1.) When did you realize that there was a movement called NWOBHM going on in Great Britain?

It would have been reading SOUNDS weekly newspaper. At the time Geoff Barton and Garry Bushell were on the team and they basically came up with the term I believe.

2.) Do you think that all the self-produced vinyls and all the independent companies like Neat, Guardian, HM Records or Ebony were a result of the punk scene?

I think that the general ethos was that after punk, people realised you didn't have to be signed to a zillion dollar contractto release records and therefore I feel that punk definitely had a bearing.

3.) What was the NWOBHM for you when you look back: A movement, a scene or a style?

It was just a collection of bands around at the time...I mean, you couldn't put Raven and White Spirit in the same style of music as you couldn't put Venom or Trespass...it was just an easy way to put all the independant (plus a few bands who broke thru...Maiden, Leppard, Saxon etc) bands together. I felt there was a lot going on in the North east where Black Rose were based. We had Raven, Venom, Tygers of Pan Tang, Black Rose, Axis, Avenger, Hellenbach, Battleaxe, Axe, Fist...!!!!!

4.) What was the reason for you to start a band?

I played guitar and wanted to play it loud!!!

5.) Which was the most important medium during the NWOBHM: The press, radio (BBC) or word-of-mouth?

For us it was probably Kerrang! (tho they did us no favours) and word of mouth.

6.) Why do you think did the NWOBHM die in the mid-eighties?

Times change and people look to other things. The big hair bands took over and it was no longer fashionable to wear denim, studs etc. The hair bands were then superceded by Grunge which was superceded by nu-metal which was blah, blah, blah! What goe's around comes around...originality has been done!!!

7.) Why is there such a big collectors scene in 2003 and why is there still such a big interest in the old days?

No idea! Black Rose were never at the cutting edge tho we were a tight noisy outfit!

8.) Are you still active and if not what do the members of your band do now?

I'm in a tribute to Van Halen called Unchained. You can see more at www.vh-unchained.com and you can find lots of pics of Black Rose at www.chriswatson.org