Over the last few years, earthtone9 have grown up to be one of the most popular and respected bands on the UK underground scene. Every time you thought they couldn’t get any better, they did. Last year’s Arc’ tan’ gent’ was further proof that, just because you are described as a Metal band doesn’t mean you have to be one.

Carefully mixing obscenely distorted undercurrents with overiding and beautiful melodies, they have been compared to everyone from Metal bands, to Hardcore bands and Emo bands. I interviewed guitarist Oz Packard, at the beginning of 2001 as he recovered from earthtone9’s busiest ever year.

How was the tour with Soulfly?

It was hard work but extremely satisfying. We only had one crewmember, so there was a lot of work to be done each day, but the monumental crowds made the effort worthwhile.

Soulfly’s crew were very helpful - which makes a big difference - and the tour was obviously the biggest we have done.

You recently toured with Pitchshifter too. That seems like a very dangerous combination. Was there much damage done?

It would not be gentlemanly to divulge the results of ‘on-the-road’ activities but it was an easy tour to do and pitchshifter’s collective dry sense of humour matches ours perfectly! They are also very kind people… especially Mark Clayden. He was like a fairy godmother to us on that tour!

I’ve been wandering around the various e9 fansites in research for this interview, the one thing I’ve found out is that no one seems to know anything about you. Do you remain aloof on purpose or are they just not trying hard enough?

I think we just avoid discussing elements outside the creation of music. It is not a conscious ideology. we don’t seek to be obtuse, but it always seems to be come out that way (that, or it is simply always portrayed that way!). Like we always say - the lack of information can create a more interesting 3-dimensional image of what the band is about than the actual truth.

In a similar vein, there’s no biography on your website. Could it just be that you’re all shy?

We are definitely not shy. It just seems absurd that people need a handily reduced soundbite description of your bands philosophies and achievements in order to avoid making any deductions for themselves. Have you ever read the vacous, prosaic bullshit that biographies contain?

Arc’tan’gent’ was, undoubtedly, your strongest work to date. How do you look back on your older releases now?

We are all proud of what we achieved with the early records. They are very much products of their environment, in as much as we had considerable financial restraints, but they are also part of our history. I do feel that Arc’ tan’ gent is a more fully realised vision of where we want our music to be. I hope we can continue to develop.

How do you feel you’ve progressed as a band over the last few years?

Probably just in obvious ways. We have got tighter as a musical entity and we have a stronger sense of what we want to achieve.

What is the future for e9?

More touring… More writing. We are just going to see what the future brings.

Where do your song titles come from?

If I told you, I’d have to kill you.

Earthtone9 have always stood out as different. When you started out did you mean to merge so many genres?

Not at all. What we play is just the mixture of our combined musical interests and influences. What people hear as diversity might in fact be the fusion of two divergent ideas. All the greatest bands defy easy description - Faith No More, Tool, Led Zepplin, etc etc.

What does it feel like to be compared to bands like Tool, Helmet and Sunny Day Real Estate in one sentence?

Unbelievably complimentary. They are all forward thinking, cerebral rock bands and to be thought of in the same context is an honour. I don’t think we are even in the same league, but the sentiment is always appreciated.

There’s a lot going on in the UK underground at the moment. Do you think in 2001 anything will bubble over into the mainstream like, say, UK Garage did this year (he say, tongue firmly in cheek)?

There are a few bands who could really break through in 2001. Particularly Hundred Reasons and Lost Prophets. Whether that would mean greater opportunities for other groups I couldn’t say… (but it is unlikely).

A lot of underground shenanigans seem to go on in Nottingham, where e9 are from, is there any particular reason for this? Maybe there’s something in the water?

Well, we have always been totally disassociated from the ‘Nottingham scene’. We just live there. It is a healthy area for new bands, but the local support is underdeveloped. We have done many painful gigs in Nottingham.

Is the whole Nottingham scene friendly or is it as pretentious as the neighbouring Derby Punk scene, where fashion seems to have become more important than the music?

As above!!!

Has fashion become more important than music everywhere anyway?

Yes.

What message to you have for “the kids”?

Go and buy the Lost Prophets album.

And finally, sum earthtone9 up in just 5 words.

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