Roaches in the Mansion

Bands get pigeonholed all the time by journalists that like to invent new and exciting genre names. When their 'products' become diluted, they invent a new genre – a new package – which the kids can use to separate their own tastes from their elders.

Jolly notion, isn't it?

When Papa Roach stepped up to the main rock arena, the hot new terminology of the time was 'nu-metal', and they were unfortunate enough to be tarred by this fashion-led brush, mainly because they had a slightly different rap-like taint to their first hit single, 'Last Resort'. Since then, the band have sunk their claws into the heavy rock scene, pushing out an impressive catalogue of material and casually shaking off the nonsense-genre they were initially paired with.

Fourth album in and they are continuing to stick to their guns by delivering constant, powerful and meaty slabs of song, displaying sturdy riffs, ferocious beats and an understandable and accessible modern rock sound that is just plain loud. The making of the new album, called 'The Paramour Sessions', saw the band retreat to the colourful and lavish Hollywood Hills estate that previously housed the likes of H.I.M. and Gwen Stefani. In this grandiose setting, they have used a form of method song writing by utilising the ambience of the rooms to record new material.

Room Thirteen talked to bassist Tobin Esperance about the interesting times ahead, the good times of the past, cathedral rehearsal rooms and whiny emo kids.


R13: So apart from the show, what have you been up to in England?
TE: Just promotions and press and performing some new songs for the fans over here in the UK and some of the label people and letting everyone know that we've got a new record coming out here September 12th and that we're excited.


R13: The gig you've just played was in the 100 Club for the release of your new single '...To Be Loved' How did it all go?
TE: The gig was awesome. The crowd was really digging the new songs and then we partied like savages afterwards.
R13: ...And are there any plans for playing again in the UK soon?
TE: We're coming back and doing a show in the Astoria (London) in October. And we're coming back again for festivals to make sure we keep rockin' the UK. We never got a real chance to come over as much as we wanted to in the last record, so this time we're gonna make it a priority.


R13: How was it recording in the lavish settings of Paramour Mansion?
TE: Recording at Paramour was one of those experiences that just needed to happen. It was great being able to make a record in a beautiful old mansion in Los Angeles. It was surreal as it was one of those times where we were completely living in the moment. We were loving the opportunity to just be creative 24 hours a day, we lived together as a band and did everything together. There were a lot of personal issues that shaped and moulded the way the record sounds, a lot of dark stuff and also a lot of love. We were inspired by the spirit and vibe of this mansion that we spent a long time in. We would wake up every morning and go down to this big ballroom, like an old cathedral or something, and the sounds that were coming from there were real inspiring 'cos y'know when you're in a big room there's more reverb, more ambience. So for us, aside from just the fast paced rock 'n' roll that we're used to playing, we found an element of space and dynamics from being in this room. And that kinda helped make some of the jam sessions really interesting. That's how we ended up with different songs like 'Forever' and 'The Fire'. It was a beautiful time.


R13: Do you have any predictions on how the media will take this release?
TE: I don't. I hope that it's well received, of course, but it's out of my hands. I think that's the best feeling, when you don't fucking care. Especially when it comes to making music; you can worry about whether they're gonna like it, but I think that's what it is to be a true artists. Get yourself out there, do what comes naturally and what feels right. That's kinda why we went up on top of this hill [Paramour]. We didn't want distractions.


R13: What's the main thing you wanted when you guys first set out with Papa Roach and has this been achieved?
TE: We're a rock 'n' roll band and we wanted to have memorable songs. We wanted to make anthems and have melody but we also wanted to have a good time and I think we've succeeded and we're proud of it. Whether you love it or hate it.


R13: Well, that's a good thing to have for a rock band, cos you can't really be stuck in the middle...
TE: Yeah, it's funny cos for a band like us, we've always kind of walked that line. We've got the passionate punk rock side, but there's a very opposite end where we've learnt a lot about melody and harmony. The rawness is there but there's also a... sensitive side. But I'm not gonna call it emo.


R13: Ah, yeah well it doesn't actually fucking exist does it really!
TE: You know what I'm saying! We need some sex and there ain't no sex there, y'know?
R13: Sex, aggression... That's all you need. But where do you think you get the aggression from?
TE: I think a lot of it just comes from everyday life. Everyone's constantly trying to figure themselves out, whether it's a relationship, dealing with drugs, or the state of the world at war. Politics... Or just ways of figuring out ways to be happy. Between that and growing up and loving punk rock music, it's all there.


R13: What are you generally listening to?
TE: Muse, Block Party, John Frusciante and his solo work. And apart from that, it's the classics... You can't ever go wrong as classics! Everything from the Beatles, Led Zeppelin (Houses of the Holy), some Police, The Clash, Pixies, ACDC. I just fucking love music... Be a radio head.


R13: Well yeah, it's good to keep it varied and not be pigeonholed despite people like myself pointing fingers...
Okay, some varied questions...
If you had the choice to be on any soundtrack, what would it be?
TE: Natural Born Killers.

R13: How do you relax on tour?
TE: [laughs]
R13: Apart from stuff we can't put down...
TE: Ah y'know, have a good ol' drink, a nice smoke. Just hanging out once business has been taken care of. When you're on tour with P. Roach and when you come to the back lounge, it's my room. There'll be some music on. The lights are dimmed... Just chilling. Chatting it up, or whatever.
For me too, I like to get out and walk around town and maybe hit the gym as you've got to use your time wisely when you're on the road because there's a lot of hurry up and wait.


R13: If you could tour with any band from any era, who would it be?
TE: I've had the privilege to perform with a lot of bands that I grew up listening to and really admire. For me, one tour when we went with the Red Hot Chili Peppers was real special as I grew up learning how to play from their records and I was really into them. When I got to go on tour with them in Australia and New Zealand, it was pretty amazing to watch them every night. With Flea and John Frusciante I was taking notes every night. A band like that, they have a lot of spunk. It's not your average cock rock show... not just another metal band, y'know? There's just a lot more going on there and it was great seeing it unfold every night.


R13: Are there any record industry nightmares you can tell us about?
TE: Ah dude, I've got lots of stories! [laughs] But really, I don't wanna be one to look back and reflect on the negative stuff, but there's a lot of corporate bullshit. It is kinda like a game and you have to hustle and now we've been doing it for a while, we've learned from our mistakes.


R13: Is there anything you wish people would stop asking you? TE: Where we got the name Papa Roach. It's just a fucking name, but it doesn't matter cos we just try to write good songs so who cares what the band name is.


R13: Even though it's a cliché, the music is obviously the thing that matters. But are there any question you wish people would ask you.
TE: Ah, that's a good question. Umm... Just, y'know, how did you become so much of a fucking rock god of a bass player?
R13: Well, yeah, I could possibly ask you that but it'd probably be a suck-up.
TE: Or how did you get so fucking sexy? [laughs]


R13: And what do you see as the future of alternative rock/metal?
TE: There's a new sound emerging and they're very scene-oriented. But there's a lot of them coming out and they're starting to look the same, they're starting to sound the same and I just hope that there's some good ones that will survive and will stand the test of time. It's kinda cool to see the riffs coming back out, with the solos and the shred and all that, whether they wanna call it emo or whatever. But I miss the simplicity, the good old fashioned rock 'n' roll and I miss the good times and the funky vibe... I'm sick of all this growly whiny shit. [laughs]


R13: How did you feel to be pigeonholed as 'nu-metal' and did it take perseverance to be seen as a band that was something other than that?
TE: It's just a marketing thing. We've always considered ourselves a rock 'n' roll band. We take from so many different influences, whatever you want to fucking call it dude, it's always going to be broken down to the four of us in the context of a rock 'n' roll band, up there, raw, with the conviction, getting sweaty, dirty and nasty.


R13: And for propaganda purposes, is there anything you want Room Thirteen readers to be aware of?
TE: We're coming back with a new album and it's gonna take you on a ride, a journey, from beginning to end. Come out to the shows and see and connect with us as that's when we're at it hard and in our purest form. We'll be living in the moment and that's when we're on fire, so come join it.



'The Paramour Sessions' is out Sep 11th
Single '...To Be Loved' is out Sep 18th
www.paparoach.com
www.myspace.com/paparoach