Band: Damageplan
Label: Elektra Records
Official Site: Click here
Date: February 05,2004
Conducted by: Damien McMullen

TMF Damien: Tell us a bit about the new album. What do you particularly pride on from this album (as in lyrics, different sound, etc)?
DP Vinnie: I’m just real proud of the fact that it’s a very diverse record. It covers everything that we’ve always been about, and then some. It goes as heavy as anything we’ve ever done, if not heavier to much deeper places and melodic places we’ve never been before.

TMF Damien: How do you feel about playing on a different caliber again?
DP Vinnie: We haven’t been out and done it yet. All I care about is playing, it doesn’t really matter where and when. But, we’re gonna do our best to kick ass no matter where we play and eventually we’re hoping’ to get back and play in the larger size venues.

TMF Damien: Do you think it’ll be a little more personal with the smaller venues?
DP Vinnie: I don’t really believe in that theory. I’ve played small places, and I’ve played almost a million people in Russia. It’s just all about the vibe. A huge audience can bring just as much intimacy as a small audience, it just depends on how you work ‘em.

TMF Damien: Did you have to apply today's pop culture to meet the demand of music fans today or did you base everything off your own instincts?
DP Vinnie: Nah man, we just came in and we started writing music and we just did what felt natural. I mean, we’ve been doing this for way too long to all of a sudden turn on MTV one day and decide I’m gonna do something that’s based around that kinda style or that culture or somethin’.

TMF Damien: What is the most ridiculous rumor you've heard about yourselves, if any?
DP Vinnie: Well, the most ridiculous rumor I ever remember hearing about Pantera was that Phil had throat cancer. That was pretty fuckin’ hilarious. But to this point, I really haven’t heard any ridiculous rumors about DamagePlan.

TMF Damien: What can we expect with your live performances? What's the energy level?
DP Vinnie: Just think of fuckin’ straight up rock; kick ass show. We’ve been rehearsing down here for over a month now. Our first show is gonna be in Nagoya, Japan on February 28th. We got a week over there and then we come back and then we start in the states and we just want the fans to come out, hear the music; get familiar with the record, and we’re gonna just fuckin’ throw down. Do what we do best.

TMF Damien: If you had the power to change anything about the music industry, what would you change?
DP Vinnie: For the entire entertainment industry just kinda to get rid of the corporate mentality. There’s not any independence anymore. No independent radio stations, no independent anything. Everything’s been bought. Record companies, they’re all owned by fuckin’ Sony and Warner Brothers instead of being independents like they used to be. So I would just try to eliminate the corporate mentality.

TMF Damien: What songs do you think will be most emotional for the fans?
DP Vinnie: I think the song “Fuck You” without a doubt. I mean I think everybody in the world has some sort of nemesis and someone they’d like to say fuck you to and I think that those are two words that are not easily forgotten.

TMF Damien: What song do you find singing to yourself when you are alone?
DP Vinnie: Probably just about anything off the new Audioslave record. It’s all pretty memorable and pretty easy to sing along to.

TMF Damien: What was it like to collaborate with Jerry Cantrell?
DP Vinnie: It was a fuckin’ blast man. We’ve been friends ever since boat vans came out in 1990. He’s from Oklahoma, grew up in Texas most of his life. We’ve always just had a really great friendship and a good bond. He always comes to my house for thanksgiving every year. He came down this year as well. We had a track left over from the routing sessions and he heard it and really thought it had an Alice In Chains meets Damageplan vibe and wanted to throw some vocals on there so we set him up in a studio and he did his thing and it turned out fuckin’ kick ass man. It’s gonna be on the Japanese B side and then it’s also gonna be on the Punisher movie soundtrack here in the United States.

TMF Damien: What do you expect to get out of this band as opposed to what you got out of being a member of Pantera?
DP Vinnie: Well, I think I got everything I ever wanted out of Pantera and the only thing I would expect is to be able to accomplish that and maybe even more with this band. Pantera was great, and it was something that me and Dime intended on lastin’ forever. It didn’t work out that way so we’re here to reclaim our territory with Damageplan and move on.

TMF Damien: If your band could take on super hero qualities, what powers would you give to each member of the band?
DP Vinnie: I don’t read too many comic books. I guess me and Dimebag would be like Batman and Robin. I guess Zilla would be like the Hulk, just a monster in every aspect of the word. And Pat would probably be like Superman I guess. Give it a little bit of everything.

TMF Damien: If you could go back in time and include Damageplan on any movie soundtrack, which would it be?
DP Vinnie: Die Hard. That’s my favorite fuckin’ movie. Love it.

TMF Damien: What song would you choose for a theme song for your life?
DP Vinnie: Any song? God damn that’s a tough one. Probably Rock & Roll all day, Party all night. Kiss. I mean fuck, that pretty much sums it all up.

TMF Damien: What band would you like to see Damageplan co-headline with?
DP Vinnie: There’s so many great bands out there that me and Dime have played with in the past and made so many great relationships. There’s really too many to get into. I mean just about anybody would be fun to play with. I guess the one that keeps comin’ up that everybody keeps talking about would be Black Label Society so I think that would be a fuckin’ amazing tour for the two of us to get together and play.

TMF Damien: What question have you been dying to have an interviewer ask you, and would you answer it for us?
DP Vinnie: Somethin’ different. (laughs) I don’t think there’s anything I haven’t been pretty much asked. I’ve been doin’ press for 14 years now. I think just about any question somebody could dream up has been asked just about one time so I don’t know what that would be.