Bob Wayne - Sound In The Signals Interview
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Your new album Outlaw Carnie is out this month and it's probably your biggest release so far. Everyone across the internet, including sites like Saving Country Music are claiming this is the big one for you. Can you tell me what all went into making this album and what your approach was this time around in the studio?
With every recording I’ve ever done, I have always done the best I could with the money and resources I had, unfortunately sometimes that wasn’t a lot. For example Blood To Dust was recorded in about a week and I had never even played a show yet. We really just did it for fun. 13 Truckin Songs was also done in about a weeks time and we didn’t even have time to mix it properly and the equipment we had was minimal. I mean hell, with Driven By Demons, (my third self release) we recorded half of that in my camper behind clubs while on tour!! So, the approach with this album, being that it is my first official release, was to treat my previous albums as demos. This allowed me to go back and re-record some of the songs I felt have changed a lot through years through touring and give them some more attention. Also with Andy Gibson really beefing up his studio over the years definately helped as he really strives to have the best gear possible and get the best sound that he can.
Your new album is being released through Century Media which is traditionally a metal label. How'd you link up with the label and what made you decide that label was a good home for you?
I have always had a gut instinct approach to life and also a “keep it in the family” type of mentality. Century Media already had a few people working there that I considered to be family. Also it was very organic how it all went down and I didn’t feel like I was trying to fit a square into a triangle.
With the album coming out on Century Media do you have any plans to shoot a video for it and if so do you know for what song it will be?
Well we did shoot a video! It was for Driven By Demons. But I also will be shooting a couple videos on my own. I just shot one with my friend hienrich 13 in germany for the song 2012 that I’m pretty excited about as well. And this summer I will shoot one for the song Work of the Devil. Also I have been writing screenplays for alot of my songs. As the songs are mostly stories, I am going to give them a new medium through film. In a song I only have 3 minutes to tell the story whereas in a film I can take the time to really get into the story. Then with the visualization as well it will be bad ass.
You are put under the country umbrella a lot of the time, but your sound draws from various different genres. As a songwriter what are some albums that have heavily influenced you and who are some of your all-time favorite artists?
Well, I have always loved heavier music as I grew up with my mom playing in a hard rock cover band in the 80’s. But she also loved old country and in fact, my first concert was Johhny Cash playing at the fair when I was 10 years old. That definately made an impact. The first song I ever learned on guitar was There’s a Tear in my Beer by Hank Williams, and I realized that once I knew that song I could play like 4 other Hank Williams songs immediately! As I grew into my teens I started getting into metal and learning heavier songs from Metalica and Pantera. I would say some of my favorite albums are by Pentagram, Metalica (old metalica of course) , Black Sabbath, Rocky Erickson, and of course, Willy Waylon, Johnny Townse, Van Zant, and all 3 Hanks.
The “outlaw” image has kind of been invading the mainstream a little over the last year or so with artists like Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson. I think Johnson is a talented songwriter, but sometimes doubt his authenticity. What do you think about artists like this when you've built your career as a true artist who plays by your own rules?
I haven’t ever heard of those bands and I don’t have time to go check them out right now as my band is starving and looking at me like a pack of hungry dogs! As far as the mainstream goes im really not sure what’s going on there. Not because I don’t like the mainstream as some of my favorite artists have been or still are lumped into that genre (Pantera, Metalica, Hank Jr., etc)...but I really can’t stand main stream country music. Lately I’ve just been stickin’ to my old favorites, although I do get alot of good tips on new bands from friends and lately I have been getting into Shrinebuilder, Woven Hand, 16 Horse Power. OH, and Slim Cessnas Auto Club!
Outside of the mainstream industry there has also been a big underground surge lead by artists like Hank III, Joe Buck, Lucky Tubb, yourself, and many others. When so many people across America view country as the mainstream stuff on the radio how important do you think it is for artists like yourself and the others to be out on the road showing the other side of things?
VERY IMPORTANT! Yeah the whole pop country mainstream really fucked up the words country music. And the more bands that are out there working and carrying the torch with an old style approach the better! I don’t even really consider myself to be traditional country but it’s definately more raw than the shit that’s being called country in the mainstreem. I think Hank 3 said it best in the song I’m here to put the dick in dixie and the cunt back in country!!
I think the “Nashville scene” and mentality has always doubted artists like yourself and doesn't give it much of a chance, but over the last few years you guys have turned into the lifeblood for country and have really shown the substance in the music. Is that the big testament that the Nashville mentality is wrong and that people like you, Hank III, etc… have been right about how to approach music?
From what I’ve heard, the Nashville corporate music scene is a completely different planet than from where guys like Hank 3 and myself come from. Honestly, I have zero experience with any kind of corporate major lable type bullshit and I really could give a shit less about them as I’m quite certain they could give a shit less about me! I really just strive to write good songs and bring them to the people.
Driven By Demons has become such a huge underground hit. Did you ever expect people to react to the album in the way they have? What are some of your favorite moments you had while recording the album?
Well we had a good time recording that album and as it was the 3d record that we did. We definately had a lot more experience and really made a pretty solid album. When I put it up for sale online and I checked my paypal I was kind of shocked at how many people bought the album in the first month. Our van had recently caught on fire and so I had to buy a new one and I bought a new\old 1988 ford van with the money from the downloads. So in reality, we really were driven by demons!!!!
Hank 3 putting my song "Workin Man" on his record helped as well.
Some of my favorite memories of recording that album was kicking Andy Gibson’s ass on medal of honor during the breaks. Oh, and recording some tracks in my motor home while on tour was a good time as well. In fact, the line "this here highway is my home" from the song "love songs suck" was actually written while driving down the highway in the motorhome listening to some of the mixes from the record.
Who is one artist you like right now that people may have not heard of? What about them makes them so good?
There are alot of good new ones ive heard but most recent I Daniel Higgs. It’s really hard to explain but its like going to church if music was your god.
I guess that about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to do the interview. Do you have any closing comments you'd like to make?
Thanks for the support, keep on truckin, drive fast, and sh**t at cops.
-Bob Wayne
Your new album Outlaw Carnie is out this month and it's probably your biggest release so far. Everyone across the internet, including sites like Saving Country Music are claiming this is the big one for you. Can you tell me what all went into making this album and what your approach was this time around in the studio?
With every recording I’ve ever done, I have always done the best I could with the money and resources I had, unfortunately sometimes that wasn’t a lot. For example Blood To Dust was recorded in about a week and I had never even played a show yet. We really just did it for fun. 13 Truckin Songs was also done in about a weeks time and we didn’t even have time to mix it properly and the equipment we had was minimal. I mean hell, with Driven By Demons, (my third self release) we recorded half of that in my camper behind clubs while on tour!! So, the approach with this album, being that it is my first official release, was to treat my previous albums as demos. This allowed me to go back and re-record some of the songs I felt have changed a lot through years through touring and give them some more attention. Also with Andy Gibson really beefing up his studio over the years definately helped as he really strives to have the best gear possible and get the best sound that he can.
Your new album is being released through Century Media which is traditionally a metal label. How'd you link up with the label and what made you decide that label was a good home for you?
I have always had a gut instinct approach to life and also a “keep it in the family” type of mentality. Century Media already had a few people working there that I considered to be family. Also it was very organic how it all went down and I didn’t feel like I was trying to fit a square into a triangle.
With the album coming out on Century Media do you have any plans to shoot a video for it and if so do you know for what song it will be?
Well we did shoot a video! It was for Driven By Demons. But I also will be shooting a couple videos on my own. I just shot one with my friend hienrich 13 in germany for the song 2012 that I’m pretty excited about as well. And this summer I will shoot one for the song Work of the Devil. Also I have been writing screenplays for alot of my songs. As the songs are mostly stories, I am going to give them a new medium through film. In a song I only have 3 minutes to tell the story whereas in a film I can take the time to really get into the story. Then with the visualization as well it will be bad ass.
You are put under the country umbrella a lot of the time, but your sound draws from various different genres. As a songwriter what are some albums that have heavily influenced you and who are some of your all-time favorite artists?
Well, I have always loved heavier music as I grew up with my mom playing in a hard rock cover band in the 80’s. But she also loved old country and in fact, my first concert was Johhny Cash playing at the fair when I was 10 years old. That definately made an impact. The first song I ever learned on guitar was There’s a Tear in my Beer by Hank Williams, and I realized that once I knew that song I could play like 4 other Hank Williams songs immediately! As I grew into my teens I started getting into metal and learning heavier songs from Metalica and Pantera. I would say some of my favorite albums are by Pentagram, Metalica (old metalica of course) , Black Sabbath, Rocky Erickson, and of course, Willy Waylon, Johnny Townse, Van Zant, and all 3 Hanks.
The “outlaw” image has kind of been invading the mainstream a little over the last year or so with artists like Randy Houser and Jamey Johnson. I think Johnson is a talented songwriter, but sometimes doubt his authenticity. What do you think about artists like this when you've built your career as a true artist who plays by your own rules?
I haven’t ever heard of those bands and I don’t have time to go check them out right now as my band is starving and looking at me like a pack of hungry dogs! As far as the mainstream goes im really not sure what’s going on there. Not because I don’t like the mainstream as some of my favorite artists have been or still are lumped into that genre (Pantera, Metalica, Hank Jr., etc)...but I really can’t stand main stream country music. Lately I’ve just been stickin’ to my old favorites, although I do get alot of good tips on new bands from friends and lately I have been getting into Shrinebuilder, Woven Hand, 16 Horse Power. OH, and Slim Cessnas Auto Club!
Outside of the mainstream industry there has also been a big underground surge lead by artists like Hank III, Joe Buck, Lucky Tubb, yourself, and many others. When so many people across America view country as the mainstream stuff on the radio how important do you think it is for artists like yourself and the others to be out on the road showing the other side of things?
VERY IMPORTANT! Yeah the whole pop country mainstream really fucked up the words country music. And the more bands that are out there working and carrying the torch with an old style approach the better! I don’t even really consider myself to be traditional country but it’s definately more raw than the shit that’s being called country in the mainstreem. I think Hank 3 said it best in the song I’m here to put the dick in dixie and the cunt back in country!!
I think the “Nashville scene” and mentality has always doubted artists like yourself and doesn't give it much of a chance, but over the last few years you guys have turned into the lifeblood for country and have really shown the substance in the music. Is that the big testament that the Nashville mentality is wrong and that people like you, Hank III, etc… have been right about how to approach music?
From what I’ve heard, the Nashville corporate music scene is a completely different planet than from where guys like Hank 3 and myself come from. Honestly, I have zero experience with any kind of corporate major lable type bullshit and I really could give a shit less about them as I’m quite certain they could give a shit less about me! I really just strive to write good songs and bring them to the people.
Driven By Demons has become such a huge underground hit. Did you ever expect people to react to the album in the way they have? What are some of your favorite moments you had while recording the album?
Well we had a good time recording that album and as it was the 3d record that we did. We definately had a lot more experience and really made a pretty solid album. When I put it up for sale online and I checked my paypal I was kind of shocked at how many people bought the album in the first month. Our van had recently caught on fire and so I had to buy a new one and I bought a new\old 1988 ford van with the money from the downloads. So in reality, we really were driven by demons!!!!
Hank 3 putting my song "Workin Man" on his record helped as well.
Some of my favorite memories of recording that album was kicking Andy Gibson’s ass on medal of honor during the breaks. Oh, and recording some tracks in my motor home while on tour was a good time as well. In fact, the line "this here highway is my home" from the song "love songs suck" was actually written while driving down the highway in the motorhome listening to some of the mixes from the record.
Who is one artist you like right now that people may have not heard of? What about them makes them so good?
There are alot of good new ones ive heard but most recent I Daniel Higgs. It’s really hard to explain but its like going to church if music was your god.
I guess that about wraps it up. Thanks for taking the time to do the interview. Do you have any closing comments you'd like to make?
Thanks for the support, keep on truckin, drive fast, and sh**t at cops.
-Bob Wayne
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