Interview: Protest the Hero

bst interviews Protest the Hero

by rob tatum

Recently, bst had the chance to interview Rody Walker, the vocalist from Protest the Hero, when the band hit Denver as part of this year's Warped Tour. We asked Rody about the band's latest album, the current tour, as well as some other things. The following is a recap of one of the most entertaining and honest interviews that we've ever done. If you are interested in learning more about and listening to Protest the Hero, visit the band's official website, and the band's Myspace page.

bst: Please state your name and instrument.

Rody: My name is Rody and I yell like a little girl into a microphone in Protest the Hero.

bst: Fortress was released earlier this year. How would you compare it to your previous releases?

Rody: Fortress was just a progression of what we were already doing. We are just diving deeper into the wonderful world of heavy metal. More shredding, more melody, less breakdowns.

bst: What was the inspiration behind the album?

Rody: The inspiration was just general brutality, people getting beheaded on the internet, guys cutting their penises off on the internet… have you guys seen that? It’s fucked up.

bst: What were your expectations for the album?

Rody: We didn’t have expectations. We go into everything without expectations because then we can’t be disappointed if people don’t like it. If people are praising it when it comes out, cool, but if they don’t like it, whatever.

bst: Is there anything you would do differently if you could go back in time?

Rody: Personally, I’d give myself some more time to do the vocals. I had two or three weeks to finish it and then we went out for the tour next day. I really needed more time, or more alcohol.

bst: In your words, what makes Protest the Hero different from other metal and hardcore acts? Lyrics? Song structures? Your sound is unique and a refreshing change.

Rody: I think it’s that we don’t have a fear to venture outside the genre of metal. Some people call us pussies for having melodic parts. We listen to a lot of different music, sure we listen to a lot of metal and grindcore, but we aren’t afraid to show our other influences.

bst: Your live show has always been one of the best, what do think separates you from other bands?

Rody: Right now, I think what separates us is that we don’t really care. A lot of bands are out there dancing and throwing themselves all over the place, and don’t want to do all that. I mean, who wants to hear a band trashing their instruments because they can’t play them? We are more about playing accurately.

bst: I’ve seen you get a negative reaction from ignorant attendees, and you’ve just fueled their fire. Any reason you take this approach?

Rody: I don’t know. It’s hard to say. We went on tour with Dragonforce about two years ago and we got a lot of hatred on that tour. A lot of kids with hair down to their nipples screaming unpleasant gratuities at us and I just don’t take people’s shit anymore. I could care less if some little jerkwad wants to throw a beer at me. Maybe it’s too much self-respect. Some people call it ego, I call it respect.

bst: Obviously Warped Tour has become a staple of the summer and it seems like every year it gets bigger and bigger. Every summer it seems that more and more summer tours and festivals are started. With higher ticket prices, shorter set times, and larger crowds, do you think this has some adverse effect on the music community? Do the shows have any intimacy from your perspective?

Rody: It’s always been a corporate bullshit festival. It’s not a music festival, it’s a shopping mall. It’s difficult to find music with integrity at these festivals. There are some gems, but a lot of these bands are just here to sell t-shirts.

bst: Through the years, the tour has offered a little bit of everything and created some diverse crowds with its eclectic lineups (genres and personal agenda). At times there is tension between the crowds, does this translate back stage? Any memorable moments you’d like to share (good or bad)?

Rody: I’ve almost gotten beat up a couple times by bands that didn’t like me and my big mouth. For me, it doesn’t really translate, if there are people you don’t like, you just don’t talk to them.

bst: It’s been nearly a decade since mp3’s (Napster) came out and changed the music industry. Dollars and cents aside, do you think the internet and mp3’s have benefited the music community? Or do you feel artists are being exploited?

Rody: I’m a pirate of the World Wide Web. I mean, I think in the long run, the internet will kill the music industry, but what is an industry based on an art form anyway?

bst: How do feel about someone who purchases your album online instead of buying the CD? Downloads it?

Rody: It doesn’t affect us. We don’t make money off record sells. We make money from kids coming to shows or buying t-shirts. I have kids come up to me and tell me they bought our record and say that we just got some money from that. No, the record label just got some money from that.

bst: What do you think is the best part of the music industry right now? What can be done to keep that going?

Rody: I think the best part is that it is dying.

bst: What do you see as the biggest problem with the music industry right now? What do you think can be done to fix it?

Rody: There are so many slime bag assholes running this shit and they don’t care about the music. Eventually all that poppy shit that they shove in your face, that has nothing to do with anything, will die off. At the end of the day, the only people left will be people who love music and are trying to create something innovative and new.

bst: What are your plans at the conclusion of this tour? More touring? R&R?

Rody: We are taking a month off and then going on tour with Unearth and the Acacia Strain. Then we’re going to Europe with Unearth after that.

bst: Anything else you would like to add?

Rody: Star Trek rules.

bst: Thanks so much for talking with us and answering the questions.