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Interview for
DEATHTHRASHER MAGAZINE by ARMANDO MUTILATOR & ROXANA
VIVANCO:
VENOM Releases LP/CD/PD/Video/Cass.
Prime Evil; Under one flag 1989(Lp/PD/CD/Cass)
Live '90; Filmtrax 1990(Video)
Tear Your Soul Apart; Under one flag 1990(LP/CD)
Hard and Heavy; Metal XS 1990(Video Comp)
Temples of Ice; Under one flag 1991(Lp/CD/Cass)
In Memorium; MCI 1991(LP/CD/Cass)
The Wastelands; Under one flag 1991(Lp/CD/Cass)
Live Russia; Unreleased 1992(Video)
Kissing the Beast; Bleeding Hearts 1994(CD)
Old,New,Borrowed & Blue; Bleeding Hearts 1994(CD)
Black Reign; Reciever 1996(CD)
Buried Alive; Reciever 1999(CD)
Greatest Hits & More; Deadline1999(3CD)
New,Live & Rare; Bleeding Hearts 2000(CD)
The Court of Death; Reciever 2000(CD)
The Collection; Connoisseur 2000(CD)
Archive; Reciever 2001(CD)
Venom; Realto 2001(CD)
Kissing the Beast; Neat 2002(2CD)
Bitten; NMC 2002(CD)-Live
Lay Down Your Soul; NMC 2002(CD)
Darkest Hour; Eagle Records 2002(2CD)
Witching Hour; Delta 2003(2CD)
Witching Hour; Demolition Records(CD)
DT (Armando):
Hello TONY, how
are you?
TD:
Very, Very well
thank you!
DT (Armando):
How old are you?
Are you natural from Newcastle?
TD:
I am naturally
from Newcastle, a Geordie (that's what we're called up there in the
North of England!). I am over 40! Just! Man that sounds old! LOL!!
DT (Roxana):
What does
ATOMKRAFT mean to you and what’s your favorite album? Do you consider
yourself the brain of the band?
TD:
Well I'm not
sure anyone ever connected with ATOMKRAFT ever had any Brains!! LOL!!
Except the ones that left that is, but I guess you could say it was my
band as I was the only founder member from it's conception, to be with
the band from 1979. Actually, there was only 2 of us really back then!
We had players but they left as fast as they came our choice not theirs!
Favorite album? The new Anthology out on Sanctuary, 2 CD set of some
cool stuff from way back to the last we ever did!
DT (Roxana):
What was your problem with JOHN CYRIIS from AGENT STEEL? Did you have a
fight?
TD:
LOL!!! Fight?
No!! He had a problem with ATOMKRAFT and NUCLEAR ASSAULT on tour. We
thought we were all out to get him!
Stupid, of course, we weren't. In fact no one was really interested in
him at all from both camps but he made such a big deal out of his
paranoia that we made fun as much as we could of him and that only
served to make him even more paranoid. We did have a big problem almost
once when after he'd taken a shower, he blamed us for putting battery
acid in his shampoo!!! LOL!! Yeah as if! Crazy, just crazy! Wonder what
he's doing now? Just did a festival in Holland with AGENT STEEL and of
course JOHN wasn't with them!
DT (Armando):
Do you like the
band SATAN? Do you know who is MICHAEL JACKSON?
TD:
Yeah I knew
most of SATAN and some of he band were very good friends! MICHAEL
JACKSON? LOL!! You do mean the guy that was connected to SATAN and
PARIAH here and not that moonwalkin dude in the US?
DT (Armando):
You always have
been a big VENOM fan. What is your favorite album and why?
TD:
Yes from the
start!' “Welcome to Hell” as it takes me back to the glory days and
helps me relive some youth! LOL! Of course it's shit but it's fucking
good shit!
DT (Armando):
Tell us about
your opinion of the ATOMKRAFT’s productions with the voice of IAN SWIFT.
TD:
I thought the
band was sounding pretty good, but IAN was a lazy guy in the studio and
sometimes vocally live. I just mean from a lyrical point. Live he could
be the best, moving all the time and like a BRUCE DICKINSON thrashed up!
He sometimes forgot lyrics and made shit up though and that always got
to me! Same with the studio, I felt he never worked hard enough and made
stupid mistakes and left out lyrics and made up words, all that shit.
Not because he couldn't do the shit easily, just because he couldn't be
bothered! What did I think of the sound out of his mouth?? When he was
good it was the best for the band and when he was bad it was the worst!
DT (Armando):
What memories do you have about your first day in VENOM?
TD:
LOL!!! It was
sunny!!! It felt kind of strange but good!
DT (Armando):
Where and how
did you know ABADDON?
TD:
We were on the
same label and his manager’s brother ended up drumming for me for a
while! VENOM and ATOMKRAFT we always somewhere around each other but to
dispel and old rumor, ATOMKRAFT were NEVER VENOM roadies!! LOL!!! Are
you kidding!! LOL!!! GED (Drummer mentioned), used to roadie for ABADDON
before he joined ATOMKRAFT and after we I joined VENOM he returned to
that job and that's it!
DT (Roxana):
Which was your
relation with MANTAS? Did you convince him to return for “Prime Evil”?
TD: YES!
ABADDON and the manager were trying but JEFF (MANTAS) wasn't having any
of it .It took time but because we wanted to work together, he came
back. Again, we went back to the early NEAT RECORDS days, our first big
tour was with EXODUS and VENOM too!
Me and Mantas had a great relationship, years later I was his best man
when he married!
DT (Roxana):
Is it true that
MANTAS believed that “Megalomania” was an original track from you and
ABADDON? Hard to believe! Tell us about that anecdote
TD:
LOL!! Yep
that's absolutely true! Not my idea. ABADDON suggested covering the
track to me. I listened he reworked some of he track. We went to
rehearsal and before MANTAS arrived me and ABADDON had it nailed. I
guess ABADDON thought MANTAS would never go for doing a cover song so he
asked me to tell JEFF the song was a new track I'd wrote! I was fairly
convinced JEFF wouldn't have heard it from SABBATH as he wasn't really a
fan. Well he came in and I showed him my new track and he loved it. I
thought at some point he'd have heard the original or even been told and
figured it out, whatever I completely forgot and it wasn't until we were
listening to that actual album pressings in a studio that the engineer
in that studio said: “Man that SABBATH song sound fucking heavy!” JEFF
said “What SABBATH song?” then looked at me and ABADDON. I said I
thought you knew and ABADDON just sat there laughing!!
DT (Armando):
Is CRONOS a
friend of yours?
TD:
Friend? Well,
at one time I thought we were kinda getting there but I don’t think he
really ever liked me, lot's of reasons but there you go! When we meet we
speak and that's about it. He likes talking shit about me so I retaliate
when he does, it's kind of a game now I guess! Boring as fuck to me but
he seems to enjoy it!
DT (Armando):
Do you receive
any kind of royalties when VENOM performs a song in which you were part
of the composition?
TD:
Yes always! VH1
in Europe has been playing “Prime Evil” from the 1990 video and that's
paying nicely thanx. The VENOM management stole all the money from me
and it took a long time to catch up with that but now they are destroyed
and worthless and I have my royalties back and the money flowes to me
and no one else!
DT (Armando):
In how many
tracks of “In Memorium” you participate? Tell us about that great
version of “Countess Bathory”
TD:
That
compilation album features CLIVE ARCHER on 3 tracks I think, the
original demos! Could be wrong but don't think so and of course There's
4 trax with me on, “Countess Bathory”, “Prime Evil”, “If You Wanna War”
and “Surgery”.
If you think it's a great version then I thank you! I tried always to
live up to the name and do justice to placement of me
as frontman! It was great to do as a vocalist/player and as an old
fan!!!
DT (Armando):
In the disc
double “New Live & Rare”? Do you participate in all the songs? Have you
heard any opinion from JUDAS PRIEST about “Hell Bent For Leather” cover?
TD:
Yeah in that
particular Double CD it is all me! LOL!!! NO never heard from JUDAS,
they had a run in with the authorities once because of hidden messages
and shit so I think they'd think VENOM covering something of theirs
would be a bad idea! LOL!! Don't you?
DT (Armando):
The first
official album of VENOM was “Welcome To Hell”, with CRONOS in the vocals,
but before CRONOS there were two vocalists, I talk about DAVE BLACKMAN
and CLIVE ARCHER Have you ever listened to some material of VENOM with
them in the voices? If the answer is yes, which were your impressions?
TD:
YEAH Dave was
too early and the band wasn't really VENOM then. CLIVE? Yeah I heard
CLIVE lots, that's where CRONOS got the style! NO, really, I'm not
having a go, honest! If you heard CLIVE you would swear now it was
CRONOS early work but it isn't! CONRAD improved on it for sure but the
style was CLIVE ARCHERS!
DT (Armando):
What was the
actual reason regarding your departure from VENOM?
TD:
The management,
stealing money, making decisions that were useless to the band but god
for their pockets. I moved to London, started working with real managers
and musicians and just drifted away from the same old shit I'd got bored
with! The same shit back the 20 0dd years ago is still going on up there
now and with the same bands and people, LOL!!!! I'm so glad I'm out of
it! LOL!!!
DT (Armando):
Why do you think
that VENOM always has constants changes of line - up? There are many
different records with totally different line - ups!
TD:
Their were 2
volatile people in VENOM, ABADDON and CRONOS, MANTAS tried not to get
involved but always was placed in the middle. Egos took over and once
they began to believe they were rock stars and legends(even though they
were) they believed their own press and that always leads to destruction!!
It became a mess and band members can never stay for long as the same
reason the original band can't survive with each other, no one realy
likes anyone!!! LOL!!! Lot's of smiling and pretending going on while
everyone is trying to rip each other off! It wasn't always like that but
NEAT RECORDS have to answer for it, they helped destroy lots of good
acts and VENOM were no exception!
DT (Armando):
Which has been
your participation in the project of MANTAS that, as we know, takes the
same name? Do you play the bass in the album “Zero Tolerance”?
TD:
Yeah MANTAS
asked me to take part so I did the bass on his latest album. I had
worked with him in the 80's when he did his solo stuff then too. Just
appearing in his videos as bassist to help out. We always worked well
together. He'd done a good job with ZT it was great fun to record. I
never got paid and now I never will but ,that's the kind of shit you get
used to with good friends .I did the ZT video that the label never even
bothered to get edited!! LOL!! Then did a show in London at the
Underworld and then the Earthshaker Festival in Germany with them before
I left the band.
DT (Armando):
What can you
talk me about your actor career?
TD:
It started as a
fluke and a director thought I was good and it's gone from there really.
I've been very lucky. I was a touring carpenter for the ROYAL
SHAKESPEARE COMPANY and while in India and actor got sick and the asked
if I could help by going onstage and filling the part as they knew I
knew the words and the play. When we returned to England, I was asked to
do it again and from then on I have just done acting as well as
everything else I do! I love it with a passion! It's like music, you get
out of it only what you put in!
DT (Roxana):
How was
CONSPIRACY born? Tell us about the coming releases
TD: Conspiracy
was the company of my brother-in-laws initially, I am even now kind of a
silent partner. We started doing music for adverts and I did some music
for a movie then it got serious, we got a contract for TV, the WORLD CUP
for Channel 5 in the UK the Baseball, the Ice Hockey coverage and now we
do work for BMG, SONY etc, etc , and almost all TV Companies, plus
advertising! Digital TV and SKY(Satellite) too! Now the last 2 years has
branched into theatre, most successful being this year, doing he musical
score for NICOLAS HYTNER (Director) at LONDON’S NATIONAL THEATRE, on
Henry the 4th parts one and two by WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Lots of good
press and very high profile!
DT (Roxana):
Which do you
prefer and why?
TD:
Everything! Coz
it's all good and bad of course but all very exciting and each is
fulfilling! I just like being alive man!
DT (Roxana):
Bass or guitar?
TD:
I love BASS, I
really do and my 1971 RICKENBACKER BLONDE STEREO is my baby but I also
love my LES PAULS and playing them so............both, LOL!!
DT (Roxana):
Theatre or
Screen?
TD:
Theatre is
great as the audience like with music make you feel alive but screen
makes you look so good!!! LOL!! Both!
DT (Armando):
Do you know who
is NOLBERTO SOLANO?
TD:
Heard the name
but jog my old memory please!
DT (Roxana):
What do you know
about Peruvian Metal Scene?
TD:
I now it's
healthy right now but after that not too much, I'd like to know more, if
anyone wants to contact me I like to hear some stuff and talk music too!
DT (Armando):
Your future
plans?
TD:
Stay alive, LOL!!!
Lots a bombing now here in London! Just keep playing, recording, acting
etc. and enjoying my lovely daughter who is nearly 4yrs old!
DT
(Armando): TONY,
let’s talk directly about “Black Reign”, could you name us in which
themes of this album you sing?
TD: 'Black
Reign'? LOL!!! All of them! The whole album consists of me, yes even the
old tracks are versions, studio and live, with me!
DT (Armando): Do
you like GRIM REAPER? STEVE GRIMMETT is your friend?
TD: Yeah I
thought they were OK back in the day. STEVE? No we've never met but we
almost met a couple of times, when he'd joined the UK Metal act
ONSLAUGHT. My band ATOMKRAFT were due to play some shows with that band
while STEVE was in them but the shows never happened!
DT
(Armando): How
did you feel as VENOM fan for being called to be the frontman of the
band?
TD: Well you
know, how any fan of a bands music would feel getting a chance to play
the stuff live themselves. It was great being able to do versions of
older tracks too in the studio as well as live, “Black Metal”, “1000
days In Sodom”, “Welcome To Hell”, etc, great fun.
It was strange for about 2 minutes being the frontman but once I began
writing and we had completed the “Prime Evil” album it was just my band
like any other would be. If you employed to just play in a band then you
remain somewhat always on the outside but when you come in to primarily
write material then it's quite different. ABADDON isn't a songwriter and
MANTAS wasn't there yet so it was down to me! It was great fun and like
an exercise at first.
Only after the initial excitement did it get boring and the same old
political issues that have dogged VENOM since they released “Black
Metal”, came along to us. Then the money issues and then it all just
turned to shit so I wasted no time in saying “Fuck It” and left. The
music was getting weaker and weaker and myself and MANTAS were becoming
less inclined to care.
Was I honoured to be invited to be the frontman? No, they needed me and
I worked my nuts off! Was it hard replacing someone? NO!! Why would it
be? I can sing and play bass and guitar and write songs, isn't that what
you have to do? People say all kinds of shit about me because I was in
VENOM. Ha! Ha!, especially on Blabbermouth.net it seems!!
Funny but these people with false names are all close to a certain or
certain members connected to VENOM and/or they're 'CAMP!' Although,
doing a big movie also brings people from a past life out to hate you,
so abuse is also part of the game!
Am I a fan now? Well having the official sites pull any mention of me
under threat of being ignored is one thing you can do but stopping the
albums going out and people buying them is beyond the reach of anyone! I
still love the first 2 albums and I personally also like all the
original singles and “At War With Satan” and “Possessed” but I am now
too close to the source to distance myself and be just a fan again and
that's a shame.
DT (Armando):
QUORTHON (RIP) from BATHORY always proclaimed to be the Father of Black
Metal; he said that he didn’t know VENOM till he released his first disc,
do you think that he was telling the true? The debut album of BATHORY is
from 1984, in that year VENOM released "At War With Satan", I believe
that QUORTHON (RIP) knew VENOM very well, while he released his first
album VENOM already had jewels like "Welcome To Hell" (1981) and "Black
Metal" (1982), QUORTHON (RIP) not only begins to speak about Black
Metal, in addition of that, in his first album has a theme named "Raise
the Dead", the same title of the VENOM classic that appears in "Black
Metal"¦ do you really believe that QUORTON (RIP) didn’t know about the
VENOM existence? perhaps Satan illuminated him to occur to him the same
names?
TD: I think
that he did of course know who VENOM were. I think in the particular
area of Metal he was involved, there would have been no way he wouldn't
have been aware, or heard of VENOM or their albums, etc. Was he
influenced by them? Well we only have his words on that, that he
wasn't. However, I recall seeing an early picture of him and remarking
how remarkably like CRONOS, from the VENOM -Witching Hour/Bloodlust
video, he looked. He was dressed in leather shorts and was sporting a
dog collar and without a shirt, even his hair looked similar!
His band name BATHORY (from “Countess Bathory” a notable track from the
“Black Metal” album / VENOM's second album release.) a possible
coincidence? As you mentioned, his album featured a track called, “Raise
The Dead”, a very old track from VENOM, which made it's way into the
Black Metal album, long before QUORTHON's debut release!
There are always similarities occurring in this area of Metal as the
subject matter itself leads to certain restrictions, for example the new
VENOM track from the as yet unfinished new VENOM album is titled,
“Antechrist” and although it's a different spelling, another well known
act, namely SLAYER, have a very well known track called “Antichrist”
from 1984's “Show No Mercy” and not forgetting DESTRUCTION's 2001 “The
Antichrist” album. So you see, that unoriginality thing happens. That's
not to compare actual track sounds or delivery but again it's the
subject matter that leaves little room for movement.
I think QUORTHON became an original and he was indeed a great influence
on the following generation of music and musicians but he had to have
been influenced by VENOM. How and when, etc, only he could have truly
answered but now we only have left what he said and may never know the
whole truth.
Hailed as the father of Black Metal he most certainly was but let's not
forget that VENOM did release an album titled, “Black Metal”, which may
not musically resemble the scene today but did give it its name and the
very basis they all use in their music, SATAN!
DT (Armando):
England always has been the cradle of great creating and innovating
bands in the Metal world, from the old times of BLACK SABBATH, JUDAS
PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN, SAXON, MOTÖRHEAD, the Black Metal with VENOM, or
the great Grind - Death Metal Scene with bands like NAPALM DEATH,
CARCASS and BOLT THROWER, but there are Scenes that have set people
talking through the years, like the Death Metal Scenes from Gothenburg
and Florida, what do you think of these two Scenes, do you like bands
originating of those places?
TD: Yes of
course! DEATH, OBITUARY, MORBID ANGEL, IN FLAMES, MARDUK, AT THE GATES,
CARNAGE. Great scenes and great bands. In fact MORBID and DEATH are 2 of
my fav bands.
DT
(Armando): AC/DC
is considered an Australian band, but many of their members are English,
BRIAN JOHNSON is a Geordie, just like you, do you like AC/DC? Have you
listened to the old band of BRIAN JOHNSON called GEORDIE? Any comment?
TD: Yeah! LOL!!!
GEORDIE were attached to the same label as us early on NEAT RECORDS.
They were kind of a pub rock band, sort of weekend warriors, pretty good
but kind of standard.
I did like AC/DC a lot, especially with BON SCOTT, that's not to take
anything away from BRIAN JOHNSON's AC/DC. I saw them on the “Highway To
Hell” tour in Newcastle with BON SCOTT before he died and they were
great, but then did see AC/DC on the “For Those About To Rock” tour in
Detroit with BRIAN JOHNSON and they were equally great, I also saw them
at the Donnington Festival in England with BJ and they were fantastic
then too.
I was living back in Canada when “Back In Black” was released and
thought there was no way they could do another album without BON but
once I heard that album, I was blown away. I wasn't a fan of BJ's vox
before he joined AC/DC but it just goes to show, if you have an open
mind. Do you know that, that particular album had every track released
as a single in he USA if I remember rightly! Now that's great for an a
album.
When a singer is replaced in an established band it's always hard for
the hardcore fans to accept it. They don't want the change but like
AC/DC with BJ and like myself with VENOM, new fans come and the fanbase
expands beyond it's constrictions. Sure you may loose some fans but then
you have to ask, how much of a fan were they in the first place? Also,
if the new fans coming in are turned on to the old material then, that's
gotta be good too, hasn't it?
Actually as a footnote, we recorded the, “Prime Evil” album in BRIAN
JOHNSON's old studios in Newcastle. He'd left the studio to his wife
when he got divorced and she was still running it. The VENOM management
actually ended up buying it or something, from her eventually and
running it and we recorded and mixed the next few releases there.
“Temples Of Ice”, “Tear Your Soul Apart”, “Kissing The Beast” and “The
Wastelands”. They lost it in the 1990's but I'm not sure why?!
I also just remembered, that my ATOMKRAFT roadie (and friend, STEVE
SPENCE) once received a phone call from BRIAN JOHNSON, when he'd read we
were looking for a guitarist, to suggest a friend of his, who was a
singer in a local club band. I thought the guy was very good but a
little too old for us. Besides it was a guitarist and not a vocalist we
were looking for.
He was doing very well with AC/DC at that point so maybe we should have
given his mate a go anyway and then done an AC/DC support slot! LOL!!!!
DT (Armando):
What do you know about OBERON, do you know who is JEFFREY BRAY?
TD: OBERON? OK
are you talking about the pre-VENOM band that was JEFF DUNNS (MANTAS)? I
think the names have got confused if that's so! It is TONY BRAY (ABADDON)
and JEFFREY DUNN (MANTAS). OBERON was the band before it became VENOM.
CRONOS was in a band called DWARF STAR and then joined OBERON and they
changed name the three of them and vocalist CLIVE ARCHER, to VENOM.
CLIVE was missing from a recording session to do “Live Like An Angel”
and CONRAD (CRONOS) sang it and he was just better, so that was that!
CLIVE was gone and VENOM were born really I guess.
Is that what you were asking? If not, then NO! Who's JEFFREY BRAY?
DT (Armando):
I’ve taken the information from TARTAREAN DESIRE, I think they should
update, It has been a mistake, thanks for the correction DEMOLITION!
I perfectly know the members names, I have many VENOM’s discs, but as I
read JEFFREY BRAY seemed to me a name that I had not seen before in
VENOM, but, because of the last name I thought that could be related to
ABADDON, at the end turned out to be an error of the source where I read
this.
DT (Armando): On
“New, Live & Rare”, was the album cover an idea from the company?
because for example there’s a KILLERS disc (one of the PAUL DI’ANNO
bands) that has exactly the same cover, and takes the same name "New,
Live & Rare", the only thing that vary is the logo of the band, instead
of VENOM says KILLERS, what could you comment to us about this?
TD: LOL!!! Well,
yeah I can comment! The old management, in particular, one half of them
has very little originality in him let's just say! Those 2 releases were
directly to do with the old management, deals they were doing with
licenses, etc, just trying to raise cash and dilute VENOM in the process.
I think that they either had it in mind to create a whole series using
the exact same cover and title but changing only the names of the bands,
however as fast as they began they ran out of bands or ideas I guess?
Overall though my opinion would be the usual laziness or unoriginal
ideas yet again!
DIANNO's KILLERS was attached to the ex-VENOM managements label,
“Bleeding Hearts” at one point and certainly around the time of both of
the releases you mentioned. By the way (and this is just for information
purposes to those who may not know!) the VENOM Management consisted of
ERIC COOK (VENOM's original Manager) and ABADDON (TONY BRAY). They gave
themselves the name “Beardawn Ltd.” eventually, around the departure of
CRONOS from VENOM but then it seems went through a whole gambit of names
and label ideas before eventually becoming bankrupt and going their
separate ways.
DT (Armando):
Your version of “Black Metal” that appears in “Black Reign” is much more
fast and sick than the CRONOS version, I must say to you that for me
your version is impressive, mainly that end, did you think in advance
how you were going to sing in the final part, where the shouts appear?
AAAARRRGGGHHH!
TD: Well thanx
a lot. It makes me feel very humble that you think I did such a great
job! Some people think I did all my VENOM versions much faster and some
said too fast, MMMmmmm, perhaps, but it was me doing them so I couldn't
have given a fuck! I did it my way and that's that.
The final part? Well, now the track was and is a great track and one
that VENOM are and were well known for, so I didn't want to change it
and that was as a fan too, I just wanted to do it. The end piece vocal
is akin to the CRONOS delivery at the end of the track on the “Black
Metal” album, just my version of that!
Again some hardcore fans and certainly ones close to CRONOS etc, like to
badmouth everything I did with VENOM but especially my versions of the
older material but they are the minority as I get such great mail and
acknowledgements from fans all over the world who think I added
something, so I'd like to state here that I thank them all and because
of them I am inspired in my music.
DT
(Armando): The
Black Metal has lasted through the years with an incredible force, what
do you think about the Black Metal Scene from Norway, what do you think
of the following facts: the DEAD suicide, the murder of EURONYMOUS,
INNER CIRCLE and burning of churches, do you like bands as MAYHEM or
BURZUM?
TD: I do like
MAYHEM and BURZUM but I think, the whole thing gets a little crazy!
Christians burnt things and did committed some heinous to people, like
your history in South America, you know bringing the word of God!! They
aren't all saints. I guess, burning churches was their way of taking it
to them for past sins and what they considered in a very catholic
country, current transgressions! Murder? Well you guys live closer to
the US than we do and, they murder as small country every year there, it
seems with self inflicted gun crime on the streets!
Suicide? MMmm, well kinda pointless but depression can do awful things
to the mind. Suicide pacts are nothing new though.
From ancient Greece to Japan, ancient times to now (with our current
epidemic in London of suicide bombers), pacts are associated with causes
and the Black Metal scene in Norway became a cause for those involved.
The book “Lords Of Chaos” by MICHAEL MOYNIHAN and DIDRIK SODERLIND is a
superb book on this very subject, I advise all interested to read this
book!
What do I personally think of the killing, burning and suicides? Nothing!
Not a thing! It's not something I would have done just because of my
music!
DT (Armando):
What is your opinion about the symphonic Black Metal, girls singing with
excess of harmonious keyboards, do you like this kind of music? Do you
believe that is a valid evolution or is an offense for the Black Metal
essence?
TD: Well it's a
natural fusion I guess! So much of Metal is connective tissue to
classical music. Even SLAYER took the “Diabolus In Musica” and
constructed around it, even making an album titled it.
Every scene will expand and diversify, to the music you have described
in your question from the “Black Metal” album of VENOM is a long and
very curvy road, where obvious links may not be made right away with,
let's say, the naked eye, but they are there.
DEEP PURPLE had a fully orchestrated album, METALLICA are also famous
for theirs. Thus you can see where bands themselves make those
connections. It was always going to go in several directions because
music has to evolve, it's a natural course. The blending of Classical
and Black Metal for me is the most perfect and purest, even more than
the Metal blend, as so much classical is dark and heavy but with massive
sounds cape.
Do I like it? Some of it yeah, do I like the more traditional, some may
say, purer stuff? Yes. I think it all has its place though. Sometimes
it's too much over orchestrated Keyboards, I'd prefer the real
instruments but that's just not practical of course! As for the girls?
Well you know, for the most part they're kinda babes so, I'm all for
that!!
DT (Roxana): You
are a great composer. Everyone knows that the great album that “Prime
Evil” is, it’s mostly thanks to you. Where do you get your inspiration
from?
TD: Thank you
for the compliment. For 'Prime Evil', the manager and ABADDON wanted
some sort of return to form.
They had some old VENOM demos but nothing they could use really. VENOM
had been dying with albums like “Calm Before The Storm” and “Possessed”.
I came in before MANTAS could be talked into returning and so, was at
work on new material before and as he joined us again.
I too wanted VENOM to continue and get back somewhat to the original
feel they'd lost. I just spent my time listening to “Welcome To Hell”
and “Black Metal” and based my feel on those album's. I suppose it was
somewhat easier for me than the original members to write material that
was closer to the original form, as I could base my writing on what I
liked about the band and not what they thought they were doing well.
Also they had lost their way I think, everything had happened kinda fast
to them and I don't think they ever really grasped what it was about
them people liked, musically, that is!
The only thing I had some difficulty with was the Satanic thing. I liked
it as a theme but the idea of taking it really seriously was a funny! I
was raised Roman Catholic and I am now and have been for around 33yrs a
none believer.
I just couldn't take that stuff too much without laughing. It's cool to
do, as it makes you feel powerful as it's close to the accepted edge (well
it was back then) but being serious about worshipping Satan etc, Ha! Ha,
not really! Well for some perhaps they need it as with all beliefs,
perhaps weaker people need something else to govern for them in life, or
take the blame for their own actions but, I think the responsibility for
my life is mine and no-one elses. I'm a good guy I guess but I can be
evil too and I believe in one thing, myself! That's truly all you'll
ever need, in my opinion!
I liked the Satanic angle from VENOM but even they had moved away from
it by the time I was ready to join.
MANTAS had done his “Winds Of Change” album (not satanic) and CRONOS was
doing his solo album, “Dancing In The Fire”, (also very none satanic).
My inspiration comes from everywhere and anywhere but like I said, for
VENOM it came from those first 2 albums initially but in the end it just
came from wherever. I think at the last it was a conscious effort from
perhaps the others to move away from the Satanic theme altogether, I'm
not sure but I think that was one of the last straws for me also.
DT (Roxana):
When you get on the stage, for example in the VENOM’s era, I have read
that you used to smash blood all over your head, shaved of such form,
that showed an inverted cross, while it was sounding screams all around.
Did you use to think that you were to represent a character on stage and
act like it? Or you had nothing planned in advance and suddenly got
possessed? How did it work?
TD: Ha! Ha! Ha!
Possessed? Well that would be real cool and a good story but no! We had
this big show in Russia we were doing, it was televised to millions
around Russia, we were told. It was a festival outside the Winter Palace
in St. Petersburg. We shared the bill with GIRLSCHOOL, UFO, ASIA, MAGNUM,
THE SWEET and a couple of other bands I can't remember. There were
around 40000 people in the square for the show we were told. When we
went there to play, we were a 3 piece for the first time since I joined
the band. MANTAS, ABADDON and The DEMOLITION man. We had recorded an
album, with some old songs re-worked and some new tracks, called,
“Kissing The Beast” (not the Kissing The Beast, Sanctuary/Castle would
release after 2000) which was supposed to be exclusively for a Russian
release.
Things looked good. I wanted to do something special for the show so I
had my wife (who was a specialist in special effects) who worked in
theatre and film help me. She shaved a lightening bolt that formed the
letter 'V' in the back of my head and also an inverted crucifix on the
top of my head, then I had several bags of stage blood made up and had
them in my jacket when I hit the stage, so I guess it was all calculated
like the pyros, or the lights, or the goats head backdrops, stage lifts
etc, etc.
You know what though, as we went on to the screams and bells and sound
of falling rain from the “Witching Hour” intro and the smoke blew all
around us and the crowd were going nuts for us, I did kind of lose it
and get possessed in a way, Ha! Ha! Ha!
After we played we went back to the bus that held all the bands and it
was literally rocked by fans as they just stormed the bus.
In the end, I was putting my autograph on money as people ran out of
things for us to sign, man that was crazy and great fun!
DT (Roxana):
ABADDON have said that he’s a very big collector of DEEP PURPLE bootlegs.
How is TONY DOLAN, the fan? What are your favorite bands today? Do you
collect vinyls as well?
TD: Yeah TONY B
(ABADDON) was a massive DEEP PURPLE fan, I guess he did have a lot of
Bootlegs but I must be honest, I never saw any? I do know that he was
also a very big CHRIS REA fan had all of his material. For me? SLAYER
and MOTÖRHEAD I guess are favs, along with US Punk act, THE DICKIES.
Then there's, ANGELWITCH, RAVEN, MORBID ANGEL, MALEVOLENT CREATION,
DESTROYER 666 , MINDSNARE, SACRIFICIAL, HUNTER/KILLER, EXODUS,
DESTRUCTION, BLACK FLAG, DEATH ,SOD, THE RAMONES, SABBATH, FEAR FACTORY,
SODOM, KREATOR, METALLICA, TESTAMENT, CRADLE OF FILTH, JUSTICE, ADAM
BOMB, MACHINE HEAD, Oh man this is just gonna end up a list of who's who!!
Ha! Ha!
There's so many, Old school and too many new acts, to list, I get sent
great music from everywhere, Poland, Germany, Italy, USA, South America,
Canada, Asia, there's some bad stuff too but man, too much great stuff!!
Metal is alive and well.
I have loads of Vinyl but between CD's and now my iPod and Mp3's it's
easier for me for listening, as I am always moving around, with filming,
theatre work and of course my music.
I did just the other day however get the new 45" single (Vinyl) of
ANGELWITCH sent to me and it's great. A collectors piece ,it was
recorded in 1982 and features 4 tracks, “They Wouldn't Dare”, “Nowhere
To Run”, “Evil Games” and “They Wouldn't Dare” (live).
My copy is 002 and there are only 666 copies out there, cool!
DT:
(Roxana): What
could you tell us about the rare disc “Kissing the beast”? Is it the
best of TONY DOLAN in VENOM?
TD: I think I
have already mentioned this album above. It was compiled of new
recordings of older material and newer material but done for Russia only,
was the story I was told. Of course it was the usual bollox as the
Russian guy who was gonna do the album's release "ran off", never to be
heard of again, I was told, Ha! Ha! Then the album and masters
apparently disappear but years later I came across a copy in a music
store in Germany and it was produced in the Benilux (Belgium/Luxemburg)and
had our management plastered all over it! I brought this to their
attention, they of coursed lied and to this day, I don't know where it
went out and as usual was never paid anything for it.
As for the track listing? A best of? No, not really, these are the
tracks and features only myself ABADDON and MANTAS.
1: Black Metal
2:Die Hard
3:Flatline
4:Welcome To Hell
5:In Nomine Satanas
6:Witching Hour
7:Angel Dust
8:Fragile Life
9:Bloodlust
10:Countess Bathory
11:Buried Alive
12:Burstin Out
DT: (Roxana):
Did you reach to meet mighty LEMMY in Marquee club around 1987,right?
What memories come to your mind from that day? I know that MOTÖRHEAD
changed your life when you were a teenager…¦
TD: Not too
much now! Ha! Ha! I was there with some friends and we went just for the
booze and to see a band called, DUMPYS RUSTY NUTS,
a band that LEMMY was (and I suppose still is) close to. I wasn't
surprised to see him there, he was playing the one arm bandit as he
likes to
do alone, having a drink, I don't know what we said or anything but the
band were good, ha! ha! I also met him at the KERRANG (Metal Mag UK)
100th edition party way back in the 1980's and of course after any show
I went to see MOTÖRHEAD do.
I'm not sure he knows now who I am or even gives a fuck and you know, I
don't give a fuck myself, he's influenced fucking thousands of wanna be
metal heads all over the world. He's been one of the best ambassadors
for Rock/Metal since forever. He's also a great writer and not just for
MOTÖRHEAD either, penning hits for OZZY amongst others!
He's a 'Real' Rockstar and really cool with it too. Long Live LEMMY!
DT: (Roxana):
The “advance version” of this interview has been very commented in
BLABBERMOUTH and BRAVEWORDS.... did you find out that CRONOS and ERIC
COOK from DEMOLITION RECORDS have posted some bad words about you after
reading the DEATHTHRASHER’s interview?
TD: That's
great, I hope it's good for you guys and widens your audience, getting
more people to you.
I get mail all the time from people telling me when there's something on
the net, especially if it's on Blabbermouth.net. I myself am not a
member, I have no ID for Blabbermouth or login name or whatever you
fucking need! Ha! Ha! The crazy thing is, there are people who think I
have and that I write shit on there!! Fools, suckers, idiots, whatever
you wanna call them. I do what I do and couldn't give a fuck what they
do, really, not one fuck!
I just think it's a little sad and pathetic to have a go at me on a site
like that, "he's gay", Ha! ha! yeah OK! I do amateur dramatics, Ha! Ha!
Ha! yeah for 20TH CENTURY FOX and COLUMBIA, oh yeah and the BBC and HBO!!
These guys are just jealous and crazy about there own failings!! I'm a
bighead?
Well that itself comes from some kind of egoist as the stuff on
Blabbermouth was lifted from an official fan site and not posted from
me!
I don't know who it is!? I got a letter from ERIC COOK at DEMOLITION
RECORDS, as he was mentioned as commenting on the article as well as his
brother (and label manager) and it basically said it wasn't them who
posted.
All I know is, I got several e-mails telling me to go look and telling
me that CRONOS had written something. When JEFF kicked off the MANTAS
thing on the net, we (myself and JEFF) got lots of things written about
us, we were gay, shit, fat, old, Ha! Ha! the usual inferior bullshit but
the guitarist, who works on computers and for DEMOLITION RECORDS, did a
search on some of the IP addressees of computers used, saying some of
this stuff ,or something and traced some of them back to CRONOS
apparently. Now I can't imagine for one minute that he'd want to waste
time slagging me off on Blabbermouth under a pseudonym, do you?
I think it's more likely to be some arsebandit, who has just failed at
whatever he thought he was good at and is just jealous of what I have
and am achieving!
They're trying to cover their tracks by making out it's someone else,
ooh, that's brave! Ha! Ha! They seem to want me to, "Die, Die Fucking
Die", Ha! Ha! Ha! Well all I can tell them is, not yet, there's more to
come fuckface! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Oh and just to add, you asked in the last interview if I got any
royalties from Venom, seeing as I am no longer with them? I answered
that I'd just received something in conjunction to VH1 Europe playing
“Prime Evil” from the Venom Live '90 video. Some braindead knob on
Blabbermouth said he couldn't see how royalties from that would keep me
in a London lifestyle!! Ha! Ha!
I live in one of the most expensive cities in the world right now so of
course that alone wouldn't. You asked me for an example and I gave you
one, it isn't the only source and it was an example of payments related
to my VENOM days I get, not the only one, just one of many!! Some people
are just plain stupid! Ha! Ha! Ha!
DT: (Roxana):
What’s your favorite curse and whom you would dedicate it to?
TD: Wishing you
all the very best but do unto others as they would do unto you!
Tony'Demolition'Dolan. @tonydolan.net
DT (Armando): Your last growl
for the DEATHTHRASHER’s readers?
TD: Thank you
for asking such great questions, I hope I answered honestly and as
interestingly as I could! Please keep thrashing the world is changing
and getting smaller and were all in it together now so we are all
brothers in arms. Long live you all!! My very best wishes and lets hope
I'll see you all one day!! Tony 'Demolition' Dolan. write me @tonydolan.net
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