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The lighter side of Killswitch Engage
Serious about the music, but not much
else |
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By James O'Brien
Guest contributor |
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Massachusetts radio-metal natives Killswitch
Engage rumbled into Mansfield as part of the
Rockstar Mayhem Festival on Aug. 4. The band
is touring behind a new self-titled album, "Killswitch
Engage," the second release in its career so
named.
Lead singer Howard Jones sat down with
Boston Event Guide for an interview before
the band played the main stage, where Jones
and company brought a slightly goofy
sensibility to an audience largely drawn by
co-headliners Slayer and Marilyn Manson.
Between guitarist Adam Dutkiewicz bounding
back and forth like seven-foot Peter Pan in
a chintzy Halloween cape, and Jones'
muscular metalcore vocals, the juxtaposition
at time verged on bewildering. That, says
Jones, is the key to the band.
HOWARD: We try to sound decent live, but
also we try to have fun. That's just who we
are. We're pretty silly, goofy guys. I don't
think that's really ever going to change. We
don't go up and posture like we're super
tough and mean, or anything like that.
You'll see us laughing. There are times
where I'll have to stop singing because I'm
laughing so hard.
BEG: What makes you laugh, on stage?
HOWARD: Usually Adam. When you see him run
out in really short shorts and a cape, I
mean ... it's just anything number of things
on stage that will make us laugh.
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BEG: Has it always been that way?
HOWARD: Pretty much. We've always tried to enjoy ourselves. Because, if we're
not having fun, how's the crowd going to have fun? I mean, there are some bands
that are serious and some bands that don't crack a smile, or anything like that.
That's not our place. Our place is that we like to entertain, and we actually
try to entertain ourselves.
BEG: Your fifth album is self-titled, the same as your first release. Let's talk
band identity. What's going on here?
HOWARD: It was just time for us to do something different, and break out of the
mold. We didn't want to make the same album. It's easy to get stuck doing what
you do. That's why we went with an outside producer.
BEG: Brendan O'Brien, [AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen] not somebody always associated
with the kind of music you make.
HOWARD: Only thing is, he is a fan of metal with a melody. From what he told us,
he was actually playing our song, "My Curse," to the guys in AC/DC when he was
recording their album. I'm like, "You're kidding me." |
