How the hell are you?
Eric (E): We're at fucking Hellfest and we're hella good!
Steve (S): We're going to have to get Chuck to say that tonight, “What's up Hellafest?”
What's your experience with Hellfest been like thus far?
E: So far the experience has been really nice. Manicures, massages, it's been a great experience! (Laughter) It's run really well, they have good food here, the cheese is awesome.
S: This festival is put together excellently man, it's one of the best.
I guess there's a couple things I want to pick apart, one of which is weird but I can only ask since Chuck isn't here... what is it like being in a band with a guy who manages a bunch of other bands?
E: Well it didn't start off that way so it's kind of something that he's chosen to do later in his life so it doesn't really affect us I don't think. If anything it keeps him occupied and keeps him from yelling at me all the time! That's a joke but every joke has a little bit of truth to it.
S: He just took them on to keep the machine running.
E: Chuck always needs to be doing something or else he will go crazy. He always needs another job. He's a very mobile guy. He gets up at six, he's always trying to do something – so I think it's great that he's doing that. He's great at organizing stuff.
What do you guys do when you're not Testament-ing?
E: I'm always Testament-ing!
S: We're all family men – life takes up all our time!
E: He's got chickens running around everywhere. I'm really into archery and playing guitar.
Archery?
E: I'm really good at it actually!
How long have you been doing that?
E: I don't know – 10 years? I've been doing it a long time, I've been doing it a lot in the last 10 years.
What got you into that?
E: Robin Hood, duh! Pop culture shit in general, Lord Of The Rings, Katniss. Little things trigger it and make me want to do it again.
So you're into the Hunger Games?
E: I was a big fan of the books from my kids. They influence me a lot. When I read the first one I was intrigued by the characters and I remember when the movie came out and it was a cult phenomenon. I remember seeing it opening night and it was this cool underground thing for a small collective group that read the book. It started out as being just for people who read the book before other people hopped in and were like “Oh this is cool!” Now it's kind of gay to say you like it because it's pop culture now but when it first came out it was more hip. You know what I mean.
Eric (E): We're at fucking Hellfest and we're hella good!
Steve (S): We're going to have to get Chuck to say that tonight, “What's up Hellafest?”
What's your experience with Hellfest been like thus far?
E: So far the experience has been really nice. Manicures, massages, it's been a great experience! (Laughter) It's run really well, they have good food here, the cheese is awesome.
S: This festival is put together excellently man, it's one of the best.
I guess there's a couple things I want to pick apart, one of which is weird but I can only ask since Chuck isn't here... what is it like being in a band with a guy who manages a bunch of other bands?
E: Well it didn't start off that way so it's kind of something that he's chosen to do later in his life so it doesn't really affect us I don't think. If anything it keeps him occupied and keeps him from yelling at me all the time! That's a joke but every joke has a little bit of truth to it.
S: He just took them on to keep the machine running.
E: Chuck always needs to be doing something or else he will go crazy. He always needs another job. He's a very mobile guy. He gets up at six, he's always trying to do something – so I think it's great that he's doing that. He's great at organizing stuff.
What do you guys do when you're not Testament-ing?
E: I'm always Testament-ing!
S: We're all family men – life takes up all our time!
E: He's got chickens running around everywhere. I'm really into archery and playing guitar.
Archery?
E: I'm really good at it actually!
How long have you been doing that?
E: I don't know – 10 years? I've been doing it a long time, I've been doing it a lot in the last 10 years.
What got you into that?
E: Robin Hood, duh! Pop culture shit in general, Lord Of The Rings, Katniss. Little things trigger it and make me want to do it again.
So you're into the Hunger Games?
E: I was a big fan of the books from my kids. They influence me a lot. When I read the first one I was intrigued by the characters and I remember when the movie came out and it was a cult phenomenon. I remember seeing it opening night and it was this cool underground thing for a small collective group that read the book. It started out as being just for people who read the book before other people hopped in and were like “Oh this is cool!” Now it's kind of gay to say you like it because it's pop culture now but when it first came out it was more hip. You know what I mean.
And you have chickens, Steve?
S: And horses.
Do you have a barn?
S: No just a big yard!
E: He doesn't have them in a coop, they're like, in his house and on his lap and stuff.
S: I wish I could say that wasn't true but it kind of is. They're not always in the house though!
E: When he brings eggs over and I crack them open they don't come out right away they kind of stay in there and are bright orange. I remember it was like this time I went to Spain and we would eat these beautiful eggs.
S: I feed those girls completely healthy food. Nothing processed, nothing with salt in it, no bread out of a bag. They do have a pen where they are closed in to lay their eggs and sleep and during the day they run around and get exercise. They are just healthy pets. There is no secret. From them we get delicious eggs.
E: We could have a lot of fun if we got together, my archery and your chickens!
S: Are you going to shoot my chickens? (Laughter)
Are you vegetarians?
S: Hell no!
E: I eat vegetables! But I am still an omnivore.
S: It's part of society but it's also just that when you get to this age you've got to be careful. I'm not on a super health kick but I try to make good choices. It's good to have to put things together yourself. I don't buy those white eggs at the store, mine come the backyard. It's not a perfect lifestyle but if the choice is available we take the healthier choice. It's important at this age so we don't have to give up drinking! Alcohol is so bad for you that it's better to quit it, but if we eat even better then it's going to balance out.
E: You can't be happy all the time. If you're happy all the time then you are eating a lot of junk and drinking a lot. Everything that is bad for you is fun.
S: That's the half empty side. But you also can't be forced to eat bean sprouts all the time.
E: They can be good if you put butter on it! Real butter I mean. If you want to eat something and the ingredients are one word then go for it.
S: The less ingredients, usually the better.
E: If its got like a bunch of ingredients you don't understand then be careful...
S: If you have to cook it and it can't sit on a shelf then it's probably good for you.
E: What about smoked salmon though? We got it in Seattle a year ago and only just opened it and it was delicious.
S: Now I want to go home and get mine! That's the problem on tour, we buy cool stuff and leave it in our houses and go on tour again.
I love the direction this interview went in...
E: We didn't even get into the horses!
S: They're horses! They don't let me ride, I'm too heavy.
E: They like his wife. My soccer balls hate me because I kick them and shoot at them with my arrows. I kill a lot of them. My arrows have flattened tips though for knocking squirrels and pests out. They're great.
S: And horses.
Do you have a barn?
S: No just a big yard!
E: He doesn't have them in a coop, they're like, in his house and on his lap and stuff.
S: I wish I could say that wasn't true but it kind of is. They're not always in the house though!
E: When he brings eggs over and I crack them open they don't come out right away they kind of stay in there and are bright orange. I remember it was like this time I went to Spain and we would eat these beautiful eggs.
S: I feed those girls completely healthy food. Nothing processed, nothing with salt in it, no bread out of a bag. They do have a pen where they are closed in to lay their eggs and sleep and during the day they run around and get exercise. They are just healthy pets. There is no secret. From them we get delicious eggs.
E: We could have a lot of fun if we got together, my archery and your chickens!
S: Are you going to shoot my chickens? (Laughter)
Are you vegetarians?
S: Hell no!
E: I eat vegetables! But I am still an omnivore.
S: It's part of society but it's also just that when you get to this age you've got to be careful. I'm not on a super health kick but I try to make good choices. It's good to have to put things together yourself. I don't buy those white eggs at the store, mine come the backyard. It's not a perfect lifestyle but if the choice is available we take the healthier choice. It's important at this age so we don't have to give up drinking! Alcohol is so bad for you that it's better to quit it, but if we eat even better then it's going to balance out.
E: You can't be happy all the time. If you're happy all the time then you are eating a lot of junk and drinking a lot. Everything that is bad for you is fun.
S: That's the half empty side. But you also can't be forced to eat bean sprouts all the time.
E: They can be good if you put butter on it! Real butter I mean. If you want to eat something and the ingredients are one word then go for it.
S: The less ingredients, usually the better.
E: If its got like a bunch of ingredients you don't understand then be careful...
S: If you have to cook it and it can't sit on a shelf then it's probably good for you.
E: What about smoked salmon though? We got it in Seattle a year ago and only just opened it and it was delicious.
S: Now I want to go home and get mine! That's the problem on tour, we buy cool stuff and leave it in our houses and go on tour again.
I love the direction this interview went in...
E: We didn't even get into the horses!
S: They're horses! They don't let me ride, I'm too heavy.
E: They like his wife. My soccer balls hate me because I kick them and shoot at them with my arrows. I kill a lot of them. My arrows have flattened tips though for knocking squirrels and pests out. They're great.
