Australia’s best Power, Thrash & Melodic Metal bands will unite in Perth for the 5th installment of the annual Stormrider Heavy Metal Festival on April 7 at Badlands Bar. The 2018 festival will be headlined by legendary Australian Classic Heavy Metal band BLACK STEEL, who are performing for the first time in a decade! With a career boasting packed out headlining shows and massive international supports alongside DEEP PURPLE, BLACK LABEL SOCIETY, the 2004 METALLICA headlined BIG DAY OUT and two separate JUDAS PRIEST tours, the legends are true and the demand for a reunion show is at an all time high. We get a few words with bass player and current owner of Heavy Metal Merchant to find out more about their reunion performance and more.
What can people expect from your appearance at this year’s Stormrider Festival?
A good time, good fun and maybe reliving some memories of a band that hasn’t been active live for quite a few years.
What made you decide to reunite Black Steel for this year’s Stormrider Festival?
Stu McGill the promotor asked us so we thought why not?
Can we expect to hear more from Black Steel after this reunion show?
Possibly I know there are a few unreleased tunes lying around, might be fun to release those.
What have the various members of Black Steel been up to in the last 10 years?
Jaime has been releasing some solo stuff and has been quite productive there, Damo gigs all the time and Matt teaches and plays solo and duo gigs. The last 10 years or so I have been building the music merchandise company Heavy Metal Merchant.com
What is your favorite song to play live?
They are all fun, the Power and We Are One and Relentless Force has some really driving bass parts so I like those and Battle Call is a crowd sing a long favorite.
How did Black Steel form and get started?
Somewhere in the late 90s, we were playing in a covers band for fun we started writing, playing and releasing music for fun. Then started playing gigs in a classic metal style.
The other band you have been a part of Allegiance, has a sort of cult legendary status in the Australian metal scene and particularly in Perth. Would there ever be a reunion for that band in the future?
We have done a few already the last one was at WACA stadium with KISS and last year released a deluxe reissue of the debut album ‘Destitution’ there is also a fan page on Facebook where people can see lots of memorabilia from back in the day which is cool. Not everyone in that band lives in Australia so not looking like something that would happen again at the time of this interview.
How do you feel about what both bands have accomplished over the years?
It has been great we played with some awesome bands and had lots of good times playing music so I am quite satisfied considering it is not the most commercial form of music we are playing.
How do you feel about the current music scene right now? Do you still follow the local music scene in Australia and how do you think has it changed over the years?
Yes I run the HeavyMetalMerchant.com store so try to keep up on what is happening things have changed and evolved, the big beer barns that all the cover bands used to play in are gone and the live venues for local bands are smaller now but the global reach and international opportunities are bigger and better and there are more bands releasing albums than ever before.
With technology changing so much over the last few years and seemingly not slowing, and TV force-feeding us the lowest common denominator, what hope is there for rock & metal music?
Now is the best time alive for music creation and distribution, There are no more barriers to recording, and distributing music around the world and the gate keepers who dictated what was to be released are becoming less and less relevant as is broadcast interuptive media like TV and radio so now is some of the best times ever if you want to play your music and get it heard.
From what you’ve learned so far what is the most valuable advice you’ve been given so far as a musician?
Just be the best you can be and not try to copy someone else and in todays age would be to learn internet marketing haha!
Who are some of your main influences?
As for bass it would be players like Geddy Lee from Rush, the late Cliff Burton from Metallica, Billy Sheehan, Jaco, Stu Hamm, Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath, Steve Harris from Iron Maiden, John Entwistle from the Who, John Myung from Dream Theatre, Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse and savage pick players like dave Ellefson from Megadeth and the late Chris Squire from Yes. Then you got Stanly Clarke, Larry Graham, Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, Jack Bruce so many to choose from!
Who or what inspired you to be in a band and play music?
The feeling you get from listening to or creating music. I like music that is outsider and a bit different to what the general mainstream rotation is.
Do you believe music can still change the world?
Yes music will always be the universal language to enrich peoples lives, add enjoyment and break down barriers and unite people together.
What is the meaning of life?
That is perhaps the greatest philosophical question of all times. To do something good, to do something useful contribute to others happiness and well being, to evolve and be at peace in present moment and realize that we are all one and connected with the universe somehow and that we are all on a return trip would be a good start to understanding this question.
STORMRIDER FESTIVAL 2018
Saturday April 7 2018 @ Badlands Bar, Perth from 4pm
Tickets are available now from www.stormridertouring.com.au/tickets
