Annihilator’s Jeff Waters On Modern Metal

this veteran heavy meddler is offering

this veteran heavy meddler is offering his expertise to up-and-coming bands hi

his expertise to up-and-coming bands hi

his expertise to up-and-coming bands hi I’m Rebecca Braden and welcome to

I’m Rebecca Braden and welcome to

I’m Rebecca Braden and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking

watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with Jeff waters of Annihilator about

with Jeff waters of Annihilator about

with Jeff waters of Annihilator about the direction of the metal industry I

kind of want to get your opinion on the

kind of want to get your opinion on the general direction of metal today it kind

general direction of metal today it kind

general direction of metal today it kind of started sucking in the 90s obviously

of started sucking in the 90s obviously

of started sucking in the 90s obviously but the same time there was bands that

but the same time there was bands that

but the same time there was bands that kept a go on Pantera of course came and

kept a go on Pantera of course came and

kept a go on Pantera of course came and combined that Sabbath and Metallica

combined that Sabbath and Metallica

combined that Sabbath and Metallica thing you know metal started taking

thing you know metal started taking

thing you know metal started taking different forms it always seems to come

different forms it always seems to come

different forms it always seems to come back and then later finally young guitar

back and then later finally young guitar

back and then later finally young guitar players started playing guitar solos

players started playing guitar solos

players started playing guitar solos again which had stopped and guys like

again which had stopped and guys like

again which had stopped and guys like Alexi Laiho from Children of Bodom

Alexi Laiho from Children of Bodom

Alexi Laiho from Children of Bodom and even more recently Trivium guys matt

and even more recently Trivium guys matt

and even more recently Trivium guys matt and corey if they’re like super awesome

and corey if they’re like super awesome

and corey if they’re like super awesome you know eight hours a day practicing

you know eight hours a day practicing

you know eight hours a day practicing type of guitar players that disappeared

type of guitar players that disappeared

type of guitar players that disappeared later in the 90’s and now that it’s come

later in the 90’s and now that it’s come

later in the 90’s and now that it’s come back and the Internet’s helped a lot of

back and the Internet’s helped a lot of

back and the Internet’s helped a lot of younger kids that we’re into some 41 and

younger kids that we’re into some 41 and

younger kids that we’re into some 41 and blink-182 and all this stuff

blink-182 and all this stuff

blink-182 and all this stuff those punk pop punk bands started

those punk pop punk bands started

those punk pop punk bands started wearing a Motorhead and British steel

wearing a Motorhead and British steel

wearing a Motorhead and British steel and Iron Maiden shirts and then you know

and Iron Maiden shirts and then you know

and Iron Maiden shirts and then you know some 41 started doing if Iron Maiden

some 41 started doing if Iron Maiden

some 41 started doing if Iron Maiden kind of harmony solo things and these

kind of harmony solo things and these

kind of harmony solo things and these young little kids they were watching MTV

young little kids they were watching MTV

young little kids they were watching MTV we’re like who’s Motorhead who’s Slayer

we’re like who’s Motorhead who’s Slayer

we’re like who’s Motorhead who’s Slayer who’s Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and

who’s Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and

who’s Judas Priest and Iron Maiden and that I could see it happening it just

that I could see it happening it just

that I could see it happening it just spread out to the medium sized bands the

spread out to the medium sized bands the

spread out to the medium sized bands the ax Testament Exodus overkill Annihilator

ax Testament Exodus overkill Annihilator

ax Testament Exodus overkill Annihilator those those kind of bands and now we’re

those those kind of bands and now we’re

those those kind of bands and now we’re reaping the benefits of that you know at

reaping the benefits of that you know at

reaping the benefits of that you know at least in North America

least in North America

least in North America ouch

now you’re here to judge a competition

now you’re here to judge a competition for up-and-coming bands now what would

for up-and-coming bands now what would

for up-and-coming bands now what would be your biggest piece of advice to them

be your biggest piece of advice to them

be your biggest piece of advice to them well as far as judging I’m just gonna

well as far as judging I’m just gonna

well as far as judging I’m just gonna see who’s like into it and having fun

see who’s like into it and having fun

see who’s like into it and having fun and who practices and who wants to sound

and who practices and who wants to sound

and who practices and who wants to sound good and just you know my own opinion

good and just you know my own opinion

good and just you know my own opinion right just I just want to see people

right just I just want to see people

right just I just want to see people that have fun and give a damn about what

that have fun and give a damn about what

that have fun and give a damn about what they’re doing

some of the advice for other bands is a

some of the advice for other bands is a little bit different than it would have

little bit different than it would have

little bit different than it would have been years ago because times have

been years ago because times have

been years ago because times have changed so different then what I was

changed so different then what I was

changed so different then what I was starting again

starting again

starting again it’s kind of easy for me in a lot of

it’s kind of easy for me in a lot of

it’s kind of easy for me in a lot of ways now because I don’t I already know

ways now because I don’t I already know

ways now because I don’t I already know in Europe if I’m out of a record deal my

in Europe if I’m out of a record deal my

in Europe if I’m out of a record deal my deal is over I’m going to have 10 rep

deal is over I’m going to have 10 rep

deal is over I’m going to have 10 rep companies lining up to sign me only

companies lining up to sign me only

companies lining up to sign me only because they know I’ll sell based on

because they know I’ll sell based on

because they know I’ll sell based on previous sales whereas new bands

previous sales whereas new bands

previous sales whereas new bands starting out have a real hurdle now

starting out have a real hurdle now

starting out have a real hurdle now because the labels now want to sign and

because the labels now want to sign and

because the labels now want to sign and own everything and it just sucks it’s

own everything and it just sucks it’s

own everything and it just sucks it’s really crappy right now so as it comes

really crappy right now so as it comes

really crappy right now so as it comes back and as it makes these people more

back and as it makes these people more

back and as it makes these people more money then the contracts will get better

money then the contracts will get better

money then the contracts will get better and the deals get better for the bands

and the deals get better for the bands

and the deals get better for the bands and they’ll have more power to you know

and they’ll have more power to you know

and they’ll have more power to you know have someone fighting for them to get

have someone fighting for them to get

have someone fighting for them to get them a better deal where right now it’s

them a better deal where right now it’s

them a better deal where right now it’s like the worst time to sign

I’m kind of like the dude that’s still

I’m kind of like the dude that’s still sticking around for a few reasons and

sticking around for a few reasons and

sticking around for a few reasons and one of the main reasons is to fight all

one of the main reasons is to fight all

one of the main reasons is to fight all these son of a bitches in their record

these son of a bitches in their record

these son of a bitches in their record companies and then you know

companies and then you know

companies and then you know merchandisers publishers record label to

merchandisers publishers record label to

merchandisers publishers record label to rage with all these people that kind of

rage with all these people that kind of

rage with all these people that kind of criminally prey on bands and

criminally prey on bands and

criminally prey on bands and intentionally feed musicians with booze

intentionally feed musicians with booze

intentionally feed musicians with booze and drugs to keep them all screwed up so

and drugs to keep them all screwed up so

and drugs to keep them all screwed up so they don’t realize that they’re being

they don’t realize that they’re being

they don’t realize that they’re being ripped off I kind of do a lot of work

ripped off I kind of do a lot of work

ripped off I kind of do a lot of work for other bands that are that have names

for other bands that are that have names

for other bands that are that have names that are kind of stuck in these

that are kind of stuck in these

that are kind of stuck in these management and label deals and even

management and label deals and even

management and label deals and even endorse or guitar company endorsement

endorse or guitar company endorsement

endorse or guitar company endorsement deals and a lot of them are coming to me

deals and a lot of them are coming to me

deals and a lot of them are coming to me to say hey listen we we know you don’t

to say hey listen we we know you don’t

to say hey listen we we know you don’t drink you don’t smoke you don’t do drugs

drink you don’t smoke you don’t do drugs

drink you don’t smoke you don’t do drugs you’re kind of honest apparently and

you’re kind of honest apparently and

you’re kind of honest apparently and we’d like you to try to help us get out

we’d like you to try to help us get out

we’d like you to try to help us get out of these shitty deals and so that’s kind

of these shitty deals and so that’s kind

of these shitty deals and so that’s kind of a side job I do now I’m gonna be an

of a side job I do now I’m gonna be an

of a side job I do now I’m gonna be an industry musician advocate soon I think