Sci-Fi prog rockers Coheed and Cambria hit stage at the Fillmore tonight with guests Between the Buried and Me and Russian Circles. Tickets are still available right here.
We chatted with bass player Zach Wilson about the new album The Afterman: Ascension and the show tonight. Check it out.
MCB: You joined Coheed and Cambria last year, is this your
first time on the road with the band?
Zach Wilson: No, I joined in about May so this is the…fourth
or fifth tour for me.MCB: Cool, so you’re well initiated by now. How would you say you fit in, with your own personal playing style with band? Putting your own mark on the old material?
ZW: My personal style is not that different from Mike, maybe not as percussive or as much slap style. I find my way through the material and they let me explore a bit. Not worrying about the past, just finding my place. We play the older tunes and I can apply my style to them.
MCB: What was it like joining a band like Coheed and Cambria? You were essentially cold-called to audition, were you already a fan of the band?
ZW: Yeah, I was a big fan before of the band…they came from the area near where I grew up and they were a big deal to us when they did well. So when I first went in to audition, it was kind of intimidating. I didn’t want to be a fan, I wanted to be professional. But it went well.
MCB: How was the recording experience for The Afterman? Was the album already done when you joined or were you involved in writing? What was the process like?
ZW: I wasn’t that involved with writing, they already had three tracks ready at that point. They would record three or four songs at a time, lay down the ideas. I would get the demos and start learning and getting my own ideas.
MCB: And was there a concept or story line in place already or how did that develop?
ZW: The concept came together as the songs took shape. Claude would write the songs and gather together a storyline.
MCB: We’re really looking forward to the show, what can we expect to hear?
ZW: Lots of new stuff and the classics. It’s a good mix, packed with new and old material.
MCB: Are there any new bands that you’re into that you’ve seen while on the road?
ZW: Yeah, we’ve toured with a couple great bands…I like August Burns Red, some bands around Philadelphia…Moving Mountains, Between the Buried and Me and Russian Circles are on tour with us.
MCB: Cool, anything else you want Detroit to know about the show?
ZW: This is my first time in Detroit, I’m really looking
forward to it!
