Do you remember your first gig?
Yes we played a gathering at my school, there
were about 1000 students at my high school
dance when we started, I think there were about
100 left in the hall after 1 song hahaha.
Have you always had the support of your family
over the course of the years?
Oh, yes, I have a great family and they have been
supportive in every way they could, so I’m blessed
with that.
Who inspired you the most along your career?
In the beginning it was the typical bands,
Metallica, Slayer, Celtic Frost, Death was in there
early as well, it developed over the years to
include a much more diverse taste, I got inspired
by classical music later, even some pop artists.
Is there any turning point or a person that
changed your life in music?
Metallica got me going, that is for sure. I think
they were the band that made me want to play
music, them and Slayer.
How did you change as a person from day one to
today?
In a million ways. And thanks for that, I was
probably a little hotheaded when I was younger,
today I’m more relaxed about the whole thing,
and more able to take things as they come. When
I was 20 my whole identity was the band, and I
don’t think that’s healthy in the long run.
You always played “metal”. What is it that
drives your passion for this kind of music?
It was the most powerful music to me. And to
some degree it still is.
You have played with Konkhra for so long. What
does this band mean to you?
A lot. It’s part of my life and it’s been like that for
Steel
Notes
Magazine
so long.
I can’t
imagine
life without it.
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What kind of music is most appealing to you
nowadays?
I don’t listen to music that much anymore. There
is a rock station here, that I listen to in the car.
Sometimes I discover a band that makes me
curious, so I go and check out their whole
catalogue, and watch their videos etc. Sometimes
I make myself familiar with a band that we have
as customers, Forever Still for example, they are
renting at my company and recently signed to
Nuclear Blast so I had to check them out, very
cool stuff, with a female singer. When I’m
travelling I listen to familiar stuff to relax.
Live or studio?
I like both a lot. But when we are out live I want
to go back and record new stuff. When I’m in the
studio I can’t wait to get to play it live. Never
satisfied, haha.
One of the best memories on the road or in your
musical career that you like to remember?
Meeting Devin at Strappings show, and him
striking up a conversation about the new Daemon
album, getting good critique from a guy who is
obviously a genius was amazing. Meeting the
Testament guys on several occasions, fucking
great guys. I met Mr. Hetfield in a parking lot in
front of the studio in 1999, but I couldn’t find
anything to say. You know, being the tenth
millionth guy telling him how important his work
was to me felt...wrong. So it was just "good
morning" or something haha.