Snake River Conspiracy Interview
By Casey Blakeney
Peon Culture |
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SRC with their debut release hit hard in underground circles, while relatively being ignored by the mainstream. Now they are on the verge of a new CD that shows a new direction since they've left Reprise. Jason talks with the Casey about the band, his opinions on the industry and where he is heading next.
Note: This interview was conducted online. We always feel it is necessary to keep the original words used by the artist. With that in mind, this interview has not been edited. |
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Jason: Let's just start this off on the right foot, I aint the sharpest knife in the drawer, I have no more information or insight than anyone else that's been around this business for any length of time........these are just my opinions and recollections on what's gone down so far......sometimes the tongue is sharp and sometimes the rearview is blurry, but atleast I'll give it to ya as honest as I can.
Peon: A couple years down the road since "Sonic Jihad" was released, what's been happening with Snake River Conspiracy since then? |
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Jason: Tough one....... For me , I produced a few records, had a personal tragedy that fucked up my head.....it took me a minute to get it back on straight. I spent some time re-thinking things, got caught up in drugs, walked around pissed off at the world, got my shit back together, produced some more records and got back to work on S.R.C. Unfortunately my personal life got in the way of S.R.C. progressing. That's the most honest answer I can give ya............I was fucking up. I owe a lot to Tobey, our fans and all involved for sticking it out. In the middle of the stream I had to change my stroke.........it took some time.
Peon: Your skills as a songwriter were personally attacked quite a bit by press because there were two cover songs on the "Sonic Jihad" album. Why did you include two? And what do you have to say to those critics?
Jason: I never really gave a fuck about what anyone thought. God gave me a dick, and I honestly believe that one of the reasons he gave me this wonderful appendage was so critics would have something to suck on. It's not as though you have a limited amount of songs in you and you run out so you have to do a cover. It was purely due to time constraints. I put Love Song on the record because I thought it was great...........How Soon Is Now ended up on the record for other reasons.........
Peon: From teasers on the site you can already tell that the new SRC album seems to be leaning towards a different direction style wise. What direction are you heading with the new material? Why the change?
Jason: I already made Sonic Jihad, it wouldnt be very clever of me to try and make Sonic Jihad 2. For me, I think we went about as far as we could go in that style of music.......samples, synths, drum machines etc. I dont think myself, or anyone else involved in the making of the first record, could make a record in that style of music that would be significantly
more interesting than it. So why bother? A lot of bands become a parody of themselves because they make essentially the same record over and over again.........I'm not interested. Music, for me, is about freedom and creativity. It is a lot more interesting to me to re-invent what it is you do musically as you continue down the path. We are different people than we were 3 years ago, and we will be different people 3 years from now and the records will evolve accordingly. People tend to forget that in life it aint really about the destination, it's about the journey. I dont really give a fuck about "point A" or "Point B", 'cuz the space inbetween is where it's all happening. That's where the party is, that's where the cute girl from Tulsa Oklahoma is, that's where you ate that great BBQ, that's where you drank waaay too many beers before the show, but still got through it without fuckin' up, that's where tragedy and heartache live, that's where the kid you had never met before hipped you to a C.D. that didnt leave your C.D. player for 6 months is at and it's also where good songs come from....................did I get too deep?
Peon: Speaking of the site actually.what's with the whole Death Valley look to the imagery on your web site right now? It's a bit different than a lot of your former promo images.
Jason: At the time that the first record came out the label didnt know how to market us, they made it look like we were some kind of goth band or something (you'll notice from the photos of that era that I didnt participate in this goth imaging bullshit) which couldn't be further from the truth...... I hate all that dungeons and dragons, dudes wearing makeup, I wanna be a vampire bullshit.
When confronted , these people wave the flag of "individuality". There are far too many of them to be considered individuals.....for fucks sake, they even have their own chain of stores to buy their uniform (Hot Topic). Anyways, enough of my rant............we just went out 4 wheelin' in the desert and took some photos .....not much thought went into it, we took some photos at a motel swimming pool because it was hot as fuck and we were getting dehydrated from the beers.Whatever........ Most of the old promo shots were taken on the same day we were shooting a video......we were a little prettied up......
Peon: What are the plans for live shows? Is there a possibility of a tour in the works?
Jason: We have a few shows set, but it basically breaks down to
this: we will play anywhere, anytime.......that's why we do this. |
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Peon: You've split with Reprise and now are being offered deals on a regular basis from other labels. What do you think is the best-case scenario for dealing with the whole issue of the label scene right now?
Jason: Grab your ankles, bite a pillow and wait for the pain..........they will fuck you eventually.
Here's an interesting story for ya, and this is just one of many. We were finishing the Sonic Jihad record, and our label decides that we don't
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have enough "singles" on the record and we need to record a new song. (we only have 5 days left to do this) So the decision is made that it will be a cover. I speak with all parties involved and they promise me, under no circumstances will the song be the first single and there will not be a video made for it, so I agree to do the song. The song was How Soon Is Now, we spent $300,000 on a video, It tanked at radio and is my
least favorite song on the record. No vaseline, no cuddling afterwards,no kiss goodbye, just a pillow with a hole bitten out of it and some bruised ankles. So in answer to your question, the best case scenario is a small dick. |
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Peon: What's upcoming for you as a producer?
Jason: I just got back yesterday from Switzerland producing a band
called PMT. I have a few other things in the works, but not before I finish S.R.C.
Peon: As a producer who do you think is the most overrated band and producer out there? As well who do you think are the most underrated?
Jason: Fuck it, here we go,but I'm not basing this on talent, because all these people are very talented.
Overrated Producer : Ross Hogarth
He's not really overrated, but he's been a pain in my ass. He used to do John Mellencamp back in the day and has moved on to Coal Chamber and things like that. I got a couple gigs he wanted and he's a whiney fuckin pest, showing up at pre-production rehearsals trying to guilt trip the band out of working with me because he has a wife and kid to feed and I'm taking food out of their mouths.....man, FUCK YOU, everybody's got problems, quit your fuckin belly achin' and fuckin sack up!!!!!
We all lose gigs to somebody!!! Records get made without either one of us everyday, why the fuck do you start fuckin' crying and talking shit when it's me you lose a project to? This shit has happened more than once with him or I wouldnt really give a shit. Just Fuckin' stop man, It's embarrassing for both of us. I will say that he is very talented, gets great guitar and drum sounds and is a much better engineer than I am, as far as production goes........I cant really comment because what we do is so different
Underrated Producer:
We are all underrated at some point, this is a rare business in that you CAN polish a turd. If you are handed a shit band to work with and you work your ass off and make a good record it will always be compared with the great band you worked with and the great record you made. While you are making a record real life continues around you and sometimes it takes you out of your game. Maybe the band is really difficult to work with, maybe they are shitty musicians, maybe their manager is at the studio everyday putting his unwanted 2 cents in and driving you up the fucking wall, maybe the drummer is so bad you have to bring in a session guy and it dampens everyone's spirits, maybe the singer hates you, maybe it's all of the above. It could be as simple as a bad pairing of people and some one else would have made a better record with that group......ya never know. Producing is equal parts babysitting, ego stroking, hand holding, psychology and knowledge of your craft more times than not. If a record does really well everybody says "what a great band" . If a record tanks they say "the producer dropped the ball on that one" . At the end of the day, here's the breakdown, if your travelling downhill with the wind at your back you have half a chance of winning the race, the rest is up to the label, so you just do the best job you can and hope they do the same and maybe everyone will benefit.
Overrated Band: Third Eye Blind (and not for the reasons you'd think) |
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Again, not really overrated but I've never been anything but cool to these mutherfuckers, and they've gone as far as having people kicked out of their show's just for being friends with me. But here's my real issue with them. The sum is not greater than the parts. Arion is a mutherfucker of a bass player, and that's not a compliment I throw around easily, but the mutherfucker can PLAY. Brad is an Amazing drummer, He played a lot of jazz before he was in Third Eye Blind, and I have a lot of respect for the way he transitioned from one style to another, and Stephan has the biggest ego of any being on this planet or any other (what else do you need in a front man?) The guy once proclaimed they were gonna be as big as the Stones!!!! They should all start their own bands........sumthin' aint clickin'. See, I never went into this to be a rockstar, I don't really give a fuck about selling records, as long as there is food on the table
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and I'm having a good time I'm cool. I never wanted to be "as big as the Stones". My ceiling doesn't go that high, I've never thought that what I do is any more or less important than a guy working a 9-5, I just feel very fortunate for what I have and the opportunities I've been given, so when some one proclaims they are gonna be as big as the Stones...........let's just say I'm waiting........ya still havent gotten as big as The Partridge Family, The Monkees or Leif Garrett ........... It might be time to lower the expectations a tad. |
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Peon: What has been your wildest experience with SRC so far?
Jason: S.R.C. is a lot of work and I take it very seriously. I learned a long time ago that the only way 2 people can keep a secret is if one is dead, let alone 5. So my experiences in S.R.C. are very tame in comparison with what happens outside S.R.C. I like to keep my business exactly that, MY BUSINESS. I will say this , if it involves chicks, booze, and , up until 3 or 4 years ago, blow I've done it all...........3 times. But in S.R.C., all the standard road shit that I dont really care to remember. It was all in good fun...... I'd like to thank those that participated and apologize to those I offended.
Peon: What is your ultimate goal with SRC? As a producer?
Jason: Stay in the game, stay relevant and always push things a little further than they needed to be pushed.
I just want to keep things interesting and entertaining.
Peon: Instead of asking you the typical question about online music and file sharing. How about your opinion of this new wave of online magazines and what you think it's eventual impact might be to the media that surrounds the industry?
Jason: Anyway that you can get information or music to people easily is great. As usual, people get too caught up in the commerce side of things instead of the content side.
Peon: Anything you'd like to state point blank as a final note knowing that it won't be edited or phased out? (your opinions of the current music industry, the top 40, etc..)
Jason: Yeah, a few things
1. Follow your passions at all costs, gonna lose the house? Fuck it, doesn't matter. Worried about the payments on the fancy car? Fuck it, aint important. Buck the odds,bet it all on one hand and dont look back. It's a crazy fuckin world.You may not live to see tomorrow. If you think you are going to second guess the music industry you are fucking fooling yourself. There is no rhyme or reason to any of it, it's not about good songs, it's not about musicainship, it's not about being a great band. What it is about is bullshit. The record companies feed it to the masses and they suck it down like a Slurpee on a hot day in Atlanta. Are you the flavor of the week? Who know's.......probably depends on what week we are talking about, but I can assure you of this, if you stick to what it is you are passionate about and believe in, and you work very hard you will eventually be successful at it........the only way to fail is to quit.The music industry is fucked and will become more so as time passes, they will become less and less important in the creation and distribution of music and with a little luck we will all have an opportunity to create the music that we love and it will have a chance of being heard without the approval and $ of The Big Evil Machine...............maybe I'm being optimistic.
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2. The Top 40? Thems fightin' words in my house. I cant name one
song in it, to my knowledge I own no records on that chart, never aspired to be on that chart. It seems to define the beginning of the
end. Once you're there it's all down hill. Fuck it, it's not about popular music anymore, it's about how much money the record label spent to get it there, you dont end up on that chart because you wrote a great song, you end up on that chart because of a shitload of money, a great marketing plan,and a lot of greased palms.......there are probably few on that chart without cum stains on the collars of their new Armani shirts. Look for 'em on Behind the Music in a couple of years, they'll tell ya the whole story...........with pictures! Fuck the Top 40, the minute you look at music as a competition you've lost the plot. You should definitely strive to kick the shit out of every other band in existence, I'm not saying that being competitive is bad, this is just a game that cant be won.........and fuck the grammy's too. The greatest music I've heard exists far outside the confines of this Billboard Magazine/MTV musical prison.
3. Rick James, The Dazz Band, Morris Day and the Time, and The Gap Band will all make a comeback in 2004.....as will Jheri Curls........mark my words.
Keep your head up, Death to false metal, Love, peace and hair grease, Take care.............or whatever it is your into.
yours,
Jason C. Slater
Peon: Thanks a lot Jason for the interview. |
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I'm going to be completely honest and admit the circumstances surrounding this interview caught me off guard in a star struck kind of way.
Snake River Conspiracy's debut CD was the first advance CD I ever received from a record label. In fact, I got it almost year before anyone in Canada (apart from other media). It was also the first advance CD where I became a huge fan of the band.
The interview came about after a stab in the dark kind of email I sent through their website. Jason Slater called me later on that evening. Maybe that's common for a major publication, but for a small online magazine? That totally freaked me out (in a good way). I spent the next few hours chit chatting with him on the phone. Later on, we did this interview by email. Jason is very passionate about what he does, but he's also incredibly friendly.
I also feel like he's a kindred spirit, since he's a ranty fuck. |
| Casey |
Dec 9th 2007
09:22 pm |
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