Filter’s Richard Patrick praises band’s new album

By John Benson

The Cleveland native promises an exciting show at the House of Blues.

The first thing you should know about Filter visionary Richard Patrick is that he does a killer impression of “There Will Be Blood” oilman character Daniel Plainview.

“Ladies and gentlemen, when I say I’m an oil man, I think you’ll agree,” said Patrick, calling from his Southern California home. “This is my son, H.W. I’m Daniel Plainview.”

When the talk turns to Filter’s new album “Anthems for the Damned,” that’s when Patrick gets serious.

“(The album is) very socially conscious,” Patrick said. “I can’t stand what we’re doing to the planet. I cannot sit back and as a human agree with what we’re doing to the planet. And Mr. President, I do not co-sign your (expletive) war in Iraq. I do not. I rebuke you.”

Feeling feisty and political, Patrick has plenty to be excited about in 2008 as he re-launches Filter with his new album and tour, which brings him back to Cleveland for a Saturday show at the House of Blues.

It was just over a year ago when the 1987 Bay High School graduate realized he needed to return to his “Hey Man, Nice Shot” band while touring with somewhat super-group Army of Anyone, featuring Stone Temple Pilots brothers Robert and Dean DeLeo.

“We would hit ‘Hey Man, Nice Shot’ and ‘Take a Picture’ and I just thought to myself, this is where I have to go,” said Patrick, whose older brother is Hollywood actor Robert Patrick (“Terminator 2”). “I have to go back and revisit my band Filter. Every single time I got Filter going something would get in the way, whether it was rehab to save my own life or Army of Anyone or building a studio in Chicago.”

He added, “Filter is a beautiful thing, and now that I’m a recovering alcoholic and I have a family and my wife, I’ll never take it for granted again. I’ve been blessed that I’m allowed to do this, and I’ll never forget it.”

Something that Patrick seems to be at peace with is Filter’s creative dichotomy. Early on the band enjoyed success with its 1995 Nine Inch Nails-inspired debut, “Short Bus.” However, the act’s 1999 album “Title of Record” experienced unexpected crossover success with adult contemporary hit single “Take a Picture.”

Instead of running away from criticism or pretending it doesn’t exist, the singer-songwriter approached “Anthems for the Damned” without any restrictions or preconceived expectations. The result is a chameleonic album, which includes the armed forces tribute and anthem-in-waiting “Soldiers of Misfortune,” the mellow “Cold (Anthem for the Dead)” and the heavy industrial-sounding “The Wake.”

“Our biggest criticism is you can’t take heavy industrial ‘Hey Man, Nice Shot’ and then take ‘Take a Picture’ and be the same band and have that big a hit on the other side of the radio dial,” Patrick said. “You can’t do that. And I say, ‘I defy you. I challenge you. I’m going to do what I’m going to do.’

“Creatively this band comes from industrial, but at the same time if you’re a Radiohead fan, you’ll like this album. And I wanted to do something that would be that challenging. It’s hills and valleys man. You get some of these records out by these metal bands and after the third song it’s like, ‘Dude, come up for air once in a while.’ So I want to do that, I want to be heavy and light.”

Invariably, Patrick said he remains loyal to Northeast Ohio, which is why he’s planning something unique for his band’s upcoming triumphant return.

“I love playing to my hometown,” Patrick said. “I’m a son of the rock. The one thing that we always remember, Trent (Reznor) and I when we were in Cleveland, we were just always kind of like, ‘Does anyone care if we came from Cleveland?’

“And it’s like, apparently they do. I honestly have nothing but fond and beautiful memories of the city by the lake. I promise that the Cleveland show will be special and I’ll do something different that night and something you won’t forget for awhile.”