The Sheaf recently caught up with Rody Walker, vocalist for Protest the Hero, to discuss the band’s third full-length album Scurrilous. The album was released March 22. Other band members include Arif Mirabdolbaghi on bass, Luke Hoskin on lead guitar, Tim Millar on rhythm guitar and Moe Carlson on drums.

The Sheaf: How is this album different from Kezia or Fortress?

Rody Walker: On a musical level, I think what really changed was the rhythm section on this record. They didn’t just follow the guitars; they found their own pocket.

Also, with Fortress, a lot of the vocals were really throaty and raspy — kind of like heavy metal Rod Stewart. I tried to stray away from that type of thing with this record because I think our last record had a little too much of it. I wanted to clean it up because I’m one of those people who is annoyed by Rod Stewart.

Sheaf: The lyrics on this album have a much different tone than your previous albums. I understand that you — not Arif, who wrote them for the other albums — wrote the lyrics. Does taking on the role as lyricist indicate your own maturation as an artist?

Walker: When it came to initially writing it, all I could think about were some fucking asshole kids calling me a faggot over the Internet. It took a little while for me to get past the idea that I don’t do what I do for those little fucks. I hate them.

So it did take some growth to be able to express myself in a personal manner on this record.

There’s a level of vulnerability that goes along with expressing yourself and you shouldn’t have to let people like that into your life. Unfortunately, in order to have a true sense of honesty and artistry, it becomes necessary to have something that means something to you.

Sheaf: Which song did you find the hardest to write?

Walker: One hundred per cent it was “Tandem.” It’s got a lot to do with someone in my life who is going through something quite serious. I didn’t want to expose too much detail regarding it because she’s a private person and, again, it comes down to those stupid kids on the Internet — why should I let them into, not just my life, but her life?

But at the end of the day, I felt that I owed it to her and myself to write something, even though it’s not a very typical heavy metal thing to do; it’s not chains and whips, and mythical beasts.

Sheaf: Chris Hannah from Propagandhi sang on the song, “Sex Tapes.” What was that experience like?

Walker: It was the greatest. We had the spot picked out for guest vocals and we thought, “Who would we actually give a fuck about if they sang on the record?” Chris was the very obvious choice. He’s got a very distinctive tone. We were stoked. It’s huge for us.

Sheaf: The song “Reign of Unending Terror” is clearly about Propagandhi. Is Propagandhi a huge influence for you guys?

Walker: It was important to me to write a song for a band that has more integrity than any other band on the fucking planet. They make me want to be a better person.

The positive messages that they produce are very impactful. It makes me want to start giving a shit again, and that’s what good music should do — it should make you want to give a fuck.

Sheaf: Is it true that Arif’s grandfather did the cover art?

Walker: Yes, sir. His name’s Jafar Petgar. That painting was painted some 60 years ago and it always used to hang in Arif’s front hall growing up as a kid — which is where we also practiced. So we knew the painting and a couple years ago his grandpa passed away so we thought it would be a nice tribute to him.

Sheaf: What did you think when you found out the album leaked a month in advance?

Walker: I heard a bunch of people saying I did it myself, but it happened from our label in the States. They sent it to some reviewer and he knew he couldn’t be reprimanded, so he leaked it. He’s a piece of shit and there’s nothing we can do.

It’s a bummer, but it’s not the worst thing in the world. Records obviously don’t sell these days, so hopefully the people who downloaded it and liked it will come out and buy a T-shirt or something so we can afford this lavish lifestyle.

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image: Steve Haining