SAVAGE MASTER
~ Interview mit Stacey Peak ~
Mit ´Mask Of The Devil´ lieferten SAVAGE MASTER aus Louisville/Kentucky im vergangenen Herbst ein überaus beachtenswertes Traditionsmetal-Album ab, das nicht zuletzt aufgrund des optischen Erscheinungsbilds von Sängerin Stacey Peak sogleich die Hype-Polizei auf den Plan rief. Streetclip.tv fühlte der guten Dame auf den Zahn. Hier unser Interview im englischen Original.
Hi Stacey! How is the mood in the band – after the album has finally come out?
We are very happy how ´Mask Of The Devil´ turned out and pleasantly surprised by the response it has gotten thus far. We are very excited about touring and spreading our debut album around the U.S. and Canada this year.
Can you tell us, how the band came together and at what point you joined them?
Adam (Neal, Guitar) knows a lot of musicians that he has met over the years so he was able to pull us all together after meeting me and discussing our ideas for the band. Luckily, all of us have worked together exceptionally well as a band, the bassist position being the only one that is not held by an original member. Now we feel like we finally have a stable lineup as Brandon has been with us since fall and everything has fallen nicely into place. It is such a joy working and touring with these guys. Everyone is fun-loving and responsible and of course we share musical passions.
What can you tell us about your musical background?
I sang in choir in high school that’s also about when I first started discovering metal. I suppose the average age of the band would be late 20’s early 30’s, but we are all different ages. Everyone other than me has been in other bands before. Most notably, Adam’s involvement with the hardcore punk band THE HOOKERS.
How is the metal-scene in Kentucky? Which bands can you recommend?
I would say Kentucky is more fertile a land for good black metal and death metal bands such as ANAGNORISIS and TOMBSTALKER but I would say that the heavy metal band FATAL STEP is a current local favorite of mine. Their cover of ´Pain Killer´ is such a fun live treat.
Did you learn to play an instrument as a child or was singing your passion from the beginning?
Singing was always my passion but I also always have had interest in learning to play instruments. I focus mostly on guitar – after singing of course -, but also have interest in learning bass, keyboard and drums. I want to be able to write my own music one day down the road.
Do you have some idols for your style of singing?
I do not really sound very similar to my idols, but I draw inspiration most of all from Rob Halford, Cronos, Doro Pesch, Bruce Dickinson, Zeeb Parkes and Sean Harris when I am singing.
Do you prefer women or men as singers?
Most of my favorite singers are males, particularly with the ability to hit killer high notes, but I do love Doro, Wendy O Williams and Grace Slick amongst other female vocalists as well.
What are your 5 favorite albums of all time?
Judas Priest – ´Rocka Rolla´, Scorpions – ´Virgin Killer´, Diamond Head – ´Borrowed Time´, Manowar – ´Battle Hymns´ and Dead Boys -´Young Loud And Snotty´
And the 5 best songs of all time?
Judas Priest – ´Beyond The Realms Of Death´, Witch Cross – ´No Angel´, Rainbow – ´Catch The Rainbow´, Grace Slick – ´Angel Of The Night and Melanie – ´Cyclone´
Is there a cult band you adore?
Yes! Lately digging both MEDIEVAL STEEL from my home state of Tennessee and TAROT from ´Heavy Chains Records´.
How do you cope with the negative reviews of the album?
I always feel a desire to meet the reviewer particularly when it is a bad review because I would like to understand who they are and where they are coming from and see if the criticism is of any use to me at all, chances are no, but I am always willing to learn from a worthy teacher. I appreciate negative reviews because I know that everyone is not going to like us and I appreciate people spreading our name. I keep in mind that some people eagerly talk badly about others who are doing something they would not even try to do themselves. Actions speak louder than words.
Unfortunately you have been compared with Tim Baker. What do you think of this strange comparison?
Well first of all, I do not think that this is unfortunate as I love Tim Baker and CIRITH UNGOL. I am beyond flattered, although I never have thought this myself. I think each person hears their own voice differently than everyone else hears it, although perhaps that perception will only come to change over the years.
Give me three reasons why your band members wear hoods?
To represent henchmen while withholding their identities and because I requested they do so, haha.
Is the occult image more than a marketing-thing?
Our image has to do with the way we think, what we enjoy listening to, watching, reading and learning about and our vision. The image with our debut album ‘Mask Of The Devil’ is largely inspired by the movie ‘Black Sunday’ by Mario Bava.
Who plays a larger role in your life – Satan or Jesus?
I’m into Satanism but I also like to learn about religion though I cannot stand most of the results of religion because I believe that we can learn as much from our opponents as we can from our friends and I because enjoy mythological stories. I guess that is to say neither … or both …
Actually your album should first be sold on the hinge side, but then you got a record deal. How did this happen?
Bart is not even sure himself of how he came across us. It shall remain a mystery forever.
How did you experience the recording of the album?
It was my absolute first time in the studio and it was a war of trying to do things correctly versus trying not to spend too much time in there making myself crazy and blowing too much of our money on the process. Adam and I have a dream of writing an album in the studio someday but that is not currently financially feasible.
Your sound is raw and natural – a conscious decision or more a financial one?
We wanted to play music with the sound that we like in music, which is more raw and less processed.
Did you write the songs all together?
Adam is responsible for writing the songs and he will present them to us and we will add or change things together to get it to where we are all happy as a band.
Did you produced some demos before the album or is the record your first recording?
No demos. Adam has a lot of experience with releasing albums so we were just going to go ahead and get our debut out ourselves until Bart contacted us.
‘Kill Without Warning’ and ‘The Ripper In Black’ are fantastic songs. What can you tell us about the background?
‘Kill Without Warning’ is about death taking people and lives from us and hoping to avoid it for as long as possible. ‘The Ripper in Black’ is based on Jack the Ripper of course.
Who has designed the artwork and cover? Is it based on your ideas?
The cover artwork is by the well known french artist, Christophe Moyen. It’s based within the realm of our vision but the composition was all Chris.
Your clothes are quite “liberally”. Don’t you have problems in the US, especially in Kentucky?
I’ve had no problems. Generally speaking, only herd-minded cowards care about how another person is dressed and fortunately those people tend not to go to metal shows or else they must take their whining to like minded idiots in the comfort of privacy because I never hear it the way I used to before people saw what I wear on stage.
What is your style at home? Leather and chains too?
Whatever I feel like, but most commonly a band shirt and jeans.
Are there any interesting stories of your US tour to report?
It was only a ten-date tour and after hearing of the recent accident KHAOTIKA and WORMREICH were in I feel fortunate to have nothing too interesting to share. Best wishes to the survivors and though I did not know the bands I still feel pain from having heard the story and I think it brings all of the metal music community together and makes us all a little wiser to the dangers of traveling on tour. Everyone stay safe!
Do you have a masterplan for the band? How should the band’s future be designed?
As excited as we are for it, I think it’s best no one knows the future. Though, we know we definitely plan on committing a lot more time to the band and to touring more.
Any plans to come to europe? Especially Germany has a very lively scene …
We are very fortunate to say that we will be playing Keep It True Festival 2016 in Germany and we plan on doing some European touring around that but, as it is almost a year away, plans are not complete yet.
Thank you, Stacey, see you next year!
Von: Michael Haifl und Ludwig Krammer
