Well let me start off by thanking you Wes for taking the time to do this interview for all the fans.

Not a problem

Who are your biggest inspirations/influences?

Well this answer would change every time you ask it for every member, but when we started Korn was just starting to blow up, Deftones were getting big in Sac and We played a show at Club 369 [369 was the capacity to tell you how young the bands were] and that was just the shit. It was one of our first few shows, we were so inpired by those two bands and kinda all eveolved from the same music era youth culture and vibe.As far as influences go? Too many. Everything from D’angelo, to Stevie Wonder, to RHCP, Iron Maiden, Metallica, to Early Van Halen.


Did you play in a band before (Hed)Pe?

Of course. Every member of Hed was in a few other shitty bands before Hed. Are you kidding? Ain’t noone in a band that doesn’t have a few hideous attempts before [hopefully] getting the right line up and abilities


Who wrote the music in the old (Hed)Pe,was the hip-hop element mainly influenced by Jahred or by all members?

The first album was written mostly by myself [music] and Jahred [lyrics] Of course all of us worked together and sprinkled their various styles all over. By the second album our vision was more realized and everyone had more involvement in the writing process.
As for a lot of the funky beats, I tended to program a lot of that stuff on my MPC2000 or whatever drum machine [for example Feelgood, Crazy Legs, Boom, Bitches, and even Serpent Boy were all songs I programmed]
As far as the origins of our sound, and contrary to how the press states it now. The reality is that Jahred an I first started vibing together, before the project was officially formed As we started jamming and brainstorming Hed’s vision was not even realized for the first months. We fucked around with style ands songs and our sound changed constantly. Our first live set didn’t have one song that made any record. Jahred and I were tryin to figure out what would be our ‘sound’. We recorded a demo, Jahred went to jail and I think it was after that that he and I took some mushrooms, well a LOT of friggin mushrooms, I mean I literally od’d, but that’s another story. We got all high and went to RATM, Beasties, and Cypress Hill, and it hit us- we are gonna blend the heaviest of rock and the stoniest meanest of hip hop. And at that point around, 1995, this style was hardly touched. Plus I had Jahred on vocals delivering true hip hop and hard core….


Who's your favorite artists right now?

Man, I LOVE soooooo many types of music, all types really, there’s even some good country, like Johnny Cash, but right now my favorite rock albums have been SOAD of course [homies!] My Chemical, the Used, and I have been going to a lot of punk shows locally and seen TSOL, Throwrag, RiverBoat Gamblers, and the Black Halos
And funny, Hip hop has definitely not been doin it for me lately


Wes, what was the best part about working and playing with (Hed)Pe, do you have many good memories from playing in (Hed)Pe?

Come on, that was MY baby. My dream come true. From the beginning it was the biggest explosion as an artist for many years, that I had ever had. I designed the logo, the sound, programmed the beats, wrote bass lines, some lyrics and even drew some art for our first records. These are things that go uncredited, but are still accomplishments as an artist I am very proud of. Not to forget we toured the world with some of the coolest bands ever. The list is SO long-Korn Deftones, Slipknot, SOAD, Slayer, Soulfly, Papa roach, Linkin Park, Orgy, Mudvayne and the bands we played with Tool Radiohead, Weezer, Outkast…I mean what a dream. The list goes on and on and on.


What is your favorite (Hed)Pe song and why?

That’s like picking a favorite child as a parent, it’s-impossible. They are special for different reasons.


What was your favorite (Hed)Pe album of all the ones you worked on?

Any of the first records. I am not a fan of Blackout for many reasons. Of course there are some brilliant moments on there, but the album was not enjoyable to record. I didn’t care for the end product over all and for the recored I begged for us to keep writing and waiting to record the record, but Jahred was adamant that we record what we had and stop writing.
What was the overall tour experience like with (Hed)pe,who got pranks played on them the most on the tour bus?
Let’s just say we didn’t get into too many elaborate pranks, but there certainly was a lot of flatulent attacks….lol


Have you listened to "Only In Amerika"?Be honest what do you think of it?

I have heard only very little. For me it is like seeing my Mom remarry a guy other than my Dad, you know? It isn’t what it was, and it has lost what I thought made Hed cool. We had a very spiritual worldly fun vibe on a lot of stuff and frankly the newer stuff is just too pissed all of the time. I liked how we mixed it up a lot stylistically on our records.. But I haven’t listened too in depth so maybe I am missing something. My goal was to start changing Hed’s sound and evolving it to the next level, and it wasn’t in that direction for sure. But to try and hold the new Hed up against the old magical lineup, would be like trying to compare the old Lakers with Kareem and Magic to the new Kobe Lakers…totally different, and people will like what they like…


Wes, why did you leave (Hed)Pe?

Well there are a lot of very personal reasons for my departure and to have any sort of class and dignity I will not hang out our dirty laundry here. The sum reason is because the brotherhood died and the creative alliance and bond we had [Jahred and I, as well as the whole band together] died too. Unfortunately some people get stuck in their beliefs and do not want to consider alternatives like reality..
If I didn’t leave when I did, I wouldn’t be here I am at today, and I wouldn’t trade that for ANYTHING in the world. But at the same time I stil have dreams and nightmares about my old band and miss it and my brothers dearly. It is a shame that some things don’t get fixed.


Do you still speak to Jahred,B.C,Chizad,Product anymore?

BC, Chad, Sonny, DJ, and I are all still totally cool. I still hang with BC and I totally support Chad’s new band Duress. DJ and I may work on some music together in the future. We were always a good team for writing.


What have you been up to since you left?

Getting my life back together. I have battled drug and alcohol addictions and am now sober over 18 months. It was either that or end up in a gutter and probably dead. Through my new found freedom I have continued to write and work on music. I have scored some music for videos and am continuing to refine a line up for my new project I am working on….


Have you got a message to any the (hed) fans?

Thanks for years of support and helping us to have such a killer journey with our music. You guys made our shows like the ultimate party everytime and I could never thank you enough for that. I would love to see people continue to support local and underground art & music. In these times of free file sharing of digital media and explosion of young bands and artists it is growing harder than it ever has been for young artists to achieve success
If you REALLY like a band, or a movie or whatever-BUY IT AND SUPPORT WHO YOU LOVE SO THEY CAN STICK AROUND TO MAKE MORE ART.

END

:hedoldskool:

great interview!
congratulations!
some things are much clear now!

it is obvious that something between jahred and him stinks and of course i am on jahred's side (yeah mom i like your re-marriage! :lol: )

Awesome interview!
Good job on it.

great. one of my questions was used. Im surpised he likes my chemical romance and the used.......damn, thought he liked better stuff.
Good interview, nice to know more about what really happened. :broke:

Great interview by the way. I really wish they could squash their beef and get back together, because they were a phenomenal writing team....

yes they were

Great interview yo! THNX.

thanks for doing this, i'd be cool if you could do this with all of the old and new artists.

yeah, it would be bad ass if you could set up an interview with jahred. i'm sure he would have plenty to say.

Mad props on the interview. Very well done. Def miss Wes...hope him the best.

:only in amerika: so thats what happened, i saw them at the HOB in chicago as a complete band, then a week later in Millwaukee and Wes wasn't there. And Jared was talking mad shit bout the guy. OIA-love it keep it up headbanger

i beleive that this "girlfriend thing" happened before recording of blackout cuz you can here some lyrics in sundown and otherside explaining this

what do you think?

Damn, that interview kinda makes me sad. Wes seems like a great guy, and Hed's new sound is much different with him gone. I think its very heroic of him to speak of his former band with such love. It seems like without Wes, hed had to create a new formula with :only in amerika: .

But don't forget, we have the new Hed members now, and we can't simply hang them out to dry if wes wants to come back.

Something definately went down with Jerred and him.

This is great! Thanks a lot!!!

awsome interview!

Very good job, THAT is an interview ;)

Forgiveness is good. I hope Wes and Jahred won't stay like that. They seemed so close. That's a pity. Mostly if it is because of a girl !!

Nah, I dount it. Seems like it's gone too far...

:D great interview

lol was it really over some girl? i thought they were smarter than that.
bros before hoes :P

It's a shame Wes and Chad left, but everything happens for a reason--the new guys bring in a talent all of their own, so alls not lost!!

I cant wait to hear new music from him,

He was a mighty fine guitarist.

Ive liked the 2 later albums (a lot) but they're more vocally carried, the music lacks a little of the flavour. Jahred and he were a great team :)

Jamie

I agree with everybody, it's a great interview. :D

Sayin´ Hi to all HED fans, just have found this awsome forum full of info. I have almost found what I´ve been looking for here, pretty nice interview. It´s sad that Wes is not in the band anymore. Hungry for a good "wesstyle" music. Hope we gonna hear something from tha guy. Heh I´ve found him on Myspace.com ... *CENSORED* as a nickname. He looks satisfied. have you guys seen it? *CENSORED LINK* ;) :hedoldskool:

hey man, welcome to the forum - ye I d like to hear sum of wes new music too.....

peace,
Pat headbanger

it was removed by the admin, im sure bout that...plz remove the link =) oki?
peace,
W*T*D

Ok man sorry for postin it twice :D

cool interview man . shud have looked it up earlier

Why can't u repost the link to Wes's myspace?

yea, i'm curious to on why u didn't post the link ?
is it because wes doesn't want people to see his space? or some other reason, i'm interested to hear his new material

I don´t know mabye admin do not want us to disturb him. It is personal myspace not music myspace, no music content ... few personal fhotos. RESPECT

oh didn't know tht it's his personal one, o well as long as he's happy now it's cool, :)

Great interview!

And you guys can burn me at the stakes but I'd trade the current line-up (except fo Jah of course) for WES and Chad in an INSTANT. No thinking. Nothing. Period.

Yep A lot of us here think that way too.

Word up crack rock!!

Man cool interview! I allways liked his style.
What da fuck is he doing now?

Nothing, I know he played guitar for Papa Roach a couple of times and last I heard he was banging Jah's ex girl who is a hag/stripper or something like that I don't know he goes by the name crack rock now though

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wes_Geer

LOL his website is the biggest p.o.s ever hahah

As Jah said on Bubba "He aint doing nothing"

and than Product said "We Don't Wanna mention his name and give him free promotion"

So fuck crack rock.

Nice reference there waiting to die