The world can and often does change within a moment or two. Things that are taken for granted may disappear, and things that seemed like minor details are forced to step up their game in order to compensate for losses.
     The theory certainly explains the state of the "new" and perhaps much more popular edition of Filter. Post coffee accessory, the name’s been checked with the track "Hey Man Nice Shot" for the better part of the ’90s, with the group’s personnel being recognized as the duo of vocalist Richard Patrick and twanger/ programmer/all-around noise guy Brian Liesegang. They were what I called at the time a "molotov mix of Jan and Dean meets Ministry." The key word there being “were.”
     Before jumping to recent changes, it may be important to look at the course of Patrick’s career. When Filter’s debut, Short Bus came out, the world zeroed in on a certain segment of Patrick’s resume featuring former boss Trent Reznor. Right out of the gate, fingers were pointed and fans nit-picked their electronic sound, proclaiming much of it to be either a Nine Inch Nails rip-off or parody.
     Of his departure from that project, Patrick evaded certain issues and discussed the method of his split. "I did what anybody else would do. Before you leave a job, you better make sure that you have a new one." The reference obviously nods to his pact with Reprise Records, who inked and marketed his then new band.
     The curious got the simple "Less Wax Trax!, more Sub-Pop" motto when pushing Richard for an explanation of his tunes prior to their revelation. I guess way back in 1994 that was the correct thing to say, although upon release it would become apparent that at the time, Filter not only borrowed from the same resources as NIN, it in fact sounded like its snotty little brother.
     Does that matter when your CD is extremely popular right out of the gate? The answer is obviously no, as folks not only bought it, they paid it the ultimate lip service by circulating rumors about it. Some said that "Hey Man Nice Shot" was written for Kurt Cobain, while other held on to the idea that it in reality it’s for a senator that blew his own head off live on TV.
     Whatever the case, none of it has been confirmed, but it did keep the group on the road for two years supporting the disc. As they crisscrossed the globe with White Zombie and others, little things started to chip away at their interior. For starters, they lost their touring drummer Matt Walker to the Smashing Pumpkins during their "Jimmy Is Out" era.
     It was also here that Liesegang and Patrick started to realize that all was not right in the world of two friends who met on a video set. With Brian being an experimental gear-head and Patrick leaning more towards writing good emotional songs, this is where the rift between the two started to grow.
     Once again, success reared its head and the band’s contribution to The Crystal Method’s "Can You Trip Like I Do" for the Spawn soundtrack went through the roof. It gave Filter a chance to work its metallic side while the other duo involved busted out the electro-groove. In short, it was an awesome move that lifted the declining sales of both bands’ then fading records.
     Proving that money and fame are only gravy tips for true artists and not the motivating themes, both continued to rock the boat as Brian wanted more of a creative say in the band’s new material and Patrick wanted to expose the rawness of his own emotion in a less experimental fashion. On the split, Patrick cleared it all up by stating, "Brian had the opportunity to go out on the road. He wanted to do interviews and I said, ‘Go ahead; you like to gab.’ He used to complain that he wasn’t in the videos enough. He was my friend and I said, ‘Fine, whatever.’
     But when it came time to write songs, his songs weren’t very good. All I wanted him to do was program and co-produce. When it came time to do the (new) record, I told him to ‘assume the position behind the computer.’ He wasn’t about that and obviously it wasn’t going to work. His production skills were quite good. But whatever kind of production hat that you put on a project, you still have to have songs, melodies and lyrics. Brian left the band to get a record deal. I wish him luck."
     In what sounds very much like an ironic twist to the Richard Patrick story, the rift didn’t disrupt the band’s flow, as they were already off the road. Thus the meltdown occurred at the best possible time, away from prying eyes and reporters.
     Next up were the efforts that led to Filter’s latest set, Title Of Record. It took two years to pull off, with Richard pulling every emotional freak-out possible for the sake of making a good disc.
     It was during this period that his manager walked in on an especially self-damaging scene during the creation of the number "I’m Not The Only One." "(That) song I wrote ten minutes after I put my fist through a wall. I had to go to the hospital to get stitches. I recorded the track and when I played it for my manager he asked me, ‘What are you singing in that verse?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t know what I’m saying.’ I was living the moment, confused and bewildered over a girl who was cruel to me. And my manager says, ‘Well, why don’t you fix this?’ I was standing in front of a microphone with a bleeding hand and I’m like, ‘You don’t get it, do you?’”
     It was obviously a turbulent time which saw him as focused on his new Chi-town digs as much as his new album. Versus contracting out, he hung his own drywall and did his own painting, skills not associated with rock and roll.
     Recruiting bassist Frank Cavanaugh and guitarist Geno Lenardo from the prior road campaign, he pushed ahead and tapped local veteran drummer Steven Gillis, programmer Rae Dileo and co-producer Ben Grosse.
     As evident by the incident two paragraphs back and the vibe that was going on with the troops, the air demanded that this be a very personal album. "I don’t think that there should be a cute song for the kiddies. If it’s coming from my perspective, these kids have got to learn something. This record is a snapshot of the past two years. This is what I’ve lived; maybe I can pass something on to someone else. Every word that you hear on this album, I lived through personally. I think that’s what is lacking in music today: the human emotion. Being a musician gives you the responsibility to create musical journeys. That’s what all of my favorite bands did for me. If there’s a kid in Ames, Iowa, who hears my record and says ‘I can do that,’ I’m stoked that I was a catalyst for him. I have a responsibility, and it’s not to talk bull***t."
     He cites "Miss Blue" as the song that moves him the most. “I listen to that track now and I think, ‘Jesus Christ, I was way in love at that time.’ I remember that after each take I had to tell the engineer to stop the tape and hold on for five minutes because it was emotionally draining. Some people may listen (to it) and think, ‘Why isn’t he banging his head?’ Those people want me to be 25, pissed off at Trent Reznor and the world. But that’s just one song out of 10. When it comes to the hard stuff, you’re damn right I’m going to sing about getting sued and all of the failed relationships and deceit and s*** like that. This whole record is where you are going to find out who Richard Patrick is."
     The penal thing he refers to is that which an Arizona fan brought against him long before sessions for this album even started. The case, which was settled out of court, revolved around the claim that she was hit in the face with a beer can that Patrick threw from the stage. The funny thing about the case is the resolution, at which the judge told the singer, "Richard, my kids love your music. Go back to Chicago and make a new record."
     When said album dropped, the leadoff single, "Welcome To The Fold," signaled loud and clear that some serious sonic changes had gone down in Camp Filter.
     For starters, their electronic edge was largely sawed off in favor of an epic style akin to classic Jane’s Addiction or Led Zeppelin songs. Some were shocked or simply taken aback by the growth, while others who may not have dug them at all back in the day embraced them now. No matter, as everybody had a chance to see how it played out live during the second annual Family Values outing, which placed them onstage next to less challenging acts such as Limp Bizkit and Staind.
     Drumming up serious success seemingly moments after the album hit shelves, they are still on the road and doing well with a brand new single, "Take A Picture." The bit which promises to be their "Black Hole Sun," "Jane Says," etc. has two versions floating at rock and Top 40 radio, with the latter being a semi-dance remix. Its visual counterpart is a floaty, Lost In Space sort of number that MTV jumped all over. All of which foretells a long shelf life for this hour-plus album full of potential chart-busters.
     Coming full circle, what stuck in the mind most out of all his comments is that for all of the past bickering and creative posturing, Richard Patrick may have learned to play nice after all. "Geno wanted to write for the band and I was put off by that. But his attitude was, ‘You’re the boss and I’m going to do whatever I can to realize your musical vision.’ He had to see what I liked doing with my own music. He thought, ‘What would Rich do?’ He ditched all his effects pedals and just played through his Marshall stack.
     “His songwriting embodies the spirit of Short Bus with a completely different vibe over it. He didn’t demand to be in videos or interviews. He came walking through the back door, the proper door, and said, ‘This is my music; can you work with it?’ I’m proud to say that he is in this band."
     See, kids? It’s all about the approach . . . or something like that.