Quite exciting news for old thrash fans such as myself, and none more personally exciting to hear that one of my favourite bands ACID REIGN (read this post HERE for past praises) will be re-issuing their albums with all remastered toons, new inlays and all that cool stuff - I left a cheese bagel and a copy of the new Nuclear Assault record under a box and managed to capture Acid Reign's vocalist, Howard "H" Smith and forced him to answer questions before releasing him:
That’s easy Bryan J Anderson who runs Lost and Found Records contacted me via myspace and asked if he could do remasters/re releases and I said yes. Without him this wouldn’t be happening as I had no interest in finding a label to do this, it’s all down to Bryan.
Have you found that there has been a growing interest in AR recently? Is it mostly older fans or have you picked up some young 'uns too - possibly children of original fans etc?
Well it’s hard to say, that’s probably all true but we’re not an active band so I can’t study sales figures or audience numbers/types and give a definitive answer. It’s so subjective to say either way, ultimately I’d have to play it safe and say no more than other band who split up 20 yrs ago.
Have you found many new bands these days singing your praises?
Not really, I can’t think of any other than Gamma Ray to be honest.
You will not reform and tour, despite a lot of your peers (Carcass, Onslaught) doing the same thing with some degree of success....really? Not even a one-off?
You will not reform and tour, despite a lot of your peers (Carcass, Onslaught) doing the same thing with some degree of success....really? Not even a one-off?
What other bands have done is a total irrelevance. I’m on stage most nights doing comedy (character called Keith Platt – Professional Yorkshireman) and that’s how I’ve been getting my kicks for ten years, people don’t seem to realise that people move on. I always get this question and when I say no they just ignore the answer and carry on asking, but why not? Just one show? I don’t think they realise that they are forcing what they want onto people who aren’t interested. It’s flattering but if I’m honest it’s getting a little frustrating that people out there seem to think they can make it happen by starting a poll or a blog. Really? You think that’s going to change my mind? I’m suddenly going to read that Steve from Bristol really wants to see us play live again and go “right I’ve changed my mind, we’ve got to do this for Steve what was I thinking?!”. Not. Going. To. Happen.
Well we always called them 3 albums as Mosh was a mini album and this time around it will include the entire remastered Moshkinstein demo (The album will also include the instrumental “Freedom Of Speech” for the first time on CD) which is the first time this has been available anywhere. The Humanoia EP will be with The Fear and the Hanging On The Telephone single will be on Obnoxious. They are all new packages completely redesigned but based around the original artwork. I have written sleeve notes for each album giving a little insight into how each one was written and what was going on within the band at the time. There’s also additional new pics of us all looking incredibly young. Your fave pic from the back of Moshkinstein hasn’t made the final cut though mate! (Greg's Note - H is talking about the back cover to "Moshkinstein" which shows him wearing a Descendents t-shirt and one of the reasons I started checking out that band and other punk bands).
You're not re-releasing "The Worst Of" why is that?
You're not re-releasing "The Worst Of" why is that?
It’s not really a proper album and simple economics. We could only put out what is actually going to sell. It sold the least by far and isn’t anyone’s favourite album, we’re putting the best stuff from it (Humanoia/Hangin/Mosh demo) onto the other discs anyway.
I read that yourself will be working with the band SATANIKA doing a follow-up to your song "Motherly Love" Tell us a bit about that? (Check out Satanika HERE)
I read that yourself will be working with the band SATANIKA doing a follow-up to your song "Motherly Love" Tell us a bit about that? (Check out Satanika HERE)
Gil from Satanika sent me an email asking if I would do it as he’d already got some music. I asked him to send it to me and I really liked what he’d done. I’ve written the lyrics have some ideas for vocal melodies and will be looking to record it some time this month. It’s a fairly short song, only two verses and a lot faster than the original. Each verses is written from a different perspective, one is from Normans and one from his mother’s.
Are you still a metal-head 'till deth? What have you been getting into recently?
Totally. I do a lot of driving with the constant comedy gigging so listen to most of my music in the car, CD’s I might add not MP3’s. The new Flotsam and Jetsam’s awesome album The Cold is getting some serious air time at the moment, such a criminally underrated band. Rammstein is always in the CD changer, Soilwork’s last album, Eminem’s last for something different, Taproot’s Plead The Fifth which no one seems to know about and is fantastic, better than the new Deftones. Just got into The Heaven and Hell album better the devil you know. Ronnie Dio dying really knocked me off my stride as he was one of my first vocal influences and about my height! He sounds as great as ever on this album and it’s a real old skool gem, I’d forgotten what it was like to hear actually the bass and listen to a drummer who doesn’t use every fill to show you how fast his feet are. All the usuals as well, Slayer, Kreator, Metallica and a special mention for now defunct UK band Reuben. Their album “Very Fast, Very Dangerous” is one of the finest ever released by a British band.
The reissues will just be released on CD or will there be any vinyl presses for the purists?
The reissues will just be released on CD or will there be any vinyl presses for the purists?
Just CD and digital downloads I’m afraid you vinyl junkies will have to shoot up with the old ones!
What do you think of bands such as Carcass, Onslaught, At The Gates etc reforming and gigging? Reliving past glories or pointless nostaligia? Are there any bands you wish would reform?
What do you think of bands such as Carcass, Onslaught, At The Gates etc reforming and gigging? Reliving past glories or pointless nostaligia? Are there any bands you wish would reform?
Well this ties in with your earlier question really. It’s up to each individual band to do what they want, ultimately if the will is there within the band to do it then that is what decides it and good luck to all of those who have fair fucks to them for getting out there. Personally the idea of being cramped in a van for 12 hours, to travel to some far flung corner of eastern Europe and play for a few hundred metal heads in a muddy field that resembles something out of the first world war is not something I’m itching to do but hey that’s just me. Just to clear up one popular misconception, NONE of them are doing because for the money! Bands I’d like to see reform? The ones that want to will and the ones that don’t won’t. Let the chips fall where they may.
It’s good to speak to you Greg and thanks for getting in touch, any AR fans reading this thanks for the memories they were crazy days and couldn’t have happened without you. We treasure those times as much as you do. If you see the name Keith Platt on the bill at a comedy show (or you can find me on youtube) in your area come along and say hello and we can bullshit about the old days. Moochos Grasse Arse!
It’s good to speak to you Greg and thanks for getting in touch, any AR fans reading this thanks for the memories they were crazy days and couldn’t have happened without you. We treasure those times as much as you do. If you see the name Keith Platt on the bill at a comedy show (or you can find me on youtube) in your area come along and say hello and we can bullshit about the old days. Moochos Grasse Arse!
H recently with comedian Brian Posehn and the cat "Manowar"
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...after this I untied H and let him go, he scuttered off towards the east before transforming into a mighty hawk and flying off to freedom.
Check out the below or get eaten by a shark:
http://www.myspace.com/acidreignthrash http://www.acidreign.co.cc/ http://www.facebook.com/pages/Acid-Reign/36593342027 “H” now performs the comedy character “Keith Platt – Professional Yorkshireman” around the UK. You can follow him on www.facebook.com/keith.platt and http://twitter.com/KeithPlatt there are also clips and sketches on YouTube.
1 comments:
Awesome interview :)
Long Live "H"
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