As Danish rockers Volbeat make their first appearance at the annual Rock on the Range Festival today (May 20) in Columbus, Ohio, drummer Jon Larsen took some time to sit down and check in with Loudwire.

Larsen chatted all about Volbeat’s recent accomplishments, the continued search for a new guitarist for the band and potentially heading back into the studio later this year to record a new album.

Shortly after Rock on the Range, Volbeat will be kicking off their summer tour in June with Iced Earth and Hellyeah so there was plenty to talk about.

You guys have been big for while overseas right?

For about two, two and a half years.

Is it a lot different now that you’ve had some significant success here in America, do you see the change in the crowds?

Maybe a little bit, when you cross over the crowds switch from being a few metal heads or a few punk heads and they will probably leave but more people come in. That’s the way it is.

You guys went with an interesting strategy. After your number one hit, you went back an album to pick the single ‘Still Counting.’ What was the idea behind that because it’s a pretty unconventional move.

Well, actually I have no idea why. I’ve asked myself that question a lot of times and I don’t know why. Maybe because some radio station picked it up because it’s been one of the favorite live songs -  so maybe that’s why. Maybe it’s got a good hook to it, a good rhythm, apart from that I really don’t know. It seems to be going very well, so somebody was right.

The band recently parted ways with your guitarist, have you picked up anybody else in his place yet?

Well we have Hank Shermann from Mercyful Fate who’s touring with us right now as the stand in for the next guy but we haven’t picked a permanent guy yet.

Are you lookin’ for somebody?

Yes we are.

Were you playing as a three piece for a while?

It was only a few shows here and there because of visa trouble but yes, we’ve done it a few times. It’s not ideal, but we do it.

What’s next for Volbeat? Do you have a new single planned after this one?

For that I don’t know, the only thing that I know is we’re definitely going to be touring a lot more here in America. We’re going out on tour with Hellyeah and Iced Earth later this summer. We’re going to do a major festival in Europe in August and then hopefully into the studio later this year to record the next album, but that’s pretty far away right now.

Interview by Tree Riddle.

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