Debris Inc Interview

Doom legends Dave Chandler & Ron Holzner share their thoughts on their new band, Debris Inc ahead of their eagerly anticipated debut album.

How are things with you guys?
RON: Things are good, a little chaotic, but good.
Let’s go back to the incarnation of Debris Inc. How did the concept for Debris Inc come about?
RON: Chandler and I have been friends for a long time. A while back he did a big favour for me. I always wanted to repay him somehow. I was still in the band Trouble at the time. Dave was retired! Yep retired. I was at a Pantera show somewhere talking to Phil and he said, “Somebody needs to get Chandler playing again, let’s put together an all star Vitus band for Dave.” We both were a bit buzzed at the time, but I kept the idea in my head. Phil was a bit busy at the time, but I wasn’t. I talked to Dave about playing once again and he said, “I will only play again if I am singing in a punk band with you in it.” So, I said OK, let’s do it. I really wanted him to play again.

	The rumour mill has it that Dave was all but retired from music when you suggested the Debris Inc concept, is this true?
	DAVE: Yea, Ron bugged me for about two years to at least do something, so I told him the punk rock thing and he agreed – much to my surprise.
	RON: So we started sending tapes back and forth. We wrote punk songs and eventually wrote doom and rock songs.
	What has the reaction from fans?
	RON: The first reaction from the fans was happiness and glee. Then they heard we were playing punk rock songs and became unhappy, bummed and depressed. Hey’ ain’t that they way doom fans are supposed to be?
	Given both Dave and your past history, do you feel the weight of any expectation from fans?
	DAVE: Most definitely! People have a set idea of what I’m supposed to be like, because of Vitus, even though we have always given punk influences on the album liners. People shouldn’t be that surprised . . . if they had been paying attention in the past. We hope that this album will show Vitus/Trouble fans that you can have all types of influences and still play what you want. This record has punk, doom and metal and it still works.
Despite all your wealth of experience do you feel like you still have a point to prove?
DAVE: Fuck Yea! Of course, because of what I just said about preconceived ideas. We want our fans (along with all others) to appreciate the fact that we can have fun playing different types of music, so they should open their minds and have fun with us!
RON: For too many years we took what we were doing way too serious. You lose the basic thing that got you playing in the first place and that is having fun. I’m not sure Trouble or Vitus proved a point. They left their mark, for sure. Proving a point is for the debate team. We just want to play some music and have a good time doing it.
The band has recently signed a deal with Rise Above Records, how did the deal come about? How did Will & Lee get to hear about you guys?
RON: We both have been friends with Lee for awhile. He knew we were playing together. We never asked him seriously until we toured with Orange Goblin.
DAVE: We didn’t know what to do about getting signed. Our record was just about finished and everybody was scared because it wasn’t a total doom record. Hearing good things from Goblin, we decided to hit Lee up from both sides. I called him up in England and let’s just say that I caught him at a good time (early Sunday morning). After talking to him, Ron emailed him the next day and Lee said OK! Simple!
Prior to signing the deal with Rise Above, the band released "Happy Violent Drunken Stoner Punk Doom" demo, how was this received?
RON: We didn’t release that demo actually. It was a three song CD we sold at shows on our U.S. tour. A different version (with more songs) was given out as a promo thing at With Full Force Festival. People liked it, the response was good.
Will any of the three songs featured on "Happy Violent Drunken Stoner Punk Doom" find their way onto the new album?
RON: Yes, all three songs.
How is the writing / recording process going? Has it been easier than previous experiences and what is the writing process within the band, is it an individual or group effort?
RON: The writing and recording has gone well. Dave and I write well together. The writing is so much easier than before. No restrictions and no forced direction! We wrote some songs with the drummers we were jamming with at the time.
What are you finding is influencing you these days?
RON: Freedom, anger and beer! When you open your mind and soul, you work with whatever comes out. We both had a lot bottled up inside. Life and the bullshit of every day is our influence now.
DAVE: The normal shit that comes from living in L.A., my many bong hits, and the fact that I’m thinking of getting married and moving out of L.A.!
Have you decided upon who will provide the drumming duties on the album?
RON: Its already decided. Greg Rogers, Tony Costanza, Joe Nunez and Barry Stern all played on the record.
Jimmy Bower, Greg Rogers, Barry Stern are but three drummers thus far to play with Debris Inc. Is the decision to have guest drummers a deliberate one or have you not yet found the right man for the job?
RON: The decision is deliberate, we don’t want one drummer, we want them ALL! I am very happy with all their playing on this record.
The band has had some interesting collaborations, most notably with Karyn Crisis & Afzaal Nasiruddeen. How did these come about?
RON: The world is a small place in the rock and roll community. You meet a lot of people and make a lot of friends along the way. As far as Debris goes, we will write a song or have an idea of a song to do and a certain person might come to mind so we just ask if they feel like jamming. Our collaborations will probably get even more interesting on the next record!
How did you come to cover Fear’s “I love Living in the City”? Whose choice tune was this one?
RON: I originally wanted to do a Black Flag song, but Dave didn’t. So we got drunk and bounced some ideas around. Fear is one of my favourite bands and “Living in the City” is one of Dave’s favorite songs, so, we stumbled upon it happily!
The band has already played some high profile gigs, Wacken & The Milwaukee Metalfest, along with a number of shows across the USA. How do you feel you are gelling as a live unit?
DAVE: When we have the right “type” of drummer in the right frame of mind, everything gels great and the crowd really gets off.
Are there plans to tour Europe in 2005?
RON: Yes, in August. Plans are underway
I have to ask, how did the gig with Wino come about?
DAVE: When Debris Inc. played the Wacken Open Air Festival in 2002, everybody really freaked out when we did “Born to Late” and I thought that Mark and Armando should feel and see what I felt and saw that day. Candlemass was also on the show, and later that night Leif and I were getting way too drunk in the V.I.P. area, Talking about which band was slower, watching people freak out on two doom masters hangin’ together, and people started talking about different reunions (as Candlemass had just done that night). So my drunk-ass said “a Vitus reunion would be cool to do here next year.”
RON: I had been pushing Dave for awhile on the subject. That night he said OK, so I said I would get the wheels in motion so you better remember you said this tomorrow. He didn’t! When we got back to the States, we talked to everybody and made it happen.
Debris Inc’s sound is described as a mixture of doom, punk, humour and balls out rock. Do you feel this is a fair take on the bands music and is this how you’d describe yourselves?
RON: Yes, totally. I came up with Happy Violent Drunken Stoner Doom Punk to put a label on it.
How are the logistics working out with Dave on the West coast and you on the East coast?
RON: Airplanes and tapes in the mail. So far it has worked pretty good. When we get together to rehearse, it is always fresh and new feeling!
Thanks agreeing to the interview, do you have a final word to the fans?
DAVE: To the Vitus fans – don’t let bullshit ideas and the media influence you. Like I’ve always said, “Like what you like, and do what you like.” You guys will like this album and I BETTER see you at the shows.

All photographs and images used with kind permission of Debris Inc. All photographs courtesy of Johnny Vomit.