Blistering.com: Where do you think the Vile album ranks in your catalog?
Webster: It’s hard because we put everything into all of these records. I thinkVile is really good and stands the test of time. I look back at it and there’s nothing on it that I don’t like – there’s nothing on there that’s making me cringe [laughs]. It’s a heavy death metal record. I don’t know…it’s so subjective. I think it’s as good any of them.
Blistering.com: Any thoughts towards doing another summer package tour ala Sounds of the Underground? [Ed’s note: this interview was conducted prior to CC’s announcement regarding their participation on the Monster Energy Drink Mayhem Festival]
Webster: Sounds helped our business a lot. It was the biggest tour we had done and it helped our visibility. The only thing that was close was the Anthrax/Misfits tour back in ’96, but that wasn’t nearly as close. I think it’s something we’re going to try to pursue. I believe our management are talking to the various people…I can’t say where things are going, but it’s something we’d like to try. I think tours like that with various extreme bands is a good thing. It’s good for death metal to be represented by bands like us, Behemoth and so forth and go out on these bigger tours and show that not just death metalheads, but all metalheads that death metal is a valid, killer form of music.
Blistering.com: Along the way, any valuable “lessons learned” that have stuck out for you?
Webster: Some of it is stuff we wouldn’t have done, like the way some bands change their style by adding weird, outside influences – this is stuff we wouldn’t have done to the point where wouldn’t need to see another band do it. But, there were a couple bands out there that let their fans down by changing too much. That’s the big thing – when you change your sound too much. Like a thrash metal band I liked in the 80’s changed their sound and went avant-garde or in a commercial direction and that was always a disappointment. I remember when we made Cannibal, we said we don’t ever want to be one of those disappointing bands that changes from death metal. We’ll always be death metal. Any other musical interests we have, we have to satisfy them through other musical projects.
Blistering.com: Since you’re at the forefront of death metal, where can it go next?
Webster: It’s hard to tell. There’s so many people interested in music and so many people getting music out there, especially with Myspace. You can make your band, make your demo and there it goes. It seems to me, different trends are occurring at a much faster pace. It’s hard to say what direction it’s going – it might be going in five directions at once. There’s so many splinters of it and that’s natural when so many people are into this kind of music. It’s like a rapidly expanding virus of extreme death metal and I love it [laughs].
Blistering.com: Finally, how’s the neck holding up?
Webster: [laughs] It’s ok. We shot that video yesterday, so it’s holding up well and I feel good today. In general, the overall health of my neck feels good because I’ve had a year off from touring, so now it’s time to beat it up for the next year and a half. I’m going to try to keep a good program of stretching and that should do it.