http://www.charlotteobserver.com/entertainment/story/514451.html

 

02-28-08

 

Puddle of Mudd’s Wes Scantlin

COURTNEY DEVORES

Staff Writer

 

The songwriter-guitarist’s Midwestern rock band returns to Charlotte Sunday with two more hits under its belt: 2007’s “Famous,” and the current single, “Psycho.” 7 p.m. Tremont Music Hall. $20-$22. 704-343-9494; www.etix.com. The video for “Psycho” pays humorous homage to horror classics. What are your favorite horror movies? I like the old ones like “Friday the 13th.” They got some pretty crazy ones now. “Hostel: Part II” was so scary I had to stop watching it. When they’re going to kill that naked girl, I  I’m kind of a wimp. Sort¼had to turn it off. I did make it through “Saw 3.”  of.

Did you come up with the concept for the video? The set is on the back lot of Universal Studios. I was up there with my dad and my son getting a private tour. Sitting on the front steps of the “Psycho” house, I said, “If (the label) puts the ‘Psycho’ song out next, we should make a video here.” Universal is kind of the father of our labels. So we asked, and they said, “Sure.”

Is your son into music? He’s 10. He’s a rocker. I got him his first guitar recently. He plays “Rock Band” and “Guitar Hero” (video games). He’ll have already written two or three songs by the time I see him again.

Are you into playing video games on the bus like so many bands? I’ve played them a few times. I play cards in the back of the bus – Texas Hold ’Em. The rest of the guys are on computers a lot, doing MySpace and talking to people. I don’t have a computer. I haven’t gone into the Internet world. I am going to get a computer because my son’s got a computer, and they’ve got video chat now.

A few years passed between albums. With so much changing in the industry, were you worried your audience might have moved on? A little bit. It was getting a little scary for a minute. We needed to put a record out. We had a bunch of songs, but it took a little extra time to make sure the record was really great. We had to regroup and find inspiration in life.