When it comes to visits from iconic hip hop artists, for once I’m happy to say we’ve been spoilt down here in Australia. In the last year alone, we’ve had a veritable wet dream lineup of America’s finest artists on our shores: Wu-Tang, Method Man and Redman, A Tribe Called Quest, Big Boi (Outkast), Busta Rhymes, Naughty by Nature, Ghostface … just to name a few – and next month, we’re pretty excited to welcome back Cypress Hill.
Ahead of the tour, headlining Coaster Festival and playing a few shows of their own, I chatted to the drummer/percussionist of the group, Eric “Bobo” Correa – son of Latin jazz musician Willie Bob – while he was on the “Legalize It Tour” in Kansas City, Missouri. We chat about what’s changed for the group between albums, Lollapalooza,and what it means for the group to return to Australia.
So you’re in the middle of a bit of a tour around the States at the moment I understand?
Yeah, we’re on a tour with Slightly Stoopid and Collie Budz
How’s the Legalize It tour shaping up?
It’s been a great tour so far, we’re havin’ a great time and we’re a little bit more than half way through it now. It’s been a blast.
You just played
Lollapalooza
a couple of days ago, too.
Yeah, that was a fun time, too. We had a good show there, and a lot of people came out. So we were really amped up to do that show. It came out really good.
I’ve read an interview with you, in which you said that the early days of
Lollapalooza
and Woodstock ’94 were quite important for Cypress Hill as a group on the rise. Do you still feel that
Lollapalooza
can have that sort of an impact for an up and coming artist?
It’s becoming that again. It’s re-establishing itself as that kind of a festival, like Coachella and everything, but it was definitely a different time (in the early days). When you have a touring festival like that, that’s touring all over the States, with lineups like Soundgarden and Pearl Jam, Rage – all these influential groups at one time – that’s kind of hard to compete with. So what they’re doing with it now, as a three day festival, is great, and having it at a standalone spot is good, but it’s definitely a different time. I’m glad that we were able to catch the original.
With less money to be made via album sales, do you think that there’s even more of pressure placed on artists to impress in the live setting, such as at Lollapalooza, than there used to be?
Well, it’s important for the live show to be able to have your music translate live. I think that our live shows have been a big reason we’ve become the band that we are today. And we’re always taken great pride in that – whether or not our songs are played on the radio, we have solid album tracks, and regardless we have a strong show.
So I think that in today’s game, with the downloads happening, and everything digital, all these outlets, and the record industry not doing what they were doing before – it’s a different time. But no matter how you get your music out that way, the same thing has lasted forever – and that’s the live show. That will keep your career. No matter what, that will keep your career.
And that’s a good a segue way as any to talk about the Australian tour! You’ll be back next month to play Coaster festival and some sideshows. How have your experiences been down here in the past? How have Australian audiences treated Cypress Hill?
Oh my God, they rock! Some of the best times have been going out there in Australia. We’ve played small places, to bigger places, it’s been great. We’ve always had a good time, so I expect this time to be no different, and we’re as excited to get down there as always.
Yeah, I remember at Good Vibrations Festival a few years back, you were one of the main acts in the big tent, and I’ve never seen shit get so nuts in that place! There were people climbing on top of the tent to try and break into it from the roof. It was mayhem!
Yeah, it was crazy. I’m not encouraging people to do that *laughs* but that’s what we came to do! We came to rock it! And we’re blessed to be able to still do that, you know what I mean?
And you’re touring off the back of your first album in 6 years, “Rise Up”. How important is this album to the group? It does represent quite a few changes – a new label, a new time for Cypress Hill.
It’s definitely an important album because, for me personally, and I’m sure the other guys would agree, it’s a refreshing rebirth for us. Because we do have a new label, new management, new everything. We’ve really changed a lot of things. The recording process was kind of the same, but we were working with different producers, which was different what we’d done before. But we did it with no pressure. We did it in a way which was great, and we’re still really happy about it. So just to be able to be here, twenty years later, still doing this shit. Stoked.
What do you think the secret has been for Cypress Hill in staying in the game this long?
I think the secret is still having a passion to do music, and to make it with each other. We get along really well and have mutual respect for each other. I think that’s very very important. But I think that that’s it. We continue to try to make the best music that we can, and we love our fans. I don’t know if it’s really a secret though – it’s just what we do, and we’re lucky to be able to do that.
Surely it’s the only way to do it.
We have a dedication, you know. We take what we do really seriously, and we really love what we do. And I think that comes out in shows. I think that the true fans notice all that – they’re going to notice if you’re bullshitting. That’s where it’s at, really.
Looking again at the last 6 years, what do you think was the catalyst for the change in the group’s approach?
I mean, the very title “Til Death Do Us Part” (their last record) conjures up quite different imagery to “Rise Up”.
I mean (with our last record) we knew that our record contract with Sony was coming to an end, and we knew that they didn’t really have much of an interest any more. There were so many personnel changes, and the people that were there who first supported us were gone, and so after that album, and the greatest hits album and everything like that, they just threw it out there, it was kind of evident. So I think that the way that this album (Rise Up) came about, the way that we did it, was great.
And like I said, it does feel like a rebirth. A re-energised type of feel which has even stepped over in the live show. Just wait until you see what we’ve got in store for you!
We’re ready. And we hope that you guys are ready there too.
Don’t miss Cypress Hill, touring with Spit Syndicate, and playing Coaster, next month!
Thurs 23rd September
Palace Theatre – Melbourne VIC
Tickets available from www.ticketmaster.com
Fri 24th September
Enmore Theatre – Sydney NSW
Tickets available from www.enmoretheatre.com.au
or the Enmore Theatre Box Office (02) 9550 3666.
Sat 25th September
Coaster Festival – Gosford NSW
http://www.coasterfestival.com.au full line up announcement
Friday June 4th tickets on sale July 1st
Tues 28th September
HQ – Adelaide SA
Tickets available from www.venuetix.com.au
Wed 29th September
Metro City – Perth WA
Tickets available from www.moshtix.com.au & www.heatseeker.com.au
www.78records.com.au 08 9322 6384
Fri 1st October
The Tivoli – Brisbane QLD
Tickets available from www.ticketek.com.au or 132 849.
