Interviews    Abdullah
by Chris Barnes

Abdullah creates music that is all at once beautiful, heavy, uplifting and sad. Their first full-length release creates a landscape of emotions and musical dynamics that defy category. Jeff Shirilla and Alan Seibert, the minds behind Abdullah, talk to Chris Barnes about the inspirations, sprituality, and of course the music, of Abdullah.

Hellride Music: Jeff, first off, let me thank you for not writing any lyrics about spaceships, outerspace, innerspace or pot. It's a nice change. That being said, can you tell me the history behind Abdullah?

Jeff Shirilla: I had been playing in bands since high school but never took an active role in the actual songwriting process and therefore became very bored very quickly and moved around from band to band quite often. I always wanted to sing and write songs but was always stuck behind a drum set since I was the only guy in our neck 'o the woods who could keep a beat. About 3 years ago I was playing drums in a band called Sloth when I was finally allowed to sing on a track. After that point, it was like a fire had been lit under me. I immediately locked myself away and composed my first tune (which incidentally was "The Black Ones") but began to see that once again my role in Sloth was going to be very limited. Other factors contributing, I decided that it was time to form my own band and finally take a stab at songwriting instead of just providing beats. There were alot of things I wanted to do musically that I just wasn't able to accomplish playing in other people's bands. So I hooked up with a bass player (who I had tried recruiting for Sloth) and we proceeded to write some very EyeHateGod inspired tracks. It wasn't quite what I wanted to do, but I figured every band has to start somewhere. However, things quickly took a turn for the worse when we started jamming with a couple of guys who were much more comfortable playing grindcore. Suffice it to say... things didn't quite work out. I wanted to create something that brought more melody and variety into the sludge/doom arena but ended up pretty much treading water in the first incarnation of Abdullah. So this time I wrote a bunch of material by myself ("Conundrum" and "Now is the Winter" were composed during this period of time), demoed it out, and hung up "musicians wanted" fliers all over town. After a few weeks I got a call from some guy named Alan, I sent him the demoed tracks, he liked 'em, we got together and things worked out better than I ever could have anticipated. We practiced together for a few months, got comfortable with each others styles (not that this was a difficult task since we see almost eye to eye on musical issues), and then commenced work on "Snake Lore." Looking back to all of the conflicts I had working with a group of musicians who always seemed to want to do exactly what I did not, and seeing how just me and Alan coexisted beautifully, I thought it'd be a better idea to record the new material with just the two of us rather than look for additional musicians to round out the line-up. In retrospect, I'd have to say that this was a pretty good idea because "Snake Lore" turned out exactly how I wanted it to: very heavy, very groove-DRIven, yet also very melodic and atmospheric. It was not our intention to simply tread on ground that had already been laid by other bands, and I feel that we accomplished this to some degree. So again... since things worked out so well with "Snake Lore" with just the two of us, we really didn't want to stray from this formula in the making of our debut for MeteorCity. At this stage in the game, however, I really want to get together with some other musicians and make Abdullah a quote-unquote real band. We're working at it, but things are going a lot slower than I thought they would.

Alan Seibert: We've definitely taken an unorthodox path with Abdullah. It was never intentional for us to be the Steely Dan of doom metal, just two guys hidden away making records, but it worked out so easily and things came out so good that we just went with it. Speaking from plenty of experience, it's very hard to come up with a combination of band members that have a chemistry together. Once you find that, when things just click, you don't want to sit around waiting until you can find more people, you want to get going! We recognized the fact that between the two of us we could cover all the bases on a recording so that's what we did. We would have liked to have a full band, and that's still our goal, but it just wasn't happening. You gotta take your lemons and make lemonade (did I just say that? somebody slap me).

Hellride Music: On the new album, you sing, play drums and write a majority of the music. Is this the result of Ritchie Blackmore/Steve Harris-like control issues or something more subtle? When you play live is it the same set-up with the addition of a bass player?

Jeff: It's not an issue of control, it's just that I'm more comfortable writing songs by myself. I like to exorcise the demons that pervade my daily life through my music, and therefore it becomes a very personal and introspective process. Suffice it to say, I have a LOT of demons to exorcise so I have composed a pretty hefty catalog of songs. I'm constantly recording bits and pieces of music that come to me here and there (usually in the pre-dawn hours and concentrated in the winter months... go figure), and then when I get in the right mind frame I sit down and put all of these pieces together.

Alan: When we play live the setup will be different. Jeff's not going to be able to concentrate on both drumming and singing so we'll have a dedicated drummer and a bass player joining the band (as soon as we can find them, please get in touch guys!). We agreed that even if Jeff could pull off the dual role live we just don't want to do that. I mean, how many bands have the drummer as the lead singer? It just doesn't come across too well in my opinion. I'll be on guitar of course and we'll probably have another guitarist helping us out.

Hellride Music: There is an interesting interplay between beauty, grace and heaviness in your music. Although Abdullah is labeled a doom band, you seem to be much more in line with Spirit Caravan/The Obsessed than anything Electric Wizardish...you seem to be setting out to create more of an atmosphere then to crush eardrums. Would you agree? Is this intentional or just the way you write?

Jeff: I'd definitely have to agree with you on this one. I know that we're labeled as a "doom" band almost exclusively, but when I hear the term "doom metal" thrown around I conjure up images of bands like early Cathedral, Electric Wizard, and Grief which I feel we have little in common with except for the momentum deprivation. That's not to say that we don't emit a certain gloomy aura which is akin to the languid strains of traditional doom metal, but I feel that we stray a little from the doom metal canon through our strong sense of melody and incorporation of softer and quieter sounds into our music. I think by doing so we've alienated ourselves from reaching a target audience, but what can you do? I know how I want my music to sound and I definitely want it to be dynamic and atmospheric. Alot of the fans of the heavier, sludgier stuff can't get into the vocals, while those who would normally like the melodic vocals are turned off by the heavy metal orthodoxy of it all. It's definitely a tight rope to walk, but like I said earlier I use my music as an outward expression of my inward emotions which by no means can be captured in one simple, categorized musical statement. I'm probably sounding real pretentious right now, so I'll shut up. Maybe Alan can dig me out of this hole...

Alan: We didn't set out to be a "doom" band from the start. If our only goal was to be crushingly heavy doom, I'm sure we could do it, but it wouldn't be totally honest in terms of what we want out of our music. We'll leave that up to the many other bands that are out there doing a fine job of it (I love Electric Wizard by the way). What we did want was heavy, slower music with melodic vocals, guitar solos, and a certain amount of experimentation since we both have very varied tastes in music. Also, we both have rather cynical, pessimistic, and "loner" personalities to varying degrees and this by itself lends a gloomy doomy feel to everything we do, we just can't help it.

Hellride Music: Getting back to the lyrics for a moment....you have my admiration here, if you don't mind me saying. The lyrics are beautiful, mystical and intelligently written. Not the usual "life sucks, Satan rules" stuff heard in the Doom scene. Where do the inspirations for the lyrics come from? Do you write the lyrics first, then the music to fit the lyrics or vice-versa? English or Literary major perchance?

Jeff: When I'm writing a new song, the lyrics always seem to come secondary to the music. With the music a certain mood is evoked and it's this mood that almost always inspires the lyrics. For the most part, I never have a preconceived notion of the subject matter I'm going to touch upon during the initial stages of putting together a new song. I let the mood take me there, but my frame of mind at the time of sitting down and composing the lyrics also has a big effect on how things are going to turn out. If I'm in a bad mood or feeling a little hopeless and depressed then obviously the lyrics are going to take on a more negative shape. Sometimes, as with "The Path to Enlightenment," I'll get up on a soapbox and do a little preaching about the sins of mankind, but I think the unifying element in all of my lyrics is the attempt to bring a personal and intimate feeling to mystical and ethereal subject matter. I like to imbue esoteric concepts that are primarily seen mystically or supernaturally with human emotions. I think it makes for an interesting dichotomy. This inspiration comes from alot of the literature I've read by authors such as John Milton, William Blake and Edgar Allen Poe. And you guessed correctly.... I received my bachelor's degree in English. It was my lifelong goal to turn myself into a stuffy, pompous horse's ass and by the sounds of this interview I think I'm succeeding quite well.

Alan: Not that you asked but I have my bachelor's in electrical engineering because it was my goal to be anal, introspectively calculating, and boring.

Hellride Music: HAHA!! "Lucifer in Starlight" is an interesting song to me. You seem to be painting Lucifer as a lonely and alienated guy. How far off am I? What was the inspiration for the song?

Jeff: Yeah... you've hit the nail on the head. I think the original title of this song was "Burning into White" or something silly like that and the lyrics I had already worked out were somewhat similar... a sort of first person lament. The idea arose to have the narrator be the almighty prince of darkness when I came up with the line "won't you comfort me in this abyss." It seemed like a pretty clever idea at the time but about an hour after finishing things up I heard "Sympathy for the Devil" come on the radio and felt a little embarrassed. I guess I must've been a bit too wrapped up in the moment while writing the lyrics because afterwards I realized how cliched the premise was. I still really like that song, though, and it most definitely ranks as one of my favorites on the album.

Hellride Music: How did you hookup with the MeteorCity lads?

Jeff: After recording "Snake Lore" we had it burned to CD, came up with the design and packaging, and sent out like a hundred of them to various zines and labels. I received some positive feedback from labels like Brainticket, Fueled Up and Underdogma (and a very cool rejection letter from Relapse!) but most of these labels just didn't have enough in their budgets at the time to bring another band on board. Right around the same time I received my first email from Aaron of MeteorCity informing me that they received the demo and really liked it but it hinted at nothing beyond that. A few weeks later I received a similar email from Jadd and the doors of communication opened a bit wider. After about a week of emailing back and forth and covering all sorts of topics, they offered us a deal the day before New Year's Eve. Me and Alan were both pretty ecstatic and after receiving the contracts a few weeks later we signed on with them for a two record deal. In retrospect (and I'm not just saying this because I'm under contract!!!), I feel that we couldn't have been picked up by a better label in that MeteorCity has such a solid and respected reputation and really takes it's time picking the bands that it wants to work with. There's a certain amount of pride that goes along with being part of a roster that boasts an elite group of killer bands like Solace, Eternal Elysium, etc. and has worked with Spirit Caravan!

Hellride Music: The album packaging is phenomenal!!....some serious time and money was spent. Who is responsible for the design? What are you trying to get across? Is there even a message or was it designed to create a mood? You even have a picture from "Gummo" which I understand is one of the most disturbing films ever made....

Jeff: Actually, there was no money spent on the layout of the CD. Me and my brother created all of the artwork based on a general idea I had about how I wanted it all to look. I definitely wanted a gothic feel, but I wanted to incorporate more of an earthy, intimate feel to it rather than the cold obliqueness of typical "gothic" artwork. I also wanted the cover and interior artwork to reflect the same melancholy and languid vibes that are evoked through the music itself. I included the still from "Gummo" because the CD was originally going to be entitled "Wading in Dark Water" and I wanted the imagery to tie in with that theme. I decided to scrap that at the last minute, though, as I felt it kind of limited the direction in which the artwork could be taken. And just as a sidenote... if you haven't seen the film "Gummo" yet, you owe it to yourself to see it. It is a stark aural attack on the senses that somehow manages to find beauty amongst chaos and ugliness.

Hellride Music: Are you religious to any degree? Do your beliefs in spirituality have an effect on what you write both musically and lyrically?

Jeff: I'm not religious in the traditional sense, but I do have a spiritual side to me... more of a connection with nature really. I do feel that there's more to this existence than what we're aware of as mortals. I believe that on this earthly plane similar energies are drawn together and remain bonded throughout "time" or however you want to phrase it, and that people are ultimately responsible for their actions. I'm not talking about karma, reincarnation or an afterlife in the traditional sense, but I truly feel that there's something out there that awaits us after death. Maybe I'm just being optimistic or solipsistic in that I can't face that perhaps death is merely accompanied by the end of existence altogether, but I really feel there's something to all of this. Other than that, I feel that every day we're alive is a miracle and it literally kills me to have to sully something so precious with a 9 to 5 job I can't stand just to eke out a living. What kind of existence is that? I really value my time outside of work, though, and try to live every minute to the fullest, but the time I value most is that which is spent quietly and sometimes introspectively. I take great Solace in the simple pleasures of this world and try not to waste my time on things that bring me stress and malcontent. I know that sounds like a pretty simplistic worldview but in my opinion most people are too Obsessed with so-called "success" and financial gain and consequently waste their lives pursuing something that can never possibly bring them happiness. Greed and power are just bigger and more maligned forms of drugs in that someone who indulges in their excesses is never quite satisfied with what they have at the moment and needs more and more of it to induce "happiness." The serpent devours itself. Obviously, these types of thoughts and feelings most definitely influence and permeate my lyrics. I find a strong feeling of vindication in expressing these things lyrically and that, my friends, is what DRIves me to continue on with Abdullah.

Alan: I grew up in a Christian family, had to go to church and Sunday school. It wasn't fundamentalism and was basically ignored by the family except for Sunday mornings and holidays, but it was present none the less. And I never believed it. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to really understand what was going on, I had already unwittingly absorbed enough of it to have a certain amount of uncertainty and guilt about the Christian explanation of the universe versus my own observations and theories. At this point I was already into metal and I discovered the so-called "satanic" bands. I embraced this music, even though I knew it was all tongue in cheek, because it was blatantly against christianity and organized religion in general. I think a lot of ex-Christians, when they start to doubt their religion, have the first reaction to rebel against it. That's certainly what happened with me. I hated the fact that I was indoctrinated into this belief system, I wanted to destroy it. The most obvious way is go for the thing christians hate most by their own definition, satan. I never ever have considered myself a satanist and have never indulged in "evil" or violence or anything like that but I did like the anti-christian aura of it all. Later on I realized that satan only exists in the Christian world-view so it's just as ridiculous to entertain the thought of either one, they go together. If you're going to reject one, you're really rejecting both. Anyway, the whole point of that rather lengthy trip down memory lane is to show that religion and spirituality did have an effect on the music I like and produce even if it was a small one. I like heavy music for the energy, inventiveness, integrity, and rebellious-ness of it all. As far as my current "beliefs" go, I still think organized religion is anti-life, anti-individual, and anti-educational. It's a prison that traps your mind and therefore keeps you ignorant. By the way, "ignorant" has a negative connotation to it like "stupid" or "dumb" but read it as "ignore"-ant and you're closer to my meaning, you ignore everything that doesn't fit in with your beliefs. I do have strong spiritual thoughts but I won't call them beliefs because they change when need be. I won't detail them here because it would take way too long and probably bore everyone to death.

Hellride Music: Now for a more mundane question. What are some of the bands that you really like either current or past and why?

Jeff: Growing up, I subsisted on a strict diet of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden with brief forays into the realms of new wave, but it ALWAYS came back to Maiden and Sabbath. For some reason, those two bands just spoke to my soul. Maybe it was the total package, you know? Especially with Maiden: not only was the music phenomenal, but it was augmented by the intricate artwork of Derek Riggs and the unique lyrical subjects that Bruce and Steve touched upon. These things opened my young mind to many different and interesting concepts that offered an escape from the monotony of daily life (even as a youngster I was melodramatic!!!). Around the age of 13 or so I got my first sampling of Metallica (it was "Whiplash") and was just floored!!! Maybe it was the pre-teen angst, but there was something about the aggressiveness of the music that really appealed to me at the time. From there I moved on to bands like Slayer, Exodus , etc. and was just completely overwhelmed by the aggressive nature of the music and especially the more profane and socially-aware lyrical subjects. Those bands opened the door to a whole new world for me (both musically and idealistically) and I spent years listening to nothing but thrash and hardcore bands. Some of my all times faves were (and still are) Septic Death, DRI, Attitude Adjustment, Voi Vod, Poison Idea, Celtic Frost, Venom, Slayer, Corrosion of Conformity, Sacrilege B.C., and the list goes on and on. During this time period the melody that I enjoyed in bands like Maiden and Sabbath was replaced by the aggressive musical stylings and over the top imagery of the metal and hardcore underground. It wasn't until 1988 when I first heard "Nothing's Shocking" that again my thoughts about music were delivered a shocking blow! The strange mix of melodious psychedelia and the churning metallic thud that Jane's Addiction spewed forth reaffirmed in my mind how powerful a sense of melody can be when combined with a heavier musical foundation. From that point I began to supplement the thrash and hardcore with more melodic sounds. It was at this time period that I started to discover the first wave of Seattle grunge bands like Mudhoney, The Fluid, Swallow, Nirvana and Tad, and totally devoured the mix of Zeppelin and Stooges-esque melody with the guitar-driven bombast and driving rhythm sections. I really see a direct correlation between the initial grunge scene and the current stoner scene (hopefully, today's stoner scene won't fall prey to the corporate exploitation that did "grunge" in) and that's what initially drew me to the doom and stoner sound (although my predilection has always been the slower, Sabbathy stuff a la St. Vitus and the Obsessed). Even though I listen to a much wider and diverse array of music than just stoner and doom, I feel most comfortable in expressing myself through this musical medium. I think the warm, earthy vibes of a slow, groove-driven sound is more conducive to expressing feelings of despair and gloom. Happy stuff, huh?

Alan: We're on common ground here with Maiden and Sabbath. Those were also my two major influences. I think both bands are pretty rare in that their first six albums or so are "perfect". The music, production, art... everything really, was original and of top notch quality. I went through similar phases as Jeff did with my tastes ever escalating, getting more and more extreme until I went the other way and listened to a larger variety of music. "Nothing's Shocking" was a big album for me too. I went through a phase of a couple years where I listened to mostly psychedelic and spacey music like Hawkwind, Ozric Tentacles, Farflung, and The Grateful Dead. I guess at the time I had become bored with metal and limited song structures. So I missed the latter years of death metal and the start of black metal during this time. I've since gone back and caught up on a lot of that stuff and it's currently some of my favorite music. A few of my current faves and why would be - Electric Wizard, these guys have combined three elements of music I love, heavy heavy doom, evil, and spaciness and they've just taken it over the top. Kool Keith, he's got the best rhymes, flow, beats, and originality in the rap business. I get bored with most rappers quickly but I think Kool Keith will stand the test of time for me. Favorite album - Dr. Dooom. Church of Misery, nothing really groundbreaking music-wise but they do a great job of it, I love the guitar playing. The lyrics and samples exclusively about serial killers and mass murderers lend a really creepy feel to everything, and I like that. Slow Horse, thick and sticky doom with anguished melodic vocals, can't go wrong with that can you? Almost makes me cry.

Hellride Music: Any upcoming tour plans?

Alan: The first plan is to find the right drummer and bassist. We won't have any tour plans until that happens. When it does, our first goal will be to play local shows in and around Cleveland then spreading out to neighboring areas like Chicago, Pittsburgh, Philly, New Jersey, Maryland, etc... After that we'll try some short term regional tours and just see how far we can take things.

Hellride Music: Anything else you'd like to share with the CH readers?

Alan: Thank you to anyone who is enjoying our music, we really appreciate your support and comments. Please check out our website at www.stonerrock.com/abdullah. We try to keep it up to date and full of the latest content and news on Abdullah. Thank you for the interview. Exit here.

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Copyright 2002 HellrideMusic.com
Interview by Chris Barnes