Feature: Mudvayne connects with 'L.D. 50'

For Mudvayne bassist Ryan "Ryknow" Martinie, attracting a large group of fans who share his band's interests has been one of the best perks of success.

"It's a really great feeling to think that people are actually interested in what it's about," Martinie said. "I went on [the message board on the band's official website], and they were talking about contests, and what the songs actually meant, and authors, and dialogues about things we're actually into. If we're drawing them closer to different artistic mediums, then I get a lot of personal fulfillment out of that."

This year has given Mudvayne lots of personal fulfillment. The band earned coveted slots on the Ozzfest and Pledge of Allegiance tours this summer--though it left the Pledge tour early due to "personal reasons," according to the band's label, Epic--and on Oct. 31, it will join Ozzy Osbourne and Rob Zombie for the Night of Merry Mayhem tour.

In early September, the Peoria-Ill.-bred band won the inaugural M2 award at this year's MTV Video Music Awards for its video for the song "Dig." The win caused a spike in sales of Mudvayne's album "L.D. 50," which has been certified gold for selling more than 500,000 copies.

Martinie said he is proud of the album and the accolades that it has collected. But to him, the most important thing is touring.

"I think [touring] just brings in a level of validity for what we actually do and what we're about, rather than to go straight MTV or straight radio. We have done those things, happily, gladly. We're a live band, and we enjoy being a live band and playing our songs together."

Mudvayne has become known for its evolving image. Covered in make-up, which runs down their clothing under the hot spotlights, the members frequently change their stage get-ups from show to show--sometimes their hair is fashioned into devil horns, sometimes they affix bullet holes to their foreheads.

"We've never attached ourselves to any given image that we've put out," said Martinie. "We've worked with the idea of [evolving] our image and not being stale. We are about change. What is constant? Change."