Brandon Boys has every right to smile, and lets face it, it can't be bad for the soul recording in a house owned by a wealthy violinst, and within 10min of malibu beach. "We dont write any of our own music" decalres Mike Eizinger "Theres a small group of Swedish guys who write all our songs for us".
"I've also got a side project called Battering ram, every song is set to the sound of a galloping horse". Brandon boyd chuckles to himself, "but in answer to your original question - yes, we do have a particular closeness in our band".-
"You know. most of the attention the band gets is focussed on my hair", burbles Mike "nobody cares about the music, just my attempt to grow afro hair".
"Its been one of the coolest experiences of my life so far" beams Brandon "being really creative with friends and loved ones. I hate to be cheesy but its been magical. Alright, i'm going to dance in the forest now".
"This record is completely different to make yourself - we're taking it to the next level...we've gotten ambitious this time round, this is like our own personal Zepplin IV".
Brandon's lyrics have always been intelligent, considered, slightly spiritual and hopelessly romantic, but what about this time? "Perspective. As opposed to being consumed by a situation. it's nice to write music from a place that isnt just hardship. I know thats not very rock of me. But fuck it." Kilmore claims to bring "the age, wisdom, the looks, the honeys and the ass whipping to the band". Mike pics up the thread "but Kils there to create another texture and another atmosphere Fresh-faced drummer Jose brings the light heartedness to the band, according to Brandon. Mike, meanwhile. is the most responsible, and as Chris suggests he would make a good suited buisnessman. Bearded four-stringer Dirk is the odd one out, but in a way that makes him fit in perfectly. Most of the more sarcastic jokes emanate from his corner. "I'm the yang to their yin" he proclaims "i am the necessary evil. All this positive energy would turn into a circus if somebody wasnt around to go, 'you fuckin suck'!"
Which leaves singer/didgeridoo/bongo player and former hippish dread-head Brandon Boyd. A man who obvious good looks are only eclipsed by his sheer, undeniable almost frustrating niceness. How many other rock frontmen remember meeting a journalist a year previously for little more than 10mintues? "We met when we came to your office and reviewed singles didnt we?" The only time he sounds vaguely prickly is when asked about the girl who he spent gushing about as the love of his life in the last round of interviews-English actress Joanna Bourne-Taylor.
"That, i dont want to talk about. We're friends and we always will be. Some things are better left unsaid" He brightens up. "Like when you blow your nose and put your hankerchief in your bag, then you reach in there later and your hand squishes in the goo".
Conversations turn to an interview where mike is refered to as the frontman all the way through. "Thats pretty cool by me. The singers get all the chicks" "No, they dont" mumbles Brandon. "Wake up dude! Pull your head out of your ass! you could have the most amazing girls" "But i have no game whatsoever. I freak girls out a bit. Maybe its the pornography in my bunk that does it". "I had a realisation the other day that out band has all the elements of being shit. In, fact some say we are". While its doubtful anyones deemed them to be the worst band in the world, they have never had the plaudits they deserve, largely because they refuse to compromise their own visions to 'fit in' with the current scene.
We want to make records that make people move, but in more ways than one, we wanted to make their tickers tick too, you know?"
"Its a lot easier to sell records than make history" says Brandon with determination. "Theres a difference between a band thats of the moment and one that builds a career, i'd rather be like that than one of those rap-metal bands. They may sell more records than us in the short term, but where will they be in five years when rap metals fuckking dead, huh?”

Thanks to Nice to Know You UK