'We've Always Been A Heavier Band Than People Understand Us To Be'

The Music catches Shaun Morgan, vocalist/guitarist for South African-born, now US-based hard rockers Seether at home in Nashville, recuperating and regrouping. The breather he's enjoying should stand him in good stead for their upcoming tour itinerary, which looks exhausting. On the next tour, the band will visit the UK/Europe, Australia and New Zealand, and from there fly to South Africa for one last show. They'll then head back to Europe. "I think we're only there for a total of about 48- to 50-something hours after a long flight from New Zealand," he says of the one-off appearance back home. "But it should be a good time." 

Morgan says he hasn't returned to his homeland in more than a year, adding that it's become increasingly less practical to do so given his touring schedule. A chart-bothering act Stateside, Morgan says of one of his band's past performances in South Africa: "We've actually done some stadium shows with Metallica headlining and those were great, 'cause you had 50 or 60 thousand people." 

Although Morgan says he's noticed the demand for rock'n'roll shows in South Africa has "diminished", he stresses, "We go back and play some fairly decent shows. It's great. There is a real element of pride amongst the people, which you can tell. You can tell that they're really excited that we're back and it's like watching your national rugby team play a match. People are really fired up about it. We actually haven't played in South Africa in quite some time. I think it's at least four or five years now."

On the topic of sport, Morgan - who has been residing in the USA for a decade-and-a-half now - admits he misses keeping tabs on cricket and rugby. "Especially the Twenty20 [cricket] stuff now, that stuff is so exciting," he enthuses. "I've always been more of a one-day guy than a five-day. I used to remember being at school watching a five-day game and it ends up in a draw [laughs]. People are glued to their televisions for five days in a row; I just don't have the time and I can't do that.

"But I am constantly on the hunt. Every once in a while I'll be surprised and there will be, like, ESPN or something that I'll stumble across and there's a cricket match [on]. I actually would love to play it again. So what I've been doing is, I've been doing some research to see if there's any cricket clubs around here. I have yet to find any." 

Back on the topic of music and Morgan is audibly enthused about the prospect of airing material from heavier-leaning latest record Poison The Parish in a live setting. With touring axe-man Clint Lowery returning to Sevendust duties, they've enlisted Lowery's brother Corey in his place. "Live is where we really like to play heavy, because that's the experience; that's where you really want to hit people in the chest," the frontman remarks. "We've always been a heavier band than people understand us to be. I think the old record company used to pick songs that were far more radio-friendly and far more digestible by an audience [as singles]. I understand the motivation behind it, I just don't think it's a true representation of the band. I think on this [album], so far the singles that have come out represent the band; I think the music represents the band better.

"And it's just truer to what we've always been as a band, and as people, and the music we love. I just wrote stuff that I wanted to hear, that I was missing from the radio, from my CD collection and from streaming. Whenever I write music I try and write stuff that fills the gap for me, that makes me feel a certain way that I don't often get from other bands."