2004 05 MAY RAG - RAG Magazine

of older material on it, just for the simple fact that I personallywanted that material on disk for myself. I wantedthose songs to listen to when I’m old and in a wheelchair,”Snyder explains. Listeners will not mistake thisfor wheelchair music. The sound is full of heavy arenastyleoomph and lots of solid old-school rock rage. Fornow, Heart and Soul accompanies Snyder during workoutsessions at the gym.In Snyder’s opinion, Heart and Soul represents the band’sbest CD to date. “This is the first album that I’ve everproduced and I look back and have absolutely no regrets,”he says with confidence. The album title is an indicationof the amount of dedication involved in the project – acommitment of heart and soul. “‘Heart and Soul’” is thefirst and title track because that’s basically what got uswhere we are – our heart, soul and ambition.” BadFashionalso highlight that they are no newbies to the music scene,and make reference to all the years gone by within titletrack. The song sounds like a message for listeners whomay have brushed off the band before now, or think themusic will be unchanged since the ’96 work. The lyricsproclaim, “That was then and this is now/ Time to outslick time/ Conjure up my craft somehow/ And get theducks back in line.”While much of the 1996 release was centered aroundrelationship drama, Heart and Soul deals with arange of heavy issues, such as addictions andself-absorption. “Easy Blood” tackles the dangerof bad habits - from such an obvious viceas drugs, to less evident things like coffee.“When someone gets so addicted to somethingthat they eventually die – something ascasual as coffee, cigarettes and stress –that’s a shame,” says Snyder. “I think everybodycan relate to that song.” The lasttrack, “Too Cool” is a jestful comment onvanity. “That’s not an autobiography,” saysSnyder with a laugh. “That’s an observationof people and myself. You knowsometimes you just feel like you’re fullof yourself. Everybody has that experienceI think - when you’re on top of yourgame. I’ve seen people hold on to thatfor their entire lives. That was a funsong.”All of the lyrics are based on Snyder’spersonal experiences or those of hisfriends and family. He admits to notrealizing that such an honest lyricalapproach would create atransparent door to histhoughts. “[That] never occursto me when I am writing and recording. My momwas listening to “Easy Blood” and she recognized someof the references. All three of those people [in the song]were relatives. I think that was the first time I ever feltexposed. I thought, oh they’re on to me. That was a verystrange feeling. I am a very private, typical kind of guy. Itnever occurred to me that writing this stuff was like writingon the wall. That’s what music is, you have to exposeyourself.”To further support the release of Heart and Soul,BadFashion is currently putting together a video forthe fierce and frenzied “Born to Fly.” Though many majormusic networks executives claim that the days of musicvideos are over, Snyder explains why this medium isimportant for all bands. “I think [a music video] is agood way to illustrate what the songs mean in casesomething got lost in translation. You have the abilityto convey to the listener what you meant. Like “Bornto Fly” is all about extreme sports. Someone madethe comment to me, ‘What’s load the line? Is that adrug reference?’ I said no, that’s actually awakeboarding reference. And it occurred to me that[the words] can be misconstrued.”“Born to Fly” conveys the sensationof extreme sports, in particularwakeboarding, and the videowill feature footage of pros- four-time World ChampionDean Lavelle,World ChampionShawn Murry, andSummer X winner,HyperliteBoards/ BindingsandW o r l dChampion34 • RAG MAGAZINE • JULY 2004