"We learned you need more than two months to write and record," guitarist Bill Kelliher explains as to how the band was able to create such an expansive album. "We demoed everything before we went into the studio and were a lot more prepared." This preparation was aided by Brendan O’Brien, the all-star producer behind hit records for Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and Korn.
"Brendan was amazing," Kelliher says. "Right away he said he was going to be really brutal on our music, and he immediately started giving us ideas on how to change our arrangements and what to really emphasize." This included an unexpected move to have Brann Dailor, one of the most intricate and skilled drummers in the business, focus less on his jazzy fills and more on the "groove." "Brendan said everyone already knows Brann’s an amazing drummer and he doesn’t need to prove it anymore," Kelliher notes. "He really showed us how important the tempo was instead of playing as fast or as many notes as we can." But one thing the band didn’t change was creating cohesive lyrics to form a grand story.
"It helps to have a theme so we know how to put everything together," Kelliher reckons. "And it keeps people’s attention through the whole record to see what happens next. Kids wrack their brains trying to figure out what the next story is going to be. It’s like a new book or movie to them." We won’t reveal any spoilers, but from a band that’s known for creating a one-eyed Sasquatch who can see into the future (from ’06’s Blood Mountain), you can be assured it won’t be boring.
The band now plans to continue their extensive worldwide touring, even scoring an opening slot with heroes Metallica. But Kelliher swears that regardless of their ever-growing fanbase and monumental records like Crack the Skye, they really are just regular dudes. "Some music fans out there are crazy and want to meet you," Kelliher admits. "But there’s a reality check where you have to mow the lawn and take care of the kids. Maybe if those guys saw me changing diapers, they’d have a different opinion of me."