Interview Darrell Roberts Five Finger Death Punch

Disturbed Drowning Pool Five Finger Death Punch 5/5/08 Interviewer: Sharita Lira

Lineup Ivan Moody-Vocalist Darrell Roberts-Guitarist Zoltan Bathory-Guitarist Matt Snell-Bassist Jeremy Spencer-Drummer

"When I heard “The Bleeding” I knew that if it got on the radio it would be a top ten hit."

LA metalers Five Finger Death Punch have enjoyed some early success thanks in part to their all-star lineup that includes former Motograter vocalist Ivan Moody as well as Darrell Roberts from WASP. Not to mention their album Way of The Fist broke into the Billboard top 200 in it’s first week of release. Also, the group has been on tour with some of the best already including a tour with Drowning Pool as well as a supporting stint with Disturbed. Soon the band will be part of the Rockstar Energy Tour with Disturbed, Mastodon, Machine Head, 36 Crazyfists, and others. Today, Darrell calls in from the House of Blues in South Carolina where he is standing in a very peculiar place. Read on to find out the rest...

Sharita: Hi Darrell, how are you?

Darrell: Doin’ good. If I told you where I was standing right now you wouldn’t believe me.

Sharita: (Chuckles) Ok why don’t you try me.

Darrell: I’m standing in the middle of a pit of alligators.

Sharita: Are you serious? Now this is a story within itself. What are you doing standing in a pit of alligators?

Darrell: (Laughs) We’re playing at the House of Blues in South Carolina and right behind it there is an alligator park. We were meeting and afterwards we just came out here and decided to watch so…

Sharita: Really? Are you scared of alligators at all?

Darrell: No, no, not at all. There’s a big fence around them they can’t hurt anyone.

Sharita: Oh, because you know what I’m thinking that there at your feet and they’re nipping at you. (Chuckles)

Darrell: (Laughs) No, I’m safe. (Laughs)

Sharita: Ok great. First of all, thanks for taking the time to do the interview.

Darrell: No problem.

Sharita: I’d also like to commend you on the success of the album “Way of The Fist.” It is a very good album.

Darrell: Thank you.

Sharita: Give me a little background on what the recording was like. Any major challenges that the band faced in the studio?

Darrell: It basically started with Zoltan, our guitar player, he was in a band called U.P.O. and he knew exactly what kind of music he wanted to play. He left that band and started writing music on his own. Then Jeremy our drummer, [answered] an ad in a Los Angeles paper. Those two guys started hashing out ideas and writing lyrics for Way of the Fist.  Then Zoltan had seen Ivan at a Motograter show. Then when that band broke up he contacted Ivan through MySpace, sent him a couple of tracks. I was still with WASP at the time and Matt the bass player was in all kinds of projects in LA and everyone knew he was just a bad ass. 

When I was still in WASP [Zoltan] called me and said he thought I was the perfect guy [to be in the band with them] but he didn’t think I would be interested. When I left WASP, Jeremy called me when I was about to record my own [music]. He said dude, I know you’re doing your own thing now but you’ve got to hear the tracks that we’ve [done], they are crushing and I really think you would be the perfect guy for this project. Reluctantly, I said alright [I’ll do it] and as soon as I heard I was like oh shit I’ve gotta do this, it’s too good to pass up. (Laughs) Then we tracked a couple of songs with some riffs that I had and then gave it to Logan Mader and he mixed and mastered it. [Due] to our connections with WASP, the first two shows we played were really high profile shows with Dragonforce and Twisted Sister so we got noticed really quickly. The Firm (FFDP record company) heard about us and signed us [right away]. (Darrell squeals I’m guessing because of his present reptilian audience) (Laughs) Success for us came really early, we did like five or six shows right away and the ball started rolling down the hill.

Sharita: That’s awesome. You mentioned that FFDP was too good to pass up, do you think it would garner so much success this quickly?

Darrell: To be honest with you I kind of did. Not to sound arrogant but if I didn’t think that it was going to be a [good band] then I wouldn’t have even bothered [to join], I would’ve continued to do my [solo project]. So, I do believe in this bands and I know with the contacts I had in WASP and the success that Ivan [achieved] through Motograter that it would be…(pauses) I wouldn’t say easier but a lot less obstacles to overcome as a new band. I mean when I heard “The Bleeding” I knew that if it got on the radio it would be a top ten hit.

Sharita: Alright, there you go. What is your favorite song on the album and why?

Darrell: (pauses) I’ve been asked that question before and honestly I don’t have one. I think the strongest or the one that would have the most impact would be “The Bleeding” but I think all of them are [great songs]. I mean there’s not one song on that album that I cringe when it comes up on the setlist. I think “White Knuckles” is pretty damn fun song to play live because of the breakdown. It’s so violent, it’s probably one of my favorite songs to play after that it would be “The Bleeding”.

Sharita: Great, I’m sure the reaction from the video “The Bleeding” was a big reason for the band’s success. Even though metal is not a genre that’s in heavy rotation right now would you say it is still essential for a metal band to make one?

Darrell: Well, I wouldn’t say it’s necessary but I think it definitely helps. I mean there are bands that still get airplay and they still do pretty [well]. If you want to be a band that is successful from a financial point of view then it’s pretty damn important. (chuckles) It’s very difficult to be successful and not have some support from some of those outfits. What’s more important than the videos is radio, not satellite radio, mainstream radio. That is where you [get your name out there and get people to come to your shows].

These days it’s pretty cheap to make a video you can put one on YouTube. (Laughs) There are so many internet outlets for stuff like videos so you don’t really need the MTV support anymore but it does help. [When you really show your worth] is when you play live. (Laughs)

Sharita: True, the album is called the new Cowboys From Hell which is a hefty honor, and of course it would be safe to assume that you’re a huge fan of theirs.

Darrell: Yes, definitely. It makes me very uncomfortable when people make that comparison. We’re so new on those guys made such a big impact and were so influential and trend setting. I’m mean it’s flattering as hell and I’m glad we’re able to accept that.   

Sharita: Ok, if you were asked to do a cover off that album, what song would it be and why?

Darrell: I don’t know. We played a set with Drowning Pool the other night and they played “Cowboys from Hell” and Ivan got on stage and sung it with them; I thought it was crushing man. (chuckles) Maybe I’ll just go with that one. I can think of so many others but that’s one is fresh in my mind because I saw Ivan and Ryan do it the other night; it was definitely a show in the ass, it was killer.

Sharita: Cool, wish I could’ve saw it. How has the tour been so far with Drowning Pool by the way?

Darrell: Oh it’s been awesome. Every show we’ve played so far has been sold out. We started out with a few with them and then with Nonpoint which was fun. We also did a couple of shows on our own. Then we [joined] Disturbed about a week ago, I mean for a [new band] you really can’t ask for more than what we’ve had.  

Sharita: Let's talk about your solo project for a minute, since the success of FFDP has been so big, is it on hold or do you plan to go back to it once the band slows down?

Darrell: I definitely intend to get back to my solo career however since 5FDP is doing so well it’s on hold right now. (Laughs)

Sharita: Lastly, any thoughts on the current presidential race, who is your pick and why are you supporting him or her?

Darrell: Well, honestly I’m not a very political person but anyone is better than what we’ve had the last few years. Nothing could be worst than that.

Sharita: Well said, well thanks Darrell for taking the time to talk with me and good luck on this summers tour.

Darrell: You’re very welcome.

We would like to thank Darrell and to his camp for making this interview happen! 

Click here to access a new interview with Ivan, Zoltan and Jeremy!