Waylon Reavis of A Killer’s Confession sat down with me straight out of the recording studio. We talked a lot about what goes into his music, pulling from deep feelings to express that in music, his country roots, his inspirations, missing home, and traveling the world.
Leaving Mushroomhead to start A Killer’s Confession opened up the opportunity to create more meaningful music for Waylon. His new music direction is taking him into a new direction that’s healthier and more open for creative and experimental opportunities. With their successful beginning, A Killer’s Confession is working hard to continuously release new music. Just one month after their debut album, they were back in the recording studio and have released 2 singles since then, and working on their second album to release later this year.
Stay up-to-date on their happenings at www.facebook.com/AKillersConfession
Side Stage Magazine: Can you tell me about your guys’ first album? What went into it?
Waylon Reavis: Unbroken was put out by EMP. We wrote the album in 30 days and poured out a lot. That was the first time that I’d done anything since I left Mushroomhead. I was privileged to have Brian Head Welch, from Korn, actually play on a song with us. He actually got to play on the song “A Killer’s Confession” and that kind of just launched this whole thing into action for us. And it helped us a lot. Because being that A Killer’s Confession, I was in Mushroomhead for 7 years, A Killer’s Confession is a new band. It really is starting over. I was lucky enough to have one of the bigger acts step in and help us get my foot in the door. So that’s how Unbroken went down. Unbroken was just really angry. I’m not going to lie about it, it was a very very angry album, but I just had to get it off my chest. But once that was done, I was able to move on a few months later, cause we released Unbroken in May, then I was back in the studio in June recording “Angel” and “I wish.” Those songs are dramatically different. Once I was able to let all that anger out, I was able to go into other emotions and other feelings in my mind and really the sound of A Killer’s Confession was able to blossom. We had what we had, but it was very linear. If I stay on this path, we’re just going to be a very angry band, and we don’t want to do that. So once I got that off my chest, I was like “Screw this! Let’s show another side.” “Angel” and “I Wish” came about and worked with [Sound Engineer] here in L.A. and I’m working with him again, because it just turned out so well. He was able to pull out fresh ideas, things I had never thought about and do things I had never thought about, and now we’re working with him again now. It’s just beautiful. It’s really untelling the way we’re going to go, cause we can go several ways. We can be a more mellow band, but at the same time, we can rip your face off and we really like that.
Yeah, I do too! I actually saw something that said Heavy Metal is really good for your mental health, cause you’re able to just take out that anger that you need to just release. So that’s good to hear about your new songs.
Yeah, exactly! Trust me. People already know, they go “what? You don’t do heavy music anymore?” Yeah, I’m gonna do heavy music! I’m dabbling with the stuff I really want to do. I’ve always loved the style of “Angel.” When I first started, I did that screaming stuff that I’ve been known for. I used it kind of like punctuation. You know when you’re getting ready to resolve your verse or your chorus, you put that umph into it. It kind of got to that point where I was being forced to do it more and more and more and more and it became “well, that’s kind of what he does,” and people forgot that I can sing. People started commenting “Wow! This guy can sing!” No, I just stopped doing it for a long time, but I can do it! I would really love to pull into that really sorrowful voice, that empathy, and when you do the screams, they have meaning. They really do just punch you in the face.
Yeah.
I like it like that. Me personally, I have a good mixture of some good screaming and some harmonies. Even the occasional rap, I don’t mind. You know, tastefully, but never too much of one thing.
Right, right. I like that approach a lot. I think that’s why I like Breaking Benjamin’s new track, “Red Cold River.” It just mixes all those elements like you said.
Yeah. Well, we’re musicians–music’s meant to be shared and we’re meant to grow and learn from each other. And I love watching the other bands, upcoming bands, and bands that are established I love watching what they’re doing and learning from it. And taking that, not ripping them off, but learning from what they’ve done. You know, it’s like “Be inspired.” That’s how I feel about music in general. We’re here to inspire. To do something better. To help you grieve. To help you deal with the anger. That’s our job. My biggest thing is I like Maynard. So, I always go back to Tool and listen to Maynard and learn something every time I listen to him. Every time. Maynard’s just got that voice. He can sing anything, and it just soothes me. I love that, I love a good vocalist who can, for lack of a better word, just hit the mark. I love getting lost in the melodies, it doesn’t matter if I understand what you’re saying or not, like I love listening to Ramstein. I love listening to him sing, I can’t understand a word of it no matter how much I’ve listened to it. Then I looked it up and went “OK, I wish I hadn’t have looked that up.” We know if you look up what Ramstein songs are, I’ve got the Live in the Now album and I love it, and I looked it up and now I’m like “Woah! They were saying that in German, I didn’t want to know that!”
I’m so in the mode right now, though. We started working on this new song today, and it’s just absolutely amazing. I’m like “Wow!” I walked out with my mouth on the floor, “Damn! I get to sing on that? That’s awesome!”
I can’t wait to hear it! You were saying you get to tap into different emotions. As a fan, I can say that music is such a big part of anyone’s life and sometimes you can’t express yourself any other way than with a song, and I think you bring that great element to be able to express yourself or be able to figure out your feelings. It’s really kind of cathartic as a listener.
One thing that I do like to do, is I always have a purpose in my songs. Especially now with A Killer’s Confession. I always wrote my parts if that makes sense. Especially with more than one vocalist, you wrote your part, you filled your area. But with this, it’s like it’s fully thought ideas. I’m old school, I love Johnny Cash, I love storytelling. I love it! I love that hidden meaning in a song. Now that I have this, especially today, writing lyrics the feeling was so deep and where we were going with it, using metaphors, having that underlined meaning of what’s the moral of the story? What’s happening? I just can’t wait to get back [in the studio]. I’m so in the mode with this, and I’m just really looking forward to it. If this is the beginning of it, where it’s going, just oh my God! You always set yourself a bar to jump, and I set it pretty high with Unbroken and I set it even higher with “Angel” and “I Wish,” and now I’m going even higher than that. And I love that, always strive to be better, but at the same time I’m out listening to new stuff to be inspired. I hate to say it, but what the kids are doing, and what my old favorites are doing. Today is just an amazing time for music. A lot of it’s not good, but there stuff out there that will just blow your damn mind. In today’s world, everybody has an outlet. Like I said, there’s a lot of crap, but there’s some amazing stuff that just reinvents the wheel. Just this new EDM, Dubstep, all that’s changed, Hip Hop’s changed–it’s a good time to be a musician cause you have all these outlets. You can sit back and look at what’s great about each of them and combine them and try to make something new.
That’s a trend I’m noticing this year. All the albums coming out are fusions of different genres and elements.
Well, we’re trying to unite everybody, that’s why! I hate when people try to isolate themselves and classify themselves with one style, like black metal and choke metal and hard metal, slash, whatever you want to call it, you know, screamo. It’s metal! It’s fucking metal! Fuck all these sub-genres. It is music. There is nothing wrong with taking an awesome pop chorus–anybody tries to tell me they don’t like listening to a Michael Jackson chorus, that shit was awesome! Justin Timberlake is just as awesome! You can learn a lot from that stuff. There’s nothing wrong with that, there’s nothing wrong with experimenting. Like I said, it’s music. It’s meant to be done. Hell, they hooked up a distortion pedal to a banjo and it was faster and more shredding than the fastest guitar slayer.
Oh, I’m looking forward to hearing that!
Go look it up online. This dude’s playing thrash metal on a banjo through distortion, and it’s like “holy shit!” Woah, that’s really fast!
I’m from North Carolina, and I grew up with Bluegrass and all of that, and–I mean, my name’s Waylon and my brother’s Willie. We’re named after Waylon and Willie, I was bred through that. Now, that I’m older, I’m glad that I was forced to listen to that kind of stuff. I didn’t like it as a kid, and it pushed me to metal cause “my parents like country, and that’s crap and I’m named after Waylon…” I’d come into school and my cousin’s would be singing a Waylon song and looking right at me and my brother. But now, I could listen to that, and Waylon Jennings and Willie Nelson are awesome! I love Johnny Cash, I love the storytelling those guys did. They were great songwriters and they could tell stories and it was awesome. I’m able to take from that and put it into my music, because I did learn, and I set myself up and humbled myself and listened. It may not have been my cup of tea, but man, you can’t deny when it’s great.
Absolutely!
And that’s the thing, I’m not gonna say that about Frank Sinatra, I won’t cause I don’t like it. All that stuff from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s, I love. Half the time we’ll be on the bus with the band, and I’ll put on some Conway Twitty just to fuck with them. “Hello, darling!”
You think about my heritage and where I’m from, cause I wear it proud. Some people think I speak like a dirty wheelbarrow, but I’m proud of who I am! I’m proud of what I’ve done, what I’ve accomplished, but just because I talk funny don’t mean I won’t yell at you like the best of them.
Where in North Carolina are you from?
I am from Wilkesboro, NC. Here’s another little tidbit about where I’m from. There’s only 4 things, well 5 cause I’m one of them, that came out of my town. 1. If you’ve ever heard of Thunder Road, white liquor, that came from my hometown. 2. Lowes Hardware. 3. Nascar. 4. Zach Galifianakis
Really?
Yes. Zach Galifianakis went to highschool with me. He was a few years above me.
I’m in North Carolina now too.
Oh yeah, so you know what I’m talking about! You should go look up Wilkesboro and you’ll be like “Oh my God!” All that moonshine and bootlegging, Thunder Road, that’s where I’m from. Those mountains that go into Tennessee. But all that and Lowes Hardware all came out of my hometown.
That’s pretty awesome!
Yeah. The only thing people know came out of North Carolina are Zach Galifianakis and myself.
Well, then, obviously great talent comes out of Wilkesboro, NC.
Don’t say all that! But honestly, where I’m from, it’s very talented. It’s all Bluegrass, the main music from there is the mountain music. I’ll be honest with you, it’s beautiful! Like I said, I’m older. When I was young I was like “Damn, this stuff is terrible!” But now, I get it, I understand, I humbled myself as a musician and as a person and love and respect other people’s art, and it’s amazing.
What part of North Carolina are you in?
I live in Havelock, but I work out of Jacksonville.
Oh yeah, I had played Hooligans many times!
Yeah, I go to The Tarheel a lot, and there’s a really good local metal scene.
Oh yes, the metal scene in North Carolina’s awesome!
It’s almost underground, it reaches to Raleigh and it’s amazing how they’re [the bands] are all connected.
Oh yeah, and being in North Carolina, you get it, it has to be! We’ve got Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Raleigh-Durham area, and that’s about it. We’ve got that little triad area. Nobody wants to beat their city into the ground, so you go one night in Jacksonville, one night in Charlotte, one night in Raleigh, one night in Salem and maybe hit Stage 4 in Hickory. Then maybe there’s a chance you can go all night to Nashville.
That’s a bit of a drive.
Yeah, that’s a drive! Anyone from North Carolina knows that the drive from nose to end is not fun!
No! Driving from Asheville to Havelock was SO scary!
Oh yes, God bless you! We always drove from Wilkesboro to Carolina Beach and that was a 10 hour drive! And that’s from tip-to-tip, well not even tip-to-tip, that’s just the top area by Virginia and Tennessee where I’m from and you drive all the way down to the corner, that was 10 hours. That was back in the day before all our highways, it was all 55 the whole way. My dad would wake me up at 2 in the morning and say we’re going fishing. “Oh boy. Here’s a drive!”
The one thing about being down south is you’ve got Smithfield’s and Bojangles, and everyone’s got that Southern hospitality. That’s the only thing I miss about North Carolina, and you know what I mean!
Oh yeah!
Southern hospitality! There’s nothing like it and you won’t find it anywhere else!
Oh yeah, I agree! And it’s funny, when we said we were moving to North Carolina everyone was like “Oh, you’ve gotta go to Bojangles and you have to try that North Carolina BBQ, but be prepared, it’s different!”
Oh, I love North Carolina BBQ, there’s nothing like it. Mmm! It’s vinegar based. Go down to the ballpark, pick it up on a Sunday after church. I know! I miss it! You ask for it anywhere else, you get your slaw, ketchup, chips, you ask for it [vinegar] and you get “you’re disgusting!” It’s Good!
Boiled peanuts?
Boiled peanuts! I forgot about boiled peanuts! Well, most people would think it’s gross. We just grew up with it.
I have it on my timeline, my Facebook friends are equally divided. You either love them or hate them, there’s no in between.
You either like them or hate them. My dad loved them. To me, I’m like a dog. You feed them to me and they’re great! I’ll spit it out if it’s all slimy. You can tell I miss it. Oh Lord, I’m from North Carolina and I’m all the way out in L.A. right now, my accent’s getting worse cause I know you’re there.
Oh, but you know what, I really miss a California burritos!
See? I’m getting ready to go get dinner, now you’re saying something to me. Ok. Ok.
Now that you’re sufficiently hungry…
Oh yeah. Well, I’ve been in the studio all day and I’m ready to eat, and you said burritos. My girlfriend she brought up Mexican food.
There is nothing better than a Carne Asada burrito.
Carne asada mm, ok. If I can say it right. “Can I get a carnayed asada?”
We got a little side-tracked, but thank you for allowing me to take the conversation in that direction!
Absolutely!
So you’ve released two singles, and you’ve been in the studio all day, when do you think the newest album with be released?
September.
September? Man you guys are busy!
Yes! And as soon as I’m done with that, I’ll probably get started on another one after that! I plan on doing an album a year.
That’s great! What can people expect, what can you tell me about this new album?
We don’t know yet. It could go emotional and it can get angry. But people can expect more emotion. People can expect a depth that I’ve never given. Like the deeper you get into it, the better it gets. I’m am holding no restraints. I’m going to say what needs to be said, and some people might not like it. I’m going to say things and your feelings might get hurt. I don’t care. I don’t like a lot of the world I live in, a lot of it I do, but I’m speaking on the parts I really do not like. And this album is called The Indifference of Good Men for a reason. If you’ve seen The Boondock Saints, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Equal man, equal dead man.
And you shouldn’t have to censor yourself, so that’s great that you’re unapologetically you in this album.
Why should I censor myself? I’m an American citizen!
Absolutely!
With the freedom of speech and rights. Now the right to run my mouth is all day long.
Absolutely!
You know, I say that, but I won’t touch on anybody on race, color, gender, creed, sexual orientation. All that’s off limits. I won’t touch that stuff with a ten-foot pole. You are who you are and God bless you, I’m serious. I love everybody equally, as long as you’re a good person, but, self-serving reflecting god from your phone-fuck that. When you become the god of your universe, when you forget you’re living in our world with the rest of us, mm-mmm. I’m done with that! The selfie-taking–and I’ll post some event stuff which shows people where I’m at, but this constant me-me-me, I-I-I bitching Facebook, argh! Get off the phone and do something! I cannot stand it anymore. One of those things that it’s hurt us more than anything. I’ve watched people text each other from across the room.
Oh yeah.
A lot of people don’t like to hear that, but I’m so glad that Facebook is having all these problems they’re having now where they’ve tapped into you. I love it! I’d love to see this shit burn! I seriously only go on when it’s business-related, cause I know that you’re there. As much as I hate it, I have to go into that world knowing that you’re there. If you ever see my personal page, you’ll see I’m never there. People try to message me, but if you want to say hey to me, come to a show.
I’ve noticed the more successful people, they’re harder workers and they’re off Facebook more.
You have to be! You cannot live in that fake world. But I do like YouTube. I like YouTube cause I like to see how horrible the conspiracy goes. That is my personal dark pleasure.
It was really great talking to you! You have a great evening!
Thank you so much, darlin.
