Jimi Bell & BJ Zampa of House of Lords

by Alex Barbieri
Staff Writer –

Mission Accomplished: House of Lords on their 2012 European Tour

When you get to know House of Lords—singer James Christian, guitarist Jimi Bell, drummer BJ Zampa and bassist Chris McCarvill—you become aware that loyalty is very important to them … loyalty to each other, loyalty to their melodic rock sound, loyalty to the quality of their live shows, and, of course, loyalty to their fans.

On the return of their 2012 “Big Money” European Tour (the band is barely unpacked as this interview takes place), guitarist Jimi Bell and drummer BJ Zampa debrief Hardrock Haven about their latest trip across the Atlantic: Why they enjoyed this tour so much, why you shouldn’t trust a GPS when driving through the Swiss Alps, and more.

HRH: Jimi and BJ, welcome home and thanks for talking to us about your latest European tour. What are some of your favorite memories and experiences of the tour?

JB: Thank you, Alex. Well the first scary experience was when our connecting flight from Portugal to Germany for our 1st gig stopped in the middle of the runway. They discovered our planes landing gear was not working. We all looked at each other and said, “HERE WE GO!!!” So we de-boarded and they put us on another plane.

By the grace of God, that was the only bad thing on this tour. Too many great memories to list, although on our 2nd gig in Austria, well let’s just say Chris had a great time with his good friend Jack Daniels!!! It was great not to be the one this time!! (Laughs out loud.)

BJZ: Just getting out and seeing all our friends over there and also making new ones, but the best thing was playing with the band again live—we haven’t done that since … my god, I think it was 2008 with Jimi.

HRH: Why does HOL make a commitment to tour Europe every year, or for every new album? Is it that your record company (Frontiers Records) is located in Italy? Or is it that Europe is still such a stronghold for melodic rock and HOL fans?

JB: They are the melodic rock market and that’s where we sell the most records. The HOL fans in Europe are just awesome. But the other reason is we love to tour and perform live. I can’t speak for the rest, but I could do this non-stop. It’s in my blood and has been since I was a kid. This is all I ever wanted to do.

BJZ: Well, I would have to say we have a better foothold over in Europe because of the Melodic Rock thing, but in all reality House of Lords is an arena rock/hair metal band from the ‘80s, and as of late we have a much heavier, darker vibe going on now.

HRH: Logistically, what goes into planning a European tour? Can you give us an idea of what has to happen to make the tour happen?

JB: That a question for James Christian because he’s the one putting all this together with promoters from all over Europe. He really did an unbelievable job planning this tour. With the exception of some long travel time, there wasn’t one thing to complain about and that’s a fact!!!

BJZ: There is a whole lot of stuff that has to happen, and it all has to happen at key times. Right off the bat, you need to get shows booked and try to make them make sense logistically. On top of all that, the shows have to be booked early enough to get your deposit money in. Generally, you need to have all the deposits in two months before the first show. The deposit money then is spent on travel—you know, plane tickets, buses, rooms on days off—I think you get the idea. Then just when you think you’re done, you need backline amps and drums. Now, you have to get all of your backline from point A to point B all before the first show. To plan a run of Europe takes about a good six months of your time and that is 24/7. If you drop the ball on one little detail, it can affect your whole tour and mess up your budget. That means nobody gets paid!

HRH: You played in 12 different countries in less than 30 days. What were your travel conditions like? Was it a lot of driving? Was it freezing cold and snowing? Take us back to the tour bus with HOL.

BJZ: A whole bunch of driving!!!

JB: Well like I just mentioned, some long drives, but not a lot of them. What really made this for us was how the promoters and James took care of us. We pretty much had four- and five-star hotels with our individual rooms each time. We ate like we never ate on tour before. Just amazing food, and the fans I can’t say enough about. Just great all the way around.

HRH: Why did your sound man, Marty Weiand, keep taking pictures of the Swiss Alps? (Just making a joke here.)

JB: Because our GPS kept taking us into the Swiss Alps. BJ kept saying, “DONT GET OFF THE HIGHWAY” but NOOOOO!! Did we listen? It’s a GPS … how can it be wrong??!! HMMMM. (Laughs out loud.)

BJZ: What else could you do driving 15, 16 hours a day? It’s either that or … ahh, never mind, we’ll keep that for another time. Ha ha.

HRH: On Facebook, some of you mentioned that this was a very enjoyable tour—maybe the most enjoyable. What was different this time compared to previous tours?

BJZ: It was all of the above. The rooms were great, the food was out of this world and the fans are always great, but even better this time out. Everything worked out perfect.

HRH: Jimi, you have mentioned, proudly, that you were clean and sober throughout the entire tour. How is playing and traveling different for you now, compared to years past?

JB: I loved being sober for this, and the band did too. And I didn’t have the desire to drink—not even once. I was just SOOOOO HAPPY to be on the road again and performing. That’s all I cared about. I do want to clarify that on past tours with HOL, I never drank and did a show. I would have never done that to the band. It was only after. And on this tour, if I was going down it would have been the 2nd gig in Austria. The whole venue was sponsored by Jack Daniels and that was my drink of choice.

HRH: What bands opened for you in Europe, and anyone we should know about and be listening to?

JB: For most of the tour we had the same band called Sandalinas from Spain. Great bunch of guys and great musicians. Then when we got to Spain, we were joined by Jorge Salan who was amazing on guitar and had a great band with him as well. They’re Jeff Scott Soto’s band when he tours there.

BJZ: Yeah, Sandalinas are a great bunch of guys and real troopers.

HRH: Regarding Europe, where are some of the most rabid HOL fans? Most beautiful women? Best food? Most impressive scenery and architecture?

JB: As far as women go, you can’t answer that. There are beautiful woman all over the world. As far as food goes, I don’t remember having a bad meal anywhere and we didn’t get to see much except out the windows as we were driving but Chris (McCarvill, bassist) and Marty (Weiand, sound man) took a lot of pictures. Chris is putting together a DVD of the whole tour. (You read it here first Hardrock Haven readers! – Ed.)

BJZ: As Jimi said, there are beautiful women all over the world, but when it comes to food you have to give it to Italy and then Spain, but that’s not saying the food wasn’t good in other places, but if I had to pick personally, I would go with Italy and Spain.

HRH: What are some of the “comfort items” you each bring on tour with you? Things you bring from home to make the tour go easier.

JB: NOTHING!!! I was lucky to get my guitars on the plane. The weight restriction for flying is just crazy. One bag, 50lbs or less. Try packing for a month or two month tour and keeping the weight to 50lbs. Don’t forget, besides clothes I had two guitars and my pedal board, 40 sets of strings, all that shit adds up. BJ had sticks, pedals mixers. It’s insane.

BJZ: Not much! Since they only let you bring 50lbs on the plane, you can’t bring too much. And you never know if you will be able to wash your clothes, so I think you get the picture.

HRH: Last question: Is there anything you’d like to say to your European fans?

JB: We love you and appreciate all the support you give us past and present and we can’t wait to come back and see you next year!!

BJZ: Thank you all so much for coming out and supporting HOL. For without you, we would not exist. We are here for all of you and we will continue to give you all we got every time we step onto a stage or go into the recording studio. Thank you, thank you, thank you, ‘til we meet again.

HRH: Guys, thank you again—this has been a lot of fun! Please keep us posted on what HOL is up to.

House of Lords is:
James Christian (v)
Jimi Bell (g)
Chris McCarvill (b)
BJ Zampa (d)

House of Lords 2012 “Big Money” European Tour
February 1, 2012, Munich, Germany
February 2, 2012, Innsbruck, Austria
February 3, 2012, Weert, Netherlands
February 4, 2012, Essen, Germany
February 5, 2012, Obermarchtal, Germany
February 6, 2012, Wuppertal, Germany
February 8, 2012, Trieste, Italy
February 9, 2012, Genk, Belgium
February 10, 2012, Lodi, Italy
February 11, 2012, Trofarello, Italy
February 12, 2012, Prateln, Switzerland
February 14, 2012, Budapest, Hungary
February 15, 2012, Prague, Czech Republic
February 16, 2012, Jonkoping, Sweden
February 17, 2012, Vaxjo, Sweden
February 18, 2012, Trolhatten, Sweden
February 19, 2012, Stockholm, Sweden
February 23, 2012, Madrid, Spain
February 24, 2012, Valladolid, Spain
February 25, 2012, Sevilla, Spain
February 27, 2012, Lisbon, Portugal

Like House of Lords on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/houseoflordsofficial

Watch the official video for “Someday When”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Va6gk6GYgfs&ob=av2e

Tommy Victor of Prong

by Steve Patrick
Staff Writer –

Listen to the interview below …

Tommy Victor, frontman/guitarist of metal legends Prong, took some time to speak with Hardrock Haven about Prong’s new album Carved into Stone due out April 24th via Long Branch Records/SPV; how hard it is for him to stay productive; working with producer Steve Evetts; his work on a new Danzig album; Prong’s upcoming tour with Crowbar; and an upcoming free Prong concert where the band will be shooting a music video for their new song “Revenge…Best Served Cold.”

Prong may have been lying dormant for the last 5 years or so since 2007’s Power of the Damager (with the exception of a re-mix album in 2009), but the titanic three piece is back with a vengeance with a new line-up. With Alexei Rodriguez (ex- 3 Inches of Blood) on drums and Tony Campos (Static-X, Ministry, Soulfly) on bass, Prong now boasts one of the tightest rhythm sections in metal today. Make no mistake, Prong has returned and their message of metal is most assuredly carved into stone.

Online: www.facebook.com/Prong#!/prongmusic

Jay Parmar: Britain’s Best Kept Secret

by Marija Brettle
Staff Writer –

He’s well known for having a very George Lynch type style and has performing on the Lynch tribute CD, Will Play For Lynch; but these days, U.K. based guitarist, producer and guitar tutor Jay Parmar is better known and admired for pulling off some great playing and songwriting on his own records.

Jay‘s music is immersed in feel, emotion and depth and his high octane guitar playing is infused with eastern influence. The sonic soundscapes that he creates are tangible and thought provoking and have established him as a world class player.

In 2005 he released his first solo album, Strange Day which gained much praise from reviewers, fans and professional musicians. The CD introduced Jay’s skills as a guitar player, writer, engineer and producer to the world.

Now signed to Steve Vai’s record label, Digital Nations, Jay is about to release his blistering new album Circle Of Fire. The 12 track album to be released on 12 March, features performances by Carsten Schulz, Pete Newdeck, Andreas Novak, Tim Wallace, Mike Rotella and guitar legend George Lynch.

HARDROCK HAVEN managed to talk to the maestro about his new release, his earliest musical influences, Warren Dimartini, Steve Vai and Hendrix… His pride and joy to work on his new album with his long- time guitar hero, George Lynch… his plans to tour, future goals and more…

HRH: Hi Jay. Thank you for making the time for HARDROCK HAVEN, taking that it’s a very busy time for you, as with your new record and all.

Jay Parmar: It’s always a pleasure speaking with you guys. Happy to make the time.

HRH: This must be a very exciting time for you… Firstly, you are finally releasing your new record. Secondary, you are working alongside with the legendary guitarist George Lynch, who happens to be your most influential and favorite guitarist. How does it feel to be in the studio and working (this time on your own record) with your all-time guitar hero?

Jay: Yes, very, very exciting time right now. I’m thrilled that people will get to hear the album at last as I’ve been talking about it for a long time and I’m so happy with all of the songs, performances, the production, the artwork, etc. The whole package came together just how I wanted it to.

HRH: So, what was it like working with George?

Jay: Amazing! It’s fantastic having him on the album. George has been an influence and friend for a long time and it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time and now it has become a reality! The solo he recorded fit so well on the song and is full of his signature style, lots of emotion and movement and it just sends shivers down my spine every time I listen to it! I wasn’t in LA when he did the session but George and I had met up a couple of times in the previous months (Bologna and Firefest in 2010 and NAMM in January 2011) and we’d talked about what I wanted to do. He asked me for some direction but I told him that he had a free run as I trusted that he’d lay down exactly the right notes. The song that I sent to him was really important though. George has done the whole hard rock thing for a long time and I knew that the ‘outside the box’ songs would be the ones that really grabbed his interest. So I knew that it could only be one song – ‘When Angels Cry.’ It was the perfect song. When I received the files and dropped them into the mix I was completely hooked. I listened to the solo 10 times, played it to my wife probably 10 times as well, and then picked up my guitar and learned the whole solo. It was amazing.

HRH: You have been working on your new record for quite a long time now. You mention in one of your more recent blogs that working on this record felt like a journey for you, rather than a quick trip to get to a destination. Tell us more about the recording of Circle Of Fire from start to completion?

Jay: For me, the creation of every piece of music, or any creative process for that matter, is a journey. The discovery, inspiration, expansion and growth is constant. There is no destination. The musician that I was when I started the whole project is different from who I am today. And likewise, the person I am now will evolve by the time I’m recording the next song or album. I learned so much from creating Circle of Fire and am always adding to that. The recording process itself I’d started out about 6 years ago for a band that I was putting together in the USA, but that didn’t work out for various reasons. I had about 6 or 7 songs written though so I kept those on ice. I then started a couple more projects, which again didn’t work out, but I had written more songs. So eventually I just decided to do another album under my own name and get people in to do the vocals and drums. I then moved to where I live now and started building my studio, Sacred Sound. Around the same time the Eden’s Curse tours came up. Both events again delayed finishing the album, but actually helped a lot in making the final album what it is. I think that if I’d finished the album a few years ago, it wouldn’t have been anywhere near as good as it is. Firstly moving out of London and building my studio helped a great deal as I had a beautiful and inspiring place to live and work with lots of space and a sea view; and a fabulous creative space to write, record and produce. Also, I learned so much from touring with Eden’s Curse and picked up influence from them and all of the bands that I encountered. Playing alongside Thorsten Koehne really tightened up my playing. At this time I started to write a lot of new material that was going in a different direction to the one I had started out with. The songs I had sounded great – but they were very typically 80′s hard rock influenced. The newer material had a freshness to it and so I decided to carry that on and re-wrote most of the album. So in reality I spent about 2 years creating ‘Circle of Fire’. I had about 20′ish songs written and recorded when I had finished. The 12 that made ‘Circle of Fire’ were the best ones in my opinion and there are 2 more that are complete and will be released on the CD release in a couple of months. Three of the songs that I’d written about 4 or 5 years ago made the album, the rest are new.

HRH: In the process of making the Circle Of Fire, you decided to collaborate with an incredible collection of musicians, playing and singing on the record. How did you come about to working with musicians like, Carsten Schulz, Andreas Novak, Pete Newdeck, Tim Wallace, Mike Rotella and of course the guitar legend George Lynch?

Jay: Well, Carsten, Andreas and Pete, I met as a result of working with Paul Logue, Eden’s Curse’s bassist, on an AOR project sometime ago which didn’t come to fruition. I was recording guitars for Paul and we’d been talking about my solo material and he wanted to have a listen so I sent him some tracks. He was really impressed and wrote a couple of songs (one of which was ‘Guilty’) and he asked who was singing. I didn’t have anybody at the time so he suggested Carsten, who he was friends with. I’d discovered Evidence One about a year earlier and was really into them. So, Carsten and I hooked up and started working together. Andreas was singing on the AOR project with Paul. When that didn’t work out, I kept in touch with Andreas and was trying to put together another project with him. However, that fizzled out as he had a really busy schedule, but we’d been working on a song already and he’d put down some scratch vocals/lyrics on it. Nothing that made too much sense, just gap fillers so that he could work out the vocal melody. So I took the lyrics and did some re-writing and we had ‘Test of Time’. Pete I met when I toured with Eden’s Curse. He asked me if I needed a drummer and it was a done deal! He did a wonderful job on the drums. He also wrote and sang on 4 songs. He has a fabulous voice that is very unique. Brilliant delivery. Tim and I have been friends for a long, long time. We met because of our mutual admiration of George Lynch. He’s a great singer and I’d wanted to work with him for many years so I asked him if he wanted to write some lyrics to one of my songs. He jumped at the chance and the result was ‘Harm’s Length’. He came over to my studio where we recorded his vocals and later on he recorded the vocals for ‘The Dragon’ as well. Mike Rotella is an old friend of mine and amazing guitar player. Again, I met him via the George Lynch connection. We’d been working on some songs but because of my schedule I had to give that project up and focus on ‘Circle of Fire’, but I wanted him on the album so I asked him to record a solo. The solo that is on the album is actually the scratch track that he sent me with a note saying ‘here are some ideas!’ It was a beautiful solo so I said keep it! And George I met through working on the George Lynch Tribute album, and we’ve been friend and kept in touch since then.

HRH: Are there any more guitarists that you would like to play with –if the opportunity arose?

Jay: (Laughs) Yeah, lots! Warren Dimartini and Doug Aldrich are guys I would like to work with. Both have such a wonderful sound and style. I was at one point talking to somebody who was trying to arrange for Doug to play on one of my songs, but that was a few years ago and it didn’t happen. Maybe on the next album… Steve Vai, Reb Beach, Steve Stevens, Jeff Beck.(Laughs) It’d be awesome to have all of these guys on my album…there wouldn’t be too much space left for me!

HRH: Is there any particular meaning in the name of the album title?

Jay: The cover art best illustrates what Circle of Fire means to me now. The meaning for me is the connection to inspiration, which is something more than just the physical or thoughts and experiences. It comes from a much higher consciousness. The song itself has a different meaning, but like I said, life is always moving and evolving, hence the meaning has moved as well. The song lyrics are about life situations in which people are tempted by a false sense of promise and belief and to have that trust and faith broken. We’ve all been in that place where we put our trust and faith in someone or something, put our positive energies into it, believing that it will take us to an ideal which we think up in our heads, only to discover that the someone or something isn’t what we thought. Ultimately this leads to our concept of disappointment. It’s part of life’s journey though. If we don’t experience it then we can’t learn from it.

HRH: On your website, you mention that the preview of the “Circle Of Fire” has been already heard by a handful of people, and it has been incredible well received. What should the rest of us expect from this record?

Jay: Really good songs, performances and a great sounding album. A really nice comment I had from a friend was that the songs were literally jumping out of the speaker at him. There is a good mixture of styles and sounds on the album, so the album, like the recording, is a beautiful journey that will hold the listener’s interest right the way through. There’s something new to discover on every listen as well.

HRH: What are your favorite tracks of the new album if you must choose?

Jay: (Laughs). All of them! I couldn’t pick a favorite because I like the whole album. That’s always the perspective that I write and record from. If I’m not 100% happy with the final song, then it doesn’t make the album. There are so many highlights – the solos, the vocals, the guest appearances… the overall sound. I’m really happy with everything!

HRH: Besides the guitar contribution, what other impact (if any) did George have in the making of “Circle of Fire”?

Jay: George has influenced me personally as well as musically for many years by being the person that he is. He’s an amazing gifted musician, but so humble and grounded. I’ve learned a lot about humility, life and discovering who I am from knowing and speaking with George. He’s a very inspiring person.

HRH: How did you end up recording for the George Lynch’s tribute album, Will Play For Lynch? Was it your way of thanking him for all the awesome music and inspiration that he provided for you and your fellow musicians?

Jay: Yes, the Lynch Tribute was primarily a ‘Thank You’ to George. I was a member of the George Lynch message board at the time (2002/2003) and saw a post about the project so I put my name down for three tracks, ‘Wicked Sensation’, ‘River of Love’ and ‘Mr. Scary’ (‘Mr. Scary’ is still available from my website as a download). I was working at an entertainment company, so had knowledge about how to bring the whole thing together, clear the songs, work out the logistics, etc, so I offered to co-ordinate and made sure that it got done and released.

HRH: Where did you get the inspiration when you wrote the lyrics and melodies for this album? Who wrote the songs on this record and what are they about?

Jay: Inspiration came from a lot of different places – music, art, films, literature. Sometimes just hearing a line in a movie or song would be the spark. I work quickly when I get an idea. The bare bones of the song is usually done within a couple of hours and then just hearing the skeleton creates more inspiration and ideas. The songs were written by myself and all the singers on the album. What they mean, they’ll be different for each listener. I don’t want to spoil the surprise. Some songs have obvious meanings, like ‘The Dragon’ which is about addiction, but not to drugs or alcohol. It was written about having an addiction to negativity. The meaning of others is less obvious, but all the lyrics are really great, so I’m gonna leave it to the listener’s interpretation so that they can experience their own journey as they listen. In fact I’d love to find out what they think the songs mean.

HRH: When you are composing do you do that exclusively on guitar?

Jay: Pretty much. It usually starts with a part that I hear in my head and then I work it into a full song. The one song which was composed differently was ‘When Angels Cry’. I wrote and recorded the piano part first and then added everything else. That was a really different way to work for me.

HRH: How did the new record differ from your first record, Strange Day?

Jay: In a lot of ways. The vocals are the most obvious. Also the approach to the songs. On Strange Day I was creating just a backdrop to play lead guitar over, so it was all about the guitar parts, not so much about what the bass, drums and keyboard were doing. With the songs on this album I was creating space for the vocal as they were the predominant focal point. Then I had to balance that with interesting guitars, bass, and keys without overplaying. The lead guitar parts only went into spaces where the vocals stopped or endings to compliment the vocals. It was much more about the overall song than just the guitars.

HRH: Can you tell us more about your early days of getting involved in music. How did you start?

Jay: I was a late starter on guitar. I started playing at 16 years old. I was into music and had played a few instruments at school but then somebody gave me some Iron Maiden albums to listen to and then I wanted to play guitar, grow my hair long, etc. (Laughs).

HRH: How old were you when you discovered your real passion for guitar playing –and who originally influenced you to become a guitar player?

Jay: A year after I started playing, around 17 years old. I started playing guitar because I was so into Iron Maiden. Adrian Smith and Dave Murray were the guys who inspired me to pick up guitar, but then I heard Jake E. Lee in Ozzy, Yngwie Malmsteen and Steve Vai and was starting to really get into them. A friend then gave me a cassette tape with Dokken’s ‘Kiss of Death’ on it, and I was completely hooked on that song. I found out everything I could about Dokken – there was no internet at that point so it was from guitar and rock music magazines. I bought all the Dokken albums and started to teach myself the songs. ‘Back For The Attack’ was a very influential album on me. I used to play through the songs for hours. Dokken then broke up and Lynch Mob released ‘Wicked Sensation’ which became the album that most influenced my guitar playing.

HRH: What essentially inspires you to create great music?

Jay: The love of music inspires me to create. It’s a passion, it’s what I do, my life purpose, if you want to call it that. The magic of creating a song from just a thought, recording it, producing it and then listening is awe inspiring. That inspiration just comes from somewhere much higher than myself. It’s not a physical or mental exercise. My body and mind are just a vehicle to assist in that miracle happening. And I’m very grateful for that.

HRH: I read somewhere you saying that Steve Vai was one of the earliest influences on your music career. What was it about Steve’s playing style that resonated with you?

Jay: Steve Vai has been a big influence in many respects. His guitar playing abilities are incredible, but also his approach to music and how he can take the same lick and play it 20 times in 20 different ways. That was a huge influence when I was writing and recording Strange Day. The emotion that guitar players like Steve Vai and George Lynch convey with every note is what I strive for. I’m not really a shred guy in the traditional sense of lots of fast playing and then back off now and then. It’s the opposite way around for me! The fast playing is the icing, the slow to medium is the cake. Also, just like George Lynch, Steve Vai does it his way and paves his own path, and that’s something I like to do as well.

HRH: Besides Steve Vai and George Lynch later, who are your other guitar icons you worshiped throughout your music career – and why?

Jay: My walls used to be covered with posters of guitar players when I was learning to play. Warren Dimartini was somebody I was very much into because Ratt and Dokken had pretty similar music. Marty Friedman and Dave Mustaine. Joe Satriani. Hendrix a little later on. Actually I have a very cool picture of Hendrix in my studio now! Jimmy Page. There’s many more. All of my influences have added something to my playing.

HRH: As a guitar tutor yourself, what would be your advice for all those new and hopeful guitarists – in the process of making it big, and reaching their full potential?

Jay: Picture the end goal and keep hold of that image always. Meditate on it. Create a vision board, do whatever it is that keeps that image in your mind because everything that ever was, started as a thought. That will give you the energy to reach whatever goal that you want to reach. Learning and practice come into it, but that’s an endless journey, even I’m still a student of guitar. But it’s really important to have that vision and have absolute certainty that it will happen. People may say that it is impossible, or that you gotta think about a secure job, but we get one shot at this life and I believe that we should do everything that we desire and feeds our soul. When you follow your life’s purpose, everything that you need to make it happen comes to you. You just have to be open to it. The other piece of advice would be, to be grateful for everything that comes to you. Even if you have just one fan, that’s one more than zero. We’re taught that the measure of success is selling a million records, making more money than Bill Gates, etc, but inspiring just one person has more impact than any amount of possessions or record sales. So gratitude plays a big role.

HRH: Being well known for your unique melodic guitar style and technical mastery, in your opinion what makes the guitar stand out compared to other instruments?

Jay: It’s the tactility. My fingers are on the strings, the neck, the frets. The material the guitar is made of is organic so contributes to the tone. The pickup choice makes a difference to the sound. There is so much interaction with the instrument while playing – you can slide, bend and caress the notes out, which is unique about stringed instruments. There is also the vast palette of sounds and textures that you can create by altering the volume control, by picking softer, by picking with my fingers. There is so much that you can do. And that’s without going into amplifiers and effects. Guitar can keep you busy for a very long time. (Laughs).

HRH: During your 14 years of working in this industry, what has been the biggest obstacle for you so far?

Jay: I don’t think of them as obstacles. Anything is possible and achievable. There have been plenty of challenges along the way, but they are always there to learn something about yourself, or what you are doing. So I just deal with them. ‘Strange Day’ was a challenge in that it was an instrumental album and had a limited appeal. Musicians really liked it, but others wanted to hear singing. But I got it out there and people heard it. It was successful in establishing me. A couple of the challenges that I faced with creating ‘Circle of Fire’ were how to put it all together myself, finding my own voice, producing and mastering the album myself, and starting to sing. Again, I just dealt with these as they came along and learned from the experience. Everything fell into place with the musicians and I discovered my own musical style and voice during the process of writing the songs. The production was a big challenge because at one point the mixes were not translating well outside the studio, so I went back to basics, re-learned and honed my skills in the studio, and started the mixing from scratch. I even changed my studio monitors which helped enormously. It was a great experience and I’m so pleased with the sound of the album. It’s punchy but smooth and has lots of depth.

HRH: Having been in the music industry for quite a long time and playing along with many great guitar names, I’m sure there were times and moments when you felt some kind of rivalry- or friendly competition with other fellow guitarist-in terms of technique and guitar style. Something I have seen and heard before, between guitar egos, like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani and Yngwie Malmsteen…

Jay: You know, I haven’t really tried to compete with any other guitar players over the years. I had my focus and followed that. There were times when I felt like throwing the guitar away because I’d just heard somebody who was completely amazing! But I see these guys as an inspiration now. There’s space for every type of musician, especially guitar players. There is always something to learn from other guitarists and that’s a wonderful place to be because it means that I can always pick up something new and evolve. I am really comfortable with the way I play and my sound, gear, and studio. More so now than ever before. My playing may not be the fastest or flashiest but it conveys what I want the guitar to say, which is what playing is about for me.

HRH: Are there any amusing or embarrassing experiences that stuck with you and you would like to share with our readers?

Jay: Embarrassing stories will have to wait to be on the extras on a DVD or something. One thing that does stay in my mind is when I was sending the songs to Pete (Newdeck) to record the drums they would come back with drums…and vocals, and arrangement! All that was missing was the guitar solos, which I thought would turn up with Pete’s name on them at some point as well! I couldn’t help but laugh. But in all honestly he gave wonderful, wonderful performances and direction on all of the tracks that he worked on. His drumming is exceptional and his voice is very recognizable and so full of emotion. Just listen to his harmonies on ‘Now You’re Gone’. Incredible! Pete was working on his album, Tainted Nation, at the same time so was practicing his vocals as much as possible. He recorded the vocals for ‘Walking In Circles’ at my studio, Sacred Sound, and it’s the funniest session I’ve ever had! He was dancing around in the vocal booth while he was singing, throwing his arms up, turning around between lines and pulling faces! I got it all on video and you can see it on Youtube – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eJ-k5TvzrsU.

HRH: Can we hope to see you soon on tour?

Jay: Yes! I wanna take this show on the road! The songs already sound live so I will do some gigs. So putting a band together… Applicants send resumes with sound clips please!

HRH: What can your fans expect to see at your live performance?

Jay: (Laughs) I want it to be a surprise. It will be very, very cool though.

HRH: What do you like most about touring?

Jay: The performance firstly. The stage is a very special place to be. There’s sacredness in playing in front of people and really delivering a great performance and I’m honored that I’ve had the opportunity to do that and will do it again. Also, interacting with the people who come to see me play. When I was on the road with Eden’s Curse, we’d get to the merchandise stand within 10 minutes of finishing our set so that we could speak with the fans. It’s an amazing experience.

HRH: What are your goals, short and long term?

Jay: To create more, both short and long term. My immediate focus is on releasing this album, letting people know about it and playing live. The ideas are starting to flow again so I will start writing and recording again very soon. A track or two may even make it as an extra on the CD release in a couple of months. Longer term, maybe take over the world and then the Universe! (Laughs). That’s all still in the planning stages.

HRH: Often you have been called a brilliant guitarist with his own superb guitar niche. How would you like to be seen in years to come? Maybe one of the new guitar virtuoso…?

Jay: That will feed my ego! Laughs). No seriously, I tend not to label myself so as to leave the door wide open for me to get involved in all sorts of crazy musical ventures. I do music because it’s a passion and what I love to do. Being in the studio and playing, writing, teaching, recording, producing just feeds my soul, so I want to carry on doing more of that. If people see me as a virtuoso and it inspires them to pick up a guitar or just listen to music that brings them joy, then that’s awesome. That inspires me to do more.

HRH: Thank you again Jay for taking time for this interview. And best with the record and the tour!

Jay: It’s always a pleasure to speak with you guys! Looking forward to next time.

Visit Jay Parmar on the web: http://www.jayparmar.com/wp/

Joe Lynn Turner

by Ron Higgins
Staff Writer –

Frontiers Records is proud to announce the release of a brand new album from Sunstorm, vocal great Joe Lynn Turner’s popular AOR side project with German/American producer Dennis Ward. EMOTIONAL FIRE was released on February 28th in North America. EMOTIONAL FIRE features production and mixing by Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome, Angra) and a track listing rounded out with songs written by the likes of Soren Kronkvist (Crash the System, Issa), Tom and James Martin (Vega, Sunstorm, Khymera) and Daniel Palmqvist (Xorigin, The Murder of My Sweet).

Joe Lynn Turner’s impressive career features more than 60 album credits. From his early days with Fandango to the success he later enjoyed with (Ritchie Blackmore’s) Rainbow, Deep Purple, Yngwie Malmsteen and an 11-album solo career, the New Jersey-born singer has covered a wide number of musical styles with his inimitable vocals. He has also fronted several star-studded projects including Brazen Abbot, The Hughes-Turner Project (with ex-Deep Purple’s Glenn Hughes), Mother’s Army, the “all-star” group Big Noize and many others.

Hardrock Haven: Hi Joe. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us today. It’s an honor speaking with someone who has been such an integral part of the world of rock music.

Joe Lynn Turner: I thank you for your kind words.

HRH: I’ve been listening to the new record now for several weeks and I really love it. Right from the opening track, “Never Give Up,” it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go. It’s the perfect cruising-with-the-top-down kind of album. What kind of feedback have you gotten so far?

JLT: The fans seem to love Sunstorm once again! The guys at Frontiers had a great concept and the fans are keeping it going!

HRH: The first two Sunstorm albums consisted of songs you wrote back in the ’80s, whereas this third album is primarily a collection of songs that featured you as a background singer for other artists. Interestingly, three of the songs were written by Michael Bolton. “Gina” was originally featured on Michael’s 1987 album The Hunger and the title track “Emotional Fire” and “You Wouldn’t Know Love” both appeared on Cher’s 1989 album Heart of Stone. Although it may seem strange to some that this album features three Michael Bolton songs, anyone who is familiar with Michael’s early work knows that he was basically a hard rock singer on his first couple of solo records before switching to the Adult Contemporary work that made him famous.

JLT: Thank you for pointing that out. So many people do not know this. Bolton’s rock material was played on many AOR stations, especially in the Northeast/USA. He had a major hard rock following in his early years.

HRH: In fact, prior to his solo stuff he was a member of a hard rock band called Blackjack. Are any of the other songs on the record songs you sang backup on for other artists or just the three Michael Bolton tracks?

JLT: On this 3rd Sunstorm, there are the two Bolton tracks and one Cher track. I sang back up vocals on those songs in the ’80s. As for the others, I did not originally sing or collaborate on those. Frontiers picked them out because they go along with the Sunstorm sound and concept and fans seem to like them.

HRH: I found it interesting that the new record has two songs named after women, “Gina” and “Emily.” Do you know if these songs were written about anyone in particular or what the inspiration was for them?

JLT: I do not know about Emily, but Gina was supposedly part of Bolton’s life at one point.

HRH: From the feedback I’ve seen so far people really seem to be enjoying this new record. It’s probably too early to ask, but do you think there will be a 4th Sunstorm album?

JLT: I sure hope so! I did not get a chance to contribute any of my songs from my archives this time. My hard drive was packed away during a move in the USA while I was in Turkey on both business and vacation. The guys at Frontiers were on a deadline. So… maybe I will bring out some of those other songs in the 4th Sunstorm (if a 4th one is recorded).

HRH: Are there any plans to do any kind of touring to support this record? I realize that it’s a project so a tour probably isn’t very likely but maybe you could do a one-off show for a festival or two. What are your thoughts?

JLT: Touring? I wish! I hope! But, we would need some serious financial backing from either the record company or sponsors. If we were offered a festival spot, if it made good business sense and if the guys who played on the record, including Dennis Ward, were available… sure that would be great!

HRH: Speaking of the amazing Dennis Ward, he seems to have a golden touch when it comes to melodic AOR releases. Tell me about your relationship with him. Did you get to know him through Frontiers or did you have a relationship with him before that?

JLT: I had been familiar with his music with Pink Cream and other projects but, no, I did not know him before Sunstorm. However, I do want to mention that I am really glad we connected because he is one of the best producers out there…maybe a bit underrated by those who have not heard of him.

HRH: Many people may not know that before you focused on being a singer you were actually a guitarist. So did you teach Ritchie how to play or Yngwie?!

JLT: LOL… No… I did not teach either to play anything! They are both brilliant!

HRH: Seriously though, do you play any guitar on the new album?

No, I did not play guitar on this or any of the Sunstorm CDs. The Sunstorm musicians are all superb so there is no reason to do so… I just concentrate on my vocals.

HRH: Growing up in the video age of the 1980’s I vividly remember the tremendous impact videos had on music. Specifically, I remember learning about Rainbow from watching some of your videos. I still can’t walk past a bunch of mirrors without thinking about the video for “Stone Cold!” And “Street of Dreams” was really trippy with the psychiatrist kidnapping his patient’s girlfriend or something like that. Are there any plans to do any videos for this new record?

JLT: Thank you for enjoying those memories. I agree, Rainbow had some good videos including one that won an award. There are no plans to do a video for any of the tracks on Sunstorm at this time.

HRH: I saw you at the first MelodicRockFest back in 2007. One of the highlights of the night for me and many of those in attendance was hearing you and Jeff Scott Soto singing “Since You’ve Been Gone” together. Do you have any special memories from that performance or that event?

JLT: It was a great event! I saw so many people I had not seen in a long time so it was like a “lovefest.”

HRH: Several years ago I transcribed an interview for a friend of mine from Down Under between him and you. One of my favorite parts of the interview was when you talked about saving Yngwie Malmsteen’s life. That was some crazy stuff! What, if anything, is your relationship with Yngwie today?

JLT: It is civil. We did end up working together on a cover CD that he did several years ago and then we both played in Russia for the Prime Minister’s cabinet in a command performance concert.

HRH: That’s great to hear. Many singers’ voices seem to degrade over time but yours sounds exactly the same if not better than it did way back in the early days when you used to sing for Fandango. What do you do to keep your voice in such great shape?

JLT: I eat very healthy, stay hydrated and I get a lot of sleep. My management will often negotiate a day off between every two tour dates because more than two in a row can really stress your voice out. It’s better to do two on, one or two days off, preserve the voice and give the fans who go to the shows a better show.

HRH: I’ve heard you refer to yourself as having a chameleon-like voice with the ability to sing different styles and with different techniques (head, chest, throat). Have you always been able to sing like that or is that something you’ve trained yourself to do over time?

JLT: It has developed over time to a degree but also comes from imitating other singers to stretch out and challenge myself.

HRH: Three or four years ago you did a really cool version of AC/DC’s “Back in Black” with Phil Collen of Def Leppard on a tribute album (Thunderbolt). You pulled off some amazing gravelly vocals that sounded nothing like the smooth tone we usually expect from you. You were definitely giving Brian Johnson a run for his money!

JLT: Several fans tell me they like my interpretation of “Back In Black” because it sounds similar to Brian Johnson but also has my own personal stamp on it. The greatest compliment I did receive was from Roger Glover when he said, “Joe Lynn Turner has found his OWN voice.”

HRH: I know that you guys are friends so I’m curious if you’ve had a chance to read his new book?

JLT: Thank you and no, unfortunately I have not read his book yet but I did get to sit in the Formula One racing car!

HRH: That’s awesome! By the way, can he really make his voice sound like classic crooners like Dean Martin?

JLT: Absolutely! I do Frank (Sinatra) and he does Dean (Martin) when we get together and have a few drinks.

HRH: Ha Ha, that’s great. I’d love to hear that! As your fans are well aware, I’m sure, you, along with Ritchie Blackmore’s son Jürgen and other former members of Rainbow, formed a band called Over The Rainbow a few years ago and it was quite popular, with 15-20,000 people watching you at Sweden Rock Fest. What is the status of OTR right now?

JLT: Over The Rainbow is on hiatus for now. We all have other projects we are working on. We could come back for a show or festival if it was the right situation, financially, and if everyone was available. So, I do not want to rule that possibility out.

HRH: Okay, good to know. Even if this project is temporarily or permanently on hiatus, is there any chance there will be a studio or live album from this project?

JLT: That is not a part of the plan right now.

HRH: Got it. I loved the story of your initiation into Rainbow and how you thought it was a joke when Ritchie Blackmore first called you. What is your relationship with Ritchie today?

JLT: It’s very polite, courteous. I sent him and Candace well wishes on the birth of their child. We exchange messages off an on.

HRH: Cool. I read in one of your interviews that you actually received a few phone calls from the President of Russia, President Medvedev. That’s pretty interesting. Can you tell us what that was all about?

JLT: Just to clarify… he did not call me on the phone. I performed for him/his staff.

HRH: Oh, cool. Thanks for clarifying. What is on your mp3 player these days? Any newer bands?

JLT: Johnny Lang is amazing! I also like Nickelback, Papa Roach, Apocalyptica and I especially enjoy Rammstein while working out.

HRH: Do you have any plans to do any more HTP stuff with Glenn Hughes? I assume he’s pretty busy with Black Country Communion and of course you’re busy so I’d be surprised if you guys were working on anything. I will say, it’s nice to see Glenn having such success with BCC. He’s an incredibly talented guy and the acclaim is well deserved. Joe Bonamassa is amazing too. I know you worked with him on some of your early solo stuff. Did you always know that he’d be such a big success?

JLT: No immediate plans but it would be great to do another HTP record. He and I are both really busy with other things. I agree with you… Bonamassa is amazing. I was always in his corner, hoping his music would take off and be successful. The business is crazy sometimes in that it does not always reward people with enormous talent. I am glad he has had a lot of success.

HRH: Me too. Mother’s Army released three albums back in the ‘90s. Is there any chance we’ll see a 4th album?

JLT: I wish! The boxed set came out and then there was some talk about a 4th but the financial situation was not right… it’s an unfortunate state of the industry right now.

HRH: You also worked with a Norwegian bassist Jan Holberg (The Jan HolbergProject), what can you tell us about that?

JLT: He contacted me. I liked his material. He was great to work with both in the collaboration/recording process and on tour. We did several shows together. It looks like we will be joining forces for more songs on his next record and more shows.

HRH: Great! Do you have any plans yet for your next solo album?

JLT: Nothing concrete at this moment.

HRH: You did a cool version of “Street Of Dreams” on the Blackmore’s Night album The Village Lanterne a few years ago (2006). Is there any chance of more collaborations between you guys?

JLT: I don’t think so but if they asked me again, I would certainly consider it.

HRH: Throughout your long career you have traveled the world over many times. What have been some of your most memorable experiences from traveling the world?

JLT: Too many to list or describe! I could write a book! It’s just the overall experience of everything from tasting new foods to experiencing another culture. I lived in Turkey and Russia for long enough to feel a bit like a resident. I think everyone should do as much traveling as he or she can afford. It makes you a much larger person…the best education ever.

HRH: As a man that has been around the block a time or two, you look great and you sound great. Is there any advice you can give our readers for staying young at heart?

JLT: Yes… never surrender to conformity based on your or age, decade, etc. Youth is a state of mind… young hearts are free.

HRH: Great advice! I really like the concept behind your Big Noize project too, which featured Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot/Ratt), Vinny Apice (Black Sabbath), & Phil Soussan (Beggars and Thieves). Is this project still active?

JLT: It’s not “active” at this moment in that we have no confirmed shows or new “news” to pass along but that is because we also have other things we are working on now. If the right situation was proposed to us and if we were all available, we may get together for it… a show, festival or other offer.

HRH: “Battlefields” is a cool song so it would be great to hear some more original stuff from you guys.

JLT: Thank you. As I say… never say never. I love working with the Big Noize guys and we could definitely write more material if the situation and our schedules allowed.

HRH: Who are your vocal and guitarist inspirations?

JLT: Vocally, Paul Rodgers is my main influence. Guitar? Hendrix, of course!

HRH: Do you have any final thoughts or comments you’d like to share?

JLT: I would like to thank the fans for their continued support of my solo and other projects such as Sunstorm. They help keep me young and passionate about the music! I would also like to thank Hardrock Haven for your support.

WORD ASSOCIATION:

• Deep Purple – My favorite classic rock band
• Rainbow – My 2nd favorite classic rock band
• Ritchie Blackmore – Brilliant
• Yngwie Malmsteen – Intense
• MTV – Video killed the radio star

Favorites:

• Restaurant – Biaggis in Colorado Springs
• Sport – American Football
• Soda – it’s poison; I do not drink it
• Singer – Paul Rodgers
• Band – (artist) – Johnny Lang
• Song – Try a Little Tenderness from Otis Redding
• Actor – Al Pacino
• Drink – Martini Bianco
• Sight – My wife naked
• Smell – My wife
• Possession – guitars
• Fast food restaurant – poison; I do not eat at those places
• TV Show – Fashion Police (I do not watch a lot of TV shows)
• Cartoon Character – Tasmanian Devil
• Saying/Quote – “Angels Can Fly Because They Take Themselves Lightly”

Either/Or:

• Pepsi or Coke? – neither
• Domestic or Import? – import
• Football or Soccer? – Football (American)
• Radio or Television – It depends on what is on
• Beach or Mountains? – On the beach where you can also see the mountains.
• Dogs or Cats? – Dogs!
• Ocean or Pools? – Ocean
• Summer or Winter? – Summer
• Sunrise or Sunset? – Both are magical
• Chocolate or Vanilla? – Chocolate
• Big Mac or Whopper? – I don’t eat either
• Beer or Wine? – Peroni Beer
• Coffee or Tea? – Coffee
• Mary Ann or Ginger? – Ginger
• Sammy or Dave? – If you mean Van Halen…Sammy.

Complete The Sentence:

• Never in my life have I been… “with” a man.
• When I’m nervous… I talk a lot.
• The last song I listened to was… something by Johnny Lang.
• When I was 5… I was the person I am now (according to my Mother)
• Last Christmas… I flew home from Russia and made it just in time for my daughter’s Christmas dinner.
• The happiest recent event was… my marriage.
• If I were a character on TV I’d be… Al Jolson…I love to Singa!
• By this time next year…I will be rocking (and rolling).
• My current gripe is… GMO (genetically modified organism) food.
• I have a hard time understanding… what’s going on with the state of the world right now.
• You know I like you when… I tease you.
• If you visited the place I was born you would find… very humble beginnings.
• The world could do without… war and greed.
• The worst job I’ve ever had is… as a construction worker on a building working with concrete.
• The best job I’ve ever had is…mine!
• Most recent thing someone else bought me was… an inspirational book by David Spangler called “The Call.”
• The last book I read was… “The Call”
• The best book I’ve read was “The Biggest Secret” by David Icke.
• The last movie I saw was… Hugo.
• The best movie I’ve ever seen was… Apocalypto.
• My hidden talent is… cooking.
• One thing you probably don’t know about me is… I am hysterically funny.
• Something I miss from when I was a kid is… innocence.
• My pet peeve is… greedy, phony, arrogant people.
• The best advice I ever got was… to never give up!

HRH: Thanks, Joe. We really appreciate your taking the time to speak with us today. Best wishes for continued success in all of your musical endeavors!

For more information, please visit: www.joelynnturner.com.

Chris Shrum of Benedictum

by Deb Rao
Staff Writer –

Benedictum recently wrapped a very successful North American tour in support of their latest release Dominion on Frontiers Records. The San Diego based band fronted by Veronica Freeman is making a great impact on music fans from the East Coast to West Coast. Benedictum have a distinctive hard edge ’80s sound reminiscent of Dio and Savatage. Bassist Chris Shrum recently checked in with Hardrock Haven to discuss Dominion.

HRH: Thank you for checking in with Hardrock Haven. The band has a new album out called Dominion. Tell us about the writing process for this album.

Chris: It was basically a little bit of everybody pitched in on it. We all kind of came in and shared riffs basically. Veronica put her polish on it with her incredible vocals. She is such a great lyricist. She is a really good writer. She writes really good topics and good story like lyrics. Everything just kind of came together really well. We were working with a new producer on this Cd Ryan Greene. He did really well for us on it.

HRH: How do you think it differs from the band’s two previous releases?

Chris: It is a little raw. As far as tone wise. There were some good messages on there also. It was a little bit more upbeat with different drum styles. We had a new drummer on this CD, Micky Pannone. It was kind of a new twist to everything. This was actually my first CD with Benedictum also. I have been with the band for four years now. Micky the drummer has been with the band for two and a half years.

HRH: You also have some interesting guest stars on this album including Jeff Pilson. Jeff produced the band’s first two releases. What was it like working with Jeff Pilson?

Chris: Right! He does a really cool duet kind of an acoustic kind of thing between him and Veronica. They do some really cool harmonies.

HRH: You also have Rudy Sarzo appearing on the song “Bang.”

Chris: Yes, he came on for a bass track on there and tore it up.

HRH: Are Jeff and Rudy two of your favorite bass players form the ’80s? Benedictum kind of has a hard edge ’80s influence to the sound like Savatage.

Chris: Yes, that is when we all grew up. It kind of shows. We all kind of have a little bit of different influences but writing wise our styles really coincide well together.

HRH: How did you come up with the title Dominion?

Chris: I would say at that point when we were working on the album we were going through some stuff personally and business wise. With a label at the time that had some problems and ended up going bankrupt basically. If you listen to some of the lyrics, some of the stories are very true to heart with what we were going through as far as the musical point in our life. It came from within.

HRH: It is awesome that you have a girl fronting the band. It adds a lot to the music. Veronica is such a great songwriter.

Chris: She is such a powerful persona onstage. Her vocals and everything comes off so big.

HRH: The band recently wrapped up a North American tour. I know you recently performed in Vegas. What were some of the highlights from the tour?

Chris: We started down in Orlando and worked our way up the East Coast ending up in Baltimore, MD before heading home. There were a lot of really good shows. It was strange because we started out in Florida and it was really hot. Then we went to the North East part of the coast and it was freezing cold. It was a tour of weather also. (Laughter) We meant a lot of really cool people. We played a lot of really great clubs. We worked with a really great band out of New York Des Demon. Also a female fronted band.

HRH: What are your future touring plans? Are you going to hit the road again soon?

Chris: We sure hope so. Things are in the works right now. Actually, at this time we are working on some new material for our upcoming CD. Jeff Pilson will be back producing this album.

HRH: As a new band on the rise. What do you hope to accomplish in the music industry today?

Chris: That is a big question. More or less getting out there supporting our new CD. Dominion is fairly new. We still need to get back to Europe.

HRH: How was the European tour?

Chris: That was more of a short tour thing. We were in and out. That was in October for the Metal Female Vocal Festival. That was a must. We had to go back. We played it before in 2008. It was a great show and incredible venue. Everything over there the European crowds and the people, the stage crew was a whole another level of production.

HRH: Is there anything else that you want to say about Dominion?

Chris: There is a lot to listen to on it. It is a good example of what we are shooting for. We will be working with Jeff Pilson again. He has such finesse with arrangement and production. I am really excited to work with him on this one. Ryan Greene was a great producer to work with also. The ways things worked out Jeff wasn’t available to work with at that point and Ryan was for Dominion. It turned out really well. But Jeff will be available for our upcoming release.

HRH: That is awesome. Thank you for checking in with us Chris.

Jimmy Allen of Against All Will

by Mark Allen
Staff Writer –

Crawling Out of the Mudd: An Interview with Jimmy Allen of Against All Will

Fans of that modern, post-grunge sound may instantly recognize Jimmy Allen’s name, but for the uninitiated, he is an original member of the band Puddle of Mudd, the award-winning genius behind hit songs such as “Blurry,” “Drift and Die,” and “She Hates Me,” all featured on the Come Clean album, which was directly responsible for breaking Puddle of Mudd into the mainstream. Jimmy’s Puddle days are now behind him and he has moved on and formed a new band, Against All Will, which sports all the earmarks of the modern commercial hard rock scene while retaining a metal-edged legitimacy.

Jimmy recently took the time to converse with Hardrock Haven about his Puddle of Mudd days, the challenges facing a rock musician in today’s musical climate, his collaboration with Cello Dias, and the lack of platypuses in metal music.

HRH: Jimmy, thanks so much for talking to me. Your new band, Against All Will, is definitely more radio-friendly than Puddle of Mudd. Was this a deliberate attempt at charting some songs or simply the natural outcome of where you are musically and creatively these days?

Jimmy Allen: It was just natural. I tend to write songs that I like and hope other people will enjoy too.

HRH: Just like celebrities always cite “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for divorce, it seems when members depart a band it is often blamed on “creative differences.” Was this the case with your departure from Puddle of Mudd, or did something else cause you to walk away?

Jimmy Allen: I walked away from the band before the signing with Fred Durst because nobody was on the same page and the deal was in favor of one person, not the whole band. I rejoined the band in 2004 and I was let go in 2006 for not signing a shady contract that would have made me a hired gun for the band I started.

HRH: Puddle’s loss is Against All Will’s gain. The band’s latest album, A Rhyme & Reason, has been out for awhile now; how is it performing, both from a critical as well as sales aspect?

Jimmy Allen: It’s been great! For not having a big push from a major label, we sold 50,000 downloads alone in 2011. We are very blessed to have such great fans and people spreading our music around.

HRH: While you yourself are hardly new to the rock music scene, Against All Will is technically a new band, despite the presence of veteran players. What are the biggest obstacles facing a new band trying to make it in today’s rock music world?

Jimmy Allen: Touring has been the toughest thing; making money when out on the road is pretty rough these days.

HRH: Will there be another Against All Will album and if so, when?

Jimmy Allen: Yes. We are shooting for spring sometime.

HRH: Cannot wait to hear it. Cello Dias is an absolute beast on the bass guitar on A Rhyme & Reason. How did your collaboration with him come about?

Jimmy Allen: Our good friend Roy, drummer from Stone Sour, played with Cello in Soulfly. He recommended him to us one day.

HRH: The modern hard rock/metal market is rife with banal, boring album covers, but A Rhyme & Reason has a cover that seems to be trying to convey a message. Can you tell us who designed it and explain the symbolism?

Jimmy Allen: The Aardvark brigade designed it. They do amazing work! I worked out my ideas with them for the artwork and we went back and forth until I was happy with it. I wanted it to show bits and pieces from the songs from the CD, so it has the bugs, needles, speakers, microphones, and a hidden message.

HRH: Since the album cover features beetles, not exactly a common avatar in hard rock, I was wondering if on your next release you would consider giving some love to another creature so often overlooked in metal: the duck-billed platypus. C’mon, nothing screams bad-ass metal like a platypus. What do you think?

Jimmy Allen: That’s totally bad-ass! Where do I send the check?

HRH: I would tell you to send the check to my editor, but he’d just use it to buy vodka, so you might as well keep it. Speaking of keeping things, every song on A Rhyme & Reason is a keeper, which leaves the listener begging for more. What made you decide to only release seven tracks?

Jimmy Allen: Thank you. Very simple—we ran out of money.

HRH: You are on your death bed with only seconds left before you have a personal experience with whatever lies on the other side of the grave. You have enough breath for maybe ten words and you want to tell everyone the most important thing they need to know about life in the rock and roll world—what would those words be?

Jimmy Allen: Be careful what you wish for, it may come true.

HRH: Good advice. Jimmy, thanks a bunch for speaking with me. We here at Hardrock Haven wish you the best of luck in all your future endeavors, both rock-related and otherwise.

Jimmy Allen: Thanks for all the support and taking the time to do this interview.

For more information on Jimmy Allen and Against All Will, please visit www.facebook.com/againstallwilljimmy or www.againstallwill.com.

Glenn Hughes The Voice of Rock [2007 Revisted]

by John Kindred
Staff Writer –

The Voice of Rock: 2007 Revisted

Hardrock Haven interviews “The Voice of Rock” the great Glenn Hughes …

Glenn Hughes credentials range from being a band member of groups such as Trapeze, Deep Purple, Hughes/Thrall, Black Sabbath, Hughes Turner Project, extensive studio session work to a high profile solo career, it is no wonder Glenn Hughes has been dubbed “The Voice of Rock.”

Hardrock Haven talks with Glenn Hughes about his new CD being released in the U.S. in January, his relationship with Red Hot Chili Pepper drummer Chad Smith, possibly working with David Coverdale again and much, much more …

View from the Road | Interview with Rev of Underride

by Alex Barbieri
Staff Writer –

Underride is a modern sounding hard rock band from Seattle with a decidedly anarchic ‘80s-style attitude and outlook. Rev, Underride’s lead singer and ringleader, recently spoke to Hardrock Haven about the band’s new album, Distorted Nation, their current tour of the Midwest, and a lot more. Hardrock Haven readers, meet Rev.

HRH: Rev, thanks for talking to Hardrock Haven. For those not yet familiar with Underride, tell us a bit about the band’s sound, style, attitude and overall philosophy.

REV: It’s straight up hard rock! We call it “Camaro Rock.” People like to tell us that it goes best when driven down the highway at a high rate of speed. Fans party to the songs, or work out to it because it’s high energy rock that charges them up! It’s like drinking an eight-ball of Starbucks espresso!

HRH: Underride’s new album, Distorted Nation, sounds heavy yet melodic with a crystal-clear production. Where did you record it, and who was behind the boards? Any interesting stories from the writing and recording sessions?

REV: Ha! I recorded and mixed the whole damn thing myself on an old PC and Pro Tools LE in our crappy little rat-infested rehearsal space. I have a Mackie 1604 board, which is an entry level mixer for garage bands. A few Shure 57 microphones, and away we go!

I really do appreciate the kind words and we’re happy with the production too, but I can’t take all the credit. It’s really the band. These are top-notch musicians, and these guys know how to play their instruments. Good players and good songs really make it much easier on the engineering side.

HRH: Underride is currently on a winter tour of the Midwest. Who booked the tour and are you guys freezing to death out there? Seriously, how are the shows going? Tell us about the Midwest fans and gigs so far.

REV: It’s fucking freezing out here, Mr. Bigglesworth! Shut the front door … we just left Fargo, ND and it was -19 degrees! Now we’re in Iowa in an ice storm watching cars and trucks spin off the freeway into each other.

The shows are great man! We have a brand new tee-shirt that has our album inside it. It’s called a Downloadble Album Tee (DAT). You buy the shirt and the record for $20 and it streams the record on your phone instantly. Fans are freaking out for this! We are selling 10 times the amount of swag then we usually do. That’s what I said … 10 times! Our fans support us because we have the coolest tees on the whole planet. Check ‘em out at www.R-EVOLUTIONTEES.com.

HRH: Underride has opened for a number of national acts? Who in particular have been some of your favorites and why?

REV: Man Made Machine out of Arizona was killah. Those boys brought it every night! We also did Duff McKagen’s Loaded and CAVO—both really good bands and cool people.

HRH: What would be your dream tour and bill? Playing with what bands?

REV: I would wanna be middle slot with Motorhead and Lady Gaga. Probably across the pond in Europe.

HRH: As a singer, you have a great sense of melody, harmony and vibrato. Who are some of your biggest vocal influences?

REV: Joe Cocker, Al Green, Lou Gramm, Chris Cornell, Sammy Hagar, Jim Morrison, Billie Holiday, Robert Plant, Bono … man I could go on, but that should give you an idea of what turns me on. Again, thanks for the kind words. Singing doesn’t come easy to me. I practice a lot and I’m still learning every day.

HRH: Did you grow up in Seattle, and how do you think that influenced your style and attitude, if at all?

REV: The Seattle music scene did influence part of it. Seattle-based rock is honest and in your face. Like Gruntruck, for example … no gimmicks, just good songs with great sounding guitars and pounding drums. We played with them too, and I was over-the-top-stoked.

HRH: Back in 2008, you described yourself as a “loud-mouthed party mother fucker, running at 100 mph all the time.” Are you still that way, or have you mellowed at all over the past four years? And if so, why?

REV: Mellowed out? Are you kidding me? I’m only getting started. Our show has expanded with full motion lights and hard-driving rock songs that drive people crazy. The shows are better than ever and the energy is enough to get you high!

HRH: What bands and albums are you currently listening to? Any pick hits we should know about?

REV: The new Man Made Machine record, Become, gets played in the van pretty much every day, along with Burn Halo’s Up From The Ashes. Check out the songs “Bad Motherfucker” by Man Made Machine and “Tear It Down” from Burn Halo. I’m an old 18 Visions fan too, so I gotta throw that one in there.

HRH: Is there anything else you want to say to your fans and the Hardrock Haven readers around the world?

REV: Me and the boys really appreciate our families, crew and fans for supporting us around the world. If we haven’t been to your town yet, we will be there soon. Thanks to all the peeps who come to hang with us at shows and please support indie artists like UNDERRIDE by purchasing our music from an authorized UNDERRIDE distributer like iTunes and the like. Visit us online and tell us what YOU think of our songs. See you all at The Rock Show!

HRH: Rev, thanks again for hanging with Hardrock Haven and all the best to you and Underride in 2012.

Visit the official Underride website:
http://www.underride.net/

Watch Underride’s new video for “Paparrazzi”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VbrNsYNS9E

Friend Underride on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/underride/71205831473?sk=app_2405167945

Order Distorted Nation on cdbaby
http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/Underride1

Rev photography by Travis Lawton

Andy Parker of UFO

by Steve Patrick
Staff Writer –

Andy Parker of UFO is No Bone Rider

Eddie Trunk can end his hunger strike. British rock legends UFO have just released their most recent album Seven Deadly. On the record, UFO demonstrates that they still possess the heaviness and quality songwriting that has cemented their reputation as the musician’s rock band.

The well-oiled rock machine that is UFO has had drummer Andy Parker manning the engine room for over forty years now. Mr. Parker took some time to speak with Hardrock Haven about the new album, the band’s relationship with estranged bassist Pete Way, and playing drums in a swimming pool.

HRH: Well, let’s just jump right into it. How did the band want to follow-up 2009’s The Visitor?

Andy Parker: That’s kind of a tough one, Steve. It’s pretty much as always, you know. We weren’t absolutely sure we’d get another album because SPV had gone through some changes, but once they decided they were going to keep going and that they wanted us to do another album, then it’s just basically pitching the ideas and getting on with it.

HRH: Can you describe how the UFO of today typically writes a new album?

AP: Well, normally it would be Vinnie Moore (guitar) and myself…and Pete (Way) when he was in the band, obviously we don’t have a full time bass player right now, so the writing process is pretty much left down to the rest of us. This time around I didn’t really do much. I had kind of a busy year. My kid was getting married and stuff, so…yeah, we were on the road a lot, so it was kind of just when it came time to do the album the guys pitched in their ideas.

Traditionally what happens is we pitch in the ideas and Phil (Mogg, vocals) listens to them, decides which ones he can kind of feed off of, and we come down to a short list. Then we go into the studio and record those as backing tracks and he works on his vocals from there. I mean, quite often he’ll give us kind of a lyric idea or a hookline or a melody…some kind of phrasing ideas, but we don’t normally hear the finished product until it is actually finished.

I did the drums…the drums and bass were done in Germany at Area 51 with Tommy Newton (producer). Phil worked there too…Phil did his vocals. He tends to work out of his home studio in Delaware. He feels more comfortable there…he’s got all his stuff there. Paul (Raymond, keyboards/guitar) kind of worked between London at a studio he likes in London and Area 51. It’s not that far for him…from London to Hanover so it’s a pretty close commute. I think the only reason he doesn’t do everything in Hanover is he likes to use a grand piano and a B3, so Tommy doesn’t have those there…so Paul found a studio in London that did.

HRH: Who performed the bass parts on Seven Deadly?

AP: By this time, if you remember last time around it was a German bass player, Peter Pichl, that we used. This time around, it’s another German bass player named Lars Lehmann and he was a buddy of Vinnie’s. Vinnie had used him in some solo stuff and suggested that he was a great bass player, which he is…and a great guy. He was available and he was in Hanover, so that made things easier because at least he was around when I put the drum tracks down which was nice. We got to do the bass and drums together.

HRH: That kind of leads into the next question, how is Pete doing?

AP: Eh, well I mean I haven’t seen him probably in little over a year. Last time I saw him he was pretty much the same, as usual. That’s a tough one. I mean, you know, the story with Pete is he’s basically on hiatus from the band because of his lifestyle choices. It was really starting to affect his performance and the band in general, although it really fell on Phil’s shoulders to make the decision…that he kinda needed to sit out and pull himself together.

Poor old Pete. He started off with a good attitude, but he kind of fell by the wayside, so I don’t see him returning any time soon. I mean, obviously we’re all hoping that he will be back and that he will sort himself out, but the last time I saw him he was still pretty much in the state that he had been for a while. Now, funny enough, he’s actually been doing some stuff with Michael (Schenker) which I can understand, from a fan’s point of view, is pretty confusing, you know? Why is he out there with Michael and not with us?

It’s just a matter of degrees with Pete. I think the deal was with Michael is that Michael had him along, but he also had another bass player along to cover the playing duties…which works fine for Michael, but we won’t do that. If he’s going to be in the band then he has to step and play too, so…like I said, we love him to death. We really hope that he’s going to be back, but at this point in time I don’t see it happening in the near future.

HRH: So, I was curious, early on there was a press release stating that the album would be titled Last of the Bone Riders…what prompted the change from that original title?

AP: *laughs* Well, oh boy…this all started early last year and Phil had come up with concept, he’d come up with this title. It was either going to be Bone Riders or Last of the Bone Riders, as you quite rightly pointed out. So, he didn’t get very good feedback from us about it. To be terribly blunt with it, people were saying it sounded like some sort of gay porno movie, right? *laughs* So, he started taking an opinion poll about it and he was kind of getting mixed reviews from it. His whole concept was more of a biker kind of thing. So, anyway, I can’t remember exactly where it was, but we were in a bar of a hotel somewhere, just relaxing and this whole thing came up because we were going over songs, you know, just coming up with a short list of songs for the album and this question of the title came up again. So, he asks the bartender. He goes, “Alright, I’ll ask the bartender. They’re always good to get feedback off of.” So he asks this bartender, “Look, if I said to you a title Last of the Bone Riders, what would you think?” The guy looks right at Phil and says, “Sounds like a gay porno to me.” *laughs* So Phil said, “Right, I’m not going to use that title and I’ll come up with something else.” Fair enough.

Well maybe it was a few weeks later we were playing in St. Charles, Illinois. We had a gig there and we were staying just about two blocks from the gig in a nice hotel. It was a beautiful evening. Well as we’re walking down to the show and as we’re walking down there there’s this group of people coming the other way and this guy had a t-shirt that showed a skeleton riding a motorcycle on it and it said “Bone Riders” on it! So Phil’s going, “Yes! See, I told you it’s a bike thing! It’s a bike thing!” and he traded the guy his shirt right there for a UFO shirt and he’s bouncing around ecstatic, so then Bone Riders came back in on the list.

But, I think what happened was that eventually SPV announced ahead of time that the album was going to be called Last of the Bone Riders and it got some pretty negative feedback on the website. So, once again he changed it, but then he came up with Seven Deadly which was out of left field for us obviously because we were all expecting it to be the Bone Riders, but I think it worked out for the better. *laughs*

HRH: Here’s a song-specific question for you. In the song “Wonderland” off of Seven Deadly, what is “the monkey” that Phil keeps referring to?

AP: I think “the monkey” is whatever you want it to be. I mean, we’ve all got our own theories about it. I think it would spoil it for me to come up with mine. I have to be totally honest with you, I don’t know what Phil was actually referring to with “the monkey.” He’s got a thing about monkeys. I mean, it’s come up with The Monkey Puzzle, “Hard Being Me” has got a monkey in it, and there’s even a song on You Are Here that mentions monkeys. So, I guess he just likes monkeys, but I guess it’s whatever you want. I always see it as a “monkey on your back” kind of thing, but it can be whatever you want.

HRH: Seven Deadly is a really hard-hitting album right from the start…

AP: Yeah! More cowbell! *laughs* I’m a lot happier with the drum sound on this album than I have been maybe with the last couple. That’s fairly well known amongst the band. I mean, I wasn’t real happy with the drum sound on the last couple of albums. You know, not for any particular reason, it just sounded to me to be a bit lackluster.

Now the interesting thing is, although I did this with Tommy and it’s still Area 51, it’s actually a new studio. He moved right before we did this album. He moved to a new building and I actually recorded the drums in a swimming pool, believe it or not, obviously minus the water. It’s just a building that he found that had an indoor swimming pool which just turned out to be a great room for drums, so they put a floor in the bottom of it and the drums actually sat down in the pool.

It just gave them a really good sound. I think he’s really on a winner with this. It’s the best drum sound I’ve heard him come up with in a long time. So yeah, I think it’s a lot heavier. I think the material on the album is a bit heavier. It’s still got that blues feel that was in the band when I came back in 2005 and did Monkey Puzzle, they moved into that bluesy vein, which is fine by me because that’s kind of where the band started. It’s kind of like full circle and it’s very comfortable for me. This one’s got a little bit more edge to it I think which’ll please a lot of the fans.

HRH: Well Andy, I want to thank you so much for sharing your time with us today. It’s been a pleasure talking with you.

AP: Thank you so much and if we ever come your way come out and see us. Come say hi and we’ll grab a beer.

For more information on UFO and Andy, please visit www.ufo-music.info or www.mr-parker-rocks.com.

Zakk Wylde of Black Label Society

by Cameron Edney
Guest Staff Writer –

Roasted And Ready To Rock With Zakk Wylde!

Growing up a fan of Heavy Metal pioneers such as Judas Priest, Slayer and Ozzy Osbourne, it was always about the music as much as it was the controversy that surrounded these bands. When it came to Ozzy Osbourne I always loved the phenomenal musicians he surrounded himself around, especially the guitarists such as Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee and the one and only Zakk Wylde. I will never forget the first time I seen the video clip for ‘Miracle Man’, my introduction to one of the finest guitarist of our time.

You knew a star was born; Zakk’s onstage stage presence and phenomenal playing alongside Ozzy earned him the cover of guitar and music magazines around the globe. As the years have passed Zakk’s image may have changed from the young starry eyed teenager with blonde locks and leopard pants to a body building, black leather vest wearing rocker we see before us today but one thing that’s never changed is his determination to better himself as a guitarist, vocalist and song-writer. Outside of his amazing career as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist and song-writing partner Zakk made a name for himself with both the bluesy and acoustically driven Pride and Glory and Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society, two very different musical entity’s yet both incredible and loved by rock and metal fans around the globe.

In 2011 Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society released there eleventh album ‘The Song Remains Not the Same’ which featured acoustic re-workings of tracks from the bands previous album ‘Order of the Black’ as well as covers from Black Sabbath, john Rich and Simon and Garfunkel to name a few. The album was a huge success and reached #41 on the Billboard 200 charts. Since the album’s release the band has enlisted Breaking Benjamin drummer Chad Szeliga following will hunt’s departure.

Heavy metal’s beard dwelling, guitar squealing madman Zakk Wylde has returned to Australia this week playing live shows for the first time down under since 2006. Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society are here as part of the Soundwave Festival and will be sharing the stage with Over ninety artists from the rock, punk and metal genres including Hellyeah, Shadows Fall, Biohazard, Steel Panther and Lamb of God.

Having been a fan of Zakk’s career for so many years now, it was a true honor and pleasure to have chat with one of the most influential guitarist of our time. After so many years of conducting interviews this would have to be one off the funniest conversations I’ve ever had with one of my idols and no doubt you’ll agree after reading what Zakk had to say! I spoke with Zakk about returning to Australia for the Soundwave Festival, recording cover tunes, the recent rock roast and much more. Australian Chapter are you ready? Here is what Zakk had to say…

Hardrock Haven: Hey Zakk, it’s awesome to be chatting with you and thanks so much for answering these questions for our readers, how ya doing mate?

Zakk Wylde: I’m doing good buddy… we’re psyched to start whoopin’ ass with the Australian chapter of the order of black; we’re really looking forward to it!

Hardrock Haven: We can’t wait either but before we get into that let’s talk about the recent Zakk Wylde Rock Roast… I’ve seen some online footage and it looked pretty fuckin’ funny man! From what I watched Sharon Osbourne really gave it to ya!

Zakk Wylde: The whole roast, everybody kicked ass on the thing, [laughs] it wasn’t like it was just a roast on me, everybody got roasted, it was awesome. I hope they do them every year now!

Hardrock Haven: How did you end up getting roasted, tell us how that all came together?

Zakk Wylde: I remember telling Fred from Guitar World that I was talking about doing these Black Label Roasts among other stuff. I said between all of my musician buddies, actors and athletes; everybody that I know in the entertainment business the list is just endless. Look at everybody we could roast, I’d roast a friggin cartoon character, its ridiculous! Fred got back to me one day and said “Zakk we’re gonna start doing these roasts, and we decided that you’re going to be the first one” [laughs] I said “ah great [laughs] the more brutal the better.”

Hardrock Haven: Well that it sure was mate! Now as all the Aussie fans know this tour is well overdue with your last visit in late 2006. What can we expect when Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society Hit’s the stage?

Zakk Wylde: Well I’ve been hitting the Kim Kardashian quick trim pretty hard myself and the rest of the guys in the band are using this new product we have… black label thigh thinning cream, I’ve been using that religiously and I feel that we’re going to be hitting the stage with reckless sexual abandon [laughs].

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs] something for us all to look forward too I see [laughs]. You’ve been here a few times now on promotional tours as well as with Ozzy Osbourne, what fond memories do you have from your previous Australian visits?

Zakk Wylde: Well, obviously not to ask for Fosters [laughs] and make sure you ask for VB [laughs], that’s what I remember from last time. The craziest thing is that in America Fosters is considered the Budweiser of Australia, then you speak to someone from Australia and they’re like “we ain’t drinking that rat piss!” Everyone in America thinks that’s the beer man!

Hardrock Haven: It’s really sad to see that after all these years Fosters is still the only Aussie beer that they are trying to sell to the world [laughs].

Zakk Wylde: Oh without a doubt, that’s the marketing campaign. Everyone would say to me, Zakk VB is the beer down here, if you’re drinking beer it’s VB! I had a blast last time I was down there man, we did a lot of bar hoping after the gigs!

Hardrock Haven: You’re back in Australia for the Soundwave Festival and this year’s line-up is unreal with many of your friends also taking part this year! Will you be putting much time aside to watch the other bands, who are you most looking forward to seeing?

Zakk Wylde: Half the time when you’re at the festivals you’re usually always working, there’s always something going on but obviously you go and check out as many bands as you possibly can. A lot of the guys you actually know, you can always hook up with everybody and see how they’re doing. Usually everybody’s always touring or making records so it’s always cool catching up with everybody.

Hardrock Haven: The BLS fans are great man, very dedicated, some fanatical… you have the best seat in the house to witness the mayhem that takes place in the crowds… what comes to mind as some of the craziest things you seen happening whilst playing?

Zakk Wylde: That depends, sometimes some of the smaller places are even more insane, just put it this way, as long as nobody’s getting hurt that’s all that really matters at the end of the day! I’ve seen some pretty ridiculous stuff but then again [laughs] it depends on how many cocktails are flowing.

Hardrock Haven: How about when it comes to dealing with other members on the road… as we know at times it can become quite frustrating sharing a bus/hotel room for weeks, sometimes months at a time. How have you found is the best way to deal with each other on the road especially when it comes to those harder / not so pleasant times?

Zakk Wylde: I write all the checks so the bottom line is…

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs]

Zakk Wylde: I say, “Stay away from me, and don’t look at me cause I’m the artists” [laughs] and you know what they seem to enjoy it, and they all like me!

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs]

Zakk Wylde: Seriously, I’ve never been in a band situation since I was fourteen years old where we didn’t get a long, everybody usually hangs out and has a good time, otherwise why would you be in a band? I don’t get it, the whole time I played with Ozzy all we did was laugh our balls off, so that’s all that ever was about; we were doing what we love.

Hardrock Haven: I’ve heard many stories about you over the years, how you’re a funny guy and love practical jokes. What’s the best joke you’ve pulled on the road?

Zakk Wylde: I’m trying to think… the guys have gotten me too so [laughs] put it this way, you don’t want to piss anyone off to the point that they’re going to beat your ass [laughs]. All of us have to go to sleep sooner or later [laughs] so you have to be careful on how far you pull the practical joke; it’s always a good time though man!

Hardrock Haven: Aussie fans will be introduced to the newest member to the BLS family and incredible drummer Chad Szeliga this week, what’s it like working with Chad?

Zakk Wylde: Oh man, with Chad in the band right now… Chad’s awesome man! All he does is jam all day, we go down to the venue, he gets his practice kit set up and you know where you can find him. Chad’s a super cool dude, it’s always been a prerequisite for the guys who have been in [Zakk Wylde’s] Black Label Society that you can’t be a douche bag, and you have to be able to play your instrument. All the douche bageries… leave that to me [laughs], I write the checks, I am the douche bag [laughs].

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs] Zakk I want to talk to you about life in the studio… you’re not only a great singer and guitarist, you’re an amazing writer, when you look back on your back catalog what are most proud of, is there one song or album that stands out above the rest?

Zakk Wylde: Well like JD always says… I’m shocked that anyone does listen to this garbage

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs]

Zakk Wylde: [Laughs] JD always tells me the thing that you should be most proud of is that you managed to pull this off [laughs]

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs] That’s a fantastic way to keep you grounded isn’t it!

Zakk Wylde: [Laughs] I lit him on fire after he told me that!

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs] Last year you released ‘The Song Remains Not The Same’ which featured some great covers and the re-working of tracks from ‘Order of the Black’… looking back over the recording process now is there anything you would have changed?

Zakk Wylde: No, obviously when you’re making the records you’re always doing the best job you can at that time. I guess you can always listen back on it and say that could’ve been better or whatever but as far as the “Order” record and ‘The Song Remains Not The Same’ I think the production on those albums came out stellar.

Hardrock Haven: Dude I love how you changed up your songs, as much as I’m a fan of the heavier work you’ve done I think you acoustic work is among some of the best I’ve heard from any musician! When you take an album like ‘Order of the Black’ and then re-do some of the tracks I can’t help but wonder how many of those songs originally may have started out acoustically?

Zakk Wylde: Usually it’s the instrument that will dictate what I’m going to be doing. If I’m sitting there behind a piano it will be more reflective Neil Young, Elton John, The Eagles type of stuff but obviously when you’re playing through a wall of Marshall’s you’re going to start writing more Sabbath, Zeppelin type of riffs. As far as ‘The Song Remains Not The Same’ stuff I was just sitting around jamming. After we get done doing all the heavy stuff at the end of the night I’m just noodling around on the piano. I’d be using lyrics that I’ve already written just as something to mumble over while I’m singing a melody; that’s how ‘Parade of the Dead’ came about and some of the other heavy songs we took and made into a mellow tune.

Hardrock Haven: When you look back over the great material that you’ve been created, what have you found has been the hardest, most challenging album to make?

Zakk Wylde: I don’t know, you’re writing music you enjoy playing. It’s not like we’re making fusion albums. I usually make it a challenge to see how simple you can write something whether it’s a song like Led Zeppelin’s Whole Lotta Love or just one riff throughout the whole song; that’s a challenge in itself to make the song as simple as possible. In the solos you can always do whatever you want to do, but as far as it being challenging even with all of the Ozzy records, I’ve never made an album where I was like oh man it’s so hard.

Hardrock Haven: Are you currently working on any new material?

Zakk Wylde: No obviously we’re talking about doing this Unblackened thing, so we’re figuring out the set. There are strings and it’s still going to have electric guitars and drums. We’re figuring out when we’re going to be able to do rehearsals, fitting it into our schedules, we’ve already got stuff booked up til 2014 and then doing the Unblackened set.

Hardrock Haven: As I mentioned with the last album there were some great cover songs, and over the years you’ve covered many fantastic tracks, for me the standout is your version of Led Zeppelins ‘Going To California’. Is there a song that you’ve always wanted to cover but for some reason it just hasn’t happened?

Zakk Wylde: No not yet, I enjoy doing covers cause it’s some of your favorite bands, I’m sure eventually when we do the next album we will knock out some more covers. They always work as b-sides and I would say that’s a great excuse to end up doing covers.

Hardrock Haven: Zakk you’re certainly an incredible guitarist and to many you’re classed as a legend, an icon, your certainly one of the most influential players of our time, when you hear yourself classed as an icon a word that is used for the likes of Hendrix, Page and Beck, what runs through your mind…

Zakk Wylde: When the wife’s yelling at me I just throw that in her face and that makes her even madder.

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs]

Zakk Wylde: [Laughs] it’s either that or she just laughs me out of the room [laughs].

Hardrock Haven: It’s really fantastic to see that all these people around you keep you grounded by just giving you shit!

Zakk Wylde: [Laughs] completely, at all times [laughs] instead of having that roast they should have just been at my house the whole time, or on the road with the guys, it’s the same shit all the time.

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs] Who have you been surprised to learn is a fan of your work?

Zakk Wylde: I’m trying to think cause I know nobody in my family likes it [laughs]. Maybe the dogs [laughs] they haven’t bitten me yet. But then again I’m the one that always feeds them so I don’t think they’re going to bite me [laughs].

Hardrock Haven: [Laughs] Zakk on a serious note, the longer you’re in the industry the more you learn, whether on tour, in the studio or the all important business side of things. What do you feel has been the most important lesson you’ve learned to date?

Zakk Wylde: I guess your perception of everything from when you first start and as you get older and you see how things go. It’s so funny your perception of things then to see how it really goes down! That’s why you’ve gotta love the music and love it for that reason alone you’re always going to have ups and downs that’s what it is.

Hardrock Haven: Zakk unfortunately we’re out of time and it’s certainly been a blast chatting with you, do you have any last words for our readers?

Zakk Wylde: Tell the Australian chapter to stay strong and keep bleeding black man!

Zakk Wylde’s Black Label Society Kick off their Australian tour today at the Brisbane Soundwave Festival Make sure you see this kick ass band live.

Images by Cameron Edney courtesy of Wicked Pix

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