#greg rogers

The Obsessed - Hiding Mask

1992. Lunar Womb

is the second album by band The Obsessed.   Scott Reeder later left to join Kyuss, whereupon he was replaced by Guy Pinhas. The painting on the cover is entitled Saturn Devouring His Son by Francisco de Goya.

this album already belongs to the history of doom, and is simply a must for every fan of the genre.

Righteous Riffs and the Long Road Home:

Interview with Greg Rogers of Goatsnake

By Melissa Marie (Executive Editor) Photos by Alex Watt & Melissa Marie Film by Punk Rock Karaoke

The world of heavy music is so exciting with Goatsnake now back. You know, I don't think you guys ever broke up, but were just inactive. What series of events led up to the return of Goatsnake?

Roadburn asked us to play a reunion show in 2010, so we did and we had a great time. We figured it'd be fun to play some more so we did a few U.S. shows in 2010 and some in Europe the following year. We sort of drifted off for a couple years, and in 2013 I was in Memphis playing a fest with The Obsessed and ran into Mike Dean from Corrosion of Conformity in the lobby of the hotel. He said "Y'all should get Goatsnake back together - I'll play bass." I hollered at Anderson when I got home and asked if he had any new stuff, and he did. And, as much as we'd all love to play with Mike Dean - he's such a monster player and cool guy - his being on the other side of the country just wouldn't work logistically, especially with writing and stuff. By the way, Mike, if you're reading this, any time you wanna jam - holler!

I've read in some interviews that you and Greg Anderson were the ones to get the ball rolling on 'Black Age Blues' (2016). How did you guys approach Pete Stahl about recording something new after all that time?

Basically, we just contacted Pete and he was into it. I'd been playing with Scott Renner in Sonic Medusa and liked how we locked up so we got him on board, too, and here we are!

Was there a lot of pressure or tension to ensure the new record was up to par? There are definitely a lot of high expectations for comeback albums.

No pressure or tension at all. We do this stuff because it’s fun and we enjoy it. Obviously, we wanted everything to be as good as it can be, and we won't go half-assed on anything, but that's because it's how we like to do things, not because we feel pressure. Nick Raskulinecz, the producer, was obviously a big part of the record, as well. Aside from being technically great and having an amazing ear, he's very chill and knows how to work with people and read the vibe and keep the energy flowing in the right direction. I can't say enough good about the guy. He very much deserves every bit of the success he's had as a producer.

"Coffee and Whiskey" is one of those songs that most people either love or they hate it. Was there a lot of focus on this song while piecing the record together?

When we were writing it, we knew it was a little different, with the groove and all that, but I don't recall us putting that much thought to it. I think where it really took off was when Pete did the vocals. I wasn't around for that, but I understand they [Greg, Pete, and Nick] had a huge time finishing that one off. I can't speak for the other guys, but I was definitely surprised when I started hearing that people had such strong reactions - positive and negative - to that song.

Speaking of Pete, Goatsnake wouldn't be Goatsnake without him. The man's voice has a charming quality and sounds so upbeat even with the bleakest of lyrics. When did you first met Pete and did you think you'd still be making music with him today?

I first met him when I was playing with The Obsessed in the early 90's. I always knew about of Scream, of course and it was really cool to meet him and Franz. We did shows together when they had Wool, and we hung out a lot back then and had some really good times. When Greg, Guy, and I were playing and decided to ask Pete to sing, we didn't know what to expect, as the music we were working on wasn't the type of stuff we'd heard Pete sing on before. We figured he'd be awesome, but we didn't know if he'd be interested. We were super stoked when he said he was in.

I totally agree that we wouldn't be Goatsnake without Pete. What he brings is really special, and when we're playing a gig and Pete is fired up and doing his thing - that shit gets me going! His energy is very infectious and I love it. Like Scott, our bass player, said: "Sometimes, he looks over on stage and goes, Holy shit! That's Pete Stahl!" I - and I'm sure the rest of the guys - feel very fortunate to have Pete singing with us.

Seeing you guys in Indy back in December was incredible, on your tour with Pelican. Not only was it your first show in Indiana, but it was the first time Goatsnake has been in the Midwest. Do you have any upcoming touring plans?

Thanks! The only thing we have booked right now is Hellfest in June. Greg Anderson has a lot of Sunn O))) stuff going on and Pete will be out tour managing a lot this year, so I don't think we'll be quite as active in 2016 as we were in 2015.

So what else will Goatsnake be up to for the rest of 2016?

I'm hoping we can get a little writing in this year and see where that goes. We all have pretty busy lives, but we do enjoy playing together so hopefully we'll find time to make some noise. When G.A. brings in new riffs it's like opening Christmas presents!

You can read Melissa's review of Goatsnake's 'Black Age Blues' (2015 - Southern Lord Recordings) here.

So at a BBQ at Greg Roger’s place last night. Got a ragged happy birthday or two, some cool little gifts I wasn’t expecting and a couple hours sitting around the fire with the usual suspects staring into the flames and listening to each other talk. Incredible how many stars you can see over such a big city. And how sweet LA can be outdoors on a spring night. Nightbirds, coyotes, rock’n'roll…