Killswitch Engage
Interview with Howard Jones
Words: Michael Spadoni

Appearing:
January 14, 2008
The Fillmore, Miami

January 15, 2008
House of Blues, Orlando

As one of the most successful metal bands in the America for the past eight years, Killswitch Engage have only recently received mainstream success.  We were able to speak with Vocalist, Howard Jones about their recent breakthrough popularity and what really is the most important thing about continuing that path.

REAX:  You’ve had a lot of success from your cover of "Holy Diver" and you’ve even broken into corporate radio.  Why did you decide to record your first cover and why did you choose such an iconic song?
Howard Jones:  We had actually done the cover for Kerrang! Magazine.  They had a compilation they had put out a while ago with a bunch of bands doing covers or really influential songs.  We saw Dio on the list of bands to cover and really wanted do “Holy Diver.”  When we re-released the last album, we figured that we would throw it on there.   It somehow turned into something. 

REAX:  Have you heard from Dio about it?
HJ:  We just got a framed picture of Dio holding up a sign saying, “Hey Killswitch, where are my royalties?”  He heard the song and apparently gave it the horns.  You can’t get any better than that.

REAX:  Your live shows are known for being really high-energy and spontaneous.  How are you able to pump yourself up night after night to give each audience the Killswitch Engage experience?
HJ:  I’m usually a ball of nerves before I take the stage.  Whether it’s 300 kids or 3,000, you walk out and see people grinning at you and are grateful that you’re there – it kicks you into high gear.

REAX:  You’re on tour with Lamb of God, which means this tour has two of the biggest American metal bands making music right now.  What is the turnout to your shows like compared to years ago when American metal was kind of in a slump?
HJ:  We’re really lucky to get attached to some pretty sizeable tours.  The first tour that I got on with the band was with Kittie when they were in their heyday.  Then we went on tour with In Flames.  Then we went overseas and it was baffling to see how many people showed up.  When we came back to the states, we played Ozzfest and the Headbangers Ball Tour with Lamb of God and Shadows Fall.  We are one of the lucky ones.  There are definitely times when I think about how it felt to see 1,000 people at a show, but now I’m trying to get used to seeing 4,000.

REAX:  The metal scene in Europe has been flourishing for years, is there anything that the bands or fans of metal in America can learn from the Europeans?
HJ:  Yeah, be more open and accepting.  Heavy music is heavy music, enjoy it for what it is, support it, and come to the shows, not just the same three bands.  Also, purchase things when you come.  Buy a hoodie or whatever other strange things they have for sale.  It’s how the headlining bands and support make a living; nobody sees any money from CD sales. If heavy music is to flourish in America, people need to support it and be a part of it.  As far as we’re concerned, I really can’t complain.  We’ve been very fortunate that people constantly come out to see us act like complete idiots.

REAX:  You can definitely see the difference with the festival circuits in Europe and America.
HJ:  Don’t get me wrong, we did Ozzfest twice and it really did help give us a jumpstart.  But, that’s a drop in the bucket compared to a lot of these festivals overseas.  At a big Ozzfest show, you have around 12,000 people show up.  When you go to Download Festival in the UK, they have around 90,000 people.  It’s hard to fathom, but that’s as much as a small city.  There are so many festivals where all those people religiously show up.  There is nothing like that in the states.  America is very jaded.  We have a lot of the best bands and end up taking them for granted.  When American bands play overseas, the European fans are so grateful.

REAX:  You’ve been touring non-stop for ‘As Daylight Dies’ since it came out.  Are you able to start recording new material on the road?
HJ:  I guess the easiest way to say it is absolutely not.  I don’t know when we’re going to stop for the time being.

REAX:  Roadrunner gives you complete freedom with taking your time?
HJ:  Pretty much, but there’s always a hierarchy with record labels.  They want some of their bigger selling bands to put out albums as quickly as possible.  With Roadrunner, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind having a Nickelback album out every year.  Those guys don’t know how to do anything but make hits.  With us, we’ve always been pretty self-sufficient.  We’ll put out an album when it’s ready.  They’ll let us do our thing.

REAX:  Roadrunner is one of the largest successful labels in America right now.  Do you feel any pressure to change your sound into something more likely to be played on corporate radio?
HJ:  I’m sure they would love for us to have a bunch of songs that would do well on radio, but we’re not a radio band: we’re a recording band.  At times it’s one of the most tiring jobs in the world, but I’ve had worse jobs I guess - I’ve done every kind of menial work you could imagine.  All things considered, music is art and you can’t put a formula on it.  Otherwise, it becomes stale really quickly.  You get burnt out and the fans get bored.

REAX:  Are you saying that Killswitch Engage will someday take a different direction with music?
HJ:  Well, we’re not reinventing the wheel with our music right now.  I’m sure there will be growth because that’s what has to happen.  There are people that like what we do and people that absolutely hate what we do.  With each album, we always have at least one song that sounds different than the others and I’m sure that will continue.  I don’t think it really has much to do with me; the other guys really push themselves to do more.

REAX:  Thanks Howard, I look forward to seeing you on the Orlando date.
HJ:  Where is that again?

REAX:  The House of Blues.
HJ:  We’re known for being a positive band, so I hope it doesn’t get cancelled.   It would be a shame to miss their catering.  Laughs That’s what’s really important: not the kids showing up, but the mashed potatoes.

killswitchengage.com