Rob: What has the Glasspack been up to lately? You guys have a new release going up for pre-order on Wednesday...
Dave: God damn it, I been workin my ass off trying to get out of debt so the Glasspack hasn`t really been doing anything except practicing once a week. Everybody is so freakin busy tryin to make ends meet, we had to take it easy for a couple months with the band. We are getting ready for a few gigs here and there and tryin to hype up the Bridgeburner on the business side of things. Normally, when the bands physical activity goes down, the paper work goes way up...
Rob: Is it the same line-up? Are you still kicking out the jams with Bucky and the Cap`n?
Dave: Yep, the Cap`n and Bucky are still fuckin shit up with me. Bucky did a little less on the record but he has been tearin up the live shows, he is the GOD OF THUNDER...the Cap`n is still tryin to keep his drums from walking off...
Rob: How is the Bridgeburner compared to the two previous releases? Small stone is doing this album as well from what I understand... How do you feel the Glasspack has developed as musicians/people and how do you feel that it has rubbed off on this recording in comparison to the previous ones?
Dave: The Bridgeburner is complete chaos of super-sonic mosquito guitar jams, way different from the previous two or three, depending on if you include the Road Warriors` EP. There is a lot less vocals on this album than the previous ones. We just wanted to make sounds that would corrupt your mind while listening on drugs...we wanted to fuse Charles Manson and the Allman Brothers...As far as the band goes, we have developed a lot in the way that we really couldn`t give less of a fuck about the outside world than we did on the other albums...we are so out of style, it`s a beautiful thing..."American Exhaust" was just that, an exhausted attempt of a new American band making a record that was way overdue. The "Road Warriors` EP" was just a practice recorded, that we did some overdubs on in hopes of spreading our word. Powderkeg was an attempt to spice up "American Exhaust" and make it more commercially acceptable. "Bridgeburner" stands up on its own and says "Fuck You," we don`t wanna be part of anything that the majority likes PERIOD and we have no other goal than to provide the listener with the best soundtrack to a bad trip one could ever have...It is truly way more raunchy and belligerent than anything we have done previously...
Rob: How long did you guys take to record the Bridgeburner, and who were some of the peeps outside of the glasspack that were involved?
Dave: Shit, we had basically a weekend block, or 36 hours to finish, it was a lot of pressure but drugs took that pressure away and made the experience seem timeless. I had just wiped out on my skateboard at the Louisville Park and severely aggravated the joint in my thumb by refusing to lube the locks on the van doors, made my thumb worse tryin to manhandle my key...it was swollen up to double the size. I have no insurance, God Bless America, so I had to go to the street and score some tylox, pot, and opium to relieve the pain of tryin to record. Oh Man, there are times on the "Bridgeburner" record, where I couldn`t even have told you what my name is and my fingers were setting the fretboard on fire...I really don`t know how I finished it...The firing squad for the new record consisted of Phil from Big Chief (Sub-Pop), Ed from Monster Magnet, Scott from Small Stone, and Bob from Raging Slab and Monster Magnet. God damn, wait till you hear the lead Mundell put on "Peepshow." Would make someone on acid cry...
Rob: What kind of sound do you try and get when in the studio? Are you trying to ultimately capture a live sound, or do you like to use the studio to get a `studio` sound with overdubs and etc...what do you look for in a Glasspack albums sound?
Dave: It`s always been a combo of each. I like to do the basic tracks with a live sound and then add overdubs that take the recording to another realm. Someone might say "Hairsoup" has way too many guitar tracks on it, it causes brain overload but what more can you ask for when you`re floating down Mushroom River? When in the end You�ll Realize that Mr. Echoplex and Mrs. Ebo had an affair right behind your ear and you had no idea. We try to spice up recordings and keep them close to what they may sound like live, we try to find a happy balance...
Rob: Where did you guys record The Bridgeburner? Did you get your hands on the mixing board yourself?
Dave: We recorded the record in Royal Oak (Detroit), Michigan at Rustbelt Studios, this was Small Stone`s recommendation. I know they must have thought we were some fuckos, the first thing we did before even loading the equipment was ask if it was ok to chase the dragon in the studio, we had to know if they were really "IN." They were great for us, pushed me to the limits of insanity when playing guitar. It was a truly weird psychedelic experience...
Rob: Are you guys still doing the Metal Bikes stuff? I know you guys are into your BMX bikes...
Dave: Metal, oh yes, Metal, greatest BMX company in the world. They just released their first video, entitled "Faded Glory," and used one of the tracks from the Bridgeburner, "Lil Birdy." They are some great guys and have great taste in rocknroll, not one rap song on the whole video...our music was set to the part of Metal Rider "Smoker Dave." He does hellacious tricks while smoking, great guy...
Rob: Are you guys going to be playing the sxsw showcase this year?
Dave: We will be playing twice, once Tuesday March 16th for the Terrible One Bikes Party at The Ritz in Austin and another time at the Small Stone Showcase on Friday March 19th at Room 710. Austin is like a home away from home. The Pack will be allover town publicly intoxicated, harassing authorities and women, and frying our brains beyond return...we might be the only band that messes with Texas, but they love us...
Rob: What are some of your upcoming tour plans to support the Bridgeburner?
Dave: Well, we will be doing some weekend USA gigs all year round starting in March. And we are hoping everything works out alright with the nice invitation we got to go to Europe in September. We won`t be doing any long US hauls anytime soon...
Rob: What is up with Rico? I know this is totally off the record but how is your former tour driver?
Dave: Former, he still drives us quite a bit. He is doin great, his family is doin great. He rides his hog when it isn�t shitty outside and slings frog legs and fish with me at the Famous Mike Linnig`s in south Louisville during the summer. He is the Glasspack`s "Main Man."
Rob: What are some of the bands that you guys have played with in the last couple of years that you would consider `Army worthy`?
Dave: Holy Shit, Blackwater fuckin rules in Milwaukee, but I think they changed their name. Gravitron is a real treat, like a bad crystal meth experience in Chicago. Iota is a fuckin rockin little band in SLC, Party Time in Portland, they deserve the world, Excess Lettuce in Austin taught me how to piss in the sink, Sasquatch in Los Angeles are our brothers in arms and are loud as fuck. Totimoshi from San Fran need to be broadcast through air raid sirens across the USA and Witch Mountain, all I can remember is the dude who played guitar had long hair, the drummer who played like Lombardo and looked like Devo, the bass player who was always on cloud nine, they were a perfect match...An what�s even more tripped out, Almost every single one of them and us are trios...weird, huh?
Rob: What kind of sick things do you have planned for the new year? Any new projects?
Dave: Dirty Bird, the band that only lived to be the soundtrack to the zombie apocalypse that is coming...
Rob: What is up with the Dirty Bird material? Aren�t 4 walls releasing some Vinyl for you?
Dave: 4 Walls may still have a few copies of "American Exhaust" on vinyl, other than that, the shit is gone. As for the Dirty Bird, that`ll have to be another interview on its own. I am so happy with this band that it`ll take another 3 megabytes of space in this interview. 4 Walls will have the dead ready in Fall 2004...
Rob: I really am still digging the American Exhaust....I am hoping that the Bridgeburner still has that strong hooker and heat/MC5 influence bleeding through the music...
Dave: Of course it still has that feeling. Songs like "Bridgeburner" and "Lil` Birdy" are still very true to the original sound and songwriting of the Glasspack in the beginning. We did, however, experiment a lot and this in its self is a trait still true to the Glasspack sound...
Rob: Any new goodies in the guitar toolbox of Dirty`s? Pedals, axes, effects, drugs?
Dave: Well, I got a brand new Vox Wah Pedal with case from 4 Walls Records, other than that, no. I did get dusted one time and lost my 30 foot red cord...I had to replace it with a 25.
Rob: For everyone that doesn�t know, explain why they call you `Dirty`...actually, I don`t even know that!
Dave: I have no idea, an old friend of mine called me that and everyone picked it up. I never did figure out whether it was because I am nasty minded, undermining, have dirt on my person, or all of the above...it�s a question to me as well.
Rob: How was the New Years Party?
Dave: It was a gathering of close friends so the Glasspack could play exclusively for them and wish them a good New Year.
Rob: What are your favorite tracks on The Bridgeburner, and why?
Dave: My favorite tracks are definitely "Bridgeburner" and "Oil Pan." I like "Bridgeburner" because it is completely psychedelic and reminds of older material by the Glasspack. It`s like a druggie nerd`s personal theme. As for "Oil Pan," I like it because it goes in a more different direction than any other song we have ever done and because it`s about fucking in the streets...
Rob: Anything you would like to add about the new release or the Glasspack?
Dave: I would really appreciate if everyone who bought it told me what they thought about it...[email protected]... and the contest for the American Exhaust test pressings is a personal gift from the Glasspack to SR.com and it`s peoples, we love you more than anybody else...
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