VATICAN

~ Interview with Vincent J Vatican ~

Die 1985 gegründeten VATICAN aus Sandusky, Ohio, nahmen im Laufe ihres Bestehens nur einige Demos auf. Erst vor drei Jahren kam es zu einer Veröffentlichung all dieser in geballter Form einer Kompilation.

Nun scheinen die Jungs – Vincent J Vatican (Gitarre), Brain McNasty (Sänger, Bass), Vic Gribouski (Drums) – wieder so aktiv zu sein, dass der Release eines neuen Albums bevorsteht. Hier unser Interview mit Vincent Vatican im englischen Originalwortlaut:

When and why did you start with VATICAN?

I started Vatican in 1986, right after I graduated High School. I had beed playing in a rock cover band for a few years and wanted to be a (Rock Star) lol. My Father said I couldn’t be a (Rock Star) unless I wrote my own songs. I put some thought into it, and agreed with him and started writing songs, coincidentally I wrote ´Repent Or Burn´ off our first demo and also ´Metalmorphosis´.

Did you had musical idols at that time?

At this time, I was extremely into Dio, METALLICA, SHOK PARIS and ANVIL.

In the following years you could publish some demos. But it was never enough for a record deal?

We played some show cases for some major labels like EMI, CMG and Warner. We really had no direction in the business and our manager at the time, we doing our best. What we really needed was an agency to assist us with getting the band to the next level.

In 1992, you also tried it under your name. How far did you get there?

After years of playing the circuit with VATICAN – after ´Power Is Obsession´ and ´Answer To The Master´ demo’s – it was time to write new songs. I had been writting and demoing up songs in my spare bed room, though when I presented the songs to the band, they said most were too commerical sounding. The others wanted to stay heavy and thrashy. I save the songs and recorded Vince Vatican (´Disturbing The Peace´-album) quite fitting of a title, because it stated what I call the separation of the band. I went out in ’93-’94 as Vince Vatican and played quite a few concerts with included a outdoor show of maybe 20,000 people. It was great, though I never claimed to be a lead vocalist.

In the meantime, the guys without you had also tried as MARQUIES DE SADE. A conscious new beginning?

The guy’s in this band have always been free thinking individuals. They actually started MARQUIES DE SADE as retaliation to me doing a solo gig. Some great musician’s in that band!

How good were your trips with ASSAILANT and BIG RISK?

ASSAILANT is where I met Brain McNasty. I joined ASSAILANT and didn’t come home for seven months! ASSAILANT was a circuit cover-band that played four to five nights a week, we did record some original as a demo, you can find them on Youtube. BIG RISK, a cover band project with the guitarist I replaced in ASSAILANT, and an incredible vocalist name Mike Bolton. I was never in so many bar fights in my life as when in this band, at some point, I felt that may have been the reason I stayed in BIG RISK. There is also Youtube video’s of BIG RISK out there …

It was only in 2014 that ‘Cult Metal Classic’ released the demos as a compilations. How did it come about and how did you feel at the release date?

I had moved back to Ohio in 2010, after living in Arizona for more then a decade. I hadn’t seen the guy’s in VATICAN in years when our former manager, who lived down the street from my Mother, contacted me about doing a compilation record of all or some demo’s that were previously released on cassestte. Me, not being into music anymore, and didn’t even own a guitar, say sure man, how do we go about this? Our manager was working on our compilation with a label out of Germany, meanwhile I was introduced to Social Media lol. I had a Facebook acount, and then started getting messages from people all over the world, asking me if I was the real Vince Vatican. It was quite overwhelming. Then I started a VATICAN facebook page, where at some point seven or eight record labels were making us offers to release our demo’s. Granted I had not been in the music scene for years, and did not know this band had so many fans? I personally spoke to all labels and made some good friend! I ended up working with Manos from ‘Cult Metal Classics Records’ from Greece, I took the best offer I could get, and felt treated well by the label. Manos and I are still good friends to this day. The whole process of releasing a world wide distributed record, once again overwhelming, to say the least. When the CD was released it sold out in so many places like Japan and South America, I felt quite an acommplishment as did the other in VATICAN. We felt we got ( finally some recognition ).

Is it difficult today to keep the band together?

Hard. Each person has their own personality, their own life, outside of us, the band. Each member has an understanding of the indivigual along with much respect for the person. We have been friends for 30 years.

How did the metal scene in the neighborhood change and how do you personally see Metal nowadays in contrast to earlier?

As far at the metal scene, I was really out of the loop musically as of 1994. I went out west to climb mountain and star gaze. The metal scene nowadays, I can only speak for what I have seen in America, it’s extemley weak compared to the VATICAN heyday era. Although, I hear Europe is raging and we want to go there and lay some pipe.

How did you survive financially all the years, the band is an expensive hobby?

Each member of this band is very educated and have been blessed with very lucrative income. I believe Brain has enough money to buy the state of Iowa. An expensive hobby, you better believe it.

Are you still looking for new bands or are you not interested in the rest of the scene?

We have had the pleasure to play with some incredibly strong up coming bands, so yes, we do keep an eye on new bands. As for the rest of the scene, if you have had the chance to play Chicago that is a scene to be interested in! We have played Chicago and I’m say thousands of people come to support you. Hails Chicago …

Is there any news about new songs?

The new album started out as a concept album, we had a few songs from back in the day that worked well in the story line of the concept along with the new songs. At some point the story line got very intense and complex. The record will also debut our first instrumental.

When can we expect a release?

´March Of The Kings´ will be released March 24th in Europe & April 7th in the U.S. Our record label “Pure Steel Records” are currently mounting a campaign to annouce the release.

Thank you, Vince!

Thank you all for supporting VATICAN! We will see you all soon!

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