Jason Hook From Flat Black On Starting Over, Working With Corey Taylor And More
Jason Hook left Five Finger Death Punch in 2020, and since then he’s been working on his band Flat Black.
In this conversation, we discuss lots of topics including the band the challenges of starting over, working with Corey Taylor, and his military-themed guitars among other things.
Flat Black – Dark Side Of The Brain
The new album “Dark Side Of The Brain” is streaming now, with the physical copies coming out on October 25th. Jason says he’s still an ‘album’ guy. “Kind of, yeah. In Death Punch, we always released full albums, and while the industry has shifted toward singles, I think it ruins the idea of a catalog. Fans should be able to look at a band’s discography and have a favorite album, but with singles and EPs, it gets confusing. I prefer a clean, complete catalog.”
This album has actually been done since January of 2023. Why the delay? “We made the record on our own without a label or management, so after it was done, we had to find a manager, then a label. The process of signing with Fearless Records took a long time, with contracts going back and forth for months. Once we signed, they advised us to wait for a better release window rather than rush it out, so we spent time building an audience with singles and tours leading up to the release.”
I thought that might’ve been the biggest challenge, the legal aspect, of starting from scratch, but Jason said that wasn’t it. ” No, the biggest challenge was finding the right people for the band. I know what it takes to sustain a long-term band, so I was very specific in my search, especially for the singer. It was frustrating at times, and there were moments when I questioned if it was meant to be. But I’m glad we found the right guys.”
Finding decent musicians isn’t very difficult, but finding people you can live with on the road is a little more challenging. “Very true. That’s why I spent time with each person—invited them to stay at my house, jammed together, and saw how we clicked. Social media can be misleading, so it was important to see how they were in person.”
Jason Hook From Flat Black On Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown
Corey Taylor’s On A Flat Black Song
Slipknot singer, Corey Taylor makes an appearance on the album. Jason explained how the frontman ended up on a track. ” I went to L.A. in 2020 to work with my buddy Jay Ruston, and while I was there, Corey texted me. We started chatting, and he offered to help with my new band. We ended up writing five songs together, and when it came time to finish the record, I asked if I could use his vocals on “Nothing To Some.” He agreed, and that was that.” I had to ask if there was ever a chance that Corey would’ve fronted the band. “In my dreams! Of course, I fantasized about it, but Corey has so much going on, he doesn’t need me. I was just grateful he helped and contributed his vocal to the record.”
You’ll be able to see Jason and Flat Black at RIFF Fest on September 28th at Pine Knob. Listen to the audio-only version of this interview on my Talkin’ Rock with Meltdown podcast.
Riff Fest Bands and Their Killer Cover Songs
WRIF Presents Riff Fest 2024! Another exciting year of rock is upon us. Last year, Riff Fest bands featured amazing performances from Rival Sons, Bad Omens, Giovanni, The Hired Guns, I Prevail, and many more! That main stage was popping last year, and the festival stage was no different. Every WRIF fan should be looking forward to Riff Fest 2024, as we have booked another incredible lineup!
On the books this year, we have Godsmack, Seether, Asking Alexandria, Wage War, Sleep Theory, Flat Black, Fame on Fire, and Royale Lynn! Each of these Riff Fest bands brings an amazing ability to rock the stage and brings a range of unique talents with them! Over the years, these groups have displayed their supreme musical talent by covering tracks by other artists. Many other big-time bands have done this as well! For instance, I Prevail performed a cover of Taylor Swift’s Blank Space.
Riff Fest Bands Indulge in “Rock Goes Pop”
“Rock goes pop” is a trend that usually hits its mark. For instance, if you haven’t heard the White Stripe’s cover of “Jolene,” Linkin Park’s cover of “Rolling in the Deep,” or Fall Out Boy’s cover of “Beat It,” we highly recommend that you give them a listen! Our Riff Fest 2024 lineup is no different! These groups have covered a variety of songs and killed it. Unsurprisingly, the bands we’re featuring for Riff Fest this year have covered a song or two.
Cover Songs in Rock
It’s always astonishing how much goes into making a cover track. Listening to one talented group of musicians cover a song from another artist is always cool. The covering bands always put their twist on the song that makes it their own. Oftentimes, when rock groups cover these songs, you find out that there’s a certain edge to the track that the original didn’t have. There’s a reason for this, and it’s a four-letter word: rock!
Many of these songs either sound better or are so unique that you can’t help but appreciate them. Our Riff Fest bands have covered numerous songs over the years. We wanted to give you a taste of a handful of songs these amazing groups have covered! Check it out and feel the power of rock and roll.
