HELLYEAH interview

We hang out with Chad and Vinnie backstage at Download following their set on the Maurice Jones Stage

Download: You guys were the second band to play the Maurice Jones Stage today – how was that?
Vinnie Paul: Good – but we’re going to be last on the Main Stage next year

DL: What was the reaction like when you went on stage?
Chad Gray: Great, really great.
VP: It felt really good, man.

DL: How many times have you been to Donington in the past?
VP: Probably ten to 12 times between us.
CG: I’ve been here two times with Mudvayne and two times with HELLYEAH.
VP: I think it was six times with Pantera, once with Damageplan and twice with HELLYEAH

DL: Do you ever get the chance to experience festivals these days just as a regular punter?
CG: Yeah, sure. We saw Lamb of God here earlier on. We also have festivals back home that aren’t anywhere near this size of Download, and I used to go to the Texas Jams and all that shit back in the day all the time. It’s a great time.

DL: When you watch bands like Lamb of God, are you chilling out side-of-stage, or do you like to get in with the rest of the crowd?
CG: It depends on the situation, man.
VP: It’s not really safe for us to get stuck in there.
CG: I can’t very much, cos if I walk out there, people start freaking out that I’m walking out there, you know what I mean? I like to keep my own space in this kind of situation where it’s a little more chaotic. But if it’s a little more controlled I’ll get out there if I’ve got some people around me. It’s important for us to observe the spectators, I like to feel the vibe of what the fans are doing.

DL: You’ve got pretty much the coolest band name on the bill. How did you choose it, and where does it come from?
CG: We had a big box sitting outside the studio and we were all writing band names on it. We used to get pretty liquored up every night recording, so we didn’t really know about it at the time. It was written in my hand writing I believe. We came in the next morning, and it just seemed right. It’s just one of those little things you trip over.

DL: And it sums up the vibe of the rest of the band?
CG: I think it wouldn’t have been the band name if it didn’t encapsulate the band as well as it does. It’s really what we’re all about. We like to drink, we like to party, we like to make music. That’s what we do, that’s how we live our life. Fuck everything else. It’s a big fist in the air, and a big “fuck you”, saying “Hell Yeah”.
VP: Hell yeah.

DL: Hell yeah. Tell us about the gig you’ve got in London next week.
VP: It’s a headline show, which means we get to play for more than 25 minutes, so that’s cool. We got Nonpoint playing with us, which will be a blast because they’re good friends of ours. Hopefully there’ll be a crazy bunch of Londoners, or Englanders or whatever come on down and party with us. It’s not going to be November until we come back, so we’d love to have a full house with us – that’d be awesome.

DL: Will you be sticking around for the rest of Download?
CG: Yeah, we’ll see.
VP: Yeah, yeah.

DL: Who are you hoping to see?
VP: I just want to go and see Megadeth.
CG: I want to see Megadeth, I want to see Deftones, I want to see Rage, I want to see Lamb, I mean this is a great day. It’s a great day for music, and we know personally every band on the bill today I image. At least on the Main Stage. It’s been awesome.

>Read our review of HELLYEAH on the Maurice Jones Stage at Download now