Terror – Scott Vogel, David Wood
Posted on February 07, 2010 at 1:22 pm by admin
Without a doubt, Terror has got to be one of my favourite hardcore bands out there! From seeing them for the first time at the New England Metal and Hardcore festival to Toronto to London several times, to having their live show cheer me up after I’ve been serious bummed about something, Terror has been one of the best pick-me-ups I’ve had in a long time. For a long time I’ve wanted to talk to Scott Vogel, and I finally had a chance too. Rob also spoke with bass player David Wood, making this one of the few interviews where another member other than Scott was involved.
The biggest news right now however is that Terror is working on a new album, aiming to record and release this year. They dropped some details on that for us first!
Terror seems to have an appeal to the metal crowd that’s almost unexplainable, so read on!
Way Too Loud!: What got you up and playing in the first place, and got you to pick up your instrument?
Scott Vogel: I think the first band I was in was in 1989. I guess until I really got into music, I was heavily into sports, so when I found hardcore and other types of underground music, the energy was kind of similar, but a little more real. Seeing other bands do it, I said “I feel this. I wanna do it too.”
David Wood: It came from being young, loving live music. My dad got me a guitar when I was in the 3rd grade which got me into it.
WTL: Was there also a special attraction to the scene?
Scott: Yeah, but it’s not something that you can really describe. My brother was into punk, which I was a little into, but I wasn’t into the whole look an anarchy and stuff like that. When I found hardcore, it’s not something you can describe, it just got a hold of me, and that’s all I really did from then. I went to shows and started bands ever since then.
David: Definitely going to punk shows through skate boarding. From there, getting into hardcore shows, it was different. The different dancing and the pile ons and the stage diving. The fear at the shows – there’s nothing like it in underground music!
Scott: There definitely was an attraction, like living your own life, questioning things, finding out who you are were things I ran with, and here I am!
WTL: Do you ever feel out of place playing shows in your 30’s now?
Scott: Absolutely! I’m lucky enough to have friends in most places that’re a little closer to my age, but I can’t really look at it like that, I can only hope that I’ve learned from some of the stupid shit that I’ve done over the years, and hopefully I’m a little more mature than I was when I was a little fucking kid, running wild. I definitely feel out of touch sometimes. Especially on a tour like this with Emmure headlining. Their draw is even younger than our draw, so it goes down a level. But what can you do?
David: Well I’m not 30 yet… so not really. You defiantly feel older but you never feel out of place!
WTL: Do you have any goals in regards to the message that you’re trying to bring out in the music?
Scott: I guess my biggest goal as the frontman, I don’t want people to think like I think or do what I say. I think real music should have meaning. A lot of the stuff you listen to on the radio is just girlfriend shit nonsense, but to me, music that I like is saying something. Definitely every Terror song means something, to me more so than to most people, and I don’t expect people to agree with me, but I hope that people are just at least realizing that music should be a lot more than fucking loud noise drink beer to, or just mosh into people. It should have a message, and a fucking soul to it. I’m hoping that people at least read into our music and don’t just put it on to drive their car faster or shit like that. That’s my goal.
David: Yeah, always write what we want to play, and write what we think is good, while at the same time keep progressing and keep it fresh. Lyrically, to keep a good, positive message and keep it real on the hardcore side.
WTL: You’ve been on a lot of tours with metal bands. Do you think you’ve really helped to build a fan base with metal fans, and helped to bring a lot of new people in?
Scott: I think we’re pretty lucky that one day we can play with Behemoth to 1000 people, and the next day we can play in someones basement to 50 people. We’ve still never lost that raw edge, and we’re not afraid to play with any type of band. We like a wide variety of music. There’s a lot of bands that get in their little niche, and they’re comfortable with that, but to us, right from the beginning we said we’d play with anyone, anywhere, any time, we don’t care about trying to follow some guidelines.
David: A hundred percent! There are so many kids that would’ve never heard of Terror if we didn’t do these tours. It’s really good to do these tours then do a hardcore tour and see the same kids come out to see us again.
Scott: It’s definitely good to play to new people. It’s pretty fucking easy to play to a couple of hundred kids that love your band and know the words to all your songs and are really into you. On a lot of tours, there’s a lot of younger kids that’ve never, not by fault or anything, that’re coming into underground music in 2010, and it’s a lot different from what I feel is underground music and hardcore. If we just sit back and play our own shows to our own people and act like we’re elitists, like we’re better than them, and a lot of other people don’t know what’s up, that’s fucking counterproductive! I’d rather play to some people, and maybe they’ll feel what we’re about, and our energy, and go out and expand and get into some other bands like Madball.
Alternative Press and all these magazines have a huge lock on kids. If they don’t know what’s up, they’re never going to change. Now I’m not trying to change them or tell them that they’re wrong, but I want to let them at least know what traditional hardcore is all about.
WTL: How do you feel about the relationship with metal and hardcore now? Metalcore seems to have had its good and bad moments.
David: I think it’s good right now. There are definitely times where people are closed minded though. Lately it’s all been really good, with lots of unity. I think it’s helping out both genres in the end, though I remember when metalcore first started coming out, there would be a divide. People didn’t want anything to do with all the new bands. Now there’s just so many different bands and so many different genres of metalcore, and so many different genres of hardcore you may not even see the same kids at the same shows.
Scott: I don’t know. I don’t really get too caught up in little factions and stuff like that. We’re just going to be Terror, and we don’t judge bands by how they look or what they sound like, we mostly judge bands on if the people are cool. If they have some sort of ego trip or shit like that then we really don’t want anything to do with them. I don’t want to play a show with 5 bands that sound just like Terror. That’d be fucking boring! So we like to mix it up and play with different bands. Some of the funnest tours – we’ve touring with Chimaira, and people ask us “Why would you tour with Chimaira?” A) because they’re cool, and B) because they draw lots of people, and C) we’re totally expanding our horizons, which is important to us. I dunno. There’s always going to be little fights and people on one side that don’t like something. I know when we play there’s probably people that come to our shows and get their heads jumped on and think “This is fucking stupid! What’s going on?” and I totally see that… I mean, I’d probably want to go to some shows and not have my head stepped on, but that’s what happens, so I can see some people are going to get into it, and some people are going to say “This is jock bullshit! Why am I here?” I’m trying to be too positive to get caught up in all that nonsense. If people want to act like they’re in high school and divide things like that, then go ahead and do it, but I’m not going to be a part of it.
WTL: How do you feel about all of us [referring to the people listening to the interview], who’re all metal fans being really into a band like Terror?
Scott: I think it’s really cool. That’s the goal you know. To get people outside the box to get into us is very cool. I don’t know if this is the case, but I hope the lyrics are part of it too because I’d like to have Terror to have some meaning behind us. I’m not saying that metal bands don’t.
I love Cannibal Corpse. I grew up in Buffalo, but the lyrics are a little bizarre! (Laughs) I try to be a bit more serious, so I hope that’s part of it. I want all sorts of different walks of life to get into us. That’s the name of the game!
WTL: What roles would you say the band members play outside of the music?
Scott: Nick [Jett], our drummer over there, he’s definitely the driver. He will not let anyone drive unless it’s over a 10 hour drive. He’s probably losing his mind because this tour is on a bus, and he doesn’t know what he’s doing! (Laugh) He’ also writes all of our music, which is what he’s doing right now because we’re working on a new record.
David: He’s crazy! He always drives, and always has to be behind the wheel when we’re in our own van.
Scott: Jordan [Posner] our other guitarist – this is funny because I just made fun of him earlier – he doesn’t do anything for the band! (Laughs)
David: He just gets drunk a lot. He also helps with the writing.
Scott: Martin [Steward, guitars] does a lot of the artwork and designs a lot of stuff. I just make sure everybody’s doing what they’re supposed to be doing. I guess I’m like the organizer or something like that.
David: Scott does most of the interviews; he’s the frontman of the band so he’s on top of all that. He’s up there with the record companies doing all the talking too. And there’s Chucky – he’s our roadie but also our merch guy. For tours like this he’ll help tour manage and keep things straight and situated.
WTL: I’ve heard you’ve had trouble crossing the border sometimes.
Scott: We’ve never really had any problems. I dunno, we’ve been here so many times I can’t remember. Maybe once we got rejected. One time they fucked with our merch, and they tried to charge us a ton of money so we didn’t come, but that was like… 6 years ago? But this time was easy.
WTL: How does touring effect your personal and family lives? I know when a lot of bands go on tour, they come to realize how important their families are to them.
Scott: Well, I’m not very close to my family. I lived in LA, and they mostly lived in Buffalo. I just moved to Syracuse, so I’m trying to be a more responsible family member. I just lost my girlfriend of 8 years over my band being gone for so long. That didn’t work out so good… It’s definitely hard to be on the road as much as we are and maintain things. The family thing is way before music started, but it’s hard to maintain your stuff at home and also be gone. It definitely takes its toll on people for better or for worse.
David: Terror is on tour probably 9 to 10 months out of the year. It’s hard, and you lose touch with your friends and family. Every girlfriend I’ve ever had I’ve lost due to being on tour. I can’t blame them; they’ll call me up and say “sorry you’re never home, I can’t have a relationship with you.” You make a lot of sacrifices to do it but it’s worth it in the end. It’s hard but we wouldn’t do it if we didn’t love it.
Scott: I’ve seen some people that are really good about it, but for most people it’s really hard. Shit happens. Life goes on.
WTL: You sort of seem to have a love/hate relationship when people bring up the question about “Vogelisms”… It’s even mentioned on Wikipedia.
Scott: No! There’s no love! It’s dumb! (Laughs) I mean, I guess it’s cool and stuff… It’s kinda silly to me.
David: That shit is crazy. I haven’t looked at it [Wikipedia] in awhile but it’s good entertainment.
Scott’s the coolest dude ever but sometimes we’ll be on stage tuning and stuff and he’ll say something where we’ll all kind of look at each other and start laughing!
WTL: How did you feel about that photoshopped picture of you on a moving van?
David: It’s stupid! (Laughs!)
Scott: That was kinda funny. I wish I was smart enough on a computer to do something like that, and had enough time to do stuff like that. It’s kinda clever.
WTL: Then you’d be on more stuff?
Scott: No, I wouldn’t do anything. The last thing I’d do is stuff about me, because I know what an idiot I am! These people think I’m like righteous, but I’m not!
WTL: How do you think people are treating the scene with message boards? I know Lambgoat has a notorious reputation.
Scott: I think Lamgoat’s a great website. Not the message board, but the main site because I like to check it out and see what’s going on with bands.
I’ve never had MySpace, I’ve never had any of those things. I don’t go on message boards. I’ve seen people that get so worked up, and to me that’s so far from what this is about that I just stay away from it. If people need to play high school games and judge everyone and talk about people behind their backs or whatever, then do that. I’ve read things about me, and it just goes in one ear and out the other. I’m confident in myself and who I am, so that shit doesn’t bother me. Go ahead and talk, but I’m playing shows and touring the world and being happy and being alive, while they’re at their house, worrying about what I did. It’s so retarded! I think that with everything, every scene and every walk of life there’s computer stupidity going on, so why not here in underground music?
David: I’m the wrong person to ask about that. I don’t know how to read message boards or keep up with them. My opinion is that they’re all lame; nobody ever has anything good to say. It’s just people talking shit on whatever. I don’t even check that shit out.
WTL: What’s it like being on Century Media? A big label with a lot of metal bands – and Sick of it All.
David: It’s sweet! It feels rewarding in a way. It didn’t hit me at first, then the last record came out and I thought “Wow I’m on Century Media!” That label that has put out some crazy stuff over the years. It’s cool; they’ve been really good to us.
Record labels are suffering right now because records aren’t really selling. It’s hard for every record label right now. I think they do a good job.
Scott: I really don’t have any complaints. I think that Terror’s not a big band that sells a lot of CDs in the first place, and now downloading really kills it, so it’s a really hard time for labels, and I can really see that. If we ask for all this stuff and the label says no, I understand why. Paying for our record, and paying for a video, and paying for this and people take the shit for free, and it’s on YouTube, and people download the record. It’s just a shitty time to be a record label. But they get our stuff out there to people and it’s our job to make them want to buy it. I think the relationship is really good.
WTL: It sounds like you’ve got plans for a new album.
Scott: I wouldn’t say we’re in the early stages of writing, but we have a lot of stuff written, and now we’re really trying to trim off the fat, and really make ‘em into songs and put vocals to ‘em. We have until mid-April to do the record, so we still have a few months. We’ll be recording somewhere in southern California.
WTL: What has the writing process been like?
Scott: Nick wrote the last 2 records. We also have a new guitarist, Jordan who’s writing some stuff because we really like what he’s written, then me and Nick will go through the songs and figure out what we like and what we don’t like, I’ll write lyrics and put words to it, and hopefully we have a good song. Do that about 18 times and pick the 13 best, and put out a record! The new album should be out in the summertime.
David: We’re on tour all year, and we all live all over the country. Our one guitar player Jordan lives in Canada, and Scott and I live on the east coast now. Since we’re always on tour we have time during the day. Nick will have a riff and he’ll play it for us. He can do so much with the computer now like the fake drums. We’ll mess around with it on the computer. Everybody will learn the song and we’ll all give our feedback. We have some songs we really like, so We’re going to record in April so we’ll be in LA for a few weeks, practicing, getting tight and seeing how we really like them.
It’s evolved over time. Our old guitar player Todd [James] used to write a lot of the songs, Todd and Nick would write them together. It hasn’t changed that much it’s just easier now with the technology.
WTL: Do know who’s going to produce it?
Scott: Chad [Gilbert, guitarist] from New Found Glory.
WTL: What brought you to him?
David: Everybody is friends with him. We sat down with our manager this summer talking about the new record, and when talk of a new album came up, everybody thought of him. Since we kind of know the dude it works out!
This album will be different for Terror. It’s faster, maybe thrashier and a bit more melodic. The record is going to be called “Keepers of the Faith”. I think it’s going to be on a good street level, good hardcore reality. I’m really excited about it!
WTL: How do you keep yourselves entertained while on tour?
Scott: I tried going to the minor league hockey game today but it was sold out. I was all excited too! You know, just doing normal stuff. I try to go to the movies as much as I can. Get drunk, but that’s been going on for years, so I’m trying to take it easy on that. Jump a rope. You can get boxed sets of TV series, and watch movies. Go out to eat. Totally normal stuff. Does this actually annoy them [referring to the other people around listening to the interview] knowing that they have a real life while I have 6 hours of nothing to do? (Laughs)
David: If we have time off during the day we try to go to movies or go to the mall. Jordan and I try to work out a lot when we get to the show, and Scott goes jogging. There’s a lot for us to do as a band as well, like updating the website with shows and Twitter and Myspace stuff. We have our hands full. A lot of the day is spent in the van too.
WTL: Have you ever had any “Spinal Tap” moments while on tour?
Scott: I haven’t seen that movie. What’s a “Spinal Tap” moment, where you all fuck up and find out you’re in the wrong city?
WTL: Stuff that nobody would believe it’s real until it’s happened to you while on tour.
Scott: I’d say the coolest thing that happened to us – you know the band the Bad Brains? We were playing in Baltimore and their singer, HR was there, and he was back stage… and he’s pretty “out there”. He wanted to play an acoustic set, and there was no time for him, so he got up on stage while we were doing our intro. I mean in the hardcore scene he’s pretty much a god, and we were wondering “Is this really happening to us?” It was pretty wild. I don’t think anyone filmed it. I’ve seen photos of it, but I wish someone would’ve gotten it on video.
David: This one summer a huge fight broke out at a show. It spilled out into the street outside; we had nothing to do with it. It was all people at the show vs some other people. They got in their car to drive away, and they were all beat up with bricks and bottles being thrown at the car as they’re driving away. While trying to drive through this ally they end up smashing our van! It Knocks our van into gear, and our van goes flying down the street with no one in it. It starts going into this parking lot, and I don’t know how but it missed every car possible. It went through an intersection and Martin’s girlfriend just happened to be across the street and the door was open to the van because people were kinda hanging. She runs and jumps through the side entrance, jumps to the front and slams on the breaks with her palm. The van was seriously inches away from smashing this car! It was starting to gain speed too because it was going down a hill! (Laughs)
WTL: Where in the world would you like to tour?
Scott: We’re pretty lucky. We’ve gone almost everywhere. We’re trying to do Africa this summer. That’s something that we wanna do. Central America too. We’ve had some talk, but we’re not gonna play for free, so the money just hasn’t been right. Not that we need a lot of money, but we’re adults so we can’t pay to play.
David: South Africa , we’re in contact with some people there. It’s in the works, we just haven’t had the right opportunity yet to get there. It’s about the only place we haven’t been so far.
Scott: We’ve never done Ireland, which is surprising. I know Hatebreed went to Israel and a lot of people were asking when we’re gonna play there, which is something I’d like to do. Other than that we’ve been almost everywhere. Not to sound cocky, but we’ve been very, very lucky.
David: I’d like to go back to Australia and New Zealand. I love it there! The shows are great and the people are great! This past fall a we did a Southeast Asia tour, going to Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. We didn’t get to do the Philippines and I’d like to go there. Those are some of the craziest shows I’ve ever seen. I don’t know how hardcore exists over there but it does and it’s wild! It’s got some of the craziest dancing and stage diving that I’ve seen in my life! It’s just chaos! It’s sweet! I’d like to get back there ASAP!
Scott: I’d like to tour in my bedroom for a year straight! (Laughs) That’d be cool, but I don’t think that’s gonna happen…
WTL: Who would you like to tour with again?
Scott: After this tour we’re going to go on tour in Europe with Madball. They’re one of my favourite bands, so that’s really cool. Although its very bad for my liver, I always like touring with Hatebreed! (Laughs) I’d like to tour with Behemoth again. We did a tour with them years ago, and it was super-cool. They’re a band that I actually want to be there every night to see. A lot of bands you can get a little sick of. The hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks are friends of ours, and we’ve done some songs with them, and we always talk about touring together. I don’t know if there’d be a riot… (Laughs) or if it’d go over smoothly or we’d win new fans. I dunno how that would go, but it’d be really cool to try.
David: I’d love to tour with Hatebreed again; they’re one of my favourite bands. Trapped Under Ice, a new band, well not new anymore, but young. We’ve done a lot of touring with them, and they’re some of my best friends so I always want to tour with them. We did a bunch of shows with GWAR a few years ago and that was sweet!
Scott: You should check out this band Backtrack. They’re from New York. they’re one of the best new bands I’ve heard in awhile.
WTL: Who would you like to tour with if you had no rules?
Scott: I have no rules! Actually, we played a show with Necro in London before, and that was kinda cool. I don’t think our booking agent has many rules for us. He books real bands, big bands, but he knows what we’re about and we know what he’s about, and he’s not the safest person on earth either. GWAR maybe?
David: I’d like to go on tour with The Descendants. That’s my shit! Bad Religion now or back then. That list is endless, I don’t know where to begin! Slayer! Metallica!
WTL: Since bands get asked about their band names too often, have you ever lied about your band name or what it means?
Scott: People think it’s like this terrorist thing, and I guess I know where they’re coming from. I see it a different way. It is strange when you’re crossing the border or go to the airport with all your gear and it says “Terror” on it, and you’ve got stickers and 100 shirts in a bag that say “Terror”. They’re kinda like “What’s going on here?”
David: Yeah, it’s weird and you’re dating a new girl and you go to meet her parents. They ask what the name of my band is and I have to explain Terror to them, and it’s kind of awkward. There’ve been so many times coming in and out of Canada. This last summer we were doing the 10 for $10 tour, and we’re coming back in, and we get to the border at Niagara Falls actually and the guards are being normal and cool, then they asked us what the name of our band is. These are the American guards, and we’re going back into the States. We were laughing and stuff, being pretty friendly. I’m riding shotgun, Nick’s driving. As soon as I told him our band name is Terror the whole attitude of the one guy changed. I could even see his face change. Immediately they turned into assholes, and starting searching the van and asking all these questions. It’s crazy sometimes, going to the airports flying in all of our guitars and gear says “Terror” all over it. “What’s in that? It looks like a guitar case. Is there an assault rifle in there?” They search us extra. But whatever. It’s cool!
Scott: I try to avoid it. If I’m on tour and I get a haircut somewhere and can tell I’m foreign will ask me what I’m doing here, I just tell them I’m visiting a friend. I’d much rather not talk about it.
WTL: Thanks for doing this interview! Do you have any last words?
David: Keep hardcore positive, and keep the spirit alive! Support underground music and underground bands! Look out for the young kids at shows, they’re the future!
Terror at MySpace
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