"Long Drive in a Short bus"
from Huh magazine August 95
by Bjesse Christopher

Filter? I had no idea who these guys were. I listened to their just-
released album called Short Bus and didn't know what their single was yet 
- but immediately noted that "Hey man nice Shot" was the real deal. Later 
I saw their "Buzz Clip" on MTV. Then I heard people talking about them. 
Soon they were being played like crazy on the radio. Before I knew it, I 
was on my way to Chicago to interview the two guys who are Filter - 
Richard Patrick (vocals, guitar) and Brian Liesegang (guitar, vocals). I 
had no hogwashy list of questions prepared. I just wanted to escape 
Hollywood State (of mind) Prison for a few days. It turned out that our 
weekend hangout was the last "interview" they would do before going on 
tour for the first time as Filter.
   Brian and I, for some reason, connected right off the bat. He was like 
an old buddy I hadn't seen in a while. He talked extensively about 
everything from his love of ambient music to sleepwalking, from philosophy
to making music and movies. Never once did I feel the need to bust out a 
tape recorder. It would have been in the way. That was the key to our 
tight weekend. And such spontaneity is one of the keys to Filter.
   Richard was more considered and reserved. My first impression was that 
he was gonna be the mysterious, hard-to-talk-to-and-figure-out type. But 
after a few hours of chumming around - him listening to me vent about my 
life's happenings - the walls came tumbling down and an easy trust 
established. I soon found myself in the most obscure verbal pissings with 
him (metamorphically of course). He'd pull me aside at random times to do 
his terrific John Malkovich impression from Sam Sheppard's play True West,
and then a Perry Farrell impersonation, ushering himself into 
Lollapaloozadom with a healthy nasal, "Heyyy Richieee! Welcome to 
Lollapalooza!"
   Richard's older brother is actor Robert Patrick (he was the bad dude 
in Terminator 2, and was also in Fire in the Sky), so it doesn't surprise 
me that he's a pretty good actor himself. He's also a huge fan of gonzo 
journalist Hunter S. Thompson, a firm believer in going with the moment, 
and forever a seeker of knowledge. He leaves me with the impression that 
he's a driven young man with a well-seasoned soul. Another important key 
to Filter.
   Both these guys are small business men, but artists first and foremost.
Each brings a variety of strengths to the table. Or to the speakers, as 
the case may be.
   I won't write about their rockin' sound, or that "Dose" is the second 
single with a video to be directed by hockey-playin' video grapher Kevin 
Kerslake (same guy who shot "Nice Shot"). And I won't talk about how they 
made the album Short Bus on an 8-track in a small basement in Cleveland 
for no money. Or about the broken NIN-connection hype malarkey.
   But, to make a long bus short, Richard was the guitar player for Trent 
Reznor's nine inch nails for seven major tours. When he quit that band, he
went on a trip to the Grand Canyon with his buddy Brian, who used to be 
Reznor's computer programmer. There on the edge of the canyon they had a 
grand musical epiphany. Or maybe they just got bored. In either case, 
when they got home to Rocky River, Ohio, just outside of Cleveland, they 
went underground with minimal equipment and cranked out the basic tracks 
that became Short Bus. That's the story.
   One close listen to the results should put the NIN comparisons to rest.
Reznor's music is an emotional roller coaster, the harrowing sound of 
someone pulling out his own heartstrings by the roots, wanting you to hurt
over it. Filter, on the other hand, comes more from the outside: just as 
harrowing, perhaps, but with more exploration of external causes and 
possibilities of a good solution - or at least some sort of resolution. 
Filter is more of a straight-ahead rock band, more like Killing Joke than 
nine inch nails.
   In fact, it's pretty weird to think that the brutal shrieking you hear 
on Short Bus came out of Richard's mouth. He's a nice, articulate fellow, 
who says what he needs to say with his body language and likes to hang out
with the guys. He's not, by any means, tortured.
   After Brian helped Richard make the record in the basement, he decided 
to teach himself to play guitar and invited himself out on tour as well. 
And so Filter was born. Brian does all the onstage programming, and walks 
around talking to people a lot, filling the air with ideas. His degree in 
Philosophy from University of Chicago helps. 
   Filter won't be like this for long. Things are changing. Out in front 
of the hotel one day, while we're standing around waiting for a cab, a 
young kid comes up and asks what band they're in. Jim-the-publicist says, 
"This is Richard from Filter." The kid barks, "No way, dude! I just bought
your CD!" and goes on to extol virtues. Richard says, "You bought it?!" 
like it's the most outrageous thinghe's ever heard. Moments later in the 
cab, he's still stunned. I can see it's starting to sink in: the album is 
a hit. The boys in Filter had never considered that before. They'd both 
thought about going off and doing some other projects- Richard trying some
stripped-down acoustic work, and Brian some ambient stuff - but now they 
have a new obstacle to contend with: success.

-Bojesse Christopher