Q&A: Dixie Dave of Weedeater

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For more two decades, bassist “Dixie” Dave Collins has brought monstrous, bluesy low end to both Weedeater and Buzzov•en, whose lengthy discographies and rambunctious shows are pretty much sludge metal gospel. Weedeater, to which he also lends gravelly, smoke-choked vocals, is headed to Atlanta on March 14 for a tour kick-off show supported by Alabama's Beithemeans and Atlanta punishers Kr’rth.  Ever the Southern gentleman, Collins set aside part of his day to shoot the breeze after a pig pickin’ in his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina.

What have you been listening to lately?

Aw shit, man. All kinds of stuff. I probably listen to more bluegrass and folk than I do anything heavy. But I was weaned on punk rock and heavy metal as well as Southern rock and classic country. I stick to the same stuff I’ve listened to for years. New country and pop country don’t even sound like country music to me. I have no idea what the hell that is.

Are you working on a new record?

Yeah. Me and Dave Shepherd have been writing a bunch of riffs and have a bunch of stuff constructed to get together and do. It’s a matter of us having time to get in the studio and do it.  We’re doing a couple legs of this North American stuff. All US and Canada and some shows in Mexico before we go to Europe. Hopefully after the summer time in the fall or winter we will get back in the studio and record another record.

“Battered and Fried” was a really great way to break up Goliathan. Are you going to use more banjo on the next album?

Thank you. Yeah, we try and incorporate stuff like that. This stuff is pummeling. That’s one reason our records are shorter compared to a lot of stuff out there. I don’t think anyone should be subjected to listening to our music for more than 40 or 45 minutes. Hell, I wouldn’t want to listen to it for that long. I think it helps to break up parts of the record and do something a little bit different. We’ve used a little banjo, piano, and lap steel on just about all our records except for the first record …And Justice For Y’all. I still feel like those songs imply heaviness whether they are distorted and loud or not.  

Are you planning on recording with Steve Albini again?

Probably so. It’s so comfortable to record in that place because you stay on site. Albini is real easy to work with and knows exactly what we’re after. He’s great at capturing live music. We record all the basics live and might do a guitar overdub here or there and do vocals and stuff but the actual bones are recorded live and he’s great at that.

Do you prefer recording live?

Yes I do. It’s easier for me to get the feeling and keep the thing going like it should with the three of us in the same room at the same time. I don’t see playing these songs listening to a drum track or Travis Owen playing the drums without the guitar and bass there. It’s an alien concept to me. I understand that a lot of people do it and they’re really good at it, but its just not for us.

I would think you could lose a natural swing tracking individually.

I know that we would. Some people can probably get away with it and maybe the more technical it is that swing is less necessary, but we’re cave metal. It’s not really hard to play. It’s harder to write than it is to play. For us, I don’t see that working.

Weedeater is super bass driven. In the writing process, do a lot of songs start as bass lines?

A lot of stuff starts as basslines and a lot starts with guitar as well. Me and Shepherd live a couple blocks from each other so we’ll get together and sit on my porch and break out an acoustic guitar and an acoustic bass and write heavy riffs. If it sounds heavy on those acoustic instruments then its going to sound incredibly heavy when you transfer it over and play through loud full stacks and blast the shit out of it. That seems to work good for us. That’s the way we’ve done it for years.

What is it about swampy Southern places that breed sludge metal?

I don’t know if it’s the proximity to sea level or if it’s grits, sweet tea or gravy or what. It does seem to be Southern coastal cities that release a lot of that stuff. I don’t know why that is, but it’s a damn good point.

You’re from Cape Fear, North Carolina. Correct?

That’s right. Wilmington area, right at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. This whole area is known as Cape Fear. It’s all marsh land and swamp all through here where it hasn’t been built up.

Is there any sinking going on like some places on the Gulf?

Probably not quite as bad as on the Gulf, but sea levels are rising everywhere and therefore more water is encroaching on all the areas around here, especially on this side of the continent. We aren’t mountains to the sea. It’s pretty flat when it gets to the ocean.

Are you worried about your hometown being underwater someday?

I think they need to worry about it sooner in New Orleans than we do here. Jackson Square is already below sea level. At least we’re barely above sea level where my house is anyway.

A lot of these places are traditionally conservative territory. Do you or other people on the coast think sea levels are rising as a result of climate change?

I know that a lot of conservative people don’t believe the sea levels are rising or in global warming or what not. For the most part, conservative people in government that have an issue with it are people that have big oil and industry money in their pocket. They’re not fucking scientists. All the scientists seem to agree that sea levels are rising and glaciers are melting and there is such a thing as global warming. So the only scientists that argue against it are the ones that are being paid to argue with it in my opinion.

“Study brought to you by ExxonMobil.”

Laughs I’m sure they’ll try to tell you it’s gonna be just fine and not to worry about it. They just want to build another pipeline and do whatever the hell they’re gonna do.

Are you currently doing anything with Buzzov•en?

The weekend before last we flew up and played a show at Saint Vitus in Brooklyn, New York. We had a really good time. We’re also playing Psycho Vegas, which is a huge festival in Las Vegas with King Diamond and Sleep and all kinds of bands on it. Anyways, Weedeater and Buzzov•en are both playing that. Hopefully they'll book both bands on the same day so I can maybe have a day off and watch some bands before we continue with whatever tour we’re doing around it.

This next Weedeater tour starts here in Atlanta, right?

Yeah, we start there a lot because it makes sense logistically. Travis lives there. We’ll get in a couple days early, run through a few things and get ready for the show. Ya’ll come out March 14 and have a drink and party with us.

What’s your drink?

Bourbon on the rocks with a splash of bourbon.

With Beitthemeans and Kr’rth. $17-$20. 8 p.m. Tues., Mar, 14. The Basement, 1245 Glenwood Ave. S.E. 404-622-8686. www.basementatl.com.