that just happened I don’t remember ever even deciding that. It’s just the way it is. Sometimes now I wish I was a guitar player, I’d love to get up there but I’m just a stupid drummer! [Laughs] Metal Fanatix: What hardware are you using these days? Jerry Gaskill: I’m using all Pearl master custom maple & Paiste cymbals & Evens drum heads. Metal Fanatix: Jerry after all these years in the business what goals have you set for yourself these days? Jerry Gaskill: I think my goals right now are just to make sure I know this music that we are getting ready to tour with, get my body stretched out & take some yoga & just to keep doing this. To keep making music & keep working more & harder so we can continue create the music we all love. Metal Fanatix: Now, all three members of King's X have done solo albums/side projects over the years. Do you find writing your own music more satisfying than operating in a strict band environment? Jerry Gaskill: Well In some ways, what you do on your own has to have a satisfaction there that you can only get that way. Yeah defiantly making a record of my own was very gratifying & because of that it helped me find even more satisfaction within King's X. Metal Fanatix: Now there may be a few people out there who don’t realize that on your album ‘Come Somewhere’ you did all the drums you also did a lot of guitar work & all lead vocals & song writing. Why did you take on so much of it yourself?  Jerry
Gaskill: Well, that’s just the way I wrote the songs.
I mean I didn’t do everything Ty & I made the record together.
Like you said I did all the drums some of the acoustic guitar I did
all the vocals & all the song writing. Ty did all of the electric
guitar & all of the bass & he also produced it. It just seemed
to be the way to do it, the two of us making this record.Metal Fanatix: Of all the albums you have played on in the past, which is your favorite to listen to & why? Jerry Gaskill: Probably my record because its all about me & when we get right down to it all I care about is me [laughs]. Metal Fanatix: Now I believe you are writing a book, can you tell us anything about that? Jerry Gaskill: I have some writings lying around that I could put together, that’s something that I’m defiantly considering yes. It’s going to be all fiction. Basically I write all fiction. Metal Fanatix: What are the biggest differences you notice in the business these days compared to when you guys were first starting out? Jerry Gaskill: Oh everything’s different these days, when we first started you could actually get your music played on the radio if somebody liked it, there wasn’t the internet & that’s changed a lot. It’s just a whole different world of presenting music to the world. Metal Fanatix: In recent years file sharing & downloading music has become a worldwide problem for many artists. What are your thoughts on the situation? Jerry Gaskill: Well I know that it can be a problem & has been a problem but I think anything new will always have problems & people will take advantage of things & figure out how to get around things, that’s just a way of life. But I think that because of all of that its getting to a point where its becoming more controlled to the point that you can still share downloads have all the music you want at a reasonable price & the artists can still make a living like they’re supposed to. Metal Fanatix: Has it affected your sales or has it helped build a larger fan base for King's X? Jerry Gaskill: I don’t think its hurt anything, I don’t think the more exposure you have can hurt anything. Metal Fanatix: King's X is by far one of the most underrated bands in hard rock, what do you think most people would be surprised to learn about the band? Jerry Gaskill: [Laughs] I can’t reveal all that [laughs]; I think they’d be surprised that we’re just three guys man that make music. Metal Fanatix: You guys have been influenced by some of the greatest bands in Rock ‘n’ Roll history, do you feel that you have played a large role in influencing many of today’s hard rock & metal acts? Jerry Gaskill: Well, since you ask I believe that we probably have & I only say that because other bands have told us that themselves. From Pearl Jam, to Soundgarden, Alice in Chains & Stone Temple Pilots. All these guys & even when I meet bands that are happening right now, they’re young kids & it seems like everybody in the music industry was somehow inspired by King's X, its crazy. It’s defiantly an honor. Metal Fanatix: Did you ever think that way back when you guys started that in 2005 you would still be rockin' out & releasing killer albums? Jerry Gaskill: Well I think when we first started I wasn’t thinking too much about 2005 [laughs]. I was just hoping that we would be O.K., hoped that we would make a living & could just keep moving forward. I never thought about 2005 back then. Metal Fanatix: What would you say have been your greatest achievements to date? Jerry Gaskill: Probably the fact that were still able to do this, still making music, we’re still doing something that sounds fresh, alive and new. Metal Fanatix: In your honest opinion what do you think about the direction that Hard Rock & Heavy Metal music has taken over the last few years? Jerry Gaskill: I feel that music is always going in cycles. There’s nothing new & it just its coming around people may find a different way of presenting it but it’s the same as it ever was. Metal Fanatix: Are you currently listening to any of the newer bands?  Jerry
Gaskill: Yeah I listen to some stuff. I don’t list
to any of the really heavy, heavy stuff. Probably the heaviest stuff
I listen to is bands like Glassjaw, Deftones and bands like that.
Actually I heard some Opeth the other day & I thought they were
pretty amazing. There’s a lot of great music out there.Metal Fanatix: If you could put a band together consisting of musicians passed on & or present who would they be & what would you call the band? Jerry Gaskill: I’d probably have Ty, Doug & myself & I’d call the band King's X. [Laughs] Metal Fanatix: [Laughs] you’d leave it exactly the way it is? Jerry Gaskill: Oh yeah & hopefully I will get to play with some other people I would love to play with Bob Dylan I would love to be in his band for one tour. Metal Fanatix: Jerry thanks so much again mate for your time today. Do you have any last words for our readers? Jerry Gaskill: I send all my love, buy our records; I hope you enjoy the music & hopefully we can come to Australia & see you guys sometime. "Ogre Tones" is out now on inside out music, you can grab your copy where all rockin' albums are sold! To keep up with all the latest on Jerry & King's X check out the following websites. http://www.jerrygaskill.com - Official Jerry Gaskill website http://www.kingsxonline.com - Official King's X website http://www.insideoutmusic.com/ - InsideOut Music America website http://insideout666.mysite.freeserve.com - Dedicated to 40 years of pure hard rock & metal music King's X are currently on tour through out the United States. You can catch them at the following shows: Sun 11/13/05 Champaign, IL High Dive Tue 11/15/05 Cudahy, WI Vnuk's Lounge Wed 11/16/05 Appleton, WI Tom's Garage Fri 11/18/05 Chicago, IL Martyrs' Sat 11/19/05 Des Moines, IA Hairy Mary's Sun 11/20/05 Columbia Heights, MN Star Central Tue 11/22/05 Lincoln, NE Knickerbockers Wed 11/23/05 Kansas City, MO The Hurricane Fri 11/25/05 Denver, CO Cervantes Masterpiece Ballroom Sat 11/26/05 Salt Lake City, UT Ego's Sun 11/27/05 Boise, ID Big Easy Tue 11/29/05 Seattle, WA Fenix / Fenix Underground Wed 11/30/05 Portland, OR Berbati's Pan Fri 12/02/05 Petaluma, CA Phoenix Theatre Sat 12/03/05 San Francisco, CA Slim's Sun 12/04/05 Santa Ana, CA Galaxy Theatre Mon 12/05/05 Tempe, AZ Marquee Theatre Thu 12/08/05 Austin, TX La Zona Rosa Fri 12/09/05 Dallas, TX Trees Sat 12/10/05 Harker Heights, TX Hero's Rock & Roll Club Mon 12/12/05 Oklahoma City, OK Bricktown Live Wed 12/14/05 Nashville, TN Exit / In Thu 12/15/05 Atlanta, GA Smith's Olde Bar All dates are correct at the time of print! Tickets are on sale at the usual outlets. © Cameron Edney November 2005 Not to be re-printed in any form without written permission. |
