PRP: How did Dent's members got together to form a band?
Jason: Mark Southerland (guitar/vocal) and Jason Carr (drums) had both moved back to Indiana after leaving the military and were introduced by a mutual friend. This was in May of 1994. Andrew Hibdon (bass) joined around September of 1996.
PRP: Who are in the band at all?
Jason: Mark Southerland (guitar/vocal) | Jason Carr (drums) | and Andrew Hibdon (bass).
PRP: Why you decided to play the instrument you do, or, to sing? Anyone inspired you?
Jason: Drums seemed more natural to me than anything else. I was just always beating on things. My main influences I would have to say would be Mark Zonder (Fates Warning), Pete Sandoval (Morbid Angel/Terrorizor), Nicko McBrain (Iron Maiden), Danny Carey (Tool).
Mark: The guitar is a very versatile instrument with an uncanny way of voicing a persons personality by various means. Means such as picking styles, tonalities, how much pressure your fingers apply to
the strings and the effects or lack there of that you may use all comprise your character in the music you write. It's a wonderful instrument to have around as a companion to your soul. As far as singing, it just called to me to tap into another piece of me. Singing is so primal yet very personal. I've always thought that when I sing, I'm baring a piece of my soul for all to see. It may be disturbing, soothing, or cryptic, but your voice is an incredible instrument to master and share with others the means that you are able to communicate your music. Thoughts, events in my life, and the need to explore who or what I really am have inspired me more than a particular singer. Not to say that I don't feel the need to give credit to some great singers, but as far as I can remember, I started playing guitar and singing as if the need suddenly appeared before my eyes and I reached out and grabbed hold of it.
PRP: How long have you guys been together as a band?
Jason: Mark and Jason - 5 years; Andrew - 3 years.
PRP: Any material released?
Jason: Oct '94 - 5 song demo (cassette) | Jun '95 - 5 song demo +2 (cassette) | May '97 - Self titled (CD) | Jan '99 - DEVICE (CD).
PRP: How you got your name?
Jason: We made a list and basically felt that DENT fit our mold. A little messed up, something that needs to be dealt with.
PRP: How would you describe your band's sound to someone who has never heard you guys?
Jason: Heavy modern rock. In the vein of Tool and/or the Deftones, although I really don't feel we sound at all like either.
Mark: Well, people first off have to be able to appreciate the dynamics that we like to explore in our music. These dynamics incorporate odd time signatures, subtle emotive singing with all out screaming, introspective and sometimes cryptically disturbing lyrical subject matter, and an overall sense of heaviness without being blatantly expressed. Then again, sometimes we completely break all of our own patterns. As you see, my description won't fit into a neat little package, therefore the best description for someone who has never heard us would be the directions to our next show and to experience us live for themselves. After all, we are at our best live.
PRP: How's the process of creating songs? Lyrics first, music second?
Jason: Usually Mark comes up with the general idea of a song and then at practice we make changes. Sometimes he will have a complete song and sometimes he will have a general idea. Lyrics kind of fall together all over the place. Some before and some after the creation of the song.
Mark: Creating the music seems to be an ever changing process. I used to only be happy with the songs where I wrote the riff the same time I came up with the lyrics. I've never worked real well with looking at a book of lyrics and putting music to the lyrics or vice versa. I have on occasion though, thumbed through pages of lyrics while the riff is being played looking for the right word or sentence or phrase to sing along and build it from there. I'm more interested in how the words roll off with the music and the feelings they convey as well as the message no matter how cryptic it may be. For us, writing songs is almost as intensive as the three of us building a house. We all have our ideas of what the final product should be cosmetically as well as functionally. We also have to keep up our quality control to make sure the house can stand against the weathering of time. So all in all, we all compromise at one point or another in the process in the best interest of the songs construction. This makes song writing a very tedious and time consuming task sometimes. There are times though, when the song just spews from our brains within minutes or days, and it's a quality product.
PRP: How's the music scene there in Indiana?
Jason: I feel there is a lot of potential. There isn't a lot of opportunity so you have to kind of make your own thing happen. There seems to be some opposition as well at times but you just have to be strong and stick with what you want to do.
PRP: How you guys do to spread yourself out from the others?
Jason: We focus on putting on the best show possible with every ounce of effort into our performance. We are constantly trying to add to the mix something new for the people to see and get their money's worth. I think this sets us apart from the "part time" bands out there or the bands looking for a "get rich quick" deal.
PRP: Influences of the band?
Jason: Almost too many to mention. Anything from current music to older stuff.
PRP: Best underground band out there, in your opinion?
Jason: I like a lot of different stuff and I personally support anyone doing their own thing and especially trying to achieve their goals.
PRP: All Time Favorite Band?
Jason: Fates Warning (with Cradle Of Filth a close second at this time - it changes quite often)
PRP: What would be the tour of your dreams? Your band plus.... ?
Jason: I think Tool would be great, or Ozzfest. Possibly Fear Factory.
Mark: Any national act that realizes how good a band we are.
PRP: Any big plans in the horizon?
Jason: We have currently worked out a deal with Surf Records to re-release DEVICE with 4 new tracks for world-wide distribution.
PRP: Last show you went?
Jason: Paw (Melody Inn - Indianapolis)
PRP: Anything you wanna add? Last comments?
Jason: Thanks for taking the time to help support what we are doing and spreading the word about DENT. We greatly appreciate it.
Comment on this interview.
