DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Otherworldly Entity
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we find Otherworldly Entity sat on the beach. The island is far from their home, so how did they end up here and how did they cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
So you're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
John Harris: Blue October's 'I Hope You're Happy'. There isn't a bad song on that album, and it has such an amazing emotional range.
Zlatko Grozl: I can see these are going to be really tough questions, and I really appreciate the opportunity to answer them. I think that these decisions are only made in the moment, in the split second that the event occurs. The choice that I make now, at the time of writing, would certainly vary from the choices I make now, while going through a shipwreck, while hyped up on adrenaline, fear of death, and the need for survival. As I'm very comfortably sitting here and writing this, I would pick up Dream Theaters’ masterpiece 'Metropolis Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory'. I would probably simultaneously look at 'Dark Side of the Moon', but that particular Dream Theater album really had a big impact on me as a 16 year old immigrant. Every time I listen to it, I can't stop until the end of the story.
Matt Raymond: Definitely 'Ænema' by Tool. Best album they ever put out, and I could listen to it for the rest of my life.
Shawn Washer: 'The Creation/Distraction' album by Fit For A King. That album drove me to be the drummer I am today.
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
JH: I would have to say 'Break the Cycle' from Staind because I have a lot of great memories attached to it, but just the name itself I think would become a good reminder.ZG: 'Dark Side of the Moon' by Pink Floyd. Iconic image that would sit well I think.
MR: I'm not really sure about this one, I don't pay much attention to album artwork. Probably '10,000 Days' from Tool.
SW: The poster I'd have would be the the 'Hybrid Theory' album cover poster of Linkin Park. Absolutely love that band and that was the first album I heard by them and fell in love.
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to choose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
JH: if it has to be alcoholic, I'd say rum and Coke. It's my go to drink, but also I think it fits a pirate scene well. If we're including non-alcoholic, definitely coffee. Because you do not want to be stuck someplace with me if I don't have coffee.
ZG: A little red wine. Some kind of Pinot Noir.
MR: I'm not sure what a tipple is, but if it's alcoholic, for sure Whipped Cream Vodka and Orange soda. Creamsicles are my weakness. Non alcoholic, for sure Mountain Dew.
SW: Jack and coke.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. What’s the merch and for what band?
JH: I'm going to preach our own merch on this one. We have a specific tshirt design using a Japanese dying technique called Shibori. Each shirt is unique, and my favorite is the one with our ankh and mushroom design on it.
ZG: Hopefully one of our OWE Mushroom Shibori shirts!
MR: The only band merch I own is my Ice Nine Kills t-shirt, so definitely that. Love that thing.
SW: Otherworldly entity joggers. They're super comfortable and our merch store is pretty sweet!
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
JH: Actually, I don't think I'd pick anyone over my bandmates. They're my brothers, my family. Being stuck with my roommates would be awesome, too. But I wouldn't be upset being stranded with my bandmates
ZG: Survivorman Les Stroud.
MR: I'd rather be stuck with my fiancee and son. Or a pack of rabid dogs. Whichever.
SW: My favourite band "Fit For A King" the thought of just being about to hang out with them and talk with them as people as well as hearing them play all of the time and maybe getting a chance to play a song or two with them.
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
JH: We're going with a Walkman here? The yellow and black one I assume. So I got it, we're stranded in 1998. Anyway, Skin and Bones from Foo Fighters. What an amazing live album that is.
ZG: Probably a recording of Ra playing at the Metal in the Mountains this last year. I had a chance to hear them in West Virginia and their set was perfect.
MR: I also don't know what a Walkman is, but the best live show I've ever seen was Ice Nine Kills at The Lost Horizon. Saw it in person, and I'd love to be able to watch it again.
SW: The first time I got to see a day to remember. Such a great memory to replay on the tape would be cool
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
JH: Jack Johnson. The guy lives on a beach and surfs. I feel like he's my best chance, realistically.
ZG: I think Scooter from Cold would pull some strings for us…
MR: I'd send the letter to Dan Chandler of Evans Blue. I don't know why, but he was the first person I could think of. Probably cuz I'd hope that he also gets stranded and would no longer continue as Evans Blues vocalist.
SW: I would send a message to Linkin Parks Chester Bennington. Basically saying keep your head up high. It'll all be worth it at the end. Be the change you with to see in the world.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
JH: Me. I'm the crazy leader of this operation. I'm pretty sure in some way, getting stranded was probably my fault. I came up with some crazy idea, and the guys stuck with me. So i take responsibility. It's only fair
ZG: OK, speaking from a strictly survival perspective, and a potential caloric intake, everyone would try to eat me first. If they had the testicular fortitude to try and take me down first, that is. Or, I might just sacrifice myself. I don’t know. Again, it’s the survival instinct moment that drives these decisions, so Matt could get eaten first. Actually really quick… This is getting dark.
MR: Probably me cuz I have the most meat on my bones, putting it lightly. I also have a problem with nervous talking, so realistically I'd get sacrificed long before the food ran out.
SW: We have such a great thing going hahaha can we sacrifice old band members?
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
JH: I feel like I might be getting sappy again, but I'd have to say Zlatko. Seriously. I've been playing with him for 4 years, and as an artist, I never realized another artist could influence me so much and help me grow as much as he has.
ZG: Not counting my bud John Harris who probably survived on his own and is already making a fire on the island? Then that would probably be Frank Zappa. Have you heard his song Torture Never Stops? That’s what’s the deal we’re dealin’ in.
MR: I'd have to say Justin Chancellor from Tool (again, I know). He's the reason I started playing bass, and I've spent years learning all of his basslines. I default to playing 46&2 whenever I don't know what else to play. Beautiful man, beautiful playing, beautiful band.
SW: Jared Easterling! Granted he's not in Fit For A King anymore but he did several amazing albums for that band and his style really caught my attention and the other all stature has always been something to look up to.
