D. Randall Blythe «Multitalented»

D. Randall Blythe «Lamb of God Sänger im Interview»
Lamb of God ist eine Extrem-Metal Band, welche trotz der harten Musik-Ausrichtung auf Platz 1 der amerikanischen Billboard Charts landete. Deren Sänger ist auch ein tallentierter Fotograf und es freut mich sehr, dass er mir für ein Interview zur Verfügung stand. Dieses haben wir auf Wunsch in der englischen Sprache belassen.

English version
D. Randall Blythe is a great star in extreme Metal. He is well known as the lead singer of Lamb of God. The band is a tie-up between Slayer, Pantera and the technical approach from the legendary band Death.
But Randy has more talents then just writing great songs, check his style of photography – Randy is multitalented.

Randy you are an outstanding music talent. You are also a gifted photographer. How did this come about?
Randy: I never really set out to be a photographer – I bought my first camera, a Canon 60D, to film a documentary I had planned to make about unplugging from the Internet. One day I was in my kitchen and I noticed my reflection in the domed lid of my coffee pot and thought „That looks neat!“ I was getting ready to go out and film some, so I already had my camera in hand. I put it on automatic mode (I knew nothing about manual settings back then), pointed it at the coffee pot, pressed the shutter button, and then looked at the image. Instantly I was hooked, and I’ve been shooting photos non-stop since then.

When did you start your passion for photography?
Randy: In May of 2012

Many of your pictures are black and white. When they are coloured though they are reduced to the max. Black gives a lot of contrast. What are the reasons or motivation for this style?
Randy: While I do shoot color from time to time, my aesthetic preference is definitely monochrome. I just think it looks cool, and more „classic“ in a sense. Also, I believe that the true strength of a photograph is displayed in b&w- when there are no pretty colors to distract the viewer, a photographs composition and subject matter must be strong. Color can distract the viewer and make a weaker photo seem acceptable since it is „pretty“. I prefer a more stripped-back approach to a photograph – shoot only what is necessary to display the subject to its fullest.

Do you prefer analog photography? What kind of cameras do you love to work with?
Randy: I haven’t worked much with film, but it’s something I hope to explore soon. By far my favorite camera is my Leica MP typ 240 – I love the history of the Leica in the development of photography, and I love the relative simplicity of the device compared to other digital cameras. Their lenses are the sharpest I have found. My next purchase will be a Leica M Monochrome, the only digital camera that shoot b&w RAW files.

Your style of music is extreme. On the other hand how do you describe your style of photography?
Randy: I would say I am a street photographer with a passion for the natural world. As I said earlier, I enjoy simpler photographs, so I suppose you could describe my style as „Spartan.“

In your pictures I feel the spirit of the 60-ties and 70-ties. What do you want to tell with your pictures?
Randy: As a child of the 70’s, I take that as a compliment, hahaha! I suppose some of that culture informs my subconscious decisions in subject matter – I rarely go out with a “plan” to shoot, I just photograph whatever captures my eye, and things that look older see definitely attractive to me. What to convey through my photographs is the truth of the moment when I press the shutter button- I try to capture moments, not create them. The subject provides my intent.

Who did inspire you? Do you have idols in photo-art?
Randy: My favorites are Henri Cartier-Bresson, Brassaï, and Daido Moriyama.

Is it true that you are also inspired from movies?
Randy: Yes, I enjoy movies, and I consciously pay attention to the way the camera men frame shots now- you’re whole perspective on everything changes once you become a photographer, hahaha. My favorite movie of all time is „Lost in Translation“- every time I watch it it makes me want to go shoot photos in Japan. As well, I’m a paying a lot of attention to movies right now because I am writing a film with Billy Bob Thornton and my friend, the rock photographer Rob Fenn. It’s called „You, Me, & a ’63“, and in addition to co-writing it I am the director of still photography for all the behind the scenes shots.

Your lifestyle, playing in a band and tour around the world is perfect for your passion in photography. I’m sure you always have your camera with you?
Randy: Touring provides me a lot of opportunities to shoot in other countries, but I always have my camera with me, PERIOD. Some of my favorite shots are from my own area.

Do you or would you like to work also for advertising?
Randy: I’ve never worked in advertising, but if a company wanted to use some of my photographs I wouldn’t be opposed (as long as I am morally ok with the company – for instance, I would not let my work be used by a cigarette company). I don’t think I could work in advertising if there was someone, like an art director, telling me what to shoot. I do not do well with someone giving me artistic instructions, but if a company liked some of my pre-existing photos, I would not mind licensing them.

Your kind of stage performance you can’t do anymore as a 70 years old man. Your shows lives from your performance. Phil Anselmo destroyed his body, Tom Araya his back. Do you look already for your life after Lamb of God?
Randy: Believe me, my body hurts, hahaha! My back and my neck are pretty messed up from jumping around for so many years, and I know I can’t do it forever without just completely destroying myself. This would be an unacceptable situation to me, as I am a very active person who enjoys surfing, skateboarding, and walking in the woods. So, yes, I am definitely already thinking about my life after lamb of god – I have plenty of other things to keep me occupied (photography, writing, film making). I will always do music in one form or the other, I just can’t be in a heavy metal band forever – plus, I don’t want to. I enjoy other types of music more than heavy metal anyway.

You are involved with the UNBUILT magazine. Could you tell us more about the project?Randy: Unbuilt is a limited edition bi-annual fine art and lifestyle magazine I am a co-editor of. Design is a priority of the magazine, as well as quality print. We are currently working ion our second issue.

Another Music legend from theUNBUILT team is Alex Skolnick. Alex is a virtuos guitar player. Most people know his work with Testament. How did it come to the cooperation with you, Alex and Tom Bejgrowicz?
Randy: Unbuilt was originally Tom’s idea- he wanted people from the music world to write about their interests outside of their regular music scene. There are a million interviews online with me and Alex talking about our heavy metal bands, but he and I originally bonded talking about books and film. The magazine allows us to express those outside interests – I think most people think of people in metal bands like one-dimensional cartoon characters. This can get frustrating, so we decided to prove them wrong. Tom knew Alex and I from photographing our bands, and Alex and I knew each other from playing shows together. It was a natural fit.

Are there any plans that you and Alex Skolnick collaborate also in music?
Randy: Actually, we already have! I sang a song on the Metal Allegiance record – Alex plays guitar on the whole record. Then Alex played guitar on an original composition I wrote and recorded myself for the Richmond Ballet – a friend of mine is a choreographer and dancer there, and asked if I would write a piece for him, so I got Alex to help me out. It’s sort of weird classical electronic music – not metal at all.

What are your plans with the magazine? Where can people buy it? Are there any plans for Europe?
Randy: For the magazine, we just hope to keep on putting out quality product, and add a few more writers/artists, particularly we would like to get some women involved so it’s not just a strictly „boy’s club“ type of publication.Right now, it’s only available by ordering it from Tom’s distribution site, Man Alive Creative. WWW.MANALIVECREATIVE.BIGCARTEL.COM. We ship worldwide.

What kind of stories do you want to bring in the UNBUILT magazine? Who should read the magazine?
Randy: The stories I am interested in involve quality literature and photography. Alex looks at things more from a classically trained musician perspective, and Tom is a graphic designer – add all of those things together and you get or tickles on books, music, design, architecture, and foreign cultures. I would say anyone interested in an intelligent read that comes in a well designed package should read the magazine.

What are your next plans with Lamb of God?
Randy: To finish up our current touring on this album cycle at the end of 2016. Then I don’t want to even think about that band for a long, long time hahaha.