FEAR VS. FACTORY, ROUNDS 3 & 4

“Will someone please tell Dino that his lunch has arrived?”

Holy shit. This is officially my favorite feud of the year.

So. To begin: I’m tired of constantly “summing up” the story thus far, so if for some reason you haven’t been following this whole Fear Factory debacle, you can catch up by reading this and this.

Now. A few days ago, Dino Cazares gave an interview to PyroMusic.net. I guess the interview was supposed to be about the new Divine Heresy album, but, c’mon, no one cares about the new Divine Heresy album (and you’ll all care even less when you hear it). So naturally, the topic turns to Fear Factory.

And Dino does two really scummy things:

1. He implies that the ex-members of Fear Factory suing is taking the low road. “If you want to hear Archetype, just listen to the early Fear Factory records,” he says. “That’s pretty much… they’re pretty much a carbon copy. The riffs are pretty much a carbon copy… I could actually sue Christian for stealing my riffs, but I was like, ‘no, I’ll take the high road, I’m very happy with Divine Heresy.’” Obviously this statement is designed to create a contrast between Dino and his former band maters. But if those dudes have a legal claim to the band name, then wouldn’t a law suit just be, y’know, fair? Standing up for yourself and what’s owed to you isn’t classy? Not as classy as continuing to trash them, I guess. Dino continues: “I believe Raymond and Christian, I believe it’s more money-driven, because it’s been since they’ve been in the band… they’ve been more money-driven, they’ve been more money hungry kind of guys and first and foremost for me it’s more about the music, it’s not really about the money, it’s about playing the music that you love and playing with people that you like.” Yep. That’s the high road for you.
2. He ostensibly places all the blame for any drama on Burton C. Bell. “Burton approached me” about the reunion, he says – and keeps saying throughout the rest of the interview. To that end, he claims not be able to comment on that whole pesky lawsuit thing. “Burt’s going to be releasing a proper statement that’s going to explain all of it. And I really can’t give any comment until… ’cause Burt wants to be the one to tell everybody… I haven’t been in the band for like eight years. Burton approached me on it, so I’m waiting for him to give an explanation because he deserves to give it because he’s been in the band ever since.” So look at Dino, throwing his hands up in the air – “Hey, it was all Burt’s idea, I was just sitting here eating babies!!!” What a crock. (And on a side note: it was at this point that it occurred to me that if Dino had sued Fear Factory for “stealing” his riffs, then he would have been suing good ol’ Burt, too. Oh well.)

So after I read this interview, I was just dying to see Bell’s statement. It was gonna be so juicy, right?

Wrong. Here it is:

“These particular [tour] dates are being postponed in order that we, as Fear Factory, may finalize the writing and recording of our new music. We are aware that this album will be a very important recording for each of us in Fear Factory. That this album has to be sonically incredible for each and every one of you who are sincerely interested in listening to this latest creation.

“In order for Fear Factory to create the album of our career, we must focus and work diligently to engineer our rhythms of mechanical death. We feel that rushing to release this recording will not be beneficial to the craft of our manufacturing.

“In this parting statement, please understand that postponing these dates is not for any other reason than to create the album that Fear Factory fans are anxious to hear.”

First of all, gotta love the constant reassurance that this non-Fear Factory is Fear Factory: “We, as Fear Factory,” “for each of us in Fear Factory,” etc. Subtle.

Second of all, what a fantastic non-denial denial of the merits of Wolbers and Herrera’s lawsuit: “Postponing these dates is not for any other reason than to create the album.” But why the statement not specifically address the accusations if not because a lawyer said “Don’t say anything too definite right now, all our statements have to hold up in court?” This is basically the equivalent of the band taking the fifth.

Look. Maybe Burt and Dino are telling the truth. Maybe Ray and Christian are just money hungry cock suckers. Maybe the tour was canceled so they could go off and make a record.

And maybe monkeys will fly out of my butt.

-AR

[Thanks to David Hulsey and bear wizard for the tips!]