On the Road After a Long, Hard Road
By Matthew Erhartic

Despite conjuring up a pair of number one songs on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock and Modern Rock Charts, drummer John Humphrey’s band, Seether, can’t get any critical love from the mainstream music publications. Rolling Stone recently whacked them with a dismal one and a half star rating for their latest effort, Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces. “It’s the only business where you can pour your heart and soul into something and have everyone take a shot at it,” Humphrey retorts. When reminded that legends Led Zeppelin and The Doors also took similar critical trashing, John is amused. “Well ya know what man…I guess we are in good company.”

That screw em’ attitude and enormous personal drive has what kept Humphreys ~ and his South African born bandmates singer/guitarist Shaun Morgan and bassist Dale Stewart ~ on a seemingly endless tour, living out of suitcases and in uncomfortably close quarters. Facing the daily temptations of the road and leaving his family behind, the Oklahoma bred drummer and newest member of the outfit is cocksure confident in his self proclaimed “No BS, good ol’ fashioned rock show,” churning out a thunder-inducing sound reminiscent of the Seattle scene’s glory days.

“The formula is to win em’ over one by one, making new fans at every stop,” he explains. “There are no pyro or confetti guns, we just turn it up loud and sweaty…warts and all.” Humphreys is excited about Seether’s first performance in Worcester. The tour ~ sponsored by MTV2 and the video game Rock Band ~ lands at the Palladium, May 11.

Their hit song “Fake It,” a tune that skewers the music industry and its manufactured pop stars, has helped garner Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces a half a million sales worldwide. Humphreys explains that the album and its title are about finding hope and staying positive though tough times, vaguely echoing what Seether has been doing the last few years.

In 2006, frontman Shaun Morgan underwent a much publicized breakup with modern rock princess Amy Lee of Evanesce. Lee unveiled the details of the failed relationship via MTV and radio with her band’s hit single “Call Me When You’re Sober.” When asked about the initial reaction to the song, Humphrey was proud that his band mate took the high road and didn’t fire back in the press. “He loved having his relationship broadcast to the entire world,” John sarcastically chuckles. “I think it was kind of a cheap shot but I guess that’s what she needed to do to get a single.”

Just two weeks before the song hit the airwaves, Morgan’s long struggle with drugs and alcohol had placed him into rehab. During this time, rhythm guitarist Pat Callahan decided to move on and Humphreys underwent major back surgery for a painful crushed disc that he had long ignored due to the band’s ongoing tour commitments. Withdrawing from a scheduled arena tour with headliner Staind, the band’s outlook looked bleak ~ even their management questioned their future. “That was never the case,” Humphreys says adamantly, claiming that he never doubted his band’s endurance. “Individually we just needed to pull ourselves together and get back into fighting shape.”

Determined to move forward, Morgan amassed over 60 songs while in treatment. Severing ties from their management and longtime producer Bob Marlette, the band sought a producer that could push them creatively and help realize their ambitions of creating an album that exceeded past efforts. They found inspiration in Howard Benson, a hitmaker producer whose impressive resume includes My Chemical Romance and Daughtry. “We checked our egos at the door and allowed Howard to try new stuff, his fingerprints are on this record,” Humphrey’s explains. Benson suggested using keyboards and sitar on certain songs, a stretch from the three piece meat and potatoes rock-n-roll that Seether was used to performing. “We have a lot of respect for Howard…his track record, his arranging skills…he knows what works for radio and what it takes to make a great album. He helped us take a shot. What are you doing if you can’t take chances?”

Just as it seemed Seether’s tough times had passed, they were to suffer their harshest blow. By August of 2007, the record had been finished and Seether embarked on a tour to essentially generate buzz for the upcoming release. At a stop in Rapid City MI, Shaun Morgan’s brother Eugene, who had been on tour with the band, took his own life by leaping from a window in his hotel room. The abrupt and difficult circumstance brought the tour to a halt and the album’s release date was pushed back. “Rise Above This,” a song that Humphreys describes as a “real diamond in the rough” on the album, took on a new connotation. John explained that what was at first an inspirational anthem for the hardship the band had experienced found new meaning with the tragic passing; it is now played in tribute to Morgan’s brother. The recently released video also reflects upon the tragedy, eerily and powerfully portraying a man upon a rooftop contemplating his life and how it affects his family.

Licking their wounds, the band continues to march forward, scheduling tours overseas in Europe and Japan in support of Finding Beauty. Humphreys and company have also been invited to perform at the massive and legendary Donington in Great Britain this summer. “Rise Above This” is also blowing up on radio and is expected to meet the chart success of “Fake It.”

Having achieved considerable success, John Humphrey remains modest and is driven like never before. “We still haven’t arrived at any level and we are just as hungry as we were in the beginning, still scratching our way to the top.”

Critics and naysayers be damned ~ Seether certainly will rise above it.

CHECK OUT SEETHER WITH FLYLEAF MAY11TH AT THE PALLADIUM IN WORCESTER.
FOR MORE INFO AND TICKETS CHECK OUT MASSCONCERTS.COM.