We sat down with Killswitch Engage frontman to talk about his first records, gigs and tours. We had no idea he was a Genesis fan...
First album you ever bought?
“It was a Genesis record. I was a big Phil Collins fan when I was a kid – Phil Collins in the 80s. And I didn’t know any better so I bought an old proggy Genesis record. Justin and Adam are into their prog, too.”
First single you ever bought?
“Probably It’s Tricky by Run DMC. I’d hear it all the time coming out of ghetto blasters when I lived in Philadelphia. You’d always hear hip-hop coming out of breakdancers’ soundsystems. I fell in love with it and I still love hip-hop today.”
First gig you ever went to?
“Probably a Christian rock thing. My dad took me to see a band named Petra – my dad’s a minister so he only wanted me to listen to Christian rock. A band called Petra I think was the first one. I thought it was great at the time but I go back and listen to it now and it’s pretty terrible ha ha.”
First gig you ever played?
“We played at a friend’s Halloween party in 1992⁄3 with my punk band – it was great. I had to get permission to swear from their parents ha ha.”
How was the first Killswitch Engage tour?
“I believe it was with Every Time I Die and a band called Santa Sangre and it was so much fun. Playing to nobody every night and just having fun with those guys – they’re a crazy group of people. It was fun. I’d love to tour with Every Time I Die again, those guys are hysterical.”
