Show & Tell Online - interview with Adam D of Killswitch Engage

ADAM D of KILLSWITCH ENGAGE

Palladium, Worcester, Mass.
05.28.04

Few bands survive the loss of a singer. Fewer still thrive after such a loss. Yet that's exactly what Killswitch Engage is doing despite the untimely departure of original singer Jesse Leach (replaced in '02 by singer Howard Jones).

Now, KsE sets the metalcore tone; the genre's current king of the hill. They are what their peers aspire to be.

During a recent headlining stint with In Flames and As I Lay Dying in tow, we got to sit with Adam Dutkiewicz, Killswitch's resident guitarist/producer/engineer and former drummer to talk about, well, a bunch of stuff. Hang on, this one's a bit of a ride…

Show & Tell: So we met before at a pre-show party for the Headbanger's Ball Tour with Unearth and we ate cookies. [Ed.'s note: the “we” being interviewer Kevin, his girlfriend Pam - also present at this interview - and Adam.]

Adam: I was gonna say the only thing I remember about the pre-show thing was the fact that I was snacking on the best cookies ever.

S&T: Yeah, the three of us were all eating the same cookie then we had the longest conversation about cookies.

A: Wasn't there an M&M cookie involved?

S&T: There was.

A: I do remember that. Hold on, give me one second, have to answer this call.

(on phone) Hey dude, what are you doing? I'm in the middle of an interview, man. Yeah, fuck off. So where are you so I can meet you when I'm done? Oh, you're on the stage so then you don't need me, dude, so fuck off. No, if you're backstage then you're all set and I'll see you in a bit, so eat a dick. I'll see you in a bit, man, ok? Alright, bye.

I was just making sure my friend could make it backstage, sorry about that. I usually don't answer phones during interviews.

S&T: It's ok. We're doing this for an online magazine called Show And Tell Online.

A: Ooooh… what are we showing and telling?

S&T: (laughs) Whatever you want to share with us. So I guess this could get explicit (laughter).

A: You want me to show you something right now? I can show you my butt.

S&T: If you want to, go for it.

A: Actually it's really gross, I fell down.

S&T: So you have a huge bruise?

A: Yes, it's the biggest bruise…..EVER!

S&T: Ok. Well, let's see it.

Pam: Yeh, show me your butt!!

A: Are you ready?

S&T: Yeh, let's see this.

Pam: If you don't show me your butt I'm going to be pissed.

A: Oh, I'm definitely gonna! But be prepared to be grossed out.

(Adam proceeds to pull down the left side of his shorts exposing his whole ass cheek and the nastiest bruise in the history of mankind.)

S&T: Holy shit! You got a fucking lump!

A: Yup!

S&T: Oh my god!

A: Touch how hard that is.

S&T: Can I touch it?

A: So how hard is that?

S&T: Oh my god! (The lump is about the size of a baseball and almost just as hard with bruising all around it.)

Pam: I'll kiss it and make it better.

A: You're gonna kiss my ass? (laughs) WHY??!!!

(Pam kisses Adam's lump.)

A: (laughs) Dude, you just kissed my ass!!!

(laughter)

A: My pants are like falling down and she's hugging me!

S&T: That was so weird.

A: Well that's the most sexual thing that's ever happened to me at a show, I mean WOW!

S&T: Yeh, I guess it pays to be a rock star, right?

A: WOW!

S&T: So how did you get this lump on your ass?

A: Falling repeatedly.

S&T: Really, just in the same spot?

A: Yes, one night we were on a stage that was like the most slippery thing ever. It was like basically playing on ice because they had the A/C cranking and it was so hot and humid out that there was so much condensation on the stage that like, I'm not kidding, it was like an ice skating rink. You could go like (slides his foot across the floor) the whole time. Yeh, awful. That and I fell off the stage a couple times too.

S&T: Well, I'm sorry about your ass but what I really wanted to touch on first was that you just produced the new Unearth album.

A: Yup.

S&T: Can you tell me about that?

A: It was so much fun. Those dudes are my bros like it was nothing but sham, drudgery and hijinks the whole time.

S&T: How did they act towards you? Did they listen to everything you said?

A: No. It was always kinda like a mutual thing, like I'm trying to make their record and I want to make them the best band that they can be without compromising what they are. You know what I mean? As a producer I'm never like, “my way is the right way!” It's always like what's the best way for the band.

S&T: So what you do is say, “I want this, what do you think?”

A: Yeah, yeah, that kind of thing, like I'm not always right, dude.

S&T: How did you confront them and tell them what you wanted and didn't like?

A: Oh, I would just be straight up and be like, “hey dude, this is the way I see this and what do you guys think?”

S&T: You also produced the new All That Remains album?

A: Yes, other Mass Dudes [ed.'s note: All That Remains, like Killswitch, hail from Massachusetts.].

S&T: How did that go? I know you're really close with (All That Remains' lead singer Phil Labonte)

A: Oh yeah, oh hell yeah, dude. Phil's our bro.

(Pam whispers to Adam that Phil's hot)

A: Phil is hot! NO! (laughs) I'm saying that in a very hetero way.

S&T: (laughs) Being that close of friends (and having to work on a professional level), did (working together) hurt the friendship or make it harder to be critical?

A: Oh, actually I think that it helped because it was like we had that trust thing going on, you know what I mean? It was really cool. Whoa, dude! (laughing as Pam grabs his beer out of his hand.) What are you doing?

P: I didn't do anything.

A: You're drinking my beer.

(everybody laughing)

A: Are you 21?

P: Yes, but I didn't do anything.

S&T: We're going to have to put her on a leash. (laughter) So how was the experience with All That Remains?

A: Oh, awesome. Those dudes are just good friends so it just makes it that much better. You get along with them so well…

S&T: How do you think you influenced their album?

A: I made them try to be good.

S&T: So were they not good before?

A: No, I'm just busting their balls right now. It was more or so just trying to polish up their loose ends with what they do you, know what I mean? They're definitely… sometimes they don't think about the obvious. It's literally that kind of thing.

S&T: Got it. Changing gears a bit, your new album was leaked on the internet before it hit stores, and in the first week it still sold 40,000 copies.

A: I don't know how that happened.

S&T: What are your feelings on that?

A: Honestly, man, I really don't think about it at all, I'm just like, whatever.

S&T: Well now that I bring it up what do you think?

A: I guess it's kinda cool. Yeah, it's kinda cool that we sold that many.

S&T: I know that for the auditions for the new singer of the band, after Jesse left, that it came down to two people; Phil (of All That Remains) and Howard (current singer).

A: Yep.

S&T: How did you make the decision you made?

A: Umm, Howard's confidence and his clean voice, to be honest, not to put Phil down because I think Phil is very confident and a very competent singer too. I just think Howard clicked immediately with us and everything felt right, you know?

S&T: You feel good about the decision now?

A: Absolutely. I think Howard was the perfect guy to fill Jesse's shoes. Absolutely, man.

S&T: Could you see Phil doing it?

A: Yes, I could, but we would be a different band.

S&T: I noticed Phil is a guest vocalist on the album. Does that have anything to do with him trying out and not making it?

A: Honestly, no. It had everything to do with... umm, Phil is such a good person, he's almost a part of the family. It's like we wanted to include him on part of the record.

S&T: Even if he hadn't tried out you would have had him as a guest vocalist?

A: Yeah, probably. Yeah, he's such a Killswitch supporter, believer, and such a good friend it's just like, you know, I was stoked and that's the thing. I believe in his abilities too so it was actually cool to have him on the record. He's on the bonus track too, the one that's not on the record.

S&T: Why him and not Jesse for a bonus track?

A: Well, actually it's Jesse and Phil on the bonus track.

S&T: They're both on it?

A: Yeah.

S&T: Oh wow, I don't think that's been mentioned anywhere.

A: I know, it's good like that, crafty.

S&T: I'll just say this and let you run with it, Howard vs. Jesse?

A: Different animal; Jesse is more introverted and more emotional where Howard is more outspoken, forceful, and just “blahh!” right in your face.

S&T: Who would you rather have, Jesse or Howard?

A: Honestly, man, it's hard to say because they both have strengths and they both have weaknesses so I really don't have a preference, man, I think they're both great singers.

S&T: Do you think the outcome arranged itself for the better?

A: Probably, yeah to be honest with you, because Jesse has his own thing and he's happy and we've got our thing going on and this is the most successful that we've ever been. Can't knock that, man.

S&T: Why did you choose to have Jesse as a guest vocalist?

A: I wanted to have Jesse on the record because I just thought it was the coolest statement ever to just say, “hey, there's no hard feelings whatsoever.” He left for his reason and we accepted that and we always respected him for his decisions and who he is so it's a cool thing. We're like, “hey, there's no hard feelings.” It's like he did what he did and we did what we did.

S&T: Was Howard threatened about him being on the record?

A: Not at all.

S&T: You guys went on tour for about a year and a half with Howard before this new record, was there a reason for that [ed.'s note: though the second album was recorded with Jesse doing vocals, the band toured the record with Howard as front man]?

A: Uhhh, well pretty much because we had to support the record and, of course, amazing tours came along so we couldn't turn them down, you know. It's kinda like we're riding the wave of sorts.

S&T: It must have been a lot of stress on Howard.

A: Definitely, definitely. It's a tough thing for anyone to take, just kinda jumping in a band and then, “here we go, let's go crazy for like a year and a half!”

S&T: How do you think he took that?

A: I think he took it pretty well.

S&T: Prior to that, when Jesse left, were there any doubts that maybe that was the end of Killswitch?

A: Yes, of course there was. I was kinda like, “we're probably done,” but at the same time my life isn't completely Killswitch so, you know it's… I'll be completely honest with you, man. If this band ended tomorrow I would be a little bummed out, I would be like, “boo,” but at the same time there's more to my life than just Killswitch Engage, dude.

S&T: I read where you'd said if Killswitch ended you would go right into producing?

A: Exactly, that's what I mean by that. It's like if the band ends tomorrow I would be like, “ahh, man, that kinda sucks,” but at the same time I wouldn't be like bummed, I would be like, “alright, now I can concentrate on what I love doing, producing.”

S&T: Back to what you said earlier about taking the tour offers that were presented, did you have any doubts that Howard wouldn't be up to par and that you should just sit down and make another record?

A: No, because Jesse pretty much quit when the record came out so we were still such a fresh kinda thing and not many people knew who we were and what we did so we still had a chance to get exposed with Howard.

S&T: Was that something that (weighed in on deciding between) Howard or Phil?

A: Yes, well, uhh, between Phil and Howard? No, no, we just wanted somebody that could represent the kind of vocal range that we want. We want something that's very dynamic and diverse and interesting.

S&T: How do you feel about Jesse and his new band Seemless?

A: Awesome.

S&T: Do you like it?

A: Yup, I like it very much, it's the best he's ever sounded.

S&T: They have major record labels knocking on their doors. How do you feel about that and the success that Jesse's having?

A: I think it's awesome, I think it's great. The thing is, it really is what's here, dude (points to his heart). Jesse wasn't into what we were doing then it was best that he got out, you know, and now that he's into what he's doing now that makes it that much more better. It's that much better than something that he's kinda forcing. It's gotta be all natural and what he's doing right now is what he's feeling and you can tell he is.

S&T: Do you think it does anything to the old KsE fans?

A: No, I think it does nothing to the fans, honestly, they're just a different band, you know.

S&T: Right. How was it producing your own band's record?

A: It sucked.

S&T: Must have been a real challenge. What did you have to confront?

A: Just three different hats all at once, you know: production, engineering, and performance.

S&T: Stressful?

A: I was swamped a couple of times for sure, man, but I guess in the long run it's the only way to have it, man.

S&T: I read you locked yourself in a room for three days, wrote a bunch of riffs and then showed the rest of the band and said, “if you like it, great! And if you don't then lets talk about it.”

A: Yeah, that was because we were down to the wire and we were kind of running out of time with writing the material.

S&T: Do you think you'll produce the next KsE album?

A: If there is one (laughs)!

S&T: Is there any doubts?

A: Uh, I don't know, we'll see.

(Long silence)

S&T: Umm, alright.

(laughter)

A: I love leaving things mysterious.

S&T: (laughs) Well, Adam, I thank you very much for giving me the time to speak with you.

A: Wicked.

interview by kevin curtis