You’d be sitting in front of the sofa for hours if we would have prepared a film chronicling the sweeping history of the band who has become a household name, Drowning Pool, originally formed in Dallas, Texas in 1996. The band who has never been out seeking a radio hit through the superficial realm of solely promoting sex, drugs and rock and roll have rounded up a gang of brothers that have evolved into one hell of a jaw-dropping and energetic metal band. The gang recently brought out 82 year old America’s Got Talent sensation, John Hetlinger, who performed the band’s smash hit, “Bodies”, live on stage at the first ever Chicago Open Air festival with Jasen Moreno as though he has rocked the mic for years. Wes sat down with the band’s current vocalist, Jasen Moreno, and bassist, Stevie Benton to discuss their ink, their latest album, ‘Hellelujah‘, and more.
Rockwell: Hey everybody this is Rockwell Anderson here at Chicago Open Air – Day One and we’re here with Drowning Pool. We’re going to talk about their music, the new album ‘Hallelujah’, and their new ink. Introduce yourselves gentlemen.
Stevie: What’s up, I’m Stevie. I play bass.
Jasen: I’m Jason, I sing.
Rockwell: You scream a little bit too.
Jasen: I scream a lot, and I sing a little bit. I’m a vocalist, how about that?
Rockwell: These guys are from Dallas and all of the members still live in Dallas, so we’re going to talk a little bit about the tragedy that just happened there. We won’t talk about it a lot, but I just want to ask if you have any thoughts or feelings you want to share about it.
Stevie: It was a lone wolf, crazy situation and it’s very sad that it happened in Dallas, especially because it’s such a tight knit community. We don’t have the police problems or the racial divide that seems to plague a lot of cities. I just don’t see that in Dallas. There’s no shootings or beatings or anything like that in our city so to see that is so sad.
Rockwell: Jason did you want to say anything?
Jasen: I could elaborate a little on what Stevie said. I think that, personally, I just don’t understand it. I understand hate (we all feel hate), but it was senseless. Everyone is saying that it was senseless and it truly was senseless. Our hearts and our best wishes go out to the families, because that’s who is truly going to be left to suffer. And that’s on both sides of the issue. The law enforcement side as well as Black Lives Matter… ALL lives matter. I just think the whole thing is sad. I hope that there’s some resolution soon because we still live there with our families. It’s human nature to not really be affected by it until it hits close to home. That could possibly come off as insensitive, so I’m sorry, but it’s really an eye-opener when a couple months back you remember there were people shooting at the police station and now one random dude – a lone wolf. An innocent woman trying to protect her son was shot in the leg. I just don’t understand it.
Rockwell: Well Dallas is a beautiful city for myself and my wife, we’re going to be moving there next year. We’re getting out of California and LA. LA, I love you but f-you in the same sentence. Anyways.
Stevie: We’re going to get another Cowboys fan right here.
Rockwell: No I’m from Wisconsin, I’m a Packer fan. F- the Dallas Cowboys.
Jasen: You can marry into Dallas and still f- with Cali, it’s cool man.
Rockwell: Anyways, you guys have a new album out called ‘Hellelujah’ and you’ve been playing a couple tracks off that. It’s a f*****g great album, pick it up. Do you have a few words to say about it?
Stevie: It’s a record written about life’s pain and life’s frustration. It’s what we all experience and what we all go through, it’s our common bond if you will. The guys playing the music, the people listening to it have all felt it. You gotta find those moments in life, but 99% of the time, it f*****g sucks and to be able to admit it and in a way celebrate that. You gotta enjoy what little joy you get.
Rockwell: I get that. Let’s go old school for a second. Mr. John Hetlinger was up on stage with you earlier today because he did a cover. What was that cover?
Jasen: He did ‘Bodies’ for his performance on America’s Got Talent and it was sensational. It went viral and it got spread all over the world. It happened to be a Drowning Pool song that he chose, so it’s amazing to me that these dudes that I’ve known forever have written it. He’s a brilliant man, way too smart to be hanging out with any of us and he’s there singing the song, hanging out and drinking with the guys, being the life of the party. It’s just amazing to us.
Stevie: When we first got our break and hit the national stage MySpace wasn’t even big yet, so to see us trending at like number one on Twitter… we were just like “What the f- is this?” It was crazy.
Rockwell: I heard he’s going to be doing another show or two?
Stevie: Yeah he’s going to be playing a tattoo festival with us tomorrow at the Shawshank Prison. So he’s going to come out and rock the show and get his first Drowning Pool tattoo.
Rockwell: So let’s talk about some more ink. Do you guys get your ink from somebody local in Dallas, or who’s your artist?
Stevie: Mine is mostly Dean at Elm Street Tattoo in Dallas. He’s f*****g awesome. He tattoos and I get hammered and then we argue about politics for a couple hours and listen to punk music, it’s f*****g great man.
Rockwell: And you sir?
Jasen: I’ve been going to a fine gentleman named Wes Brown. He owns a shopped called Metropolis that’s in Denton, Texas. It’s a very hip town, a lot of cool shit to see.
Rockwell: I just about bought a building in Denton about a month ago. Well guys, we’re taking up too much of your time so thank you very much. I also want to say real quick to end this all, you guys had a great crowd today. And this is why we’re getting out of LA. We saw you guys there at Echo Park with Audiotopspy at a little club and the people did not support.
Stevie: What was the name of that place?
Rockwell: It was some Spanish name, I’d never been there before and I was thinking, “Why is Drowning Pool playing here?”
Stevie: We’ve done a lot of clubs shows throughout the years and this has never happened. We walked in and there were no lights. How is there a show with no lights? Nobody can see you.
Jasen: Because the stage was only an inch tall.
Rockwell: Thank you guys again and we’ll see you next year in Dallas if you’re around.
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Portions of content written by Jessica Golich on behalf of ROCKwell UnScene
