Chimaira’s Frontman Has No Apologies for His Controversial Twitter Updates

If you've been following Chimaira's Mark Hunter on Twitter these past couple of weeks, you've probably already seen the singer's barrage of tweets centered on the music business. Among the topics Hunter covered include CD sales, record labels, artist managers, and the costs of touring. Within hours of his tweets, sites like Noisecreep, MetalSucks and MetalInsider, were all over them, re-tweeting them to our followers.

Noisecreep spoke to Hunter and the first thing we wanted to know is if he's felt any repercussions from his recent comments. "To be honest with you, I haven't really felt any backlash yet. Actually, I've had a lot of people thanking me for being so honest and open about everything – whether they agree with me or not. They're just happy that someone is saying something," said Hunter.

"Now I could see some of the things I've recently said on Twitter being taken out of context and causing problems, but it hasn't happened yet [laughs]. I guess I don't really worry about things like that. If someone has an issue with something I say on the internet, I could always just have a gentlemen's discussion about it," continued the Chimaira frontman.

Noisecreep then asked Hunter if his management team had advised him to stop the Tweeting while things cooled down in the metal press.

"Doesn't the manager work for the artist? Look, I've always tried to be honest about what a manager's role and relationship is with a band. They should work for the band and be selfless. They should only be out there protecting you and looking out for the band's best interests. We're lucky that we have a management team that does all of that."

Watch 'Year of the Snake' From Chimaira

Hunter's perception of the way the music industry works has changed dramatically from Chimaira's salad days on the local Cleveland metal scene. "I came into the business, blind, hungry and determined. I'm a dreamer. At a very young age – when all I had was a snare drum – I was trying to record songs and make something out of that. I would dream about being in a band one day.

"So I've always lived for the dream, but once you start doing it, the reality that comes with it can often be a brutal slap to the face. The band has gone through quite a bit in our career. I see a lot of young bands coming out and thinking the way that I used to. But I'm telling you that it's a lot worse than when I started – and that was bad. I'd hate to be a new artist right now."

Chimaira recently released their sixth studio album, 'The Age of Hell,' via eOne. Pick up a copy at this link.

Catch Chimaira on The Age of Hell Tour with Impending Doom, Revocation, and Rise to Remain:

10/12 – Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero

10/14 – Joliet, IL – Mojoes

10/15 – Minneapolis, MN – First Ave

10/17 – Denver, CO – Summit

10/18 – SLC, UT – Club Sound

10/20 – Seattle, WA – Studio Seven

10/21 – Portland, OR – Peter's Room

10/24 – Los Angeles, CA – Key Club

10/25 – Tucson, AZ – The Rock

10/27 – San Aantonio, TX – White Rabbit

10/28 – Dallas, TX – The Door

10/29 – Houston, TX – Fitzgeralds

10/31 – Orlando, FL – Firestone

11/1 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade

11/3 – New York, NY – BB Kings

11/4 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr Smalls

11/5 – Columbus, OH – Al Rosa Villa

The second leg of the tour features Unearth, Skeletonwitch and Molotov Solution:

11/13 Toronto, ON – Opera House

11/14 Montreal, QC – Club Soda

11/16 Hartford, CT – Webster Theatre

11/17 Poughkeepsie, NY – The Chance

11/18 Sayreville, NJ – Starland Ballroom (WSOU Anniversary Show)

11/19 Hampton Beach, NH – Wally's Pub

11/20 Springfield, VA – JAXX

11/21 Asheville, NC – The Orange Peel

11/22 Raleigh, NC – Lincoln Theater

11/23 Myrtle Beach, SC – House Of Blues

11/25 Ft. Lauderdale, FL – Revolution

11/26 St. Petersburg, FL – State Theatre

11/27 Jacksonville, FL – Freebird Live

11/29 Austin, TX – Emo's

11/30 Oklahoma City, OK – Diamond Ballroom

12/01 Albuquerque, NM – Sunshine Theater (no Skeletonwitch)

12/02 Grand Junction, CO – Mesa Theater

12/03 Colorado Springs, CO – Black Sheep (no Skeletonwitch)

12/04 Farmington, NM – Top Deck

12/05 Tempe, AZ – The Marquee Theatre (no Skeletonwitch)

12/07 Pomona, CA – Glass House (no Skeletonwitch)

12/08 Reno, NV – Knitting Factory

12/09 Boise, ID – Knitting Factory

12/10 Spokane, WA – Knitting Factory (no Skeletonwitch)

12/11 Calgary, AB – Republik

12/12 Edmonton, AB – The Starlite Room

12/14 Winnipeg, MB – Pyramid Cabaret

12/16 Cedar Falls, IA – Wheelhouse

12/17 Madison, WI – The Barrymore Theater

12/18 Grand Rapids, MI – The Intersection