• Thrash Metal Assault!!!!!

• Dragster appeared in Sao Paulo/Brasil in 1998 and the intention was to play a heavy sound, with quality, mixing each member's nfluences (mainly Thrash metal from Bay Area). Since the beginning, everything was made as professional as possible, with serious intentions - recording albums, playing live shows, etc.

2.HOW DID YOU SELECT THIS BAND NAME? WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO YOU? AMONG WHICH OTHER NAMES WAS IT SELECTED? HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK FOR A BAND'S FUTURE IS THE CORRECT CHOICE OF THE BAND NAME.

• The fixed original name was Bulldozer, but after we took knowledge of an Italian band that had the same name, we changed it to Dragster. Bulldozer and Dragster are strong, simple names, easy to remember. About the name Dragster, leads in account what it means the word, extreme-quick and powerful cars of race , that need for-falls to brake, also with engines that arrive to catch fire... We thought that this could match with our music ,Speed, Weight, Rage, Atittude... Is certain that Dragster is a good name and will help in our career.

 3.HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR MUSIC? HOW DID YOU MANAGE TO MIX ALL THOSE DIFFERENT METAL GENRES? FROM THRASH ON ONE HAND TO CLASSIC HEAVY AND PROGRESSIVE METAL?

• We have influences that they come from Hard Rock to Death Metal and I believe that all these elements are obvious in our music. We have different musical taste, but the base of everything, as I' ve already spoke, is Thrash Metal. Dragster has a unique sound and I believe  that this is a great advantage nowadays, where constantly appear clones of great bands.

 4.TELL US SOME GEREAL THINGS ABOUT THE BAND RELEASES  AND MOSTLY FOR YOUR LATEST WORK. TELL US SOME THINGS ABOUT THE PRODUCTION, THE MUSIC,ETC

• Our only launched work is an EP called "NEW Times"-2001, a sample of what you can wait in our first full lenght that  should be launched around mid of March/2003.The world-wide repercussion of this EP has been wonderful, and this makes us believe taht we'll have a good acceptance of the next work to be  launched.

 5.UNDER WHICH LABEL WILL IT BE RELEASED AND HOW WILL IT BE CALLED?

• Compact disc full length will be called "STRONG MIND", and will  be launched from a Brazilian label that still is being defined.We have done a lot of contacts with recorders and distributors in some countries, that were interested in releasing or distributing our work.Our dream is one day to  sign a contract with a great label (Century Media or Nuclear Blast for example), we have worked very hard in this cd for this.

 6.WHY HAVE CHANGES IN THE LINE UP OF THE BAND OCCURE? WAS THE DIPARTURE OF THE OTHER MEMBERS FRIENDLY? DO YOU HAVE CONTACT?

• The changes have occurred for personal reasons and cause of different musical aiming, but they had been friendly. We have contact with the old drummer, Alessandro, that left the band cause he wanted to play a different kind of music.

7.HOW DO YOU COMPOSE SONGS? DO YOU FOLLOW A SPECIFIC PATH?

• Normally I make the bases and Gabriel builds the melodic parts. Later the battery lines are placed, bass and later the vocal lines.This is the standard of the composition . Everything is well democratic and approved by everyone . Good ideas are always  used.

• We speak of real things and  personal parts of ours lives.Problems that we go through and problems of our city and our country (there are many).Our lyrics are critical and harsh.Living in Brazil, in Sao Paulo in specific is almost impossible to speak about fancies or distants histories. We have  a lot of problems  to think or to write for.

 9.WAS THERE A MOMENT YOU WANTED TO QUIT?

• Each band has its ups and downs, joys and sadnesses, but as we are in this cause of our love for metal, I believe that the possibility to give up is few.A lot of good bands have disbanded cause they didn't have patience, perseverance and respect . I think that these 3 factors are basic for the long life and  success of a band.And I am content in seeing that we have these 3 qualities.We are very close friends, we have the musical aiming, and most important, we believe in Dragster very much.

10.TELL US SOME THINGS ABOUT THE UNDERGROUND SCENE OF BRAZIL. ARE THERE ANY BANDS YOU LIKE A LOT?

• The Brazilian scene is very strong, also believed to be one of the strongest in the world.We were born listening bands like Sepultura, Korzus and Overdose.The new bands we like are Panzer, Andralls and Claustrofobia, among many other.I like these bands, because they play thrash in the old ways.

11.WHICH NEW RELEASES DID YOU LIKE AND WHICH ARE YOUR 5 MOST BELOVED ALBUMS OF ALL TIME?

• Best albuns for me are: "Another Lesson in Violence"-Exodus, "The Gathering"-Testament, "Dream neon/Dead Heart"-Nevermore, "Bigger then the devil"-S.O.D., "Power/Nemesis"-Grip Inc.. From the classic ones: Metallica - all (mainly "Master of Puppets") until the "Black Album", All of the Slayer, All of the Exodus, and albuns of bands who we love: Testament, Motorhead, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, Ozzy, Sepultura, Deep Purple, D.R.I., Anthrax, Megadeth, Suicidal Tendencies, etc

12.BEFORE CHANGING YOUR NAME INTO DRAGSTER YOU WERE CALLED BULLDOZER. HAVE YOU LISTENED TO ANY SONGS OF THE ITALIAN BAND? DID YOU LIKE IT?

• I heard much later and liked it, great  80's.

 13.WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO COMPOSE MUSIC?

• We would be football players, the Dragster team is very good(laugh).I'm joking, everyone has parallel works but what we like more and we give total priority is Dragster.

14.MANY METAL MUSICIANS ACCUSE POP STARS FOR THEIR LIFE STYLE, YET WE SEE SUCH BEHAVIOURS IN THE METAL SCENE AS WELL (BANDS PAYING TO MAKE A COVER FOR SUCCESFUL MAGAZINES, HAVING A GOOD REVIEW, METAL LABELS PROMOTING SPECIFIC BANDS AND GENRES EACH EPOCH,ETC).IS IT MAYBE AFTER ALL TRUE THAT THE METAL INDUSTRY DOESN'T DIFFER FROM THE POP? WHICH ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THAT?

• Unfortunatelly these things exist in the metal also, at least that's what we listen to. I just can affirm you that in relation to Dragster the battle has been hard for spreading our music perhaps and conquer this space we have.I think that the good bands will always be there.Our road is very long and hard, but when we arrive there our base will be well more solid and lasting.

15.WHICH IS MAN'S BIGGEST TEMPTATION?

• Women!!! We want them all!!!!

16.IF TIME TRAVEL WAS POSSIBLE, WHICH HISTORICAL PERIOD WOULD YOU LIKE TO VISIT AND WHY? WHAT WOULD YOU MISS THE MOST FROM OUR TIME?

• Speaking of music,  certainly i would like to go back ,with the age that I have today,  to the beginning of the Thrash metal, in the beginning of the  80's , where everything started.

17.WHAT PROLOGUE AND TITLE WOULD YOU LIKE THIS INTERVIEW TO HAVE?

• Thrash Metal Assault!!!!!

18.THANK YOU!HAVE I FORGOT TO ASK YOU ANYTHING AND YOU'D LIKE TO MENTION?

• We would like to thank you, for the chance and support to underground. And everyone that helps Thrash Forever!!!! www.dragstermetal.com.br mp3 in link"sons"....listen, write, give us your  opinion......
   Nick  "William_Kidd"  Parastatidis