Perseverance & Resilience With JOHN STEEL From THE ANIMALS

Interview by Kris PetersOne can question the existence of tribute bands on the musical landscape, but there is no denying the impact they have had on music in general over the last five years in particular.They provide an affordable option for fans to hear the music of their favourite bands - and often at places and venues that the actual band cannot or will not visit.Once the whole stigma of a band playing someone else's music can be cast aside the equation becomes much simpler, but love them or hate them, tribute bands are a growing outlet for live events.And one of the best currently doing the rounds is Chop Suey, the worlds biggest System Of A Down Tribute, also known as the UK All Star Tribute To System Of A Down.Featuring the undeniable talents of Martin Jackson (vocals, Confyde), Sam Totman (bass, Dragonforce), Tommy Hunt (guitar, Anti-Nowhere League) and Andre Joyzi (drums, Breed 77), Chop Suey certainly has the pedigree for success, but, more importantly, they have the attitude and drive to elevate the band from one of a large number of tribute acts to one of the best.After completing a successful run of shows last year, Chop Suey have ramped things up in 2023, already announcing two large scale tours with another set to be announced n the coming weeks. The shows will see Chop Suey play everywhere from larger cities and venues to more out of the way areas, with the focus on not only sharing their love of the music from System Of A Down, but doing so in a way that allows more of their own personalities and abilities shine through than most tribute acts allow.HEAVY caught up with all four band members to find out the ins and outs of being in a tribute band, starting with what to expect from a Chop Suey performance."Just a real high energy show," Jackson promised. "A proper party basically. Just full bore, making sure everyone's having a good time, interacting with the crowd, doing all the cool stuff like opening up the wall of death and getting people to bounce and sing along. It's meant to be one great big party and a real ebb and flow of all the different music that System Of A Down does."The majority of tribute bands go to great lengths to emulate the band they are representing, dressing to play the part and studying various band members movements and mannerisms, but according to Chop Suey they operate in almost opposite fashion."I think it's mostly our own show to be honest" Joyzi measured. "I remember seeing System Of A Down when I was young and they were young - around 2004 - and it was an incredible show. The energy they had matched the songs and it was just a full energy show. It was amazing. Sadly, I don't think System Of A Down deliver the same energy any more for whatever reason but it seems that the energy side of it seems to have been neglected by the real band itself. We're younger (laughs), and we like the music and we like playing live. We have fun and people can see that and feel that on stage. Obviously, I work with Dragonforce as does Sam, and from that we have bigger ideas for production for a proper, entertaining show. That's why when Sam came in he helped a lot. It's nothing to do with a real System Of A Down show. We really do our own thing. We play the songs our own way. Martin is an incredible singer and he stays loyal as much as possible to System Of A Down but what we do, is do it our own way, which is a bit more metal to be honest."In the full interview we talk more about the live show, putting their own spin on things and how it works, breaking the stigma attached to tribute bands, choosing the set list, both upcoming tours and the yet to be announced one, their vision for Chop Suey, what the members get out of playing in a tribute band they might not in their original outfits, the formation of Chop Suey and why, future plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

13 Mar 202334min

Kris PetersWith so much music in the modern age basically a re-imaging of genres gone by, it is refreshing to hear a band unafraid to think outside of the acceptable parameters and instead use their own creativity and experimentation as their musical vehicle.High octane Sydney outfit Pyramid Mission do that and more.Much more.By using elements of rock, metal and punk but underscoring that with samples, visuals and infectious hooks Pyramid Mission have ultimately crafted a sound uniquely their own, forged in their own image and beliefs without the unwanted distractions of adhering to set formulas or demands.In doing so they have created an artform that truly expresses their unique viewpoints on music, life and the universe as a whole.On the surface Pyramid Mission are simply a musical project that utilises sounds and samples to varying degrees, but if you take the time to join them in their personal journey down a myriad of rabbit holes then you face the very real possibility of opening your palate to a greater world within a world.Gio Lambos (composer/vocals), Yiani Baratsas (production) and Quentin Romot-Smith (production/drums) sat down with HEAVY earlier this week to talk about their new single Hex and life outside the bubble.Even the genesis of Hex has an intriguing nature to it's birth, as Lambos explains."That was nuts," he smiled. "It was just one of those moments where I was having this dream where I was lost in a train station. So, I'm in the dream and walking around the station and I meet this woman who's got this witch-like presence to her, and she's an interesting character. She's kind of guiding me to where I have to go, saying 'get on this train and go there', but at the same time she's also trying to keep me stuck in the train station. I got this crazy, conflicted energy from her, where it's like woah, she's trying to help me get places but also trying to keep me here forever. I woke up in somewhere in the middle of things. You know how dreams are always kind of hazy. And I was in this state where I was half excited, half terrified, but totally inspired. I wrote all of the lyrics for Hex in a few hours right after that. I guess the idea behind it is... I'm really into ancient mythology and a myth character you see a lot is the idea of these super natural feminine seductress figures. You've got sirens from ancient Greece - that's probably one of the most common ones - they sing these beautiful songs that lead sailors to their doom, and these characters, that's how they are always presented. They are these alluring, but dangerous women that are drawing men to their doom. After I woke up from this dream I had this feeling that it was a nuance kind of thing, you know. I was seeing that these interperations of these characters are just projections of the fear of the unknown that we have. Like I said, I was writing the lyrics straight away and it was... ultimately, it was reimagining them as instead of these scary characters, it's a call for myself and others who listen to the song to see the beauty and potential for growth when you experience that kind of stuff. And it's a call to understand that these witch like characters have a deeper nature. They're spiritual guides, yeah they draw us into the darkness, but that's only so they can guide us through it and we've just gotta be brave enough to see that value that's beyond our fear."In the full interview, the boys run through the musical nature of Hex, the trippy film clip that comes with it, the single artwork and how it ties into things, their upcoming debut album and what to expect, the early days of the band and the unusual nature of how they came to be, their mixing of sounds and where it comes from, pushing the musical envelope, their dynamic stage show, future gigs and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Mar 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersAmyl & The Sniffers are fast becoming a festival band - for better or for worse.Whether it is their shock appeal, intense and unpredicatable stage show, or general apathy towards authority, one thing you can always guarantee from the infectious rock/punk outfit is that they will inevitably deliver the goods.After performing at most of the countries major home grown festivals it is only fitting that Amyl & The Sniffers join the line-up for a major international showcase. Not only have they earnt the right to represent on the big stage, they have also demanded recognition through sheer volume of performances and quality of material.This April Amyl & The Sniffers trek around Australia on The World Is A Vampire Tour, headlined by the Smashing Pumpkins and Jane's Addiction. They are seemingly an odd choice to support two heavyweights of a more rock inspired line-up, but going by past efforts will undoubtedly steal the show at some stage of the tour.HEAVY caught up with guitarist Dec Martens to discover more."It should be good," he enthused. "I'm really looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to playing some of those places out of the city."We bring up the fact that Amyl & The Sniffers have little in common with the two headliners, but in his typical laconic fashion Martens shrugs off the fact that their music might be a little on the heavier side for some of the fans there to see the two internationals."I think it should be good," he shrugged. "We're at least in our home territory, so there will be - even though we're different - we'll probably be a little bit familiar to people compared to when we did the Hella Mega Tour through Europe last year with Green Day, Fallout Boy and Weezer and I think a lot of that European crowd didn't know what to expect from us so we kind of just alienated the whole lot. Because we're at least a bit more accessible here in Australia hopefully we won't make the whole crowd feel weird (laughs)."In the full interview, Dec talks more about the run of shows, the strong Australian representation with RedHook, Battlesnake and local supports, the wrestling side show, potentially jumping in the ring, recent happenings in Amyl & The Sniffers, new music, losing out to The Wiggles at the ARIA's, getting their revenge, what to expect from their shows and a special challenge throwndown by HEAVY and accepted!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Mar 20239min

Interview by Kris PetersEmerging Sydney hybrid outfit Tiger recently released their second single of the year, Incredible.Combining core elements of rock and roll and dance music, Tiger have created a sound uniquely their own and one which refuses to be bound by conventional restraints.For a young band the boys are highly ambitious, with, among other things, a personal mission for the immediate future to release one song each month of this calendar year.HEAVY caught up with frontman Silvas to find out more."It's hard hitting, it's fast and energetic. It's probably one of our best numbers live," he enthused of the new track.We press him on the musical direction of Incredible and what they were going for with the song."I guess it's the same with a lot of Tiger's songs," he measured. "Our aim is to blend rock and roll music with dance music. And when I say dance music, that just means EDM, disco, new wave and combining it with the hard hittingness you hear in heavy metal and punk rock and hybriding it together."In the full interview, Silvas talks more about Incredible, their plan to release one song per month, mixing releases up to showcase different musical personalities of Tiger, putting together an EP, their blending of genres and how it came about, combining them on stage, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

9 Mar 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersMegadeth are one of the few bands in the world - of any genre - that need no introduction.For four decades they have been at the forefront of the metal landscape, with their most recent album The Sick, The Dying and The Dead their highest selling to date. Whereas most bands plateau somewhat or more often decline in the back end of their career Megadeth are doing the exact opposite.Which makes frontman Dave Mustaine one happy camper.Now, after nearly eight years, Megadeth are poised to return to Australia as part of Knotfest from March 24 to 26, with two side shows also scheduled for Adelaide and Melbourne.Which makes Mustaine even happier.HEAVY sat down for an awesome chat with the great man earlier this morning for a frank and open discussion about anything and everything.One of the topics of conversation was what has changed with Megadeth since their last venture Down Under in 2015."Well, ALOT," he laughed. "We've had some lineup changes and every time we do that the person that came in was better. When we parted ways with the drummer before Dirk (Verbeuren) - it was the person before Chris Adler, which was Shawn Drover - we tried to get the Rust In Peace line-up back together but it didn't work because Nick (Menza) went off one way and we went off the other. We contacted Adler and asked if he would play on the record and maybe contact Nick again and have him tour with us because he couldn't really do the record. That didn't work out either, so we had Chris do the record and stay, and while we were doing that Chris and his band parted ways and we didn't know if Chris was going to stay with us or stay with them. Of course, we wanted him to stay with Lamb Of God and I'm sad that he left and there's any kind of distance between the family. I do think that Art (Cruz) is an amazing drummer and then after that Chris Adler recommended Dirk, and Dirk is - in my mind - the best drummer we've had since Gar Samuelson. He's a big fan of Gar, and that is the power that drives Megadeth. Jazz metal, not rock metal. Nick was a super talented and powerful drummer and he fortunately was able to do a lot of those jazz hooks too, so we almost had that magic that we did when Gar was there. But we definitely had something which Gar did not, which was the power that Nick Menza possessed. Same thing can go down the line with the bass playing. (Dave) Ellefson was in the band, then was out. James (LoMenzo) came in, he was out. Ellefson came back because the Drover brothers kept pressuring me to do this, get Ellefson back. He came in and we had that weird shit that happened. I had Steve Di Giorgio come in and record the record and James is back and I love that he's back. The singing is fabulous on stage. He actually can sing really well, so he helps encourage me to sing. And then Kiko (Loureiro, guitars) as you know... I parted ways with Chris Broderick - I mean where do you go from having Marty Friedman and Chris Poland and it's time to make a guitar player change again? So Kiko, I saw a video on line of Kiko actually being put head to head against Chris Broderick, someone made a video of that, and I watched it and I went fuck I gotta get in touch with this guy. The funny thing is that when I contacted him he said that he had been talking to Ellefson, so when I talked to Ellefson the next time I said what the fucks wrong with you, man? Why didn't you tell me you know this guy(laughs)? So that was a great addition to the band. Kiko and James play really well together and Kiko and Dirk have an amazing ability to play those crazy riffs together. Of course, we can always be better, so we all go into the jam room every day and try and work on little bits and pieces of a song and our record producer is out with us on the road as our music director keeping our chops up."In the full interview, Dave talks about being part of Knotfest, the two sideshows and how they will differ from the festival shows, forty years in the music industry, listening to your body when it comes to performing, the increasing difficulty in coming up with a set list to keep fans happy, the early days of Megadeth and the musical climate that gave birth to the band, becoming more understanding of your environment with experience, musical trends and how they have affected Megadeth, what he hopes to leave as the band's musical legacy, the top three Commandments of Metal and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Mar 202329min

Interview by Kris PetersFollowing two previous albums - their self titled in 2012 and The Answer in 2018 - New York City rock outfit Killcode found themselves in the unenviable position of being one of the many bands in the massive potential category but still lacking that knockout blow to elevate them further.That opportunity came knocking when Killcode released their third album Life, Death Rock N' Roll in January of this year, cementing their growing reputation and, if anything, enhancing it even further.Written before and during COVID, Life, Death, Rock N' Roll is an album made up of songs about life's ups and downs and is bursting at the seams with hard rock classics coupled with deeply personal numbers that show the more human side of the band.Frontman Tom Morrissey joined HEAVY recently to talk about the new album and the rise of Killcode."With this album we weren't really going for anything specifically, as we never really do" he explained. "We just write naturally and whatever comes naturally we go with. We definitely explored more sonically on this album. It's a little more mature. We used some different instrumentation - some piano - but overall in general I think the songwriting is a touch more mature, but it's still straight ahead rock and roll. High energy. You have your rockers, your ballads, some introspective songs, some personal songs and some drinking songs (laughs)." In the full interview, Tom talks more about the sonic direction of the album, how Killcode has grown musically with each release, the early reception to the album, coming up with inspiration during COVID, doing live-stream concerts and other promotional tools during that period, their cover of You Can't Stop Rock & Roll by Twisted Sister and why they chose that song, the formation of Killcode, their early vision and how it has changed since, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

8 Mar 20239min

Interview by Kris PetersSince 2003 Italian comedic heavy metal outfit Nanowar Of Steel have been spreading the joys of metal with their infectious, over-the-top and often hilarious musical workings.Over six previous studio albums, Nanowar Of Steel have delivered an endless stream of musical magic, combining their laconic sense of humour with heavy music to devestating effect.Now, as the band prepares to unleash Dislike To False Metal on the world from March 10, Nanowar Of Steel have brought in the heavy hitters to hopefully allow their music to reach an even wider audience.Sabaton's Joakim Broden joins Nanowar on the parody track Pasadena 1994, about the year Italy lost the World cup Football final, plus Elaine's Madeleine Liljestam lends her vocals on the track Winterstorm In The Night.More than just a parody band, Nanowar Of Steel see themselves as more of a serious musical project that adds a touch of humour to their artform meticulously.Bass player Gattopanceri666 joined HEAVY to discuss things in more detail."For those of you who haven't heard about Nanowar Of Steel, we are a very serious band based in Italy," he introduced, "and we are doing this kind of serious music since 20 years already. We've got a new album coming out called Dislike To False Metal which really means we should dislike false metal, whatever that means, but at least don't kill it. We are against... let's replace the death to false metal part with dislike and make it more tolerant. That's the message."We press Gattopanceri666 on how he is feeling about the imminent release of Dislike To False Metal."I've been listening to this album for the last nine months," he sighed, "so I'm kind of bored of listening to it. I just hope the listeners won't get bored so quickly so we can get some revenues from streaming even in years to come. That's my hope; that's my wish for the album."In the full interview, Gattopanceri666 talks more about the songs on the album, maintaining humour in music, getting the balance right, using guest artists and what they brought to the sound, the writing process, the cover artwork and the myriad of things to be found, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

6 Mar 202321min

Interview by Kris PetersSouthern Californian post-hardcore outfit Movements are on the verge of their Australian tour with British rock outfit Boston Manor, kicking off in Brisbane on March 9.It will be Movements first visit Down Under since 2018, and, armed with 2020's successful album No Good Left To give the shows are already selling in record time.HEAVY sat down with vocalist Patrick Miranda just before the band boarded a plane for their long flight to see us.One of the features of Movements music is the heavy emotional content within their lyrics, with issues such as relationships, loss and mental health a prominent feature of the bands music. Because of this we ask Miranda if it can be difficult delivering an upbeat live performance of some of these songs despite the heavy emotional content which doesn't necessarily lend itself to happiness."It absolutely can be," he nodded. "I'd say that is an experience that we've kind of... tried to pinpoint and shift with our new music because, yeah, a lot of our songs and a lot of our content is very heavy and very dark. And it's not always the most fun thing to talk about every single day. But I think that it's good because it's always a great way to share a cathartic experience with the people who are listening and being able to share these negative emotions with somebody and maybe it helps them feel better or get through whatever it is that they might be dealing with. With that being said that's definitely something that we wanted to... kind of shy away from in the new music and have it be less emotionally draining and a little bit more fun and energetic in the live setting so we could have a little bit more fun with the songs and not have it be such a depressing, sad, down moment. I think that there's something positive to be said about either side of that argument."In the full interview, Pat talks more about what to expect from the shows, what has changed with the band since their last visit in 2018, touring with Boston Manor and why they chose them to co-headline with, some fun times on the road with Boston Manor, their blending of musical styles and where it comes from, album number three and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

6 Mar 202315min