Interview, the Redux Phil LaBonte All That Remains

Lineup: Phil LaBonte - Vocals Oli Herbert - Guitar Mike Martin - Guitar Matt Deis - Bass Mike Bartlett - Drums

GWAR Dying Fetus All That Remains HOB 11/11/04 Interviewer: Sharita Lumpkin Photos: Karma E. Omowale

"Why the fuck would anyone want to be fuckin Spongebob Squarepants!"

So Phil is not a fan of the cute Sponge Bob Square pants, but click here to see who is a big fan of the sponge character that almost everyone loves, however he is a big fan of Ronald Regan, the New England Patriots, and Red Bull with Jäger! Phil and the boys are currently on tour with the almighty GWAR and Dying Fetus. In this redux interview, Phil talks about his thoughts on the election, what band member he would eat as well as who he would like to tour with.  His answers might surprise you. There is also more insight into what cartoon character he would like to be! Matt Deis and Oli Herbert also give a few quotes.  Read on for all of it!

Sharita: So I saw on another website that there wouldn’t be a new album out until 2006?

Phil: Yeah, another album won’t be out at least until 2006. We don’t have anything written to talk about, we have a few riffs here and there, and Oli you have a song written right?

Oli: [shakes head yes]

Phil: We got a song written that we got to [work] on but there are no vocals written, nothing yet.  It’s just going to be straight touring for this album and promoting the shit out of this record.

Sharita: Is it annoying for people to keep bringing up that you were the former singer of Shadows Fall?

Phil: Nope. Shadows Fall is a big band and the if the fact that I used to be involved with Shadows Fall [draws] attention to All That Remains, sign me up for fuckin’ two! [Laughs]

Sharita and Karma: [laughing hysterically]

Phil: It’s the truth.  Like I said me and Shad (Shadows Fall) are really cool, we’re still friends, we tour together, we have a good time.  So for me to get upset when people mention Shadows Fall when they’re referencing All That Remains considering how much of a powerhouse they are that’s foolish.  It’s letting your pride get in the way of getting your music out to people and possibly success.  If we ride Shads coat tails then fine, big deal.  Either way, I’m still on the road, I’m still playing music for a living, I’m still with a band where we do what we want to do and not what other people want.  The fact that I was in Shadows Fall brings people to [listen to us] fuckin’ A!

Sharita: Great. So are you a fan of GWAR?

Phil: I actually am a fan of GWAR.  I think This Toilet Earth and America Must be Destroyed are great albums.  I destroyed my tape of America Must Be Destroyed; I have This Toilet Earth on CD. I don’t have any of their newer stuff, I used to own Scumdogs and Hell-o, I probably couldn’t find them now but I love "Gor-gor", I love "Rock and Roll Never Felt So Good", "Scum Agogo", I mean I can name a ton of songs I want to hear.  I was talking to Oderus (Dave Brockie) the other day and I said “Oderus”! [Then] I just kind of put my head down so he could chop my head off. [Chuckles] “At sound check can you play "Rock and Roll Never Felt so Good" or "Gor-Gor" because they don’t put it in their set now.  I mean I want to hear these songs because I’m a fan of them.

Sharita: Ok so here are some fun questions for you. Ready?

Phil: Ready.

Sharita: If stranded on a desert island which band member would you eat?

Phil: Our drummer.

Sharita: Why?

Phil: Because he eats the healthiest and there are the least toxic things in his system. [Laughs] He’s actually the healthiest cut of meat in All That Remains so I’d eat him.

Matt (ATR Bass Player): I’m offended.

Phil: You're offended!

Sharita: [laughs] If stranded on that island what 3 CDs would you take?

Phil: Sarah McLaughlin Fumbling Towards Ecstasy, Killswitch Engage Alive or Just Breathing, and Iron Maiden Killers.

Sharita: Ok great. If you hosted a dinner party, alive or dead whom would you invite?

Phil: If I can invite anyone that would show up?

Sharita: Yep.

Phil: Jesus Christ, Ronald Regan, and Dwight Eisenhower.

Sharita: Hmm, why Ronald Regan?

Phil: Well because I am a Reganite, I’m a conservative and I think that the policies that he set forth in the 80’s paved the way for the global situation that we have today.  Granted there are problems with terrorism but at the same time we don’t live under the threat of nuclear annihilation anymore. I personally believe that Ronald Regan had a large part in the demise of the Soviet Union.  I believe that his policies are basically spending them out of existence worked.  Granted it made a huge deficit yes but a deficit as opposed to the threat of the complete total annihilation of mankind is a small price to pay.  I would have loved to just sit down and talked to Ronald Regan just to say, "Hey wassup Gipper", just to bullshit with him. Just to see what kind of dude he was and talk with him about horses on the ranch or foreign policy, just pick the brain of someone in my opinion [one of the most influential people] in history.

Again this is perspective but the fact that he had such a large part to do with the demise of the Soviet Union and communism, I mean we have only five communist countries right now. North Korea, Vietnam, Cambodia, China, Cuba.  In 1983 you had like thirty, the whole Eastern block of Europe, the Soviet Union, I mean most of the communist countries are now just dictatorships. The policies that he set forth really changed the way the world operates.  I mean he wasn’t evil or out to hurt people so that kind of ability that he had I would have loved to sit down and talk to him about.

Sharita: Ok, that being said what did you think about the current election?

Phil: All That Remains does not have a political affiliation but I personally have very strong political beliefs.  I’m happy with the election, happy with the way things came out. First off I don’t think it would be a good idea to change presidents in the middle of the military situation that we have, second of all I don’t think that John Kerry has the intestinal fortitude or the conviction to say this is what I believe.  While I was watching the election and again this is my perception, I think that John Kerry changed his position depending on what was popular in the polls.  He was never saying this is what I want, this is why I want it and I just hope you all agree with me. 

Whether you agree with Bush or not Bush said this is what I want to do, this is what I think is right, these are the policies that I intend to set forth and I hope you all agree, if not well…I mean this was before the mudslinging started in the last 3 months when they just started talking shit about each other. I mean it turned into this is what I want to do but fuck him he’s an asshole! [Laughs]  I really believe that good, bad or indifferent, Bush believes in what he is saying and I rather have somebody that’s gonna lead than someone that’s going to pay attention to the polls and make their decisions based on that because the American people are fickle.

Sharita: Ok cool. So the band like’s playing video games in the van, how is the van by the way, you guys had to cancel a couple of shows recently?

Phil: The van is better we had to get a new axle. We missed the Toronto and the show at Harpo's in Detroit unfortunately.  The van is better now and she’s happy.  She needs an oil change but she’s well.  Her name is Wendy.

Sharita: Wendy. Ok cool. X-Box or Playstation?

Phil: PS-2 because we don’t have X-Box.

Sharita: Ok, if you were in a drinking contest, whom would you have on your team?

Phil: If I was in a drinking contest, Randy from Lamb of God.

Sharita: Give me a guilty pleasure song.

Phil: Guilty pleasure song? Uh what the hell is the name of that song? [Starts singing a tune] “Did you think that I was gonna give it up to you mmm this time.” What is the name of that song? [as he looks towards his band members for assistance]

Matt: “Give It Up To You” Avril Lavigne.

Phil: That’s the song. That is definitely a guilty pleasure.

Sharita: Aww. Eww!!! [Laughs]

Phil: Actually she was here today in this room and I went downstairs and heard that she was performing three or four songs down in the restaurant and I was like man…if there wasn’t so much security around…[trails off and sighs]

Sharita: [laughs] What’s your mantra?

Phil: Go fist yourself, I dunno. [Chuckles]

Sharita and Karma: [laughs]

Matt and Oli: [laughs]

Sharita: What are the colors of your kitchen plates?

Phil: The color of my kitchen plates? I live with my mother. I guess if I had plates they’d be black but my mom’s plates are yellow with flowers and shit on them. [Laughs]

Sharita: [laughs] What’s your comfort food?

Phil: My comfort food?  Red Bull. [Phil grabs a can of Red Bull that a waitress has so graciously brought him and begins to lick the can].

Karma: Oh that’s great, I need a picture of that. Oh yeah that’s good, rockin!

Sharita: [laughs] That’s going to be on the Interviews page!

Phil: Red Bull and Jäger. [Laughs]

Sharita: Oh wow!

Phil: That makes me very comfortable, wherever I’m sitting. On a rock, whatever, sign me up!

Sharita: What’s your favorite sport?

Phil: Football, the New England Patriots! Which I been a NE fan all my life even when they were terrible but I am proud to say that I’m a fan now because we just can’t seem to stop kickin’ ass can we? [Laughs] It was like three years ago that whole losing thing that kind of sucked so let’s just start winning and that’s what they did. They did that once in like the past year and a half and said lets try that losing thing and they were like no that still sucks lets go on an win some more. 

Matt: [laughs]

Sharita: If you could be a cartoon character who would you be?

Phil: Godamn Batman.

Sharita: [laughs] Why?

Phil: Why, he’s fuckin Batman!

Sharita: I mean I’ve heard Spongebob Squarepants…

Karma: Buttercup from the Powerpuff Girls, the green one.

Phil: [Looks in complete amazement] Why the fuck would anybody want to be fuckin Spongebob Squarepants? Ok, I can be any cartoon character and I’m gonna pick goddamn Spongebob Squarepants so I can talk to a fuckin pink Starfish all day long and work for Mr. Crabs? [The room bursts out in laughter] Or I can go beat the fuck out of people and be a bad motherfucker!!!

Sharita: [laughs]

Phil: Fuckin Batman? Wouldn’t you be Batman?

Oli: I’d be (inaudible). He has long hair and plays a guitar.

Sharita: You have any future tour plans?

Phil: As much as possible! Actually you know what, future tour plans, yes please and thank you! [Room bursts out in laughter] Uh we hope to get Ozzfest next year!  We hope to get asked!  We hope we can go out with Killswitch, Shad or Unearth, the guys that we know because we don’t get to see those guys anymore! I want to tour with the bands that are my friends because we don’t have time to hang [like we used to].  I hang out with the guys in the band and there’s nothing wrong with that but I see these guys every goddamn day!

Sharita: Cool. Well thanks for the second interview!

Phil: Hope I was worth the wait.

Sharita: Oh yes absolutely!!!!


Thanks to Jensen from Adrenaline and of course Phil for being a great interview.

• Click here for new interview with Phil

•  here for Phil's first interview

• Looking for pix of tonight's show? Click here!

• And here for photos of the band during the Doomsday Tour