Richard Patrick got his first taste of fame playing as a touring guitarist with Nine Inch Nails during their earliest incarnations (1989 to 1993).
He decided to leave Nine Inch Nails to focus on a new band he had formed, the industrial-alt rock, Filter.
Their debut album, “Short Bus,” would launch them onto alternative radio with the breakout hit, “Hey Man Nice Shot.”
Their follow-up, “Title of Record,” was another major success led by “Take a Picture.”
Since then, Patrick has continued to make albums with Filter along multiple side projects (Army of Anyone, A Place to Kill), and has even gotten involved in film composition.
I spoke with Patrick recently about Filter’s upcoming eighth studio album, how politics has played a role in his music, and playing on the upcoming Freaks on Parade Tour with Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper.
Kevin: Filter’s latest album, “The Algorithm,” comes out August 25th. It’s been seven years since the band’s last album, “Crazy Eyes.” This is the longest break you’ve ever had between albums; what were some of the reasons for the long wait?
Richard: I took on a side hustle known as movie scores. I’ve done a handful of great movies and different documentaries. “Dark Crimes” with Jim Carrey was my first movie. Also, “Chariot” starring Thomas Mann and John Malkovich, “The 2nd” with Ryan Phillippe. I’ve had a lot of fun with it.
Kevin: When did you start recording what would eventually become “The Algorithm?”
Richard: Soon after “Crazy Eyes” came out. The first song I wrote was “Command Z,” which is the last song on the record. I wrote that with (co-founding and former Filter member) Brian Liesegang at the time when we were going to do the “rebus” record (a follow-up to “Bus” that eventually got scrapped). I released “Thoughts and Prayers” and “Murica” and they eventually just became singles that didn’t make this album.
Kevin: I remember you released those in 2020 and figured you just started completely new, but “Algorithm” is actually seven years in the making then?
Richard: Yeah, exactly. I mean, I went back into the studio probably in 2016 soon after “Crazy Eyes” was released. I got sidetracked with movie scores. I started writing music by myself for a bit and then I turned to my bandmates. This was a really fun record to make.
Kevin: I’ve listened to the first single, “Obliteration.” Honestly, it still sounds and feels like classic Filter. From the lyrics to the music, it sounds right up there with “Bus” and “Title of Record.”
Richard: I appreciate that very much. That was the goal. I wanted something like those first three records that could be sitting next to those guys.
Kevin: With MTV practically turned to reality TV these days, a lot of bands are foregoing music videos altogether. But you guys just released a great-looking animated video for “Obliteration.” It has a real apocalyptic feel to it, which is appropriate given the song title. Who did the animation for that?
Richard: A German artist named Atanas Shopski. He reached out to me on Facebook and Instagram and Twitter. He tracked me down and insisted on doing it, so I sent him the song and he came up with the concept. When I heard his idea, I thought it was great and I’m really happy with how it turned out.
Kevin: You mentioned some of your singles around 2020 – “Thoughts and Prayers,” “Murica,” – I’m assuming the album you were working on given that year was going to be pretty politically-charged. Will “The Algorithm” still have political themes?
Richard: There’s definitely a lot of political commentary. “Command Z” is pretty much a feeling of, “Well, I tried. Well, fuck it. I’m going to get wasted.” That kind of attitude. The album is basically about an astronaut who returns to Earth and finds it completely destroyed and he’s trying to think of the reasons it got messed up. And by the end of it, he’s like, “I’m just going to get wasted.”
Kevin: Kind of a “Planet of the Apes” feel?
Richard: YOU DAMN, DIRTY BASTARDS! (laughs)
Kevin: I know you’ve been writing about politics for a while. Right around 2020 is when your social media started coming on my radar. Is politics something you’ve always been interested in and vocal about, or do you feel like Trump’s regime really sparked something inside of you?
Richard: “Anthem for the Damned” was about the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. “Hey Man Nice Shot” was written about a politician (Pennsylvania State Treasurer, Budd Dwyer) who supposedly embezzled a bunch of money, said he was innocent, held a press conference, and blew his head off. I’ve always had strange kind of Earth One type of social commentary.
Richard continues: “Cancer” is a song written in 1997 about what we’re doing to the planet and how our species is almost a cancer, destroying its host, the Earth. The pollution, everything to do with climate change that is real, that is happening, and that about half of the population doesn’t “believe in” for religious reasons or whatever. So, I’ve always been saying things to piss people off or get them to think.
Kevin: Do you ever get concerned that you may be alienating fans or that people may not get the new record because of something you said or posted?
Richard: I don’t worry about alienating my fans, but at the same time, someone’s got to fucking say something. But, I love my fans and I hope that they would feel just as strongly about what’s going on as I do. My heroes are Joe Strummer, John Lennon, Bono – those guys didn’t shy away from saying what they wanted to say and neither should I. It’s my voice, so I kind of stick to my guns with my lyrics and I get to say whatever I want to say.
Kevin: You have a pretty sweet gig on the upcoming Freaks on Parade Tour with Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, and Ministry. Have you been friends with those guys for a while?
Richard: I’ve known Rob since we toured with White Zombie in ’95. And I’ve known Al Jourgensen (lead singer of Ministry) since 1989 when I was in Nine Inch Nails and Al produced our “Get Down, Make Love” Queen cover. I’ve known Alice Cooper for about six years because I played his holiday show, Christmas Pudding. We’re all friends with each other and huge fans of all the bands, it’s going to be a great show.
Kevin: I know Rob has a huge audio and visual stage show, which I believe Alice Cooper, does as well. Is there any pressure to really bring it and put on a great show?
Richard: We have lights, fog, and rock, and that’s what we’re bringing (laughs). We’re bringing a backdrop, delivering the rock the best way we can. We don’t have any theatrical devices, but we love the fact that Rob and Alice and Ministry will be bringing it hard. So we’re just there to deliver the songs and rev everybody up.
Kevin: In 1993 when you first started getting the band together, is there any way you dreamed that 30 years later, not only would Filter still be around, but here you are ready to release your eighth studio album?
Richard: I mean, I hoped that I would still be making music at this age and going around the world touring. I really did. But to be honest, back in 1993 I literally couldn’t imagine life beyond the age of 30. I was very unhealthy; I was an alcoholic, did drugs, get arrested. I figured I’d be dead before I ever got to 30. Now, I’ve been sober for over 20 years and it’s foreseeable that I’ll still be doing this when I’m in my 60s.
Kevin: I was going to say, I did read about your long sobriety. First off, congratulations, and secondly, I’m just so happy that you’re healthy and rocking, man.
Richard: Thank you!
Kevin: Any time a Filter song comes on or I see a movie with your brother, I’m compelled to tell the person I’m with that you and Robert Patrick (T-1000 from “Terminator 2,” “Die Hard 2,” “Wayne’s World”) are brothers. How are you two getting along these days?
Richard: (laughs) Good old Robert Patrick is my brother. I’m proud of him. I’m happy for him, and always wish him the best.
Pick up the new album August 25th, it just might be one of the top albums of the year. Also, catch Richard and Filter on the Freaks on Parade Tour with Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, and Ministry when it crashed into SoCal September 23rd at Honda Center.
