In The Right Frame Of Mind.
Grim Reaper
Thank you for taking the time to talk to us and how is the recording of the new album coming along?
Not a problem and thank you for asking me,It’s going better than we hoped.The final parts of the recording are being completed over the next few weeks and ready to be mixed and mastered in the new year.We are really pleased with it and hope that all our fans areas well.
You have been working on this release since 2013,what can you tell us about the songs on “From Hell” your 4th studio album?
It has taken a few years because we want to get it 100% right and sounding like Grim Reaper and It’s actually GRs 5th studio album but this will be the 4th released.
In the late 80’s you also worked on a 4th studio album,did any of the material you wrote back then survive?
No it didn’t and to be honest I don’t think it was good enough anyway.
Your last album was recorded in 1987. Since then you’ve done several different projects and probably had many different influences,how does that reflect in the current sound of Grim Reaper?
It hasn’t affected the sound at all and all projects have been different but it has been tough writing the new album because we have had to go back to the 80’s.
Has your writing process changed over the years?
Not really,I am fortunate that if I am in the right frame of mind the words just come flooding out or I will suddenly get ideas for a song and I rush into the studio.
The Rock- and Metal scene has changed a lot since the 80’s,a lot of new Sub-Genres have emerged.What are your thoughts on the current state of heavy music?
Funnily enough I don’t listen to much modern day music because I don’t want it to influence my own song writing but I do like to go to our local live music venue Riffs Bar to catch some local rock metal bands like ‘Twisted State of Mind’ and ‘Fury’.I feel it’s very important to support your local bands because It is a really tough industry.
You are known to go to great lengths to please your fans and In 2009 you even managed to play for fans that bought tickets to a cancelled festival (Play It Loud IV in Italy).How important is your fanbase to you?
My fans mean everything to me,If it wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be doing what I absolutely love doing and I am eternally grateful for that and I will spend as much time as I can meeting my fans after a show,I love it!!!!
You recently played a show where you were once again joined by Nick Bowcott.Will we be seeing him perform with Grim Reaper more in the future? Or was this really a one off kinda deal?
We have nothing planned with Nick but he does jump on stage with us every now and again.
You were part of the NWOBHM. If you could setup a tour with bands from that era, who would you take with you?
Thats a tough one! Saxon, Iron Maiden,Thin Lizzy,Whitesnake and Def Leppard.
What will 2016 look like for Grim Reaper?
2016 is turning out to be a mad but exciting year and the gigs start again from the end of January.We are in and out of Europe a lot through out the year,USA from the end of March,South America I am touring twice – once without the band doing a ‘metal voices’ tour with other metal singers, including Tim Ripper Owens (plus others) and then again later in the year with the band and Of course there is the album plus I have been asked to write some songs for a film.I also have my own recording studio,which I have a lot of people booked into, plus I have just started up my own t-shirt printing business, So it’s all a go!
Any last words for our readers?
I just want to again thank all my fans for supporting me over the last 30+ years and I look forward to seeing you all at my gigs plus your thoughts on the new album.
Thank you for this interview! Metal On Loud!
