December 2013, Issue 12
Monster Magnet
Dave Wyndorf
E R A M T NIGH E BEFOR S A M T S I CHR
British Dark-Artist
Sam Shearon
talks Ministry, Monsters & Comic-Books
of cinema
-VOL 2-
When covers beat the original 11 cover songs that outshine the original
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Eric Peterson Exposed
Martin Scorsese The goodfella
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Testament’s
ISSN 2241-5386
Peter Hook Inside BURST!
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3 Burst Magazine
pages 6-17 Articles
pages 18-46 Interviews
pages 48-53 Albums Reviews
page 54-59 Director’s Cut
Sam shearon
pages 60-61 Film Reviews
“NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS” British Dark-Artist Sam Shearon AKA ‘MISTER-SAM’ talks MINISTRY, Comic-Books and things that go bump in the night!
page 62 It’s All Greek To Me
Read the whole interview on page 22! Cover photo by Stephanie Inagaki
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publisher/editor in chief
Raphael Aretakis
managing editor
Spiros Smyrnis
art advisor
Aikate D.
editors
Angie Rouska B|S|Orestis Cristina Alossi Danae Christopoulou Dialekti Angeli Eleni Lampraki Helen Marie Joyce Jo Gogou Korina P. Pana Apostolidou Sissy Fanouraki Sobieski Sisters Stathia S. Pedioti
contributing editors
Alexandros Nalbanis Andy Phelps Dimitris Kotsilinis Dimitris Tsantoulas Giorgos Kotrozinis Gogo Apostolaki J.Roberto Zenteno Jimenez Kalliope Tsouroupidou Petros Xatzistilianos Rula Karamani Sophie Tsekoura Sotiris Stilianos Vana Valma Viktor Merit
editors/proofreaders
Marianna Kofinaki Mary Pavlopoulos Matina Katsarakou
photographers
Apostolis Kalliakmanis B|S|Orestis Eileen Von D Jo Gogou Kalliope Tsouroupidou Myrto Cat Raphael Aretakis
USA photographer
Joe Prostredny
Spanish photographer
Nat Enemede
special guest
Karolina Pacan
Design & Layout
Raphael Aretakis
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When Covers Beat The Original by Dialekti Angeli
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7 Some may claim that covering a song is blasphemy. In some cases, doing so might either mean that you have to kiss your musical career goodbye or it can propel you to new heights. There is always the good chance that the fans of the original song are going to hate your guts and never give you another chance, but there
the original song in question. Nevertheless, Cash’s version felt so personal, that Reznor himself quoted: “[I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn’t mine anymore”. From a lyrical aspect, the song is like it’s meant to be Cash’s. It describes his journey in a way that even he couldn’t have done it better himself. Cash
those who do know, don’t care enough to listen to the original anymore.
is also the possibility that you present the song in such a way, that an entire new generation will never even know the original song ever existed. No matter how you look at it, it’s a gamble.
interprets the song in a way that the listener experiences it from a perspective of a man who is reflecting the mistakes of a lifetime. Although Nine Inch Nails’ version is great and beyond any doubt depressing, Cash finds a way to make sadness sound inspirational.
first recorded by Lead Belly. The lo-fi recording of the track and the shaky voice of Huddie William Ledbetter, manages to haunt the listener. However, when Nirvana closed their performance during the ‘Live In New York MTV Unplugged 1993’ with this song, they certainly left a hell of a legacy, taking the song to a completely new level. The song starts off slowly and moody and it eventually builds in to a massive emotional crescendo. After the
History itself has shown us that not every musical hit is unique to the artist. Some artists have managed to make these songs their own, in such a way that most people actually think they are theirs. Making a cover song your own results in extremely hard work, and if you do so, it’s certainly something you should be proud of. Burst is proud to present you eleven cover songs that – with all due respect to the artists who performed the songs first – outshone the original version. Johnny Cash made a career out of covers. Many claim that no matter what the song is, from the moment he performs it, it’s forever his. That is exactly the case with the song Hurt. Trent Reznor, the singer of Nine Inch Nails, is the creator of
When it comes to cover songs, All Along the Watchtower, is a diamond! Jimi Hendrix is considered to be one of the greatest guitarists of all time. He loved Bob Dylan and covered a bunch of his songs. However, his take of ‘All Along The Watchtower’ was such a success and so memorable that, now, even Dylan covers Hendrix’s version. He actually once said that he prefers the Hendrix version to his own and that it is indeed the definite version. Despite the fact that it’s the same song, on one hand we have Dylan’s folk version and on the other hand we have Hendrix’s psychedelic rock anthem. Many people don’t even know that this is originally Bob Dylan’s, and
Nirvana’s best well known cover is David Bowie’s ‘Man Who Sold the World’. However, there’s the Where Did You Sleep Last Night, which is definitely my favorite cover from the band. The song was
song was over, the producers of MTV Unplugged demanded an encore, but Cobain denied, on the grounds that he didn’t feel he could top this last performance. Blinded by the Light is one of the songs that people probably don’t recognize as a Bruce Springsteen song after Man-
fred Mann’s Earth Band version. Someone might even find it difficult to believe that these two versions are the same song. Springsteen’s version is great, but the keyboards and the instruments used in Manfred Mann’s version can only be described as iconic! When you listen to Springsteen’s version you might not recognize the song up until you got to the chorus. The performance by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band is captivating; as for Bruce’s
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8 version, it’s just another Bruce Springsteen song. It’s hard to track down the origins of Whisky in the Jar. Many are under the impression that this is a Thin Lizzy’s or The Dubliner’s song, but this song dates all the way back to 17th century. The Irish folk version of the song is undeniably awesome! It has a timeless spirit and almost anyone can relate to the lyrics. In 1998, Metallica decided to include their version of the song on their ‘Garage Inc.’ album and they did the unexpected: They managed to maintain the song’s spirit, while, at the same time, they take it in a different direction. The band turned their amps up to 11, downtuned their guitars and created a song that gets stuck in your head for days. Hetfield’s tone converts the despair and the sadness of the song into hope and happiness. Thin Lizzy might be the first band who attempted to convert it to a rock song - and did a great job indeed - but Metallica perfected it. Tainted Love is a song composed by Ed Cobb by The Four Preps and originally recorded by the soul singer, Gloria Jones, in 1964. The song failed to chart in either the US or the UK. However in 1973, a British club DJ, Richard Searling, purchased a copy and remade the track, featuring a fast tempo, electric rhythm guitar and female backing vocals. Due to the newly underground popularity of the track, Jones re-recorded ‘Tainted Love’ in 1976 and released it as a single, but it also failed to chart. Some years later, in 1981, the English duo, Soft Cell, recorded the song as a single, infusing the melody with their British synth-pop sound. The track immediately reached #1 on the UK singles chart and it was the best-selling single in the UK for that year. Later on, in 2001, Marilyn Manson’s version was released as a soundtrack to comedy film ‘Not Another Teen Movie’ and it charted at #6 in the UK singles chart the week prior to its official release date. The synthesizers are out and they have been replaced by distorted guitar samples. As for Manson’s menacing vocals, Burst www.afternoiz.com
they actually do a great job in highlighting the lyrics, which are way angrier and bitterer than Marc Almond makes them sound. In some cases, a cover song defines an artist’s entire legacy. Hallelujah is a song written by the Canadian singer and songwriter Leonard Cohen, but late Jeff Buckley’s performance is undeniably eerie and heartfelt. While Cohen’s version has different layers and instruments, Jeff Buckley manages to make due with just his voice and a guitar. The melancholic tone of the guitar is moving but what strikes you is Buckley’s vocal performance. Cohen’s version is a really good listen but Jeff Buckley’s performance is so powerful, that can bring you to tears. Hound Dog was written by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller and it was originally recorded by Willie Mae “Big Mama” Thornton on August 13 1952, in Los Angeles. The Hound Dog is a blues song and it was Thornton’s only hit record. The song has been recorded more than 250 times and one of the most known versions is by the King of Rock ‘n Roll, Elvis Presley, on July 1956. Elvis’ hip-swaying version of Hound Dog is probably one of the songs that pop into mind when you think of Presley. After he put his imprint on the song, it belonged to him ever after. Twist and Shout originally titled “Shake it up, Baby”, was recorded in 1961
by the Top Notes. The Beatles covered it and released it on their first album “Please Please Me”, in March 1964, with John Lennon on lead vocals. The Beatles had no match back then – and still don’t - and it’s no surprise that any song they covered instantly became a hit. The success of this cover is so immense that most people believe it to be a Beatles original. I Fought the Law is a song written in 1958 by the musician Sonny Curtis of the Crickets. In 1979, the song experienced an unlikely resurrection courtesy of The Clash. By considerably increasing the tempo and volume, The Clash turned the song into a punk anthem. Clash’s cover is by far the best version of the song and it became almost a custom for punk bands to cover it. I Fought the Law’s genius lies in the connection it makes with rebel-
lious youth of all generations. The heavy descending bassline and the 20-minute interlude of Dazed and Confused, made it a staple at Led Zeppelin concerts in the late 60s and 70s. Many people think that this song is Led Zeppelin’s because the band never credited the original artist, Jake Holmes, for the track. In the early 80s, Holmes sent a letter to Page asking for “some credit at least and some remuneration”, but no answer ever received. In August 1967, Holmes opened for The Yardbirds concert in New York, when he stated: “That was the infamous moment of my life when ‘Dazed and Confused’ fell into the loving arms and hands of Jimmy Page”. There is an ongoing battle to this day, but no matter what, the song will always be Zeppelin’s.
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Gracias Mr. Garcia
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By Helen Marie Joyce
Anyone who is ‘into’ the Stoner rock tempo and riff style would inexcusably remiss in not knowing the name and voice of John Garcia. Pioneering vocals in a music genre he and his Kyuss band buddies developed, made Garcia a legend somewhere through the 90’s. His voice is forever linked to the Desert rock sound, and used by vocalists throughout the years until this day as a vocal guide in order to re-enact the sense of a Desert rock scene, trying to make their own sound as close to the original vision as possible. This is a trap most contemporary bands of this persuasion fall into: they will, on majority, fall short of the original sound, and end up being branded as another Kyusstype copy band, rarely making this regurgitated sound their own. But can one accuse Garcia for mimicking his own sound? Interesting question. Kyuss disbanded in1995 and Garcia, as well as the other Kyuss members, moved on to new projects to keep them occupied. Keeping true to the colours of the desert, Garcia fronted bands such as Slo Burn (1996), Unida (1997), Hermano (1998 - ) also Kyuss Lives! (2010), which later become Vista Chino (2012 - ), due to lawsuit instigated by Kyuss co-founding member and renowned musician, Josh Homme. After a tumultuous legal argument between the two musicians primarily, it is no wonder that Garcia’s musiBurst www.afternoiz.com
cal allegiance today is deeply vested in Vista Chino, leaving other things behind on his resume. Vista Chino is the legally accepted entity that now features two of the original Kyuss members, and with an album released this year called Peace (2013); this band sets the tone for the evolutionised original stoner sound, with Garcia on vocals, and Bjork on drums. The Rise of Stoner - Garcia in the Kyuss era. How I imagine the birth of the band that gained musical acclaim by the name ‘Kyuss’ around 1991 goes something like this; John Garcia, Joshua Homme and Brant Bjork sitting around on a hot lazy Southern Cali afternoon of 1987, sharing spliffs and generating riffs, out on the porch of a ranch somewhere amidst the hallowing desert. John Garcia would be 17 years old at the time, Homme and Bjork were a baffling 14 years of age a piece. OK, maybe spliffs were not on the menu just yet (?), but the stoner daze was certainly circling in their heads. They soon formed band ‘Katzenjammer’ at the beginning of their collaboration, which became ‘Sons of Kyuss’ in 1989 taken from the Dungeons & Dragons game after a change over in their bassist, finally locking down on the plain and powerful name ‘Kyuss’ in 1991. Nick Oliveri was handed the heavy desert bass; he had previously played as a guitarist under ‘Katzenjammer’ when Chris Cockrell was the bassist at the time. Oliveri stayed on for the first two years, and was replaced by Scott Reeder between 1992 and 1995, with Brant Bjork handing over his drums to Alfredo Hernandez in 1994 for their last year before they call it quits. Kyuss, held the signatures of Garcia and Homme; the recognisable voice and the nifty riff blaster. No one can deny that ‘Kyuss’ enjoyed an awesome pioneering music ride that was to be talked about for decades later and which opened up the theme park to other players too. They established a sort of cult for this style, and commanded a significant amount of followers despite their discography being active for only
four years, and that there were not many hits or radio airing time. They managed four studio albums within those four years Wretch (1991), Blues for the Red Sun (1992), Welcome to Sky Valley (1994), ...And the Circus Leaves Town (1995), and left a Stoner rock legacy in their wake. It must be noted that John Garcia (vocals) and Josh Homme (guitar) were Kyuss’ most constant members, giving the band it’s (regrettably short) continuity. This meant that these two key players could often fall into a power struggle, whether it be creative in nature or commercial. It is safe to say that Homme was the main songwriter in Kyuss followed by Bjork, and Garcia has recognised the rare chemistry between them: “That was the best chemistry between two people I will ever, ever, ever see in my entire life. And I weep at the fact that those two never stayed together.”1 Garcia’s creative involvement in Kyuss was not comparative to Homme’s. He had provided writing assist in the first album, more so in the second, and then few on the third album. However, once Bjork left the group after Welcome to Sky Valley was released in 1994, Garcia took on a more prominent role, out of his comfort zone. We see him shine as a prominent lyricist in …And the Circus Leaves Town, stepping up to the challenge of having to hold the weight of Kyuss, on their fourth record (following two solid, well received albums), and with only two original members left. Following their disbandment in 1995, only three months after the last album was released, Garcia tried to funnel all his stoner rock energy into similar projects. Slo Burn and Unida. Still hot from the ashes of Kyuss, Garcia thought that Slo Burn (1996-1997) would have the chops to take Kyuss’ former glory, and transgress it. Slo Burn & Unida & Hermano: Into the Further of Stoner he goes. Without abandoning his already established Palm Desert roots, Garcia formed Slo Burn in 1996 together with Hale, Garisson, and Houghton, amidst a plethora of various other Californian stoner metal
bands. It was no surprise that Slo Burn was popular with the Kyuss fan base who had become accustomed to Garcia’s verbal style, the only exmember playing on similar plains. Other ex-members had moved on to different things; Homme with Desert Sessions and Queens of the Stone Age, Oliveri with the more aggressive sound of Mondo Generator, and Bjork into producing as well as drumming for hardcore punk band De-Con before also joining Desert Sessions. Slo Burn may be seen as a band which received unaccountable popularity compared to their actual releases. After a five track demo, Slo Burn released one EP, which they also co-produced, in that year of activity called Amusing the Amazing with only four tracks. Later the other five demo tracks were unofficially released against this EP. The lenient approach is to say the Slo Burn have nine tracks, five of which are inferior in quality due to the demo version, and the more strict would be to say they only have 4. Of course, this latter standpoint would exclude the popular tracks such as ‘Positiva’, ‘Wheel Fall’ and ‘Cactus Jumper’. Tracks that are clearly of the same pace and level of complexity, adequately distinguishable and aggregately likable: if you liked one, you are inclined to like them all. In general the short but fuzzy EP hints at a heavier sound than Kyuss, incorporating the metal element, with doomier riffs which are counter balanced by melodies for groovier tastes and Garcia’s usual desert-ine vocal delivery. Essentially, it is something that perhaps Kyuss could have done, or could the proto stoner band have done it better? We will never know. In 1998, Unida was the next step for Garcia. He teamed up with Arthur Seay on guitar, Dave Dinsmore fiddling the bass and Miguel Cancino beating on the drums. Scott Reader was thrown into the mix on bass in place of Dinsmore, giving Unida more pull by reinforcing its link to Kyuss, before also being replaced by Eddie Plascencia. The band started out powerfully and promisingly, releasing a split EP with
11 Swedish Stoner rockers Dozer in 1999, the first EP for both bands. This kind of move, inherently breeds comparison. From Unida’s half, oddly titled The Best of Wayne-Gro, ‘Wet Pussycat’ is probably their most popular track on there, although surprisingly it is not their best, raising questions about whether the split EP was a good idea. Compared to Dozer’s half, Coming Down the Mountain, Unida’s part was on the weaker side; it’s a nobrainer that Swedes are ballsy musicians and to even think that this EP does not do them justice as a first introduction. However, Unida’s tracks on that EP are arguably heavier sounding than their successor work. In the same year, the band released their debut (and only complete) record Coping with the Urban Coyote. It features ‘Black Woman’, a strong solid track that is probably their most recognisable. It featured as the first listed track on a stoner metal collection “Rise 13: Magick Rock Vol.1”, also including metal monoliths such as Orange Goblin, Goatsnake, Electic Wizard and others. And although a second album was in the making, due to hit the shelves in 2001, the elusive El Coyote/The Great Divide, no one actually ever managed to see this be released by its official sources due to various troubles experienced by their record label at the time. Officially, Unida disbanded in 2003 without any further material, except what has been leaked on to the internet. They re-grouped after a nine year hiatus, with new bassist Owen Seay, brother of guitarist Arthur. It makes one wonder, was Garcia caught up in a post-Kyuss curse? Why was there no continuity? Enter the a side-project, Hermano. Garcia was also involved in a side-project as it was considered by many at the time, Hermano, which was started in1998 and is standing ‘til this day. The line-up was guitarists Mike Callahan and David Angstrom, bassist Dandy Brown, and drummer Steve Earle who was replaced by Chris Leathers in 2002. The band, not so bothered about making something innovative or commercially catchy, goes purely raw heavy rock, masculine stoner
metal, direct and thumping. Hermano didn’t really care to appease as many as possible. Maybe that’s the trick. They played honest heavy tunes, and received good reviews for their debut long EP Only A Suggestion in 2002, leaving us with a taste for more. Two years later with Dare I Say (2004-5) Hermano returned for a second record, which came as a welcome surprise among rock music circles, especially at a time when on the Unida front, things were stalling tremendously. Slightly less impressive musically than the one before, but by listening to it you can’t miss the high energy, the audacity and ‘umph’ factor that’s all over it. Hermano also released a live album in the interim to their third album of 2007, Into the Exam Room which clearly sets the side-project-vs-band argument straight. Hermano
name: Garcia Plays Kyuss. What you expect is what you get, Garcia playing the most popular songs of Kyuss. A blast from the past, which was quite welcomed considering the turn-out at his concerts to listen to music that ceased to play live for over 15 years. The touring line-up were Garcia, Belgian and Dutch musicians Jacques de Haard, Rob Snijders and Bruno Fevery. In October of that year after completing the tour, it was announced that in the spring of 2011, Garcia would launch a new round of touring, this time joined by original Kyuss members, Oliveri on bass and Bjork on drums and changing the tour name to the provocative Kyuss Lives! moniker which was the unleashed hell from Homme’s camp eventually. The tour did happen in that year without any worries
gether with past-Kyuss bassist Reeder, claiming that, in short, Kyuss Lives! could not use any variation of the name ‘Kyuss’ since Homme is not part of it, and essentially accused that it confuses or even dupes the audience by way of trademark infringement and and consumer fraud. There has been much confusion about the legal battles and power struggles between Homme and Garcia, with financials and ethics at stake. It has been reported that Homme has no real beef with the touring under the name in question, but recording under the name would be out of the question. Do we blame him? Garcia’s side of course claimed that Homme’s motives were purely financial and disapproved of the whole matter being dealt with so publically, rather than under the radar. In a nutshell, Garcia wanted
is a fully fleshed band, more so than Unida ever was. Again the criticism of this album is that there is nothing new or ground breaking to look for. Despite this, it is the most complete work that Garcia had accomplished in those last ten years.
at first. Luckily I was able to see the Lives! line-up on one of their shows and I strongly remember I time-lapsed for that hour and forty-five minutes. It seemed like they should play for another hour or so, such was the crowd thirst. Yet Homme reconsidered his stance regarding the group in 2012 after Kyuss Lives! became more ambitious and announced the extension of the tour and hinting at the possibility of releasing new material under the Kyuss Lives! name. Homme filed a law-suit to-
to re-live past days of glory and Homme was so channeled into moving away and in other directions, adamant that he would never be part of a Kyuss reunion as he considered it to be an important, but closed chapter. He resented that what he had left in his past was becoming a strong present (and a money-making one at that). The lawsuit was ruled in favour of Homme, and Kyuss Lives! had to be re-born under Garcia’s current baby, Vista Chino.
The Garcia Plays Kyuss & Kyuss Lives! predicaments. In the early part of 2010, Garcia announced that he would headline a tour of live performances around Europe under the totally comprehensible
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12 Vista Chino - Chinese View Overall, the fact that the birth of Vista Chino (circa 2010, as Kyuss Lives!) came at a time of controversy and bitterness for Garcia, does not diminish its value at all. It was a move that needed to be done, as Garcia’s way of stating that it is best to let sleeping dogs lie, and move forward. Its formation was good news for all parties concerned. Homme stopped having a bee in his red-headed bonnet; Garcia cut any ties by ending his obsession to resurrect dinosaurs. He was finally at a stage where he needed to power through, be independently creative and prove to himself, above all, the change in his intention of trying to reinvent music under the Kyuss name, that potentially could damage overall reputation of the name Kyuss and seriously divide not only the fan-base, but also influence the new music coming from other bands to which Kyuss music is the skeleton. Following a lawsuit against Kyuss Lives!, the rebranded Vista Chino band officially came to life as its own entity in 2012. It was essentially Kyuss Lives! members, the three out of the four origi-
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nal Kyuss members, all except Homme, that is Garcia, Bjork and Oliveri and Bruno Fevery on guitar taken on from Garcia Plays Kyuss days. Oliveri is no longer considered as an active member of the band, replaced by Mike Dean (Corrosion of Conformity) in early 2013, although is considered part of the creative team for their 2013 debut album Peace (2013). Amidst all the fowl-mouthing, and generally tense atmosphere brought about by the Kyuss Lives! band formation, we cannot ignore the political connotations that both the ‘Vista Chino’ and ‘Peace’ choice of names for the new band and album bring to mind. The reference to the ‘Chinese View’, as is the direct translation from the Spanish Vista Chino, may be a allegory for Vista Chino (Garcia, Bjork, Oliveri) being the ‘people’ versus, for example, what is the opposite of the People’s Republic? Greedy Capitalism is a fair guess, an unspoken reference to Homme’s stance perhaps? There is no evidence to make this claim, of course, although Bjork has said of Homme even
back in the Kyuss days, he was focused on increasing his revenue stream through ‘publishing’ and wanting to “write all the songs”.2 In this light, it is equally justified that the album title Peace is not random. It is deliberate and is specifically addressed to the one person who was not part of it (ehm! Homme), hopefully burying the hatchet once and for all. Peace has received good critiques overall, many of which mention the name ‘Kyuss’, in their wording; and how could they not mention it. It would be unfair to make a direct comparison, yet it is apparent where Vista Chino’s roots lie. The general consensus is that there are correlations with Kyuss stuff, yet it’s more contemporary, powerful and does the contributory musicians justice. It gives off strong atmosphere, and can be as sensual as tenacious and the composition influences go beyond the desert. Overall, Peace does not let a Stoner fan down; with music that goes beyond Kyuss’desert storm intentions and with Garcia’s recording voice being better than ever, it is one of the most keep-it-real Stoner albums especially while
keeping in mind their journey and all the politics that went hand in hand. Garcia’s voice has thus been branded, and justifiable so, as the first and ultimate style and tone for stoner vocalists, with a history so vested in the Stoner genre that successors find it hard/or do not want to entirely disassociate from. Essentially, Garcia has founded a vocal school which he stands by with ardent valour. He was not ready to end his reign after Kyuss disbanded, and moving on to and sideways with Slo Burn, Unida and Hermano, didn’t really cut the mustard per se. The flames of old glory days still burned in his chest and through a long six year ride between the last Hermano album Into the Exam Room in 2007, to the first Vista China album Peace this year, Garcia’s last two complete albums score high on Stoner record ratings. Currently, Vista Chino are on tour until the following spring, with live reports and set lists mentioning a heavy count of Kyuss cover songs. So you can take Garcia out of Kyuss, but not Kyuss out of Garcia.
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Me and my Arctic Monkeys By Christina Alossi Dear diary, It all started so unexpectedly! I don’t know where to begin, it’s been so long since I wrote to you, all that’s happened has left me no time: Music, sleeping, not sleeping, drinks and again. My mom waits at the door every night for me to come back, she tries to smell me… “Whatever you say I am, that’s what I’m not” - she just does not understand me, man. England’s south suburbs stroke me! I finally had in my hands, the first album of the Arctic Monkeys; you know, the one with the guy on the cover who looks just like a Greek actor, (Papamichail from the Greek movie Diplopenies), who, I found out, is a friend of the band playing in The Violet May. It describes it all, sleeping late, the mornings I come home from clubbing, my wild youth. “I bet you look good on the dance floor”, oh, yes I do, repeat, what a record! So, I hear that the album was quite a hit, it instantly sold more than any other in the history of British music. Remember, when I was telling you of, “The skins”, a serial I dig? That’s what it is, a bunch of friends from Sheffield, England, with the red, blue and white doors and the two-storey houses, all of whom have a fucked up situation and story to tell, about restless youngsters and problematic parents. Every Saturday, the young party in the company of a lot of drugs and live like there is no tomorrow; all is just a routine for them. “All you people are vampires”... That may be correct, you know, I feel them, this job is eating me up. I never and for no reason see the day, mine starts at the afternoon. How could it not,
after all this alcohol and lack of sleep? “When the sun goes down”, it is the time for us alcohol vampires to get out. A dirty but awesome sound, a rock-bottom rhythm and lyrics that speak of just about anything and everything. For that happens in my nights - how could I not love them? Dear diary, It’s been a year that I haven’t talked to you about my favorite Arctic Monkeys and, yes, they have returned with a nightmare, I couldn’t believe my ears. It was so not what I expected, however I’m keeping my faith and hope for the best. It is titled My “favorite worst nightmare” after all. Too strong for my taste, however, “Teddy picker” and “fluorescent adolescent” got stuck in my head. They have started touring again, but it seems unlikely that they will make a stop in Greece. I have to admit I was really jealous and mad because of the fact that I am poor and cannot travel to Ibiza; there you and 700 people would see them in a beach bar, that was THE rock event of the summer. It seems the more I listen to it, the more I like it, it’s not bad after all, it’s divine! The best part is that Alex is available again, so long Johanna. My sweet sweet diary, It’s a fact! After a period of long anticipation (almost two years) and just before September began, I am going to celebrate my birthday with a new Arctic’s album, the “Hambug”. The mentor and great frontman of the Queens of the Stone Age introduced them to the desert of his music and also did the production for this amazing album. The Arctic monkeys have grown and I with them, yelling “you are cold...crying lightning”. Huge comeback, really, lot of music genres brougbt together, more dynamic, more imposing; all I expected and more. In addition, there is a fantastic cover from the beloved Nick Cave, the amazing “Red right hand”. I failed in my prediction about Alex’s girlfriend though; they’re still together despite the hardships! “Suck it and see” so long old girlfriend, Alex and his friends come back with strong mate-
rial after two years, musicians out there, beware! It is now, officially, the second band that has all their four albums in the No1 of the charts. How cool it was that they let us listen to their whole album through the internet until its official release! The curtains open, the sun reached the studio and the hearts of the Arctic Monkeys created an album so fresh, that got them out of the night for the first time. “Black treacle”, “don’t sit down ‘cause I’ve moved your chair” and “hellcat spangled shalalala” are the first songs from the album that went straight into my ipod. Dear diary, I grow up and thankfully music follows. All I’ve been writing for years seem so stupid now. Time has been a burden and melodies have filled my ears, so I can see and understand better Josh Homme’s wisdom. Teacher, thank you for still teaching me and for taking the darkness away from so many bands. My favorite Arctic Monkeys were walking now deep into the desert and the ultimate “AM” is now a shrine, a place for prayer. What an album!!! You get hooked from the very first track, “Do I wanna know”, “R U mine?”, “Why’d you only call me when you high?”. Erotic, intoxicating, better than ever. Lyrics and feelings that you only express when you’re drunk, to people you secretly love and desire, love affairs that may have ended, but yet they come to life with a little sip of alcohol; all stays there, with the help of Josh, the desert sand is in the clubs and the places young people hang out. Rapers like Lil Wayne and Drake have helped like they only know how. “I go crazy ‘cause here isn’t where I wanna be” and a new affair for Alex, the gorgeous model Arielle Vandenberg. She also appears in the videoclip of the song, where Alex demonstrates us the tattoo he has in his left hand, a white Yorkshire rose with the name of his homeland on top, inspired by his homeland, Sheffield,.
WordsOf Wisdom by Karolina Pacan
REAL FRIENDS Many of you have wondered how to recog nize a real friend and if someone like that exists. Well, yes they do exist, but none of them is wearing a “real friend” badge . Real friends will always be there for you, when you need them and when you dont need them. Real friends will support you the way you are, and won’t try to change your ways, but will tell you when something is not right. For a real friend YOU are important, and not how many things you have achieved in your life. Real friends are able to see your personality, not your wallet... Real friends dont believe in rumors, but will ask you what’s real and what’s not. Real friends will tell you when something is wrong, instead of being silent “for the next two weeks”... Real friends will show you that there is a rainbow after the storm. The truth is that real friends are very hard to find, but when you do, take care of them, because one day, when you’ll be sad around 4 am, the real friend will be the only one who will come to you without any hesitation.
Goodnight my beloved diary till the next album, the Arctic Monkeys recipe will be repeated.
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14 Archive - Fuck You There’s a look on your face I would like to knock out See the sin in your grin and the shape of your mouth All I want is to see you in terrible pain Though we won’t ever meet I remember your name Can’t believe you were once just like anyone else Then you grew and became like the devil himself Pray to god I can think of a nice thing to say But I don’t think I can so fuck you anyway You are scum, you are scum and I hope that you know That the cracks in your smile are beginning to show Now the world needs to see that it’s time you should go There’s no light in your eyes and your brain is too slow Can’t believe you were once just like anyone else Then you grew and became like the devil himself Pray to god I can think of a nice thing to say But I don’t think I can, so fuck you anyway Bet you sleep like a child with your thumb in your mouth I could creep up beside put a gun in your mouth Makes me sick when I hear all the shit that you say So much crap coming out it must take you all day There’s a space kept in hell with your name on the seat With a spike in the chair just to make it complete When you look at yourself do you see what I see If you do why the fuck are you looking at me Why the fuck why the fuck are you looking at me (Repeat x 4) There’s a time for us all and I think yours has been Can you please hurry up cos I find you obscene We can’t wait for the day that you’re never around When that face isn’t here and you rot underground Can’t believe you were once just like anyone else Then you grew and became like the devil himself Pray to god I can think of a nice thing to say But I don’t think I can so fuck you anyway So fuck you anyway (Repeat x 11)
And The Verdict Is There are times I’m trying to figure out what to write in this column or even which song I should choose before I start analyzing. It might seem easy, but when you’re given too many options, your eyes are turning into so many different directions. The chosen songs are either really famous among rock/metal scene or have two ways to listen to them -a personal one and a general one. Fuck U might be a song that might be dedicated to the former president of the US, George Bush, or even a generic hate song towards a person or a conversation many had with themselves. “All I want is to see you in terrible pain” is a lyric that could apply to any of these situations, showing an obsession with the object A. But right away, the singer says “Though Burst www.afternoiz.com
we won’t ever meet I remember your name” so we exclude the option of the artist referring to an everyday person. He now makes quite clear that he is either speaking to a celebrity or to himself. Up to this point, we cannot really say, since he proceeds by giving us simple characteristics, which are getting ugly on the following lyrics, “Can’t believe you were once just like anyone else Then you grew and became like the devil himself”. A few lines later, the artist is giving another hint to whom he is referring to. “There’s no light in your eyes and your brain is too slow”. It’s not a straight point of view, since not many -but not few alsoknow that when you are suffering from depression and/ or have suicidal thoughts your
Stathia’s Track by Stathia Pedioti self-esteem is that low that you can’t concentrate, you can’t do nothing but hate yourself, moving around with emptiness in your eyes, in a zombielike mode. That’s also the point, when you realize this pair of lyrics -that are repeated in the song- “Pray to god I can think of a nice thing to say But I don’t think I can, so fuck you anyway”. Now, something that looks indirect is starting to become more straightforward, that straightforward you might have the impression you’re looking in a mirror -and talking to yourself. The way the lyrics are sung may be another hint in our quest of finding to whom this song is referring to, since if we find them, everything will become clearer. The emotion of the lyrics is huge, although the singer performs in a calm way. And when you’re enraged with someone, it’s more likely to scream or have a fit than engage in a calm conversation -especially when you’re calling
someone “a scum” that “makes you sick when you hear all the shit that he says”. Finally, and IMHO, the most clear lyric. “Put a gun in your mouth”. How many people are killed this way? Don’t answer… it doesn’t matter when the following question pops up in your head. How many people commit suicide in this way? It’s the most common method of suicide -using a gun. Oh, and of course this line to ensure my analysis so far. “When you look at yourself do you see what I see If you do, why the fuck are you looking at me”. You might now re-listen to this song. If you haven’t, go yourself this far, the images your brain will create (“There’s a space kept in hell with your name on the seat/with a spike in the chair just to make it complete”) will be much different of those you had before making all those realizations.
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200 live Albums you must hear without labeling music by marianna kofinaki
“Without music, life would be a mistake.” Friedrich Nietzsche Who could imagine life without music? Music is but a single en- They’re all works of art, regardless of musical genre or era. tity, devoid of “labels”, destined to speak to our very souls. And of course listening to our favorite artists performing live is a Burst Magazine is proud to present all those live musical diapriceless, unforgettable experience. monds, traveling you from the end of the ‘50’s till now. Are you ready for the trip? Brace yourselves and let us begin! Have you ever wondered how many beautiful live albums are out there? There’s no need to prioritize them by preference. Special Thanks to George Kofinakis
PART 5
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cover
band
released
album
info
Frank Zappa
1978
Zappa in New York
Zappa in New York is a live double album by Frank Zappa. It was recorded at a series of concerts at the Palladium in New York City in December 1976.Zappa in New York was released in the UK only by Zappa’s DiscReet Records label in 1977, then quickly withdrawn. A second version was re-released in March 1978 with changes ordered by DiscReet’s distributor, Warner Bros. Records. The 1978 edition reached #57 on the Billboard 200 albums chart.
Aerosmith
1978
Live Bootleg
A double live album by American hard rock band Aerosmith, released in 1978. While most of the performances were drawn from concerts in 1977 and 1978, the covers “I Ain’t Got You” and “Mother Popcorn” were taken from a radio broadcast of a Boston performance on March 20, 1973. The design of the album is intended to ape the poor production values offered by contemporary bootleg records, even going so far as to give an incorrect track listing: the song “Draw the Line” is included on the record but does not appear listed. The back of the album cover includes two coffee stains over the picture of Joe Perry playing before a live audience.
Ted Nugent
1978
Double Live Gonzo!
Double Live Gonzo! is a live album by the American hard rock guitarist Ted Nugent, released in 1978. In addition to live versions of songs from previous albums, this double album also contains original material played live, including: “Yank Me, Crank Me” and “Gonzo”. The album has reached 3 times Platinum status in the United States. Burst www.afternoiz.com
16 # cover
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band
released
album
info
Muddy “Mississippi” Waters
1979
Live
Muddy “Mississippi” Waters - Live is a live album by Muddy Waters (aka McKinley Morganfield), an American blues musician who is considered the “father of modern Chicago blues”. The recording was awarded the Grammy for Best Ethnic or Traditional Folk Recording in 1979.
Judas Priest
1979
Unleashed In The East
Unleashed in the East is Judas Priest’s first live album, recorded live in Tokyo, Japan during the Hell Bent for Leather Tour in 1979. It was released in September 1979 and became the band’s best-selling album to that day, reaching the US Top 100 and the UK Top 10, eventually the album became one of the five Judas Priest albums to gain a RIAA platinum certification.
Neil Young
1979
Live Rust
Live Rust is a live album by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, recorded during his fall 1978 Rust Never Sleeps tour, featuring performances recorded at several venues, including the Cow Palace outside San Francisco. Young also directed a companion film, Rust Never Sleeps, under his directorial pseudonym “Bernard Shakey”, which consisted of footage from the Cow Palace. The album made it to No15 of The Billboard Chart and it was certified platinum in the U.S.
UFO
1979
Strangers in the Night
The original double LP album was recorded in autumn 1978 at shows in Chicago, Illinois and Louisville, Kentucky. This was UFO’s last concert recording with guitarist Michael Schenker before the band’s reunion in 1993. Strangers in the Night peaked at No. 7 on the UK charts and No. 42 on the US charts and it is often listed by critics and fans as one of the greatest live rock albums of all time. Kerrang! magazine listed the album at No. 47 among the “100 Greatest Heavy Metal Albums of All Time”. Slash, former guitarist for Guns N’ Roses and current guitarist for Velvet Revolver, has stated that this is his favorite live album.
The Ramones
1979
It’s Alive
It’s Alive is the first live album by the American punk band the Ramones. It was recorded at the Rainbow Theatre, London, on December 31, 1977, and released in April 1979. The title is a reference to the 1974 horror movie of the same name. The album was originally released as a 2-LP set and draws material from the Ramones’ first three albums. Four concerts during the UK tour were recorded, but the New Year’s Eve performance was chosen because ten rows of seats were thrown at the stage after the concert and it was considered the best of the performances at the venue. The concert was also filmed and later released in a truncated form on the DVD It’s Alive 1974-1996. The album was certified gold in Argentina in 1993.
Fleetwood Mac
1980
Live
Live is a double live album released by Fleetwood Mac in 1980. It was the first live album from the then-current line-up of the band, and the next would be The Dance from 1997. The album was certified gold (500,000 copies sold) by the RIAA in November 1981. Of particular note are three new songs -Christine McVie’s “One More Night”, Stevie Nicks’ “Fireflies”, and a well-harmonized backstage rendition of the Beach Boys’ “The Farmer’s Daughter”.
17 #
cover
band
released
album
info
Motorhead
1981
No Sleep ‘Til Hammersmith
No Sleep ’til Hammersmith is the first live album by Lemmy and his crew. Released on 27 June 1981, it peaked at #1 on the UK album charts. It was followed by the release of the single “Motorhead” (coupled with the non-album track “Over the Top”) on 11 July, which peaked in the UK singles chart at #6. It is considered as one of the best live metal albums of all time.
Rush
1981
Exit...Stage Left
Exit...Stage Left is a live album by Canadian progressive rock band Rush, released in 1981. A video release under the same name, with slightly different content, was released in 1982 on VHS and later on Laserdisc, and in 2007 on DVD. The album reached critical acclaim and was voted 9th best live album of all time in a poll by Classic Rock Magazine in 2004.
Billy Joel
1981
Songs In The Attic
Songs in the Attic is the first live album by Billy Joel, released in 1981 (see 1981 in music).At the time of its release, it was unique as being the first widely available appearance of music from his first album, Cold Spring Harbor, originally released in 1971.The album is an introduction of Billy Joel’s early work to fans who had only come to know his work after The Stranger, according to liner notes written by Joel.
Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía
1981
Friday Night in San Francisco
Friday Night in San Francisco is a 1981 live album by The Holy Trinity Al Di Meola, John McLaughlin and Paco de Lucía. It was described by jazz author and critic Walter Kolosky as “a musical event that could be compared to the Benny Goodman Band’s performance at Carnegie Hall in 1938 ... [it] may be considered the most influential of all live acoustic guitar albums”.All the tracks except Guardian Angel were recorded live at The Warfield Theatre on 5 December 1980, in San Francisco; Guardian Angel was recorded at Minot Sound, in White Plains, NY.
The Jacksons
1981
Jacksons Live
The Jacksons Live! is a live album by The Jacksons, released on November 11, 1981 by Epic Records. The album was recorded during their North American tour in fall 1981, known as the Triumph Tour, described by Rolling Stone magazine as one of the best 25 tours from 1967 to 1987. The 1981 live show featured songs from the group’s album Triumph, two songs from Destiny, a medley of their Motown hits, and five songs from lead singer Michael’s solo album Off the Wall.
Simon & Garfunkel
1982
Live In Central Park
The Concert in Central Park is the first live album by American folk rock duo Simon & Garfunkel, released in February 1982 via Warner Bros. Records. It was recorded in September 1981 at a free benefit concert in Central Park, New York City, where the duo performed in front of more than 500,000 people. Proceeds went toward the redevelopment and maintenance of the run-down green space in the middle of Manhattan. This concert and album marked the start of a short-lived reunion for Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. Burst www.afternoiz.com
18
BURST Presents
Sam Shearon
aka ‘Mister-Sam’ to an extended interview about his work on Ministry, Comic-Books and things that go bump in the night! by B|S|Orestis Photo by Stephanie Inagaki | Illustrations by Sam Shearon Burst www.afternoiz.com
E R A M T NIGH E BEFOR S A M T S I R CH
19 Today’s technology has made a lot of people famous. A multi-viewed Youtube video can be enough, even though you may be a nobody, as long as people watch it… Luckily for us all, there are a few kind of famous people out there, whom curiously nobody recognizes, yet their works are worldwide known!! I am talking about art and similar creations, like songs or paintings you have heard or seen, but never bothered to find out who the artist is, and other similar cases like that… I bet you rarely wonder who designed the cover art of an album, or the t-shirt you are wearing as you read this magazine! Now, imagine how much harder it is to know about someone who chooses to linger in shadows…Well, I am about to reveal an unknown famous to you Bursters, the dark Mister Sam Shearon! The music industry is mostly his means of immortality. He has been the creative force behind merchandise designs and comic books for some of the biggest names in rock music, such as Rammstein, Ministry, Rob Zombie, Iron Maiden, KISS, A Pale Horse Named Death and Fear Factory, just to mention a few. His spectrum is always dark and creepy, therefore very appealing to the underworld… A graduate of the Leeds College of Art & Design in England, and with a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from Huddersfield University, he appeared to the world with a solo exhibition named ‘A Walk On the Darkside’, which included 6-foot-tall (1.8 m) demonic statues, biomechanical monsters and giant canvases depicting grotesque images of horror, a show that was extended to last almost 6 weeks due to popular demand, even though he received loads of protestation and boycott attempts (with banners like ‘Mister Sam’s Deadly Bears’ or even ‘Satan’s Big Helper’ !) due to mutilation and disembowelment of children’s toys and the use of real animal bones, mixed with various parts of machinery and other vintage artifacts, making him notorious among the general population and an intriguing figure for the underground scene… That kind of work did not go unnoticed by all the heavy metal musicians and fans that love that kind of aesthetics to pronounce their work, so Mister Sam Shearon has been very busy making posters, comic book strips, music album sketches and cover-art, even guitar decals and drum graphics for famous metal heads, like MEGADETH’S Dave Mustaine’s acoustic DEAN guitar with an awesome American flag graphic! He keeps an excessive museum-like collection of peculiar artifacts, from biomechanical steampunk objects to vampire killer tools and stuffed bats (if I may exaggerate a bit), as he is a great horror story and myth lover, inspired by monster creators like Lovecraft, to create his own monstrosities. This multi-talented individual has been very busy throughout his career in his quest for the real monster, either through dark, surrealistic art or through actual expeditions (we know of his search of the elusive and legendary ‘Sasquatch’ in the Pacific North Western forests of North America), so Burst magazine looked for him and had the chance for an extended interview with Mister Sam Shearon, taken by yours truly!
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20 It’s almost a year since we last talked. I’ve been hearing your name all around. What caught my attention is the new thing with rock stars turning into superheroes. What’s the story with Industrial-metal legends Ministry? Time flies... this year has been crazy busy indeed! I recently created the back cover artwork for Ministry’s last album From Beer to Eternity’ (Front cover and original photography by Allan Amato) which is out now.... It’s a great piece of work, all previous Ministry styles woven into one final album... go get yourself a copy! Since working on that final album, Angelina and Al Jourgensen contacted me, invited me out to stay at their compound in El Paso, Texas and asked whether I would be interested in creating the Ministry comic-book series. Being a big fan of Al and ‘Ministry’,
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I jumped in with both feet and went out to stay with the Jourgensens on several occasions over the summer. Al is a great character - he has a wicked sense of humor, very dark and sarcastic... Most people don’t know when he’s joking, but more often than not... he’s not! Angelina is an amazing woman, a real powerhouse who runs the machine behind the scenes like a welloiled juggernaut of creation... Great energy all around - very inspiring to be among such talented people! I’d stay out there for a number of weeks at a time, listening to both Al and Angelina feed me tales from the past, while I sketched out Al and took notes... filling sketchbooks by the day watching the sun go down and up again with several piles of empty beer bottles growing around us each night and day, while I pieced together the history of Ministry and where I was going to take the story in the comic-book itself!
How difficult is it to transform a rock idol to a comic hero? Are rockers and metallers up to it? Great question... I’d say not all rock n’ metal musicians reach the status of ‘hero’ in their career... In terms of style and message, they’re as varied as the ‘X-Men’... But there are certainly some villains in the music industry. So, to transfer the world of music into a comic book... on looks alone, it’s a winner... but the fact that these adventures are based in real life takes it to a whole new level in terms of ‘heroes and villains’. We have the fans of course... but there are elements inside and outside of the music industry that just seem to get in the way, that for one reason or another try to quash those who speak the truths of ‘the bigger picture’.... To open the eyes of the masses is a dangerous thing in the eyes of the higher powers... labels and laws...
what you can and can’t say or show... can get pretty stormy at times. That’s a theme that runs throughout the Ministry comic-book series, censorship... record labels and even the government stepping in itself! But in this story we explore the idea of the ‘government’ being just a cover... perhaps other worldly powers are at play...? How do you feel about the comic world today? The 50’s and 60’s created a golden era for comics. Are we going to see that happen ever again? We’re certainly living in a new age... The internet has of course changed the way we live now. More-so, since the advent of Facebook, the world has taken a tremendous leap, especially in the last three years. People are interacting and sharing the things they love more than ever before... We’re advancing at an acceler-
Ministry: From Beer To Eternity (original photography Allan Amato)
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“I’m working on a very, very, very exciting new comic-series but I can’t ‘BURST’ with all the news just yet... let’s just say it’s horror related” ated rate in terms of entertainment and culture, which, of course, is a good n’ bad thing, as it’s harder to sift through the ocean of shit these days because everyone has a soapbox. Comic-Book super heroes have become a very, very successful motion picture industry conversion and I see this pulling a huge audience back into the comic-book industry itself... kids are reading again, collecting comic-books and toys again on mass - which is a great thing! So indeed I think we’re on the cusp of a golden return to the comic-book superhero in comic-books themselves. We have seen a lot of movies centered on comic book heroes and graphic novels. Is this something that you look forward to? Or do you thing that it degenerates the artists? I do look forward to super hero movies... I love to escape into the realm of motion pictures in general as often as I can. I don’t think it degenerates the artists’ work in comic-books at all. I think it pushes both sides forward to create more realistic and believable, ...to a point even ‘plausible’ characters and storylines in an age when technology is so advanced in the real world that science fiction today isn’t as far-fetched as it once was... which I think is part of the success of comicbooks in the movies... If you look at the comic-book styles of the 50’s n’ 60’s the artwork is SO different... These days it’s darker, grittier... people seem to love what they can relate to... So to mix our heroes with real life and ‘real’ technology fuels the imagination... could I be Batman...? ...Could I be Iron Man...? YES! I think that will be one of the strong points with the Ministry series... everyone wants to be Batman or a Rockstar... in a sense, we have both! I have always been fascinated with the creation of
new worlds! Have you invented/discovered a comic book hero, who is totally a figment of your abysmal inspiration? I have seen your grim and horrific figures, but only in static sketches. Would you like to give them life into a universe of their own? Still waiting for new stuff out of Samson Mansion!
of bands on various projects, such as Powerman 5000, Kill Devil Hill, American Head Charge, and, of course Ministry... I’m working on a very, very, very exciting new comicseries but I can’t ‘BURST’ with all the news just yet... let’s just say it’s horror related. Aside from that I’m creating Zombie portraits and comic covers here n’ there as usual.
That’s another great question. I do have a world in mind that indeed is filled with monsters and characters... That world is ‘this’ world... it’s strange enough. I do have three books of my own in process... outside of the comic-book world... ‘Monster’ books so to speak. Those will be following the Ministry comic-book series. As for Samson Mansion, that is being fully launched in the new year... stay tuned online via my Facebook page!
You worked with big names in the past and you still do. How do they treat you as an artist? Do they give you strict orders to follow or they just let you do your stuff?
A major part of your work is cover artworks. You’ve been working with “A Pale Horse Named Death”. Tell us about it!
I work with names big and small, famous and unknown... but I don’t work with people who give strict orders... I walk away quite happily from this kind of people. I do, of course, take into account what my clients are looking for in order to execute their wishes, but when
I’m instructed ‘to the letter’ on how to create something, it rubs me up the wrong way and you could call that a dealbreaker. I don’t do ‘paint by numbers’. Have you ever tried to convince your employers that their chosen artwork is not good but they wouldn’t listen? How often do your ideas contradict to those of the people who hire you? I would never tell a potential client their artwork sucks... I think if they don’t know already, there’s something wrong. Unless of course they’re just starting out... then, of course, anyone needs all the help they can get! I would never try to convince a client either... I prefer to work ‘with’ a client if they have a particular concept in mind. Otherwise I don’t like either side having their time wasted. It’s incredi-
Well, with ‘A Pale Horse Named Death’, I actually created both their first and second album artwork and it wasn’t just the cover artwork... Each album contains twenty five original pieces of artwork... including extra for the vinyl editions... Those were the largest album projects I’ve created, in terms of package and full sleeve artwork. Being a massive fan of the bands ‘Type O Negative’ and ‘Life Of Agony,’ this has been a pure honor and labor of love to create for Sal Abruscato, Matt Brown, Johnny Kelly... Any big names behind running projects? People will burst if they don’t find out! I know about “KISS”… I’ve just finished my fifth KISS comic-book cover artwork and I’m working with a number Burst www.afternoiz.com
22
I never felt that you were affected by politics but as the crisis around the world escalates (and here in Greece even more), do you think the art world is affected by all that, in the best or the worst way?
and smothered by manufactured media which includes manufactured news... it’s hard to tell what IS real these days. We have to be very careful with what we put out in order to give a genuine and fresh account of what we believe in. We’re spoon fed and told what to think, what to buy, what to enjoy, what to worry about - if anything is needed, this needs to stop.
It’s clear the art world is an indispensible tool in the education of the world, whether in politics or otherwise. We’re living in an age, where information and entitlement go hand in hand - where often the real issues are overshadowed
I was always under the impression that artists are historians but with a twisted perspective, and sometimes can see the future. Does this apply in your case? Has it happened to you?
bly rare that they’re looking for something I don’t do. When that happens, I’m gone; for the best interests of us both.
“I prefer to work ‘with’ a client if they have a particular concept in mind. Otherwise I don’t like either side having their time wasted” I wouldn’t say ‘twisted’... but definitely futures are often predicted... in music and lyrics also... there are parallels I’ve stumbled across working with various bands where I feel as though I’ve ‘been there - known that’... Or sometimes I’ll write some lyrics myself and they’ll turn up in a song by someone unrelated to me... THAT is a strange feeling and often annoyingly
frustrating... Concepts and ideas on the same brain-wave perhaps... there’s definitely a ‘frequency’ as Al Jourgensen calls it. How do you feel about the future, through the prism of art? The nuclear threat stigmatized the decades after the Great War. What do you think is in stock for our generation? Perhaps the threat of an extra-terrestrial invasion will be soon announced... Return of the ‘Gods’ to judge us... perhaps to wipe us out. One thing is for sure... the world has become VERY small since the arrival of the internet... people are travelling across the world more than ever. So if we don’t start getting along... three’s either going to be a mass murder on an incalculable level or there’s going to be a mass epidemic from some horrible plague virus... people aren’t going to work together and ultimately we’ll virtually wipe ourselves out... again. I think the latter weighs on peoples’ minds more-so these days than nuclear war... and it should. Whether as an act of war or via nature itself... it’s a very real possibility. Do you consider death to be an inspiration? Has it been for you? I think the idea of death as an event and the romantic visual of ‘Death’ as a character is something that has been used throughout music and artwork for centuries, if not thousands of years... It’s an attractive subject matter in general... one that forever fascinates as it ultimately affects us all... it is the one thing that we will ALL face. So it does inspire me but along with all the other aspects that it relates to... the unknown, the unexplained... the afterlife... other dimensions... hauntings... Death is more than a final act... it is a feast of inspiration!
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23 You are surrounded by memoirs of death, judging from your excessive grim collection of artifacts! If you could choose a band to play in your funeral, which would that be and why? Well, I always loved ‘Type O Negative’ - but sadly the brainchild behind the band, Peter Steele is no longer with us... and VERY much missed. But perhaps I’d have their music simply ‘played’ out on a record. I think I’d have a few bands pumped through the PA at that event... Nine Inch Nails: ‘A Warm Place’ from ‘The Downward Spiral’ album would be a must... perhaps some ‘Black Sabbath’... followed by a slice of ‘Monster Magnet’... all bands I’d love to create for of course! How about Mister Sam’s future? What can expect for 2014? 2014 will be a VERY busy
year... Not only will the Ministry comic-book be launched, but also I’ll be launching my own website, revealing my own products and sitting down to work on a number of my own personal projects... including music. I am working on a number of film projects, but I cannot reveal exactly who I’m working with at the moment, as I’m bound by contract until the press release is ready... But I’m sure I’ll share some meat with you once they’re ready! What about the mystery behind the new-yet-empty Facebook store? My guess is merchandise with your creations? ...Merchandise is on the cards, but I’m waiting until the website is fully launched as they go hand in hand... logos etc. Any other changes on the cyber universe? Maybe a web-comic coming up (to speak my mind out-loud)?
There’s no plan for an online comic as yet... though that isn’t ruled out in the realm of possibility. First things first is the launch the Ministry comic-book this next summer in 2014 which will be physical and quite possibly also looking like we’re going digital too!
Any plans to visit the Mediterranean? I’d love to visit the Mediterranean - I haven’t been in years... Who knows, perhaps I’ll return for a little tour of my own. ;-)
More news and Artwork by Sam Shearon/‘Mister-Sam’: facebook.com/MisterSamShearon twitter.com/sam_shearon
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Eric Peterson It was a great honor for me to talk to Eric Peterson, the founder of legendary Bay Area thrashers Testament. We talked a bit about the financial crisis in Greece and Europe – to break the ice – and fortunately he had the time to answer to all of my questions so calmly and eagerly that I felt I was talking to a friend. It’s fascinating how people like him feel blessed and lucky, nothing less, nothing more! By Sissy Fanouraki / Photos by www.deankarr.com
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25 You have been the only constant member of Testament all these 30 years. How do you feel about it? I feel about 49 years old! Well, it feels good… Having a blessed life, and pretty much not being over the top, not being super super rich or, you know, super poor, crossed my battles, basically it’s been a struggle in my life to get through this, it’s been a lot harder for other people, so I’m thankful for what I have, you know, a lot of fun. Also producing that long, I look at the music we’re creating and it’s pretty cool, we’ve still got that edgy sound, I think. We still got that. I don’t feel that our music just has to do with making money. We’re still in to what we do. Have you always wanted to become a guitar player, playing in a band? Was it a lifetime dream or did it just happen? When I was younger, maybe when you’re at that age when you start saying I’m going to be this or that… I think I wanted to be a professional soccer – you call it football there – player ‘cause I was into sports when I was a kid. But, you know, as kids we started asking each other “Hey, have you heard of Kiss?”, “Have you ever heard of Aerosmith?”. Back then, they called it acid rock (laughs) ‘cause there was looooove and lots of musicians were probably on drugs but it was hard rock and it led me into finding out Judas Priest, probably in ’77-’78… with all that staff in my head by the time I was in 8th grade, actually before that, 7th grade at Christmas I got a music magazine and I didn’t want a guitar I just wanted this… pedal called Distortion Plus by MXR and I knew that it gave that sound, crunchy distortion sound so I wanted the distortion box and I got it for Christmas; but I didn’t play the guitar, I just had the distortion box and I thought it was cool! You know, I showed to my friends “Hey look at my distortion box!” and they were like “What’s up man? Do you play the guitar?” and I said no… So, next year, I finally got a guitar and in my 8th grade yearbook [I cleaned
my garage and found it among other things] and there in the middle it says what you want to do with your life and mine said “I want to be a rockstar” (laughs). So, that what I wanted to do, I guess, when I was younger, I wanted to be a rockstar! But I don’t think I really started playing the guitar seriously until 10th to 11th grade in high school, though. From 8th to 10th grade I maybe learnt “Smoke on the Water” but most of the time I put on AC/ DC or Aerosmith and jumped around really loud and acted like I was playing!
ing every day; when I’m not playing the guitar, I usually do some kind of composing in my head... like I try different riffs in my head, it’s weird, I can speak to myself try again, try another riff. It’s like I’m playing but I’m not playing! (laughs) Ok, a lot of it is mental, I guess I have a photographic memory, I remember parts, but sometimes I jumble it in my head and if I start it in my head I can’t stop it and start over; the riffs got to keep going… funny thing!
Well, it happens with all the obvious ways but most of the times for me it all starts with being inspired with something
Well, change is good but it’s scary. When Alex quit the band, it was premeditated. He told us, in the beginning of the “Ritual” cycle…. when
and I want to do something else.” So, at that time that music industry was changing – you know, CDs were available – there were so many metal bands and a lot of them were terrible and metal was getting bad name and a new scene was popped out from Seattle Cure, Nirvana, Alice in Chains and everybody almost forgot about heavy metal in general, from Cinderella to Slayer. Metal was just like… everybody dropped everything and run over the Seattle thing! We still had the band but actually there was no more love. Seemed like all these happened at once and the only thing I could think of when Alex said he was leaving and I looked at Louie – it was almost like in slow motion – I looked at Greg, I looked at Chuck and Louie looked really scared, Greg was like “crazy” and Chuck was really serious, you know, and I was thinking “wow! That’s really cool!” I won’t have to compromise anymore. We tried to become a more commercial band. In Legacy and New Order we were heavy and then started
-whether it’s a cool book, a movie or a certain part of the movie- and I almost hear my own music… or a lot of the old stuff stuck in my head. There are certain feelings you get when you listen to music, it takes you to by surprise… When I compose, I’ll come up with an idea on guitar but 50% of it comes when I’m driving around or doing what I’m do-
the “Ritual” album came out and we were getting ready for everything, he wanted to sit down and have a meeting with us… When we all sat down and talked, he told us that he was not into metal and made clear that he wanted out “I’ve been doing this since I was 19 we did a record we took off, we did tour record tour record tour and here we are 7 years later
to be more of a rock band and that didn’t work out in my opinion. Sepultura came out, a lot happened in mid 90’s, the Norway movement came in and I thought it was really really cool… I had so many ideas, I didn’t have to compromise… so, I forgot what the question was about but basically, musically this line-up change was the big thing back then but
[Meanwhile I asked Eric his age back then and he described his puberty - 14 to 15 - as “clumsy and dorky”] You are the main songwriter too, right? Could you describe the writing/ composing process of Testament?
From 1993 to 2003 Testament went through numerous line-up changes and severe health issues; I’m referring to James Murphy’s brain tumor, in 1999 and Chuck Billy’s cancer in 2001. How much have these incidents affected you as a band and you as a person?
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26 also I considered that to have been a new tool to create new Testament sound, more modern and more heavy. So the second part of my question was how much have James and Chuck’s health issues affected your music as a band and you as a person? In a weird way, Chuck’s cancer… the bad thing he had cancer, people die from cancer. But, at the same time, he never freaked out; not once. He was saying he’s going to beat this and he made everybody believe that. With all the spiritual guidance he had and Native American medicine, it passed quickly. The good thing that happened out of it was that it brought Greg and Alex and Louie back into Testament. We haven’t played together in a lot of years… 10 years! It was a reunion, for a benefit show for Chuck called “Thrash of the Titans” and we brought lots of band together; Exodus, Death Angel, Anthrax, Destruction… Everybody came out and played, it was really cool. We got together, we were in the room together and we had a really good time and everybody said that we could actually do something more
later but you know, couple of years later we ended up doing the 2005 reunion thing and we haven’t looked back ever since. About James Murphy now, it was a really weird condition. He was sick for such a long time and we all thought he was crazy. He was kicked out of the band ‘cause he was too nuts for us! Too goofy, too stupid… He was like a South Park character. The tumor put pressure on his brain, I don’t know what it was doing to him, but he was forgetting everything he did like an hour later. Yes, I read about it somewhere, that’s why I asked you, that he had forgotten the whole album or so... Yeah! He participated in a record with us but he was still sane and could do stuff although he was acting a little weird, once more he was a bit crazy. He’s very intellectual, a very smart man and he’s a really good guitar player. But when we found out, wow, I felt bad for thinking that way about him. Oh! But this actually explains his behavior. He was a cartoon from South Park indeed! Everything was funny for him… just funny, no seriousness. 2013 has been a pretty
busy year for you with live dates worldwide. You played alongside Overkill, Flotsam and Jetsam, 4ARM, Huntress, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God, Skid Row and Municipal Waste, plus in March you had a short European Tour. Let me guess was it as stressful as it was exciting? It’s even worse; I’m also recording a record with Dragonlord, so I didn’t rest whenever I was home. As soon as I got home, I drove to the studio and record all day and that’s what I’m doing now. After our interview I’m going to drive over there. We’ve got the drums done, after the tour I just started the guitars – almost done – now I’m doing the orchestra, choir stuff and I’m pulling my hair out… too much for me. I’d really wanted to throw all away but I just can’t! I’ve already made the deal, and everything is in process and I’m late, I’m top of it because the record took forever to be made for Testament and then I toured… didn’t expect to tour that much… I’ve got to get it done. The good thing is that the music wasn’t written under pressure. It was written over the last 5 years and the last 6 months, lots of old and new stuff. It’s going to be amazing. It’s probably one of the best records I’ve even written. It’s under the marker of Black Metal but it could be a Hard Rock record too, since there are so much musical and epic stuff in it. But it was really hard ‘cause I was so busy with Testament so, just crazy. But yeah… stressful is the word. You played alongside Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Anthrax and Sabaton, right? Throughout your career, you’ve played alongside some great bands. It’s been amazing, you know… Really really cool! So, you have too many memories, right? Don’t you think it’s about time to write a book or make a documentary about it? You know, it’s funny you said that, because I was thinking of doing a coffee-table book first.
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I’ve just cleaned my garage this weekend after 15 years of whatever. I mean, it literally took me three days to clean the garage. You find boxes, old pictures, some beautiful artsy pictures of the Vatican with the sun coming through a statue… pictures that I’ve never seen before and I was thinking it would have been really cool to make like a hundred-page pictures or 75, 85-page photograph coffee-table book with little stories of every picture… and then an autobiography, later; it’s not going to be a diary or something, it’s going to be my life which is a mess!! (Laughs) and I probably want to hide it after I write it, if people knew what I did and came through… For me, you can’t write a book like that when you’re still in a band. If you’re in a band and you’re old like Mick Jagger stuff, there is no way he could have said that he had sex with… he couldn’t have said that 20 years ago, but now his older… it’s OK. 2013 is the year of your 30th Anniversary! Are these gigs your plans for celebration, or maybe have any other plans too? We have a new live DVD coming out. 20 songs… lot of cool songs! The production and the stage show it’s not too big or too small… It’s the perfect way to see Testament, I think, and it’s a good show. It’s not captures from many shows, it’s one show and we were 10, 12 maybe 13 days on tour… It’s a good representation of what we do, and as far as the 30-year thing is concerned, I don’t know how you’re calculating it. When our first record came out in ’87 - in ’83, it was me and nobody else (laughs)! In ’83, I graduated from highschool and I don’t really think I had a band together. I have a ticket of my first-ever show somewhere; we opened for a pop-rock band called Rebels & Infidels and, remember I’ve told you I’ve cleaned my garage, I have the ticket in here, wait a second – oh my God, I’ve just found pictures of my old girlfriend! (Laughs) got to hide that – ok found it, it says 5/25 Friday Rebels & Infidels, Legacy and Nasty Habit and I think it was ’84. The way I look
27 at it, ’87 is the year of Testament’s first record. 2012 was our 25th anniversary!! Your new album “Dark Roots of Earth” has received some great reviews and entered the Billboard 200 at No.12, which I think is your highest position in a US chart ever. Do you feel satisfied with your career at this point? Well, for Testament, yes, it was the highest position. I don’t know why we weren’t at No.1 though (laughs). Yes, pretty satisfied for this extreme music. Being humble and knowing that it’s as good as it gets; we have a lot of fans and, yeah, it shows that Testament is still around and they’re charting high and it’s really cool. Even when we were HOT in “Practice What You Preach” in ’89, we’ve never charted that high… In August 2012, you stated that you’ll make another album if “Dark Roots of Earth” does good… and actually you did it! Also, Chuck Billy promised us fans that Testament would not take “huge gaps” between albums anymore. Do you keep your promises? Well, practice what you preach!!! (Laughs) I mean that’s wishful thinking. It won’t take us 4 to 5 years for a next album. It’s already been a year and a half and you got to put an album out, go on tour… We actually cancelled a tour next year, so we can make a new record. The plan is to start working on new material in winter. And then a confirmation arrived for the travelling Australian tour and that’s two or three weeks – Oh, my God… it never ends! I know, it’s great but it’s hard… It’s like when you’re painting a picture, stop painting now, come travel around the world and finish that later, and when you got back you’re not going to paint in the same way. That’s always my problem; when I start something, when I come back I either really like it or I don’t like it at all and start over. The last time you were in Athens, Greece, was
back in June 2009, at Rocking Athens Festival, playing alongside Gojira, Blind Guardian and Ronnie James Dio (Heaven & Hell). Dio passed away the very next year. Did you play another gig with him later that year or was it the last? I don’t recall if it was the last show with R.J.Dio or another festival, I have to look at my itinerary. Any memories from that amazing metal god? I remember I read in Chuck’s interview back then that he was amazed by the way he treated you and remembered your names and… We basically knew him, we’ve smoked joints with him, drank beers with him. When we toured back in ’93, we did 22 shows in England, UK and we would always sit on the side of the stage with five big Heineken cans each and he would always call us the three blind monkeys… We hadn’t seen him for a while and we saw him at Revolver Music Awards, and he remembered my wife’s name, and my wife was about to have a heart attack. He had a great memory and if you had learnt anything on how to treat people, he was the guy. If you can make other people feel good, then that’s a good skill! He made me feel like a million dollar guy and if there are people who can do that, then the world is a better place. Last question, do you have any plans for us, your fanatics, in Greece? Are you coming back anytime soon? As soon as… next spring or maybe summer, sometime in 2014. In December and January we will be in pre-production and I have lots of good ideas, and I’m excited about that! Another month to record it… It must be the DESTROYER album! You, know time flies… Thank you very much for your time! Take care! Yes, thank you, you too!
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Dave Wyndorf Before I dialed this number, I took a deep breath. Dave fucking Wyndorf would be at the end of the line! The mastermind of Monster Magnet, the man who defines the term ‘frontman’, the space lord motherfucker himself! Despite my nervousness I finally dialed up the number, just to find out that Dave is so cool that even hell could freeze over! Read that Loud if you wanna know everything about Last Patrol, as well as Dave’s favorite film noirs, vinyl’s, etc.! By Spiros Smyrnis Photo Credit: Jeremy Safferwyn
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30 I am more than happy doing this interview, Dave, ‘cause your music kept me great company through both good and difficult times. Thank you, man! No matter how cliché this question sounds, I have to ask. Your new album is about to be released, so how do you feel about it? I feel good! Releasing a new album is like delivering a baby! Like your kid’s first day to school! So, “Last Patrol” is ready to go! The album was produced by Phil Caivano and you. Let’s talk about the rest of the technical stuff. Mixing, mastering? Mixing was done by Joe Barresit, an amazing mix engineer in California. He did some great things. He did some desert rock back then, he did early Kyuss. He did a fantastic job. We went to California and it was very important to me that the album would go to the right hands, the right people. You said that the songs are a kind of Space-Noir. I liked that term and I think it perfectly describes the feeling of new album. Would you like to be more specific to our readers? Space Noir term came up by me and has to do a lot with what happened in my head. It has to do with alienation, some bad romances too, some weird tricks in romance, lies, of course, the kind of stuff that make life interesting. So it’s kind of a dark, creepy kind of a psychological feel but, on top of that, I’m using some words to describe my emotions; words taken from science-fiction and outer space in order to pump out the drama. So I use the vernacular science fiction to describe this normal and very, very human point in my life. It’s kind of noir, it’s storytelling but with an outerspace vibe. I have to ask now, which are your favorite noir films? Burst www.afternoiz.com
Oh boy! There’s so many! One of my favorite is Kiss Me Deadly, such an amazing film. Oh man, there’s so many, really. D.O.A is a great film, too. Again, there’s so many. What a strange and weird piece of film history that was, right? Noir, you know, is like look at these crazy little movies. They are always creepy. It’s a bad crime, yes, but they are all about lost loves you know. And stories from the underworld. Yeah, that’s probably why I loved them so much. I like the vintage feeling -the 60’s one- that runs through the entire album! Did you do that on purpose or did it just happen? Very much on purpose. Phil and I worked on that. Especially the guitars didn’t have the usual modern feeling people are used to. The guitar parts have this character, which I couldn’t get if I used the modern gears. It was impossible. I don’t think that guitars sounded better than in the 50’s, 60’s and the early 70’s! They have a character; even though they’re old, they still have a personality. So when we decided to write Last Patrol, we went down so that each and every instrument has its character and its personality. So you named your new album “Last Patrol”. Any stories or hints about the album’s title? Last
Patrol
actually is a name of a song I really liked. To tell you the truth, in the recording I often joke about “This is my Last Patrol”, but, of course, this is not true. It’s like a war movie title, it sounds automatic. I said to myself “this is how the album should be called”.
lent job!
Seems ok. I never actually was a guy who’s hanging on with record company. “Hey what’s going on man?”. I am in my house in New Jersey, and they’re in Austria; so far so good. Nobody’s killing each other, nobody’s suing each other, everybody’s doing what should do, so everything’s fine.
I know he’s amazing. I had an idea for the cover. The bullguy in space and it was based on several different old 1960’s science-fiction paperback cockers. That was the vibe I wanted. So I went out and contact different artists to see if they’re willing to work with me on that. I found John, who was willing to work and we did a lot back and forth phone calls on the internet. I said that we need the bull-guy in space but feel free to put your thing in it! We worked really well back and forth. I wanted it to be a painting, to be more vintage! I wanted it to look old and he did it. He was the right man for the job I guess! He totally delivered. He is a very talented man.
Who is responsible for the amazing Last Patrol cover? That cover was painted by a man named John Sumrow. He did an excel-
Even from the 4-way Diablo album you made a music turn as the albums were closer musically speaking to what we call
This is your second album via Napalm Records so far. How was your co-operation?
31 space rock or psych rock. Am I right? Yeah, Absolutely! Psych rock, I love it! To me, this album is the third part of a trilogy- or a greater saga if you’d likethat started with “4way Diablo” and ended with “Last Patrol”. I found a sound continuity through the albums that I really enjoyed as a listener. Very cool! Thanks dude, I appreciate that. I think that from “4 Way” and “Mastermind”, to “Last Patrol” album I kind finding my way towards higher positions, not just the big rock songs but the smaller songs, the quieter ones became more important to me. I keep looking for a way to get more flattened with Magnet, without crowding out the rock songs and I think from “4 Way” to “Last Patrol” it’s been my way of finding that out. This is the first Monster Magnet album without Ed Mundell on guitars since 1992. You were in the same band for almost 20 years. How are you dealing with his absence? We’re doing ok, it’s fine. Like you said, Ed was in the band for a long time, but in the last records, especially on “Mastermind,” he hasn’t been around so much. He was living in California and he kind of started his own solo project, you know. I am prepared to work with anyone who wants to be on a Monster Magnet record. You know, I write all the guitar parts alone. I don’t play them but I write them. Whoever’s gone or whoever’s in, I deal with that. Monster Magnet has been my baby for a long time. I miss Ed’s excellent playing but I think that the guitar parts on this record are fantastic. For me, it has nothing to do with how well it played, it has to do with the vibes you get from that, the emotional contact if you’d like, and we haven’t got this one with Ed on the last record, so I
think we’re better apart. Over the last years, vinyl’s sales have increased, just like the audience’s interest. You are about to release Last Patrol in several vinyl versions. I’m sure that you are more than happy that vinyl’s are back! Oh I love it, I totally love it. The cover of Last Patrol, for which we talked before, was designed only with vinyl in mind. I mean, I don’t know what happens and how it’d look small or in jewel case; I only wanted it to look good on vinyl. Vinyl sounds fucking good, it’s fun to play it, far more fun than just hitting a button. To me it’s the cover that gets me, the delivery of the project. It’s big, it’s fantastic! No matter how convenient computerized digital music gets, I hope we would never forget this fantastic celebration of the project, you know. It’s like delivering a birthday cake. We are living in strange times, where our music has to be updated to online social media. Which are your thoughts as an artist and as a musician on the internet era? I think that promises much more than it actually delivers. A lot of people may think that “oh this is the new way”!
Maybe it’s one way, but it’s not the only way. To me, there’s so much internet that people’s memories get weak. I mean yes, social networking directs people, but the question is “for how long?” How long before someone clicks on something else? Still the only true way I can see is to gather many people in the same room and play for them. “Hey, I got you here so you are my prisoner”. So, yeah, the internet is cool, it is great but, at some point, you have to understand that the true music way is to play in front of people who like your music. Period. You have already announced your North American Tour alongside Royal Thunder and Zodiac. Any additional tour plans? Yeah, we’re gonna get out in Europe in January, a few weeks after the North American tour, for five weeks. Are you going to stop in Greece ‘cause it’s been a while since your last visit! I know. Unfortunately, there are no plans for Greece in January but we may be there in summer festivals in June or July. Like I said, we go to Europe for five weeks and then a little tour in Australia and then we will continue probably in USA and by next summer we
will do a tour in Europe during festival time. In 2014 you will celebrate the 25th anniversary of Monster Magnet. A quartet of a century, not bad! When you formed the band, could you imagine that you were to last so long to achieve so much? Oh my God, no! It’s bizarre, dude! One thing about music and touring you should know is that it ruins your perception of time. My sense of time is completely different than it was before I had the band, which is a cool thing, as I said to myself, “oh it’s not that long”! When people say to me “it’s about to be 25 years” I say “Wooow”! Seriously, it makes me so happy that I can do everything I love. I am very lucky to do that. It’s not just a dream of having a life in music; it is a life *in* music! I always remember the times I worked all the shitty jobs like carwash or cleaning toilets and I said to myself “I wish I could do something I love”. It’s not about the money! It’s about surviving in a world and being a part of something you love and I am happy to do that. Thank you again, Dave! I hope to see you here in the summer! Thanks Spiros! man!
Take care,
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Peter Hook Inside BURST By Marianna Kofinaki Photo Credit: Mark McNult
Not only is Peter Hook a modern legend and a musician who inspired countless others, but also a restless artist, expressing himself in so many different ways. You are all familiar with his key role in Joy Division. His trip in the darkness of Joy Division and in New Order afterwards, paved the way to his passage to “The Light”, his recent band, with which he’s currently touring around the world, making the fans enjoy songs of all his eras. What you possibly don’t know is that Peter’s accomplishments don’t stop there. Except for his love for music, Mr. Hook is also a writer, founder of a university class and so much more. Do you want to find out? Burst Magazine attempts to shed some light in his entire career, revealing some less known info on the late Ian Curtis along the way. So brace yourselves as we’re heading towards “The Light”!
Hello Peter, how are you? Hello! Not bad thank you! At first, let’s sum up your career a bit, which is kind of hard, since you’ve always been a really prolific musician and a very busy man alike: You were the bassist and co-founder of the iconic band Joy Division, alongside Bernard Summer back in the mid ‘70’s. After Ian Curtis’ passing, the band reformed as New Order, where you played bass until your departure in 2007. As for now, you’ve founded a new band, The Light. How was this passage from the “darkness” of Joy Division to trying to find a “New Order” and then heading towards “The Light”? How have all those aforementioned changes affect you, both as a person and as an artist? The transition from Joy Division to New Order was obviously not easy because we were still coming to terms with the fact that Ian had left us and we were all still trying to find our feet again. Despite that, we made a very solid debut album as New Order, Movement, which I am very proud of. New Order went on to make music for over 25 years which was a great achievement. When the band split up in 2006, I started on various other projects but it was in 2010 when I decided to form The Light – at first to just play one, single concert as a tribute to Ian, we would play Unknown Pleasures. That one gig sold out, so we added a second night, and then from there it just went a bit crazy I suppose. I love touring with The Light because it allows me to play all the songs from Joy Division and New Order that have been ignored for so long. My career is a long one and everything that has happened along the way has definitely shaped me into the man I am today but one thing I will say is that I have no regrets! I’ve read somewhere that you claim to have developed your high bass lines
when you started playing with Joy Division because the speaker that you initially used -bought from your former art teacher for just £10- was so poor you had to play that high to be able to hear what you were doing, as Bernard Sumner’s guitar was so loud. I know I’m taking you way back in time now….However, I’ve always wondered whether that’s true. Was that ‘necessity’ some kind of influence in your overall sound from that time on? That is absolutely true; our equipment when we started the band was terrible and Barney’s guitar was that loud and distorted that the only way I could hear myself play was to play the high notes. I guess it was an accident at first but then it became my style. For songs like She’s Lost Control, Ian would hear the high basslines when we were jamming and say that sounds great! Do that again! And so from there I started to develop my own playing style which incorporated the higher notes on the guitar and it served me well throughout my entire career. You met Ian Curtis at a Sex Pistols concert and you formed a band together. We are aware of the fact that Ian’s life wasn’t easy at all and that was the main reason he committed suicide; for example, he had been struggling with a lot of issues in his personal life, plus he was an epileptic. Of course Curtis is some kind of an urban legend…oh; wait… that’s an understatement….he is definitely a rock icon. Are there any less known information/ trivia about him that you would like to share with our readers? At the time, we were not really aware of what Ian was going through, because all the time when he was with the rest of the band he would always say that he was fine and that there was nothing wrong. But really he had a lot of issues behind the scenes that we did not see, Burst www.afternoiz.com
34 and while we knew about his epilepsy, nobody really understood the seriousness of it because back then there was not as much information on the illness that would help people to understand it. Because of the tragic ending to Ian’s story people seem to think that he was never happy, but that is not true. I have a lot of very happy memories of Ian, he was just a normal lad trying to make it in a rock band and definitely knew how to enjoy himself.
sides from 1981-1983 – they are all great live shows and people say that they are really enjoying it so we will carry on doing it! Next year we plan to play the next two albums Low Life and Brotherhood for the first time. My son plays with me in the band which is a great feeling for me, and the other three guys David, Andy and Paul all played with me as part of Monaco my side project band from the 1990s so it is a very good group of people and they are a fantastic live band.
Let’s go back to New Order now. How are your relations between yourself and the rest of the founding members those days? Are things still tense or do you think that the situation is now resolved somehow?
Many of your songs of all the bands you’ve founded/ joined have influenced countless artists around the world. For example, I remember the Smashing Pumpkins covering “Transmission”, the “Isolation” cover by Therapy? And the list goes on and on... Plus, lots of your songs have been remixed. How does it feel to be such an influential musician? Is this some kind of the ultimate reward for you, along with the recognition you constantly receive from fans?
The fact is that there is no relationship whatsoever now between myself and the others. We are currently only speaking through our lawyers. I can’t really see it ending anytime soon which is a shame but there is nothing we can do about it, we just have to see what happens through the legal process. Could you shed some light on how you founded… ”The Light”? How did you reach this decision? Are you happy with it? Could you give us a brief biography of the band so far? I am very happy with The Light – it is the most fun I have ever had in a band, I have never enjoyed touring so much as I do now with this group of people, the band and the crew are all fantastic people to work with. As I said earlier I wanted to celebrate Ian’s life so I put a band together to play Unknown Pleasures in full, for just one concert, but from there we were invited all around the world to come and play. We followed our performance of Unknown Pleasures by playing the other two Joy Division records, Closer and Still, which meant we had played every Joy Division song ever written. After that great achievement, we then played the first two New Order records Movement and Power, Corruption & Lies, as well as all the singles and BBurst www.afternoiz.com
kins played Transmission. I also like it when people remix our songs because it allows them to give a fresh perspective to the original song. I am just happy that our music still seems to be important over 30 years after it was written, that is a great thing. In October 2009, you published the book “How Not To Run A Club” as co-owner of the Hacienda nightclub. Ironically enough, one year later, in 2010, you opened The Factory, a new club and live venue in Manchester. Was the latter some kind of a change of heart? How did this decision come up back then?
It is a very nice feeling when other artists say that music
I had always said that I would not get involved in the nightclub industry again and the book was my way of showing that, but then a great friend of mine who is a very good businessman came up with the idea of opening the Factory. I decided to get involved because he has a great team who take care of the running of the club, something we did not have with the Hacienda, and also because it meant that the Factory building in Manchester could be saved – I am
which I helped to create has been inspirational for them. I always like to see fellow musicians which I like covering our songs – Billy Corgan for example is a great friend and so it was great when the Pump-
proud of the fact that we still have something to do with that building rather than it just being turned into some offices or some apartments like everywhere else in the city seems to be doing...
“How not to Run A Club” is not the only book you have written. You were also the author of a book on Joy Division, for example. Can you present the rest of your work as an author to our readers? Which need(s) of yours does music cover and which one(s) is/are covered by writing? Yes, I have released two books and now I am currently working on my third book which will tell the story of New Order. Playing live music is a great job to have because it is obviously very enjoyable and lets you connect with people all around the world, but I also enjoying writing because it can be quite a cathartic process and is nice to do as it brings up some great memories from the past. It seems that your activities do not stop there. In 2012, you launched a brand new Masters Degree Program in Music Industry Management and Promotion at the University of Central Lancashire, which started in October 2012. This program seems to combine theory and practice of the music business combined, since
it also involves working in the Factory 251 venue in Manchester, providing contact with significant industry figures connected with this culturally important company. You were
35 awarded an honorary fellowship from the same institution on 11 July 2012. Based on that, is it right for me to say that you’re also an academic? What led you to this decision and why? Are there many students who opt for that program? Are they happy with it? I am not really an academic person; I did not do very well at school, so it is nice to now be involved with the degree programme as it is almost like a second chance for me to go back to school. I was honored to receive the honorary fellowship and I enjoy being part of the course. It’s great because it covers all the academic side but also offers the students hands on experience which is of course very important when it comes to them looking for jobs. The students are enjoying the course a lot, in fact at one of our gigs last week here in the UK all the students came down and helped to manage the concert, they did a great job. Speaking of live shows, you give fans the opportunity to enjoy Joy Division’s classics “Unknown Pleasures” and “Closer” in their entireties. Three years have passed since the tribute concerts at the Factory Club in Manchester, which were held in May 18 and 19 2010, where you effectively and successfully started doing that, so I’m pretty certain this initiative was proven as a huge success and of course led to more such demand, not just in the UK but on a worldwide basis (Europe, Australia, New Zealand and U.S.A). Which is the main feedback you received –and still receivefrom fans that made you go on with this plan? What about you? Is this a way of, let’s say, keeping Ian’s spirit alive? We were invited to come and play all around the world which has been a fantastic experience. Playing the music of Joy Division allows me to keep Ian’s spirit and work alive in places that Joy Division them-
selves never managed to visit, people have never heard this music live before so it’s great to be able to make that happen for everybody, my band play the music so well, it is amazing. The feedback we receive from all of our shows is amazing, I love reading everyone’s comments as it assures me that we are doing the right thing. Playing the Joy Division sets is great but I also love playing our New Order set. Even then, when we are playing New Order material, we support ourselves with a small set of Joy Division songs, because I want to keep it going and people enjoy hearing them. During the LA shows, Jane’s Addiction frontman Perry Farrell shared the stage with you, to sing the iconic song “Transmission” and “Isolation” respectively. In the same nights, you’ve also shared the stage with Moby and Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan. More info, please! Yes, we have done 3 full tours of North America and every time we have had the honor of being joined by several great musicians. Perry Farrell, Billy Corgan and Moby are all great friends of mine and I am very happy to have their support every time we visit the USA. Also, the last time we were in Brazil my friend Wayne Hussey from The Mission sang with us, and when we were in Japan last year Tim Burgess from the Charlatans sang for us – it is great to have so many friends that will come and join us on stage. What about the current tour? I’ve read somewhere that plenty of your shows have been sold out months before they were held and that there were really favorable comments from the critics as well. Both fans and the press love you, so congratulations! Are you happy with those outcomes and why? It is all going very well at the moment. We have just done our third tour of North America and after that we did several dates in South America where the audiences were just unbe-
lievable. After that, we started to tour in the UK again and we are in the middle of those dates at the moment, I am really enjoying all of the touring. As for Greece in particular, you replaced Happy Mondays during this year’s EJECT festival in Athens in July, where you performed songs from your entire career, e.g. both from Joy Division and New Order. Did you enjoy this particular show? Will you be returning to Greece to play live soon? I am very good friends with everyone from the Happy Mondays and so when they asked me if I was able to replace them at the festival I was very happy to do it. For various reasons they were not able to come to play and so we stepped in at the last minute. The idea was because we were playing with James Blake and the Pet Shop Boys, very electronic acts, we would play a couple of Joy Division songs and then an electronic set which contained all of the biggest electronic New Order songs all mixed together like a dance mix, the music never stopped for one second, it was a great night! An amazing audience in Greece just like last time. We are coming back in 3 weeks to play the Joy Division set in Athens and Thessaloniki, I am really looking forward to it!
as 2002’s ‘24 Hour Party People’ and 2007’s Control. I really like both films. 24HPP was obviously more lighthearted than Control which was a lot more serious but I enjoyed them both. Of course it is quite odd seeing yourself in a film but I thought the portrayal of us all in Control was the best as it was very accurate! Anton Corbijn the director knows us all very well so I knew that he would do a very accurate portrayal for his film. Now that we reach the end of this interview, I have to say that taking the time to answer our questions is truly a great honor for us; I would have thought of fifty more questions to ask you if I could (laughs). Anyhow, you have our heartfelt thanks for this interview! The last words are yours. Is there a specific message you’d like to pass on to your numerous fans? Thank you! I guess I would just like to say thanks for all the continued support and we will see you all soon!
You seem like a restless personality in terms of artistic expression in general: Bassist, singer, DJ, nightclub owner, record company boss, author and an academic. What else is there for us, the fans, to expect from you? Any additional surprises in stock for us in the near future? I like to be busy all the time, if I wasn’t busy with all my various things then I don’t know what I would be doing with myself! At the moment I am finishing my third book which you can expect next year and we are also working on adding a lot more tour dates for 2014. How does it feel being portrayed in the big screen? I’m referring to films such Burst www.afternoiz.com
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Mediaeval Baebes I first “discovered” the Mediaeval Baebes several years ago at a local Renaissance festival, when I noticed a crowd of several hundred people gathering at one of the outdoor theaters. I had never seen and act at the festival draw such a large audience, so I crept my way up until I had a clear view of the stage…. And I saw one of the
most incredible vocal groups I have ever seen. The Mediaeval Baebes are a vocal group from the UK, consisting of six very talented women, who sing ancient folk songs and poems set to original music. The music is performed with classical and mediaeval instruments. The vocal are sung in
not only modern English, but also in an impressive array of other languages; both modern and ancient. The Baebes have been serenading the world for 17 years and have released seven studio albums to date. They have their eighth album on the way and are showing no signs of stopping. On their most recent North American tour this fall, I was fortunate enough to get to ask a few questions of the group’s founder and musical director, Katharine Blake. Here is how it went...
Interview & Photos by Joe Prostredny
Hello Katharine! Thank you so much for agreeing to talk with us today!! Hello, It’s a pleasure. The Mediaeval Baebes were first formed in 1996. Your own website implies it all began when a group of you broke into a North London cemetery to perform in flowing white gowns and crowns of ivy. That sounds like a very interesting beginning. Are we allowed any more details on that event?
It was the most magical evening. The audience gained access to the venue with the aid of a map, which showed them where the gap in the fence was. Once inside the graveyard our guests were guided to the derelict church where we were performing by an illuminated pathway of tea lights….. That does sound like a very unique and magical beginning. And now you are here, 17 years and 7 studio albums later. You’re touring the world and have fans on several continents. Did you ever think
things would go this far or be this successful for the group when you started all those years ago? I had absolutely no notion at the beginning of this adventure that it would turn out to be such an epic journey. I think the longevity of the band can be attributed to the unique energy that is enjoyed between its members. It is so creatively rewarding working and playing with all these awe inspiring women. There have been many lineup changes over the years, which have kept things new
and exciting. The Baebes seem to have an extremely diverse audience, young and old, mainstream, Goth, metal fans, etc. The talent and the quality of the music are obvious answers, but what else about the group do you think attracts such a diverse group of fans? I think everyone has a need for escapism. The other-worldly nature of our music provides a portal to a romantic and enchanted realm which seems to Burst www.afternoiz.com
38 attract all age groups and social genres. Your shows definitely transport us to another time and place. This is due, in part, to the songs being sung in a wide variety of languages in addition to modern English. Many of the languages are contemporary; others are more ancient. Is it challenging to write and sing in so many different languages? I love the challenge of writing in so many different languages. The inherent and unique meter and color of each language inspires many different musical approaches. Does singing in other languages allow you the freedom to sing some lyrics that might be deemed less proper than if you sang them in modern English? I personally do not speak anything other than English, but I have heard tell that some of the lyrics that you sing in mediaeval languages are quite a bit bawdier than the ones you sing in English. I sing a song in Mediaeval Welsh called the “Sour Grove” which is a setting of a poem by a woman celebrating the female genitalia. It includes the word “cunt” in Mediaeval Welsh which was perceived as a beautiful and poetic word at the time. Obviously this one makes it past the sensors due to the obscureness of the dialect. We also sing a song called “Dringo Bell” in Middle English, which imparts the story of a man who fails to get an erection and then goes on to kiss the bum hole of his disappointed lover resulting in him having very strong smelling breath!!! **Laughs** Yes, probably best those lyrics continue to be sung in a more ancient tongue! Your lineup has changed considerably over the years, as members have come and gone. Although this is frequently detrimental to a lot of music groups, it has not seemed to affect the sucBurst www.afternoiz.com
cess and popularity of the Mediaeval Baebes at all. What do you feel is different about The Baebes that allow them to maintain their popularity with a rotating line up?
lend a more folky and organic tone to the songs through unique vocal arrangements, instrumentation, and in some cases adapting the tonality of the songs to more ancient and mediaeval sounding modes.
I think that the spirit of the band can and has been embodied by many women over the years. As the founder and only original member, I am in the unique position to have enjoyed all the incarnations of this many headed beast. I think the fans, whilst obviously having their favorites which they are sad to lose, are compensated by the fresh energy and skill sets that the new members bring.
That sounds very interesting and exciting. I can’t wait for the album to be released! Many bands from Europe don’t tour North America because we are either “too big” or “too far”. But here you are again, treating us to your wonderful music! When was your first North American tour, and what about that tour has kept you coming back to us?
I would assume one advantage of adding new members is that the change would keep things “fresh” by changing the group dynamic a bit, and bringing in new influences and ideas. How do you feel this has affected the group’s evolution over the years?
Our first American tour was in the late nineties (can’t remember a specific date I’m afraid). We always get a wonderful reception partly because of the appreciation of all things English and historical.
Very positively. The diversity of the new members’ contributions makes for an ever changing chemistry during the performances and the recording process which enables me to keep seeing it through other people’s eyes which re-invigorates my perception of the project.
The Americans tend to get into the spirit of things by dressing up in a fantastical manner for instance, which I appreciate. We are more likely to get standing ovations because the audiences are less self-conscious.
Last year, you treated us to two fantastic albums. “The Huntress” was a stunning double album featuring new material. You also released a compilation of previously released, remixed, and remastered songs on “Devotion”. This year, we have “Of Kings and Angels” to look forward to hearing. What can you tell us about the upcoming album? It is collection of famous Christmas Carols. This is the third Baebes album that I have produced myself and it has been the most pleasurable to date. The challenge of reinventing and arranging some of the most famous songs of all time has been incredibly rewarding. The vision was to
Are North American audiences any different from European audiences?
Well, we don’t give out standing ovations that freely, but we certainly aren’t afraid to do it when we are impressed!! What has been your favorite North American tour experience so far? Playing at Lilith Fair in the late nineties was a career highlight. We had the most amazing reception and had the honor of performing alongside some incredibly inspiring female artists. After you leave us here, you’ll be embarking on a UK Christmas Carol Tour following the release of “Of Kings and Angels”. You’ve done similar holiday tours before. Will we ever have this experience here in North America? Or will this type of show
be exclusive to your homeland? There are plans afoot to do a Christmas American tour in 2014. Fingers crossed. That is very exciting to hear!! We will keep our fingers crossed as well! Just because I think you’ll have an interesting answer, what is the strangest interview question you’ve ever been asked (other than this one)? Katharine: Why are you called the “Mediaeval Baebes”? Well isn’t it obvious? **Laughs** Yes (Laughs)! The answer to that question is quite obvious!! We know how you will be finishing 2013. What exciting things do the Mediaeval Baebes have in store for us in 2014? Like I said, hopefully a US Christmas tour… Do you have any parting words for your fans before we leave you? Thank you for your continued loyalty, which has enabled to keep going for so long. Peace and love! Thank you again so much for your time and for your beautiful music. We wish you all the best! You’re very welcome. Thank you for your interest and best wishes to you.
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BAND INFOS, MERCHANDISE AND MORE:
W W W . N U C L E A R B L A S T. D E
W W W. FA C E B O O K . C O M / N U C L E A R B L A S T E U R O P E
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ORCHID
Orchid is one of the most interesting hard rock bands out there, paying respect to the gods of heavy metal. The release of “The Zodiac Sessions” via Nuclear Blast was a good chance to contact them and learn everything new that’s goBy Spiros Smyrnis ing on in the band.
Give us the story of Orchid so far, for those Burst readers who may not have heard of it. Theo and I have been friends since sometime in the late 80’s. We had a different band together during the late 90’s. We started talking about doing Orchid sometime in 2006 and by late 2007 we had this same lineup that we have right now. This band was created for pure fun and just to hang out with a few friends and jam some old style music. Never in our craziest of dreams have we expected to be on a big label and do any kind of touring or anything like that. All of this ‘success’ just kind of happened unexpectedly. Theo made a great cover for The Zodiac Sessions. Your singer is gifted and multi-talented indeed! If he had to choose between music and painting, which one would be his final choice? I really have no idea. He’s been doing both his whole life. I suspect that music is probably a bigger dream for him, but I don’t know if I’ve ever really talked to him about it. What was the feedback Burst www.afternoiz.com
that you got for Mouth of Madness? Mostly good, I think. I think it was reviewed pretty widely and quite a few of those reviews were pretty positive. I know the label was very happy with the chart positions and all that kind of thing. The band was fairly satisfied, but we know we can do much, much better in the next album. Don’t you think it is a risk to re-release an album that has only two years of life? Not really, there’s really no risk at all for us. Those albums were never really widely available in any kind of mainstream way. Certainly anyone who tuned to the underground scene is aware of it, however there are many thousands of people who don’t fit into that group. Which is the re-issue you bought recently, or the one you enjoyed the most? I can’t really think of any reissue that I’ve bought recently at all. Isn’t there a 30 year anniversary of Melissa out soon? I might check that out. Are you satisfied with the
final version of “Zodiac Sessions” comparing to the first albums? I haven’t heard any of it yet. Hopefully the sound will be a little less muddy. Mouth of Madness was also released in vinyl version. How about Zodiac Sessions? Yes! Of course they will be available on vinyl. If you were fully responsible for your upcoming releases, would you choose vinyl or CD copies? Pros and Cons? I don’t really see it as one or the other, you have to have both, and really, you have to have all formats available for people’s convenience.
Nuclear Blast has been fantastic to us since the beginning of this relationship. I don’t think any of us would have any complaints about them. Which plans?
are
your
tour
In just a few days, we leave for Dusseldorf to begin the second leg of the Mouths of Madness European tour. After that, I’m not aware of any plans until next summer, but I’m not on the front lines of planning, so there could be talks of other stuff going on without my awareness. Is Greece, by any chance, included in your tour schedule? I don’t know, but we’d love to play in Greece someday. So what’s next for Orchid?
Could you spot any differences between “Through The Devil’s Doorway” and Mouth of Madness?
After this tour, we’ll finish writing another album and then begin recording during next spring, or maybe sooner.
Yes, we’re a much, much better band now.
The last words are yours!
Is it easier for a band like Orchid to work with the biggest metal label worldwide (Nuclear Blast)?
Thanks to all the Greek Orchid fans. We hope to bring the live show to you as soon as we can!
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Blackthorn
Greetings readers! As women of this genre are becoming very strong nowadays, on this issue of BURST we bring you a very dark group of women from Russia, our friends from Blackthorn. An all-female metal coven named Blackthorn was formed on All Hallows Eve and that certainly left a powerful mark on all aspects of the band’s activity. Some drops and essentials of Symphonic, Black and Gothic metal, an ethereal soprano, violent extreme Hello! Thank you very much for this opportunity. How are you? Less: Thank you, everything is fine! These are really busy times for us! I’ve had practically no sleep for the last few weeks. Varaska: Could have been better, but I never give up. Elvira: Thanks for asking. We are going strong, waiting for new shows and working on the new album! I wish all our hopes will be translated into reality! Aina, is that you? Burst www.afternoiz.com
vocals, a thunderous rhythm section, sinister guitar riffs, the mystic sounds of a violin and occult words - here are the ingredients of a magic potion of Blackthorn, able to enchant almost everyone. All those years, the band has performed many rituals in Russia and abroad, in neighboring countries, such as Ukraine, Belarus and Estonia, as well as in Poland, Czech Republic, Germany, Slovakia and
Aina: Blackthorn in full force; Elvira, Greta, Less, Varaska and me. Less: We couldn’t miss such a chance! What kind of voice do you possess? You’re a soprano, aren’t you? What’s your vocal range? Aina: I’m a lyrical soprano. My range is 2,5 octaves. What bands or artists have influenced your artistic life the most?
Hungary, as a part of Metal Spirit Resurrection tours. Highlights include playing on the main stage at Metal Crowd Festival alongside Catamenia, Battlelore, Graveworm and Trail of Tears, performances at Metal Heads Mission Festival and the Iron Maiden Festival in 2008 & 2011, support shows for Vesania, Christ Agony, HATE and Frantic Amber. So far, it’s only the beginning... By J.Roberto Zenteno Jimenez
Greta: As for me, I actually prefer different music to the one we play. I’m more into classic rock and alternative; not too much symphonic metal in my playlist. But I could say that every band you admire, whether it’s any one of my favorites, Korn, Black Sabbath or Queen, affects you as a musician. Less: Oh, it’s a long story… Elvira: There are just too many to name them all. Anyway, I started listening to metal and playing guitar when I discovered the Scorpions. From there, I started listening to technical, skilled and
progressive Dream Theater. Bands such as Tristania and Sirenia showed me the beauty of female vocals in metal music. Dissection was one of those gloomy melodic Black metal acts that impressed me. Dimmu Borgir, Anorexia Nervosa and Cradle of Filth introduced me to the stunning world of Symphonic extreme and Symphonic Black metal… So these are the bands which inspired me greatly. My biggest passion for classical music should not go unmentioned. It all started with lessons in music school in my childhood. It’s cool that now, as a composer, I found a balance between metal and
43 symphonic music. Are your records within the Metal genre important to you? Less: Records are like children. It’s not ok to forget about your kids. Yes, everything we recorded is still very important. Aina: It’s always very exciting to work on a new CD. You get an emotional lift and your head is full of ideas. When you release the album and people discuss it and discuss it all over again, you feel like a proud creator. Step by step, little by little, the sensation fades away, so you begin to think about new songs and the old ones recede into the past. It’s absolutely ok. I’m proud of all our recordings, but the whole way we came through is more important in general. Elvira: I agree with Aina; with time new songs outmatch the old. What is really important is the priceless experience we gained. Without the old records there would be no new stuff. I sometimes listen to our old songs, it’s really interesting. It makes me see our first works from a different view. What is the question you would like to answer, which no one has asked you yet? Greta: I can only make up questions I DON’T want to answer, like the ones about my former bands or first ever live performance... Less: “Hey girls, wanna get a huge bag of money for the interview?”. Heh… Varaska: I’m waiting for a smart question. What’s the story behind the band’s name “Blackthorn”? Varaska: Making some fucking metal is what behind it. Less: Sacrificing those who ask this question! How can you describe the
band’s sound? Elvira: I think our music is something like a combination of extreme metal with a strong classical symphonic aspect and a drop of magic. Taste this potion, it won’t leave you indifferent! Greta: What’s good about Blackthorn (both to us and to our listeners, at least I hope it’s good for them) is that there are always changes in the band’s style, a certain dynamic. There is no description for our general style. Both of our albums are very different, plus the new material we are currently working on is darker and heavier, more experimental. Some of the songs actually give me the creeps. It’s something I’ve never heard before…Pretty hard to describe.
Witchcraft was recorded, to me it is more like a demo than a real album. It is a good debut featuring a little cheesy, predictable sound, but that’s normal for starters. Since then, the band’s style was constantly developing; the lineup has changed several times until the magical recipe was found. So basically the albums are the works of two different bands, with Codex Archaos being the real start of Blackthorn, with its mysterious and dark sound, much more aggressive than the debut.
atmosphere we create. I believe it’s unique because men actually can’t create such an atmosphere. We women are all witches, it’s in our nature. Our quest is to make people believe in witches with our music.
Can you tell us something about your future plans? Is there going to be new album?
Any plans of shooting a video?
Aina: Yes, it’s time to start a new chapter. And we’re going to make it special.
Less: It is fundamental, ominous, atmospheric and symphonic.
Greta: You bet there will be! And it’s going to be something very fresh and unpredictable.
What are your current sound and influences in your music? Less: Everyday life influences us. I think that most of what we compose expresses the emotion of life… Some common experiences we all have in general.
Elvira: Making a new album is the most important thing at the moment. We are pretty sure it will be way better and monumental than the previous one.
Varaska: Bad stuff. It always strikes deeper and therefore inspires you more than anything else. It’s actually the best way to cope with your troubles, just turn them into music and get awesome songs as a result. What is the difference between the first two albums? Elvira: The first album has symphonic/gothic metal sound; however, it’s obvious we’re already inspired by more extreme genres. The second album is way more mature. Where I was searching for our sound at the time of the first CD, I now have a solid idea of what I want to write and how to make it sound so. We also grew as musicians and added scream and growl to our vocal parts. Greta: Since I’ve joined Blackthorn after Gossamer
Which were the main sources of inspiration for each of albums? Which artists and/or bands inspire you the most? Aina: Witchcraft has been my inspiration for ages. So, lyrically all our albums are based on that. Kinda predictable, I know. Elvira: It’s hard to remember when we finished the work on the first album and started working on the second one, because many years have passed since then. We recorded the first CD and composed songs for the second album at the same time. We are always inspired by life and music we like. What is the most special lyrical theme for the band and for you in particular?
Elvira: We want them to be enchanted and captivated. It’s so cool when people get into the spirit of our music, feel its magic and attend our shows. Less: I agree. Witchery is a special theme for the band. It’s our little privilege.
Less: Hexshadow Turned to Flesh is a name of our latest video. We’d like to shoot more, of course. So what about the bag of money??? Elvira: We want more! But since it takes a lot of money to shoot a good video, it’s better to give such a chance to one of our new songs. That’s another reason why we have to focus on the new album. Greta: Our debut video has just been released this summer, check it out! Aina: Yep, we shot our debut music video back in May of this year. If you still didn’t watch it, go find it on Youtube! Probably it’s something you would like… Of course, we’re going to make more music videos. I feel we can give much more to this big and important aspect of our career. Thank you very much, my friends, for your time! The last words are yours. What’s the message you’d like to pass on to all fans and readers? Aina: Thanks for the interview! See you. Less: Hope to see you at our future shows! Enjoy our music and tell your friends about us. Stay metal forever and ever!
Aina: Witchery. All witchcraft comes from women! Pretending to have balls has never been the case. We’d like to impress people with that unique Burst www.afternoiz.com
44 Hello guys, how are you? First of all, thank you so much for this interview. I know you’re on a tight schedule at the moment, so we really appreciate your time and effort.
years. And I really have to say that after all these years of people coming and leaving, we now approaching the highest level of chemistry but first of all we are good friends. And this is a massive boost for us.
Kostas: Hello Marianna! We’d also like to thank you for your interest in us.
This is quite an interesting name you’ve chosen for the band. What does it mean to you? Do you want to send some kind of message to your fans; that your music hits the bulls-eye of the metal scene and in what way?
Giannis: Hello! We enjoy talking about our music, it’s always a pleasure having this opportunity! First of all, I would like to congratulate you on your ten-year anniversary. It seems that Parthian Shot is a band, which has been around for quite some time. After all those years being active in the thriving Greek metal scene, can you introduce yourselves to our readers and share with us a brief history of the band? Kostas: Since we’ve had a lot of turbulence in the matter of the line-up until now, I’ll summarize how the current lineup came up. Although the band was originally formed in 2003 by Panagiotis and Giannis, the rest of the line-up was different. After not too long, Chris came into the picture and certainly helped a lot into shaping what we are today. Then in a crazy experiment while preparing for some live with cover songs, I was added to the group in 2008 (the band had been playing with a single guitar by then-Chris). Last but certainly not least, Diamantis became our keyboard player while we were rehearsing for our Queen tribute show and Andrew, the final piece of the puzzle, joined us in 2012, shortly after the release of our EP. Needless to say, everyone that has played in Parthian Shot helped us in their way to get where we are today and for that we are grateful.
Parthian Shot by Marianna Kofinaki Photos by Kiriakos Kontadakis Burst www.afternoiz.com
Giannis: The funny thing is that the idea of building the band came out incidentally. It was a random meeting with Panagiotis and me in a cafe in 2003.As Kostas said, there were many line-up changes but every one of the members put something special through the
Giannis: This is another thing that came out randomly. There is not any hidden massage in our name. Actually, Panagiotis found it in a dictionary as a modern expression that means the word or action that gives solution to a deadlock. Searching a little bit further, we found out that the idiom “Parthian Shot” originates from the ancient Parthians. They were a middle-eastern militant tribe who had a strange technique of fighting; they were riding their horses backwards while relentlessly shooting arrows to their enemies, retreating and attacking at the same time. We thought that it sounds aggressive, technical and original, just like we’d like our music to be... It seems that you’re been active in music on a DIY basis. Was that a deliberate choice because it gained you more freedom of action or are you searching for a label to sign at the moment? Kostas: Actually the “DIY” aspect has been one of our strongest points in my opinion. In terms of recording/production, both Chris and I are lucky to have two home studios and a decent amount of knowledge on how to record and shape the sound the way we want it. On the flip side of the DIY aspect, in regards to the distribution of our music, we were extremely eager to get our 2012 EP “out there” so we did our best in utilizing social media and magazines alike. There are a couple of talks with record labels regarding our upcoming LP but we can’t announce anything at the moment.
45 What truly impressed me in your music is that it’s really diverse. Quoting from your Facebook page “People say that we’re Symphony X-meets-Evergrey-oriented band... but we’re primary influenced from Pantera, Metallica, Faith No More, Queen, Dream Theater, Whitesnake, Slipknot...all kinds of heavy stuff from late 60s to now...” Sounds like a great musical amalgam to me, a way of expressing yourselves musically without referring to any particular “labels” or genres; and of course there’s more than just that to your music. What is the main message you want to pass on and why? Kostas: It’s not exactly a message, we just grew up listening to a lot of different bands (huge thanks to everyone’s cool parents here) and that reflects in our music, whether we want it or not. We are lucky, as a group of six musicians, that the noise everyone hears in their head individually, shapes to be music all six of us love! Giannis: Here is where the chemistry we mentioned before comes into play. We are six different people with different experiences and different influences but we have magically found a common way to take advantage of all those differences in our music. It’s a very good blend that works for us... I get that Queen is undoubtedly one of your major musical influences. On December 16,2011, you gave a 2,5-hour show at Kyttaro Club, Athens, the very first tribute to Queen ever taking place in Greece, under the name of “40 Years Queen”, with more than 400 people attending. How did this show come up? Was the entire thing your idea? How did you feel being on stage, performing songs of one of the very best bands that ever existed? Kostas: Originally, Agis Aggelomatis approached us with the idea of having a full tribute show to Queen. We love Queen
and we love a good challenge so the answer was ‘yes’. The feeling before, during, and after this show is not something I can put into words. To quote you, after rehearsing this single show for six months, we performed 2,5 hours of some of the best music ever written, in front of a really excited audience. You can imagine the feeling... Giannis: I really have no words to describe that event. It was the biggest moment in my life as a musician. It was very special for me because Queen is the band I grew up with. For more than 20 years, I was listening to their songs 24/7. I’ve watched Live at Wembley 10.000 times until the VHS tape was destroyed. It’s not an exaggeration to say that during the concert I couldn’t concentrate on my playing because of my overexcitement!!! Nevertheless that event was a big “Breakthru” for us, as it was our first live show with people in the audience who came without knowing the band. It required great effort from all of us, in terms of long rehearsals and those 2.5 hours on stage alike. We’d also like to note that we were the first Greek band ever to give a Queen tribute concert (Hopefully not the last!).
high school students. At some point, the girls approached us asking for our songs to be used in their video and we couldn’t be happier to agree to this request. After all, both these songs have a dark, aggressive sound to them and we feel they were a good fit on the topic of the film! What about the lyrics? Which are the main aspects of life that inspire you? Giannis: I think the inspiration comes from everyday situations. Considering the strange times we’re living in, everything that bothers our minds through this life, could become a song. Definitely, our chosen topics have nothing to do with dragons, swords and fairytales. About one week ago, you entered the studio in order to record your first full-length album. Am I right? You must be pretty excited! Are there any hints you’d like to share with us on how the album
is going to sound like? What’s the release date? Kostas: Actually, we’ve been recording for our full-length a while before last week and we’re super excited in the way it’s shaping up to be. It’s based on taking the brief musical idea that was our 2012 EP and building and expanding it. That being said, we’ve decided no tracks from the EP will be featured in our LP, so you can expect a lot of all-new Parthian Shot music! In terms of release date, nothing is set in stone yet but we’re aiming for a summer 2014 release. You have shared the stage with lots of bands, such as Potergeist, Need, Tardive Dyskinesia, Birthmark, The Dive, Wild Machine, Down & Out and Acid Baby. Was there any best moment you’d like to share with us? Any worst or weird moment? Kostas: It’s true we had a blast sharing the stage with all these bands and a lot more than those but if I had to pick out my best moments while
In 2008, two of your songs “Have A Nice Day” & “Emotion;Hope” became the video score/ soundtrack for the short film called “Purple Rays”, which was created by Greek high school students and was directed by Maria Benteniti & Nantia Mantesi; It’s a film that focuses on Youth & Drugs and appeared in the “StrangerFestival” Video Competition (Westergasfabriek, AmsterdamHolland from 3-5 July 2008),supported by the European Cultural Foundation. This is a really interesting project, if you ask me. Could you share some more information on how this came up? Giannis: It was a great surprise and honor for us for two of our very first songs to be featured in a short film, created by two very inspired Burst www.afternoiz.com
46 playing with P.S., those would be the 40-year Queen live and the Fates Warning support show. As to worst/weird moments we’re lucky to have those at a minimum while performing. Giannis: For me personally, the 40-year Queen tribute was the best moment; however, speaking objectively, I could say that the Fates Warning supporting act was also a great moment for the band. We have to stress, though, that every event, headlining, supporting or sharing the stage with friends has the same value for us. I was among the lucky ones to have seen you live in Athens, supporting the Masters of Progressive Metal Fates Warning. Based on what I saw on stage, you were having the time of your life! Could you shed some more light on how this came up, what was the feedback you received from the crowd that special day and how did you feel about it in general? Giannis: Indeed, as you said, we had the time of our life supporting Fates Warning. Being on the same stage with all those people was mindblowing!!!The feedback we received was also great and a big honor for us. We generally love getting as much feedback for our shows as possible in order to understand how the audience perceives our performance. That’s what pushes us forward through any obstacles we might face and inspires us to improve. Kostas: As for how this show came up, when Panagiotis heard that Fates were coming for a show in Athens, he reached the people who managed the show proposing our supporting and, luckily, the answer was quite positive! So we kind of owe a good part of this great experience to him. We, the fans, also appreciated the fact that you gave away your EP for free during the show mentioned above, just like you did back in May 2013, when Burst www.afternoiz.com
you arranged to have 15,000 copies of the same EP distributed via Metal Hammer, Greece. It seems that you definitely love what you do and that you want to share your music with the world, regardless of any kind of material compensation. What is your main philosophy when it comes to music?
those, you can expect something very cool we finished recording around the end of October. It’s NOT a part of the LP, and it’s Parthian Shot but it’s not Parthian Shot. Hint hint!
Kostas: We live in the digital age, where even label companies make almost no money from record sales. So I believe everyone shares the opinion that the point nowadays is to make your music reach the people, to force people know you exist and if a good portion of those happens to like what you do, that’s a big win.
Giannis: We have to agree that the Greek metal scene is underprivileged, comparing to other kinds of music. So we have to fight for a place under the sun (or under the dark; whichever’s best). There are a great number of good bands and musicians in Greece that share the “burden” of promoting the metal scene.
Giannis: I couldn’t agree more with Kostas, and as for the material compensation, for the time being, all we need and all we want is to get the opportunity to perform and make our music known to everyone. This is our biggest pleasure.
Kostas: I believe the Greek metal scene has evolved greatly during those last years. Certainly, the worldwide metal scene has played a big part on that “polishing” as our ears have been “spoiled” to great sounding albums and compositions and we can’t let ourselves produce anything less than that; which is, of course, a good thing, since the music scene in Greece has always been about ten years in the past comparing to the music pioneers.
What is the next step for Parthian Shot? I’ve read online that you’re doing a series of acoustic shows at the moment, including the anniversary show for your ten-year birthday, and of course there’s the first LP coming up. What else is there for us to expect from you? Any other pleasant surprises in stock maybe? Kostas: In fact, there are a couple of surprises in stock for you! To spoil just a bit one of
What’s your opinion on the Greek metal scene nowadays? Do you think it has evolved and why?
Greece is hit by a severe economic crisis, which affects every aspect of life. Does it also affect your music and how? Kostas: In general, hardships are always a source of inspira-
tion for any type of artist. Sadly though, inspiration aside, it makes everything more difficult about music, ranging from booking shows/tours, to recording, to being forced to have a day job… Even rehearsals can be difficult when you have a full band of working people that struggle to have a hint of a personal life. Giannis: Just like every aspect of our lives has been influenced, so has music. This situation might be inspiring but, on the other hand, it pushes further every goal you set. That’s because music is a time consuming and expensive “sport,” that requires a significant amount of your concentration. So having a thousand more little or big things in your mind, while, at the same time, trying to concentrate on building something great, is certainly not helping. So we can dream all we want, set our goals as high as they get but we also have to survive in real life and that takes a good portion of our everyday lives. The last words are yours. Any specific message you’d like to pass on to your fans? Kostas: We owe everything to our fan base, your support is what drives us and you can expect more Parthian Shot music really soon. Giannis: Quoting a song from our EP, “focus, stay, stick to the plan” and what you dream might always be right around the corner.
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Η μουσική είναι θέμα... ροκιάς, γούστου, ιδεολογίας, τρόπου ζωής, διασκέδασης, κατάστασης, περίστασης, ακουσµάτων, ψαξίµατος, παρέας, επιρροών, επιλογών, ιστορίας, πολιτισµού, κουλτούρας, ιδιοσυγκρασίας, χαρακτήρα, ταπεραµέντου, ηχοσυστήµατος, συστήµατος, ώρας, στιγµής, λεπτού, τόνωσης, εκτόνωσης, θεραπείας, φιγούρας, φαγούρας, πόρωσης, ευαισθησίας, διάθεσης, ηλικίας, κλιµακτηρίου, εποχής, ταχύτητας, χωροχρόνου, ειδώλων, µίµησης, αποµίµησης, µύησης, σύνδεσης στο internet και τόσων πολλών άλλων πραγμάτων.
Για εμάς όμως η μουσική είναι και κάτι παραπάνω... ΤΡΟΠΟΣ ΕΚΦΡΑΣΗΣ!
photography: ARGO / design: Burst www.afternoiz.com
48
MUSIC REVIEWS Sepultura
The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must be the Heart
Undoubtedly, Sepultura is one of the bands which have significantly raised the odds during their long-term presence in the extreme metal scene, especially after their “golden days” during the ‘90’s. When the odds are raised that sky-high, a “weaker” moment might be judged more harshly by the critics and fans alike; even a change in musical direction –from ‘Roots’ on- was at first regarded with mixed feelings, since the band has abandoned their former, mainly thrash-driven musical style towards a more nu-metal sound. Overall, the follow-up releases of ‘Roots’ were regarded in a less “desirable” way in comparison to trailblazing masterpieces such as “Schizophrenia”,“Arise” and “Chaos A.D.”. Maybe the extreme aggression turned “tribal meets nu-metal” due to the repetition of the same riffs over and over again disappointed certain fans, regardless –in most cases- of the flawless production and the very decent efforts of Derrick Green behind the mic. As for approaching the album in question, let’s cut to the chase now and go directly to the point: First of all, the rhythm and groove are quite predictable yet catchy, making the band sound more aggressive than their last efforts. Unlike its predecessor, “Kairos” (2011) there are some very good moments, since the band seems to be more focused and effective than a long time before. Definitely the thrash hymns ‘The Vatican’ and ‘Obsessed’ are among the album highlights, two tracks full of energy, ready to blast your speakers to infinity, which hopefully prove that the band still has great potential to drive us crazy with their songs. Of course being the creator of the aforementioned diamonds of the past, comes both as a blessing and a curse: Although Sepultura need more energy and effort to head towards that direction again, they seem to regain their powers slowly yet steadily. Anyhow, the fans who seek something different and more inspired than their previous albums will be more than happy to give a listen to “The Mediator Between Head and Hands Must be the Heart”, since it proves that the band once again started to put their heart and soul into their music, which definitely shows. Marianna Kofinaki
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49
Motörhead
Mystic Prophecy
Blaze Bayley
It has been three years since “The Wörld Is Yours” and Motörhead are back with their 21st studio album, named “Aftershock”. After almost 40 years around and countless of releases, no one expects them to change their musical style and write something truly original; however, after someone listens to “Aftershock” a few times, they realize that they still have some hidden aces up their sleeves. The album features14 brand new songs and it has everything a Motörhead fan wants to listen to: Fast songs (Heartbreaker, End of Time), slow songs (Dust and Glass), pure rock ‘n’ roll songs (Do You Believe), it even features a blues song (Lost Woman Blues), performed the way only Motörhead can. Once more, the lyrics of the album cover all the usual topics (sex, drugs, politics); plus, after 1991’s “Going To Brazil”, Motörhead now “visit” another country with “Going To Mexico”. As for the group’s performance, Phil Campbell shows that he still has some good ideas (the riff from “Queen of the Damned” still rings in my ears), Mikkey Dee exceptionally performs one more time, while Lemmy at his 67 and despite his recent health problems (for which they had to cut last summer’s Wacken show short and cancel a few of the following concerts), shows that he’s in good shape and that he’s going to be around for a long time. In conclusion, “Aftershock” may not be the best album of their career, since you might get a feeling of deja-vu while listening to it, however there are a few songs I would like to see them play live. Panagiotis Tsoutsis
Following to their successful album “Ravenlord” in 2011, ‘Mystic Prophecy’ released their new album “Killhammer” via Massacre Records. “Killhammer” features 11 tracks, amongst which an amazing cover of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train”. Mystic Prophecy’, true to their recipe for success, have created this masterpiece album, filled with aggressively rhythmic riffs and excellent melodic vocals, thus winning over their audience from the very first minute. This time, Markus Pohl collaborated with Lakis Ragazas, who is also a member of ‘Devil’s Train’, along with Liapakis. Considered one of the best Greek guitarists, he will surely enhance the aggressive tone that ‘Mystic Prophecy’ possess. Apart from this though - the thing that has excited us most, since the first releases of Gus G. – Liapakis is an excellent guitarist, has an original tone, as well as very good brutal vocals. Personally, it’s hard to choose a song from this particular album; however, if I had to choose some, I would opt for “Killhammer”, “To Ηell and Βlack” and “Children of the Dammed” –and maybe whole lot more; the latter because of the amazing solo (what a bend!! what a vibrato!!!). The production is also very good, and that’s another reason why even the most demanding fans will be left satisfied. The “Crazy Train” cover is at the top of this album and has been correctly aligned with the band’s style, making it an excellent selection. To conclude, it’s a rich album featuring awesome lyrics and breathtaking music alike, which lacks absolutely nothing. Not only is it worth listening to, but also it’s worth adding to your collection! Petros Chatzistilianos
Bayley Alexander Cooke, aka Blaze Bayley, is something more than just a singer; he’s also a lyricist and a songwriter. He was -and still is- the lead singer of Wolfsbane (1984-1994, reunion 2007-today) but he became most known during his “stay” in Iron Maiden (19941999). Afterwards, he created his own bands, Blaze (1999-2007) and the Blaze Bayley Band (2007-2011). His solo albums, collaborations with other metal artists and live gigs around the world, are countless. The new album of Blaze Bayley is a “flash-back” to his entire career; it’s a compilation consisting of 30 recordings throughout his 30year career, with better sound, of course! The collection includes a live version of the song “Tough as Steel”, two new songs that Blaze wrote alongside Rick Plester (ex-Black Symphony guitarist), “Hatred” and “Eating Children”, as well as two acoustic versions of “Russian Holiday” and “Clansman,” featuring Thomas Zwijsen. The former is featured in his acoustic homonymous EP, released earlier this year, while the latter is an Iron Maiden hymn from “Virtual XI” album (1998). I consider all 30 tracks in this compilation to have been wisely
Aftershock
Killhammer
Soundtracks of My Life chosen, so as to create a great heavy metal “mood”. If you like Blaze Bayley’s voice, songs etc. throughout these years, you’re certainly going to love this compilation. It’s a double disc album, full of tracks that are just as heavy as they should be! In Blaze’s case, complex riffs and melodies are not an issue; simple melodies, catchy riffs, tons of heavy metal attitude, together with Blaze’s exceptional voice. The great thing in this splendid collection is that it includes some “B’ Side” songs that have not been widely available before. I really had a great time listening to both CDs; it’s, after all, a ‘muddle’ of Iron Maiden, a bit of Wolfsbane, and a lot of Blaze Bayley! Sissy Fanouraki
MUSIC NEWS Feel the AFTERNOIZ Stay up to date with your favourite artists and music! All the news you can read on afternoiz.com
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50
Metal Church
Zodiac
Metal Church is back after a fiveyear hiatus and of course I can’t put in plain words my impatience to listen to the long-awaited new album “Generation Nothing”; but first thing first. The first two albums of Metal Church, “Metal Church” (1984) and “The Dark” (1986) were -and still are- awesome; a heavy metal excellence! However, the newest Metal Church albums have been nothing short of remarkable. In 1988, the band replaced David Wayne with singer Mike Howe; still, there are some albums with Mike Howe worth having/listening etc. Metal Church is playing more heavy metal stuff rather than thrash. The band’s tenth release “Generation Nothing” signifies the return of Metal Church as well as the early-David Wayne-style; speedy, screamy, angry vocals. There are some tracks I really liked, such as “Bulletproof”, “Generation Nothing”, “Scream”; pure and classic heavy metal guitar riffs, shrieking vocals and signature drum beats. However, this new release didn’t catch my breath; it’s neither a bad nor a great album. Even though I got a bit bored, it has some quite interesting tracks. However, it is considered to be a follow-up to Metal Church’s glorious early years; it creates a nostalgic atmosphere, although you can neither turn your back in time nor carbon copy the “mood” of older releases. Don’t get me wrong, but it utterly lacks the Metal Church passion and energy of the 80’s (or early 90’s). As a whole, it’s a pretty boring album (same riffs, beats, melodic sections), however there are some tracks that highlight this effort as a return to its “semi-thrash” origins. If you’re a fan of typical 80’s heavy metal sound without unexpected riffs or beats, then this is *your* album! Instead, if you’re the type of metalhead that welcomes new additions and sound experimentations mixed with classic riffs, then you’ll probably be disappointed. Sissy Fanouraki
I have to admit that I didn’t know Zodiac’s existence, till the Austrian label of Napalm Records sent us a copy of the “A Hiding Place”. This one is the second full length album of the Germans, after the “A bit of Devil,” with which Zodiac gained some recognition along with their participation at Roadburn and support shows for Graveyard, The Sword and Spiritual Beggars. If I had to put a label on Zodiac’s music, then Heavy Blues would be the appropriate one. You can understand the band’s love for classic rock by the Neil Young cover on Cortez the Killer, which is one of the most beautiful songs I’ve listened to this entire year. A classic rock fan could spot the Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple influences of Zodiac’s “riffology”, while the essence of the blues reminds me of the latest works of acclaimed guitarists, such as Joe Bonamassa and Walter Trout. Nick Van Delft and Stephan Gall have done an amazing job on the guitars, which have the goddamn feeling I’ve been searching for in any rock release I’ve ever dealt with: Emotion, and I don’t mean it in the way most shitty ballads have it. “A Hiding Place” is the ideal album for a road trip at night, driving all night long, while the record is playing in your car stereo. This is an album that the romantic rock souls would really enjoy. A Hiding Place is for all of you “Believers” out there. Each song and another bourbon shot. Each song another story about someone, who wanted to be “Free”, so he lived his life that way. It ain’t easy but it’s worth it! After the first two listenings I was trying to spot the album’s highlights, when I realized that the second work of Zodiac is filler-free and every song has something to give to the listener. Thumbs up guys! Spiros Smyrnis
Generation Nothing
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A Hiding Place
Photo by Matthias Reinsdorf
Running Wild Resilient
The Pirate crew of Running Wild are here and this is a great come back! The band has been together for almost 30 years and still gives you the impression of a ‘fresh’ group with tons of pirate attitude and yet a traditional heavy metal sound. Running Wild rides successfully in the same pirate motif for some decades and somehow deals with a pretty much unchanged heavy metal sound without being boring. Even though I don’t consider Running Wild to be one of my top favorite heavy metal bands, I really like their sound and attitude, plus these new overwhelmingly catchier tracks prove that “Resilient” reflects Running Wild’s ability to “transform” their music throughout the years. I guess the production of this album is somewhat better than in “Shadowmaker”. Today’s metal fans may find its sound pretty outdated with rather simplistic riffs, but for other, maybe older metalheads, who prefer the ‘balls to the wall’ heavy metal, it’s a great album; put your denim jackets and skinny jeans on, start headbanging and don’t forget the must-do-devil horns screaming HEAVY-F*cking-METAL!!! The opening track “Soldiers of Fortune” gives you a general idea of what is about to come: classic Running Wild heavy metal riffs with rhythmic and melodic sections, heavy metrical beats, low-down bass lines. However, some melodies got stuck in my head immediately like the title-track that reminded me of Accept and “Adventure Highway,” which is reminiscent of Judas Priest. On the other hand, “Bloody Island” is one of the longest songs in Running Wild’s career; it’s just under ten minutes and it features inspired riffs, chorus and pirate themes. After all, Running Wild returned to its swashbuckling roots! “Resilient” indicates the new era for Running Wild, the era of sailing new seas of inspiration, creativity and waves of song exploration. Sissy Fanouraki
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Secrets of the Sky To Sail Black Waters
Paradise Lost Tragic Illusion Damn, I must be getting old… It only seems like yesterday, when I still was a high school student and I bought my first Paradise Lost CD, Draconian Times, a release that yet remains among my absolute favorite albums of all time, which immediately earned the band a prestigious position in my own personal musical pantheon. Just like all good things in life, it seems that my beloved band is not getting old, but, just like good whiskey, is getting more mature year by year, without remaining stable, thanks to the constant evolution of their musical sound and style alike, from depressive doom (“Lost Paradise”) to what we now call melodic gothic metal (“Draconian Times”), while, somewhere in between, they didn’t even hesitate to -briefly yet effectivelyfollow in the footsteps of Depeche Mode (“Host”). Unlike their other releases, this year the band is more than happy to commemorate their 25th anniversary with a special album, especially dedicated to their devoted fans, named ‘Tragic Illusion’. Regardless of the name, it’s absolutely no illusion –let alone a tragic one- but a fortunate decision instead that this small treasure chest features a diversity of 14 rarities and covers, such as the stunning melancholic version and
the band’s unique interpretation of “Missing” (original song by Everything but the Girl). Although most of the tracks come from special edition releases — in most cases from the Japanese version of one of the last few albums — still there are some new recordings as well, such as the 2013 re-mastered versions of the hymns “Gothic” and “Our Saviour”, plus a brand-new doom anthem, “Loneliness Remains,” which perfectly demonstrates the “marriage” of elements classic and new in a way only Paradise Lost can. To sum up, “Tragic Illusion” is a nice way of having all these rarities –with an extra added valuein your possession easily and effectively. Those hidden gems in question remain now in plain sight, waiting to be discovered by the new fans and to be cherished by old ones alike. Paradise Lost, reaching the age of a quarter of a century, do not need any special introduction after all. We, the fans, already know their contribution to Music, as well as the great influence they provided for countless bands over time. Therefore, such a release is more than justified, coming from a band which has already proven their worth. Marianna Kofinaki
Secrets of the Sky began in Oakland, California, around 2010 when Chris Anderson (guitar, keyboard) and Clayton Bartholomew (guitar, keyboard) put their heads together and started writing material which would eventually shape shift into what is currently the “Secrets” sound… Cinematic, cerebral, atmospheric post metal with doomy, groggy, blackened influences. This is the first paragraph of the info-sheet that was included in the mail we received from Secrets of the Sky in order to review their debut album, released via the Italian Kolony records. First of all, I want to congratulate Secrets of the Sky as well as Kolony Records because they didn’t succumb into the internet marketing and the mp3 download version, but they tried to keep it true by sending CDs. The Secrets of the Sky case album, which was sent in a slipcase, had a very beautiful front cover, while it sounded more than ok. There are only four songs in the “To Sail Black Waters” album: “Winter”, “Decline”, “Sunrise” and “Black Waters”. The debut album of California-based metallers , in my opinion, sounds almost like a soundtrack, probably for a dark, experimental, low budget b-movie. I enjoyed the album because it reminded me the Canadian personal heroes KEN MODE and their attempt to combine the basic
principles of post with a sickening atmosphere. The cutting -throat vocals plus the keybord-based samples plus the down-tempo guitars fill the missing pieces of the puzzle. Secrets of the Sky sail in the progressive waters of The Ocean, staring at the doomy rivers of Black Cobra and the melancholic lakes of Agalloch and Opeth. This doesn’t mean, of course, that they are a bad replica band. They are more of a band that tries to absorb these different and vast influences in order to make their music. I won’t lie! Their first attempt deserves your listening. Spiros Smyrnis
DIARY OF A MADFAN! Pick your favourite recent release, write your opinion about it in 600 words and email it to us to the following address. Every month one lucky fan will get to see his review published! Waste no time and start writting!!! info@burstzine.com Use this subject: I am a MadFan!
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Ayreon
The Theory of Everything
Poser Zombies
Cemetery Dance
Illusory
Douglas Adams, the ingenious author of “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” and its sequels provided a brief answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything: 42. Thirteen years later and five years following to the release of “01011001”, the charismatic and prolific Dutch Arjen Lucassen, gains a massive dose of inspiration from this great sci-fi book and uses the same magic number 42 to segment four 20-minute long tracks that form a unique concept album titled “The Theory of Everything”, which, in Arjen’s own words “takes a look at the fine line between the genius and madness, focusing on the conflicting desires of the characters and the consequences of following their passions.” Such ceremony of opposites in terms of human behavior and emotions definitely calls for the divine intervention of diversity, and first of all for diversity in music, ranging from all genres and decades: “The Theory of Everything” is a rock opera incorporating all kinds of musical elements, from progressive, symphonic and folk metal and the beloved psychedelic rock of the ‘70’s (Rush and Solaris immediately came to mind) to classical music, with a few touches of darkness. Ultimately, every single composition is complex and full of constant changes –just like the ever-changing universe. To that end, Arjen has worked together with an impressive team of artists in order to effectively portray the characters: JB (Grand Magus) as The Teacher, Sara Squadrani (Ancient Bards) as The Girl (check out her amazing vocals, we’re talking about a rising star here),Michael Mills (Toehider) as The Father, Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) as The Mother, Tommy Karevik (Kamelot, Seventh Wonder) as The Prodigy, Marco Hietala (Nightwish, Tarot) as The Rival and John Wetton (Asia, King Crimson) as The Psychiatrist. And it gets even better: Trailblazing musical geniuses such as Yes’ Rick Wakeman and Emerson Lake and Palmer’s Keith Emerson, Dream Theater’s Jordan Rudess (keyboards) and Genesis’ Steve Hackett (lead guitar), Hail of Bullets’ & Gorefest’s Ed Warby (drums) and-last but not least- Nightwish’s Troy Donockley (Whistles, Uilleann pipes) all join forces to provide a true masterpiece which can be listened in one way and one way alone: all the way from the start to finish. Still not impressed? If you don’t trust a word I say, trust your own ears and get yourselves immersed in Ayreon’s amazing musical universe! Marianna Kofinaki
I’ve got the first Lp of “Cemetery Dance” in my hands. A band created in spring of 2012. Its members have given many performances and they have a lot of experience, since they have been very active for years in bands like NOCTA, UNSIN, NIGHTFALL, MOPAR, SKYSENT LU, PSITRON. The name of the album is “Poser Zombies”, it will be released (22/11/2013), in vinyl and by buying it you will have access to download it digitally too. Releasing the Lp in vinyl is a choice very wellmatched with their musical style, cover and pictures they have made for the album. “Cemetery Dance”play metal for 35 minutes. The singer’s voice is a classic metal voice, which gives an extra point to this genre, no matter how each riff starts. In some songs the riffs lead us to a more “Motorhead”-rock songs vibe, and in others, they get closer to the stoner, not sound wise, but more as a mood. But mainly they play metal, which takes us back to previous decades and that’s exactly the reason their Lp is such a success. Their music sounds fresh, and yet at the same a bit vintage. This has nothing to do with whether somebody likes the album or not. The only thing I would change would be for them to raise their volume a bit. Among their songs, the preferred songs are “Poser Zombies”, which is interpretatively and rhythmically special, and the “Cemetery Dance” with its melancholic intro. Last but not least, three songs I personally enjoyed very much were “Part of my Legacy” which gives a stoner mood, the energetic “Marching Dead” and finally, the exciting “Trail of Life”. I wish “Cemetery Dance” good luck with their efforts, and I’m looking forward seeing them live. George Kotrozinis
Even though it’s been quite a long time, I’m pleased to present you the “Ivory Tower”. In this LP, the band chose to feature compositions they had kept since their first steps; they didn’t want to lose this material and, in my humble opinion, they did well. The album has to do with a story of a little child, Steven Towers. In these 10 songs, the story is in progress, the duration of the album is about an hour and, believe me, you will NOT want it to end. It will seem very little because the songs are connected to each other in a perfect harmony and they won’t wear you out not for a single moment. Complete songs that make your mind travel. They are also overwhelmed by vigorous metal riffs, which, combined with the atmospheric keyboards and the fantastic double solos, make you want to rewind every single song and enjoy it again and again. Interpretative words are unnecessary; needless to say about Dee’s vocal ability. You just enjoy it! Everyone who loves Heavy Metal with all the above elements MUST have this album in their collection. I wish the guys keep moving this way and I am honestly looking forward to listening to their new album and, of course, watch them live. Without exaggerating, all their songs are excellent, but I slightly prefer the wonderful songs “A Few Days make Eternity”, “Anywhere”, “Pale Moonlight”, “I lied to me”, “ Fake Reality” and “Ivory Tower”. George Kotrozonis
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The Ivory Tower
Inside It Grows Blood
I’ve already written it down many times, but I have to do it once more. The Greek extreme rock/metal scene is probably one of the hottest scenes
53 in the planet. Besides the fact I am Greek, so I can access a release from a Greek band more easily, I have to say that the biggest percentage of these releases are great, and, of course the sixth official album of Inside It Grows is no exception to the rule. Let’s see a brief bio first, quoting from the press release: INSIDE IT GROWS was created in 2005 by John Tsiakopoulos (composer, producer, owner of Trailblazer Records and Moth Studio) and it has been an one man studio project since then. Having gained much experience by participating in various bands (Speedblow, Black Soul Horde, Thought Converter, For What Is Worth, Jay Ohn, Unbreakable Circle etc.), John T is the man behind all the song compositions and lyrics-writing procedure of the Inside It Grows works, while also performing all instruments, apart from drums and vocals.
Joe Matera Terra Firma
Following to his critically acclaimed album “Creature Of Habit”, Joe Matera is back with a brand new album, “Terra Firma”. Terra Firma is a Latin phrase meaning “solid earth”, so it seems that Joe Matera stands on rockhard ground as well. The album’s concept, the lyrics and the whole “mood” of it is based upon a simple motto “Life is cyclic, with highs and lows and never static, always moving forward”. After having a rather tumultuous year, Joe Matera let his intense emotions guide his song/guitar-writing; he turned his “difficulty” into asset, an emotive resonance to write more profound lyr-
Aris “The Demon”, vocalist of SARABANTE (and Jimmie D. (drummer of WORD IS BOND, ex- VOIDWALKER) were the men chosen to do the dirty jobs of vocals and drums and, as John put it, well, they did it all great! The album floats on Crust waters. Walking in the steps of the Greek Pioneers Sarabante and Sun of Nothing, Inside It Grows created a sick record you cannot escape from! There is no easy way out, really! Like a spider weaved her web, Inside It Grows create an angry unconventional sound universe written in “Blood”, “As God Hides” because he can no longer stare at his creation! Probably he is afraid of them because of the Inside It Grows’ anger, crust melodies and the painful feeling of inspiration. Just put your earphones on and listen. It may take you a bit more, but it will be worth your while! Spiros Smyrnis
ics and music in general. The great thing about this album is that Joe keeps it simple; it’s rock, it’s melodic and it’s ‘cool’. Once in a while, it’s nice to listen to something so “smooth” without multifarious guitar riffs, melodies that blast in your head in such a way that you’re trying to keep up with the rhythm. There are times when you need a simple chorus with beautiful melodies and a basic beat. In my opinion, the hits of the album are “Shining Star” and “Hit The Ground Running”. “Tell Me why,” one of the socalled-ballads of the album reflects on Joe’s dark period in life. In terms of compositions, Joe Matera’s technical skills are more than evident, since his impressive music biography also includes his participation, as the lead guitarist, in the orchestra for award winning stage productions of “Les Misérables” and “Chess”. He has a more technical approach on the instrumental parts of the album, on
which he emphasizes by using plain rock rhythmic riffs. Virtuoso guitar fans would appreciate more these technical compositions, since they know what to expect. Sissy Fanouraki
Automaton
Echoes from Mount Ida I had heard of Automaton and their drone/doom version of metal but it wasn’t until the Pentagram show in Athens that I listened to their music. Back then they presented their EP, under the title Echoes from Mount Ida. A few days later I received my digital copy from the active Trailblazer Records (Lucky Funeral, Speedblow, Inside It Grows). In the press kit, there also was a small bio about Automaton which I want share with you! AUTOMATON is a doom metal band from Athens, Greece. Having performed numerous gigs in their hometown, these drone-doom fueled dudes have quickly made a name for themselves as an overwhelmingly loud live act. Being mainly influenced by the legacy of doom metal overlords, SLEEP, Athenian doomsters AUTOMATON are empowered by low-tuned guitars, played through loud, vintage amps, just like most of their highend audiophile predecessors. In “Echoes of Mount Ida”, they come up with approximately 33 minutes of enormous, down tuned, fuzz fuelled, cosmic doom metal, drowning listeners in claustrophobic illusions and weed-smoke while
forcing fuzz rock enthusiasts to slowly bang their heads. DOOM! This is an enlightening and informative description so you are probably wondering what I should add to this one! Well, put your earphones on and try to breathe in by absorbing all those wonderful noises of Echoes From Mount Ida, which could easily be a full length release, as it lasts over thirty minutes. Even from the Going Down track I dived into their drone universe and it felt like YOB playing the “Dopesmoker” Sleep classic. Slow and down tempo, distorted and spacey, “Echoes from Mount Ida” sounds just like a B- Movie soundtrack where Cannibals took over Earth. So it can’t be bad! Enjoy! Spiros Smyrnis
Astray Low Life
Astray is a rock band based in Thessaloniki, Greece. They were formed in 2007 and in 2013, they released their first EP. So, as simple as that, Astray sent Burst Magazine a physical copy of their first EP, titled “Low- Life”. First of all, I wanna congratulate them because they preferred the old-school way to make their EP known, instead of the mp3 download version. Plus, I really appreciated the fact that Astray stated fucking out loud that they are a heavy/stoner rock band. So if you like to get stoned -musically speaking- then “LowLife” is a good way to do it. Sometimes high, others low, the tempo follows the band’s mood, while the listener can enjoy the Kyuss/Dozer basics featured in their songs, alongside the band’s angry singer. Heavy bass-lines and a groovy rhythm section, along with a live feeling, run the whole 3-track album. “Cast my stone” could easily become a hit, while “Newsto” reminds me of the Greek stoner dudes named 1000 Mods. You stoner-heads out there, just let these five guys lead you! Spiros Smyrnis Burst www.afternoiz.com
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Director’s Cut
Martin Scorsese The goodfella of cinema By Angie Rouska & Spiros Smyrnis
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2 L -VO
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56 When we decided to make a Director’s Cut tribute to Martin Scorsese, we thought of the same thing in advance: We had to split in two this goodfella’s filmography, so we can pay a decent tribute to the biggest director alive. I hope you will enjoy it as much as we did!
who terrorizes his victims, and Sam Bowden, who becomes petty and detestable as the film evolves. Not to mention that this time Scorsese modifies his way of filmmaking, following more Hitchcock-teque techniques and thriller patterns of the 50s and 60s.
Cape Fear Cape Fear is one of the most iconic thrillers of the 90’s. It is a remake of the 1962 film, starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, based on John MacDonald’s novel “The Executioners”. Steven Spielberg initially intended to direct the film, while Martin Scorsese was appointed to direct an adaptation of Thomas Keneally’s novel “Schindler’s Ark”. However, Shindler’s Ark was ultimately passed to Spielberg, who renamed it to Schindler’s List and suggested that Scorsese should direct Cape Fear. Although Martin Scorsese had many doubts about materializing a film like Cape Fear, it was Robert De Niro who would star and convince him to move on with the remake in question. Max Cady (Robert De Niro) is released from prison following a 14- year sentence for rape. During that time, he had been acting as a counselor for himself and was educated on legal aspects. It was then, when he realized that his ex-counselor Sam Bowden, portrayed by Nick Nolte, had “buried” a report that might have prevented him from receiving such a sentence. Max Cady is setting his plan of revenge into motion. He stalks, frightens and threatens the Bowden family; he even seduces Sam’s daughter, portrayed by Juliette Lewis on her breakthrough performance, while, at the same time, his wife Leigh, played by Jessica Lange, is subtly attracted to him. Apparently, the Bowden family has issues unresolved, which better say hidden. Once more, the remorse and guilt theme plays a significant part, plus although most of Scorsese’s films contain a huge amount of violence, this time it is disturbing. This is due to the fact that the director does not follow the plain pattern of good vs. evil, but he creates two monsters, Max Cady,
The Age of Innocence The Age of Innocence is probably the most underrated film created by the famous director. The adaptation of Edith Wharton’s 1920 novel takes place during the 1870s in New York and follows a love triangle. Newland Archer is engaged to
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the naïve May Welland but he falls for her cousin Countess Ellen Olenska. Scorsese has always wanted to make a film that took place in that area and the opportunity presented itself with Wharton’s novel. The way of living, the high class society rules and their rituals, their conflicts and thoughts were always attracting him and he always wanted to make a period piece. Not to mention that one of his favorite of such films was The Heiress, which he watched when he was only a young boy. Three exceptional performances by the protagonists, Daniel
Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer and Winona Ryder, who were the director’s first choices for the roles. Although The Age of Innocence is a straightforward adaptation without any misinterpretations, it has been shaped to Scorsese’s vision. Martin has created wonderful sceneries like real living paintings, combining them with perfect frames; once more, the themes of guilt and repression are the foundation of the story, while violence has been substituted by the gossip and the taboos of the era. It is a story of wanting things that you don’t have and having things that
57 you don’t want. I believe that this film could also be called the Last Goodfella! Not only because Scorsese co-operated with Nicolas Pileggi (the man behind Goodfellas’ screenplay) Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, but also due to the general feeling that Casino is the last big gangster movie by Martin Scorsese himself. Many critics agreed that this one is the last Big film created by him. As for me, I believe that Martin Scorsese is Sam “Ace” Rothstein, while Sam “Ace” Rothstein is Martin Scorsese, that’s why his old buddy Robert De Niro agreed to play that role and give another ecstatic, jaw-breaking performance. Greed, deception, money, power, plus one woman named Ginger McKenna (Sharon Stone gives her best performance) as the Obscure Object of Desire. Two men fighting for that woman, while the golden days of 70s Las Vegas are passing in front of our eyes. Those days of casinos, shiny dresses, dived in alcohol and coke just to cover the loneliness and the psychological dead-ends Scorsese’s heroes have to face. They all left alone licking their wounds, by counting money or sniffing coke in order to kill their demons. A true masterpiece. Kundun In order to reach its final shape, Kundun’s draft was modified 14 times! The writer, Melissa Mathison made a research on the 14thDalai Lama’s past and also met with him in regards to the process of the film. In fact, Kundun is a biographical film that takes place during 1937-1959 and follows the life of Dalai Lama till the years of China’s invasion to Tibet. Mathison had only Martin Scorsese in mind, who after having read the script, accepted to direct the film. Scorsese has a recognizable way of storytelling; he plays a lot with the camera and film editing, uses cut scenes and each story ends with an unstoppable madness of events, all these accompanied -of course- by violence. This time, Marty decides to step out of his comfort zone; he has done it before with New York New York, Last Temptation and
“There’s no such thing as simple. Simple is hard.” the Age of Innocence. He experiments and this experiment will present itself in his 2000s films. Kundun is not an action film, so it should not be considered as one. It is a spiritual film flourishing in artistic perfection embraced by Philip Glass’ music; no wonder why it got nominated for four Academy Awards (Art Direction, Costume Design, Cinematography and Original Score). Bringing Out The Dead It was the crucial year 1999, back then, when Nicolas Cage was still an actor (oops, I said it out loud). Again, Martin Scorsese joined forces with the Taxi Driver’s writer, Paul Schrader, based on the novel penned by Joe Connely. The first time I saw that film on TV I didn’t know Scorsese was the man behind the camera and Schrader was the one behind the screenplay. However, it reminds me the story of Taxi Driver, placed in the late 90s. Of course, there is no way to
compare the ultimate masterpiece of Taxi Driver with Bringing Out the Dead. Not a chance. Anyhow, the story goes like that: A Manhattan ambulance paramedic, overworked and haunted by visions of his failures, fights to keep a tenuous grip on his clarity. New York is a dark Metropolis that hosts all the lost souls out there. Scorsese filmed with a generous dose of adrenaline. Drunk, delusional the atmosphere was, while someone who can be called Messiah tries to show us a different way. Scorsese’s finesse is evident in every second of the film, as his camera follows Cage trying to find redemption. Through the shadows of pain and death a man stands, Bringing Out The Dead. This film, which is underrated for me, deserves another chance by all the Scorsese fans. Gangs of New York Gangs of New York is the outcome of Scorsese’s experi-
ments. The new millennium found the director presenting a film that combined his familiar style of filmmaking with perfectly visual storytelling. Scorsese is not expended on focusing the camera on the main character anymore but he has also realized the value of space, which he uses to film grand-scale scenes without restricting them on typical frames. The opening battle scene is the perfect example of this technique. I guess if you ever wanted too much “scorsesian” violence you would find it there. Partly based on Herbet Asbury’s book, the story takes place in 1842-1863 in the Five Points district, where gangs were trying to gain territories in order to establish their dominance. At the same time, the Irish immigration was at its peak, with the Civil War being underway. In one territorial battle, Bill “Butcher” Cuttings kills the Priest Vallon. Some years later, Vallon’s son, Amsterdam, arrives in the place incognito to avenge his father’s death. This is the first collaboration between Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio and it was proven to be a successful and continuous one. However, it was Daniel Day Lewis who received the awe and appreciation of critics and the audience for his magnificent performance as the Butcher. Despite its duration, Gangs of New York is as epic as it should be. The Aviator The Biopic of Howard Hughes is the next movie for Scorsese, exploring the Aviator’s career and personal life from the late 20’s to early 40’s. Once again, Leonardo Di Caprio is seen on the leading role of Hughes, showing that Scorsese has found his New De Niro (as he has already worked with Di Caprio on Gangs of New York, The Aviator, Shutter Island, The Departed and the upcoming Wolf of Wall Street) while the breath-taking beauty of Kate Beckinsale (playing the Hollywood sex-symbol of the 30’s, Ava Gardner) and Kate Blanchet (who won her only Oscar award playing Mrs. Catherine Hepburn) marked the female roles. Scorsese painted the portrait of a psyBurst www.afternoiz.com
58 Caprio, plus it’s the very first time the director and Jack Nicolson meet on a film! The result is a pleasure-to-watch Nicolson and a wonderful chemistry between DiCaprio and Damon, not to mention Mark Whalberg’s performance, which was based on the cops who arrested him when he was young! Judging Departed as a standalone project and not as a remake, it is not something that we have not seen before by Martin Scorsese; a stunning film with extra violence and constant use of the F word. However, this time it feels like Marty is compromising and the story does not flow with the easiness and simplicity like his earlier works. Anyhow, Scorsese has succeeded in creating a unique remake with an awesome soundtrack (thank you Marty for the Dropkick Murphys), shaping it the way he wanted, clearly distinguishing the remake from the original one.
chotic, selfish and eccentric businessman, who once dreamt to rule the world and he finally did it. Money, fame, beautiful women, everything a man has ever wanted or asked for, Hughes had it, but unfortunately he couldn’t make it through. The dream became a nightmare, the memories became illusions and the people he met became fading memories. The Departed What is most awkward in Scorsese’s career is that alBurst www.afternoiz.com
though he has been a trailblazer in the history of cinema, he has won only one Oscar for his directing. I will never accept the fact that this man won an Oscar (Best Achievement in Directing) for Departed, a remake of a four year old movie (Infernal Affairs) whereas his previous filmography is superb! I find it a little bit unfair for his works. Having watched the original one, it is unavoidable to not make any comparisons, especially if you liked the Hong Kong version better than Scorsese’s.
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Whalberg and Jack Nicolson accompanied by a prestigious cast, the story –quoting from IMDBfollows “an undercover state cop who has infiltrated an Irish gang and a mole in the police force working for the same mob race to track down and identify each other before being exposed to the enemy, after both sides realize their outfit has a rat.” The Departed is the third consecutive collaboration between the director and Leonardo Di-
Hugo Martin Scorsese is a crazy cinema fan. He fought to restore many classic masterpieces of the seventh art, such as like Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s Red Shoes! Another one of Scorsese’s favorites is the Great Grandfather of cinema, Georges Melies. Hugo, which is the latest film of our beloved Goodfella, pays homage to him, as it focuses on the birth of the cinema through a child’s eyes. “Hugo is an orphan boy living in the walls of a train station in 1930s Paris. He learned to fix clocks and other gadgets from his father and uncle which he puts to use keeping the train station clocks running. The only thing that he has left that connects him to his dead father is an automaton (mechanical man) that doesn’t work without a special key. Hugo needs to find the key to unlock the secret he believes it contains. During his adventures, he meets George Melies, a shopkeeper who works in the train station, and his adventure-seeking goddaughter. Hugo finds that they have a surprising connection to his father and the automaton and he discovers it unlocks some memories the old man has buried inside regarding his
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past.” The storyline by napierlogs on IMDB is very enlightening so you can understand the story behind the sweetest moment on Scorsese’s filmography, shot in 3D (Scorsese stated that if he had the means he would shoot Taxi Driver in 3D too!) Hugo is a film by a man who’s always been in love with cinema, so I am sure that you the rest of cinema lovers would enjoy. Last but not least, Sacha Baron Coen gives a bril-
liant performance. Shutter Island As we’ve already written Martin Scorsese is a cinemaniac. His love for the masters of Horror like Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Powell (Peeping Tom) and Jacques Tourneur led him to create a psychological thriller named The Shutter Island, following the story of Marshal Teddy Daniels, who is investigating the disappearance
of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane and is presumed to be hiding nearby. DiCaprio, who plays Teddy Daniels, is handling the role with the needed maturity and proves he is one of the greater actors of his generation. The psychological labyrinth most people call mind is under Scorsese’s microscope. It’s a story where you cannot tell what is real and what is not. You cannot
question Scorsese’s virtuosity; however Shutter Island is one of the weaker moments in his filmography. In my opinion, the screenplay of Laeta Kalogridis has many blanks needed to be filled in. On the other hand, Elias Coteas as Laeddis reminds me Robert De Niro on Cape Fear, which is by far better than Shutter Island.
THE END
in a bad n e e b e ’v I ay that now. I try I always s s r a e y 5 3 aybe hat comes w mood for m ’s t a h t t t up, bu camera. to lighten i n o e m t e g ou out when y
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FILM REVIEWS
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Captain Phillips (2013) © 2013 - Columbia Pictures
“Captain Phillips” is a 2013 action thriller, starring Tom Hanks and Barkhad Abdi and directed by Paul Greengrass. Based on the true story and memoir of Captain Richard Phillips, the film tells the story of the Maersk Alabama hijacking in 2009. In April 2009, Captain Richard Phillips packs his stuff once again, for another sailing routine from Oman through the Gulf of Aden, to Mombasa. He is portrayed as a typical middle-aged mariner who is worried about his family life and children, although forced to spent months on board. Maersk Alabama is ready to disembark from the port of Oman, delivering tons of food to Africa, and despite the fact that the ship will sail lone in an area with high
possibility of hijacking, captain Phillips seems not to worry. At the same time in a poor – almost primitive - coastal village of Somalia, the inhabitants pledge for a job in the pirate skiffs, as it’s the only way for them to earn some money. Two skiffs are ready and armed and detect Maersk Alabama, sailing alone, a few nautical miles southeast. Not long after, Captain Phillips notices through the radar, the skiffs approaching but his is confronted U.S. Navy that they will probably be fishermen. Phillip’s insight repels the first skiff, but Abduwali Musa – the other captain – is determined to capture Maersk Alabama. Despite the high effort of the ship crew, the four pirates finally get on the ship, with plans to hijack it to Somalia and ask
Bernardo Bertolucci breaks his silence after a decade of non-filmaking – his last film was the beloved “Dreamers”, back in 2003. “Io e te”, a 2012 film, directed by the famous Italian and also written by him along with Niccolò Ammaniti, the author of the original novel, that has the same name. A screenplay written by two, and a movie about two, with newcomers Tea Falco and Jacopo Olmo Antinori holding respectively the roles of Olivia and Lorenzo.
Io e te (2012)
By Eleni Lampraki
© 2012 - Fiction Cinematografica S.p.a. Burst www.afternoiz.com
Lorenzo is a 14-year-old, with the typical anti-social problems a boy of his age has, that we have seen many times on screen. The movie starts with an encounter with his psychologist, a therapy session that Lorenzo seems to be forced to participate in by his worried parents. It’s clear that he’s smart and just wants to spend time on his own, without the pressure of society, social life or of that his family puts on him. His
for some millions dollars. When the plan backfires, Musa kidnaps Phillips inside the ship’s lifeboat, hoping to exchange him for money. Meanwhile U.S. Navy takes action, with strict commands not to let the lifeboat land to Somalia, whatever it takes. Once again a kind of a typical Tom Hank’s movie, with him playing the major role, and almost playing alone with Barkhad Abdi who holds Muse’s By Eleni Lampraki role. Both an action film and psychological thriller, with the hijacking attempt to modify with intense introvert moments and then to the rescue shots. More or less it’s shot in a realistic way, leaving the audience with a feeling of relief in the end. Hanks gives another award nomination performance, and Abdi is a more than equal partner. A positive aspect of the film is that it gives piracy an even more public eye, which started with the incident itself. I would prefer to see the other version, the Somali one as well, but hopefully after the success of “Captain Phillips”, more attention will be given. In the end it’s a safe choice of thriller, neither the first, nor the best of its kind, but with no sense of exaggeration.
plan is simple and clear, he tells his parents that he is leaving on a school excursion for snowboard for a week, and instead of that, he hides in the basement, reads, listens to music and eats comfort food. He is isolated and quiet week is violently broken when his 25 year old halfsister Olivia rushes in the basement to find her old stuff and the two siblings confront each other. Olivia leaves but returns the next night, asking to live in the basement as well, as she has nowhere else to go, due to the fact that she is trying to overcome her heroine addiction, and is trying to regain her normal life. Once again Bertolucci uses the theme of the isolation from the outside world (“Last Tango in Paris”, “The Dreamers”) as well as the problematic and self-discovering nature of youth. With the absence of the sexual tension that his previous movies included, through the same
scenery, the audience tries to find the cause of Olivia’s anger and what led her to her addiction. A brother and a sister meeting after a long time, knowing each other for the first time and eventually help one another, despite their differences. Both actors are a great choice; from enigmatic, nerdy and unsocial Lorenzo (who turns out to be sensitive and caring), to noisy, independent and sometimes intolerable Olivia (who turns to be even more sensitive, hoping to have a normal life again). Compared to “Dreamers”, the isolation of the outside world, the young and restless protagonists, and the strong feelings are present; yet it lacks information on the social background of the characters. But nonetheless, the scene when they both sing David Bowie, is probably one of the best and most sentimental scenes Bertolucci has ever shot. Do not miss it!
61 it card for a pointless visit to Paris, spends Christmas with family, tries to find a job, but doesn’t abandon her dreams and tries to survive in New York, the place she adores the most. This might seem like a part of a thirtyyear-old-female-drama, but no. Frances is always smiling; she’s positive and prefers to act naïve rather than to fall into depression. Even when everything turns out wrong, she is still dancing in the middle of Manhattan in her flower dress, her all-star converse sneakers and her backpack. A movie that points out a very accurate version of the person who is in their mid-twenties today, who hasn’t grown up like their parents did, who doesn’t know what to do with their life but it’s too not late yet. It also figures an unexpectedly realistic version of friendship, the struggle between it and love life and the passage between post teen and adult life. Frances Ha (2012)
By Eleni Lampraki
© 2013 - IFC Films
Alternative title “When Woody Allen’s Manhattan meets Francois Truffaut and Amelie dives in French Nouvelle Vague”. A 2012 movie, shot in black and white - a beloved trend after “The Artist” – an independent American film, which pays tribute to European old school and especially to French cinema, a realistic but, at the same time, romantic film that will be praised by indie and hipster culture. Frances is 27, lives in New York, shares an apartment with her best friend and tries to become a dancer. Her friend leaves for a new apartment with a new friend; Frances cannot afford the rent and tries to find a new home. She is fired from her job and she is left homeless and broke. She has no boyfriend, becomes estranged with her friend, cannot afford the rent but uses her cred-
The film is directed by Noah Baumbach and written by him and Greta Gerwig, who plays the title role. The film is a full reference to French nouvelle vague movies, featuring original music from such films by Georges Delerue, Jean Constantin and Antoine Duhamel, most notably to the movie “Mauvais Sang” by Leos Carax, with a same sequence of Gerwig to run through the streets like Denis Lavant did, with the same soundtrack and also “Bande à part” with Frances and her two roommates Lev and Benji reminding of Odile, Franz and Arthur. Although New York centered, the film achieves to put you in the place of Frances, no matter if you are male or female, if you live in New York or wherever, if you want to be a dancer or a chef. She has a lot of dreams and no money, she has to grow up but it’s not time yet and she becomes loveable even when she is “undateable”. A film only for the “un-dateable” audience.
is the exploration of adolescence and the first erotic “discoveries”. Like a maestro he is, Kechiche gives a three hour cutting relationship portrait, where he lets the film characters grow and from children become women. The film is based on the Blue is the Warmest Color By Spiros Smyrnis comic book by La vie d’Adele (Blue is the Warmest Color) Julie Maroh and © 2013 - Sundance Selects is one of the most I went to watch the film ‘La vie Kechiche answered back that honest films I’ve ever seen d’Adele’, wondering why eve- if he had the chance, he would about growing up, or the virybody talks about it since its never shoot the film again. But cious adulthood if you’d prescreening at the latest Cannes enough with the chit chat. Let’s fer. This time, our beloved yet Film Festival, where it re- focus on the film. ceived the Palm D’Or award. Adele’s life changes when she cursed couple is Adele and This was the first Queer Palm meets Emma, a young blue- Emma. Two girls who fall in D’Or in the history of the fes- haired woman, who allows her love, kiss, make love to each tival. And it all happened be- to discover desire and to assert other, laugh at each other and tween the “scandalous sex herself, both as a woman and shout at each other like there’s scenes” and the statements be- as an adult. In front of others, no tomorrow. Kechiche’s camtween the director of the film, Adele grows up, seeks herself, era follows Adele “exploiting” Abdellatif Kechiche, and his loses herself, finds herself. For the jaw-breaking performance leading actresses Adèle Exar- one more time, after “Games by the 19 year old Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux as of Love and Chance”, Abdel- chopoulos. Her pure and raw they accused him to be a dicta- latif Kechiche tries to return beauty captivates the viewer, tor in the shooting of the film. to his favorite subject, which while her warm and tender
voice makes them to love and understand her character. I am sure that Kechiche’s purpose was to make a film, with which you can fall in love and, despite its long duration, La vie d’ Adele makes that happen; an erotic odyssey, a strange love story, a film that describes the long journey to the womanhood and the realization of sexual identity. Other times rough, others touching, La Vie D’adele is a film about love- and love defines us above all things.
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OT N It’s all Greek to me
Written by Spiros Smyrnis
There are times when I sit down to write a review for a new album, when I feel like I can’t be objective with some bands because they are among my favorites. Phase Reverse is one of them. Just a few minutes after I had finished listening to their amazing self-titled debut album, I called myself a Phase Reverse fan. The band, which got its name from a sound-engineering button formed in 2007, consists of a power trio: Tas (vocals, bass), Chief (guitars) and Alex (drums). The band’s members had a great experience as session members in the Greek metal/hard rock scene and they decided to create something new. Thank God! Last year, Tas left the band and Phase Reverse turned into a power quartet from power trio, when Takis Mark (vocals) and Kostas Dragon-K (bass) joined the band; so
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all of us who fucking loved Phase 1, couldn’t wait to listen to Phase 2. Finally … And Man Created God is available. Last October, I interviewed Chief and Alex and when I was finished with my questions, Chief asked me: What do expect from the second album? I hesitated to answer because I wasn’t really sure. Then, on my way home, I checked the official website of Phase and I’d found my answer: “Southern European Pentatonic Heavy Metal! Simple and loud as that! The following is a letter from a Phase Reverse fan to the band. Dear Phase, When I download the mp3 version of Phase 2… And Man Created God, I was surprised. Seventy minutes? Really? I mean you
could split Phase 2 in two 35 minute albums so we don’t have to wait for 4 years for your new album! Then I thought, how many times does a fan get the chance to listen to a 70minute new album? Enough with my inner questions! I don’t want to waste your time, so I will get to the point. After listening to the “Mindblow” digital EP several times, I expected a heavy metal turn in your sound! The crazy guitar solo by Chief led me to believe so. I was wrong! You were always HEAVY! Some may say heavy rock, others heavy metal. To me it is just heavy music, baby! Blessed by gods and cursed by demons! The production has the straight street dirty rock feeling I want to listen to. Besides, this stuff is not suitable for sensitive ears. The opening “Land of Five” honors the pentatonic mode of the proud land of
Epirus. Then we have the “Born to Be Dead”, “Cornerstone”, “Kill to Repent” triplet which is gonna set a new level to coolness. There was a repeating image in my mind during the times I listened to Phase 2: An angry bull on dope, all alone in a fragile porcelain shop. I am pretty sure you know what’s coming next. A fine mix of -Zack Wylde with some drops of Dimebag Darrel- guitars, along with tremendous bass-lines and stable flammable drumming! “Divide and Conquer” is the headbanging marathon’s official song, “Alone and Broken” is my Jack Daniels’ best friend, so I’m gonna raise my glass and say Cheers motherfuckers, cause Monster Magnet’s lost child “Fuck for A Buck” just enters the room. “Mindblow” is a speed dynamite; “Tight Rope” is a ballad for MEN, while “And Man Created God” has enough BLS fuel to burn the whole world down! As for “Earthing,” which closes the album: if you’re into the southern blues then you are about to kneel down and pray; if you’re not, just get the fuck out! Let the Phase be with us, guys!
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195 million children worldwide suffer from the effects of malnutrition. In 2011, MSF treated 408,000 children in more than 30 countries. Copyright: Francesco Zizola
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