General Zod
Ruler of Australia
On the same topic, from an interview I did with Jon:
Zod: The next Iced Earth album? Any idea what timeframe were looking at? Are we looking at spring next year?
Jon: It kind of depends. Were waiting on decisions from SPV. Its not that theyre going to decide which way the record goes, thematically, its just that I need to have an answer about a contractual thing before I go forward with the theme that I want to go forward with. My goal is to do the Something Wicked story.
Zod: That was my next question.
Jon: Yeah. The real way. Basically, they need to commit to the option that they have, because its going to be a two part record, I cant do it in one part.
Zod: Is that right?
Jon: Yeah. It will be the kind of thing where we put out part one, and well still be in the studio working on part two. And then part two would come out, six months later, and thats when the tour would start. So its going to be, by far, the most ambitious thing Ive ever written, recorded. Its going to be bizarre, heavy, dark, melodic all that. But, very, very ambitious. I hope that the right decision is made, so that we can finally deliver this thing.
Zod: Thats sounds good. Im looking forward to hearing it.
Jon: Its going to take a while to write it. Im not going to bullshit you. Because I want to start writing in the next two months or so, if the decision is made soon. Every time we do a record, the first stage of it starts to happen in my mind. Before I even pick up a guitar and start making it a reality, I think constantly about it, pretty much every minute of every day, Im building this shit in my mind. That goes on for several weeks and then I actually grab the guitar and I sit down and I start playing, and I record and I build things and make it happen that way. But this is so complex, and its got to have the cliff-hangers and the whole thing, and its a bizarre story thats going to totally fucking blow peoples minds. And its got to be done the right way. Its going to have world instruments, and all different kinds of tribal drumming... theres going to be sitars, and a full orchestra and just stuff that people have never heard from us before.
Zod: Wow.
Jon: But it will still be very much Iced Earth. I hope that it will be the ultimate concept album ever. Thats my goal.
Zod: Just curious, what do you think is the ultimate concept album ever?
Jon: What do I think it is?
Zod: Yeah. If you had to pick one as the gold standard.
Jon: Hmm I would say The Wall.
Zod: The Wall?
Jon: Yeah.
Zod: Id probably say, Mindcrime 1A, but The Wall would be 1B.
Jon: Yeah, Mindcrime is killer too. Definitely a great, great album. I just think The Wall is its obviously freakier. Mindcrime is a Metal concept album. The Wall is just heavy, its a trip. Its just one of those things. Theres some really weird musical stuff on it, but I just think its amazing. Ours is going to be nothing like The Wall.
(laughter)
Zod
Zod: The next Iced Earth album? Any idea what timeframe were looking at? Are we looking at spring next year?
Jon: It kind of depends. Were waiting on decisions from SPV. Its not that theyre going to decide which way the record goes, thematically, its just that I need to have an answer about a contractual thing before I go forward with the theme that I want to go forward with. My goal is to do the Something Wicked story.
Zod: That was my next question.
Jon: Yeah. The real way. Basically, they need to commit to the option that they have, because its going to be a two part record, I cant do it in one part.
Zod: Is that right?
Jon: Yeah. It will be the kind of thing where we put out part one, and well still be in the studio working on part two. And then part two would come out, six months later, and thats when the tour would start. So its going to be, by far, the most ambitious thing Ive ever written, recorded. Its going to be bizarre, heavy, dark, melodic all that. But, very, very ambitious. I hope that the right decision is made, so that we can finally deliver this thing.
Zod: Thats sounds good. Im looking forward to hearing it.
Jon: Its going to take a while to write it. Im not going to bullshit you. Because I want to start writing in the next two months or so, if the decision is made soon. Every time we do a record, the first stage of it starts to happen in my mind. Before I even pick up a guitar and start making it a reality, I think constantly about it, pretty much every minute of every day, Im building this shit in my mind. That goes on for several weeks and then I actually grab the guitar and I sit down and I start playing, and I record and I build things and make it happen that way. But this is so complex, and its got to have the cliff-hangers and the whole thing, and its a bizarre story thats going to totally fucking blow peoples minds. And its got to be done the right way. Its going to have world instruments, and all different kinds of tribal drumming... theres going to be sitars, and a full orchestra and just stuff that people have never heard from us before.
Zod: Wow.
Jon: But it will still be very much Iced Earth. I hope that it will be the ultimate concept album ever. Thats my goal.
Zod: Just curious, what do you think is the ultimate concept album ever?
Jon: What do I think it is?
Zod: Yeah. If you had to pick one as the gold standard.
Jon: Hmm I would say The Wall.
Zod: The Wall?
Jon: Yeah.
Zod: Id probably say, Mindcrime 1A, but The Wall would be 1B.
Jon: Yeah, Mindcrime is killer too. Definitely a great, great album. I just think The Wall is its obviously freakier. Mindcrime is a Metal concept album. The Wall is just heavy, its a trip. Its just one of those things. Theres some really weird musical stuff on it, but I just think its amazing. Ours is going to be nothing like The Wall.
(laughter)
Zod
