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It would be easy for John Moyer to let success go to his head. After all, the bassist for Disturbed has seen the last four of his band's five albums debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, including latest effort Asylum, which was released last Aug. 31. It's believed that the only other bands in rock circles to have four No. 1's in a row are Metallica and Dave Matthews Band.
Not exactly shabby company.
Then there are the big-name tours Disturbed routinely plays: Ozzfest, Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, Rockstar Energy Drink Uproar Festival (see review here) and of course their own Music As a Weapon -- the fifth rendition of which marks the debut of the Illusion Theatre at the Alamodome on Wednesday night. Disturbed (Moyer, singer David Draiman, guitarist Dan Donegan, drummer Mike Wengren) is co-headlining with Korn in a package that also features fellow San Antonio favorites Sevendust and In This Moment. The tour plays Corpus Christi's Concrete Street Amphitheater on Tuesday.
Moyer, a resident of Austin who teaches youngsters at a rock school there, joined Disturbed in 2004 and has been going strong ever since. His career spawned from former San Antonio group The Union Underground, whose biggest claim to fame was "Across The Nation," the theme song to World Wrestling Entertainment's "Monday Night Raw" from 2002-06. When The Union Underground fizzled, Moyer's bandmate, guitarist Patrick Kennison, formed Heaven Below. After a brief role in Heaven Below, Moyer auditioned for Disturbed, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Moyer, 37, phoned me Saturday from a tour stop in Biloxi, Miss., to talk about the roads he's traveled to the top:
Q: How meaningful is it for you to play shows on the big stage and enjoy Disturbed's success in these parts?
A: (Laughs). That's true. I've been in Disturbed coming up on seven years and played on the last two records. This seems to be the biggest Music as a Weapon tour we've ever done. Korn has been such a massive band for so long. But I do remember back in the day when I was in Austin with some of my earlier bands touring and playing in Corpus Christi to 40, 50 people, sometimes less. That's why I'm appreciating this so much. The biggest thing for me is making a career out of this.
Q: Co-headlining with Korn gives the fans a powerful double package of sorts, along with Sevendust and In This Moment. But did that present a challenge in choosing a setlist as opposed to, say, when you headlined the Uproar Festival?
A: You're absolutely right. We both just do the same setlist just over an hour. If we were the main headliners, we'd do an hour and a half. But either way, you're getting the same show every night from both bands wherever you live. Honestly, we've had some success over the years. We've had singles off every record. There are songs off The Sickness that our fans are going to always want to hear and that we're going to play, songs off the Believe record, Ten Thousand Fists, Indestructible, and songs off this Asylum record.
Q: Asylum is the fourth consecutive, and fourth of five Disturbed albums to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. What's your explanation?
A: Our fans. Just being there for us. We have a hard work ethic, too. We've been pretty consistent. We've done five albums in 10 years time, and we tour every record. Then we finish the tour, and we go into a writing cycle again. But you know, our fans have been there for us. The first record, they fell in love with the band, but the second record Believe, it hit at No. 1. And we figured, "How long can we keep this streak going?" (laughs)
Q: Well, since you didn't play on The Sickness, the lone album not to debut at No. 1, you must be the secret ingredient, right?
A: Well, I didn't play on Believe either. But The Sickness, you know, nobody knew who they were. Nobody debuts at No. 1 with the first record because you've got to get it out there and get the word out.
Q: What makes Asylum different than the previous records?
A: Well, I don't want to say it's the heaviest or fastest record yet, but every album is going to sound like Disturbed. One of the things that separates it is we change the arrangements of the song, the keys we write in. David in particular changes the topics he writes about. On this record in particular, there are issues of loneliness and depression he was dealing with. This record is a lot more current. Some of his other stuff in the past has been very cryptic, but vague enough where anyone can put their own meaning on it. This one's a little darker and more personal and as a band, we've put forth new songs that still sound like Disturbed and still rock.
Q: I interviewed Patrick Kennison last September. He told me he would like to take some credit for you getting the gig in Disturbed. Would you describe the Disturbed/Union Underground/Heaven Below connection as a type of brotherhood?
A: I'm buddies with Pat. He and I have been friends for a long time. As far as me working with him, I was hoping to manage his band. I helped them arrange some of the tunes. That's kind of where that is (laughs). But me getting the Disturbed gig was a four-month process standing in line at an audition. I didn't even tell the guys I was coming. Patrick definitely put in a good word for me, and I think Heaven Below is a great band, and I love those guys. They stand on their own. But I'm not going to take credit for any success they have just because I helped them arrange a couple of songs. If Pat put in a good word, I'll do the same for them.
Q: Looking back, things couldn't have worked out much better for you now that you're in Disturbed. But do you have any regrets about The Union Underground not lasting longer?
A: Well, sure man, I put my heart and soul into that band just like everything I do. Before that, I was in a band called Soak, and we toured Texas and when I left, it was a hard decision. The Union Underground, I was hoping to put together a second record, but internally, it broke apart. It broke my heart. When it didn't happen, it was hard that the band ended. Our last show was Halloween 2003 and for months after that, I wasn't in a band. It was the longest I'd gone without being in a band. I had some offers, but honestly, I was trying to hold out for the Disturbed gig. I didn't audition with them until April 2004. They had auditioned lots of people, and I just kept figuring, "Man, that gig's gotta be mine (laughs)."
Q: Do you still teach in Austin?
A: Yeah, when we're not packing away, which is rare, I teach teenagers how to rock at a school called Natural Ear Music. I teach them Ozzy Osbourne songs or Van Halen tunes, and we set up a gig, and they go jam. It's a nice connection with how I started. It's easy to lose sight. Even athletes, they get into the game so much, they forget why they got into it in the first place. We spend a lot of time away from our families and friendships, making a lot of sacrifices, and it can be a grind. And anytime I get to teach these kids, it helps me connect with why I got started in the first place.
Q: San Antonians are disappointed the Mayhem Fest's lone Texas stop is Dallas (Aug. 10), especially after you guys co-headlined the first one with Slipknot here in 2008. But how excited are you to be playing with Godsmack and especially a band from an earlier era in Megadeth?
A: Oh yeah, it's going to be awesome. I grew up playing Megadeth songs, and I know a couple guys in the band. The Godsmack guys, too, a great band. It's going to be exciting. It's a great lineup, and even with bands like Trivium, Machine Head and Kingdom of Sorrow on the second stage, the fans are going to get a great show.
Q: Wednesday's concert is the first at the new Illusion Theatre at the Alamodome, and opening up there for Stone Sour on April 8 is Disturbed's first signing to Intoxication/Reprise Records -- Art of Dying. What should fans know most about that band?
A: David and Dan have an imprint label called Intoxication through Warner Brothers Records. This is the first band they've signed and put out. The first thing you gotta know is they have a great team behind them. David and Dan have a helluva track record in this industry. They're not going to back a band if they don't think it's great. But it sounds nothing like Disturbed, not has heavy. But they still rock.
Q: Your favorite Disturbed song to play, and why?
A: I love 'em all for different reasons. Down With the Sickness, even though you'd think it'd get old playing it and we've played it a hundred thousand times -- and will probably always play it -- the crowd reaction, as soon as the drum beat hits, it goes crazy. The flip side is playing new songs that are fresh. We're playing The Animal and Another Way to Die -- songs that are fun -- and challenging songs like Inside The Fire during the solo part where me and Dan are just ripping together.
Q: I recently returned from the 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise. Would Disturbed play next year if asked?
A: I don't know (laughs). If I love the destination . . . but I don't like cruise ships. I'll go wherever it makes sense. I'll play anywhere, but I personally don't like cruises.
Well, John, thanks for taking the time. It's been a privilege. Best of luck and continued success with the rest of this tour, Mayhem and all of your future records.
Awesome, great interview! I really appreciate it. Take care.


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