One Day As A Lion

Fri 7th Jan, 2011 in Features

One Day As A Lion is the brainchild of Rage Against the Machine frontman Zach De La Rocha and former Mars Volta drummer Jon Theodore. After meeting through a mutual friend, the duo started jamming together in 2008 and what resulted was a venomous self-titled EP and, eventually, a world tour.

The duo have since begun recording their debut album and will hit Australia for the first time next month as part of the Soundwave Festival. In the lead-up to their arrival FasterLouder talked to John Theodore about the new project, why the world still needs Rage Against the Machine and life in the Mars Volta.

First of all, where are you and what time is it?
Los Angeles, California, USA, Western Hemisphere, Northern Hemisphere, World, Milky Way, Universe. It is 4.42 PM Pacific Time Zone. I’m in Venice, California.

What have you been up to the last few days?
The last few days I’ve been running around like a maniac because I’m about to leave for India in a couple of days, I’ve been trying my hardest, but it’s been like herding cats trying to get everything in order here, between shipping my drums or setting up my airplane, or setting up my itinerary and sorting out with the people over there.

Are you guys touring there?
I’m going by myself; I’m going with my drums to connect with some pretty heavy cats over there. Some people who have been inspirations for years.

So tell me, what’s it like being in a duo with Zach De La Rocha?
It’s the best. There’s no-one like him, he’s a total inspiration… he’s the voice of a generation. Personally we were instant best friends when we met, we also began playing together almost immediately, and that was natural and a joy, free of any sort of drama. Musically, he’s unequalled, and lyrically he’s unequalled. His process as a musician is so unique, it never takes the guy more than one or two takes to do a song. He’s an inspiration man, and a good friend. It’s pretty great to be in Zach’s band. I mean to be in a band with Zach.

Can you tell me a brief history of the band, how you guys started off?
We met almost immediately through mutual friends, and on meeting, you know how it is, sometimes you meet someone and it doesn’t mean anything. Sometimes you meet people and you’re really offended, and just don’t want anything to do with them. And other times you meet people and you’re like ‘Fuck, you are my new best friend, I can’t believe how connected we are after like five seconds’, and that’s how it was when I met him. We had so many similar interests and experiences, and at the time I had just arrived here and I was starting this band up and I got swept up in this whirlwind and so there was also a level of mentorship there, where if I ever had a question about something I was uncomfortable with, or something where I was like, ‘Oh my god, what’s going on?’, he would be the person I’d turn to for advice. Chances are he’d already been through it, you know.