The Classic Albums column moves forward, and this time around a Thrash gem will be discussed. The podcast alone will feature:

Mark Strigl
Alan Tecchio
Dave Reffett
Martin Popoff
Mitch Lafon of Bravewords
Jon Schaffer
Doro Pesch
Gene Hoglan
Glen Drover
Chris Poland
Hosts of Metal Assault and Iron City Rocks

Written comments from:

Bumblefoot
Dan Lorenzo
Jon Leon
Joel Gausten
Metal Mike
Erik Kluiber
Phil Rind
James J. LaRue
Will Carroll
Steve Smyth
Chad Bowar
Jason Bittner
Ripper Owens

As well as members of Madball, This Or The Apocalypse, Cancer Bats, Benedictum, Bonded By Blood, DC4, Angelus Apatrida contributors to Metal Sucks, Dose Of Metal, Focus On Metal and Metal Underground.

To top things off you’ll be able to read a Q&A from a founding member of the band who’s intro into the album’s title track is arguably the most recognizable piece of metal music of all time!

Get ready, I think/hope you guys will enjoy this episode.

Ok, so I’m a bit late on this one, but I want to thank the guys over at Metal Sucks for posting pictures of me sporting their swag! If you hadn’t seen it earlier, check it out here. Love their site, and visit it on a daily basis. I actually stopped working for a site because they wanted their site to be more like Metal Sucks, which I thought was cheap, and just dumb. It annoys me when people try and rip something off (ehem Spin Magazine) that’s successful. The funny thing is this site was asked to join the fold per say and opted not to. Funny how things turn out, but it just wasn’t for me. That’s not to say that I wouldn’t want to work with/for Metal Sucks, it just means that I don’t want to be part of a rip off.

By the way the interviews with Jerry Garcia and Jeff Paulick will be available next week.

During this episode we have interview with Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens, and James Luna, lead singer of Holy Grail, and former lead singer of White Wizzard. Holy Grail have just released a great new album called Crisis In Utopia. During Luna’s portion of the interview we discuss the making of said album, his influences, playing Waken, and his time in White Wizzard, where he goes into detail to discuss the issues he and former member of the band (James LaRue, and Tyler Meahl both in Holy Grail) had with Jon Leon. Now before anyone jumps to conclusions I did try and contact Jon to get his side of things so that people can determine for themselves what really happened. One of the things that I love about doing interviews for my podcast is that listeners can directly from an artist. It isn’t like playing telephone where things are sensationalized just to put another notch in someone’s proverbial gun. Had I of been able to interview Jon people would have been able to (again) choose for themselves whether what all of these former members are saying is true, or not. Maybe Jon has a good reason that isn’t coming across? Or maybe things are cut and dry, exactly like all of the former members are saying, and is why the label, and Jon himself has decided to not come on the show.

Ripper’s interview was conducted late last year, it is one of a handful of interviews that were conducted for MarkStrigleRadio.com and has yet to be released as a podcast. During this episode we discuss Hail!, his solo album Play My Game, Yngwie Malmsteen, Beyond Fear, Charred Walls Of The Damned, and the abrupt end to his tenure in Iced Earth. Tim is very forth coming, and honest when talking about John Schaffer, and what was promised to him when joining IE, and how it differs to how Judas Priest and Yngwie Malmsteen approached him.

I recommend both interviews to anyone that has been following the dysfunctional history of Iced Earth or White Wizzard, or are fans of either one of these two great lead singers.

During the episode you’ll hear the following tracks:

Holy Grail – Nocturne in D Minor
White Wizzard Shooting Star
Holy Grail – My Last Attack
Holy Grail – Requiem
Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens – Death Race
Beyond Fear – Save Me
Judas Priest – Blood Suckers

Overall we touch on the following topics:

Hail!, David Ellefson, NAMM, Samson Wireless, Andreas Kisser, Jimmy Degrasso, Mike Portnoy, Paul Bostaph, Ray Mayorga, Soulfly, Stone Sour, Spinal Tap, Sepultura, Alice Cooper, Testament, Simon Wright, Motorhead, Pantera, Judas Priest, Accept, Wendy Dio, Bob Kulick, Chris Caffery, John Comprix, Steve Stevens, Jeff Loomis, Michael Wilton, George Lynch, John 5, Scott Ian, Vinnie Paul, Rudy Sarzo, Billy Sheehan, Bobby Jarzombek, Road Runner Records, Road Runner United, Jeff Waters, Cory Taylor, The Grammys, Beyond Fear, SPV Records, Iced Earth, Yngwie Malmsteen, John Schaffer, Matt Barlow, Judas Priest, Ian Hill, K.K. Downing, Rob Halford, Charred Walls Of The Damned, Richard Christy, Play My Game, Heaven & Hell, Hannah Montana, Pink,Amon Amarth, Exodus, Mahevilant Creation, Deep Purple, Klaus Meine, Scorpions, Manowar, Merciful Fate, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Motorhead, Slayer, Witchfinder General, Racer X, Testament, Lamb Of God, Jeff Loomis, Nevermore, Danny Lohner, Nine Inch Nails, Metal Blade Records, Angkor Wat, Waken Festival, Matt Hyde, Steve Evetts, Nuclear Blast, Side One Dummy, Prosthetic Records, Exodus, Kiss, Erik Kluibert, Jon Leon, Sleaze Roxx, Metal Sucks, Metal Sludge

Download MP3

Download From iTunes

Did a Q&A Interview for Metal Army America with New Jersey’s own Doc Coyle. For those of you that don’t know he’s the guitarist for God Forbid. You can read the interview here.

On a side note the top picture was taken back in March at B.B. Kings in NYC, while the second shot was taken in June 09 at the now defunct Kobetasonik Festival in Bilbao Spain.

During this episode you’ll hear two interviews, one with Steven Bradley from Iwrestledabearonce (IWABO) and another with Rasmus Booberg from New Keepers Of The Water Towers (NKOTW). Interesting how both bands go by their initials. In any event, I spoke to Rasmus while he was in Stockholm, soaking up the sun. We discussed their album Chronicles which came out on Meteorcity Records. We also discussed their soon to be released EP The Caledonia Hunt, his gear, being invited to play the Roskilde Festival and the possibility of having another full length out later this year.

Steven talks to me about everything from gear, to why he, Krysta and John have lasted in the band, Hurricane Katrina, the possibility of touring with the Bacon Brothers, and what are some of the more common questions thrown at the band.

Items touched upon during the interview are as follows:

New Keepers Of The Water Towers, Rasmus Booberg, Chronicles of the Massive Boar, Victor Berg, The Knowledgeable Kangaroo, Chronicles of the Iceman, Flight Of The Reptilians, The Three Headed Cow, The Caledonian Hunt, The Sword, Grooves Tube Amplifier, Marshall Amplifier, Fender Telecaster, Gibson Guitars, Meteorcity Records, Roskilde Festival, Iwrestledabearonce, Steven Bradley, Gary Busey, Kevin Bacon, The Bacon Brothers, Krysta Cameron, Metal Just Got Gay, Metal Sucks, Lady Gaga, Crabcore, Deathcore, Nintendocore, Horse The Band, Anthrax, Back Street Boys, Terrible, Usher, R. Kelly, All Shall Perish, John Ganey, Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Mike Patton, Bjork, Dillinger Escape Plan, Refused, The Shape of Punk To Come, LTD, ESP, GHS Strings, Rocktron, Madison Amps, Engl Amps, Gretch Drums, Zildijan Cymbals, EMG, EMG 81X, EMG 60X, Seymour Duncan Black Outs, Axis Pedals, Marshall Amplifiers, Ampeg, Warped Tour, Propellerhead, Reason Refills, Bury Your Dead, Hurricane Katrina, The Chariot, The Eyes Of The Traitor, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Faith No More, Toumai, Rise Of The Lizard King, Pursuit of Yeti, You Ain’t No Family, Dan Beland, Melanie Beland, Paco Fernandez, Metal Army America, Talking Metal Wire, Stevis, Wolf, Eli Haftman, Mikey Mongomery, John Ganey, Mike Martin, Century Media, Blabbermouth.net

Download MP3

Download From iTunes

Had the pleasure of interviewing Ivy and Tara from Kittie last night at BB Kings in NYC. I had interviewed Mercedes from the band right at the end of last year. I have to say that her interview was one of my favorites, as we talked for close to an hour, although about half of that was edited out. Although this interview originally aired back in January, I do intend on releasing both of the interviews together as a podcast during the course of the next few weeks. This was the first time I have caught the band, and they did not disappoint. They played fifteen songs total, you can tell that they are extremely happy with their last album In The Black, as they played six songs off of the album. During the interview Ivy and Tara confirmed that Kittie will indeed be touring with Insane Clown Posse.

Opening for the band was God Forbid, this was my second time seeing them, as I had seen them at the Kobetasonik festival in Spain last June. For those of you keeping score I interviewed guitarist Doc Coyle back in November. At the time things were somewhat in limbo with the band, they were looking for new management, a new label, and working a new guitarist into the fold (Matt Wicklund, who I saw back stage). Byron announced during the show that they were recording a new album which should be out at some point during this year. The set list focused on Earthsblood and IV: Constitution of Treason. Aside from songs off of their previous two releases, they played Pantera’s Mouth For War during their set. After their show I had Doc right behind me sporting a Metal Sucks t-shirt, he was watching Kittie’s show and had someone with him at the time. I didn’t see it prudent to walk up to him and bug him, in any event, will be posting his interview shortly as well.

Opening act was Gwen Stacy, unfortunately, didn’t get to catch much of their show, although they did sound great as well.

Thanks to Bill from E1 for making everything happen.

Tomorrow night’s Mars Attacks will go live, I will have interviews with Joey Z from Life Of Agony/Steromud/Carnivore, Anthony Esposito from Ace Frehley/Lynch Mob, and Mark & John from Talking Metal. This is my second go round with Joey; the last time we spoke was right before L.O.A. went out and did the shows in Jersey and NYC commemorating the twenty year anniversary of the band. The podcast version of the interview is available here:

http://marsattacksradio.com/2010/03/audio/podcast-episode-2-life-of-agonys-joey-z/

The show starts at 7PM EST / 4PM PST exclusively on MarkStriglRadio.com