Robert Lowe: We’ve got a couple of dates here in Fort Worth and we’re doing a festival in August. As soon as finish the shows locally we’re going to start working on new material. Me and John (Perez, the band’s guitarist) have already got a couple of pieces we are working on. Either late this year or early next year we’re going to try to get something out there. No more eight year hiatuses.
Is there any way your voice could handle doing double duty if Solitude toured with Candlemass?
People have brought that up. If it was a one-off deal I could do it, but not anything ongoing. Candlemass plays two hours and Solitude does over an hour, so that’s too much. It’s hard enough touring with just one band and playing every night.
Have the bands you’ve been in always been doom metal type groups?
When I first started playing and got my first band together I was 15. It was typical eighties punk like Black Flag and Social Distortion. I did that for a year and then went to my second band Graven Image, which was an early version of doom metal in ’87 or ’88. We played hard, heavy and slow and it’s been that way ever since.
I started out as a guitarist, and my mission was to be like Yngwie Malmsteen, but that fell by the wayside. There are several songs with Solitude where I played instruments in the studio. I still play now. I’m very active in playing in the writing process. Put an instrument in front of me and I’ll play it.
Are you able to make a living playing music?
Since the end of 2006 I haven’t really had a job, but I’m not rich. I’d rather be somewhat poor and not have to work. And if I didn’t have enough to do I’m also in a cover band (Motherlode) here in Texas where I play bass. We stay pretty busy. I play drums for a belly dance troupe as well.
So you’ll go from playing a Ramada Inn with the cover band one weekend, and the next you’re with Candlemass at a festival in front of 50,000 people.
Exactly. Last year we did a gig here in Dallas, and the next week I flew off to Spain to do the Monsters Of Rock. There’s a lot less pressure in the cover band. That’s why I took it. Not only is there no pressure, but I’m the bass player. Who cares about the bass player?
What type of music does the band play?
We do a lot of Kiss, Thin Lizzy, Iron Maiden, your typical late ‘70s and ‘80s metal and rock stuff.
And I’ll bet people still yell out “play some Skynyrd!” in the bars you play in.
You’re right! When is that going to die? Forget about “Freebird.” Move on and at least ask for something different. How about “Born To Be Wild?” We’re not playing “Freebird.”
