Interview Trevor Phipps Unearth

This one’s for all you underground people who don’t want to live there!!!
Keeping it real with vocalist Trevor Phipps of hardcore metal band, Unearth.
Story By: Erika Kristen Watt

Photos By: Kimisha Pierce

 So… The first time I met the lead screamer was at MTV’s Headbanger’s Ball I tour.  Fast forward a year…Metal Blade Records releases Unearth’s The Oncoming Storm, June of 2004. Right before the release, they [meaning Trevor, bassist - John “Slo” Maggard, drummer - Mike Justain and guitarists Buz McGrath & Ken Susi] promptly hit the road in support of Headbangers Ball II.  Opening for heavy hitters Damageplan, Hatebreed and Drowning Pool.  Yet another big gig.  I guess someone’s listening. But how do you keep your street cred, land a gig on this year’s Ozzfest and still “keep it real” for the “underground” folks?  Read ahead…

Trevor: Who ever is in charge of that knows what’s going on.  Whether it’s Sharon, Ozzy or Jack… Even Jack has his ear on it.  I’ve seen Jack wear an Every time I Die sweatshirt!  He knows what’s up.  Someone’s telling them what’s going on in the underground, who really care.  Someone who what’s to hear real music.  Bands like Unloco… whoever heard of Unloco before Ozzfest?!? Who gave a crap who they were and then they broke up two months after Ozzfest because they couldn’t handle it! These bands who have toured for years and years and years.  It’s real music and real bands.  They played to 14 kids. 5 kids.  We played a show to 8 kids in Cleveland once.  Then there’s more and more kids there each time we come back to play!

Erika: Are there any differences between Headbangers Ball Tour and this current tour?

Trevor: Okay, with the first tour we grew up with those bands.  We’ve been playing shows with Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, for years! Our CD release  right before our 1st full length came out, Stings of Consciousness; we played a show with Killswitch Engage in Western Mass, 14 people paid. We grew up with them then we got to this level where we were playin to 1,000, 2,000, 3000 people.  It’s awesome but we’ll never forget the days when we played that.  But this kind of stuff is bigger!  The bands are awesome & cool as hell.  All the guys.  I didn’t expect that.  I thought they would have attitudes, they sell millions of records but they’re awesome.

But the vibe of setting up, getting to the venue, just being professional is totally different than the underground hardcore metal scene which is an adjustment period for us.  Yet it’s a cool experience for us at the same time. So we’re kind of getting use to it.  The first couple of days were kind of bumpy.  Plus the $25 dollars for a t-shirt is something we’re not used to as well but ya know we can’t disrespect the other bands that do it plus it’s against “the rules”.  (laughs)  It’s almost like starting over but at the same time we’re doing as many off days as possible.  Some of those big radio rock shows that their on [the headliners] we only did one in Boston/Lowell Massachusetts where we’re doing a lot of headlining shows it was like a breath of fresh air.  It was a 200 capacity venue.  Sold out.  It was awesome.  All these kids singing alone but a place like this. Here [the House of Blues] barely anyone knows the words.  Our scene won’t pay $25 dollars for a ticket.  It makes a difference.

Erika: Do you get the chance to meet the fans and touch base with them after a show? Is this tour so structured where someone’s telling you “you can’t do this, you can’t do that”?

Trevor: No, no, after we play I get really bad headaches, after screaming for a half an hour like that, all the air rushes to my head.  I’ll walk the crowd & if someone says ‘hey, good job’ I’ll certainly stop and talk to ‘em.  Then almost every night we go to the FYE booth. They’re selling our Endless CD.  Whoever wants to get it signed.  We pass out free postcards; we’ll sign that for ‘em.  It’s different because at a hardcore show no one cares for your autograph but on a big metal tour, people want your autograph.  It’s a different, different scene all together.  I’m not going to tell someone no, ya know.  I’m just like you, why would you want my autograph but if they want it, I’m not gonna say no.

Erika: That’s cool of you to oblige.

Trevor: Yeah, I was 14, or 15, once!  I got Phil Anselmo’s autograph.  I sang along to “Domination” once and he shook my hand after I sang all the words.  That was like thee best at 14!  ‘THAT RULES!’  So I’m not gonna do that to a kid and say no.

Erika: Going back to the touring schedule, are you guys going straight into Ozzfest after this stint? 

Trevor:  Not completely into it.  We have a whole ton of press stuff which is new for us too.  We’re on Metal Blade and they hired a publicist.  We’re doing all this [meaning our interview] stuff, radio stuff… Everyday is different.  We have a week of that then we have a week of shows.  We’re doing a week run in Canada.  Because Ozzfest isn’t going to Canada.  We do well in Canada.  We don’t wanna neglect those kids up there so we’re going there too.

Erika: Have you guys gone overseas yet?

Trevor: We toured Europe in 2002, in the spring.  It was miserable for us.  I had bronchitis. We were there for 22 days.  I had bronchitis for the entire time so it was miserable for me.  I’m the singer and it didn’t sound like me.  We were in a tiny mini-van…  It was weird.  We had to borrow equipment from every band except for guitars and we just crunched up.  But the shows were great.  We’re flying over for one show June 19th or 20th.  We’re playing London for one show.  Then after Ozzfest the tentative plan is to do a full tour mid to late September. 

Erika: Which one do you prefer, studio or stage?

Trevor: Stage, definitely.  I have the studio.  It’s cool to be able to see something come out of what you wrote in the practice space and then try it a couple of times maybe live.  Some stuff, like these songs [on the current album, The Oncoming Storm] it got down to crunch time so it’s 3 or 4 songs that I didn’t even perform with the band in the practice space.  I wrote the lyrics while they were recording the song.  So then I was laying down fresh stuff in the studio that we’ve never done before.  It was cool to see that.  It’s a rewarding experience at the same time it’s stressful and… painful, to be honest.  Like doing this [getting prepared for the stage], this is fun that’s why we do it.  When on tour, we’re on stage 30, 40 minutes a night.  It’s amazing!

Erika: Lyrically, what kind of subject matter are you covering?

Trevor:  As far as lyrics. I mean, I’ve gotten way more political than I ever have been before.  With our current situation and all…

Kevin Kellum at W: Shoot your mouth off…

Trevor: I wasn’t against going after the Taliban at all!  They attacked our soil.  They killed over 3,000 people.  I know some extreme liberals were against going after the Taliban but I wasn’t. What I’m against is going against Iraq where there’s no Weapons of Mass Destruction!  It was a pre-empted attack… W played the Glasshouse in California the day we had the pre-empted attack. We didn’t have permission from the United Nations yet. That’s the whole reason why that took place, so if everyone agrees to go in and have a war… That’s the reason why it’s there! I wrote a song about it called "The Great Dividers", we’ll play it tonight. It’s actually on our DVD. If that took place & they’re voting then I’ll wash my hands of it. If the United Nations is into it, then what can I say.   That’s a bunch of other countries, leaders, people that creaming toward the cause! But if Bush & Powell are into one “ideal”… that’s Rumsfeld’s War. That’s going to divide the world, it’s going to divide our country and it’s going to cause disaster down the line somewhere.

Erika: As far as the song writing responsibilities, how do you divide it up?

Trevor: The way that we generally write is someone will come to practice with a riff or two and an idea for the structure of a song.  Then everyone comes to put they’re two cents in and pulls it together.  Once the song is actually completed I get the mood for the song then I write what I feel over it.  The rhythm & lyrics.  I don’t usually do that until after the song is definitely done. Because so many times after our 5-year career, I’ve written lyrics and the band changes the song!  Now I  gotta start over.  It’s a total pain in the ass. (laughs) I just wait ‘til it’s done.  In the studio it’s like 3 or 4 songs I didn’t make with the band.

Erika: At HBB I you ‘worked’ us interviewers quite well.

Trevor: You think so?

Erika: Very much so.

Trevor: Oh…awesome!

Erika: You don’t think so?

Trevor: I don’t know.  It’s pretty new to me, ya know?  I graduated with a journalism degree.  I also had a show too. I was a sports journalist for over 4 years then I didn’t have enough time being on tour and all.  So I sympathize with you journalists.  You too…

Kevin: I do radio.  I’m doing a little journalism now though…

Trevor: Yeah, awesome man.  I actually had a show.

Erika: I’m interviewing today but I’m usually doing photography.

Trevor: Killer!  That’s fun as hell.

Erika: It can be.  I just hate when you guys aren’t lit well!

[Everyone laughs]

Erika: But I know how the whole protocol works!  So, anyway, you spoke very briefly about it… You have your own record company, could you tell us a little about it?

Trevor: It’s called Ironclad Recordings  I’ve had the idea in my head since I was 19.  I’m 26 now and it took me awhile to get it actually going.  I love music since I was a kid.  I feel I have a good ear for it and I always wanna help bands.  Sometimes when I’d see a local band growing up, I’d think ‘That band’s gonna do well.’ Then they do well, ya know what I mean?  The ear part is there.  But then, I’ve been in this industry since I was 14.  So 12 years, I kinda know the ropes as to what’s going on. So I wanted to help bands with what I know, that I think is good.  I guess I can help them with what I know.  Then we’ve been on an independent label for years now, I’ve seen the independent music scene, who strives on bringing independent bands to the forefront, turn into labels that are almost like major labels.  Like a lot of underground labels are signing bands cause they have a big popular song out or they’re the new trendy sounds and that’s not what they should be about.  They should be about the underground.  About the cool music that’s being written underground.  Not what’s trendy & what’s gonna sell. That’s not what I’m into at all!  If you sold 5,000 records and you put a few thousand into it, you’re gonna make a small profit anyway.  That’s what the independent labels should be about not making big bucks.  So that’s why I started it.  I got sick of the so-called independent labels signing bands because they thought they would sell a lot of records.  I just want to sign & put out records that I like.

Erika: How long ago did you start it?

Trevor: Started it with a good friend of mine about 2 years ago…

Erika: What’s the name of your friend?

Trevor: His name is Ryan Bentley.  He’s nickname is Bud.  He actually roadied for Unearth a few times.  A good friend but it really didn’t work out with him being apart of the label.  He still works with apart of the label a bit.  He helps but I run the entire thing right now.

Erika: But how do you do it all?!?

Trevor:  It’s really difficult.  My laptop just broke last week so I need to get that fixed and get wireless Internet.  I have the distributors all set up.

Erika: Who’s gonna be your distributors?

Trevor: I have a whole bunch right now.  I’m working on becoming exclusive with some body which is the easiest way to sell records.  I have Lumberjack, Fiery, Revolution, Good Life.  I have about 9 or 10 of ‘em.  If I name ‘em all, it would take forever.  Just from me being in Unearth!  I kinda got the benefit of the doubt from distributors they took in my stuff which is killer.  They took in 20 or 30 at a time! And once you start selling, they ordered more ‘n more.  The two bands that came out recently, If Hope Dies and Since the Flood.  They’ve both done really well and they’re going on tour all summer long.  It’s actually turned out really well. I got my eyes on a few more bands but I don’t want to name ‘em yet. 

Erika: How many bands?

Trevor: It’s only 3.  It’s an artist driven label.  I only want to sign what I feel passionate about.  Like a band gives me the chills, I’m gonna sign ‘em.  And because I’m in a band, I’m not going to sign 10 bands a year.  I don’t have the time. I just wanna put out what I love and I’m not gonna go over my head either. If I love 7 bands but I only have time for one, I’m gonna pick the band I love the most. 

Erika: If anyone wanted to send a demo, would you be open to that?

Trevor: Totally! The info is on my site or they could send it to P.O. Box 1757, Wakefield, Massachusetts, 01880. Are you guys coming out to Ozzfest?

Erika: Hopefully.

Trevor: Just hopefully?

Erika: I’m impressed with the heavy bill this year.

Trevor: It’s a really good underground show.  Even the bigger bands are respected bigger bands.

Erika: I’m looking forward to it and you guys. So, to close our interview, are there any other politically charged songs on the album?

Trevor: The first video is "Black Hearts Now Reign". That’s the entire world’s complete dependency on oil in which is destroying our environment. By digging for oil, everywhere. George Bush wanted to go into Alaska recently. It’s ridiculous. There are other sources… hemp! But for other purposes other than smoking. You can use hemp to fuel cars and a few other resources. You can also go with electronic cars or just other furl efficient cars. But for some odd reason we’re building more SUV's. Just digging for oil everywhere just destroying our environment.

Who ever said rockers were dumb?

Those of you who are going to Ozzfest, get there early enough to see Unearth play the second stage throughout the tour.  They’ll hit Chicago, August 21st.  Consult www.ozzfest.com for further information on Unearth and other bands performing.


Special thanks to Kevin Kellum at WXAV 88.3 FM, Saint Xavier University in Chicago for the fun commentary!

Click here for another interview with Trevor conducted during Ozzfest 2004,

that's right we did make it there!!