Mild mannered computer engineer by day, at nights and weekends Alan turns into THE THUNDERLORDS – one man band and creator of the unique band that is “The Slayer of children’s music”.
THE ROCKPIT: Alan, what originally inspired you to write a metal album for kids?
THUNDERLORDS: My kids listen to lots of different types of music. Rock music, pop music, and lots of kid’s music. There is a lot of great kid’s music out there but there is also some real garbage. So I got to thinking, it would be cool if kids had some real heavy, headbanging stuff to listen to. My kids love to scream, like most kids. And when there’s a good heavy riff they instinctively bob their heads. So I wondered why isn’t there any heavy kid’s music? And that’s where The Thunderlords were born.
THE ROCKPIT: The THUNDERLORDS album “Noisy Songs For Noisy Kids” (Released 2005) is great – my daughter loves it and we sing along with her to the songs. Being a bit heavy, have you considered doing mellower versions of these songs?
TL: Hmmm… Not really. That’s not what The Thunderlords are about. If I did an acoustic version of ‘I Like Dirt’ it would just sound weird.
RP: How did you originally get into hard rock and metal?
TL: When I was in junior high school, I started listening to stuff like Def Leppard, Van Halen and Judas Priest. And when I got to high school Metallica, and Slayer were taking over the metal scene. That was pretty much all I listened to at that point.
RP: Back in the sixties and seventies kids generally got into music in spite of their parents – rebelling against their tastes. I know I picked up a few Sabbath, Purple & Uriah Heep records from an uncle – do you think that with hard rock and metal in its 4th decade now that kids can finally access heavy music through their folks?
TL: Absolutely. My kids listen to lots of that stuff with me. Some of it they don’t dig too much, but sometimes they do. It’s interesting, I have a bunch of metal CD’s in the back of my car, and my son likes to look at the album covers and he asks me about the monsters and creatures on them. That’s why Hangar 18 from Megadeth is one of his favourite songs.
RP: My daughter Tia is the same – she’s three now and started by being fascinated by the “scary monsters” on the covers of Iron Maiden albums, Slayer and so on. Now when we’re going to play outdoors I say “We need some rock n’ roll, Tia” and she will put her hand up to stop me, fully flat palm in my face, and say “You stay here, Daddy, I will to get it!” and run off. She can only reach the bottom 2 shelves of my CD collection so we end up listening to a lot of bands starting with T – Z!! It’s great she’s interested and she always dances along…
TL: That’s awesome! Let me guess… you guys wind up listening to lots of Testament and Voivod!
RP: That and Warlock and ZZ Top! How much input did your daughter Maya have in writing the first album?
TL: One song on the album “Song about Nothing” came about from something she was just chanting around the house. She was walking around going “Tuesday, Monday, Saturday” over and over. So I started with that and made it into a song.
RP: [Laughing] Yeah once again, Tia does the same – she will count to thirteen, then it’s 18, 20, 7, 3, 15… I think the beauty of your album is that lyrically you really tapped nicely into the mindset of the little ones! What other subjects do you have lined up for the next album?
TL: I did a quick email poll of some fans to find out what classic nursery rhyme I should desecrate first, and I think I’m going with ‘Little Bunny Foo Foo’ I also plan to tackle some classic kids subjects – dinosaurs, and maybe branching away from dirt and going for mud this time.
RP: What are YOU listening to recently?
TL: I like lots of different kinds of stuff. But recently I’ve been listening to The Sword and sort of rediscovered Megadeth. I recently got to see Megadeth perform “Rust In Peace” in its entirety with Dave Ellefson back in the band. It was a religious experience.
RP: That would be amazing! Now that Maya is ten, how does she feel about Dad’s metal?
TL: She still likes the record. Maya and her brother Diego make me put “Noisy Songs for Noisy Kids” on in the car every once in a while. Makes me cringe a bit, since I can hear all the things I would change. But it’s cool. Sort of like a time capsule.
RP: What is Maya listening to nowadays?
TL: Maya is really into Broadway musicals. Hairspray, Chorus Line, all that kind of stuff. And you wouldn’t know it from The Thunderlords, but I really love musicals too. Maybe someday I’ll get to write a Thunderlords musical. That would be awesome!
RP: As a Dad and a metalhead, how do you feel about the inevitability of Maya (and all kids) rebelling and worshipping the latest Lady blah blah or whatever?
TL: You know I’m cool with that. I can appreciate all types of music, and it’s interesting to listen to various pop sensations and see what they bring to the table. Some of them are actually pretty great. But there are also a lot of talentless hacks. My kids seem to be able to tell the difference.
RP: When can we expect a second album from The Thunderlords?
TL: Yeah, you know I get asked this question a lot. About 2 years ago I worked on a follow up record and I recorded about 12 songs for it. It was without question the heaviest kid’s album of all time. But I got busy with work and never finished it. I really, really need to finish it now that I get so many people asking.
RP: Do it!! Especiallly if it’s half done – no reason not to finish it!! Is it sounding as heavy as “Noisy Songs…”?
TL: No. It’s much heavier!
RP: Metal fashion for kids. Music like the Thunderlords. There’s even a Metal alphabet book called “M IS FOR METAL”!! Does this mean metal has hit the mainstream, or do you think it’ll always remain under the populist radar?
TL: It’s weird, there are lots of metal records that sell millions of copies. But I don’t ever think metal will be mainstream, no matter how many people accept. There will always be people who think that people who like metal are all blood drinkers or something. Its better that way I think.
RP: The video for ‘I Like Dirt’ looks like it would’ve been great fun to make – did the kids have a blast?
TL: Yes, it was really fun, especially for the kids. When my nephew blasted me in the face with that dirt clod, I think that was a high point for them. Afterwards I had dirt everywhere.
RP: You’ve really created something completely unique with the Thunderlords, have you considered turning the concept into a kind of Heavy Metal Wiggles?
TL: I would love to do a TV show like the Wiggles. I could teach kids about the elements of metal. Here you go boys and girls, this is a distortion pedal. Hear the difference? This is kid’s music, and this is KIDS METAL!!!
You know one time, right after “Noisy Songs for Noisy Kids” was finished, me and my kids went to go see the Wiggles. And after the show was finished we stood outside and passed out fliers for the album. It was a weird flashback experience for me. Here I am passing out fliers like back in the club days, but my kids are helping me.
RP: When we chatted before the interview you made the classic quote “The Wiggles are the Led Zeppelin of kid’s music” – does that make Thunderlords the Slayer?
TL: Yeah, I guess so. There are a lot of similarities. Like Slayer, I don’t think The Thunderlords will be accepted by lots of parents out there. That’s cool though. That’s the way it should be. And The Wiggles really set the standard for how much you can achieve making kid’s music. I saw The Wiggles at an arena out here with my kids, and the last time I was there years earlier, I was seeing Nine Inch Nails. It’s pretty impressive what those guys have been able to do.
RP: Where is the best place for fans to keep up to date with The Thunderlords?
TL: The main website is www.thunderlords.com And I always try to take the time to personally answer any email I get at thunderlords@hotmail.com. I haven’t really updated the site in a while since there hasn’t been any news. Maybe when I finish the new album…
RP: Finally, we ask all our interviewees, for you – what is the meaning of life?
TL: I think it’s pretty obvious… METAL!!!
RP: Thanks for taking the time out to talk to The Rockpit, mate! Get to work and finish the follow-up album, we’ll help you promote it!!!
