Book Gob

"Underground", the second single from the album reached it's way into the top 10 at rock radio in Canada (Nov 2008), and followed up the first single "We're All Dying". Both songs feature the self directed videos that tie one video into the next as a clever theme carries on between the two videos. These songs are GOB's heaviest and some of the BEST songs to date.

 

Gob recount the recording session for the Muertos Vivos album session - “At one point the power had been out for two days. There was no heat, there were tree branches down everywhere and we just had to leave,” remembers Theo. “We were inspired by the ‘the walls have eyes’ mentality to a certain extent but enough was enough! We headed back when the lights came on.” He continues “we were all about the high jinx while recording. There was a spooky homemade doll, that stood three foot tall, with a weird paper mache dress that we’d use to scare the shit out of one another. She’d just ‘appear’ somewhere when you least expected it. She really gave the place that ambiance we were looking for.”

 

The album was recorded over a one year period. When asked the question – was it hard to have the luxury of time both Tom and Theo agreed that it was necessary to the evolution of the band. They took the time needed to challenge themselves to make a record that earned their seal of approval. This was a snapshot of DIY at it’s finest. Two friends that have known each other for 15 years, making a masterpiece together.

 

“It had been good in the past to have people like Mark Tombino producing. It was best for our recording process to have a mediator and someone that could help us be more cohesive,” says Tom. “But now, both Theo and I agreed that we wanted this record to be 100% Gob. It was definitely harder but more rewarding in the end when we could say that this was all us, from start to finish. The only compromises we made were with ourselves, no one else. It is an absolute true refection of what and who this band is.” Theo continues “It gave us a certain confidence, we weren’t catering to anyone but ourselves. We’ve made our best record. There’s no judgment by us. Our fans will get it.”

 

So you decided after a four year hiatus to name your new album Muertos Vivos. Loosely translated – the dead are living. Tom comments “yeah… we’re all dying. We might as well embrace it. Celebrate the dead.” True. Muertos Vivos is a dark, brooding collection of songs. 

 

Is this a theme album? No. “It really didn’t start out that way at all,” says Theo. “We have a very democratic system for deciding on what songs make the album and these were the twelve that made the cut. They just happen to have a central theme that showed up.” 

 

“I guess that’s just where my thoughts were when I was writing”, comments Tom, “it’s an interesting topic to me and one that I’m not afraid to tackle”. 

 

Muertos Vivos, the band’s fifth studio album and Aquarius Records’ debut, is the follow up to 2003’s Foot In Mouth Disease. Upon reflecting, both Tom and Theo felt that the songs were anthemic in nature, the way the band had been on it’s previous efforts such as the band’s 1995 debut, Too Late For Friends and 1998’s How Far Shallow Takes You. 

 

The album’s final song, Wake Up, looks back with “Hey mom, concerned with what I've become suicidal maybe, satanic maybe, on drugs, on off and back oni'm an enigma, I'm pissed off at everything, and everyone thinks that I'm headstrong i've been too hard on you far too many times for us to go back, forget what's said and what's done, I can't help myself I just need to shake myself.” Ok so it’s not your Sunday morning feel good music but it’s music with a point.