Las Vegas-based FIVE FINGER DEATH PUNCH's guitarist Jason Hook recently spoke with the Courier Press about his time as part of pop star Mandy Moore's band. An excerpt from the story is available below:

By Sean McDevitt

In a business where fame is fleeting, Hook knows opportunity isn't something to be squandered. He spent years paying dues as a session man in Los Angeles, finally catching a break when he joined the touring band of teen pop princess Mandy Moore.

While many metal enthusiasts would likely roll their eyes at the mere mention of Moore's name, Hook doesn't see it that way. He views his time with Moore as a means to an end: He saw a clear path into the music business, not to mention a steady paycheck.

"When I moved to Los Angeles, I was broke," Hook recalled. "I just made a pact with myself that if I could just get into the field, I was going to take the job so I could learn whatever I could. It beat working at Home Depot. I had to beat out about 50 guys at the audition. And then it was like, 'Pack a bag! We're going on tour!' I was pretty happy about it, you know?"

Hook said the Moore experience laid the foundation for much of his life as a professional musician, which eventually found him playing gigs backing the likes of VINCE NEIL and ALICE COOPER.

"Every situation, whether it's your favorite situation or not, there's something to be learned," he explained. "The (Moore gig) taught me a lot: There were rules, you had to be on time, you had to be prepared, you had to be focused, you had to be responsible. It taught me discipline and how to work in that environment. I'm very grateful to have the history that I have. Some people think it's not cool, but that's OK. I had the option to do roof tiling and all that stuff. I just didn't want to."

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Five Finger death punch, TRIVIUM, KILLSWITCH ENGAGE, GOD FORBID, POP EVIL, EMMURE, and BATTLECROSS are currently touring The United States as the Trespass America Fest. Amazon has released an exclusive FREE music sampler with tracks from each band on the festival; find the tracklisting and free purchase widget below:

'The Tragic Truth' - Five Finger Death Punch

'My Last Serenade' - Killswitch Engage

'Black' - Trivium

'Last Man Standing' - Pop Evil

'Mdma' - Emmure

'Equilibrium' - God Forbid

'Push Pull Destroy' - Battlecross

'Back For More' - Five Finger Death Punch

Remaining Trespass America Festival tour dates include:

July

27 - San Antonio, TX - Freeman Coliseum
30 - Nashville, TN - Bridgestone Arena
31 - Evansville, IN - Ford Center

August

1 - Cincinnati, OH - PNC Pavilion
3 - Battle Creek, MI - Kellogg Arena
4 - Rochester Hills, MI - Meadowbrook Amphitheater
5 - Cleveland, OH - Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica
7 - Oswego, NY - Oswego Speedway
8 - Glens Falls, NY - Glens Falls Civic Center
10 - Scarborough, ME - Scarborough Downs
14 - Pittsburgh, PA - Stage AE
15 - Wallingford, CT - Oakdale Theatre
17 - Boston, MA - House Of Blues
18 - Newark, NJ - Prudential Center
19 - Philadelphia, PA - Penn’s Landing
21 - Charlotte, NC - Time Warner Cable Uptown Amphitheatre
22 - Knoxville, TN - Knoxville Civic Coliseum
24 - Oklahoma City, OK – OKC Zoo Amphitheatre
25 - Rio Rancho, NM - Santa Ana Star Center
26 - Phoenix, AZ - Comerica Theatre
28 - Los Angeles, CA - Hollywood Palladium