AGENT
STEEL
Agent
Steel is one of my most beloved bands in the speed/thrash genre. The paved
the way for many newcomers and set the standards high for the metal scene.
So, it’s a great honor to have the chance to talk to your heroes of adolescence
who are no other than BERNIE VERSAILLES (GUITARS) and JUAN GARCIA (GUITARS).
An interview with them proved to be more than interesting…
1. DO YOU THINK THAT THE TERM SPEED
METAL CAN DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE SUFFICIENTLY?
Bernie: When Skeptics Apocalypse
and Mad Locust Rising came out, I think "speed metal" was appropriate.
At that time, the faster the better. The more notes the better. Now I think
we use the speed when it calls for it. I think we are more "power metal"
with a "speed metal" past. We still play a lot of the old stuff, so I can
see people regarding us as "speed metal".
Juan: We started off as a speed
metal band, but now we incorporate all kinds of styles in our songs. We
will never abandon the speed and thrash metal approach to writing.
2. YOUR RETURN WITH THE “OMEGA CONSPIRACY”
ALBUM WAS REALLY POWERFUL. HOW HAS THE METAL COMMUNITY RECEIVED YOUR RETURN
SINCE THERE ARE MANY FANS THAT REALLY LOVED YOUR OLD ALBUMS AND HAVE PUT
THEM IN A CULT STATUS IN A WAY?
Bernie: Before Omega Conspiracy
came out, we were invited to play the Wacken Festival in 1999. We were
so well received, even with Bruce as our new singer. He had some big shoes
to fill, and he did great. We even played a new song that no one heard
yet, "Know Your Master", and by the middle of the song, everyone in the
crowd was singing the chorus.
Juan: For the most part the metal
community has embraced our comeback.
3. SOME MONTHS AGO WE HEARD THE RUMORS
THAT YOU’D CHANGE YOUR NAME FROM AGENT STEEL INTO ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI
CAUSE YOU HAD PROBLEMS WITH YOUR PREVIOUS SINGER CYRIIS ABOUT THE COPYRIGHT.
WHAT HAS REALLY HAPPENED? WHERE IS CYRIIS NOW AND HOW ARE YOUR RELATIONS?
Bernie: When Cyriis (our original
singer) first contacted us after 13 years, his lawyer sent us and our labels
in the U.S. a "cease and desist" letter, basically telling us to not use
the name AGENT STEEL so we changed it so we could still do some live shows
here in the U.S. What's funny is that people were still calling us AGENT
STEEL even though the marquee said ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI. Cyriis says
it's great that we are carrying on the name and the music, and supports
the new AGENT STEEL now.
4. NOW TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOUR
NEW ALBUM. IS IT A CONCEPT? WHERE IS IT REFERRING TO? HOW LONG DID IT TAKE
YOU TO COMPOSE IT? WHERE HAVE YOU RECORDED IT AND WHO WAS THE PRODUCER?
WHICH ARE THE DIFFERENCES WITH YOUR PREVIOUS RELEASE?
Bernie: It is a concept album more
about government conspiracies, as opposed to our alien-based concepts of
the past. We started writing the new material shortly after the 2000 European
tour, on and off, up until we started recording in 2002. I recorded it
at my studio (CAMELTOE) and produced it as well. I learned a lot in the
past couple years about mixing and producing, so I was able to get more
of the sound that we wanted.
5. SECOND ALBUM AFTER THE REUNION AND
ALSO A NEW LABEL. WHAT LED YOU TO THE DECISION TO DEPART FROM CANDLELIGHT
RECORDS? WEREN’T YOU SATISFIED BY THE PROMOTION THEY DID? WHICH THINGS
YOU LIKED IN SCARLET RECORDS THAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO COOPERATE WITH THEM?
Bernie: Unfortunately, we also
had a merchandise deal with our old label, which got really screwed up.
We didn't receive our shirts until the middle of the tour, so we lost a
lot of money, which led to further problems. I don't want to get into details,
but we were all pretty unhappy about the situation, so we decided not to
do a second album with them. Scarlet seems to be very enthusiastic about
the new album, and they treat us like a priority act, which is a good sign.
6. WHAT IS IT THAT YOU FIND APPEALING
IN WRITING LYRICS ABOUT ALIENS, CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND SO ON? DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT SOMETHING IS BEING HIDDEN FROM US?
Bernie: I think our subject matter
is thought-provoking, and whether you believe it or not, it makes you think.
As for conspiracies, they've existed since the beginning of government.
If we think the government tells us the truth about everything, then we
can consider ourselves blind sheep.
7. HAS ANY OF YOU HAD EXPERIENCE WITH
EXTRATERRESTRIALS AND U.F.O’S? IF YES, COULD YOU TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT
THIS EXPERIENCE? DO YOU THINK THAT ALIENS HAVE GOOD OR BAD INTENTIONS TOWARDS
US?
Juan: I’ve seen UFO’s before in
the Nevada desert here in the United States. I do not know if they are
extraterrestrial or Government made prototype space ships because our government
has UFO technology that they’ve recovered from crashed crafts. They maneuver
very strange at weird angles and are very silent. I think aliens have both
good and bad intentions towards human beings depending on the Alien Race.
8.YOU ARE ONE OF THE FEW BANDS THAT
AFTER YOUR REUNION YOUR NEW SOUND STAYED PRETTY LOYAL TO YOUR OLD ONE.
WAS IT SOMETHING YOU PURSUED? HAS THE FAILURE OF OTHER BANDS TO INNOVATE
AND KEEP THEIR TRADITIONAL FANS HAPPY BEEN A REASON AS WELL?
Bernie: The funny thing was that
even though we didn't consciously try to recreate our old sound, it still
shined through, even though 13 years had passed. It's always sad to hear
a favorite band of the past come out with a new album trying to sound like
whatever's new and hip at the time. I believe in changing and growing as
a band is important, but it has to be done tastefully, so as not to undermine
the integrity of your original sound.
9. ORDER OF THE ILLUMINATI IS THE NAME
OF THE NEW ALBUM. IN THE PREVIOUS ALBUM YOU HAD A SONG TITLED “ILLUMINATI
IS MACHINE”. COULD YOU “ILLUMINATE” US ON THIS SUBJECT?
Juan: Basically it is our concept
of our new album which deals with a secretive elite order/group of high
ranking people who govern our planet and they have hidden agendas towards
the masses; their goals are very simple: control and enslavement.
10. I KNOW THAT ILLUMINATI IS A SUBJECT
FOR LONG DISCUSSION, HOWEVER COULD YOU GIVE US SOME INFO ABOUT IT AND LET
US KNOW HOW IT’S CONNECTED WITH THE ALIENS?
Juan: There is an old saying: “those
who know do not say; and those who say do not know. Let just say that the
Illuminati withhold unrevealed knowledge of our Planet and have inherited
top secret information from an Alien Race. There are all kinds of conspiracies
that may or may not be true but makes for interesting reading and great
lyrics!
11. WHICH ALBUM WERE YOU LOOKING FORWARD
TO HEARING AND DISAPPOINTED YOU? WHY?
Juan: I was looking forward to
the new METALLICA and I am a bit disappointed, without talking too many
bad things about their new album because I respect them as individuals
and musicians; I cannot understand why there are not guitar solos on this
record; did they forget that they are a metal band?? Metal bands have solos!!!!
12. IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO MEET THE
CREATURE THAT CREATED THE UNIVERSE, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO ASK HIM?
Bernie: Life is an absolute miracle.
The fact that we can create and destroy, love and hate, laugh and cry,
and think beyond our existence is the ultimate gift. I wouldn't ask him
anything. I would just say "thank you."
Juan: I would ask how many universes
have you created, but the funny thing is I already know the answer which
of course is infinity.
13. IF YOU COULD TRAVEL IN TIME, WHICH
HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST
FROM OUR TIMES?
Bernie: I would like to visit the
60's and see all the great classic rock acts before they were huge, like
BLACK SABBATH, LED ZEPPELIN, etc. I'd probably miss our technology, like
computers and cell phones. I can't live without them. My everyday life
centers around these two things.
Juan: I would like to travel to
the Mayan period when their civilization thrived and see how they created
the pyramid of Chichen Itza in Mexico, and the Pyramids of the Sun and
Moon in Teotihuacan, Mexico.
14. WHAT TITLE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUR
CAREER THIS FAR?
Bernie: I would still consider
ourselves the "Masters of Metal." Every show we play, we take over the
crowd, and leave them begging for more. With every show, we gain new fans,
and strengthen the loyalty of our long-time fans. Any bands we share a
bill with, we make them nervous, too.
15. IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION,
WHAT WOULD IT BE? IF IT WERE PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
Bernie: Contemplation. The painting
would show a man's face full of wonder and uncertainty, with a hint of
anger and worry in his eyes, and a bead of sweat on his forehead.
16. WHICH IS THE STRANGEST/FUNNIEST
QUESTION SOMEONE’S EVER DONE TO YOU?
Bernie: One interview I did, someone
asked what my favorite drink was. I said "water." I thought that was an
unusual question. I know they were really asking what my favorite "alcoholic"
drink was!
17. YOU ARE GRANTED ONE WISH. WHAT
WOULD YOU DO WITH IT?
Bernie: I would hold on to it until
I, or the Earth, really needed it.
Juan: I would wish to be a multi
millionaire so I could start financing my own label and sign metal bands.
18. THANK YOU! HAVE I FORGOTTEN TO
ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU’D LIKE TO MENTION? LEAVE YOUR MESSAGE TO THE READERS…
Bernie: Thanks to all of our fans
for keeping AGENT STEEL and Metal alive. Hopefully we'll be playing in
Greece this year. Keep an eye on our tour dates on our website www.AGENTSTEELONLINE.com.
See you in the front row!
Juan: Thanks again these were great
questions you came up with and we hope to see the metalheads on tour soon,
hopefully we will come to Greece, you can always visit us online at http://www.agentsteelonline.com/
for tour updates and news.
George “Volt”
Tassis
Nick “William_Kidd” Parastatidis
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