Army of Anyone

Recently while on the road for the 2007 SnoCore Tour, Army of Anyone lead singer Richard Patrick had time to answer some questions about his career with Filter and now with Army of Anyone, what it is like to work with the DeLeo brothers, his thoughts on the current state of rock n' roll, and so much more.

Rockin' Music Reviews: Hey Richard, hope all is well. Let's get right to it. Being this deep into your career musically, what is it at this point that drives you everyday? Is it recording a new song, playing for the fans, the bond you develop with the guys on the road, or something else?

Richard Patrick: For me, I'm constantly trying to improve myself as a
songwriter as well as a performer. With this record, I feel like
I've really sharpened my lyric-writing skills and explored more of
my vocal range. On previous albums, my process was more
stream-of-conscious and now I'm being deliberate in choosing my
words, which carry more of a positive message.
I also feel like I'm coming into my own as a singer. I've worked
hard to develop a bigger vocal arsenal and that makes our concerts
so much more fun. We try to deliver an exceptional rock show every
time we hit the stage and I think we're succeeding in that.

RMR: I am curious to know what the writing and recording process was like for you for this album. Was it pretty conventional in the sense that there was a rhythm, then lyrics, then the song, then in the studio and the first thing tracked was the drums? Everyone in the band is incredibly gifted at their respective skills that it just seems to me, that at least the formation of a song, was a bit different.

Patrick: The new aspect of this process, for me, was that I had two
accomplished songwriters working with me on the demos. In the past,
I've been the one to write almost everything... the guitar parts,
bass lines, and programming, the drums, as well as writing all the
lyrics. Now, in this band... the DeLeos have no shortage of ideas, so I
just go with the flow.

RMR: Each of you individually have had tremendous amount of success in previous bands [Patrick with Filter, the DeLeos with Stone Temple Pilots, and drummer Ray Luier with many bands]. Because of that, is there any additional pressure being labeled as a "super group" to succeed as opposed to being just a new band promoting their new album?

Patrick: It's a great compliment to be considered "super." It means you
must have done something great in your past. That being said, we're
not resting on our laurels. We consider ourselves a new band. We're
starting off our first tour playing in clubs and working real hard to
get the word out. We're paying our dues and trying to do it the right way.

RMR: That is awesome that you see it that way. So, when you aren't on the road touring, what do you like to do back home to relax or have some fun?

Patrick: I love hiking in the mountains, photography, and collecting
Star Wars prop replicas... and other nerdly activities.

RMR: Dude, those aren't nerdly! I'm not the best, but I like photography too. And Star Wars is cool! Moving on though…this one I really want to hear your thoughts on. Alternative or emo-rock music is huge today. Rap and R&B have always been large. Coming from a real and true rock n' roll band, how do you see the current state of rock music in today's society?

Patrick: The current state of rock is pretty pathetic right now. There
are a lot of great bands but without the support of radio, MTV and
other outlets, it's just not reaching the fans. It's out there, it's
just a little harder to find.

Music has always been separated by genre and at certain times some
genres are more popular than others. Rock might be suffering a bit
right now, but it's been around for a long time and it's not about
to go anywhere now. As long as there are garages, there will be
garage bands.

RMR: Amen to that man. Alright, last one. A fan comes out to see you guys in concert on SnoCore. If you wanted that fan to leave the show thinking only one thing, what would it be?

Patrick: These guys are amazing... I've gotta tell 5 million people to buy
their album!

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PHOTOS: Izzy High & courtesy of Army of Anyone