We caught up with the legendary doom metal band Trouble for an exclusive chat on this year’s 70,000 Tons of Metal cruise—where we dug deep into their music, gear, wild stories, and their bucket list (because apparently, “rocking forever” isn’t on it… yet).
Capital Chaos TV: What’s left on your bucket list in life and music?
Rick Wartell: Retirement.
Bruce Franklin: Go to South America.
Rob Hultz: Yeah, I’d like to tour Japan.
Rick Wartell: That’s always been — all of the above.
Capital Chaos TV: Can’t do that if you retire, though.
Rick Wartell: Well, there’s an order to that.
Rob Hultz: Yeah, there might be an order to that.
Rick Wartell: Good question. I think I’d take the tours first and then retire.
Rob Hultz: Five years — give me five years.
Rick Wartell: Give me three steps, mister.
Capital Chaos TV: What’s new in the world of Trouble?
Rick Wartell: New record — we’re recording right now. Drums are done, some bass is done. We pulled out of the studio to get ready for some shows. When we get back to Chicago, we’ll go back into the studio and continue working. That’s all I got.
Capital Chaos TV: What’s new in the world of music and gear?
Rob Hultz: Oh, well, you’re talking to the wrong guy here. Everything I use is like 30 years old. Although I do have a new pedal I’m obsessed with — it’s the Darkglass. I don’t know the number offhand, wasn’t expecting, but that’s the newest thing I’ve got. I can’t imagine ever playing without it now. Their bass playing is just a miracle.
Rick Wartell: Our gear’s pretty old. We need to upgrade some stuff just to keep it working, but for the most part, we’re not into new gear. It’s funny — all these bands don’t even have amps anymore, and we’re lugging gear around. I just can’t live without old school tone.
Capital Chaos TV: What about new music?
Rick Wartell: Your tone is pretty ripping.
Bruce Franklin: Oh, thanks, dude. Appreciate it.
Capital Chaos TV: Like, what are you listening to new-wise?
Bruce Franklin: I listen to new music. I hearken back to bands inspired by Black Sabbath but are new, like High on Fire and Sleep.
Rick Wartell: Yeah, Stone and Doom worlds — that’s my thing. I listen to old stuff.
Bruce Franklin: Yeah, it’s part of being old. I like Elder — I want to see Elder when I go.
Capital Chaos TV: What’s the fastest you’ve driven a car, rode a skateboard or motorcycle? Closest brush with death?
Bruce Franklin: I had near-death speeds on all of those. Multiple high-speed chases on old Harley-Davidson’s — I got away from both. I rode a motorcycle about 130 miles per hour down North Avenue.
Rick Wartell: He rode my motorcycle faster than I have.
Bruce Franklin: Yeah.
Rick Wartell: I don’t know how fast I’ve clocked in a car, but it was fast.
Rob Hultz: I ride vintage motorcycles, no speedometers. Once, chased by cops, I pulled into my buddy’s garage, shut the door, and boom — woke up passed out on his couch with his kid asking, “Dad, why is Uncle Rob on the couch?” We were going to school.
Rick Wartell: I’ve had similar with dirt bikes — chased by cops a couple of times, but dirt bikes only go about 65.
Rob Hultz: I was hit in a head-on collision, got a big scar, wrecked motorcycles twice. I walk with a limp, but it’s worth it. I ride every day it’s not snowing — any day above 45 degrees.
Capital Chaos TV: Biggest challenges of playing in this environment, like on the boat or in this climate?
Rick Wartell: The gear — you’re not playing through your own gear. It’s all trial and error. You get about 45 minutes to pick an amp, make it sound good, and get some tones from the monitors. That’s the biggest challenge, but that’s all festivals. We’ve done enough to be used to it.
Rob Hultz: Carrying the bass guitar from forward to the back multiple times is enough for me — I need a cart.
Bruce Franklin: Exactly what Rick said — figuring out the gear they have and making it work for your sound. Climate’s no problem at all, though.
Capital Chaos TV: What do you like best: creating or performing?
Rick Wartell: Creating.
Bruce Franklin: Yeah, I’d say that too. I like performing, but creating is magical — making something out of nothing. Over time, we’ve created a specific sound identified with us. That’s rewarding.
Rob Hultz: I like the adrenaline rush of performing. Home practice isn’t the same as walking out to the intro and hearing the crowd go wild. That’s a high you get from performing. But finishing a song in the studio also feels great — both are pretty cool.
Capital Chaos TV: Best and worst advice you’ve taken from a record company?
Rick Wartell: Worst advice? Give it up.
Bruce Franklin: Best advice? Do what you do. Don’t listen to anyone.
Rick Wartell: Yeah, anyone.
Capital Chaos TV: Any specific examples?
Rick Wartell: Atlantic Records tried to get Russell Simmons to manage us, but we turned it down. Might have been good or bad, who knows?
Capital Chaos TV: Which past record would you like to redo?
Bruce Franklin: Run to Light. It didn’t get the production it deserved. We recorded that in Chicago, at home, but weren’t as locked in because friends were around. We had issues with the recording engineer and had to bring in Jim Faraci to help. It never got its due diligence. It was mixed with too much reverb, which wasn’t our usual style.
Capital Chaos TV: Favorite and least favorite Trouble albums?
Rick Wartell: Favorite — 1990’s “Trouble” Def American (first release). Least favorite — “Run to the Light:
Bruce Franklin: Favorite — “Manic Frustration”. Least favorite — “Civil Mind Condition”.
Capital Chaos TV: What makes that favorite so special?
Rick Wartell: We were hitting different strides as musicians and writers. We wanted to do something fresh each time, and that album felt fresh — not rehashing old doom stuff, just doing it. That’s what made it special.
Bruce Franklin: I’d say the same about 1990’s album — it was different from early records and we took chances we hadn’t before.
Capital Chaos TV: People say first records are usually a collection of old songs, and the second record is the first new one. Do you agree?
Rick Wartell: Not in our case. Both first two records were written before we went into the studio, so we knew what we were doing. Maybe the third record was the first truly new one — that’s the one I said was my favorite.
Capital Chaos TV: Where do you consume most music now? Car, gym, home?
Rick Wartell: Absolutely the car. When I’m at home, I’m not heavily into music, but definitely in the car.
Bruce Franklin: At work, I wear headphones all day. I don’t like what they play around me, so I have earbuds in all day. I don’t watch TV or stream.
Capital Chaos TV: Finally, what’s the strangest experience on the cruise?
Rob Hultz: Saw a young African-American man walking around with a dildo. That was weird.
Rick Wartell: I’m glad I didn’t see that.
Rob Hultz: Last night at the show, there were people dressed as lobsters dancing in the crowd.
Rick Wartell: I saw people with light-up smiley face masks. That was weird.
Bruce Franklin: I didn’t see anything weird this trip — it’s all weird. There were Vikings at the bar last night — two guys with Viking helmets and long braids.
Capital Chaos TV: Gotta love it. Nothing surprises me. Thank you for your time. You done playing for the festival?
Rick Wartell: Candlemass, get drunk, and jump overboard.
Rob Hultz: How sweet is that? Our drummer is judging the belly flop right now. Then Kyle’s doing an all-star jam in half an hour — singing “For Whom the Bell Tolls.”
Interviewer: Nice. All right, thank you, fellas.
All: Absolutely, man.
Trouble continues to prove that legacy bands can still innovate, have fun, and stay true to their roots — all while telling some wild stories along the way. Catch Trouble on tour and stream Manic Frustration wherever you get your music.
Categories: Interviews, Trouble
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