IT’S ALL ABOUT THE ENERGY
After a year of constant touring, Ded still going strong with recent album
WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 17 WHERE: Sunshine Theater, 120 W. Central HOW MUCH: $29, plus fees at holdmyticket.com
Writing music takes somewhat of a hiatus when Ded is on tour.
The Arizona metal band has been on tour for almost a year now. When not on stage the band’s time is spent doing interviews and meeting with its fans.
“It will be a full year straight of touring,” Ded vocalist Joe Cotela said. “I was pretty burnt out on writing music as (guitarist) David (Ludlow) was as well. We had written for about two years straight maybe three years. I think we had exhausted even the idea of writing music. It was a little different this time but it’s been a while. We might write a little on tour but frankly on tour I’m pretty in the zone. I’m pretty (busy) having to deal with everything that we are dealing with while we are on tour. We try to stay busy. We do a lot of radio, we do a lot of interviews, we do a lot of meetand-greet stuff. We try to make the most of every stop plus we’re tired. We’re grumpy, hungover sometimes, whatever it is. So I don’t think it’s that conducive for us to write on the road. Although we’ve discussed how to change that and we want to be more productive in that right.”
Ded is currently on tour promoting its album "mis-an-thrope," which features the songs "AntiEverything” and “Disassociate” that get the crowds going during live shows.
“Those two (songs) really pop off for whatever reason live,” Cotela said. “I like them all. I like all the songs in their own right. But the show is what’s up. The sing-a-longs and the jumping around and whatever. However people want to express themselves that night. I just like the energy. I’m all about that.”
The meaning behind “Anti-Everything” is not as literal as people might think.
“It really is about being an individual, for me anyway,” Cotela said. “I don’t want anyone to speak for me ever. I don’t want to be part of a group that speaks for me that messes up my vibe. I want to be speaking for myself. I want to be my own group. I want to take parts of things that
I like and create my own way and that’s what ‘Anti-Everything’ is about. It’s really just about individuality. Wanting to speak for myself and wanting to create my own genre I guess you could call it.”
Off tour Cotela does most of his writing at home when most people are sleeping.
“Being home is where I know I write the best,” he said. “I stay up all night and I just play guitar. I feel like my energy is different at night when the whole world is asleep. There’s something that I’ve always loved about that and that’s when I write a lot. I think it’s a creative person thing. I’ve heard Marilyn Manson say something about it, too, where all that brain energy is being used so you get to harness all of it like a lightning rod. All that energy comes down into your brain and you can really use the universe’s energy. Whether it’s true or not, it’s just cool.”