Killswitch Engage interview

Killswitch Engage, the New England band that damn near invented the melodic metalcore blueprint have every right to not care about this interview. They brought the genre to popular acclaim and led its success round the world, selling hundred of thousands of records and even more gig tickets in the process, They’re too important now, too big and too special to bother with something as small (but perfectly formed) as New Noise.

At least that’s what they could think. But in fact, just a few hours before concluding their UK tour by selling out one of those swiftly reorganised shows at London’s 5000-capacity Brixton Academy, bassist Mike D’Antonio seems all too happy to share a surprisingly friendly half-hour with us.

Ok, so, the obvious issues aside, how have the shows being going?
Honestly, pretty awesome. We have Peter (Wichers, of Soilwork) on guitar for a few shows and he’s just great. When Adam couldn’t do it he was our first pick. We’ve known him for quite a long time and not only is he a great friend, he’s an amazing guitar player.

Did you have to change the setlist for him though, take out any new songs?
Not really. He’s that good that we drilled him through the new songs, some of which he already knew, in two days, and he had the set nailed. I’m just as confident as if Adam were there.

How is Adam?
He’s ok now. He had to have surgery here because his back was deemed too bad to even fly home but everything went fine and he’s resting up. We will miss him of course but he wanted the tour to continue and we didn’t want to let anyone down.

And it would have been a lot of people. These are the biggest UK shows you’ve played aren’t they?
Yep, our biggest headline show here ever. We played Reading last year and Download was just insane but I actually forgot how big this place was.

Do you prefer bigger or smaller shows?
It’s obviously way more personal at smaller shows, I think everyone in the band loves that feeling of no barriers and no security, just kids piling on top of each other and really getting into it. But we can still do that sort of thing here, we played the Barfly not so long ago and that was awesome.

You do seem to be the guy in Killswitch that most enjoys the closer sort of interaction.
It’s all about contact and getting people excited. There’s no need for it to ever be one-sided, like "we are the performers and you are the crowd, we play, you listen". I remember one time watching Sepultura and the guitarist pointed to me and threw a pick out. I caught it and he gave me the thumbs up and I was thinking "Jesus, if I’m ever in that position I have to do stuff like that because that is coolest feeling ever". But everyone in the band feels like that I think. Even Adam loves the smaller shows because he can get way goofier and really see people’s reactions.

Are you surprised by your success or is it all part of a master plan?
It’s a total surprise. Our first time over here was part of a three-band Roadrunner tour and right before we left we got asked to headline. Instantly I had ulcers and stomach pains, I was so nervous. But from there things got bigger and better, we sold out shows and sold some records and the label here seems to really know their shit. That’s really helped.

Are you getting special treatment back home too? You’re the rock stars now and people must recognise that it was Killswitch who opened a lot of doors for Massachusetts bands and heavy bands in general.
I wish we did. I’m too normal to get recognised so I don’t get anything from that. And I never feel like a rock star. I feel great that the band has got me to some of the places it has but we’re just ordinary dudes.

Ordinary dudes huh? Come on, even your day jobs are special. Do you check out the records that Adam works on or the bands that Howard helps out? Do they check out your art?
We’re so involved in each other's lives and our music that when we get home its more like "how’s your folks doing?" and questions about family. All business is pushed to the side and we relax. I like telling them if I work with a cool band - I did a Cannibal Corpse t-shirt and Joel is a huge fan so he was impressed, but it’s usually just a relief to not hear about anything band or music-related.

So you see your art and design as being part of Killswitch? Or is a totally separate thing? Is one work and one play?
I think they’re both play. The Killswitch money pays all my bills and the design money is like pocket money. Design should be like my 9 to 5 job but it’s so much fun now and you certainly can’t call this [band] a job. We gripe about a lot of stuff but we’re so grateful. It never feels like work.

How did recording for the new album go? Was it weird to have Adam handling all the desk duties?
Not at all. He’s produced all the records and, although this was his first time mixing too, his vision has always been outstanding on that side. I guess it is sort of one-sided but Adam knows everyone’s strengths. There was no stress at all. The studio we recorded at is where we practise, where Adam virtually lives now, so recording really boiled down to hanging with my friends, drinking beer and listening to Adam talk. Easy.

Were you ever worried that the record might not sell?
All you can ever do is be proud of what you’ve done. Sales do enter into your mind - no band can say they don’t care about it because you need decent numbers to be allowed to make another record - but we just wanted to make the best thing we could.

Do you always write songs in the same way? Did anything change for the new one?
No, this was more like getting back to the normal. ‘End Of Heartache’ was tough to write because we had such limited time off from the road, everyone was in touring mode and nobody wanted to be in the studio. The label was pushing and no one felt like writing. Eventually Adam came in with the start of seven songs so that was more of an Adam record because it was his drive and his initiative that got it started but ‘As Daylight Dies’ was back to everybody contributing and everybody adding different parts and that’s the way I like it.

Are you already thinking of more song ideas or is it just a case of getting through this tour?
No. Fucking. Way. We’re totally back in touring mode. There’s no way we’ll be writing anything new for at least a year. If you’re touring, then going back to the bus and writing, that’s when this becomes like a job. No one can play guitar for that long in a day.

Are there many things left for Killswitch to do?
Buy a space shuttle. Play the moon. Destroy the asteroid. Save the day.

Seriously, Metallica are the one band that have eluded us, I know we wouldn’t say no to a tour with them. I would love to play China, love to play Russia, love to play South America with Sepultura. A few things left to do.

How many more years do you think Killswitch has got in it to get those things done?
Well, every album we make and every tour we do we say "that’s the last one" because you never know what’s going to happen. Anything could happen like someone quitting or a back injury or... to be honest though, this band has crossed so many humps that we’re probably indestructible now. If something was going to kill us it would have been one of the many problems we’ve already faced. It would be really stupid of us to not keep going at this point, where we’re good friends and really tight and loving life. So we’re not going anywhere yet is what I’m saying. Although that space shuttle might have to wait.

Tonight’s conversation doesn’t stop when the Dictaphone clicks off. Walking through the backstage area of the Academy, Mike continues talking about his love of Japan and it’s people, his continuing adoration of New York hardcore and his opinions of the English music press. He talks genuinely and without any rock star pretensions. He says things like “I’m just waiting to wake up from this dream” and “we’re just so happy where we are”, and, really, it’s utterly refreshing to hear someone who has been playing music for over a decade and dealt with plenty of industry shit recognising and thoroughly enjoying his privileged position.

Nice guys finish last? Bollocks.