Jonathan Davis: In Transition

Jonathan Davis has broken several musical conventions as lead singer of the band KoRn. Heavy rock and Jonathan's intense vocal stylings demanded attention and he and the band were asked to contribute to film soundtracks for End of Days, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Spawn and The Crow: City of Angels. But, did you know Davis grew up in Bakersfield Ca. and once played the bagpipes? Now, with composer Richard Gibbs, he has written songs and the score for the major release Queen of the Damned. Pretty hot for a bagpiper from Bakersfield! We spoke with Jonathan recently in Westwood, California, and he revealed some very interesting musical secrets.

Teenmusic: How did you become involved in doing the music for Queen of the Damned?

I wanted to start scoring movies so my manager hooked me up with Richard Gibbs. He thought it would be a good idea if I learned from someone who had been doing it for a while. So we started working together, playing around, doing stuff at his house and a couple of weeks After that, Michael Rymer ("Queen's" director) asked us if we'd be interested in doing the movie.

Teenmusic: What are the differences between being in a band and being a film composer?

Totally two different worlds. Being in the band, when you write the music you've got an intro, verse, chorus. It's pretty much laid out for you. When you're doing film composing, it's a totally different thing. You've got a guy on a screen and you're painting an emotional picture with music, and sound. There's no template for it. You do what you think brings out the actor's performance. It was difficult but challenging and fun.

Teenmusic: Did you have to work with Stuart Townsend (who plays Lestat)?

For the orchestral score, the movie's done and I'm just watching it and composing to it. But when we did the original songs, Richard flew down to Australia and worked with Stuart. I wrote everything while I was on tour. I was performing, then I'd get off stage and write.

Teenmusic: Are you incorporating any of these songs on any of your own albums?

No. This was an opportunity to do something different than KoRn and be able to write by myself with Richard.

Teenmusic: How did you get your head around the Goth world?

It was easy. When I was a kid I listened to a lot of Goth music, the dark imagery and stuff like that so it wasn't that hard. Basically, I put my head in the space of being a 600-year-old vampire and what would be going on. You wouldn't have any friends, everyone you loved would be dead. You'd have to kill someone every night. It's a pretty depressing existence. Michael gave me some tips. I had to do it in a way that wasn't cheesy.

Teenmusic: Are you a fan of Anne Rice? They play a lot of your music at vampire balls.

I am now. I really didn't read the books before and I got The Vampire Lestat and Queen of the Damned because the movie is a mixture of both. I listened to both of those on the bus. Some of the movie is totally different.

Teenmusic: Did you talk with Anne Rice at all?

No. I tried to but she was off in Canada doing a mini-series.

Teenmusic: There was a quote that she liked the music.

All right, cool. If I made her happy, great.

Teenmusic: How do you think Stuart Townsend did at playing a rock star?

He did a good job. He took his character and portrayed it well. When I first saw it, it was freaking me out seeing my voice come out of his mouth. After I watched it a couple more times, I really got into it.

Teenmusic: Would you have performed the songs differently?

He was more laid back, more like Jim Morrison but it worked well for the song.

Teenmusic: Do you think your fans will see you differently now?

Probably, but it's me. It's not KoRn. I think they'll like it.

Teenmusic: Are you now looking for more film composing work?

Definitely. I loved it. It was fun to get up there and tell a 92-piece orchestra what to do. I was scared. I hadn't done this before and it was awesome.

I never got to work with that many musicians in my life. There are 5 of us in the band and you go out there and there are 92 people and they're all looking at you. Richard was conducting. I was supposed to conduct but I just wasn't ready yet. I'd stand up there and be all freaked out.

Teenmusic: Did you put the musicians together for the concert songs?

Me and Richard did mock ups of what we wanted to do on guitar then we went looking for the right players and I thought the two guitar players in my band were the best guitar players I'd ever worked with so I got them to play. We got the bass player from Limp Bizkit who's a friend of mine and we got my favorite drummers, Vinnie Colaiuta and Terry Bozzio. It was a trip working with those guys, back from Zappa days and Vinnie was in Sting's band. They could do anything.

Teenmusic: Did you get any advice from people like Danny Elfman who've gone from the world of rock to scoring?

Richard was in Oingo Boingo with Danny so he taught me everything. We were a tag team when we were writing. He'd start or I'd start and then when I get stuck, he takes over. He was always telling me to go on. I could do it.

Teenmusic: What kind of music did you listen to when you were growing up?

Really dark stuff.

Teenmusic: What about now?

I really don't listen that much. My life, 24 hours a day, is music and I don't really have time to sit down and listen. I love it. It's what I am. I have a studio at my house. We get the band in there producing. I keep myself busy with music.

Teenmusic: What were your musical influences?

My biggest musical influence was Andrew Lloyd Webber,Jesus Christ Superstar.

Teenmusic: You're kidding!

No. I was 3 years old, I grew up in Bakersfield and they were doing a presentation of the play. My mom was in it. My stepdad was Judas and my dad was conducting. My mom had an affair with Judas. They got married. My stepdad was Judas three times in Bakersfield and it's always been on my mind. I want to do a musical.

Teenmusic: Are you trying that now?

Yeah. It's me and Richard and Clive Barker to write it and Stan Winston to do all the production. That's what we're working on. I was raised in the theater. My dad had a music store. It's all I've been doing my whole life and that's what influenced me. Superstar was a great rock opera and everything I've done has been influenced by that.

Teenmusic: Was your family surprised at the kind of music you ended up developing?

(Laughs) Yeah. When I was a little kid I used to get on a milk crate and conduct orchestras and stuff and I was in orchestra all though high school and played bagpipes, was in a pipe band. When I turned out to be in a rock band...my dad tried to do it. He was on the road for years so he's totally living through me and it's cool.

Teenmusic: Are there any film scores that you listened to and really like?

Yeah. I listen to Bladerunner. I love the score to Dune. Toto scored that and it was really cool. I loved the score to Crouching Tiger.

Teenmusic: How long did it take from the day you got the job to finished product?

It took two years. Almost. They brought us on before anyone was cast. Michael wanted to do video treatments so we got those done and then the movie shot and we scored half the movie and they totally changed all the editing. We waited until it was done and fixed everything at the last minute.

Teenmusic: Did you get a chance to work with Aailyah?

I was gonna work on some music for her. We were supposed to. We gave her tapes. But unfortunately it didn't come to pass. That was sad.

Teenmusic: Did you have a say on who would sing the music?

Yeah. They gave me a list of people and we picked them out and got them. The soundtrack came out great.

Teenmusic: Is it hard to separate yourself from your own music when you score?

It's like flipping a switch. It's too different things. I had to do that the whole time. I'd work with KoRn and then it's time to go into Queen of the Damned mode. I can do it.

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Interviewer and writer Lynn Barker is a Hollywood-based entertainment journalist and produced screenwriter.