Morbid Angel Interview
With Trey Azagthoth
Interviewed By Luxi Lahtinen
TIME/DATE:
Around 8.30PM, 5th of August
LOCATION:
Wacken 2000, Germany
MISSION:
To have possibly a niceīnīlilī chat w/ any of the guys from MORBID ANGEL
PURPOSE:
To talk about MORBID ANGELīs forth-coming album titled "Gateways to Annihilation" among with some other interesting topics as well
TARGETS:
Steve Tucker (b+voc), Trey Azagthoth (g), Erik Rutan (g) and Pete Sandoval (d)...
THE CHOSEN ONE:
Trey Azagthoth
A PLACE WHERE TO PUT IT THROUGH:
Some quiet, less "noisy" place
SPOTTED?: YEZ!!
TO USE WHERE:
Metal-Rules.com webmagazine, Jan 2001 issue
RESULT:
Read by yourself and let me know, will ya?!
First of all, what are the biggest improvements from "Formulas..." to Gateways to Annihilation" as far as its songs and production are concerned; I mean, in which areas do you think
you've progressed mostly?
I think one of the main things about this new album is that drums came across the best for their kind of groove - and heavy patterns, drum patterns as far as the groove because we had slow stuff in the past and lots of fast stuff. But this album, tho, the rolls and
symbol work and the way snare comes across and all that is just really snappy and I think
that's probably one of the main things on this album. Compared to "Formulas...", I think the vocals now have a little bit more diversity and Steve has got a lot of more experienced. As he came in, yīknow, kind of a new to sing for "Formulas...", we really
didn't do any shows or anything at that time. He was in a few bands before, but never did a record before - and never did any big tours. So it was kind of new to him. And, yīknow, he sings a certain way on "Formulas..." - on
the album - and he asked me tutor, he developed and started finding different ranges, so
it's not always really low, but also low and maybe mid-ranged like that. And
there's a lot of that on this new album. The changes and the voice... and very clear, still very heavy. You can understand the words, I think, but
it's still very, yīknow, lots of force in it.
Song writing... Well, it's really kind of hard to say... I mean, "Formulas..." had certain kind of sound to it and this new album sounds different. "Formulas..." had a lot of more speed and darker guitar sounds, ambients - more ambients like Black Metal kind of, a lot of that kind stuff on "Formulas...". This album has a little different
guitar sounds, more presence. Even tho most every song on this new album is a 7-string -songs, so
it's down-tuned A-sharp. On "Formulas..." there was like 4-5 songs that were 7-string -songs. This album has eight and one song that is a 6-string -tuned, yīknow, more standard D-sharp, so
that's a difference. So, most of all songs are really low. There's, however, some really fast stuff on this album
that's got the fast drums and the fast guitar and all that - fast vocals, too. And then
there's... most of the songs have fast kick drums, symbol and fast kickinī. But
the movement is really catchy , more singing -type of rhythms; sharp and heavy rhythms. Catchy and ... (!) - I really cannot find the right words. Well,
there's a lot of guitar parts that are very orchestrated where the two guitars do totally different things. They are not following the same thing. One guitar is doing one
rhythm and one is doing another rhythm and the whole song is basically like that. Besides just being one part where they do variations,
there's variations going on all the time. And there's poly-rhythms like in "Ageless, Still I Am", the second song on the album, is actually track three, but
it's the second song. That has two rhythms that are just doing totally different things. And even the first track has two different rhythms - doing just totally different things at the same time and together making a big, yīknow, kind of sound. So, I think
that's really cool. There's not as much of that on "Formulas...", but it certainly has that, too -
there's parts, but now we got like... well, almost a whole song is like that. They are not doubling up the
same thing. And the vocals are... they have got more diversity and are really catchy, but not commercial,
tho.
If I managed to read between the lines, you're saying
that you have concentrated on creating a bit more
"moody" stuff for "Gateways..." - at least more than
you had on "Formulas...", correct?!
Definitely! Lots of mood! There's incredibly
moody stuff on this album. There's also
guitar-synthesizers stuff, but not a lot, however. On
the next album probably even more. I didn't wanna
like over-load and totally come into something strange
- to where there's too different. But there are some
moments where there's a guitar lead and there's a
synthesizer which is a guitar, but with synthesizer's
sound and they blend together really nice and very
atmospheric and moody. And then there's also some
solos where I do/ I did on "Formulas..." where I used
weird sounds like a fan that blows air. And this fan will be in between the microphone and a cabinet
and it will make a certain kind of a quivering sound
to a guitar. And you can really hear that really,
really good on this album. There are a couple of
parts like like that. I think this album has got a
lot of mood, a lot of feeling and it's just flying.
And some of it has some of the feeling kind of PINK
FLOYD and THE GATHERING, but maybe little faster.
"Gateways..." has been produced by Jim
Morris...
Yea... Jim Morris and the band.
Is there any particular reason there why you ended up
choosing him to produce "Gateways..." ?
We just wanted to do something different and I
really like kind of stuff he has done with some other
bands before. And just wanted me to do and try out
something different. So, this album definitely has a
different sound. "Formulas..." is underground, has
very underground sound which was on purpose. I wanted
it to be totally brutal and sick - Death Metal and
Black Metal kind of at the same time. And just really
underground -sounding record. This album,
"Gateways...", is a little bit more of... (?), I don't know the right word, but
it's NOT commercial at all! It's NOT mainstream either!! But it IS catchy and I
think more people might like it. People that might
not like really fast stuff, but like heavy stuff. Like stuff that's
more clear; I think they will
totally like this album. But still, MORBID ANGEL is
still VERY SICK! The guitar parts are very evil and
dark and all that. Crawling, creepy...
Do you think Jim Morris is the best guy around to produce a band like MORBID ANGEL?
HMMM... (!), Iīm not sure. I really cannot say
that. It was the 1st time we worked with him, yīknow,
so it's way too early to say...
Still, do you think he had all the understanding what kind of a sound you were after for?
Yea..., he did. I think he did really good job
and I believe there are guys who'd like to be more
open for certain kind of things as far as production
is concerned. I really cannot say that I think, yīknow, any particular person is the best from now on
because that's little too rigid. And I don't like to
be so rigid. So, you'll never know I may meet someone totally different guy next time that does rage out,
too. It's kinda hard to compare any of the records
and say what's better or worse because I think they
are all good for certain things. Yīknow, for me "Altars of Madness" is more "noisy", uprising
- sounding record. But it has a vibe. It has feeling
to it. And itīs really good at that department. Also, the time when it came out, was very, I guess new
- different for the other stuff in -89. And then
"Blessed Are the Sick" didnīt sound anything like
"Altars...". It had a whole different sound, more
cleaner sound and some slower stuff, whatever! The
vocals sounded different, too.
But when it came out, do you think it scared a lot of
people due to its very different sound compared to
"Altars..."?
When it first came out - yeah, it did, but later
people started really dig it. And thereīs also, yīknow, different types of fans. We have some fans
that think "Altars..." is our best record. And some
fans that think "Domination" is our best record. And
those are totally different sounding records. But
itīs all MORBID ANGEL, so as long as they like
something we are doing, then itīs all good, yīknow.
Thatīs cool...
How have you shared a song writing process for "Gateways.."? Did you Trey write most of it as you
did for "Formulas..."?
Yeah, like on "Formulas...", I wrote pretty much
all the music and lyrics by myself. On this album
("Gateways..."), me and Steve co-wrote some songs.
Steve wrote one song entirely by himself, music and
lyrics. I wrote a few songs entirely by myself as far
as music. I wrote lyrics for one song and Steve wrote
lyrics for all the other songs. Some of them, I
worked to on them a little bit, not as much with the
words, but the phrasing. I really wanted this album
to be really catchy. To be really powerful... and
brutal... and sick and all that stuff, but still
catchy. Being like sharpy, memorable, yīknow,
sing-along almost, but not wimpy or commercial.
Thereīs some bands out there that are really catchy
and all of a sudden their sound is not as strong as it
used to be. So I think what we did, was able to find
a nice place where itīs catchy and strong, yīknow what
I mean - without loosing either one. This album has
got both of those elements, being catchy and sounding
strong.
When you started the whole song writing process for
"Gateways...", what inspired you musically at that
time? Or did you have any?
I have to say musically my main inspiration for
this album is strange enough. Itīs PINK FLOYD and THE
GATHERING.
What ībout non-musical stuff then that has been a
source of inspiration for you during the time you were
doing "Gateways..."?
Nature, the swamps where I live, Florida
-wetlands. Just natural Florida -wetlands. Not the
beach, not the softwater - but the freshwater, the
lakes, the woods, the forests and the swamps like we
were taking those pictures at for "Formulas...".
Stuff like that and also a big influence was
videogames on the computer. I play this game called
"Quake III Arena" and itīs very popular game today.
And I have a group of players - like a team and we are
called "The Sailor Scouts". Itīs kind of a team, itīs
like a "Sailor Moon" which is a Japanese cartoon. And
if you know more about Japanese cartoons, they have a
certain style. Like with girls where they draw girls
and where they do their thing, whatever! So, thatīs
been a big influence. That type of stuff, my group -
my gamning team "The Sailor Scouts" and "Flamebat(!)"
and watching it. A lot of stuff Iīd watch just to spectate, just watch the game, watch my playerīs
playing while Iīd be playing the guitar and watching
the game. Some of the stuff came from that.
Thatīs a nice way to get some inspirations, I
guess...?
Sure!!
When you were recording your new album, did you have
to improvise some things in the studio concerning the
songs on it, equipments for the actual recording
situation and stuff like that?
I pretty much used the same guitar sound that
Iīve always used. Just different cabinet, speaker -
like my speakerīs got kinda old, so I got some new
speakers. But still the same, mainly the same rig,
equipments as any of the other albums. Drums... we
planned on using what we used which was gonna be all
tricky drums this time without acoustic drums. A
little bit of an acoustic snare - we did improvise on
the actual snare drum and rented a new one that we
used and liked the best. When I do my guitar solos, I
do them in my house as I have a little studio there.
And I improvise all my solos. Every solo that I
played on the album, I really wanted to capture the
feeling without it being thought-out. Almost closing
the eyes and just playing and feeling the moment and
record, yīknow what I mean?
As opposed to planning, there wasnīt a lot of
planning on the solos.
When youīre practicing are you always taping all that
what youīre playing?
Not always, but when Iīm in my house, I try to
write something - whatever! Sometimes just to have a
record and Iīll be just playing. And if sooner or
later something really cool comes out, Iīll rewind and
figure out what it was and repeat it.
As for the title of your new album, "Gateways to
Annihilation", do you mean sort of an Armageddon, the
ultimate, last war and destruction of mankind by using
such a title for the album - or does it mostly
describe the content of the album, the brutality of
the songs and such things?
Yeah, itīs the brutality of the songs and the
power. But it also has a lot of to do with someone,
having a realization that all the things he believed
so long to be true that he was so rigid and his
beliefs. Someone coming to the realization with all
his beliefs whereīs no more right than other peopleīs
beliefs. And a perfect example Iīve used so much as
itīs such a great example to use is Christianity. Because in the past and maybe even today, some
Christians have felt so strong that their view on life
about right and wrong, was "W", "W ONLY WAY", yīknow
what I mean?! And they couldnīt accept somebody
believing that the God of nature was a true God. And
that they donīt need Jesus Christ to reach the
paradise. The Christians were just like: "How can you
do it that way? Itīs only one way, itīs Jesus Christ
and if you do any other way youīre gonna go to
Hell...!!" - no matter if youīre happy or in love or
what. Itīs like those people coming to terms with the
realization just realizing that: "Hey(!), these pagans
are... well, Iīm no better than them. The Christians
are no better than the pagans". Love is love, peace
is peace and good feelings are just good feelings. It
doesnīt matter if it happens thru Jesus Christ or it
happens thru the Goddess of nature, yīknow what I
mean? Thereīs no such thing as false Godz and that
way. Tarot -cards, fortune telling, whatever -magic,
creative visualization and things like that. It ainīt
Devilīs work; It ainīt automatically the Devilīs work.
It could be the Devilīs work because it depends on
what youīre doing with it. When youīre doing it for
good, good is good. Thereīs not... (!), letīs say
itīs not like īJesus Christ- goodī is better than some
other kind of good. Good is good. So itīs kind of
like someone coming to terms with that - realizing
that: "Hey(!), I was a little stupid and judged these
people wrong...". And thatīs stunning news! Itīs
someone finds that they were wrong in their beliefs.
And not that Iīm saying that the Christians are wrong
and believing in for themselves, but when they look at
other people and say: "Those people are heathens and
naive". And, yīknow, the people that they are looking
at are good people - loved, have families and take
care of things and all that. But the Christians are
so close-minded and say: "OH(!), theyīre not believing
in Jesus Christ, theyīre evil!!". Yīknow, so itīs
kind of that. Thatīs really where I was on about.
What are your own favorite songs out of this new album? What makes them so special for you?
For me right now, I have to say my favorite song
is track no. 3 which is the 2nd song on the album.
Itīs called "Ageless, Still I Am" and I like it very
much because the recording captured the feeling of the
song so well and itīs such a new kind of song. But
that doesn't mean that I like it a whole lot better
than the other songs. I think all the songs are good.
But thereīs something about this one particular song
where it has the drums so grooving and so much feeling
and so cool. The guitars are so well being
orchestrated with the vocals. Itīs just really cool!
I love it!!
How many songs did you actually write for
"Gateways..."?
Me personally...?!
No, altogether!
Oh(!), thereīs 9 songs and then thereīs one
instrumental...
And you used them all for "Gateways...", right?!
Yez...
So, you have no leftovers, whatsover...?!
No...
Do you personally consider "Gateways..." as that very
best album of MORBID ANGELīs whole existence in its
own way?
I cannot say itīs the best, because I think all
the records are really good what they are for
different reasons. I think this is the best record as
far as groove and that direction. This is the best
MORBID ANGEL groove album. This is the album that
really shows people that MORBID ANGEL can groove like
anybody. And MORBID ANGEL arenīt limited just being
one formula and just being Death Metal as far as like
other Death Metal bands where itīs one certain kind of
sound. That MORBID ANGEL can be really powerful and
do other things and have groove. And when I say
īgrooveī, I mean stuff thatīs moving the body comes
down to it, yīknow what I mean?! I think this album
is the best in that direction...
The line-up which you had on "Gateways...", I was
wondering whether you considered it as the best
recording line-up youīve had so far? Obviously you
guys come along very well together when youīre on the
road as well as outside of the road...?
Yeah, we come along great! But there was some
great moments when Dave was in the band in the
beginning, too. I canīt be so rigid and as say
something as was so much better than something else. I
really think all the stuff we have done is really cool
and had its special thing to it.
When youīre on the road, is it easy to stay focused
all the time and be aware of all those facts why you
guys are actually doing this and showing your faces in
different countries? I mean, do you find all this touring a very pleasant
thing like itīs more of like a
"holiday" for yourself than a damn serious job that
just has to be done - no matter whether youīd like it
or not?
Well, I have to say when Iīm on tour and am on
the road for a long time like two months without going
home - without having a break, like having a day off
is not break for me. I have to go home. And Iīd like
to go home and re-charge my batteries. I get
burnt-out if it gets repetitious and itīs not just the
band has anything life to me. When Iīm into
something, I do one thing a long time in a row, it
gets just boring. It gets repetitious and I donīt
like any things repetitious like that. I like things
that change up. But I love touring. Itīs just when I
do it for a long period of time and no break going
home and to be something totally different and be away
from it, it gets a little repetitious. And when I do
like for example Brazilian interviews itīs like, yīknow, so
many of them go great, but then as I go on, maybe 5th
or 6th or 7th one in one day, it starts to become less
passionate and more technical. And itīs not what I
wanted to be like that - it just happens. I think
itīs my personality.
What about playing in big festivals like Wacken, for example?
I think itīs really great. I think for this
particular one, Iīd rather have played a couple of
clubs as a warm-up to this. Like, play here today,
but yesterday and day before - whatever!. We would
have played at a couple of clubs for warm-ups because
we havenīt played a concert for over a year. So this
is our first concert like in a year. So, itīs really
kind of tough. You can practice all you want, but
playing in the front of people is different. Thereīs
something different about being on stage than practicing. When we
practice, we are ready to play
the show. But it wasnīt like as being warmed-up and
already playing shows to lead up to them. Festivals
are a big thing, yīknow?! The sound is different,
thereīs no proper soundcheck - yīknow, itīs rough,
itīs kind of tough. And Iīd really like to do a
couple of warm-up shows. I think tonightīs concert
would have been even better. I felt like it was
really good; people enjoyed it and I had fun. So, it
was cool.
Before you enter on a stage how you guys prepare
yourselves either mentally or physically for a live
situation beforehand? Do you have any, well, letīs
say "rituals" you go thru together at a backstage
before you conquer the stage?
Yeah - as for myself, I have to clear my mind
from all the thoughts, not thinking about anything.
Thatīs really the way I performed on this album, too -
clearing my mind from all the thoughts. When I did my
guitar solos for this album, I wasnīt thinking about
anything. I was just playing, trying to play with
intuition, feeling. So, Iīll try to find that state.
And, yīknow, when thereīs always people around talking
and all this chattering and stuff like that, my mind
is like kind of in that, too. So, Iīll try to leave
that place and go somewhere thatīs just still.
Stillness and find that and get to that point and then
come from that place when I play...
What ībout the other guys, then? Do they have usually
anything going on before the actual gig?
I think that they pretty much do the same
thing, but their own way. And then thereīs stretching. Stretching is important.
Stretching, yīknow, your hands, legs, neck - whatever!, so you're not tense.
Dan Seagrave did the artwork for this new album and as
we all remember you also used him for your legendary
"Altars of Madness" album. What made you choose his
artwork for "Gateways...", too? As far as his
artworks are concerned, heīs an excellent artist and
many bands used his works for their album covers in
the 90īs, but I was wondering whether thereīs still
something even more attractive and special in this
guyīs works that made you choose him and his artwork
again... ?
Well, we liked what he did for "Altars of
Madness". I really didnīt have any premeditation
about having him do this albumīs cover. It just so
happened that our management was asking around as
there wasnīt anything happened yet at that time. They
were looking and what he sent, we really liked. So,
that we decided to go with them.
What matters to you mostly when youīre composing a new
MORBID ANGEL song? In other words, what elements your
song should contain in order that you could say THIS
IS a REAL MORBID ANGEL song if anything else?
Itīs all about feeling. Itīs all about the
feeling. Thatīs all music is. It doesnīt matter
about anything else. It doesnīt matter if itīs really
technical or itīs simple. Thatīs not how I judge it;
I judge it by the feeling. What itīs feel like when I
play it and how this one part feels going into the
other part, yīknow?! Changes, rhythm changes and
arragements... Itīs really all about the feeling and
I donīt care if itīs a lot of notes or one note. It
doesnīt matter if itīs tuned-down or a standard tune
or fast or slow. Itīs not based on that at all; Itīs
all based on that what it feels like. If itīs feel
good, youīll try to get moved by it. Thatīs why I
really love THE GATHERING. Because I really get moved
by their music. And I think thatīs what music is
supposed to do. Thereīs a movement, yīknow, we all
have our different interpretations and opinions about
what is moving and how we wanna be moving. I might
not be moved by one band that other people are. And
that doesnīt mean that anybodyīs right or wrong. I
just mean people are coming from different places.
They have different life experiences. Yīknow, I
really believe a lot what we like is determined by our
experiences of life and the things that we have liked
in the past. And, yīknow, our path, our path in the
life. Things we have done in the past like - in the
other words, you might hear a certain thing and it
makes you remember something in the past. Or, youīve
experienced something today and youīve something in
the past that gives it support, the meaning. And then
another person might not have that, so they listen to
something and maybe they donīt get that out at all,
yīknow what I mean?! So, experiences - past
experiences, what you have in your subconscious,
really determines your beliefs and things like that.
And then of course thereīs the case of just naturally
liking something more than something else. Where itīs
like, HA! Someone liking Coca Cola and then someone
else thinking Coca Cola tastes terrible and they are
like: "I like 7 UP..." or something else, right?!
Whatever all he/she has over here... Canīt really
look at that and say: "Well, thatīs because you did
this when you were a little kid...". This is like
someone today, trying Coke for the very first time and
decide whether they like this better than something
else. Now of course if you were a little kid, you
might have have said something like: "Oh yea..., I was
trying Coke and Iīve been drinking it for twenty
years... Oh WOW! I drink Coke and I love it...!!".
Yīknow, maybe thatīs because it makes you remember
when you were a little kid and you drank Coke and had
some fun and, yīknow, whatever really! You started to
have associations to it. Thereīs that. But thereīs
also just as a natural thing where just somehow it
just moves you a certain way and you just like it,
yīknow what I mean?! And thereīs really nothing in
the past thatīs coming up. Itīs just today, itīs just
a natural like or dislike. I donīt know how to
explain that. It just that people are different
because people have... (?), well, different colour of
hairs; people have different colour of eyes, yīknow,
people have different sizes of bodys... People are
born in different times of the year. And people have
different kind of voices and, yīknow, whatever! So,
why is that? Itīs just the way it is. It just
happens that way. Itīs controversity, itīs life,
yīknow. Some people just naturally like something
more than something else. Who knows why - it just is
that way.
It goes without saying that MORBID ANGEL is truly one
of the most carrying and dominating bands in the Death
Metal genre; youīve been a major influence for many
young, upīnīcoming bands for over ten years really.
How exactly do you feel personally for being in the
very frontline of the Death Metal genre nowadays? Do
you ever feel any flattered for being in that position
where you are these days?
I feel quite happy that have felt an impact for
our music. Thatīs the opposite like making music and
no one cares and goes like: "Whoīs that?!". So, itīs
like having people picked up on identify with an
enjoy. I think itīs great. I really enjoy it.
Yea... And if people wanna sound something like us,
then I look at that as a compliment. Because, yīknow,
Iīm influenced by things myself. Like Iīm influenced
by PINK FLOYD and THE GATHERING, any VAN HALEN, BLACK
SABBATH and all different stuff. Iīm influenced by
all that. So, itīs kind of like, yīknow, other people
being influenced by what we do as me being influenced
by these other bands.
Bands like NILE, KRISIUN, REBAELLIUN, HATE ETERNAL and
some other new Death Metal are pretty much following
paths MORBID ANGEL has once created, churning out as
brutal and violent shit as possible - and proving that
todayīs Death Metal is doing extremely well. What do
you think of the future of Death Metal and whatīs your
personal opinion about the bands I just mentioned
earlier here?
I think they are all doing great job. I think
they have all been able to take whatever! -influences
into their sound regarding our band and do something
their own with it - to still be themselves, yīknow
what I mean?! Like myself, I was influenced by Eddie
Van Halen, but I donīt think that I play like him. I
donīt play his notes. I kind of maybe have a feeling
something like him, but I donīt copy him. Iīm not
copying or ripping him off and whatever like that!
There still are, however, some bands that sound just
like another band and I donīt think thatīs so īhotī or
īexcitingī. So, when you come influenced by something
and not copy it - but building from it - building your
own thing from this influence, this passion or this
movement or something, I think thatīs great. I think
thatīs the way things should be īcoz I think everybody
is influenced by something.
Do you consider yourself as a perfectionist as far as
everything involved with MORBID ANGEL is concerned?
I canīt say I do things perfect īcoz I donīt. I
make mistakes and I fall short sometimes or whatever.
But I want things to be perfect; I really do. And
itīs hard. It makes everything really tough because
thereīs some people that can like make things, yīknow,
pretty good and then they can say, yīknow: "Itīs fine,
Iīm not going to worry about it. I still let it go.
Iīll go and drink some beers and Iīll get to it next
time...".
As for myself, itīs like I would want to be great,
yīknow, Iīm just going to work on it. Yīknow, thereīs
a lot of passion there, thereīs a lot like pain that
goes with it. Because this pain - and in the idea
accepting something that I donīt think is quite as
good as it should be... this pain. So, it pushes and
pressures to keep going with it. And thereīs also
sadness that goes with it, too. But, yeah, Iīm a
perfectionist. I tend to over-analyze things. I
canīt say itīs the best or easiest way to live or the
happiest way to live īcoz thereīs a lot of pain in it.
But itīs the way I am. I only know that I can
change...
So, are you saying that youīre kind of your own
worst enemy when trying to work for MORBID ANGEL...?!
Yeah, I am... I really am. And I canīt say itīs
the best way to live, but I think people like Mozart was the same way.
He was driven to do things. Itīs like when you like that, you get
disappointed a lot. And you get bored a lot, too. Itīs just so
hard to be pleased sometimes, so it takes a lot more than that. But, yīknow,
itīll take all the energy to produce something that might be a product
of all this energy and thatīs the thing to be like maybe really great
because of all this effort. But man, thereīs a lot of sacrifices
that go with it.
Back in -91/-92 "Abominations of
Desolation", your unreleased first album, was released by a
Japanese SATANIC RECORDS for the very first time as a vinyl. Was it
released by some of your permission or was it entirely a rip-off thing?
That was completely a rip-off thing. EARACHE did
release it officially in -91. So, the one from Japan was a
rip-off, yez...
What do you think all these other MORBID ANGEL
bootlegs that are floating to the metal markets all the time?
I think itīs criminal...
So, you think some people are just trying to make
some easy money by releasing them... ?
Yes, I think so. Itīs just stealing...
But still, I think thereīs the other side to
that, too. As you may know, many so-called hardcore fans think itīs
still cool to buy and have these bootlegs...
Yeah, I understand that - thereīs a good thing to it,
but itīs still stealing, criminal. I just canīt see beyond that.
I work really very hard for this band and when Iīm thinking someone is
making money on me and putting out stuff that maybe I wouldnīt wanna
put out because I maybe didnīt think it was the best concert or
something - someone had recorded and selling it - and I might not wanted
it to be so because I think that the other concert was better or
something. I just donīt think itīs right...
Also, modern technology has given its helping hand
for a new kind of stealing; thereīs now the internet thing, too...
Yeah, it is because it kind of steals from the artist.
So, itīs bad enough when some bands get completely ripped off by their
management or their record label. I donīt feel that weīll do,
but thereīs always that in the music business. So, to get ripped
off also by bootleggers, itīs just a big rip off! Iīm not too
excited about it.
Making your 1st ever demo or album is always a
huge challenge for anyone. Can you remember how you actually felt
when you got "Thy Kingdom Come" demo done back in -87?
Did you have any clue at that time that demo could bring Heavy Metal
into more extreme level - and the Heavy Metal scene could never be the
same any longer from that day on?
Well, I have to be honest with you. Iīve always
believed that this band was gonna do something. And thatīs just
new believing that things were special. Some people would say thatīs
arrogant or whatever, but myself, I just... (?) - I had a lot of passion
about it and a drive - and I was determined that I was gonna come out
and make some kind of an impact. And I really did. I had no,
like a plan that "Altars of Madness" would make quite an
impact as it did īcoz it did quite a lot of impact when it came out.
There was a lot of a great timing, it came out the right time. But also
I always felt MORBID ANGEL was going to cause an impact and it was going
to be something special because the kind of feeling we were getting
across, the type of music. I felt it was different at that time.
I thought it was a different approach and I thought myself I was very
different individual than a lot of people because of the way that I
raised myself and the way I modeled myself and allowed to be influenced
by some things and shun other things. Yīknow, I really was in control
of my upbringing - myself. I spent a lot of time with myself,
day-dreaming, etc. Other people spent time going to parties and
drinking beer - going to bars and lived like that, but I didnīt.
I spent time playing guitar and listening to music and day-dreaming
about doing something special with the music. And I loved music.
And I think some bands are into music more because they want to be cool.
They donīt really have the connection to music, the way like I do or
some other people do. I think thereīs something about really
feeling music on a really deep level - and then people who just kind of
think "itīs cool", yīknow what I mean?! A little more
shallow, there are definitely people have bands that are very shallow.
Itīs no mystery. The are the bands that find a trend and say:
"Weīre gonna be a part of that trend and cash in on it...".
Be cool and have girlfriends and all that, whatever! I never cared
about that. I wanted to do something that was ībigī and had
energy; has a special energy and magic to this to express. That
was my approach, it was a little different...
But I donīt think I was the only one. I think
people like Eddie Van Halen was the same type of person, too. When
he came out, he wanted to take a guitar and throw it to peopleīs faces
and say: "This is the new way of playing guitar, man! This is
the way to play - this is new, yīknow. This is exciting, check
this shit out as bad ass, yīknow?!". He was driven to do
that. He was about to just trying fit in to the genre. He
was gonna come out and be his genre, his own style. And other
people, too, like Mozart, I think was the same way. People has
told stuff about his music he did; tunes, notes - whatever like that are
too different or too complex or something else. He just wanted to
express this energy and it had to come out and it had to be a certain
way. And no one was gonna buying. No one was going to
convince him to change it. Me, I just feel that I have got a
higher quality to answer than any individual on this planet, yīknow
what I mean?! A little higher purpose in what I do. I wanna
make sure what I mean... I answered to a higher voice than an
opinion of any human being on this planet. Thatīs what I mean.
I donīt mean that I think that Iīm a higher musician than anybody else
- I donīt mean that. I just mean that when I decide what Iīm
gonna do, itīs not based on what any individual thinks. Itīs
what I think and what I feel. And if people donīt like it, I donīt
care. I do share with them, but most of our fans would not want me
to go ask them what the hell they want me to play. They want me to
play what I feel and then give it to them - let them check it out!
Thatīs how I am and will most definitely be in the future as well...
Thanx very much Trey for this great opportunity to
have a talk with you. It was a real pleasure to do it and like a
dream-come-true for me to meet you face-to-face and talk about things.
Thank you very much again!!
Well, then Iīm sharing a mutual feeling -thank you!!
(... the mission completed.)