By: Rob Cavuoto
HellYeah is a Supergroup comprised of Grammy nominated and chart topping musicians – drummer Vinnie Paul, vocalist Chad Gray, guitarists Greg Tribbett and Tom Maxwell as well and bassist Bob Zilla. As HellYeah they also have an impressive history. Their debut album has sold nearly 400,000 copies in the US and produced two Top 10 Active Rock singles “Alocohaulin Ass” and “You Wouldn’t Know.” Their second CD, Stampede debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200, making it their highest-charted album to date.
I had the unique opportunity to speak with HellYeah’s guitarists and comedic duo Greg Tribbett and Tom Maxwell, before they hit the stage in NYC for the Jägermeister Music Tour with Buckcherry. The guys provided us with an update from the road and some entertaining insights about the band.
Tom Maxwell Photo: Rob Cavuoto
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Robert Cavuoto: In your opinions, how are the first two CDs similar and different?
Greg Tribbett: The first one was recorded in Dime’s studio and Stampede was recorded at Vinnie’s studio. Stampede really starts off where “One Thing” from the first CD leaves off.
The sound structure between the two CDs is also different; the first one is more raw. We were still in the process of getting to know each other. Production-wise, we got better tones on Stampede. Anything you want to add Tom?
Tom Maxwell: No, it all sounds right [Both crack up laughing].
Robert: How do you determine who’s going to write the leads for each song?
Greg Tribbett: I think it’s really a “feel” thing.
Tom Maxwell: You just know that when you hear a riff talking to you and you gravitate to it. Other times I say “you take it” [Laughing].
Greg Tribbett: It’s like that too!
Tom Maxwell: If it was something I wasn’t really into playing, I’d pass it over.
Robert: When I saw you last at the Dean Party at NAMM, I noticed that you were both using slides for a few of your songs but not in the traditional sense like a ZZ Top or Allman Brothers. What’s your approach with using it, and how do you know when to incorporate it into your songs?
Tom Maxwell: On the first record with “Alcohaulin Ass,” we came to a part that really needed a slide, the open tuning wasn’t doing it for the song. That’s probably the most traditional slide work we have done to date. Everything else is kind of incorporated as a part or as an effect.
Like in “GodDamn” when we use it as a build to get a heavy sound like an air raid thing coming at you. On “Hell of a Time” it’s more for accent like with Allman Brothers. I still have a long way to go, it’s tough. It’s also a technique to using it by muting the back strings and keeping everything nice and solid with the slide.
Robert: What has the highlight been for you since launching HellYeah?
Tom Maxwell: The highlight is just being actually able to do this! A lot of bands that come to together the way we did usually are just a one off projects. That we were able to turn it into something bigger, we’re really starting to take off and tour the world. We’re going places! That’s pretty cool.
Greg Tribbett: It’s getting to tour the world a lot more than we did on the first record. The Download Festival was the only place we played outside of the states last time. This time we are working to break the band world-wide!
Robert: You’ve also toured with a lot of bands, all with different styles.
Tom Maxwell: Well that’s how our music is, we don’t pigeon hole ourselves into one particular style. We have hard songs, we have slower songs, we even have ballad types of songs. When you do that you set yourself up to do whatever you want because your fans will expect that from you.
Robert: When you head out on the road, how long does it take to get up to speed with a tour?
Greg Tribbett: We don’t rehearse [Laughing]. We literally did one rehearsal where we ran through four songs before the tour started.
Tom Maxwell: Talk about being raw and real. There isn’t anything that’s pre-set. We’re evolving every night, even our set list.
Greg Tribbett: We make up the set list before the show. We try to change it up each night a bit. Like tonight we have to pick 10 songs to fill 40 minutes. We also have to include the songs everybody wants to hear.
Tom Maxwell: It’s tough for us on this tour being guitar players, because on the first four songs we’re using one tuning and the last four songs we need to switch guitars every song.
Greg Tribbett: Including acoustics.
Greg Tribbett Photo: Rob Cavuoto
Robert: Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Tom Maxwell: Drinking! [Laughing] Drinking in our little huddle and when we figure out the set list we try and toast the town we’re in and say something about it to hail the night.
Robert: If you had to do a cover song, what would it be?
Tom Maxwell: [Looking at Greg] We shouldn’t talk about it yet.
Greg Tribbett: We’re talking about doing one on the next record.
Tom Maxwell: It’s going to be a good one. We did do a cover of Queen’s “Stone Cold Crazy,” Metallica’s version, on our last tour. It went over great!
Robert: What are you thinking about for the next CD?
Greg Tribbett: We’re just gathering our thoughts at this time. When we have some significant time we might start talking about it. We’re expecting to be playing until November of this year.
Robert: Does the touring ever get tiring and what are your plans when you get some time off?
Greg Tribbett: I’m tired right now! When I get some time off I’m planning to produce a band with Chad called Man Made Machine
Tom Maxwell: When the tour ends I’m going to going to start writing for the next CD.
Greg Tribbett: He’s going to go home and get sober! [Laughing]
Tom Maxwell: Yeah, go on the wagon for two weeks.
Robert: Tell me a little about your guitars?
Greg Tribbett: I‘ve been with Washburn for three years and they wanted to give me a signature series. I have three of those out in Guitar Centers now. They’ve treated me real well.
Tom Maxwell: I’ve been with Dean since the last tour and just debuted a new production model at NAMM in January. It’s called the General and I’m real proud of it. It’s based off the Soltero with an unfinished neck and custom DMT pickups.
Robert: Who were some of your early guitar heroes and how did they influenced your hard rock, Southern blended style of playing?
Tom Maxwell: Jimmy Page, Alex Lifeson, Jimi Hendrix. I listened to a lot Skynyrd and ZZ Top along the way and always felt more comfortable playing more blues type solos growing up. I never had the patience learning all the acrobatic type of leads. This band was born, bred and recorded in Texas the whole thing just kind of wraps itself around you.
Vinnie also provides that influences, that where the twang comes from. In our other bands we weren’t lead guitar players, we were rhythm and percussive type players. Vinnie is the guy that drew it out of us and put us on the spot to play some solos. I hadn’t played solos in years. The first one was very intimidating.
Greg Tribbett: Jimmy Page, Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde and Eddie Van Halen.
Robert: First song you learned to play on guitar?
Greg Tribbett: “Crazy Train.” I took about 6 lessons and then quickly said fuck this, and learned to play by listening to the radio.
Tom Maxwell: The first real rock song was “Stairway to Heaven.” I had a cousin that was really good and helped me develop. I took some courses in school but never paid for a lesson. I never got into what’s right and what’s wrong with a style. If it sounds good it’s right. Listen to Steve Vai if you want to hear something wrong sound right, he will prove everyone wrong. It’s alien what he does to that guitar. Very few can do when he does, he’s gifted.
