Drowining Pool

Drowning Pool circa 2004

The void that Dave Williams left behind when he died of heart complications two summers ago expanded beyond the borders of his band and shook the entire rock industry.

His band mates made the brave decision to continue the dream that Williams helped create. They kept their name and their arsenal of material, and began the search for a new singer. Fate ran its course, and the band unanimously chose Jason “Gong” Jones, a musician who had been working in the crowded LA scene.

The pressure’s undoubtedly on for Jones, but he’s certain that he can bring a new element to the band. “I’m my own guy,” Jones says. “I’m not trying to replace Dave, that’s impossible to do.” Instead of attempting to fit the groove of a stand-in (-a new Dave Williams) Jones is hoping to create his own niche while preserving the legacy that Williams left. “I’ve got my own shoes, and they fit pretty good,” Jones adds.

Given Drowning Pool’s laid back reputation, it’s not surprising that the process of regrouping and producing a new album is going smoothly, despite the circumstances. “Everybody was so cool and willing to listen to everybody else,” Jones reflects. “I get hazed continuously,” he adds with a laugh, “but not musically.”

Jones’s background and musical influences make him a perfect fit for the band, and help keep a sense of continuity from their first album to the current one, all the while making the step forward equally apparent. Jones’s vocal style adds a new flavor, as does the rest of the band’s growth both as musicians and as people.

As Drowning Pool presses on, Jones is anxious to go as far as he can, but never takes it for granted. “I wake up some days and think there’s gotta be a catch somewhere,” Jones says. “This can’t actually be happening.”

Drowning Pool’s sophomore release, “Desensitized,” is scheduled to drop April 20, and “Step Up,” the lead single from “The Punisher” soundtrack is already at radio, with the release of the soundtrack scheduled for March 23. The next few months will also bring a return to the road, and the band is ready to get down to business. “We’re not one of those bands that’s gonna sit around and whine about shit,” assures Jones. “We’re gonna have a good time.

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