Hi
Eric. I am representing metalgospel.com in this interview. I suppose
I was picked to do this because I am such a big MANOWAR fan. I jumped
at the chance. I know you have been doing these all day so I'll
try to make this as painless for you as possible.
Eric Adams: Hey Peter, that's cool. I'm sorry you had to wait a
few minutes but I'm ready now. I don't view these interviews as
a chore, I like doing them!
OK, I prepared some questions so lets go…
The new album is at #1 in the German metal
charts. I have had the album since early June and was wondering
about the sequence of tracks. How did the sequence come about?
Eric Adams: Yeah, the album is doing great in Germany! The sequence
is different than usual. We tried to simulate the order of a live
performance. We always start with a bang and then slow things down.
Then we end with lots of power and a bang bang bang end. We know
that no other band would do this kind of thing and we are pleased
with the way it came out.
I sense a very US patriotic theme running
through the album from cover art, American trilogy, and Fight for
Freedom. How much did the events of 9/11 affect you and the band?
Eric Adams: Sorry, brother, but most of the tracks were written
and recorded before 9/11. We polished it after that. Fight for Freedom
is dedicated to the victims of 9/11. I was in Manhattan for a promotion
on that day and man it was tragic. It was devastating, just devastating
for me. But, what are you going to do?
I noticed that the German flag was the second
largest flag on the cover...
Eric Adams: Yeah, well, Germany is our strongest nation so it is
intentionally on there in that way.
The band has been consistent over the years
but has also changed style somewhat. In particular I sensed a style
change between Kings of Metal and Triumph of Steel. Does this have
to do with the change of guitarists?
Eric Adams: **laughs** You are right on the money, brother. It is
really a progression of sound and music. And the guitarists are
a factor. We have had three guitarists over the years and they are
all a little different.
I note that Ross the Boss used to write a
lot of songs in his time but that the newer guitarists like Karl
Logan seem to write less. Is this accurate and if so, why?
Eric Adams: You are right on the money, brother. Ross used to be
very involved in songwriting. Now Joey does 90% of it since KOM.
But, he gets our input. Unfortunately it's usually at 3:00 in the
morning when he calls me and asks me about keys and if this works
for my vocal lines. All of us put in our 2 cents worth for all songs
for every album.
Does Ross the Boss still have contact with
MANOWAR?
Eric Adams: Hell yeah! Ross is a good friend. He was up here not
long ago signing autographs for the silver edition releases. He
is in a blues band now, his real true passion. We are all very cool
with him.
If you could pick a favorite MANOWAR album,
which would it be? Favorite song to perform live? Eric Adams:
Wow, that's a hard hard question. I know this is going to sound
like bullshit, but nothing I tell you is bullshit. My favorite album
is Warriors of the World and I'll tell you why. The new album is
probably the most vocally intense of all of our albums. I do a lot
of singing. Also, it has broad appeal. A lot of people like it.
It's still ass-kicking heavy metal. And it's our biggest seller
to date.
What about favorite live song?
Eric Adams: Hmmm, another hard one but I'd have to say that "Black
Wind Fire and Steel" is my favorite song to perform live.
How many songs off the new album do you plan
to do live?
Eric Adams: Hard to say. We already have "Warriors of the World
in our set list. We did Nessun Dorma live in Italy. But we don't
want to put too many new songs in the set list because some people
may not know them. People come to see MANOWAR to get their ass kicked
and hear true fucking heavy metal. Fans want to hear their favorites.
Tell me why you are not playing any German
festivals this year.
Eric Adams: We are going back to play a headline tour in Germany
in the Fall. We thought it would be better to stick to the headline
tour and not worry about festivals this year. Why play for an hour
or so when we can lead a full tour through Germany and Europe?
Last year at Wacken there were as many MANOWAR
shirts as any other band. I was thinking it would be very cool if
MANOWAR just showed up and played with no prior announcement. Just
surprised the crowd…
Eric Adams: **laughs** You know that is a damn fucking good idea.
That would be cool for us to just go on and start playing without
being announced. That is a cool idea I'm going to talk to Joey about
that. We can't do it this year, but maybe next year.
A question on the metal scene in general.
Do you listen to any other metal bands? Have you heard anything
out there that you find good true metal? Can I ask you opinion on
some other newer more popular acts?
Eric Adams: I don't know, brother, I don't really want to talk about
other bands…
That's cool, just say nothing about them if you have not heard them
or whatever...
Eric Adams: OK, we have a new label where the band BLUDGEON is signed
to, great band. I listen to them a lot.
Hmm, I have not heard them, let me ask you
for comments about some specific bands:
Blind Guardian,
Eric Adams: I have heard and I like them...
Iced Earth,
Eric Adams: Excellent band!
Sacred Steel,
Eric Adams: Doesn't ring a bell...
Seven Witches,
Eric Adams: Hmmm, I have heard of but I don't now them that well...
Eric, the metal scene in Europe if far bigger
than in the US. To what do you attribute that?
Eric Adams: Radio, MTV, and record labels in the US don't promote
true heavy metal. They are into Rap which sells a lot and requires
no skill.
You just finished a US tour (I saw 2 shows)
with IMMORTAL, CATASTROPHIC and HAVOCHATE as openers. Why not have
openers who play a more similar style such as a DIO, SACRED STEEL,
ICED EARTH, etc?
Eric Adams: Hey, we'll play with any band any time. We played a
tour with Ronnie Dio and Motörhead in Scandanvia a couple of years
ago. It was fantastic. Before this last tour we asked a bunch of
bands to hook up but we had no takers. It's all about business really.
Putting MANOWAR on the bill as an opener is a problem because we'll
go out and kick the crowds' ass. No one wants to come out after
MANOWAR. Plus, we have a lot of gear that bands don't want to deal
with as an opener.
Any side projects? I have read where both
Scott and Karl have been considering something along that line.
Eric Adams: Uh, that is supposed to be confidential information…
I read it in the latest Heavy Oder Was !?
and another interview with Scott…
Eric Adams: Well, we have our own label now, "Magic Circle of Music"
and Rhino is going to be putting something out. David (Shankle)
is also planning to put something out. So, the opportunity is there
and that's all I'll say about it.
Lastly, when do you see an end of the road
for MANOWAR? Is there a point in the foreseeable future where you
guys will "retire"?
Eric Adams: Wow, I really don't see an end. This is not a job, I
love this. I can truly not see an end to this for us at any time.
You know, MANOWAR is about true fucking heavy metal and MANOWAR
are brothers. We love touring and kicking ass.
I believe that MANOWAR has the most dedicated
and rabid fans of any metal band on earth and I'm one of them. Shit,
I even have a Louder Than Hell tatty on my arm...
Eric Adams: Really? Cool you need to send it in to the web-site
and we'll put it up… There is a girl in Germany that has our faces
up and down her arm. This other girl has an album cover all over
her back. And there is another who had MANOWAR covering her chest.
The fans are our brothers and sisters. We do this because we love
it and I truly can not see any end to it in my future.
Death to False Metal my friend and thank you for this interview.
Published by : metalgospel.com
|