DevilDriver’s Dez Fafara on Coal Chamber Reunion: “How Could You Not Want to Do Shows with the Band that Made You Who You Are?”
After surviving a bout of severe Covid, DevilDriver and Coal Chamber frontman Dez Fafara isn’t messing around about his health. After recently pushing off a number of European appearances due to doctor’s orders, Fafara spoke to Blabbermouth about his health and what the future of his musical career looks like.
Regarding a timeline to return to Europe, Fafara says he doesn’t know yet.
“But, still, if I get all clear in December, it’s too late to book festivals [for 2024]. Will I go over and do a tour? I’m not sure. I don’t want to speculate. I do know that I don’t wake up with those long Covid — ‘long haulers’ wake up and feel winded. You shower and feel like you need to sit down for an hour. I don’t have that. This morning, I did six miles on my treadmill. I was fucking running on six. Hauling ass. I feel great. Now my wife, sitting here shaking her head because I tend to push things way too hard, is trying to get me not to push it. I told her, ‘Wouldn’t it be better to hear ‘thud, thud’ and I’m dead here in the house than to die in Idaho on a Tuesday?’ Fuck yeah.”
On Coal Chamber reuniting to play shows:
“In essence, how could you not want to do shows with the band that made you who you are? Of course, nu-metal now. Look at the biggest bands in the world: Korn, Deftones, the later nu-metal bands, Disturbed. Huge. Of course, there are the what-ifs. What if Coal Chamber stayed together? I don’t have any of those regrets. It is what it is. We were the consummate rock band. Sex, drugs and rock and roll. We fucking threw down. We fought. Do I wish those things would not have happened? Of course. The fact we’re here, and we’re getting ready to do Sick New World and play with System [of a Down], Korn and all of them on May 13 and my birthday is May 12. That’s my gift.”
On why the time is right for the band to reunite:
“We were ten years too early. If ‘Rivals’ came out now, not only would the band have had their shit together more — including the other guys. And I’m sober now, off alcohol since 2016 and we’d be releasing that now behind a tour with Mudvayne. Oh fuck. That record would go through the roof. We were ten years too early on that. I think it’s perfect timing to get back to it. I certainly don’t want to try it in my ’70s. I want to do it now while we look good. We feel good. If you look at those guys, they haven’t aged.”
