LAMB OF GOD's MARK MORTON: 'When We Signed A Major Label Deal, That Was Like A Breath Of Relief'

During an appearance on the Having Had podcast, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton was asked if there was a particular moment when he realized that he had "made it" in the music business. He responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Every single step of the way, every step of the way, man.

"One of the things that's so great about my band, LAMB OF GOD, is that we did not miss a rung of the ladder," Mark explained. "Now there's a few we won't hit, but we didn't miss any of them on the way to where we're at. We didn't skip any of 'em. And I can tell you with absolute certainty that every time we leveled up or half-a-leveled up that we were all, 'Enjoy it, boys. This is as good as it's gonna get.'

"I tell people this — I've said this to someone the other day, and I've said it a few times — and I say it half to elicit a smile, but it's also as much true, is it was really only maybe five or six years ago that I finally was able to be, like, 'All right, I probably am gonna be okay playing music. I'm not gonna have to go get a day job, probably not. I might have to downsize, might have to rethink some of my financial decisions, but I'm probably not gonna have to go get a day job.' Because I'm so used to being convinced that it's just all gonna go…

"I saw an interview with Rob Zombie, actually," Morton added. "I don't know Rob Zombie. We toured together once. I don't think we even spoke. But he's a very creative dude, and I respect his creativity and his hustle and he's had a great career. And I saw an interview with him where he said something like he spent his whole career thinking it's about to end. And I really do understand that; I understand that.

"So the question was, was there a point in which you thought, 'Well, I finally made it.' Signing to Epic — when we signed a major label deal, that was like a breath of relief," Mark said. "There was a signing advance that came that really for the time, too, was to me… I'd never had that sum of money. It wasn't even enough money to buy a new car — maybe then, certainly not today — that I received and got in my bank account. But I had never had that kind of money. So I was, like, 'Oh my God. I could pay my…' I actually had a mortgage. I had bought a little tiny house in East Richmond working at a cabinet shop, and then we got signed. And with that amount of money, I was, like, 'Wow, I could pay my mortgage for the next 12 or 18 months. This is incredible.' But even then, I was, like, 'Wow, I made it.' I was, like, 'Cool. The next year or two is gonna be really cool. And then I'll go back to roofing.'"

Morton's memoir, "Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir", was released in June via Hachette Books. Co-written with Ben Opipari, the book explores both Mark's life in music and his tumultuous path through addiction and into recovery.

"Desolation" was described by the publisher as "the story of Morton's lifelong quest for clarity and self-acceptance, and shows how the pressures of career success and personal battles eventually came into conflict with Morton's dedication to the creative process. Intertwined with addiction, self-destruction, and the path to eventual surrender and recovery, Morton also reveals the greatest personal tragedy of his life: the death of his two-day old daughter, plunging Morton further into hopelessness. Surrounded by bandmates living their wildest dreams, Morton wanted nothing more than to disappear, ingesting potentially lethal cocktails of drugs and alcohol into his system on a daily basis.

"And yet, amidst the harrowing heartbreak, there were moments of triumph, hope, and incredible personal connection. Morton developed close relationships with his bandmates and crew members, sharing experiences that have made for some strange and hilarious tales. He's also gained a greater sense of purpose through interactions with his fans, who remind him that his work reaches people on a deeply personal level. Through the highs and the lows, Morton learns how to find presence and gratitude where he once found fear and resentment, a process that he considers a gift of spiritual awakening.

"'Desolation' is, at its core, about Morton's journey as a musician navigating self-doubt, anxiety and the progressive disease of addiction, and ultimately finding relative serenity. Perfect for fans, new and old, as well as anyone who has ever been tested and brought to their limits, "Desolation" is a highly satisfying, full-throttle investigation of the human experience."

When the book was first announced, Morton commented: "Initially, I started writing this book just to see if I could do it. But as the writing process unfolded, it quickly took on much more meaning. Unpacking my story, I was able to observe events in my life with an objectivity that I hadn't experienced while I'd lived them in real time.

"Through a lens of hindsight and recovery, I made friends with my past and found value in my most difficult days," he continued. "I hope that by offering my experiences, I can create a point of connection and commonality. There are a lot of fun stories in here and a few really sad ones. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share them."

Morton co-founded LAMB OF GOD, which was initially called BURN THE PRIEST, in 1994.

In 2019, Morton released his debut solo album, "Anesthetic".

LAMB OF GOD's latest LP, "Omens", came out in 2022.

Morton and the rest of LAMB OF GOD will embark on the "Ashes Of Leviathan" tour with MASTODON this summer.