Volbeat Guitarist Rob Caggiano Discusses Transition Into Band + Future Plans
New Volbeat guitarist Rob Caggiano was the guest on Full Metal Jackie’s radio show over the weekend. The axeman discussed the transition to joining Volbeat and the band's future plans. If you missed Full Metal Jackie’s show, check out her full interview with Rob Caggiano below:
On the show with us this week, for the first time ever actually, guitarist Rob Caggiano from Volbeat.
How’s it going?
Here's what is funny, I know Rob for such a longtime that it used to be, hey, because we knew so many Robs back in the day. And it'd be like, oh you know Rob, Rob from Boiler Room. Because 900 years ago he was in a band called Boiler Room. He's no longer Rob from Boiler Room, now it's Rob from Volbeat.
[Laughs] Boiler Room. Yep. How’s it going? It’s good to be here.
Great to have you on the show, obviously Volbeat are doing great. The latest record is 'Outlaw Gentlemen & Shady Ladies.' Awesome record. You're from New York, obviously. Musically and culturally what have you enjoyed most about playing with a bunch of guys from Denmark?
You know, musically, it is perfect for me. This new record is really ... I’m really proud of it. It’s a chance for fans that know my playing, people that have been following Anthrax for a little while; it’s a chance for people to hear a different side of my guitar playing. There are all of these textures and colors on the record that I think are really cool and just give the record a lot of depth and stuff -- a lot of acoustic guitar playing and things like that. Playing with the guys has been great. I've been friends with them since 2010 when the Damned Things went on tour with Volbeat.
That was an awesome tour, had a really great time. We became friends and fans of or whatever. We talked about the possibility of maybe one day going into the studio, with me producing and recording a song or two, maybe even a full record. But it was just like us, hanging on the bus and having a few beers, shooting the s---. It never really seemed feasible, and I say that just because of our schedules, you know, at the time were so crazy. But you know, fast forward a few years, and things totally changed and here we are. And now I’m actually playing with the band [Laughs].
I think things turned out well. I've seen the band with you quite a few times now and you look like you're having a good time up there.
Yeah, I’m having fun, I’m definitely having and fun. Definitely way more chicks too in the crowd now.
More than Anthrax shows? That doesn't suck.
[Laughs] Probably why I’m smiling so much up there now.
Here's what was the most exciting thing for me at the most recent Volbeat show. I don't know if you remember, I told you I was jumping up and down because I caught your pick. I was psyched. It's not about; obviously I could have asked you for a pick. The point is, it's exciting. Is it not exciting when you catch a pick? I want a drumstick; I want to catch a pick. It's really fun.
Honestly, I got to get better at throwing picks out there.
You honestly do, it was the fourth one that I caught.
Seriously. I know. You know who is really, like a pro at that? Frank Bello. He is amazing at throwing picks out there.
Like you spot someone and you throw it right at them?
Super accurate. I could never figure out how he did it. [Laughs].
In what ways did working on this last record push you both as an artist and a producer?
That’s a good question. You know, well, for those of you that don’t know the story, even though I have said it a million times, you know in interviews and stuff, but the way that it really happened with Volbeat, they’d called me in as a producer. So I went out to Denmark and started the record basically and two weeks into the process is when they asked me to join the band and it was coincidentally right before the guitar tracking started!
Not so coincidentally.
But that’s really how it went down. And I think that it really boils down to the fact that we just had a really great chemistry and the first thing that we did when I got to Denmark, was I sat down with Michael and we were going over the tunes and showing me all of these new ideas and these new rifts and stuff and to make a long story short, there were a few tunes that weren't totally completed yet and we were just collaborating and throwing ideas back and forth and the tunes were coming out great. I was being creative and I was having fun.
We just had a great time. And that was the first day I got there. And I think that really just set the tone and you know, I think that was the start of maybe those guys thinking, “Wow! Maybe Rob could play with us." So you know. I guess, I really don’t know. But that’s how it went down. So two weeks into it is when they asked me to play. And at that point, like you said, “How did it change the way that I looked at things as a producer and guitar player?" But you know, I went in there, just totally looking at the big picture as a producer and just trying to figure out how I was going to capture what I wanted to on this record and get the best out of each guys performance.
When they asked me to be the guitar player and I agreed to be that, it opened up all these doors. Now it was like, I could try all these different ideas. We definitely went down some roads that we wouldn't have if it was just me capturing the band. As soon as I guess anyone would say the same thing in that situation. I just pushed myself to try different things and take everything to the next level. That’s what I think we did. Really proud of it.
What's happening with Volbeat beyond the tour with HIM?
This goes up until the 28th and then we're home for a week. Then we go out back to Europe for an Arena headline tour and that takes us all the way to December. Then we're off for two months and then more of the same next year. Going to Australia for the first time with The Soundwave Festival. Really excited about that. Possibly another Japanese tour. More U.S. shows and more European shows.
Touring and touring.
Touring and touring, we're going to take it as far as possible with this record. That's it.
Awesome, appreciate you finally being on the show. Best of luck on the endless touring that you have going on.
Thank you, Jackie.
This coming weekend, Full Metal Jackie will welcome Dave Mustaine of Megadeth to her show. Full Metal Jackie can be heard on radio stations around the country — for a full list of stations, go to fullmetaljackieradio.com.