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Here at Glam-Metal.com, we like to bring you the most up to date news, reviews and interviews of some of the biggest bands on the planet. Some of the groups that we cover are from different era’s, such as the 80's or the 90's, and even current bands such as this one, SEETHER!
SEETHER is currently on tour in support of their second album titled, “Karma and Effect,” which has been certified gold by the RIAA . The band is all over major radio. Their videos have been airing on VH1 and MTV. They have recently confirmed an upcoming tour with Audioslave that commences in the next few weeks. They are currently wrapping up a North American tour with Crossfade and Dark New Day. The guys in Seether have built a huge fan base, and are currently one of the hottest bands out now.
We’ve done something a bit different here at Glam-Metal. We’ve got an interview with not one, but two members of a band at once. I caught up with bassist- Dale Stewart, and drummer-John Humphrey of the power band SEETHER! These rockers have some cool insight on what’s currently going on in their world, and also share some personal info about them as well. So, here it is an exclusive interview with Dale Stewart, and John Humphrey! Enjoy!
Dale and John, welcome to Hampton Beach. How are you guys?
DALE: Good, it’s nice to be here.
JOHN: Yeah, we’re looking forward to a good show tonight.
DALE, You’re the co-founder and bass guitarist in Seether. Tell us a little about how it all began. The birth of Seether, if you will.
DALE: Sure. Seether started in South Africa in May of 1999. There’s actually no original members left in this band. Shaun joined a couple of weeks after those guys had started this band, and eventually became the singer. Soon after, the bass player left, and then I joined, which became a three piece. We got signed as a three piece in South Africa on an Indy label, and we sent that record over to Wind-Up Records in New York, who set us up for a showcase. After playing the showcase, they signed us. So...we moved out to the States to begin recording in January of 2002, we started recording our first album “Disclaimer.” I guess the rest is history. We hooked up with John and Pat after we started touring on that record, because our original drummer had left, and we got another guy. During the tour we ended up in Philly where we played with Pat’s band, and got him to join the band. A couple of months after that, our sound guy introduced us to John, so we did an audition with him, and it’s been the same line-up since.
Do you live in South Africa, or do you live here in the U.S. now?
DALE: I live in California now. I go home usually around Christmas and spend some time there.
So you call the U.S. home now, huh?
DALE: Yeah. It makes more sense. Everything is here now, you know? Our record label, my career, my girlfriend. I miss my family, but everything else is here.
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John, You’re the new drummer in the band. Are you South African as well and how did you get this gig?
John: No, I’m from the United States. I’m from a little State called Oklahoma! Like Dale was saying, the house engineer was originally a house engineer for a band I was in back in the 90's, called The Nixons. We ran into each other, we hadn’t seen each other for a long time, and we were catching up and stuff, and he said he was working for Seether, and that they had an audition coming up for a drummer, and how great it would be if I auditioned. He asked what I was doing, and I’m like, “Not really to much, kinda playing around the scene of Dallas, and that would be great, I’d be interested.” I wasn’t really familiar with Seether. I’d heard “Fine Again,” maybe I had caught the video or heard the song on the radio, I’m not really sure. I’d just heard the song, but wasn’t familiar with the band. I picked up the cd, learned all the tracks on it inside and out, and then went in and auditioned. For the band, I was like the last guy, it was like midnight, and these guys had been drinking beer, and had been up all day with punters. I went in, and we ran down the set that they were doing at the time, I think they were on the 3 Doors Down tour, and ah...we pretty much hit it off right there on the spot.
DALE: You and Shaun have made some band changes in Seether since the last record. You’ve gone from a three piece to a four piece by adding another guitarist, and you’ve brought in a new drummer, the very talented John Humphrey here. May I ask what led to the changes?
I think ultimately, it comes down to personalities on the bus, and stuff. It’s difficult to be thrust into a situation with someone, being in the same space for like 24 hours a day, months and months at a time. So...you have to get along with your band guys. Some guys just aren’t happy on the road. They bring everyone down, and they just don’t want to be here, or...
It makes for a long tour when someone’s a Dick huh?
DALE:(Laughs) It does! If you’re really not happy, then we’re sorry, but you’re bringing the show down, and everything! Or, another thing, if there’s big ego’s, and someone is like, “It’s my show,” or it’s my time,” no, it’s all of ours, you know? As much as John’s a great player, he’s also a good guy, and that’s the reason I think this combination works so well. We all get along, and we’re all pretty happy go lucky, and you need that on a tour.
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You guys are currently touring in support of your latest record titled “Karma and Effect,” how’s the tour going, and how long is the tour expected to run?
DALE: This tour runs for about another two weeks, and it’s been going awesome! It’s been really cool. We’re touring with two other bands, Dark New Day and Crossfade. Its bands we actually like, and we’re all like brothers, we get up on stage and play a song together. We have fun every night! It’s the only tour I’ve really ever been on that’s this cool. I’m looking forward to touring with Audioslave this fall, after this tour. That’s for about two months I think. It’s all the arenas, Madison Square Garden, and big venues like that. I guess it’ll hit me when I’m standing up there! (Laughs)
(Laughs) I’m sure you’ll be fine man. What’s a typical day like for you on the road Dale?
DALE: I wake up around noon, have a bite to eat, put on underwear do a couple of phoners, maybe an interview. We do meet and greet with some radio winners, have some dinner, have a couple of beers, play the show, have a couple of more beers...(Laughs) Maybe a whiskey and a cigar, jump in bed, wake up and do it again.
So, do you guys do a lot of interviews?
DALE: It depends. On the new album, more people want to know about it, so we’ve been doing more. But towards the end of our last tour, it kind of winds down a little, you know? It’s nice that people are interested again.
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How about you John?
JOHN: Pretty much the same. I’m the older one in the group, I’m the daddy of the group, and I actually have two boys, so I tend to be up early. For some reason I can’t shut that off. I’m getting up at 8:30 or 9:00 in the morning, which is cool, because I get the bus all to myself, and pace around in my underwear. (Laughs) No...Make my pop tarts...
DALE: He doesn’t know it, but I’m awake. (Laughs)
JOHN: Yeah, the other guys are looking at me going, “John you’re waking me up, turn the damn light off!” (Laughs) Ah...So I may rise a little bit earlier. But yeah, it’s kinda the same thing, we usually have a little press during the day, we have these day sheets up here we check out to see what’s going on for the day, as far as press and meet and greets we typically do after sound check. Sound check’s around 3:30 or 4:00. Showtime is anywhere from 9:00 at the earliest to 11:00 at the latest, and then an hour and a half show, and back here to the bus. Usually as the set is winding down, like the last couple of songs I’ll have a shot and a beer and kinda really loosen up. We’ve been bringing Clint up for a Deftone song. That’s like a fun jam song, or “Man In The Box.” So, I’m usually feeling pretty good by the time we hit the bus, we have our ipods we plug in, and jam a little music, and depending on how I feel, I’ll either be a good boy and go to bed, or I’ll be up until 4:30 in the morning. (Laughs)
How long have you been playing drums, and who inspired you to wanna play drums in a rock band?
JOHN: Wow! Ah...I’ve been playing drums for over twenty years. I’m really into the heavy hitters, I love Dave Grohl, and from the 80's I love Tommy Lee, and of course the infamous John Bonham, were huge influences on me. Their playing style is just straight forward, lay it down, power guys, that when you went to see them at an arena, from the nose bleed seats, which is what I usually had, the cheap ones, you could see arms in the air, and they were just really visual drummers. I was really into those kinda players.
Speaking of John Bonham, Jason did an interview with us last year, and is a good friend, and a totally sweet guy. You should go to Glam-Metal http://www.glam-metal.com and check out Jason’s interview. He’s currently playing in UFO and in FOREIGNER now. He’s fucking incredible!
JOHN: Oh cool! The Nixons did some stuff with Jason Bonham’s band, and he was a good guy. It’s a trip to think who his father was, you know?
Yeah, Jason’s as cool as you can be man.
JOHN: I have a funny story about Jason that he probably wouldn’t even remember. We were in Austin, Texas, and him and I were just hammered. We talked this hotel connoisseur or chauffeur, or whatever, to shuttle us over to Denny’s. We went over there hammered, and I offered to buy him breakfast, and he said, “My dad left me a bloody castle, I think I can pick up the tab!” (Laughs)
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Has the success of the new record, changed you in any way, and if so how?
JOHN: I think we’re pretty grounded guys. Our work ethic is still the same. We just get up on stage and try to kick ass every night, and blow the other bands away. Our job is to get up there and kick ass every night. I think the mission is still at hand. So, no big heads or anything.
You want people to leave every night going “WOW, we just got our asses kicked!”
JOHN: Exactly! That’s how you make fans. If you have a shitty show, they’re not going to come back.
How about you Dale? How has all the fame and fortune effected you?
DALE: Not at all man. On the bus, you kinda live in a bubble, and you don’t notice things changing around you, you know? I still do the same things that I’ve always done.
I’ve met and talked with a lot of different bands over the years, and for the most part many of them are cool, but I’ve run into some really big egos as well.
DALE: I hate ego’s man!
Well, if you’re an asshole to your fans, people don’t forget it. Some bands or individual musicians need to remember who put them where they are in the first place, you know?
DALE: Exactly man.
When did you first pick up a bass guitar, and who’s a couple of your favorite bass guitarists?
DALE: I was eighteen when I picked up a bass guitar for the first time. I played guitar up until then. Mainly rhythm. I like a lot of acoustic kinda stuff...
JOHN: Dale won’t brag, but he wrote the riff to “Broken.” He does that live on acoustic guitar every night, and it’s kind of a difficult part. He’s awesome!
Dale, how many times have you toured this country, and what’s a favorite stop for you?
DALE: There’s a couple. Ohio for some reason is always awesome. I think any where that’s not east or west coast, like Middle America, and even in the south, where there aren’t bands playing every night like in Los Angeles and New York. Smaller towns that have a rock band come through only every month or so, appreciate it that much more.
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What’s the craziest thing you’ve witnessed on the road so far?
JOHN: The one on this tour was the night Shaun was maced. That was Florida, the bottom of our touring places. (Laughs) I actually was asleep, so I don’t know exactly what happened, but basically, a fight broke out in a bar directly outside of the Crossfade bus. The bus driver was getting pummeled, and Shaun jumped in to help him, and a security guy got confused on who was who, and sprayed Shaun with Mace. Shaun came back on the bus in tears from the mace, and throwing up, and I woke up to all this commotion. Shaun was freaking out, and sweating, and red, and we just drove the hell out of Florida.
Oh man, I have some Florida stories for you guys later. I had a couple of bad cop experiences down there man!
JOHN: The cops were no help what so ever!
DALE: We had to get out of there! We didn’t stop till we got to the next state. The bus driver’s nose was broken in like four places!
JOHN: Yeah, and the police were no help. It was a bad scene man!
DALE: We had to get out of there before they arrested all of us. Not a cool scene at all.
Well, I’m glad you guys made it out alive! Geez! John, Is doing a major tour such as this new to you, and what are some of the highs and lows of touring for you?
JOHN: No, like I said, I’ve been doing this for a while. I was in a band on MCA Records in the 90's, so I’ve been doing this on this level of touring for a little over ten years. I’m kinda used to living out of a suitcase, living on a bus, and making bunk home. We did press all day, ran around, we drove to New Hampshire yesterday, we got back here to the bus, and the driver had cleaned it all up, and I got on and was like “AH, Home.” So, I’m pretty used to touring, yes. The Highs of touring are awesome! Here I am, I’m still doing it, getting up and playing drums every night, it’s the best job in the world. The lows are I get a little homesick sometimes. I’m a father of two, and that’s kinda hard. Fortunately enough, we have an awesome driver who’s trying to strategize us through Oklahoma on our way to El Paso here on Sunday, so I get to see the kids.
CROSSFADE are supporting you guys on this tour. Did you know any of the guys prior to this tour, and how are they to tour with?
DALE: I hadn’t met them before, but they are really cool guys. Their kinda the same people as us, they just want to play rock music, and party and stuff. Their cool!
JOHN: The shows are fine, at the end of the night it turns into an all-star jam. It’s a lot of fun.
Seether has a new kick ass cd out titled “Karma and Effect.”How would you best describe this record, and how does it compare to your debut album “Disclaimer?”
DALE: I’d say it’s a step forward. We’re actually a band now with four members. That’s definitely a step forward for us, and I think musically we’re going in a better direction that’s more unique to Seether. We’re all really proud of the songs, and I think the songs are much more mature. We’re better players now, and better writers. It’s heavier. It’s quite a heavy album, a lot of the tracks are heavy, but at the same time they have melodies as well, from Shaun’s vocals, and Pat playing guitar parts over the regular guitar parts, adding melody. I’ll try and do something on the bass to incorporate more melody. But, at the same time, keeping it heavy as well.
Many times a second record is the hardest one, but you guys nailed this one on the fucking head. Great record.
DALE: Yeah, that’s right. Thank’s a lot. We’re very fortunate, and happy with this record.
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Who does most of the writing in Seether?
DALE: I’d say Shaun. He writes all the lyrics, and vocal lines and stuff. We’re all involved in the writing. We’ll have a song idea, or a riff, and we’ll just jam on it in our rehearsal space, and it’ll kinda just come together. I think with the four members we have now, we just work really well together, what we play, and how we think, and how we approach it. I think it shows on the album.
I love the album title, who came up with the name?
DALE: I think it was me that came up with it. We were recording in New York, and it was in the middle of winter, and it was a blizzard outside. We had finished for the day, and were waiting for a taxi. It was freezing outside, and there were no taxis! Anyway’s, this guy comes driving along and got stuck on this pile of ice on the side of the road. So...we all dropped our guitars and ran over to help him. Eventually after about twenty minutes of pushing, we managed to get him out. We had just turned around, and a taxi pulled up, and I was like “Karma and Effect, right there.” We were like “that’s cool!” It was kinda a joke at the time, but it related more deeply to how we were feeling on the album, and the history of the band, and the ups and downs, and stuff.
Overall, how happy are you with the way “Karma and Effect” turned out?
DALE: Very happy! I think it’s our best work so far. This band has come a long way. So, I’m very happy. I love the mix, and I love the songs. I’m very proud of this record.
You should be man. It’s a great record. I love your heavy bass riffs Dale. It’s one of my favorite records, seriously.
DALE: Thank you very much. I appreciate it.
John, Did you come in on the new record from the beginning or was it already written?
JOHN: I came in pretty much from the beginning. I think “Burrito” was the only song that existed, and had been demo’d before me. The week after I auditioned, we went back to LA to rehearse, and kinda work me in a little bit. “Because Of Me” and “I’m The One,” were the first two songs thrown at me. So, right from that point I was involved in the creative process.
The video for “Remedy” is awesome, who directed it, and how long did it take to complete?
His name is Dean Carr, and he also directed our new one that’s coming out, “Truth.”
DALE: He’s crazy, but he’s a great guy. He’s done stuff with Manson, and the Murderdolls. He does like dark and kind of disturbing kind of videos, which are cool. The first run, we didn’t have as much say as we’d liked to, and the singles that were released were all the ballads. I mean, I love the ballads, but it would have been nice to have released a couple of rock songs. It was all ballads, and we had these kind of poppy videos. It was fine, but it only showed the one side of the band. We have the rock side as well.
Dale, Many of the songs from both records seem really deep and also emotional, where does the inspiration come from? Are they written from real personal experiences?
DALE: Yeah, especially on the first album, “Disclaimer.” That’s Shaun’s diary. Even on the new one, I think its part diary, and part experiences. Things that have affected him in the last couple of years. There are no stories, it’s all real life stuff that affects you, you know?
John, What’s a couple of your favorite songs off the new record?
JOHN: Funny enough, the two that I mentioned. (Laughs) “Because Of Me,” and “I’m The One.” I don’t know why, but every time I hear them, it just takes me back to the beginning, and they’re really fun to play drums to. I kinda jump around though, there’s a song on the album called “Given,” that I love the bridge to. Emotionally, I’m really proud of this album. If I weren’t in this band, I’d be a fan of this record.
Dale, Same question.
DALE: I’d say “Because Of Me.” It’s heavy, and balls to the wall. I’d also have to say “Remedy,” because it’s real basic on the bass. (Laughs) It gives me a chance to like jump around and watch the crowd. When Shaun kicks into the riff, and the lights come on, I look at the crowd, and people’s faces light up, because it’s recognizable to them, and they start jumping up and down. It’s just cool to see the energy that it creates live.
Is there a lot of moshing going on at your shows?
JOHN: It depends. The sate fair in South Dakota, I think there might have been a small one! (Laughs)
DALE: Oh yeah! (Laughs)
JOHN: There have been some great crowds, and jumping is definitely allowed.
No sitting down a t a Seether show though huh?
JOHN: Nope! No sitting down allowed! (Laughs)
Dale, Any plans for another DVD in the future?
DALE: Yes. I think after this album cycle, it’s about time. I have a lot of footage that I’ve gathered over the years from touring. I usually have my camera out when I’m hammered. (Laughs)
JOHN: Yeah, he’s got a lot of good shots of the floor! (Laughs)
DALE: “Look, so and so’s naked!” “Look, John’s throwing up again!” (Laughing) I’ve got a lot of stuff. Pat’s like the clown in the band, and I’ve got him running around in women’s clothing, and a bunch of just crazy stuff. (Laughs) I’m pretty sure that I can put together a pretty entertaining DVD.
DALE: I understand it’s early still, but have you started thinking about the next Seether record yet?
Not really. I’ve been wondering about it some. Pat and I have been messing around with something the other day, but we really haven’t written anything yet.
Sounds like with all the press you’ve been doing, you don’t have a lot of time to write huh?
DALE: This tour has been pretty hectic. Not many days off, just extensive touring. I’m sure with Audioslave, we’ll have more time. We’re only playing forty-five minutes on that tour. We should have more day’s off than we do now.
Where do you see Seether in the next five years?
DALE: Face down in the gutter! (Laughs)
JOHN: Rehab! (Laughs) Jail! (Laughs)
DALE: Hopefully, we’re still doing what we love to do, and that is to make great rock records for the fans.
John, What 80's Glam-Metal bands do you dig?
JOHN: I wear a Motley Crue shirt every night. Motley Crue is at the top of my list. I don’t put them in with the Glam, I know they had a bit of it during the “Theatre Of Pain,” but I don’t consider them “Glam.” I’m definitely an 80's fan though. Ratt, Dokken, rockin with Dokken man! (Laughs)
Dale, Same question.
DALE: I was a baby then! (Laughs) I missed out on a lot of those bands growing up back in South Africa.
Come on Dale. Admit it, you wore eye-liner and spandex didn’t you?
DALE: (Laughing) NO! I never did! I was a big Guns N Roses fan though. They were probably the first band I was ever really obsessed about.
It’s a pity that Guns N Roses don’t do something again. They could rule the world again if they got back together.
DALE: Yeah, for sure! If they did a reunion tour, they would be huge again. It would be a massive!
JOHN: What do you like to do when you aren’t working or touring?
I’m a homebody guy. My spare time is changing diapers and getting kids off to school. It suits me just fine. I’m fine as long as I’m around them. I just bought a house in Oklahoma, which is cool. I can be mister domestic, and run to Home Depot and pick up things and stuff. I’m cool with that.
Dale, Same question.
DALE: I just bought a place, and I’ve been fixing toilets, and running errands, going to Lowe’s and Home Depot. (Laughs) Not very rock N roll huh? (Laughs)
(Laughing) Hey, when this records done doing what it’s got to do, you may have someone fixing your toilet for you. (Laughing)
DALE: Hopefully! That would be nice for a change!
What’s the music scene like in South Africa, compared to here in the U.S.?
DALE: It’s a lot smaller obviously. There’s a lot less people that listen to rock music in South Africa. It’s more pop orientated there. That was the main reason we wanted to get out and come here. It’s so hard to make a living there in a rock band. It’s hard to get deals, and get signed. Without a deal, it’s hard to get songs on the radio, and play shows and stuff. It’s a cycle. There are a lot of bands. There are some cool music festivals and stuff though. Unfortunately, there’s just a very small percentage that listen to rock music.
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Who’s really hot over there right now?
DALE: A friend of mine has a band called Blow, that’s really good. There’s another band called Sixteen Stitch that I really like. I mean, there are a couple of bands. I’m so out of the scene, because I’m here the whole time, and it’s difficult to keep track. There is undiscovered talent down there.
You may be producing some of those bands in the future.
DALE: We’d like to help out some bands for free, if the opportunity were to come up.
I think Seether is the first band out of South Africa to make it here, yes?
DALE: I think so. There hasn’t really been a rock band out of South Africa, so that’s cool.
Anything you’d like to say to all of the Seether fans out there?
DALE: Thanks for buying the album. Thanks for supporting us, and being cool. We couldn’t do this without the fans.
JOHN?
JOHN: Ditto for me! Thanks to all the fans for buying the records, and coming to the shows. Thanks for allowing us to do this.
Alright guys, thanks for hanging with Glam-Metal, and good luck with the new record and the tour!
John: Thank you as well.
DALE: Yes, thanks for your support as well. We really appreciate it.
For more on Seether news, tours, videos, etc... go to www.seether.com www.seetherville.com
Check out our Seether Concert Review here.
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