Chad Gray Opens Up About MUDVAYNE’s First New Music In 16 Years: “I Haven’t Felt This Way In This Band For A Very, Very, Very Long Time”

Mudvayne vocalist Chad Gray has spoken about the band’s long-awaited return to recording, following their 2021 reunion after an 11-year hiatus. Despite getting back together years ago, the band’s first new material in over 16 years only arrived this past August.

The progressive nü-metal veterans debuted “Hurt People Hurt People” on August 27th, followed earlier this week by “Sticks And Stones”. In a recent conversation with Loudwire Nights, Gray explained that the decision to write new music came naturally out of touring together:

“The more you tour and do it with no new music, you just start to feel the ground not shake. It was like, what can we do to make the ground shake? This is what you do to make the ground shake. You release new music when you haven’t released anything for 16 years — and that’s what happened.”

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On why the band took so long to return to the studio, Gray added:

“Being an artist and being a writer and writing songs is not easy, it’s really not easy. I’m not like the bad guy in Se7en where I’ve just got notebooks stacked up all around me full of lyrics. I’m about that connection that I have with my fans. I want to build a connection with the song.”

Gray described the sometimes grueling writing process:

“I bash my head off the table sometimes for two or three days because I’m trying to get the song to talk to me. There’s many rough drafts. I get through it, but writing songs is hard.”

Reflecting on fan reactions to the new tracks, he said:

“It’s unbelievable. I haven’t felt this way in this band for a very, very, very long time. ‘Hurt People Hurt People,’ that thing hit, man. It was so cool to see everybody’s response… It’s a slamming track. I cannot wait to get onstage and play these new songs for the fans. I’m really, really, really excited about it because I know that they’re both going to be played well and there’s a lot of emotion in both of these tracks for me.”

Mudvayne kicked off their “L.D. 50” 25th anniversary tour on September 11th in Dubuque, IA, giving “Hurt People Hurt People” its live debut. The run features Static-X, celebrating 25 years of Wisconsin Death Trip, as direct support, with Vended opening.

The band is performing this trek without guitarist Greg Tribbett, who is mourning the recent passing of his significant other after a lengthy battle with illness.

Mudvayne 2025 Tour Dates:
09/13 Waukee, IA – Vibrant Music Hall
09/14 Chicago, IL – Byline Bank Aragon Ballroom
09/16 Milwaukee, WI – The Rave
09/17 Youngstown, OH – The Covelli Centre
09/19 Louisville, KY – Louder Than Life
09/20 Chesterfield, MO – The Factory
09/21 Omaha, NE – Steelhouse
09/23 Denver, CO – The Fillmore
09/24 Albuquerque, NM – Revel Entertainment Center
09/26 Las Vegas, NV – Palms Casino Resort
09/27 Phoenix, AZ – Arizona Financial Theatre
09/28 Los Angeles, CA – Hollywood Palladium
09/30 Portland, OR – Moda Center
10/01 Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest Amphitheater
10/03 Pocatello, ID – Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre
10/05 Sacramento, CA – Aftershock
10/07 Salt Lake City, UT – The Union Event Center
10/09 Tulsa, OK – Tulsa Theater
10/11 Dallas, TX – South Side Ballroom
10/12 San Antonio, TX – Boeing Center at Tech Port
10/13 Houston, TX – Bayou Music Center
10/16 Durant, OK – Choctaw Grand Theater
10/18 Nashville, TN – Nashville Municipal Auditorium
10/19 Atlanta, GA – Coca-Cola Roxy
10/21 Raleigh, NC – The Red Hat Amphitheater
10/22 Virginia Beach, VA – The Dome
10/24 Montclair, NJ – The Wellmont Theater
10/25 Boston, MA – MGM Music Hall at Fenway
10/26 Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun Arena

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