EXODUS - Rob Dukes

Given the chance by their upcoming DVD release Shovel Headed Tour Machine, Elena Mihailidou of Metalzone.gr had the chance to interview Rob Dukes Of EXODUS. Rob talks about the DVD that’s being released January 12th in the US and January 15th in Europe, their new album which will be released in May but also about thrash metal in general. \r\n

\r\nScroll down to the bottom of the page to find the link to download the audio of the interview.  \r\n

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\r\nMetalzone.gr: At the other end of our line is Rob Dukes from EXODUS, hello Rob, welcome in Metalzone
\r\nRob Dukes: Hello, how are you?
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: We’re impatient about your next release.
\r\nRob Dukes: Oh great, It’s always a good thing
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Tell us a few things about Shovel Headed Tour Machine.
\r\nRob Dukes: It’s a DVD that I made, for about 4 years, put it all together, edited it with a friend of mine Craig. We spent about a year going through endless hours of footage. We just tried to make an entertaining DVD. Tried to give the fans a really good look inside the band, what is like backstage and on the bus, that’s basically what it is.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: There’s also going to be a documentary DVD included in the package
\r\nRob Dukes: Yes actually that’s what I was talking about. That’s the gist of the DVD is the documentary. Along with the DVD there’s a live concert from WACKEN, an hour long performance filmed by the people of WACKEN, a six camera point of view and that also comes in audio cd but the documentary part is what I was talking about the last 4 years…
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: The other DVD is the live show in WACKEN.
\r\nRob Dukes: Yes, it’s a 3 DVD set. 2 DVDs, the one has the live concert from WACKEN from 2007, then there’s a two hour documentary, the compilation of the last 4 years, of video that I’ve taken of the band and me and my friend Craig edited it over the last year, put it all together, in between tours it’s kind of hard to give it all my time but in between tours I did the best I could and we put together a good DVD it’s very funny, it shows the band in a different way rather than just onstage. A lot of back stage stuff so… It’s very cool, very funny, and very entertaining.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Are you also working on new material?
\r\nRob Dukes: I was actually about to track vocals the moment you called for the new album which will be out in May.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Can you give us any ideas on it?
\r\nRob Dukes: It’s very fast. Very fast and very dark, so…
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Very dark?
\r\nRob Dukes: I am not goanna hype it up too much, or overextend my …. I am just going to say that it’s very fast and very dark.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Dark in what way? Lyric wise?
\r\nRob Dukes: The imagery, what the songs are about is kind of dark. The drumming and the guitar it’s very fast and for me a very good record.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Are there any plans of touring in support of these releases?
\r\nRob Dukes: At this point the only tours that I know that we have are January 20th we go on a tour with Arch Enemy, I am not sure if we will be playing something new. We might not. I think we’d like to. But the thing about when you play a new record that’s not out yet when the fans hear the songs it’s a weird moment cause they’ve never heard it before so… We might play something new, we might not.
\r\nMetalzone.gr: Are there any plans to bring you back to Greece?
\r\nRob Dukes: I hope so, I loved it there.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Last time you were here, it was panic!
\r\nRob Dukes: Yeah it was great show the city was kind weird because I think the police killed a kid and there was rioting and stuff but it was a fun place I had a really good time. Even though all that, that was going on. The crowd was great, the show was awesome, so… It was great to play with Sabbat, Entombed was awesome, it was a good so and we had a good time.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Do you feel thrash metal is getting back its 80s glory?
\r\nRob Dukes: I would like to think so. I just think that for most metal heads it never went anywhere. Most metal heads were always listening. As far as commercial success I don’t know, I am not really sure. I would like to think so. As far as being on MTV and having a big Headbanger’s show on, I don’t think that’s goanna happen.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Do you listen to any new bands you think have the same feeling you have? That can become as big as you are?
\r\nRob Dukes: I think Evile and Warbringer are the two young bands that I know of that are really good bands and hold the torch of that 80s sound and are definitely experimenting at bringing it to another level. Those are two bands that stand out for me. Doing thrash metal justice on a bunch of young kids..
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Being in the scene for so many years can you trace any differences to the crowds coming in to your shows today?
\r\nRob Dukes: I was a fan back in the 80s so… I would say that they were just as crazy then as they are now. Maybe a little crazier back in the day before the world became so PC but I think fans are just as crazy as they were then as they are now.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Do you like it that today’s world is so PC like?
\r\nRob Dukes: No I do not; I think it’s pretty lame actually. Back when they made ballsy movies and ballsy music, for most of the world it’s become a little too… everyone is too afraid to say what they mean and there are certain people that don’t and I think EXODUS is one of them. I think we are unrelenting and we never have conformed to what the world… we spoke our own minds.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Do you think that the style of your music makes you have this attitude?
\r\nRob Dukes: I don’t think you can play thins kind of music and sing about anything happy (laughs) except for violent happy. It’s one way of looking at things.
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\r\nMetalzone.gr: Last words are to you to send a message to the Greek fans
\r\nRob Dukes: I am really stoked that we got a chance to go there and I can’t wait to go back, it was awesome, loved it!
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\r\nDownload the audio file of the interview and listen to Rob’s interview HERE. \r\n

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