Matt Pike (High on Fire, Sleep) Interview 2021: New Solo Album, Lyrics Book, Early Life & More

The mighty Matt Pike dives deep into his new solo record, life during the COVID-era, his perspective on the world at large, his history with Al from Sleep, the next High On Fire album and much more.
MATT PIKE PODCAST CONTENT GUIDE:
01:15 COVID life off the road
02:10 Creating his first solo project
07:17 The dark side of the virus
09:51 Joining Instagram & creating a Patreon: / mattpike
10:53 The new frontier of the music industry and the twisted nature of yesteryear
13:16 The first shows you played?
14:48 Your big life lessons?
16:00 Style vs. tone & Matt doing Matt
18:14 Other quarantine projects
18:39 Matt Pike and the Dick Pics and other potential solo band names
20:40 Dealing with heavy issues lyrically; anarchy & integrity
22:22 Making psychedelics legal & micro-dosing ‘shrooms
23:47 Making more songs like Luminiferous’ The Cave on his solo record
25:16 Jeff Matz playing a banjo
25:58 Making wild percussion with axes & playing stand-up bass
27:23 Bach in the roots of metal
28:27 The great things and the horrors of social media & technology
36:08 Freedom & falling for it
38:52 Growing up in Denver & Oakland
42:58 “Botany of Desire” and frequencies
45:17 Why Sleep is epic & his relationship with Al Cisneros
48:12 Kurt from Converge and what he did to the High on Fire sound
50:08 Dez’s departure from High on Fire
51:09 His solo album, the rock opera
52:18 Keeping the solo project going, what is next
56:09 Doing everything; celebrating the fragility of mortality & family
59:57 Lemmy
1:01:22 Apocalypse vibes
1:04:13 Seeing eye to eye and walking in each other’s shoes
1:06:52 New High on Fire

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

MATT PIKE PODCAST CONTENT GUIDE: 01:15 COVID life off the road 02:10 Creating his first solo project 07:17 The dark side of the virus 09:51 Joining Instagram & creating a Patreon: www.patreon.com/mattpike 10:53 The new frontier of the music industry and the twisted nature of yesteryear 13:16 The first shows you played? 14:48 Your big life lessons? 16:00 Style vs. tone & Matt doing Matt 18:14 Other quarantine projects 18:39 Matt Pike and the Dick Pics and other potential solo band names 20:40 Dealing with heavy issues lyrically; anarchy & integrity 22:22 Making psychedelics legal & micro-dosing ‘shrooms 23:47 Making more songs like Luminiferous’ The Cave on his solo record 25:16 Jeff Matz playing a banjo 25:58 Making wild percussion with axes & playing stand-up bass 27:23 Bach in the roots of metal 28:27 The great things and the horrors of social media & technology 36:08 Freedom & falling for it 38:52 Growing up in Denver & Oakland 42:58 “Botany of Desire” and frequencies 45:17 Why Sleep is epic & his relationship with Al Cisneros 48:12 Kurt from Converge and what he did to the High on Fire sound 50:08 Dez’s departure from High on Fire 51:09 His solo album, the rock opera 52:18 Keeping the solo project going, what is next 56:09 Doing everything; celebrating the fragility of mortality & family 59:57 Lemmy 1:01:22 Apocalypse vibes 1:04:13 Seeing eye to eye and walking in each other’s shoes 1:06:52 New High on Fire

[@callumferguson1834]

Love your interviews with Matt and this is the best yet! Cool hair do as well

[@hinjurock70]

22:24 Mushrooms are legal in Colorado and Oregon.

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

@@callumferguson1834 Thanks Callum! So stoked to check back in with him. Keen to hear this solo shit!

[@petermoes1668]

Thanks💜

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

@@hinjurock70 Good! Haha

[@Morbid.Angel710]

Matt talking about his relationship with Al throughout their career just warms my heart man, love those two dudes! 💚

[@absenceovmeasurablefrequen1709]

I like Matt's mind. You don't really hear any other musicians making these same observations on society and the human condition. Respect.

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Me too. It's an incredible mind!

[@henrygriffen40]

MATT is my favorite musician, i can't wait for new HIGH ON FIRE

[@wastehazey6468]

Good to see Matt is in good health, looking forward to hear his new stuff

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@pigdick2233]

Sleep is the reason I quit my death metal band and formed a doom band. Didn’t work out now I’m recording doom metal with a 70’s psychedelic rock band. Thank you Matt!!

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@rphntw1n]

Matt Pike for president!

[@justinrisen1929]

I play guitar(or at least try to lol) and I have 3 guitar heros and it never changes. Tony Iommi, Jerry Cantrell and Matt fuckin Pike man. 3 riff lords on a whole different level than anyone else imo.

[@purplereigninblood]

I have missed this face. Matt is my spirt animal. New album soon.

[@purplereigninblood]

Christina can you just run a 24 hour loop? You make all this craziness going on much less stressful. Super appreciate all the hard work!!

[@ronhouseofbain487]

Such a down to earth dude! Great interview as always. Looking forward to Matt's solo album.

[@Tom__Wolf]

three definition of sick riffs: Iommi, Windstein, Pike

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Yes! And every single one is on this channel!

[@Tom__Wolf]

@@TheVoidwithChristina I know! Thank's for that! Keep up the great job!

[@Shovelglove545]

Windstein needs more appreciation

[@SpookyApparition]

great interview, and Matt was spot-on with so many of his societal/political thoughts and predictions. "everybody wants their government to pay them money that flies out of thin air... what they don't realize is you're going to pay that back times 10 when you go to buy food." yep.

[@thecamps7574]

I know that I'm on the right side if Matt is calling it how I see it. Can't wait for the new music, and thanks for the interview Christina.

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@declineofthewest.]

Matt Pike is based AF. He’s holding back here. Matt Pike for President

[@daveyboy8907]

I have been watching your interviews for years and they are always great.. 🍻

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Thank you! I appreciate you!

[@hinjurock70]

Yes, they are.

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@PaulOgie]

@@TheVoidwithChristina awesome interview. I'm a new fan! I noticed someone reply here. I think posing as the real Matt Pike? Not sure, but I want to use the intro from High On Fire's - Snakes For The Devine on my other KZbin channel on occasion and have no idea how to get permission.

[@stoneohstone7517]

Love you and your interviews!

[@dannyssmokingden]

Great interview! Looking forward to his solo material.

[@ameralameddine]

I really enjoy this podcast, and it's awesome to have Matt on here again, thanks for doing this Christina!

[@leevi4493]

This is just all i needed to make this day.

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@kennyloggins465]

Fantastic interview yet again!

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳.

[@butchvito]

Awesome! I love your interviews with Matt Pike.

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

I love doing them! Dude is mad chill!

[@paulogoddardo1985]

Great interview. Can't wait for that book!

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@mosesgarner2404]

OMG! This is AMAZING! Thanks for posting Christina! I can't wait to dive into this interview! You have good chemistry with Pike that makes it a blast to watch.

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@justaddfire4418]

I just prerdered the book. I'm pretty pumped, I love this Matt Pike's lyrics

[@RossDixonTeaching]

Thankyou great to get to know the man behind the riffs a bit...

[@NateLethal]

Love This!

[@morganthus6323]

Thank you for connecting us to Matt and some great discussion Christina you fuckin' rock 🤘🏻

[@jacquesroux7362]

Seeing Matt so happy is great. Brilliant interview

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@YTPremiumWatch]

Top notch recording. Christina knocking it out of the park as always ✊

[@christopherk111]

so good to see two friends reconnect,,,,the world better change for bands and gigs,,,or it really will be underground,,,like prohibition and the jazz houses,,the speak easies

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

That actually sounds pretty fun 😂

[@SomeJustice19k]

That would be amazing.

[@SAMHANE69]

Great interview Sleep and High on Fire are incredible! 🤘🏻💀🤘🏻

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳.

[@CharlieStickmanFilms]

matt's looking so healthy and happy, ready to hear this new stuff and drop out of life with bong in hand again \m/

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@TheUrbancoyote]

So good, super interesting convo. Cheers 🤘

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳.

[@neosmith8933]

Billy's back! Mega geek out. Chris was a good choice. Stoked for a new record. Can't say how good it is to see him healthy, and happy. He's turning into a dad version of himself. Swag

[@Aliens_And_Pyramids_And_Shit]

I like that she lets him talk about what’s going on with the scamdemic and doesn’t cut him off, great interview \m/

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Thank you! Dude raised some valid points hey!

[@whatyoumakeofit6635]

@@TheVoidwithChristina cant argue with that

[@mikestanfield167]

How come no one ever asks him about doing another Kalas album. That album is so badass

[@ohshoot444]

Awesome!

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]❤️

[@carlborman5165]

Killer cool interview cheers from hochelaga

[@chronicalcultivation]

FINALLY someone else points it out.. 2020 was the year the world lost it's breath. Respiratory virus, smoke, and people being suffocated by cops (including all the tear gas not just George!!!) I was gonna try to write a song about that but he's surely beat me to it. Looking forward to that solo album

[@ScreaminT81]

Soooooo, Matt is now 100% my spirit Animal.

[@misscadoixo]

Not breathing, in terms of spirituality,means feeling great sadness and sorrow.also means you cannot get the joy of living Shows how society is nowadays Loved the interview Let's be hopeful Hail

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@MrMonster613]

So fucking awesome!

[@vegasdestroyer]

Matt is the best.

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]❤️

[@stephenkane2464]

love you Christina

[@stunningacanthaceae5048]

We need Cumb shirts!! Artwork by Alyssa

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Yesss

[@MrJeppelin]

Beauty and the Beast. Love them both.

[@MetalPersonJ]

The film is called Contagion. I hate to correct Matt Pike, but I tried to look up that title and wikipedia didn't have it.

[@bechtholdillustrator9378]

Damn,that Beard fits him very well

[@pim2paul]

nice

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳👇

[@notfbi673]

Yea! Oh yea? YEA!...., yea.

[@jasonmitchell1537]

Yo it’s just going in circles!!!

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Should be cool now? ☺️

[@r.edward5701]

Christina! You rock. I do the same as Matt with shrooms. Once a month. It's good to get the bad mojo out of your head

[@jameyanderson3839]

Cool bro. But have you ever done dmt bro? DMT and jui jitsu bro? DMT. jui jitsu and coffee bro? Lol I like me shrooms too

[@r.edward5701]

@@jameyanderson3839 no but would love to. From what I've read it helps immensely with insight and realization...if that makes sense

[@samuelmagnum6047]

Matt's wearing the same shirt he wore in What's In My Bag, which is the next video on my feed. Wacky.

[@shootboxpodcast]

Came for Matt Pike, stayed for Christina. Subbed!

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Oh thanks man! Welcome! There's a ton of stuff here! A couple of favourites if you want some back catalogue: What is Stoner Rock? [Mini Doco]: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jH61aI2VirughtE Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden and Deep Purple in the Studio: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fZnWgHaLi616oNU Original Matt Pike interview (2016): kzbin.info/www/bejne/l3Wri2qEnador6c

[@shootboxpodcast]

@@TheVoidwithChristina Thank you! Keep doing you!

[@thedonofthsht76-58]

Holy shit the legend himself!!!! I havent seen anything new from him in awhile and he looks fuckin great! 🍻🍻 and if anyone messes with that up/down vote I'll find you !!

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Hahahaha, oh man couldn't be more stoked about that. But why would anyone downvote this legend?

[@jetaimemina]

For a second, I thought they had matching sideburns.

[@big.B.408]

I'm from Eastside san jose and I can he is totally right mainly Hispanics but san jose is more of melting pot now. Had no idea he was around the Eastside. I just he knew he was from San Jose. Super cool to know that now!

[@jeffreymiddleton4063]

Hes stoned immaculate thexsciences rles rules

[@nardcalls]

Pike is Based

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳:

[@blackjack5676]

CHAOS REIGNS

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Forevermore!

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]❤️

[@blackjack5676]

@@mattpike8237 Bro, you taught me how to play guitar. Sounds bullshit but your just gnostic motorhead fuck it aligned my shit with the... yeah. Thank you for everything man. You're a big deal. I appreciate it.

[@justaddfire4418]

Pretty sure I remember reading a Matt Pike interview way back in the day where he said he and Des train a little Muay Thai when they’re not touring. Anyone else remember this or am I confusing him with someone else?

[@absenceovmeasurablefrequen1709]

Good at heavy music? The god of guitar riffs, if you ask me.

[@jeffreymiddleton4063]

Hes a geezer heyhey now

[@gunsnrosen]

I love that he got dave brockie and dave brock mixed up and she didn't correct him

[@jeffreymiddleton4063]

Sweden hey speed metal

[@edwardsullivan5530]

420 likes, I can’t press like

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]❤️

[@sunn0877]

no matter how shiity things get..thank fuck for Matt Pike

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳.

[@andrewkoastephens210]

I’m really glad I’m only now finding out my old house mate slept with a gun under his pillow. Ha!

[@johnnyspaceout9928]

Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,,Yeah!..Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,,Yeah!....Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,,Yeah!...Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,Yeah!,,,,Yeah!...

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]❤️

[@jeffreymiddleton4063]

Stonercmusic sleep

[@MosesT-vl6xn]

We want Cumb! We want Cumb! We want Cumb!

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Hahahaha

[@Aquabob68]

there was a band called suck..from the early 70's..and they didnt suck..

[@Zngl]

So good to see Matt rationalising and relativising the conspiracionist bullshit that some mofos fed them in the past. Freedom of thought through awesome riffing!!

[@Rob-bm2fu]

She looks like Elliot from Little Punk People

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Ice cold 😂😂😂

[@stunningacanthaceae5048]

Not true but absolutely made me laugh

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳.

[@thathandleistakentrythisone]

I would thumbs up this video, but it has 666 thumbs up

[@ryanmcbride4619]

I wonder if des misses music

[@juanvaldez5422]

Thank God someone I idolize knows what the hell is going on politically..someone I could actually hang out with and have a sane conversation with (that's rare) ... Oh Matt , Conspiracy Theorist = Critical Thinker

[@daveyboy8907]

Exactly he sees through the bs.. Well most of it..

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]🤳

[@joepesce7091]

Why is Christina so fine. 🥰😍🥰😍🥵❤️❤️❤️❤️💞

[@chronicalcultivation]

Matt.. you're not immune dude. I had it for sure, and I'm not immune. Most people don't produce antibodies properly, and those who have are still susceptible to the new strains.. be cautious, we need you

[@chasewillis.6840]

There maybe Jesus on a spaceship

[@jupiter2170]

Drinking game: Everytime she says Yeah! Take a shot of your favorite booze. Good luck

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

There was a great deal to yeah about. Have fun haha

[@baron0877]

If Lemmy is god, is it possible that Mike Pike is Jesus? I'd like to think so.

[@callumferguson1834]

The reason those fires happened is because they planted Eucalyptus trees from Australia in the Cali forests... big mistake, them trees like to burn

[@dowens3781]

I have mixed feelings about Patreon. On one hand, it's good to see fans supporting bands that they're into, but on the other hand it lowers musicians to being beggars. Especially when signed artists are doing it - their record labels are supposed to be funding them, not the fans. That's the main point of being a tour musician who's signed to a label - they cover recording, touring and other expenses and you earn money from album, merch, and ticket sales.

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

I respect your right to another opinion but record label “advances” have historically been essentially unsecured loans that often leave artists in heinous debt. There’s nothing wrong with removing a broken and exploitative industry out of the equation and changing the relationship to just band and fan. If this artist has provided you with pleasure and solace, it’s a noble thing to show your appreciation. They’re not begging - they’re offering people a chance to show real concrete support. Streams don’t pay bills dude. Do you want artists to starve?

[@dowens3781]

@@TheVoidwithChristina No, of course not - I'm a low income musician myself (who's never gotten support or help from anyone, other than my mom) and I worked my ass off at shit jobs in my 20's and 30's to be able to do music. And I know that bands make money when they tour, from both the gigs and selling merch - sometimes quite a bit of money. Also, record labels don't take advantage of bands as much as they used to back in the day because a lot more musicians are more informed about business these days. But hey, it's cool if people want to give money to signed artists - I personally won't.

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

Bands can’t tour right now. Thus, no income. No food. I don’t really get why you don’t want to see your fellow musicians supported (hey man, there’s a good chance fans of your shit would support you too) but respect your right to your own opinion ... ☺️

[@dowens3781]

@@TheVoidwithChristina I just think that unsigned bands should be supported more than signed ones because signed artists get a lot more financial support and a lot more perks (guitar and amp endorsements, etc) Also, I don't really have any fans because I could never find bassists and drummers who were as motivated, dedicated and ambitious as I was, or who wanted to put any money into the band. I usually was the one with the lowest income, yet I put the most money in. So everytime one of my bands started to gain fans (from gigs, since we could never afford to do a good recording) and get on a roll with gigging, the bassist or drummer would quit and everything went down the drain.

[@dowens3781]

@@TheVoidwithChristina Also, no one starves here in America. There's food stamps and lots of musicians I know got the enhanced pandemic unemployment benefits of $600/week plus the base pay amount, so that's around $3000/month. Not rock star pay, but as much as many indie label musicians make, and also more than twice as much as I made at my day job.

[@hinjurock70]

Drummers shouldn't get songwriting credit for just coming up with a drum beat - that's not the melody of the song. If they write part or all of the song on guitar or bass, then give them credit.

[@TheVoidwithChristina]

There’s some pretty creative drummers out there though ...

[@hinjurock70]

@@TheVoidwithChristina Definitely, but there's a difference between a melody instrument and a rhythm instrument - melody instruments such as guitar, piano, saxophone, etc play melodies which define a song - drums and bass are rhythm instruments which play parts that accompany that melody. For example, as great as John Bonham was, no one (except for drummers, and probably not even many of them) would recognize the drum beat for Stairway To Heaven if it was played as an isolated track, but anyone who's heard Led Zeppelin before would instantly recognize the intro chords if they were played on guitar alone.

[@Gabriel-bt7ix]

Art of Dying, Mother Puncher, Fadded Line, The Omniscient, Serums of Liao... Just some examples

[@hinjurock70]

@@Gabriel-bt7ix Are those bands or songs? Never heard of any of them.

[@Gabriel-bt7ix]

@@hinjurock70 Songs

[@jeffreymiddleton4063]

Tab bookguitar mattcpike

[@purplereigninblood]

Christina saw this and thought you would want one. head-on-a-pike-the-illustrated-lyrics-of-matt-pike-book-only-signed-by-matt-pike #bloodofzion

[@jakaylaconroy9979]

Lovely 😍💋 💝💖❤️

[@mattpike8237]

Hello my beautiful great fans , thanks for your support, how are you doing, I hope everything is fine, you can write me in the hangout app with my [e-mail]❤️

[@FFGG22E]

Any relation?? www.wikiwand.com/en/Albert_Pike#Media/File:Albert_Pike_-_Brady-Handy.jpg