Murderdolls Keeping Some Details About New Album Under Wraps

Just last week, Noisecreep announced that the Murderdolls would be returning this summer, armed with an album called 'Women and Children Last.' Lead by Slipknot drummer Joey Jordison (playing lead guitars) and vocalist Wednesday 13, the band had been in hiatus since 2004. That didn't mean that the 2 musicians were any less busy. Jordison kept a high profile with his main gig in Slipknot, and through various guest stints in bands like Korn and Ministry. Wednesday 13 recorded and toured with the group that bears his name. But despite their clogged schedules, fans and journalists kept on asking them if the Murderdolls would ever get back into a recording studio together again.

Now that a new Murderdolls album has been announced, Noisecreep caught up with Jordison while he was in an Los Angeles studio finishing up 'Women and Children Last,' and rehearsing for an upcoming Rob Zombie tour, where he'll be occupying the drum throne. As you'll read below, he was still not ready to reveal every detail about the new Murderdoll record, but his excitement for the material is unquestionable.

It's been a long time since your last album, during the time away, how much did you miss playing with Wednesday 13?

I might have been away from the band, but it's always been on my mind. Since the last Murderdolls show all of those years ago, I've been keeping busy with so many different kinds of projects. Slipknot took the most time, but that's obviously my main priority. We toured 'All Hope Is Gone' for 18 months. I also played with Ministry, Korn and some other projects. But through all of that, I knew I wanted to do another Murderdolls album.

Were you constantly writing Murderdolls songs while you were on hiatus?

Yeah, totally. I also kept in touch with Wednesday 13 the entire time. We talked about doing another album, and we knew it was just a matter of our schedules opening up. But yeah, I always wrote stuff for the Murderdolls, even though I was doing other projects.

Songwriting-wise, does the new material sound like a natural progression from your debut album? Can we expect some stylistic curve balls thrown in there?

There are definitely things on the album that will surprise people. The main difference between the new album and our debut is the songwriting process. Wednesday and I actually sat in a room together and wrote this stuff out together. We worked everything out together, and in the past, that was definitely not the case. I can't wait for people to hear what we've come up with.

So based on that statement, how do you view the first Murderdolls album all of these years later?

It was more like a demo. Don't get me wrong, I love that first album, and I think there are some great songs on it. But it was more of me working out those songs alone, and then showing them to the other guys. This time out, Wednesday got to write with me, and we had a chance to really work the material out, and get everything right. This new stuff is just better.

Is there anything on the upcoming album that you can compare to the debut?

From the first album? 'Slit My Wrist' and 'People Hate Me' come to mind. There is some stuff that are similar to those songs on this new one.

The spontaneity on the first album definitely did it well.

Yeah, I agree. That kind of energy is still on the new record, but the songs are more thought out. There is a track on the new record that is around four minutes, and that's pretty long for us. But it felt totally right. Why did you choose to work with Zeuss this time out? His energy is crazy! I love that about him. He really cares about the album, and he's on fire at all times. I'm used to being the pushy one in the studio, but he's just as energetic as I am. Even when we were tracking drums, he was really fired-up about it.

He's produced some really heavy records in the last few years.

Yeah, and let me tell you, this new Murderdolls record is gonna blow you away. It's sounding so heavy! That's another thing that will stand out to people. Zeuss really captured that on this album. We were just listening to the drum tracks last night, and we were blown away on how great they sounded. That was just the drum tracks, so you can imagine how it sounds with everything on top of that.

Can you share some song titles and themes you tackle on 'Women and Children Last'?

I'm not really ready to talk about the song titles, or anything like that right now. Do you have a full line-up yet? No. I'm being very picky about that this time out. I'm being careful.

So who played on 'Women and Children Last'?

Everything on the album was played by Wednesday 13 and myself.

The press release that Roadrunner Records sent out about the Murderdolls comeback included some really impassioned statements from you.

There are some great metal bands out there right now. I know that. But to be honest, I just don't listen to most of it. I get bored with music so easily. I think that's why I play in so many different projects.

Why do you think the Murderdolls went over better in Europe than the States last time out?

I'm not really sure. There was something about us and the songs that people over there connected with. But we worked really hard overseas. We did a lot of press, and people were receptive. We did a headline show in London, at a place called Brixton Academy, and it was sold out. I don't know, people really got it over there.

When can we expect a Murderdolls tour, and will you be playing any of the summer festivals this year?

No, we won't be out in the summer, or any of those festivals this year. Our tour will begin sometime in the fall. But that's all I can say for now.