BAND: As I Lay Dying
INTERVIEWER: Liz Wise (Liz@bandvibe.com)
INTERVIEWEE: Nick Hipa of As I Lay Dying
DATE OF INTERVIEW: 07.31.06

BAND MEMBERS:
Nick Hipa: Guitar
Tim Lambesis: Vocals
Clint Norris: Bass
Jordan Mancino: Drums
Phil Sgrosso: Guitar

BV: How does being on Sounds of the Underground compare to being on Ozzfest or Taste of Chaos?
Nick: Well I don’t think you can really compare SOTU and Ozzfest to Taste of Chaos. Ozzfest is more metal and Taste of Chaos is more of a Warped Tour feeling. But as far as SOTU and Ozzfest, they’re both summer metal tours. I’ve been enjoying SOTU a whole lot. The vibe has been really laid back. We’ve been having a lot of fun and we love the bands we’ve been playing with.

BV: How is headlining SOTU? Going from 2nd stage headliners to THE headliners has to be incredible.
Nick: I would say that we were one of three headliners on that second stage. I’d say Rob Zombie was the headliner for sure. Headlining this tour is like headlining that second Ozzfest stage. This tour is still in its beginning stages. It’s a little baby tour. Ozzfest is huge. Even on the second stage there big are bands like Killswitch Engage and Rob Zombie. For us to be the last band on this tour means it’s a small tour still. Hopefully it will continue to grow because it seems like so far bands and fans are enjoying it.

BV: Did you think you’d ever be in this slot?
Nick: It’s a huge responsibility. We’re honored but at the same time we’re real nervous. A band like In Flames is a band that we look up to and respect. Two years ago we were opening up for them. It’s challenging for us as a band to play after a band that just destroys it every night. Same thing with Trivium, they’re a great young band. And then you have guys like Cannibal Corpse who’ve been doing this longer than a lot of our fans have been alive. We’ve got to step it up, which is what you need as performers.

BV: I read that a major contributing factor to As I Lay Dying being signed to Metal Blade is that you guys tour so much. Do you enjoy touring?
Nick: It’s something you have to do especially if you are a hard rock band. You have to go out and build your fan base. This music isn’t just meant to be listened to in your stereo. You need to be able to go out and see it too. It does take its toll. Physically you get tired and mentally you can get stressed out. You’re detached so relationships can have problems. But if it’s something you really want you need to learn how to deal with it or get through it.

BV: And what’s your advice for people who can’t drop everything and tour due to jobs or family?
Nick: Anything that’s worth anything takes some sacrifice. But I would say that you shouldn’t tour until you have a solid band, a solid performance and solid songs. If you’re going to go out there it has to be good. Focus on each person’s talent and write the best songs you know how. If you’re going to tour you need to have something to promote. It’s so easy to put something out these days. Why tour if you don’t have something you’re proud of? Play local shows and make a name there and then you could get added to a bigger show opening or something. Make a good impression and branch out. Be smart about it.

BV: Do you think it is better to tour on your own with just a few other bands or as part of a festival like this?
Nick:It’s a hard thing on this tour because it’s such a long day in the summer and there are so many brutal bands that by the time we play the kids are worn out, that is a hard thing. I don’t have a preference to one or the other as long as people are energetic and going nuts. We played shows where the kids were just standing there. It’s a lot better when there’s a vibe and energy flow between the fans and us. Not to get all hippie on you or anything.

BV: It’s nice that there are some guest bands like Machine Head and Killswitch Engage. Does that make the tour more interesting?
Nick: Yes, it makes it amazing. It keeps it interesting for the crew and the bands more than the fans really. Because we’ll say, “Oh, Converge is playing now. We got to go see them.” They’re not playing everyday.

BV: Are there any bands that you’d love to tour with?
Nick: I love Converge, I’m glad we had the chance to tour with them. There have been bands we’ve toured with that I’d have never thought in a million years that I’d meet, most notably Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath on Ozzfest. There are only a handful of bands I’d still like to tour with, maybe Metallica.

BV: What were you doing before joining As I Lay Dying?
Nick: Before I was in As I Lay Dying I was going to school and playing in bands. I worked too.

BV: What do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t playing guitar?
Nick: I’d probably be playing in bands, working and going to school. (Laughs) Same thing.

BV: What was your major?
Nick: I was an English major when I was going to college.

BV: What is it like for you personally, as a ‘new’ guitarist coming into a band that was already signed and had fans?
Nick: I never thought, oh, I got a sweet deal. Back when As I Lay Dying was on a smaller label, I was in a band on that same label. We toured together and I knew the band. We did the same crappy tours, no one there, long drives. I started the same place as the band and our relationship was established then. Even though I didn’t join the band until like three years ago I knew them. It just happened that when my old band broke up, As I Lay Dying needed a new guitarist. I was always just happy to play music and go different places.

BV: Where’s the most interesting place you’ve been?
Nick: We’ve been all over the world with this band. I really liked Prague, in the Czech Republic but that was a city that caught me off guard. I heard it was really nice but it was REALLY nice. It was amazing. When you see it in person, you can’t believe you’re there.

BV: How do you feel that you’ve changed or contributed to the songwriting or band in general?
Nick: The songwriting was mainly between Clint and Jordan. Then Phil and I came in. I guess we all had to feel out our roles in the band. I had a lot of ideas but I had the most impact in the lead guitar side, that’s an area the band hadn’t really delved into. The band’s always been really melodically driven and never had any shredding solos or anything. I think that our technique potential expanded when Phil and I joined. Not to say I’m some great guitar player but I think we’re able to do more stuff with the new line up. I’m looking forward to the next album because we’ve learned so much about each other being on tour.

BV: When some bands go into record, they just shut themselves away and write. Sometimes it’s forced creativity and it can make a lot of the songs sound similar. How do you guys go about the recording process?
Nick: Yeah, I think that we do half and half. Right now everyone has a lot of ideas I’m sure. You come up with a bunch of stuff on your own and then when we get home we’re going to have to sort them all out. In talking about it, everyone has great ideas for a new album. We’re all going different ways about it right now but we’ll end up in the same place.

BV: How do you warm up for a show?
Nick: Usually I play guitar for a long time, I’ll play all day. I do a lot of stretching. And I drink a lot of water. That’s the key right there- staying hydrated. It might also backfire on you cause we’re standing on stage and then you might have to pee. I don’t have a set routine. I try and take different approaches. Like, the In Flames guys don’t warm up at all. They drink beer all day and hang out and put their clothes on and then it’s time to go on. And they’ll kill it every night. I tried that one day and it was actually pretty sweet but for the most part I try to keep loose.

BV: I read that some people classify you guys as a Christian band. I’ve read replies to that that you all happen to be Christian and in a band. Do you think that what religion you are should matter when classifying music?
Nick: That’s such a hard question. For any band, if you believe in something, it’s going to shine through in what you do, for anyone really. But we’re not going to go around and say this is our mission as a band. I’ve loved playing guitar and being in bands forever. They’re two different things, your faith and your music.

BV: You talked about Cannibal Corpse earlier. So what is it like to be on tour with bands like them and Behemoth who have a song titled “Christians to the Lions”? Do you take offence to that?
Nick: Not at all. They’re our friends now. They’re really nice and amazing dudes. We respect each other as people and musicians. We may sing about different things while we’re on stage but I don’t know, it’s just kind of bad to focus on the differences. So we focus on our mutual love for metal, respect and friendship. We’ll hang out at catering and just talk. Same with all bands on this tour.

BV: Do you think it’s true that just because a band is singing about something onstage, it doesn’t mean that that’s what they do offstage? It’s all a performance.
Nick: Yeah, like the Cannibal dudes, they sing about pretty gnarly stuff but you hang out with them and they’re normal dudes. They don’t take all that stuff seriously. I talked to them about their lyrics and they think of it like a horror movie, an artistic approach. You know, they’re not serious about killing people.

BV: What is one question you would ask yourself in an interview?
Nick: Hmmmm… Kids always think I’m either Mexican or Black, and I’m not. My ethnicity is Hawaiian, Japanese and Irish. Just throwing that out there.

BV: What would you like to tell your fans?
Nick: I can’t think of anything Earth shattering or mind blowing right now. Just know that we’re cool guys and you can come talk to us when you see us. We really do appreciate our fans. We’re fans of music and fans of other bands too.

For more information on As I Lay Dying, log onto:
+http://asilaydying.com
+http://www.myspace.com/asilaydying

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