Interview to Jeff Hughell of Six Feet Under

Interview by Luis Landeo
Welcome to Arsenal Del Metalero Jeff, but to start this interview let say you, you did a really good work in the last album of Six Feet Under, "Unborn" but actually you released one full lenght with instrumental tracks entitled: "Chaos Labyrinth", first how born the idea of create an instrumental solo project? and how was contact this big list of guest musicians, and how was record it?
Thanks! I am glad that you enjoyed "Unborn", it was a really exciting album to be on and I was very happy with the finished product as well as the bass production. "Chaos Labyrinth" is my first full length solo album and it was a true honor being able to work with so many great musicians. It was pretty crazy sending all the musicians the files and then getting their tracks sent to me and then sending them to the studio to get reamped and what not but it was completely worth it! I have always dreamed of making a song and getting some of my favorite bassists to play on it (Alex Webster and Steve DiGiorgio).

The release of this album was some days ago, so how was received for your fans? and how many copies was released?
"Chaos Labyrinth" actually just came out on october 15th so I don't know how many digital copies have been sold yet but I have sold a decent amount of physical copies that I have to label and ship out myself. So far I have been getting tons of great feedback on it! I think this album has alot of different things that people might not expect from me, its very dynamic and varies in style from song to song.

I would like ask you about Six Feet Under, how was you called to be the new member of Six Feet Under? and how are the days touring with your new family? any experience can you tell touring with Chris Barnes? 
The way I got in SFU was mainly from the metalblade office, they knew me from Brain Drill and when SFU was in need of a bassist they threw my name out there and Chris had already known about me from the Brain Drill record and he called me up and offered me the job! Its really great touring with SFU, everyone in the band is very chill and we get along great! I have been in other bands were you might get annoyed with certain people after living with each other for a little while but not in this band. Chris is a great guy to hang with, a good sushi buddy and we all normally do a couple shot of jager with the whole band to get ready right before set time.

How was record the bass guitar parts for the last album of Six Feet Under? and I have to say your powerfull bass of 7 strings give a brutal touch to this new album and I have to say this production is one of the best the band worked. 
"Unborn" was a challenge for me in some ways because there was so many guitarist and writers on the album, so some songs I actually had to learn by ear. I recorded my bass parts at castle ultimate studios in Oakland and the tracks were sent to Zuess who reamped them and mixed and mastered the whole thing, I think he is one of the best engineers out there right now and really made the album crush. My main goal on the album was to make it heavy with my bass parts and I think I accomplished just that.

Like proffessional bassist what equipment can you recommend to bassist fans can use to their bands and recordings? and why? and what pedal effects can you recommend to sound very aggressive? 
As far as equipment goes I play a 7 string Warwick streamer LX with Seymour Duncan blackout pickups which add heavely to the gain and attack in my sound. One pedal that I think every bassist should own is the sans amp bass driver di, it provides you with a great di for live playing and lets you ad as much gain as you want. As far as recording goes if you can record direct tracks yourself you will save alot of studio time and they can reamp them later. Meaning record a dry signal with no effect on it, I use an apogee jam into logic audio.

Returning to talk about the album: "Chaos Labyrinth" is your arm playing the bass but why is covered in a weird net? what is the message do you want give with this font cover? 
The front cover is me playing but the web type thing on top is supposed to be the Labyrinth. I wanted to just have something simple that looks cool. I want people to focus on the music and not some other weird message. 

I know this question is strange but do you feel you like the new: Marty Friendman but in bassist version? I ask you this because Marty have a guitar solo project too and yours is the same but in bass and both are good and faster 
Well thanks thats quite a compliment! I always wanted to do solo stuff I grew up listening to Stuart Hamm and all his solo records and loved it. I have always been a big progressive fan, but never enjoyed the vocals as much as the musical parts.

Asking about Six Feet Under, have in mind the band work in a new album or any covers album? and how do you see your future with Six Feet Under? 
Right now SFU is working on a new album. I hope to contribute more to this album as the last one was already written when I joined the band. I love playing the SFU material and all the band and crew are great so I would love to be doing this as long as possible.

Well Jeff to end this interview, I hope Six Feet Under can play in South America, but do you have any last message to your latin fans and Arsenal Del Metalero readers? 
I hope SFU will make it down there one day soon!! I would like to thank everyone in South America for their continued support of SFU as well as my solo projects and hope to come have a beer with all of you!!

To know more about Six Feet Under and Jeff Hughell project:
https://www.facebook.com/sixfeetunder
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jeff-Hughell/206071166095361