HEAD: We started the band about six years ago and the meaning behind the band name is because of Karl Marx a communist guy wrote a few philosophies that we dig he had an organized a religion called Opiate for the Masses? Our band was like all sitting around talking and conversing and hanging out and bull-shitting pretty much and we were talking about that and were like that's a pretty cool freakin' band name because we didn't have one for like a couple months so we like stuck with that. And like we want people to make their own choices and think for themselves, do what you want, and say what you think
CC: How does it feel touring with bands such as Killswitch Engaged, The Used, My Chemical Romance, and Senses Fail?
HEAD: It fucking rules! We toured with My Chemical Romance for awhile. Avenged Sevenfold was headlining a tour and like MCR, The Bled and us. It's like a different thing with those guys because we were use to performing in front of 600 to 1000 kids and now it's like now its 6000 to 10000 kids. And like touring now is great because I'm a big fucking fan of Killswitch Engage and we are like more of a heavy metal band and it fucking rules to be playing with all these bands and it's always a good show every night
HEAD: The Bled is like one of my favorite bands because we are like good friends and like with touring every band becomes your family on the tour. Like all these bands are fucking and cool and like The Used took me in for awhile and when we were touring across Canada we didn't have transportation so they took me in on the bus and let me ride with them. Every fucking tour we have been on is amazing so like it's really hard to say any band is my favorite but so far our of Avenged Sevenfold, The Bled and The Used. The Used took us under their wings and taught us different things so it all depends. don't know which one is better it's like what my life is. It's either I'm at home, in the studio, or I'm on the road so whatever.
CC: How has it been performing on the Acoustic stage during the Taste of Chaos tour?
HEAD: That's a little different because like we didn't know there was an acoustic stage because the lines of communication were all fucked up so we ended up coming out with all our full gear. We played the first show on the very first Taste of Chaos Tour and we rolled out all our gear and we played and blew up all different freaking circuit breakers. That's the problem there isn't enough power around so that's why like it's different. We feel weird playing the acoustic stage because everyone is playing electric. Everyday we have been doing it differently trying to figure out what to do. Like some days, I'm playing acoustic bass and acoustic guitar. So like it's different for us because it's not what we planned on but like it is cool cause we started out writing the songs on acoustic guitar and we have to bring it back to acoustic sound.
HEAD: Greatest achievement so far like personally I would say is our new Album that we fucking did and I love it. We have done of all shit ourselves and we have our own label called American Losers and we are now working with Vorcom. We have a new album coming out its called The Spore and it hits stores like April 26th so we got like distribution everywhere, Target, Best Buy and Virgin so we are like pretty stoked about that. It's all our own shit and we worked so hard and we will continue to work so hard all the time. Like I'll say my greatest achievement is artistically because like every show we have done so far. We are on tour for like the next year and a half so that's like another great achievement to me also because I have a year and a half of my life already planned out so I'm not liked bored or some shit. I'm kind of sick now because there is this cold going around and like everyone keeps giving to each other like the crews and shit. We don't have a guitar tech today because we had to put him on a plane and send him home. We had to cancel our show yesterday in Chicago which freaking sucks because like we were in the ER for like 6 hours. It's like crazy around here because people keep getting sick.
CC: I was reading an article in Anemic Magazine that Linkin Park's front man, Chester Bennington, who is also another Arizona native, loves your work. What kind of things go through your mind when you get that kind of response from a band as big as Linkin Park?
HEAD: It's pretty fucking cool and like you get all this respect from different bands and different people. Chester fucking rules and I remember years ago, when he played out of his basement and he moved fast and has done a lot of cool shit with Linkin Park and like they were one of the biggest bands on the planet for awhile. We love all those guys and we know Chester is a fan of our music and we'd like to work together sometime in the future.
HEAD: I don't like to think about the anticipation as much but like now I will start to think about it a little bit more but the rest of the dudes all we want to do is come out here and play music it's like our fucking life. I can't see doing anything else. I never finished high school like all I know how to do is play the guitar and do other things with music and try to write. Like the band is a family, a marriage, and a business so we are together. We motivate each other and like other people. Like we're not out to impress people like whoever likes the music likes it and when we play live except for the acoustic shit I like sitting down playing the bass smoking a cigarette it's different then from when we are up there doing our other shit. Last year I had five staples in my head cause I got cracked over the head with a guitar. Our guitarist was missing two front teeth so we got our guitarist two front teeth for Christmas. Our singer Rob got smashed across the face. Like all of us have sent each other to the hospital plenty of times for like staples and stitches. So we have a lot of fun up there on stage, it's like we can get crazy and it's like a release for us. Like there is so much fucking stress and shit from the world you have to deal with and humanity is so fucked up. Like being able to write music and being able to perform on stage and for those people who want to see us it's great. And even when we're performing in front of people who don't want to see us it's still cool because you're out there playing and pissing people off and it's like whatever and I keep playing my shit and having a good time. We just do our thing and have a good time with it and we have fun all the time.
HEAD: It's fucking awesome. Like we have distribution in the states from Universal so our shit is everywhere and we are working on distribution for the whole world. I know we just finished a Canadian distribution deal and we are doing it for the rest of the world. Like the Warp Tour we get to go around the whole world, I never been off this fucking continent except for Hawaii and except for Canada and Mexico I never been anywhere else so like one of my biggest goals is to go out and see the rest of the world with my band, my boys and have a good time. It's so fucking great to just get out there. I wanted to add a final notice that everyone should check out www.opiateforthemasses.com and add us as friends on www.myspace.com and our new album comes out on April 26th in stores everywhere. Buy it and check it out. Thanks.