On December 5, I was part of a mass of concertgoers who’d packed into the Satyricon, a small, dark bar in Portland, Oregon, to see sludge lords Eyehategod, and early in the night the members of the band were squeezed right in among us. “The more drugs you give us, the longer we’ll play,” drummer Joey LaCaze told me. Guitarist Jimmy Bower shot back, “He came from Chicago. He doesn’t have any drugs.” I had, and I didn’t.
Eyehategod’s current tour ends with two nights at the Empty Bottle, June 19 and 20. On Saturday they’ll play 1992’s In the Name of Suffering top to bottom, and on Sunday they’ll do the same for 1993’s Take as Needed for Pain.
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Well, I certainly hope so. We’ve never planned to be dangerous; it’s just happened that way, I guess. When we were younger, the shock value of our whole persona combined with an antisober attitude and a true anger and depression manifested itself in this twisted way, much to our delight. Something about this type of music makes people wanna freak the fuck out and go apeshit. If we are and can remain threatening to the mainstream-shit art and music world, so mote it be.
What are you looking to get out of an audience?
They’ve basically been there my whole life. However cryptic some of my words may be, it all comes from a very real place and I have found personally that the bad things in life generate some sort of mechanism to let it all out at a later date, blow off the evil steam. It’s all part of the creative process.
I’ve been there many times; it’s a beautiful city. How strong an influence has that been?
As far as the city as a whole, it’s brought us all together closer as a family I think. As for me personally, it’s made me a stronger person, made me think about life and relationships, made me appreciate certain things.
Sat 6/19, 8 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $25, $20 in advance, 21+.
Ten Suicides
Sun 6/20, 3 PM, Reckless Records, 1532 N. Milwaukee, 773-235-3727.
Eyehategod, Nachtmystium, the Atlas Moth, Yakuza, Bongripper Sun 6/20, 8 PM, Empty Bottle, 1035 N. Western, 773-276-3600 or 866-468-3401, $25, $20 in advance, 21+.
