John Humphreys - Seether (02/07/2014)
Seether are a band that simply exploded. Rising up and into the post-grunge era, they grabbed thousands upon thousands by the ear and haven’t let go since.
Known for meaty, heavy riffs and grooves, the band have spanned into a large audience with their undeniably catchy and energy evoking melodies laced into the works. It holds true to the likes of Nirvana and Alice in Chains but their music reaches into the mainstream, having made them a smash hit all around the globe.
2014 will see the band release their sixth LP, Isolate and Medicate to a large amount of hype. The album has a lot of expectation placed upon it but when we spoke to drummer John Humphreys, he wasn’t all too worried.
“I’m pretty nervous actually, but it’s a good nervous,” Humphreys laughs.
“I always get those good butterflies but I’m confident in what we did [on the record]. I really can’t wait for the record to drop and show everyone what we’ve been up to. What’s come out will really impress everyone I think. So I’m just anxious to knock everyone’s socks off!”
Humphreys is no doubt feeling confident with Isolate and Medicate on its ways to shelves soon. So confident in fact he believes that it is to be the band’s magnum opus!
“I reckon it’s our best album yet. We worked really hard on it and the product that came out was something I’m really proud to say I was a part of.”
Seether last visited our shores in 2012. The discrepancy of their absence has no doubt left some fans thirsty for the band’s powerful live presence. But the fans will have to hold their tongues just a little longer before they can wet their taste buds.
“[We will be coming to Australia] soon I hope! With our new label I think things will be running a lot smoother and we’ll be able to make it out a lot more continuously as oppose to every three to five years. We love coming to Australia! I was speaking with someone about it earlier today actually and I’m thinking sometime in early 2015 hopefully. By then we should be out and truly on the road and we’ll be doing New Zealand as well; plus a full Japan tour which I’ve always wanted to do.”
“When Seether releases a new album, we’re genuinely out on the road for twelve to eighteen months but that tends to be a lot more of America and Europe with a lot of festivals.”
Humphreys, unlike the rest of the band, hails from America, having joined the band in 2003. What’s always made Seether a noticeable band is that they came from South Africa, where the music scene is isolated and distant from that of the music-flooded west.
Yet it’s in the history of the country and the past of his band mates that Humphreys still finds a connection to the place.
“[South Africa] is one of my favourite places to tour. It’s such a beautiful place and the people there are great. Playing shows there has a different feeling to other ones ‘cause Shaun [Morgan, vocals, guitar] and Dale [Stewart, bass] came from there. They packed their bags and relocated to the States to make music their career and so when they come back, it’s literally coming home for them. They get to see their families and their friends and it’s got such a great feel about it.”
Seether have been dominating the charts lately with the single, Words as Weapons. The band has sold in excess of five-million albums worldwide to date and that number will no doubt grow exponentially with Isolate and Medicate. Yet as the band was beginning to rise and make their way through into the mainstream, Humphreys says he was never ever expecting a response like they’ve received!
“Does anyone ever think they’re going to get big?” the drummer laughs.
“I never thought that it would get as big as did for us when I joined. I mean, I had faith in us but to be in top ten positions is crazy; especially in the States where it’s so competitive and that’s the big dream. It’s really rewarding and humbling I guess to be recognised and looked up to from all around the world. And being a band that was from South Africa essentially it’s even more amazing. Not to be big headed but I think where one of the biggest if not biggest band to come out of South Africa ever!”
We got talking on the topic of South Africa more ineptly, Humphreys told us about their music scene the disparity of western bands reaching out to the audience there.
“South Africa is a place that seems to be a place a lot of big bands miss for one reason or another. They don’t really seem to go there and it’s a shame because it’s a great place with great people. So I think the crowds are very appreciative that we can come out there. In terms of local music well it’s pretty sparse I think. There isn’t really as many bands as there are in the States or Australia no way. But that doesn’t mean they’re not any good. I just think if more bands went out there, there would be a bigger and wider scene.”
Matthew Sievers
Known for meaty, heavy riffs and grooves, the band have spanned into a large audience with their undeniably catchy and energy evoking melodies laced into the works. It holds true to the likes of Nirvana and Alice in Chains but their music reaches into the mainstream, having made them a smash hit all around the globe.
2014 will see the band release their sixth LP, Isolate and Medicate to a large amount of hype. The album has a lot of expectation placed upon it but when we spoke to drummer John Humphreys, he wasn’t all too worried.
“I’m pretty nervous actually, but it’s a good nervous,” Humphreys laughs.
“I always get those good butterflies but I’m confident in what we did [on the record]. I really can’t wait for the record to drop and show everyone what we’ve been up to. What’s come out will really impress everyone I think. So I’m just anxious to knock everyone’s socks off!”
Humphreys is no doubt feeling confident with Isolate and Medicate on its ways to shelves soon. So confident in fact he believes that it is to be the band’s magnum opus!
“I reckon it’s our best album yet. We worked really hard on it and the product that came out was something I’m really proud to say I was a part of.”
Seether last visited our shores in 2012. The discrepancy of their absence has no doubt left some fans thirsty for the band’s powerful live presence. But the fans will have to hold their tongues just a little longer before they can wet their taste buds.
“[We will be coming to Australia] soon I hope! With our new label I think things will be running a lot smoother and we’ll be able to make it out a lot more continuously as oppose to every three to five years. We love coming to Australia! I was speaking with someone about it earlier today actually and I’m thinking sometime in early 2015 hopefully. By then we should be out and truly on the road and we’ll be doing New Zealand as well; plus a full Japan tour which I’ve always wanted to do.”
“When Seether releases a new album, we’re genuinely out on the road for twelve to eighteen months but that tends to be a lot more of America and Europe with a lot of festivals.”
Humphreys, unlike the rest of the band, hails from America, having joined the band in 2003. What’s always made Seether a noticeable band is that they came from South Africa, where the music scene is isolated and distant from that of the music-flooded west.
Yet it’s in the history of the country and the past of his band mates that Humphreys still finds a connection to the place.
“[South Africa] is one of my favourite places to tour. It’s such a beautiful place and the people there are great. Playing shows there has a different feeling to other ones ‘cause Shaun [Morgan, vocals, guitar] and Dale [Stewart, bass] came from there. They packed their bags and relocated to the States to make music their career and so when they come back, it’s literally coming home for them. They get to see their families and their friends and it’s got such a great feel about it.”
Seether have been dominating the charts lately with the single, Words as Weapons. The band has sold in excess of five-million albums worldwide to date and that number will no doubt grow exponentially with Isolate and Medicate. Yet as the band was beginning to rise and make their way through into the mainstream, Humphreys says he was never ever expecting a response like they’ve received!
“Does anyone ever think they’re going to get big?” the drummer laughs.
“I never thought that it would get as big as did for us when I joined. I mean, I had faith in us but to be in top ten positions is crazy; especially in the States where it’s so competitive and that’s the big dream. It’s really rewarding and humbling I guess to be recognised and looked up to from all around the world. And being a band that was from South Africa essentially it’s even more amazing. Not to be big headed but I think where one of the biggest if not biggest band to come out of South Africa ever!”
We got talking on the topic of South Africa more ineptly, Humphreys told us about their music scene the disparity of western bands reaching out to the audience there.
“South Africa is a place that seems to be a place a lot of big bands miss for one reason or another. They don’t really seem to go there and it’s a shame because it’s a great place with great people. So I think the crowds are very appreciative that we can come out there. In terms of local music well it’s pretty sparse I think. There isn’t really as many bands as there are in the States or Australia no way. But that doesn’t mean they’re not any good. I just think if more bands went out there, there would be a bigger and wider scene.”
Matthew Sievers