JULY 13th, 2021
FLOTSAM & JETSAM EXCLUSIVE
Interview By: Ruben Mosqueda
Metal Titans caught up with Flotsam And Jetsam’s frontman Eric ‘A.K.’ as he was doing the press rounds to promote the band’s latest effort ‘Blood In The Water’ released on June 4th, 2021 via AFM. If you can believe this, ‘Blood In The Water’ is the band’s 14th studio album. “I feel like ‘superman’ a little bit. I have the vaccine. I didn’t catch the virus and I haven't been sick in decades. I have a little bit of ‘whatever happens, happens’ kind of thinking, when it comes to me. I think Ken [Mary] is the complete opposite. I think he will do the entire tour in a plastic bubble! The rest of the guys are in the middle of the road. I do worry about the potential of people passing things around at our shows. A lot of the time our fans are our friends. We’ve gotten to know them over the years and we don’t want any of them to get sick,” says singer Eric ‘A,K.’ when asked about his thoughts on ‘Flotsam’ hitting the road for a few weeks to get into touring shape post pandemic.
Metal Titans: I rediscovered Flotsam And Jetsam with the last album ‘End of Chaos.’ The new record ‘Blood In The Water’ appears to be a continuation of the last album.
Eric ‘A.K’: I think you’re right, I have to add that the last three records have been the logical progression from the last. We have Mike [Gilbert] and Steve [Conley]...we didn’t set out to go in a particular direction, we just wrote and however it came out it came out. It seems to have this ‘Flotsam’ vibe that we had on the first two records. The writing process is fun, smooth, easy and very comfortable.
Metal Titans: Was there material that was a holdover from the previous album writing sessions or was this all fresh stuff?
Eric ‘A.K’: When a song doesn’t make an album we have this attitude like, “You know what? We’ll hold on to this and put it in the archives and we can use it on the next record or we’ll steal some piece from it.” We always intend to use it somewhere, down the road. These guys are writing something like 40 tunes for a record! I’m like “Well, great! We have a bunch of songs for the next record.” The thing is, these guys will write another 40 tunes for the next record! We amassed quite a catalog of songs to revisit when it comes time for the next record.
Metal Titans: How do things work within the band when the team brings you some songs and what makes or does not make the record?
Eric ‘A.K’: Most of the time we pass a song along to each other so much that we’re all on the same page, as far as what kind of condition it's in. Is it album worthy or not? We have all been on the same page as far as that goes. It’s not one of those situations where one person has more say than the others. We take [band] votes. We might have five different songs that we’re voting, but there will be at least one that’s on everyone’s list, so that will definitely make it. I don’t have much of a say when it comes to picking a life set. I’ll sing anything those guys want to play. At this point, I’ll sing anything, I just like being on stage singing. I’m like, “Hey guys, I don’t care what record it’s off of. You make the set and I will sing it.” I will rearrange the set, to make it have a better feel, the guys pick whatever we’re going to and I show up and sing it.
Metal Titans: So if they pick some deep tracks you’ll have to do some homework.
Eric ‘A.K’: [laughs] Right! We have a lot of records and I’d say at least 50% of the songs I don’t even remember lyrics or in some cases what the songs sound like! [laughs] I’ll be honest, I’m more enthralled with the newer stuff. I know that might surprise some of the fans, but it’s true. If I’m listening to a ‘Flotsam’ record, I’m listening to the newer stuff. I’m not sick of it yet.
There’s some songs that we have to play, because if we don’t. People will be mad at us. We then start adding stuff that has the best reaction from people and build it from there. The last songs that we pick are songs that we love to perform, whether people like them or not.
Metal Titans: So, there’s a good balance there.
Eric ‘A.K’: I think so, there’s new stuff that we have to play because we’re pushing the new record. We have to play “No Place For Disgrace” or “Hammerhead” or someone is going to be mad at us! [laughs] Then we might go through YouTube and see what videos have the most views and maybe throw that song in the set. We also look back at fan requests we had from the previous tour.
Metal Titans: You have Ken Mary on drums, this is the second album with Flotsam And Jetsam. I’m familiar with his work with Alice Cooper, House Of Lords and he was part of a Northwest band Fifth Angel. How did you meet him and get him on board ‘Flotsam?’
Eric ‘A.K’: Ken’s been in the area here [Arizona] for a while now. I had never met the guy. In fact, his studio is five minutes from my house! I’d never met the guy or ever heard of him. Steve Conley has done a lot of guitar work for him, as I said he has his own studio. He scores music for movie soundtracks and music for animation and kinds of crazy stuff! So, he had Steve come in and play some guitar for him and when we needed a drummer...Steve asked him if we wanted to do some fast, challenging stuff. Ken was just supposed to fill in for a few European shows and he has been with us ever since! He saw this music as a real challenge for him and he’s really damn good at it.
Metal Titans: You released ‘Blood In The Water’ right in the nick of time, as stuff started opening up in the United States. You’ll be hitting the road soon, no?
Eric ‘A.K’: In August, we’ll be doing a couple weeks in the western side of the U.S. That will be a great opportunity to shake off some of the cobwebs. I think doing that two week run, it will get us back in touring shape. I’m excited about it. In January [2022] we will start the European Accept tour which will also include Phil Campbell and The Bastard Sons. That’s kind of a weird line-up because all the bands have different styles.