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Shatter Messiah: Prose for Metalheads
A history with Annihilator and Nevermore, so what could possibly go wrong? And indeed, Curran Murhpy, Shatter Messiah guitarist and mastermind, chose a great team with vocalist Greg "Wags" Wagner, guitarist Dusty Holt, bass player Ron Boisvert and drummer Robert Falzano. This bright new star on Thrash Metal heaven just released their second longplayer „God Burns Like Flesh“. STALKER managed to get hold of Curran for a short chat...
Your second CD "God Burns Like Flesh" - what are the reactions so far? And are there different reactions from European and US media/fans?
The fans in Europe and the US have all been very excited about the new music just like everyone in SHATTER MESSIAH so everyone is digging the new record for sure!!!!
Did those reactions meet your expectations?
Yes, absolutely
Being now the "boss" of a band, is this a role easier to fit in than being "just" the guitarist?
No, it is way harder, because everything has to come to me or go through me before it becomes SHATTER MESSIAH, but now that the band has worked on a new record together it is easier for me since all of the guys have put their effort into the end result.
How is the songwriting coming along? What inspires you?
Everything inspires me, books, movies, art, everything. I have been reading a lot of Hunter S Thompson („Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas“ author and model for the character played by Johnny Depp in the movie version, the ed.) lately and I find myself writing lyrics like his prose style. Very weird for sure!! HAHAHAHAHA
In my review I drew parallels to e.g. Tarot and Iced Earth, so are you really more drawn to "Power Metal"?
Actually NO!!!!!!!!!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA I was always more interested in the very aggressive Testament or Metallica/Slayer style of singing. but then Wags came into the picture and he has this perfect balance of powerful Halford style vocals and aggressive thrash style that just really brings the guitar stuff I write to life.
"This Is The Day" includes some - for me really weird - parts, do you intend to go more Prog?
We will see. We ripped off the Bee Gees on that song, it was fucking awesome!!!!!
What is the most popular Metal genre in the States now?
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmm? I do not know fuck who cares. If it is good then it is good and that is all there is too it!
Why do you think European bands have much more difficulties in the US scene/on the US market than the other way round?
DUDE every band has the same ordeals and difficulties from both sides of the planet. also I think America is way more snobby about their musical tastes (even though we have poorer taste in music than Europe)
You´re in the scene for quite a while. What has changed in a positive/negative way?
I do not really know. I think the CD is on it´s way to the grave. More and more people only download to their iPOD or whatever. But I think the labels just need to figure out how to change with the computer age, and the connectivity of the new digital world
Digital world, downloads etc - is this from your point of view a good thing or a curse?
Well it is a change, and every band out there is trying to figure out how to make this work for their band in a way that they can make music get their music out there play for people out there and also pay their bills and live off of their music. This is the dream of every professional musician out there as far as I know, and the soooooooooooooooo as we all scramble to try and come to grips with this new thing of instant internet delivery and how to turn a buck on it! HA
Looking back on your long career, what do you see as a big mistake?
Ummmmmmmmmm? Staying in shitty bands for too long out of misplaced loyalty and friendship.
What was the worst/best gig you played, and what happened there?
One of the best gigs I ever played was this festival in Spain while I was in Annihilator. we had not played together as a band for 6 months and we just went up on stage and KILLED. we played so fucking awesome it was disgusting!! The worst gig would have to be again with Annihilator when we played this theater in Austria and only 32 people showed up, Waters wanted to cancel the gig and was all pissed off about the turn out but we played anyway, and I had a rotten show since I accidentally missed sound check, and just played terrible, fucking lame. I had a shitty show with Nevermore in KANSAS here in America when we toured with OPETH for the first time and we had a horrible sound man in the tour, and only about 16 people showed up to that show, everyone on the Nevermore was fucking HAMMER drunk and out of their minds (I was loaded as well), and we sucked so bad that people left and were demanding their money back!!!! Totally lame wow
What is the most absurd thing that happened to you?
Ummmmmmmmm climbing out on a hotel balcony to get into someones room on the Judas Priest tour I did with Annihilator. Three stories up, and it was me and three other guys, FUCKING IDIOTS!!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
A funny tourstory?
When we where driving through the Alps on one Nevermore tour the driver fell asleep and the bus came off the road and stopped!!! The bus was leaning like it was gonna tip over and everyone is yelling GET OFF THE BUS GET OFF THE BUS. So we all jump and run off the bus and we´re all in our socks and underwear on the side of the road, standing in the mud, freaking out, and Loomis is standing in the shadow of the bus as it is leaning over him, and we´re all yelling at him to move and he was like sleep walking or something. He just did not get it to MOVE YOUR ASS. However, no one got hurt and it became a good tour story instead. There was mud in the bus for weeks and when we got to the venue for the show the next day, we all got really drunk and thanked what ever god we all believed in for not squishing us with the bus.
You played in the States recently - are you coming to Europe soon?
We hope so, it is what we really want to do for this album
www.shattermessiah.com
Author: Klaudia Weber, transl. Kathleen Gransalke, photos: Shatter Messiah
Date: 2007-11-11
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