GREY DAZE “THE PHOENIX” EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

May 11, 2022 Sunray Magazine

SUNRAY MAGAZINE has the pleasure to talk with “Grey Daze” the Rock band formed by the drummer, and songwriter Sean Dowdell and the fronted by the unforgettable singer Chester Bennington, before his career with Linkin Park. Announces the new album “The Phoenix” coming the next June 17, 2022.
This album also features contributions from Dave Navarro, Richard Patrick, and Bennington’s daughters Lily and Lila Bennington.

Hi Sean and guys! thankyou for your time.
SUNRAY: Please talk to us about Grey Daze
GD: Grey Daze is Chester Bennington (vocals), Sean Dowdell (Drum/vocals), Mace Beyers (Bass), Cristin Davis (guitar).

SUNRAY: Whose idea was it to create this new album?
GD: We collectively knew we wanted to do this second record toward the end of recording the first. We knew we had the material and it was just a matter of whether or not the process felt good and was worth doing again.

SUNRAY: Why “The Phoenix”
GD: The Phoenix embodies so many things. Firstly, it embodies Chester, and what he is esoterically. It is a metaphor for our music being extinguished in the early 2000’s from Warner Brothers and rebirthing through the reunion of the band. It feels like a transition from Chester’s passing in life to rebirth through music, It has double meanings through his flames visually, and double meaning with the band being born in Phoenix..
So, The Phoenix, has a lot of meanings and metaphorical value to us and hopefully the fans get it.

SUNRAY: The new Single is the great song Saturation (Strange Love) with the incredible screams of Chester. Can you talk to us about it?
GD: Saturation (Strange Love) lyrics by Chester , originally titled “Strange Love” in hommage to Depeche Mode. But we changed it in the 90’s to Saturation becasue we didn’t want to seem like we were ripping off the title from them.
We added the subtitle in the new version to pay that original intention from Chester to the guys in Depeche Mode. I have no idea whether or not they will ever see it, or even care, but that band meant the world to him and I.
The song’s meaning is about a person having a narcissistic opinion of themselves and making choices for others around them based on their own wants and desires.

SUNRAY: Sean, How were to you and The band working on this album without Chester?
GD: We agreed on the songs we were going to use for this album and literally removed all of the music.
With just Chester’s vocal tracks we started to work on the arrangements of the vocal tracks and aligning them in a way that worked best for each track, then we approached the finished vocal arrangement and wrote the music around them.
We felt like he was with us along the entire journey.

SUNRAY: We know the album has featured contributions from Dave Navarro, Richard Patrick, and the lovely Bennington’s daughters Lily and Lila Bennington. Please talk to us more about it!
GD: Many people don’t realize that we actually were going to have Dave on the last record. We had studio time booked with him and everything but schedules got in the way and he had to postpone being involved.
Chester simply loved Dave and always wanted to record a track with him. Jane’s Addiction was one of Chester’s all time favorite bands and you can hear the influence of Perry Ferrell in the track “Holding You” that Dave plays on with us.
There are certain guitar players that can write great hooks and songs, but very few can create a guitar solo that actually sticks with the listener like a secondary vocal melody. Dave did that, in this song. I am continually vocalizing the guitar solo when I listen to that song, I absolutely love it. Dave was a pleasure to work with, a class act, a friend to Chester, and a fucking great guitar player. We enjoyed every minute of it.
Richard was introduced to us by the engineer on the record Brian Virtue. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s Chester had toured with Filter and was a fan of his style. We wrote an entirely new chorus for the song Believe me and had Richard sing it. It gives you chills and is truly one of my favorite songs on the album. He was easy to work with, open to everyone’s ideas and creative at the same time.

SUNRAY: Can you mention The Phoenix Tracklist?
GD: 1. Saturation (Strange Love)

Starting to Fly
Be Your Man
Holding You
Hole
Drag
Believe Me
Anything Anything
Spin
Wake Me
SUNRAY: Where can we get the new album?
GD: EVERYWHERE , www.Greydazemusic.com
Itunes, Spotify, Deezer, and most record retailers.

Interview By Maria Fernanda Capici

Editor In Chief SUNRAY MAGAZINE