Johnathan Carbon sits down for a drink with Dave "Dixie" Collins, front man for the southern sludge juggernaut Weedeater. Collin's work can also be heard with Buzzov*en, Hail of Hornets and selected Bongzilla releases. Dixie Dave opens up about the new album, sludge documentaries, current movies and misconceptions regarding his "favorite" shotgun. Johnathan, on the other hand, tries his best not to make tactless jokes about shooting oneself in the foot.

CoC: First of all, thank you for the time, and congratulations on the release of your fourth record.

Dixie Dave: Oh, thank you.

CoC: How is Dave (Shepherd) doing with his injury?

DD: He's coming along great. He should be fine and ready for this European tour, and we flight out this Thursday.

CoC: So in light of recent events, namely the accident with your guitarist Dave, has the band taken a lighthearted approach to being labeled accident prone by the media?

DD: Umm, maybe so we've been doing this for a long time with the same three guys and we roll with the punches. We're obviously not happy to be hurt all the time, but that's just the cards we were dealt, so maybe we are done for a little while.

CoC: What was the writing and recording like for the new album, did it differ at all from previous records?

DD: We've always written things the same way. A lot of it we write together, and some of the more acoustic sounding, weirder sounding stuff we write on our own. The recording process has always been the same. We record it live, all three of us, and then go back and put vocals on top. This is the second record with Steve Albini, so it was done in the same room and pretty much the same way as _God Luck and Good Speed_ was done.

CoC: You used producer Steve Albini again for the mixing and production of _Jason... the Dragon_. Do you feel his work with _God Luck and Good Speed_ was the right direction for the band, or was it just something that happened?

DD: It was something that happened. We've been working with Billy Anderson, who was one of the best analog engineers -- one of the best engineers period -- but he was out of the country in South America and we needed the record done, so we did it with Albini. It's just comfortable in that studio, you can stay there and get a lot of stuff done, so we are very happy with it -- but it was an accident, I guess.

CoC: Do you feel _Jason... the Dragon_ is a new step for the band or just another record?

DD: I guess it's just another record, but there are new aspects to it. We've never done a borderline Luau song before.

CoC: <laughs> Now I have to ask about "March of the Bipolar Bear". How did that drum solo track come to life, and why does it come in the middle of the record?

DD: Actually we left it just as it is. We just finished cutting the track before it and Keko (Keith Kirkum) kept playing, so I went into the control booth and asked Steve if we were still recording. He said "Yeah, we're recording, but he doesn't know it". So we just left it on there. We call him (Keko) the Bipolar Bear -- actually we call him the Polar Bear, but now he's the Bipolar Bear for several reasons.

CoC: You were witnesses and took part in the beginning of the sludge scene. Do you have any reflections or meditations on its evolution and recent developments?

DD: Not really, we just did what bands from this area that are low on cash did. The only surprise I have is the recent resurgence or popularity all of a sudden, but that is fine with me.

CoC: Is there any current band in particular you find taking into favorable directions?

DD: Oh man, all of them. It's like a big family. From all the bands here to down in New Orleans and the Bay Area. There's too many to name. There is shit tons of them. Legions and legions of them.

CoC: I've actually made this a topic with any southern band related to sludge, but Weedeater was listed in appearance with the documentary called "Slow Southern Steel". Have you seen the film or your section? Will it ever see the light of day?

DD: Yeah, well, it took a long time to compile all that footage. All the bands are all over the world, not just being from the south, but they are all touring bands. I know C.T. and them had their hands full with everything. The last interview they did was Kirk Fisher when Buzzov*en was in Little Rock months ago. I know the last part of the film, besides editing, was the narration which I did. I just got a text from C.T. and he was debuting it in Little Rock... well... right about now.

CoC: What would you say your favorite metal release from 2010 is, or from any time?

DD: Favorite metal release of 2010... yeah, shit... I don't know, there is just too many. My favorite record of all would probably have to be Corrosion of Conformity's _Animosity_.

CoC: And I believe Corrosion of Conformity is playing Roadburn Festival with the _Animosity_ line-up.

DD: They sure are.

CoC: What about the most recent movie seen?

DD: Well, I didn't feel good yesterday, so I watched all three of the fucking "Star Wars" movies in a row on TV... the originals.

CoC: Are you a big fan of "Star Wars"?

DD: No, not really... <laughs> Shit... I was when I was five. But seriously, the most current movie I saw was "Machete".

CoC: What did you think of "Machete"?

DD: Well, some people are trying to say it was stupid movie, but what the fuck did they expect? It was exactly what I expected.

CoC: What are Weedeaters / Buzzov*en / Hail!Hornet plans for 2011?

DD: Well, Hail!Hornet has a new record for 2011. It's been done for a year, but it's been held up in legal trouble. As for Buzzov*en, we are hoping Kirk (Fisher) will have a speedy recovery so we can do more shows. And as for Weedeater, I guess we'll be touring for _Jason... the Dragon_. We are doing Roadburn Festival in Europe now and then we will come back for the summer, because we live on the beach, and in the fall we'll go back out again. Our guitarist has a new baby daughter, she was born on Halloween, so we want to be home for that.

CoC: Is there any chance Bongzilla will rise in 2011?

DD: Maybe so. I told all of them if they need me to play bass with them that I will. They are really good friends and they recently did some shows with their original bass player Peter Brown. But if they ever need anything from me, I'll be there for them. I'm here for them, they are my brothers.

CoC: Can you tell us the story of the infamous shotgun incident? I do not own any sort of firearm, so I do not know.

DD: Well, actually it was a misconception I was cleaning the barrel. I was spraying the outside of the shotgun with WD40 to keep it from rusting, and I just got home from work while my friend was handing me a bong hit -- I was multitasking -- and I had the shotgun resting on my toe and I pulled the trigger.

CoC: So you usually keep your shotgun loaded?

DD: Well, I never keep my shotgun loaded, but the accident happened on January 9th (2010), and on New Year's Eve, I was told, I put one shell in to shoot off at midnight but passed out drunk and forgot about it until nine days later, when I blew my toe off.

CoC: Is it also a misconception that it was your "favorite" shotgun?

DD: Well, I guess it could be considered my favorite shotgun, because it is my only shotgun. I only have two guns: a 12 gauge shotgun and 357 Magnum. I'm glad I didn't shot myself with the pistol, because I would've blown off half my foot.

CoC: Well, thank you for clearing that up. Real quick, any last words for our readers?

DD: Nope, just come see Weedeater live.