Entertainer about the band’s new album, its
history and why he likes playing in Chicago.
By Kelley Simms
THE SHOW GOES ON
Flotsam and Jetsam
P
hoenix thrashers Flotsam and Jetsam
never achieved the accolades that some
of its peers have, but the quintet
remains an integral part of the metal genre.
The band formed in 1981 in the heyday of
thrash when the burgeoning scene was pro-
ducing influential groups such as Slayer,
Metallica, Anthrax, and Exodus. After losing
bassist/principal songwriter/part-time man-
ager Jason Newsted to Metallica just after the
release of its 1986 debut album Doomsday for
the Deceiver, the band could have completely
derailed. However, storming back with the
triumphant sophomore release, No Place For
Disgrace, the group proved it could carry on
without Newsted.
Although Flotsam went through a bit of a
dry spell during the late ’90s and early '00s,
their self-titled 2016 release put the band back
on track. Now on its 14th studio album, The
End of Chaos, the band has returned to its clas-
sic melodic thrash sound. Featuring the pul-
sating basslines of Michael Spencer, the classic
riffs of longtime guitarist Michael Gilbert,
along with guitarist Steve Conley and jour-
neyman drummer Ken Mary, they all blend to
compliment vocalist Eric “A.K.” Knutson and
his distinctive vocals, giving Flotsam and
Jetsam a unique identity.
On the heels of the band’s current headlin-
ing Forbidden Territories of the World Tour,
guitarist Michael Gilbert spoke to Illinois
Mosh:The 2016 self-titled album was a suc-
cessful rebirth of the band’s classic sound.
You’ve stated elsewhere that you consider it
to be a stepping stone to the End of Chaos
sound.
Michael Gilbert: There was some good music
we were writing after No Place for Disgrace, but
really, we hadn’t latched back onto our niche
until the self-titled record. I do consider that a
stepping-stone, or kind of [us] stepping back
and regaining ourselves. I think the self-titled
album, and The End of Chaos, the songwriting
- something happened with the current lineup
it just works really well together. Everybody’s
got some value that they bring to the music.
There isn’t one guy doing everything, but it’s
five guys doing everything. If you can do it
without arguing, and you do it smoothly, and
everybody gives and takes, and you just try to
make the best song possible, I think that’s the
formula for it. And I think we’ve got it.
Mosh: It wasn’t that you weren’t putting out
good material in the '90s and beyond, but it
just didn’t seem to resonate as much with the
fans. What was it about that period?
MG: I’ve got my personal opinion, and some
people might agree, and some people might
disagree. But we’re a guitar band, and if you
go back and listen to those records, the guitars
are in the background. I really think for what
we do, that needs to be right up with every-
thing else, and that was maybe a mixing thing
or a mastering thing, I don’t know. But I just
know when I listen to it on my system at
home, I’m struggling to hear it. It’s almost like
a chore to listen to certain things, or some fre-
quencies might bother me a little bit. I’m
super hypercritical about it, and I guess that’s
part of being a perfectionist; to admit that
you’re never finished working on it. It always
seems like you’re never done. But you've got
to stop some time I guess.
Mosh: The End of Chaos has stellar produc-
tion with excellent mixing and mastering that
lets each instrument shine through with blaz-
ing colors.
MG: Soundwise, we didn’t have a goal; we
were just trying to write the heaviest stuff we
could. It starts with Steve and me writing the
guitar parts, and we arrange it, too. We put
our drums on it so everybody else in the band
can get a feel for what we’re doing and what
our idea is, and then it floats around from all
the members, and everybody puts their input
on it. And then it goes to AK, and he’s the
deciding factor of what goes on the album.
Because if there’s something he feels that he
[can] write a good, strong chorus about -
that’s going to be a keeper.
Mosh: You share guitar duties with Steve
Conley, who’s been in the band since 2013.
How’s the musical chemistry between you
two?
MG: That’s a good question because [with]
the whole digital media thing, we can send
our files back and forth, and then it turns into
a pretty healthy competition. He puts some-
thing down so now I've got to top him. So I’ll
go back and record my parts and try to top
him, and send it back and he tries to top me.
And it just turns into a war, totally healthy
though. But it’s a good way to get the best
possible performance out of us for sure.
Mosh: Your riffs and leads on this album are
some of your best. Did you have a “library” of
riffs sitting around or did you come up with a
new batch specifically for this album?
MG: For me, I changed my picking around a
little bit, and I kind of developed a new style
to my playing. I haven’t completely latched
onto it yet. I did all "economy" picking, which
means when I change strings, my pic is
Continued
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