High On Fire - The yeti and outer space
So, it’s the day after the Roadburn festival where High On Fire convinced me to go see them again the day after at the Goudvishal. After an incredible show I got to talk to mister Matt Pike who had, just like me, blacked out after the Roadburn festival due to smoking way to much weed. Just my kind of guy! Let’s chat!
So, how was the Roadburn festival to you?
Oh, up and down like usual you know. Here’s good, there’s not, whatever. Everybody has been very kind and nice.
How was the show?
Oh tonight? We were really super loud. In fact I believe this was the loudest show we played on this tour actually. Fucking, a small room with thirty people, deafening.
And yesterday at Roadburn? Was the best show of the day for me!
Aah, yesterday was awesome, we had a blast! Really great.
So, how the hell do you get Joe Preston (ex-Melvins) to play bass in your band?
I don’t know, it was kind of weird because he kind of wanted to. We lost our bass player, and right before we asked him Joe said he wasn’t playing with other people and hadn’t done that for quite some time. So he was like, yeah I’m gonna be in a band maybe I’ll be in that High On Fire band. And we called him up and he was like on it immediately. He started playing with us really fast, already knew half the songs.
That’s really awesome! But why did George (the previous bass player) leave actually?
He was just sick of touring. Sick of getting his load on the run, hahaha!!
Do you think that touring and playing with Mastodon so much has had an influence on the way you write music?
Oh, yeah it did influence me, but I think it’s a vice versa idea. We both have an incredible mutual respect to each other. With all the shows we did together, man I swear to god I could play their fucking set! Like the whole thing, you know what I mean. I just knew everything from watching it so much.
I interviewed Brent from Mastodon too, and I asked him if he thought that in the future there would be an entire stream of Mastodon styled bands, and if there already were any. He named High On Fire.
Yeah they’ve been an influence on me definitely, those guys are really fucking good players you know.
Do you feel like you’ve taken stoner to the next level with the release of Blessed Black Wings?
Uhhm, I guess so if you want to call it stoner. I’ve just taken what has been done and made it my own. It isn’t something that hasn’t been done, but it’s something that hasn’t been done at the same time. It’s kind of strange.
Well I sure feel that you’ve done something new with the genre. But don’t you ever miss the playing the really slow stuff, like you did with Sleep?
No I don’t miss it!! Hehehehe!! No, perhaps a little bit. I still love that shit. I don’t know, it just bores me after a while you know.
Bores you to play it or bores you to listen to it?
Bores me to play it.
I can understand that. So, what’s the meaning behind the name High On Fire?
Well, it came from an E.L.O. song named Fire On High and we were looking for a new name for this band. And ehm, my old bass player called me up and he was like dude do you know that song Fire On High. I was like, dude, I’ll call you back. Then I thought about it for a while, it just kept going in my head, High On Fire, High On Fire, High On Fire. Then I brought it up to the guys, we had a bunch of names, a little list you know. We bookes our first show and we were like what are we gonna call it man?! I was like put High On Fire on the flyer, and it looked cool and it just stuck.
Well, it’s a cool name! Hehe. Next question, how much pot do you usually smoke before entering a stage?
Oh I don’t smoke weed before a show. When I’m at home writing riffs or lyrics I do, but not before a show. I start seeing things backwards, singing lyrics in the wrong places. So it doesn’t help with a live show, makes me just stupid. Not stupid, but in my own little world. Can’t pay attention to what’s going on, stuff like that.
Is there a connection between Yeti’s and outer space?
Yes. I think so anyway.
I believe the yeti is the messenger from outer space, that’s why he’s frequently seen on board space ships.
He’s seen on board space ships?
No, by other beings yeah, but not by us. He lives so close to civilisation, I think he’s some sort of spy. But that’s just completely science fiction, just a theory I have.
Yeah, ok?! Do you have anything to add to this interview?
We’ll probably be playing in your town soon, hahaha, I don’t know. We’ll be like touring forever.
Just one more question, why the hell are you using your shoe as an ashtray?
Because I didn’t have an ashtray. I’m going to change my clothes anyway, so I don’t really care.
Thank you too! Bye!
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