Interview with Coby by Shoutweb Shoutweb: How did you guys choose the name Papa Roach? Coby: Papa Roach comes from the cockroach, you know what I'm sayin'? The longevity it represents. When the A-bomb hits, what's gonna be left? Cockroaches, and I think it's like a coalition, we've been together for like seven years, and for being a young band, that's a long time. Plus the cockroach is like dirty, and the plan is to infest, know what I'm sayin'? Shoutweb: How did the band get together? Coby: We were all just bored, we were all in high school and we didn't have shit to do. We were like, "What the fuck we gonna do?" So we were like well shit we'll start a band, you know what I'm sayin'? So, we did that, and we started playin' like teen centers and parties and shit. Then we started getting crowds, so we started takin' it a little more seriously and we started like clubin' it, and it just went from there. Shoutweb: How old were you guys when you got together? Coby: Well lets see, I'm 23 now and it was in 1993, so I was probably 16 or so. Shoutweb: When was your first gig? Coby: Actually in March of 1993, that was our first gig, and it was actually a talent show for school, and we totally lost. We sucked. But this is what we like to do, and this is our passion so we just kept doin' it and growing. Shoutweb: You're getting ready to go on tour with Taproot, and there's such a really big buzz behind both of your bands. Coby: Does Taproot tear it up live?! Shoutweb: Have you not seen them? Coby: Haven't seen 'em, haven't heard 'em. Shoutweb: Oh hell yeah, they're incredible. Coby: That's good, so they fuck it up! We wanna be out there with somebody that just goes off. Shoutweb: Yeah P-Roach and Taproot are like the best live bands I've seen in some time. Do you anticipate this tour to be one of those tours that people talk about in five years? Like dude back in 2000 I saw P-Roach and Taproot in this tiny club together! Coby: Well, we'll be around for a while, so some of the shows will go really well you know? Some of these shows are like the first of P-Roach to the world. Our album comes out April 25th, so these first shows on the tour are gonna be pre-release shows, and those ones are gonna go down in history. Those are gonna be the craziest, most insane shows we're ever gonna play I think. Shoutweb: I'm so stoked to see you guys next week. Coby: Yeah, our fans are like totally stoked that the album's coming out! We haven't been back to California for a couple months, and we're gonna blow it up! It's like when we get back to Cali, the shit's gonna hit the fan! Shoutweb: What are your expectations for the Warped Tour coming up? Coby: We're just gonna tear it up EVERYDAY! We're gonna be a force to be reckoned with on that tour, I mean we're not punk rock, but we definitely have punk rock edge. I think we'll fit in, I mean there are other bands on that tour, Dub Allstars are gonna be on, and also some hip-hop like Jurassic 5. I'll just try to get up there every day and fuck it up! Shoutweb: Are there any bands in particular that you're looking foreword to playing with? Coby: SNAPCASE! Yeah! Snapcase has been a fuckin big influence on us. Snapcase is the shit, so we're totally stoked to be goin' out and sharing a stage with that band everynight. Shoutweb: Who's idea was the video for "Last Resort"? Coby: The video was pretty much between us and our producer Mark Osiega. We wanted to go with a live feeling and capture that. I mean, this is our first video, so we want to come out and show people what we're about. I think it really captures the energy of the band. But as far as the kids in the room and that actual set up and the stage, that was all Mark Osiega. He's fuckin' dope, he did the P.O.D. video. He did the video for Suicide Machines. He did Blink 182 "All the Small Things". Shoutweb: Where did all the kids in the video come from? Coby: Those are our fans from Northern California. All over Northern California, we just put it out on our site that, "Yo, we're doin a video shoot and we need about 500 kids." Know what I'm sayin'? All those kids that are in their room, we just said hey, if you wanna be in the video, as far as like being in your room and shit, send pictures of yourself alone in your room. We got like loads of those and our producer picked out who it would be, but it worked out really well, you know what I'm sayin'? Shoutweb: So in the video you really are in those kids bedrooms? Coby: Yeah, that was actually their bedroom, no casting bullshit, none of that, you know what I'm sayin'? All real deal. When he videotaped the kids he was just like, "Do what you do when you listen to Papa Roach", know what I'm sayin'? One of em was flipping the camera off, one of 'em was curled up in the fuckin corner of his room, one of 'em's liftin' weight's you know what I'm sayin'? Cuz all different kids, ya know, and it wasn't like hired bullshit in our video. This shit's real. Shoutweb: Sort of sticking to the theme in "Between Angels and Insects"? Coby: Yeah yeah yeah, you know? Hollywood's all glitz an glamour and status and possessions and all that shit. With that song, I'm like saying take all that away and try to find a way to be happy, know what I'm sayin'? It's just about tryin' to find a real way to be happy with your friends and your family. I think it's sad that people work jobs everyday that they don't like. I feel totally fortunate that I'm able to have this rock n'roll job, cuz I love it, you know what I'm sayin'? Shoutweb: Are there any songs that you're planning on releasing as the next single? Coby: You know, we haven't decided, we're just gonna feel how the shows go and how the record sales go, you know what I'm sayin'? See what the reaction from the kids are, you know what I'm sayin'? But I'd like to release "Broken Home" next. Shoutweb: What made you decide to choose "Last Resort"? Coby: That song like hit us up side the head like super negative. That song's like really powerful and we believe that people will really connect with that song. It's part of their lives, it's sad but true ya know what I'm sayin'? But that's a really powerful song and that's what we're looking for, something really powerful and something raw and emotional to be dropped on the public first you know what I'm sayin'? Plus it's just kind of a different format you know what I'm sayin'? Like there's not very many songs that just start out just straight with vocals ya know what I'm sayin'? We thought that was cool and that it would catch some attention, but it's all about that we just all agreed that that's our first single. We were all stoked with it. Shoutweb: What are your hobbies? Coby: All we really do is like, listen to music, we really don't have too much time. During the day we like play video games, and write some new music. I just recently got into reading and stuff like that, but it's either we're in a van or in a club, ya know what I'm sayin'? So, what you can do in a van, in a club, or in a hotel is pretty much minimal, ya know what I'm sayin'? All I really do is write music, listen to music, and play music, that's what I like to do. Shoutweb: What's your biggest vice? Coby: Well, we got a song called "Binge" ya know what I'm sayin'? So, that's kinna something that I gotta try to keep under control. As far as like drugs and shit, the only drug I do is like ecstasy every once in a while, and acid like once a year. We're not a big drug band, we don't smoke drugs and shit, we watch too much VH1 specials for that, ya know what I'm sayin'? It's like, that shit went down in the 70's and the 80's and stuff, and you get sucked into that shit and you start thinking that your shit don't stink and then you start writing crap music. I mean some people have written great music under the influence of drugs, ya know what I mean? It's all about just makin rock 'n roll and that's kind'a got lost ya know what I'm sayin'? Shoutweb: How do you classify your own music? Coby: Rock 'n roll. Shoutweb: Just rock 'n roll? Coby: Just rock 'n roll man.I think to call it "rap rock" is fuckin' gay, and I think to call it "pimp rock" is gay, ya know what I'm sayin'? So we're just like rock 'n roll. You look for our CD and that's what we're gonna be under. Rock. So, fuckin' just put it right there. We write songs that aren't rap rock or pimp rock. We break out of that mold, and that's something that we're happy about as a band that we can write songs that are just straight rock! Ya know what I'm sayin'? I think that's like the difference to us, rap rock might not stick around forever, and we have been a band that has always evolved and changed progressively as a band. It's not like we do a 180 turn every time, but it's like we're always evolving. We used to be like punk, and then we got into like real metal and then we brought in hardcore, and then we brought in emo, and then we brought in hip-hop, ya know what I'm sayin'? Shoutweb: Do you guys do much interacting with your fans? Coby: Yeah, definitely, we are totally in touch with our fans. Like, next to writing music and writing songs, our fans are just as important, because like without fans, where you gonna be? I heard some shit like, Fred Durst called Slipknot's fans a bunch of fat ugly kids, and that's like whack, cuz half the kids that are into Slipknot like Limp Bizkit, ya know what I'm sayin'? To say somthin' about fans the of that type of music, that's pretty cheap. It doesn't matter what you look like, it doesn't matter what you're into, or how good looking you are, or what you got, it's about connecting with music you know? We'd die for our fans, those kids are like totally loyal, you know what I'm sayin'? That means a lot to us. Shoutweb: Do you guys get involved with your Website? Coby: Yeah, we have total control of our website. Check it out if you have a chance man, it's brand new. (www.paparoach.com) Shoutweb: Yeah, I was on it earlier today checkin' out the video for "Last Resort". Coby: What did you think about it? Shoutweb: I liked it a lot! Coby: Yeah, we're gonna keep working on it, and keep working to kinda keep it changing and evolving. Shoutweb: My favorite part on the whole website was where it said "viva la cucaracha"! Coby: FUCK YEAH DUDE! That's somthin that we've been screamin' fuckin' for like the last few years! Long live the cockroach, like bringin' that shit out of the cosmos, ya know what I'm sayin'? We hope that's what happens for us, that we live a long time. I mean, P-Roach stands for longevity, ya know? We don't just cover it hit it and quit it, we cover it and keep kickin. Shoutweb: Do you have any expectations on how well the albums gonna do on release? Coby: Ya know? I just kinda hope for the best, but I think if I expect a big huge amount, it's like, for me as a personal thing I don't like to expect huge things. I think it would be like, a pleasant "ka pow". I'd like to sell a lot of records, but for me it's just about being out on tour. We got down, recorded the record, and we got a record company and they're pushin' it, ya know. So, basically our job right now is to just be a live band. But I hope that shit does good! Shoutweb: How do you feel about Napster and bootlegged music over the internet? Coby: Like MP3's and shit? Shoutweb: Yeah. Coby: Well I hope people go out and buy the record, and it's cool that we get music out, but if everyone's getting it on MP3. Wait, do you have to pay to get that shit, or do you get it for free? Shoutweb: No, you don't have to pay, it just gets passed around for free, and you can burn it onto a CD. Coby: Well, for that I'd just rather have the CD and the cover and the cover art. So basically dude, fuck Napster. I don't mean to be talking shit or nothing, but this is my livelihood, this puts food on my table. So, for somebody to go buy the record, people are gonna do what they're gonna do. I can't control that, ya know? Napster? Didn't that dude get busted or somthin' like that? Shoutweb: They're being sued by Metallica. Coby: Oh, right..Doesn't Metallica make enough money or some shit? I think for younger bands, that are trying to get out there it might affect 'em, but if you're like Metallica, that's just... whatever. Shoutweb: Well, the smaller bands can't afford to take on a company like Napster. Coby: True that! I mean, this shit is our livelihood here, like I'm sayin', it puts food on my table and it pays my bills. Shoutweb: Do you think that like the media keeps pointing to, there's a connection between violent actions and violent angry music? Coby: Well, violent angry people listen to violent angry music, ya know what I'm sayin'? I've never done something stupid personally because I've heard a band. I'd like to give a shoutout to kids who do stuff like that. You're all weak-minded bitches! I mean don't go out and fuckin' kill kill kill because I say it in a song, you know what I'm sayin'? I'm just putin' that shit out on the table. I think it's pretty sad that people would go out and hurt someone just because they hear someone say it in a song. Like I say though, violent angry people listen to violent angry music.
Interview with David and Coby by Loudside.com What aspect of being in a band could you do without? Coby: Waking up the next morning after a show. Is it that hard? Coby: I could do without that. David: And having to do something. Coby: Yeah, like finally getting back at 4 in the morning and having to get up at 10 because youve got three interviews. David: Weve just barely gotten started doing everything, and its crazy right now, but its cool. I like it. Coby: Hmm. What else could I do without? David: tracking vocals in the studio. That sucks. Not fun, huh? Coby: Yeah. Not fun. I remember seeing you at the Coconut Teaszer, after you had just gotten done in the studio and you were going nuts because you said you had been locked up in the studio for so long. Coby: I met you that night? Yeah. Coby: Okay. Right on. Yeah, I went to the Teaszer and I got all fuckin I had been locked up in the studio, and after Shortie played I was like, throwing chairs up on to the stage and shit. I need to get out more! David: I was there, I remember. Would you say you guys are more comfortable playing to an audience youre familiar with or one youve never performed for before? Coby: Either or. David: Yeah. Either or. Coby: It really doesnt matter. [Playing] is exciting in its own right, you know what Im saying? Its like having sex for the first time with someone new. For me, like, playing in front of a new crowd, its like that. Theyve never seen you before, so its a new experience for them. I just wanna rock that crowd. Even if theyre not flipping out, as long as theyre nodding their heads, you know? David: As long as theyre listening.. Coby: Yeah. But also playing in front of a crowd that is totally down.. That knows every word. David: Yeah. Its like P Roach karaoke. Like, at our last hometown show, Coby gave the mic to this kid, and he sang the entire first verse to Revenge and he didnt mess it up. It was on point. It was dope. Coby: Yeah that was cool. So, theres no difference in the comfort level, you just go out and do your thing? Coby: Yeah. Fuck shit up. What was the first song you ever learned to play? Coby: Hot Cross Buns .on the song flute. (laughs) David: On the skin flute? Coby: Yeah. Skin flute. It was called Making Muffins or Hot Cross Buns. David: Actually, yeah! The first song I ever learned was Hot Cross Buns on the violin! Coby: That was everybodys first song, dude. We should write a song called Hot Cross Buns! David: That would be tight. We should just cover it. (laughs) Coby: Everybody would know it, man! What do remember wanting to be when you grew up? Coby: I wanted to be a chef. A chef? Coby: Yeah. When I was a kid, I wanted to either be a chef or be in a rock band. That was like.. those were my two things. My Mom was into making me presents, because we were poor, you know? So my Mom made me this apron, you know what Im saying? And Id go in there and help out and do that shit. And then, like, after that, once I got into like, WWF and fuckin listening to Poison and Stryper and all that shit, I was like, "I wanna be in a rock band!" So, Id have my fuckin garbage cans all set up in the garage and my brother would have a baseball bat, and wed sit in there and bang on shit. And youd put on your apron (everyone laughs) How about you? David: Me? I wanted to design cars. I was a really artistic little kid and I always loved cars. Then, I dont know. Then something changed. Right around sixth grade, I was like, "I kinda wanna play the drums, I think." And then, I dont know what the Hell happened from there, dude! Coby: He just turned into a rock n roller. David: Yep. Do you have any favorite local clubs that you play in? David: Here in L.A.? I like the Troubadour a lot. Coby: The Troubadour in L.A. Uh, we like to play San Jose. The club isnt necessarily the greatest, but.. David: The crowds rule. Coby: Northern Cali, the sound systems suck dick. You get down here and in places like the Troubadour we totally appreciate the sound systems but the crowds can be fuckin whack. So, if we could have the luxury of a Northern Cali crowd and a Southern Cal sound system, it would be like boom! Sacramento and Vacaville is fun, too. That where it all started really. David: Yeah, Vacaville, like 700 kids show up, like at the Community Center. Its like playing at somebodys house. Its so comfortable and so familiar. Coby: So, fuck yeah. Vacaville, dude. Whats the biggest audience youve played to? David: 8,000 people at the 98 Rock Jamboree in Sacramento. Coby: Yeah. Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, Staind David: Oleander, Simon Says Coby: It rocked. They had a local stage and a big stage. It was dope. We headlined the local stage. David: We went on right before Kid Rock. Coby: We sold shirts out the yingyang plus, it totally helped our fan base up there. What bands are the most flattering to you to be compared to? David: Faith No More Coby: Faith No More, yeah. Faith No More or like, Bad Religion. Sometimes people say they can hear a little bit of Bad Religion in some of the songs. Mainly, in the guitar and in the vocals. Not so much the beats and the bass, because theyre not really punk rock, but I like it when people say they can hear a little punk rock edge from Papa Roach. Punk rock, to me, is like, exciting. Have you been able to meet any of the bands you admire? David: You know, I met everyone in Faith No More except for Michael Patton. And they were all really cool. Coby: Well meet Mike Patton one day, dude. Oh man, I wanna meet Mike Patton. Hes like, my idol. Really? Coby: Fuckin full on idol. He was my idol when I was starting out and he still is, which is pretty rare, I think. Like, when kids find someone they really look up to they kinda move on. But, hes just savage. Yeah, hes a tripper. Did you catch the SnoCore show? Coby: Yeah. I went and saw them. I got kicked out of the show! What??? (Coby loses it and starts laughing really loud.) Why? What happened? Coby: Cause Im a fucking spaz. I cant tell you why. Dave: He tried to set the building on fire. Coby: Yeah, I was trying to set the building on fire. Dave: Well, not really, but thats what they said. Coby: I was just fucking with security. I was in Sacramento, and all these kids know who P Roach is and here I am all "AAAAAAH!" in handcuffs! Sometimes, I just gotta like, get crazy, you know? Watch out!! Whats your plan for the next year? Dave: World domination. Thats it. Coby: Yeah. We just want to take every chance that we get and work it to where it will be to our advantage. If someone asks us to tour with Blink 182 and someone else says its gay, then thats their opinion, but fuck it. Im here to play music for people. If were playing for 14 year old girls, that might not be our target market, because we rock savage-style but David: Well rock anyone. Coby: I wanna tour with Slipknot, some crazy ass rock bands because thats our whole thing, and just conquer live because thats where were our best. Did you guys meet in school before forming the band? David: Yeah. We started off with Jacoby and I and we were just messing around in the garage, Coby: Yeah, we just rustled up some kids. And there were a couple of line up changes, right? David: Yeah but after that, its been like 7 years with the same line up. Coby: Yeah, 7 years. March 93. Awwwwww youre like a common law married band. Pretty cute. (laughs) Coby: Yep. Hey, but thats good. Good to have a past. Longevity is a good thing, yes. Coby: Its crazy, because our first record is gonna come out and weve been around for like, 7 years! So, I think it shows that were just troopers. We stick together. David: Its either that, or it just took us hella long to get it. (laughs) Are there any songs that youre just absolutely sick of playing by now? Coby: Theres a song that you can write about that well never play again called "PeeWagon" that makes me sick, makes me wanna puke. Kids ask for that one all the time. We get a lot of requests for that, but were not gonna play that anymore. Other than that, our new stuff, were all really happy about the new songs weve written. Whats your favorite scary movie? David: Me? Ill say The Shining. Yeah? David: Yeah. I love it. Coby: Ill have to agree with you on that one, dude. Its really, truly disturbing. I was shaken up about that shit. David: To this day. Did you see the Slipknot video? David: Yeah! That was bad! Coby: That was fuckin cool! David: It funny because back before that I was like, "Dude if we ever do a video we gotta do something with The Shining and those fuckers beat us to it. Its cool. Its freaky. That one scene with Corey walking through the snow with that axe.. David: Yeah, or the drummer playing the little kid on the Big Wheel!? Yeah. And Joey is actually little enough to fit on the Big Wheel! Coby: I just gotta say that Slipknot, as far as any band right now, like, in this movement of music, they got the shit on fuckin hit. David: Yep. Coby: I still havent seen them live, but Ive seen videos and I just.. I just wanna kill one of the members and join the band cause.. (laughs) No. They just fuck shit up. Props to that. I can vibe with those cats. Theyre from a small town like we are and I can totally get into that. I met pretty much all of them. Coby: Are they cool cats? Theyre all awesome. Coby: You gotta wonder what theyre gonna do for their next record. I cant wait. So where is everyone living now? Where is your home base? Coby: Me and Dave both live in Sac. Jerry lives in Lambtown. Jerrys a sheep killer. He kills lambs and sheep. David: Its a town called Dixon. Its even smaller than Vacaville. Just dont blink? David: Right. Exactly. Coby: Tobin pretty much lives with me most of the time. Are you planning to relocate at all? Possibly to L.A.? Coby: Were trying to relocate every day...touring! But no, we dont have any plans to move elsewhere. Are you guys into any sports? Coby: Masturbation. David: Playing shows. Coby: I was running a couple of miles a day when we were home doing the record, but You seem like one of those "skateboarding/snowboarding kinds of bands" which is why I asked. Coby: Oh, I know Id be addicted to snowboarding. But, we just dont have the kind of time to even do that. David: You know what? I cant because I am one of the clumsiest motherfuckers. They need to send me out in pads and a helmet just to walk down the street. I could walk through a field of marshmallows and Id twist my ankle. Coby: Naw, were really not a sport band to tell you the truth. We cant play sports. So, you wouldnt team up against any other bands? Coby: Well, maybe we could kick some ass just for the Hell of it. David: We could kick some ass at football though. Oh yeah? Coby: Well, yeah were bigger than a lot of bands! If you notice, a lot of bands are a bunch of little scrawny fucks. Who would you like to play against? David: Slipknot! Coby: Well play football against Slipknot! David: Well take all 9 of em, dude! Coby: Yeah! Well kill em! Theyd kick our asses, Holmes! That could be a challenge. You never know. Better watch what you wish for.. David: Theyre from Iowa though, dude. You know theyd kick ass. Cornhuskin football and shit.. What would you like to be remembered for the most before you die? (long silence) David: Damn. Thats heavy. (after a long pause) Coby: Im not gonna die. I aint dying, dude. Fuck dying! David: Me, I just wanna fuck, dude. (looks at Coby) You know what? You stumped me. I dont know, man. Its something to think about. I mean, youre about to make a mark. Coby: To me, life is like, my band right now. But, I look at life as a whole, and Im not gonna be playing in a band when Im like 60. David: Unless we end up like the Rolling Stones. Yeah, everyone wants to be the Stones. Coby: In my life, everything revolves around this band. I dont really think about what mark I want to make, personally. Its more like what mark will my band make? So as far as the band, maybe just to have people look back and say they were a great band, they made great songs and put on a great show, and they were good people. David: To me, its funny because sometimes you dont know if a band made a difference to people until like 20 years later. Then people look back on that band and they are still talking about them 20 years later and only then do you know that they made a mark. Thats such a long road. Coby: Yeah. Like the way people talk about Bauhaus or Joy Division and shit like that, like the Cure or whatever. When is the point when a band should pack it up? Coby: You know how Faith No More went out? They came in, they blew up and they kept writing great albums, the last album Album of the Year was kick ass, then they went out with class and not some bloody mess. To me, that would be a cool way to go out, with some momentum left. David: Faith No More never wrote a shitty record. How many bands can you say that about? Okay. Last question. And this may take some thought. Whos your dream girl? Because now is your chance to say hi. David: Oh my god! (long pause) Coby: You know what? Physically? When Im talking dream girl, Im just talking.. just hit it.. just hit it just hit it.. Hmmm Theres just so many. I could just put down a list right now. (Coby thinks for a really long time) Coby: Britney Spears. David: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! (The room explodes!!!!!!!) Coby: Its the ponytails, man! Oh man.. do you know the shit youre gonna catch for this? I am SO writing this! Ohhhh man ohhh man. (I have a lot of trouble trying to stop laughing.) David: All right! Coby: What? Are you getting mad at me? Dont be mad! No, Im not mad! Shes your choice! Coby: Or Laetitia Casta. Okay, I gotta high-five you for that one. Coby: The way her teeth are kinda just a little bit buck. Shes my buck-toothed baby. Can I say them both? Id get em into a room and have them fight over me. And whoever won.. What? In a kiddie pool full of jello? David: There you go. Coby: Come on, you know how many motherfuckers know Britney Spears is fine, I mean. Dream girl. Well, shes probably a fuckin idiot. So, shes a dream fuck. Can you put dream fuck? Ill put it down just the way you say it, Coby. Coby: Ok, cool. David, youre not getting off the hook. David: Awwww man. I was hoping Coby would get all the attention on this. Shit. Okay, well, there are some porn stars that are like.. ohh yeah. I dont even know their names. Theres one from England called Kirstin. Coby: Yeah, he likes big booby women. David: I had a crush on Christina Ricci for a long time, but then she lost weight. Then I was like, "Aww baby, it can never work". Now shes like a size 2. I like meat on em. I likes voluptuous womens. (laughs) Thats admirable. Jennifer Lopez curvaceous? David: Actually our bass player has a crush on Jennifer Lopez so he banned me from having a crush on her. I dig Fairuza Balk, too. But, there is this one sticker on my kick drum. Its a drawing by Koop. Thats really my dream girl. So, if you look like that come and say hello to David? David: Aww, yeah. If you look like that, then its on! Coby: Actually, I changed my mind! Mike Patton is my dream girl! Ill be sure to write that, Coby.
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