In just a few short weeks, we will be one of thousands pushing through the crowds, trying to get a closer look at our favorite metal bands at the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival. We prefer this sweaty atmosphere over just about any other indoor concert. Yes, every now and then we enjoy those leisurely concerts where we can sit in a seat, tap our feet to the beat and wait for the lead act to go on. This slow build-up of adrenaline doesn’t suit our junky needs as frequently as we would like. So, we give much thanks to those music festivals that give us one performance after another. With a lineup that includes Megadeth, Godsmack, Disturbed, Machine Head, Trivium and more, we have high hopes that Mayhem will bring the rage.
We got a chance to chat with Disturbed’s bassist, John Moyer, who further cemented our Mayhem expectations. Before we work our way on over to our stellar interview, let’s recap the massive success of Disturbed. The multi-platinum Chicago quartet, which consists of front man, David Draiman, guitarist, Dan Donegan, bassist, John Moyer and drummer, Mike Wengren, continues to make hit music since their debut album, “The Sickness”, in 2000. Disturbed’s 5th album, “Asylum”, dropped last August, via Reprise Records. Since then the metal group has been touring throughout Europe and Australia in support of this latest album. The Mayhem festival will bring the “Asylum” touring full circle.
You would think with his hectic schedule, John Moyer would barely find enough time to talk to music fans like us. Fortunately enough, he proved us wrong. The full-time bassist, husband and father filled us in on the latest Disturbed news, his opinion on the current music industry, life on the road and the Mayhem festival, in just about 15 minutes. We could have spoken to the down-to-earth “metalist” for at least a half hour, but even with the allotted time, Moyer was still able to deliver us an array of thorough answers.
Check out our interview below and if you are an upcoming Mayhem goer, remember to bring the madness to the show.
You guys have been in this industry for over a decade. Do you like the course the music industry has taken since the 90s?
No, no, the music industry has not done well over the last couple of years. It’s funny because when we started it was just a different world. There was a lot more bands getting signed. There was a lot more music out there. File sharing and online trading of songs definitely hurts the label. What happens was that these labels who had money to sign bands, stopped getting money and so, they weren’t able to sign bands and put acts out on the road. The whole industry has just shrunk. The music industry has actually gone in reverse with economics. Everything has actually gotten smaller and tighter. It’s more difficult. It’s not so much more difficult on us. We are fortunate that we have had some success and we’ve got a great fan base, a good following. I think the hardest hit are the young bands. They don’t have a good chance anymore because there is no industry to put behind them. They can put their stuff on Youtube and whatever, but that doesn’t give you a chance to tour. That doesn’t give you the opportunities to make a great recording with a great producer and the things that we were used to back in the 90s and the 80s.
Do you have any tips for up and coming bands about surviving in the music world?
Let’s see here. A couple of tips for up and coming bands is….Record yourself. You know, go ahead and maybe find someone who is a good producer, pay the extra money to really put together a good two or three songs. 20 mediocre songs will never compare to three great ones. And even one great one will trump anything and that will get you far as trying to make it big, trying to break through and trying to get on the radio. Even whatever style you are doing, you got to have a song that connects with people. So, I just think a focus on quality is probably more important now than ever for young bands.
Have there been any moments where you almost quit Disturbed?
[Laughs] Oh ya, every time in the middle of the tour when I am missing my family, I just want to go on a plane and go home. As far as quitting Disturbed and the music world, I love what I do. I am real fortunate. I think the only thing anyone can ask for in life is to be able to love what you do. I love music and I have been fortunate enough to make a career out of it. You know, there are sacrifices just like anything.
You guys have toured all over the world. Have a standout concert in mind? Any concerts go completely wrong?
There are plenty of both. It’s amazing. Disturbed has had these amazing opportunities to play on these really big stages with great acts. Just when we think we can’t get any bigger, it seems like the next tour just tops the other one. With playing the festivals in Germany, every time we go there, it is always memorable. In Germany and Sweden and well, a couple of other places, even in the UK, there are 40, 50, 60, 80,000 people, massive crowds. David has always been good at getting everyone’s attention. He is a great frontman. When he has everyone, as he puts it, put their devil horns in the sky, it’s just amazing to watch the arms go all the way back hundreds of yards with tens of thousands of people. We love that. As far as shows that I wish I could forget, we did a show in Indianapolis, the lights were blinding me and it was a radio show, so things were not as they normally are for us on stage. I walked off of the riser right onto a monitor wedge that I didn’t know was there. I completely wiped out and busted up my shin. I fell flat on my face with the bass. The next day on the radio they were asking me to call in and talk about it and I’m like, I don’t think so guys.
You guys are heading to the Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival soon. What bands are you looking forward to hearing?
All of them, really. Megadeth, Godsmack, are you kidding? That’s killer. We just toured with Trivium in Australia, love them. Machine Head, we have toured with many times. They always bring it. James Jasta of a band called, Kingdom of Sorrow that I am really a big fan of. There is a band from the UK that are not big here yet. They are big in Europe. They are called In Flames. They are going to be on tour and you gotta watch out for them because they are a great band too.
What’s it like being a main act at such a big festival, especially alongside a band like Megadeth?
It’s interesting. You know this is why you play music. You want to play the main slot on a lot of these big shows. This is what we all wanted when we used to go to rock concerts. We saw our favorite bands on stage and we thought to ourselves, one of these days. Well, here we are, one of these days is happening. To have a band like Megadeth, who I used to go watch in concert and now be able to tour with is just amazing. Those guys are great. We know them personally. It is our first time touring with them.
Is it different performing in the US than in Europe? Do you prefer one over the other?
I like different places for different reasons. It is definitely a unique experience being overseas. In Europe, the crowds are very intense. We just finished our European tour so we are looking forward to seeing the American crowds and the Mayhem metal crowds. You know this is a big metal festival. Metal fans are the craziest fans in the world. So, I put a challenge out there to the American metal fans to see if they can really blow it up, really get into it and really get crazy because that is how it is in Europe. When you have something like Mayhem, where it is such a value and there are so many great bands on the bill, you got to go and get crazy. That is what I want to see with fans on the Mayhem tour.
You all are pretty much settled down. Is it different touring now with families on the road?
[Laughs] I see what you are getting at there. For sure. On the occasions, where I can bring my family out, it is nice. We always joke as a band that our most romantic moments are with each other. So, it is nice to actually have your wives and kids with you when those moments actually happen.
What you do when you are just hanging out at home?
I do music even when I am home. I am very busy with that stuff. I write and compose all the time. When I have enough time, I teach. Other than that, I just hang with my family. My son swims and my daughter drives. It keeps me busy.
Alright, anything else you want to add about the Mayhem festival and any other upcoming Disturbed news?
Well, I think I said it earlier. This is it. This is the big metal festival. We need to see all the metal heads out there in full force.
by Lonnie Nemiroff
Photo Credit: Travis Shinn