Mike Mushok Interview

Having been playing and touring with Staind since they formed in 1995, you could be forgiven for thinking that the band members would be weary of interviews, and guarded with their answers.

Staind song-writer and guitarist Mike Mushok is one of the exceptions to this rule, happily chatting to us as we delved into the story behind the latest release. Here's what he had to say.

You're here promoting your new album 'Staind'. Why did you decide to self-title the album?

In thinking about the name of the record, this record really felt like it went back to where we started. When we set out to write the record, we wanted to get back to why we started being a band, which was playing aggressive music. We kinda felt it was fitting to self title this album; it seems we kinda got away from that for a minute but we've now come back to it.

You also made a documentary to go with this album. What was the reason for that?

We were filming the whole time, we did on the last record also, but the one thing about the documentary, a lot of these bands put out DVD's when they put out records, but they usually fluff pieces, and everyone's in the studio and happy and everything's great, but ours kinda shows the opposite side of that.

Yeah, you didn't seem to work very well together at first...

Well yeah, pretty much for the whole process…. You know it was tough. When we first got together everything went well for a week or so. Then it just kinda went downhill quickly, we ended up losing our drummer of almost 17 years while we were making the record, and it was just was really difficult record to make. We captured the making of it on film so we put it together to show the other side of things and what it can really be like.

At one point it looked like you weren't going to finish the album on time?

I knew at some point we would at least have something to turn in, I just didn't know exactly what it was going to be. That was part of the pressure - we've never had a deadline to meet and this time we did. Aaron had got a solo record whilst we were trying to make this record and he was out touring on that, we're trying to make a record and we have a deadline, the thing with Jon was dragging on and I didn't know what to do, how to handle it, and all these things just snowballed into this really s*** time.

Are you happy with the final product?

I am. It took me a minute. I stopped watching the documentary after a while, I just couldn't, you know? I lived it. I didn't want to watch it. At one time, I don't know if it's still in it, they were playing me back the songs at the end and I told him to shut off the camera cuz I couldn't even listen to it, I didn't want to hear it. I wasn't happy; I didn't know what it was... It took me probably 4 or 5 days later, I had the cd and I hadn't listened to it. But I put it in and I remember listening to it and hearing 'eyes wide open' and going, well that is a really great song. But I had no idea. I was too close to it, too much emotion wrapped up in it. The song 'wannabe' I couldn't even listen to in the studio. I told them to shut the vocals off and then when I actually got away from it and cleared my head and listened to it I went: Oh I get it, that's really cool! I liked it. But when we were making it I couldn't listen to it, it was tough.

Do you have a personal favourite on the new album?

I don't know, I think to me, 'eyes wide open' kind of defines the album. If there's one song from it to listen to that's the one that kind of shows what the record is all about… I mean I like them all, really when you make a record you kind of have to otherwise its not done.

You also did a competition to write a guitar solo for 'Not Again'

That was to get people involved in the album. And I know when I was a kid, if there was anything like that to do I would've loved it. If a band that I liked allowed you to play, and submit, and you could win a contest and win a guitar and a gift certificate to the guitar centre. It was really just to make a cool contest and there were a lot of great entries.

What was it about Kevin Cury's (the winner) entry that stood out to you?

There were guys that played more technical and guys that may have had better technique, but I think as a complete solo from beginning to end it fit the song. I think some of the others were like 'I've been practicing this trick in my bedroom for 6 months now and I'm gonna try and put it in a solo'. I felt that Kevin played for the song, didn't overplay, played where it was appropriate, I just liked it and kept going back going back to it. I think we had it down to about 15 or 20 entries that I had to listen to, and I kept going back to that one. There were 2 others that I though had a better intro part but the second half wasn't as good, and I just felt overall his was the best.

How do you find playing in England compares to playing over in the States?

I don't notice a huge difference. The one thing I do see when I come to Europe, there's one thing they do here that they don't do in the states, they clap during breakdowns of the songs, that doesn't happen in back home.

What's been the high point of your career so far?

High point of my career… oh boy…I would probably say the first time when break the cycle came out and it was no 1 in the states and it sold 700 000 records. We never planned on having a number one record ever… we never thought it was possible. We didn't aim for it. And to do that, that was back when people bought records... I have to say that's probably the highlight.

Aaron said on the documentary that to be successful you have to sell yourself out. Did you all feel that way after break the cycle?

No, I'm not even sure what he meant by that. The way I perceive it, I think that when you're a band and you go out like we did on dysfunction, we never even came to Europe which was a mistake, we should have, we made many mistakes when you look back along the way. And all we did was tour the states for a year and a half we worked very hard and sold a million records and made a pretty good fan base in that time. And what happens is I think people think of you as 'their band' and you get these people and they latch onto that and then when there's a massive success that comes they no longer think of you that way because you're no longer cool to them. every body else like them, and there's a kid at school that you don't think is cool and they're talking about this band that you like and you're like 'I don't like that band anymore' they sold out. I think that to me that's what that perception is, when you appeal to more people. And those people that thought you were cool before, the small little group that thought that you were 'their band' they don't think you're cool anymore because you appeal to more people. We're still the same band; we just got lucky enough for a lot more people to hear us.

You mentioned earlier that you have a new drummer, how are you finding it touring with him?

We have a different drummer but Sal's worked for us for 12 years. He's been a part of the family for as long as I can remember. So as far as that goes it was a fairly easy transition.

And do you see the whole band as a family?

Yeah, that's kinda how it is, there's been years when I've spent more time with these guys than i have at home with my family.

You all seem like very family orientated guys...

I was just talking to them just before I came in here, on skype. That's definitely the worst part, especially having kids now, it really is a sacrifice. Not to be there. My son went to his first hockey practice and he's only 4, and he skated for the first time and I wasn't even there, and I can't get that back.

Have you got him playing guitar yet?

It's completely up to him, whatever he wants to do. He has one, he asked for it and I got him one. I have a tiny little practice guitar and I gave it to him and he'll come up and play. He wanted a drum set so I got him one last year, and he bangs around on that when he wants to. but it's totally up to him. If he doesn't do music I would be fine with that.

And so to the future of Staind. You all seemed rather non-committal at the end of the documentary.

At that point I really had no idea. At this point, we have the next year planned as far as touring goes, I know Aaron wants to go and continue with his country career after we tour on this record. And then probably another Staind record after that at some point I don't know when and can't commit to anything… who knows. But that's what, as of right now and sitting here, is what I see as the future.

Anything you would like to add?

I would just like to thank the fans for still allowing us to come here and do this. And as I said I think one of our mistakes is not getting here as often as we could, and we always try and make it so we can get here more often and I know on this record we're going to try and do the same. We haven't toured since Oct 09 because of Aaron doing his solo thing; and we took time off and wrote a record.

Is it good to be back on the road?

It's great playing shows, if there was a way to go home in between the shows for a little while, if they had that thing from Star Trek where you could just beam yourself and be home for like 6 hours a day it would be perfect. Technology has come a long way but we're not quite there yet!

Thank you very much for your time and we look forward to watching the show!

Thank you, I hope you enjoy it.