GOD FORBID Frontman: RANDY BLYTHE Incarceration 'Makes Me Not Want To Go To Czech Republic'

David E. Gehlke of Blistering.com recently conducted an interview with GOD FORBID frontman Byron Davis. An excerpt from the chat follows below.

Blistering.com: You're really good friends with LAMB OF GOD and Doc [Coyle] was on loan to them a few years ago, so what's your take on the Randy Blythe situation?

Byron Davis: Straight up, I think that shit is bullshit. I think the fact that for one, our U.S. government is not getting involved in it, it's like… it's crazy to me. I know there's certain things they can't do because there's some papers he has to sign as far as like with amnesty or some shit. The fact that the U.S. isn't saying anything outside of the metal genre is pretty sad. Randy is a good guy. And the last thing I would ever see Randy doing is hurting someone. That's not him. And the way they are treating him is totally out of his character, there's no need for it. If it was someone else, it would probably be less important because LAMB OF GOD is a big American band. If it was some pop icon, it would be over with, people would be stepping in. It makes me not want to go to the Czech Republic.

Blistering.com: To your point, I've heard people say that if it were Justin Bieber, it would be over with already. We have our scene and it's a really big one, but the mainstream media doesn't appear to care.

Davis: Not at all. Our scene is huge, but this country doesn't care about metal like they should. It's all about hip-hop, R&B, pop music. You have this guy who is very interactive with his fanbase and is this really cool down-to-earth person… the coolest person on the planet and he's sitting in some jail cell in Prague and they're not doing anything. It really blows my mind that this is going on. It doesn't make any sense whatsoever. I like to get into politics, but the shit that is happening right now… I can't really grasp my hands around it.

We're very tight with LAMB OF GOD. We came up through the basement with those dudes, and those dudes are like our brothers; that's like family to me, and the fact there's not much I can do other than screaming "Free Randy" and signing petitions and getting the word out there, I wish there was more I could do. It sucks that this is still going on and he's just sitting there and no one is doing anything.

Blistering.com: You've played tons of shows with people stagediving and I don't think any one of you singers would forcefully push someone off the stage with the intention of hurting them.

Davis: Stagediving is cool, but there has to be some understanding. People need to look at both sides of it. Sometimes bands don't mind if people get on stage. If want to get on stage and dive off, cool. Sometimes we don't like when you linger onstage because that opens up the possibility of someone getting hurt because there are actual people onstage doing things and you could be in the wrong spot. Some bands have guitars swinging around. It's cool if you want to get up there, but get up there and jump off. If you've done it three times and security has to remove you, then it's not the band's fault. A third, fourth time, it's overwhelming. And not to mention the incident with Dimebag [late PANTERA/DAMAGEPLAN guitarist Darrell Abbott], some musicians get a little freaked out when you come up on stage because you really don't know what's going to happen.

Blistering.com: How much of this has started to make you think twice when you get on stage?

Davis: I'm always careful. I hate to think that mindset after that happened because you're supposed to be safe onstage; you don't want to think of any negativity when you're up there. If someone is too close and they're too close, you gotta handle it the best you can. It's supposed to be about friendship at the shows, so I try not to think of the negative aspect of it. But if someone is up there and are lingering too long, I'll say “You gotta get off my stage.”

Read the entire interview from Blistering.com.