Interview by Rebecca Clark
In a recent interview, Static Noise Mag had the privilege of sitting down with John Boecklin, drummer from the renowned rock band Bad Wolves. Boeklin gave us insightful intel of the band’s journey, from their tour with Bush to the creation of their latest album, “Die About It,” and personal reflections on lessons learned when a key member of the band exits.
The journey commenced by delving into Bad Wolves’ experiences on tour with Bush. Boecklin shed light on the challenges and joys of connecting with a nostalgic crowd from the ’90s, acknowledging the eclectic response due to their diverse sound. “Because of our sound, which is very light and then sometimes very heavy, it’s all over the map, Boecklin said. “I think Bush fans are just processing a lot because this is kind of a nostalgic crowd from the 90s.” Despite the differences in Bad Wolves’ sound the crowd at the Syracuse, NY show had fans on their feet and singing along.
Transitioning to their latest album, “Die About It,” which was released on November 3, 2023. Boecklin spoke about the spontaneous nature of their creative process. Anecdotes were shared, including the addition of a saxophone part in their song “ADA,” showcasing the band’s willingness to experiment with unconventional elements. The album’s diverse soundscape challenged their traditional style, resulting in a unique musical offering.
When it comes to writing and recording Bad Wolves has collaborated with some amazing writers on their latest album “Die Bout it.” On the track “It’s You (Two Months)” they collaborated with singer songwriter Scott Stevens, who has wrote and produced with big artists such as Shinedown, Nothing More, Daughtry, Halestorm and more. “Scott is someone who, if I think something’s good, I’ll pass it to him,” Boecklin said.
Boecklin expressed admiration for Scott Stevens’ creative input and hinted at potential future collaborations, showcasing the dynamic nature of their artistic partnerships.
As the conversation took a more personal turn, Boecklin shared insights into the band’s past challenges, including a change in the lineup with their new lead vocalist Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz and legal matters. When we asked Boecklin what he learned from what transpired between them and their former vocalist Tommy Vext, he emphasized about the hard lessons in learning about the legal aspects. “I learned what it feels like to be pinned and like as the person who did everything wrong, Boecklin said. “That’s a very one-sided story that the world heard, and we chose to not really get into it and now there’s a contractual song we have called ‘NDA.’”
During the legal issues the band remained silent due to an NDA, while their formal singer was speaking about the bands split publicly. “So that’s what that song NDA is about is. Boecklin explained. ”It is basically listening to someone not agreeing to the NDA agreement and saying whatever the fuck they want.”
Boeklin spoke about the whole situation making him realize that he has to remain a bit guarded in the future. “I will never trust someone probably ever again to a certain extent, he added. “I’ve never been blindsided, flipped upside down like that.”
The intriguing album artwork on their new album “Die About It” Boeklin shared some insight on the story behind it calling over lead vocalist Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz to chime in, which he unveiled that Laskiewicz’s wife executed the design. The symbolic representation of a skull and the poison concept came from Snow White and the Seven Dwarves with the close up of the hand offering a poisonous apple.
The artwork, resembling an offering, resonated with the band’s challenges of the music industry’s poisonous nature. “We had a different album cover and we were sat on it for a while, Boeklin said. “Then we looked at it and felt like, no, this isn’t what we want.”
Boeklin added “So, we totally flipped gears at the last minute and I’m glad we did because it’s just a bit more iconic, but to me, it’s like an offering because you could die for things because you want it so bad. It’s kind of like the music industry is poisonous. It’s like this whole lifestyle is poisonous. It’s not like being in the military or anything, but it’s a weight on your shoulder trying to be relevant, creative, and constantly productive. For 20 years, that’s all I’ve been doing so, it’s kind of like bite the apple, die about it.”
Helping to spread the word about a band is one of the best things fans can do for bands they love Boeklin encouraged fans to share and use their music via social media to help them reach new fans. “The only thing that really works is word of mouth, you can tell your friends, post the songs on TikTok, on your stories, stuff like that, on your Instagram stories, use the songs.”
Bad Wolves’ latest record “Die About It” has a unique and special experience that goes beyond the traditional musical journey. “I really think our new record is really really special, Boeklin said. “So, if you haven’t checked us out, I would recommend you check out this one.”