INTERVIEW: Everlast Discusses His New Album, Reflects on His Legacy + Confronts Those Who Want Him to Keep Politics Out of Music

"I don't put out records just for product, I don't put them out just because it's time."

On Friday (March 13), Everlast joined Loudwire Nights to celebrate the release of his new song "Stones" off of his upcoming record — his first album in eight years — Embers to Ashes.

Listen to the full conversation in the player near the end of this article.

"I just sit around and wait for some songs to start popping in my head and usually that's the sign I've got enough trauma or something to write some music," he told Loudwire Nights' Chuck Armstrong about the new album.

As he said that, he reiterated he wasn't looking to write a new album. But once he started, he ended up writing more than he expected. Embers to Ashes features 17 new songs from Everlast, most of which were co-writes, something new for him.

"The two main guys I wrote with [were] a guy named Chief and a guy named D-Ray," he said.

"[They're] both now dear friends. We write a bunch of songs; I don't know if they're all for me, but you know, I'm in a different space as far as that [goes]. I'm just here writing music at this point."

How Everlast Ended Up Working With Yelawolf on New Album

In addition to his co-writers, Everlast worked closely with a guy who has been a friend for awhile and who ended up producing Embers to Ashes, Yelawolf.

Yelawolf's involvement as producer dates back to 2015 when Everlast made the decision to stick around in Berlin to watch his show instead of going to Paris to see Eagles of Death Metal at the Bataclan theatre, a show that was tragically connected to a city-wide attack that resulted in 89 people being killed at the concert venue.

"I was supposed to be there," Everlast recalled.

"The sound guy for the Eagles of Death Metal was my old tour manager. He was front of house when that happened. Thank God he survived it. I was going to go to that because my buddies from the Deftones were in town, they were there that night. Everybody was chilling. Then we all started freaking out."

Fortunately for Everlast, he made the last-minute decision to hang with Yelawolf in Berlin.

"That's the seed, that's the first night we ever talked about me and him doing a record," he said. Thinking back to that night, he couldn't help but continue talking about how crazy it was that he had intended to be at the Eagles of Death Metal show.

"It's kind of like one of those moments, [like] the guys who didn't get on the planes on [Sept. 11]," he said.

"I kind of feel like that a little bit. Had I not stuck around, who knows? Who knows what would have happened? I probably would have been right in front of house for the show, sitting in the sound area with my guy. If I told you his story, it would be wild. Put it this way, he hid under bodies for like four or five hours until they got in there to let him know it was all clear."

Politics, Music and Everlast

While a lot of ground was covered throughout the conversation, Everlast was most animated when he was told about a recent comment from Gene Simmons.

In a recent interview, Simmons discussed artists speaking out about politics, saying, "It's time for everyone in the entertainment industry to just shut their pie hole. Do your art. Nobody cares what you think. I don't."

As soon as he heard that, Everlast had some choice words for that kind of thinking.

"How dare you — music [and] art is politics," Everlast said.

"I get comments all the time, 'Stick to this.' You know, stick to you fucking shutting the fuck up, bro. I don't give a fuck what anybody says, honestly. I do what I do because it makes me happy. And so I can sleep at night. 'What It's Like' wasn't a political song? Get the fuck out of here. You guys are morons, the people who talk like that."

READ MORE: Papa Roach's Jacoby Shaddix Dives Into New Song, 'Wake Up Calling,' Hints at New Record + More — Interview

Having been close with Ice-T and part of the Rhyme Syndicate, Everlast has never worried about allowing political or social issues be part of his music.

"When I came along, [Ice-T] made Freedom of Speech...Just Watch What You Say," he said.

"It's a dumb comment. That's a comment that comes from a man who's scared of losing his bag. I ain't ever been scared to lose my bag, man. You could take all my money. I've had it taken from me. I've lost it all. I've gotten it all back. I'll figure it out. I ain't scared. I don't need to sell coffins and every cheap piece of shit mercy on the planet to secure my bag. My bag comes from my art and only my art."

What Else Did Everlast Discuss on Loudwire Nights?

• His thoughts on a higher power: "I definitely feel protected, man. Since I can't even remember, before my heart issue, there's just always been something where I felt like it's gonna be alright, you know? As far as like religion and all that, I mean, I just think every man's personal relationships with God is their own — believe in God or not."
• Two mantras that drive him today: "The two things I learned the most or that were the most helpful in the last few years that really clicked — and I hope it does for anybody that hears this — is 'right now is inevitable' and 'this too shall pass.' You can apply that to anything. Good or bad."
• The significance of Yelawolf's involvement on Embers to Ashes: "I really want people to understand, when they listen to the record, that Wolf is going to be a producer to be reckoned with someday, if not very soon. I'm a fan of him as an artist and we've been friends for quite awhile, but I didn't really know the depth of his knowledge of sound and what do with it."

Listen to the Full Interview in the Podcast Player Below

Everlast joined Loudwire Nights on Friday, March 13; the show replays online here, and you can tune in live every weeknight at 7PM ET or on the Loudwire app; you can also see if the show is available on your local radio station and listen to interviews on-demand.