soil adam zadel & tim king

Interview by: Marcus Jervis

Date: 27 October 2011

Venue: Waterfront, Norwich, UK

Photo by: Soil

An hour or so before tearing apart the Norwich Waterfront on the latest date of their co-headlining tour with Puddle of Mudd, Soil are happy to be chilling out backstage.  With drummer Jon Wysocki and returning vocalist Ryan McCombs otherwise engaged, it’s the relaxed pairing of founder members Adam Zadel (guitar) and Tim King (bass) that welcome your intrepid reporter into their dressing room to catch up on how the last decade since the release of Soil’s breakthrough album Scars has culminated with them being back on an extensive trek around the UK, and how – maybe, just maybe – this might not be the last we hear from this incarnation of the band.

Ten years on from the Scars album, how does it feel to be back in the UK, playing those songs and celebrating that album?

A: It’s like old times but better. We’re ten years older, ten years wiser, ten years more sore. Our bodies feel like they’ve gone through the wringer, we can’t party like the old days. But the shows have been good. We were expecting it to be good and we totally knew we were going to do something like this in the UK. Definitely lived up to everything we thought it would be and more.

Most of the shows on the tour are sold out. How are you finding the make-up of the audiences – is it all the old guys from ten years ago, or are you noticing a lot of younger fans too?

T: That’s the weird thing about it. We’re noticing a lot of kids and I think it’s testament to reaching that ten year mark, you know? The kids that were around when we first came around are older and are having kids of their own and those kids are listening to their parents’ CD’s and getting into what we’re doing. It’s insane to see that we’ve been able to pull it off and be one of those bands to see kids of kids coming along. So, it’s been a lot of younger kids, a lot of old school fans. We’ve noticed we’ve been selling a lot more extra large shirts where we used to sell a lot of mediums!

The ten years since you last played here at the Waterfront have taken their toll!

T: We’ve been back here many times since, but to actually come back with Ryan and do primarily the ‘Scars’ record has been amazing.

You mention coming back with Ryan. Obviously, he went off and did his own thing and you guys carried on doing yours. How has it all been coming back together?

A: It’s been comfortable, but better. We’ve learned so much. Because we were away from each other for so long, we have much more of an appreciation of what we had.

T: You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.

A: if there was any animosity between we three guys, time has healed most of that. We’re just having a good time and everyone is really enjoying themselves, instead of focussing on all the little things that used to beat everybody up in the past.

T: I kinda forgot that magic I used to feel onstage. Don’t get me wrong, we had some good moments; you know, playing Download in front of 60.000 people, but the chemistry between me, Adam and Ryan gives me goosebumps onstage. I’m not there thinking I’ve got to play another six songs. I want to play more.

A: It’s funny. You think that for the first two weeks, everyone will be optimistic and fun, then might start getting a little cranky, but whenever we get up and play, no matter how beat up we are, or how we’ve drunk ourselves into a stupor the night before, you think it’s going to be a rough one, but somehow, we’re able to conjure the energy and the chemistry kicks in.

Is there any long-term prospect for this line-up to continue touring or even to record together?

A: We’ve certainly talked about it. We’ve expressed joy at the idea of doing it, but we’re taking everything one step at a time. We wanted this tour to be this. We didn’t want it tainted by schedules. We wanted it to be fun and so far, the electricity is there.

Looking at some of the feedback on your Facebook page, fans that have seen the shows are incredibly positive. One in particular said it wasn’t just a great show, but the best gig he had ever been to. Obviously, it’s great for you to hear that but does it also validate your decision to do this at this moment in time?

A: I like to think the feeling is mutual. In some ways, these shows are some of the best we’ve ever played and what makes me happy is that other people might be getting that too. You can’t go out there and make people feel what you feel, but if you’re genuine, they can see that a mile off. You can hide shit with smoke, fire and lights, but if the dude up there doing it thinks it sucks, you can see right through it.

With all the massive changes in the industry in the ten years since ‘Scars’ was released – the downloading, streaming etc – have you embraced all the new social media as a means of communicating directly with fans?

A: Sure, everyone looks at it. We’ve certainly tried to put a little more effort into it, by having an administrator. We’re a little more old school in the sense that we might go on there and check stuff once a week, but it needs more attention than that.

T: We have someone that helps administer it for us and she’s on there twenty times a day checking stuff. What’s crazy to me is how people are on every five seconds updating pages. What do you guys actually do? What do you do besides sit on Facebook and Twitter, you know? It’s a sign of the times that people are on there religiously for all their information and don’t even talk on the phone anymore. It’s taken over and we’ve embraced it. Especially as a band, you have to keep up with the times.

Have you noticed an impact from all the illegal downloading and file sharing in the internet age?

A: Well, they say shit rolls downhill and with all the record companies going out of business, the musician or the artist is always at the bottom of the list. The record sales have gone away which means advances have gone away which means less money for recording, less money for working a new band. Especially with newer acts; the newer acts are so few and far between. The internet is great because you can work yourself and it’s fine and dandy, but good old fashioned marketing means paying someone. A band working out of their mom’s garage can’t get a record heard like a staff of fifty seasoned marketing people. So, what you’re left with is tens of thousands of small, probably great, bands that nobody is ever going to hear.

Everyone is always asking, where’s the next Iron Maiden or the next Metallica?

A: They’re buried under a sea of a thousand other bands.

You’re on the road here with Puddle of Mudd? You must have a good relationship and some history with them?

T: We used to play a lot of the US radio festivals with them. We’ve never done a proper tour with them but we’ve known the guys for ten years. When our booking agent asked how we felt about teaming up with them for a tour, we were all for it and we decided to share a bus which is another testament to how the music business has declined. We have seventeen people crammed on the bus, but everyone is super cool and we’re all getting along. You’d think after two weeks, everyone would be ready to kill one another but we’re having fun and everyone respects everyone’s space. I think alcohol helps, but those guys are awesome.

What has the next year or so got in store for Soil?

T: You’re going to have to wait and find out. It’s not like Facebook or Twitter where we’re going to tell you when we’re taking a piss! For once in the last five years, Soil is going to make you wait and find out.

Do you have any final words for the fans that have been out to see you on this tour?

A: We love you. Thanks for remembering us. Thanks for kicking our ass every night. We can’t thank you enough.  The UK has been a second home to Soil and they’ve proved it again and again and again.