Overloaded
Overloaded is one of the
best bands I've listened to recently and I really believe they worth a
world wide career. Actually, I truly believe they will make it eventually.
I just hope they make it soon, cause the sooner you start rocking with
their music, the better!!!! Here's what Erik told us about the band and
their plans!
1.FIRST OF ALL MY SINCERE CONGRATULATIONS
FOR CREATING SUCH A GREAT ALBUM!
Thanks Christine. We appreciate your
enthusiastic response!
2.PLEASE PINPOINT THE GREATEST MOMENTS AND ACHIEVEMENTS
OF OVERLOADED UP TO NOW.
First, it was writing the song "Feeling Overloaded"
that gave the band direction. Next was booking time at recording
studios and being proud of our work. The last few months we have
played big shows here in Detroit. The shows range between coordinating
and booking local blow-outs to opening for some established bands such
as Alter Bridge, Skid Row, White Lion, etc.
3.BY THE WAY, THERE ARE QUITE MANY BANDS OUT THERE
WITH MORE OR LESS THE SAME MONIKER LIKE YOURS. FOR EXAMPLE THERE IS OVERLOAD’S
PERPETUAL, OVERLOAD, ETC. AREN’T YOU AFRAID THIS MIGHT CAUSE YOU A PROBLEM?
DON’T YOU THINK THAT THE LISTENERS MIGHT GET CONFUSED PERHAPS?
No, our name is comepletely different than
"Overload". Our name "Overloaded" has a better ring to it and implies
that our simple human bodies are "Overloaded", be it on booze, power, insanity,
or full metal fury. Usually it is a combination of all four elements.
4.HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE THE KIND OF MUSIC YOU PLAY?
We write the follow up album to the albums
our heroes can not follow up with. I'm not going to name names, but
most bands can only write one or two good albums, and then live off them
for decades. One exception to that rule is Judas Priest who's new album
"Angel of Retribution" is amazing. Some people call our music "Cock
Metal" because it has a goodtime feel, but is not cheesy. We can
balance heaviness with melody without taking ourselves too seriously.
I think we're a combination of Early Metallica and Early Cinderella.
-IS IT MORE HARD ROCK OR MORE HEAVY METAL?
It is more Heavy Metal, and let me explain
why. Aerosmith is Hard Rock while Judas Preist, Twisted Sister, Old
Crue, Metallica, AC/DC were heavy metal.........simply "Metal" implies
Death Metal ala Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, etc. We are Heavy Metal.
-WHO ARE THOSE MUSICIANS THAT HAVE, LET’S SAY,
“GUIDED” YOU TOWARDS THIS MUSICAL PATH?
The Good Ones. Examples being Early Megadeth,
Crue, some Quiet Riot, some Ratt, early Metallica (especially Kill em All),
Twisted Sister, Kiss, Scorpions, Iron Maiden, 2 Skid Row albums, the almighty
Judas Priest, 10 years of Ozzy, 2 Cinderella albums, AC/DC, a decade of
Slayer, a bit of Mayfield Four, Anthrax, 2 albums of Entombed, a White
Lion album, some Sound Garden, those are some but by no means all of our
teachers.
5.I WROTE IN MY REVIEW THAT YOU HAVE SOME EXCELLENT,
CATCHY RIFFS, GREAT HOOKLINES AND A GREAT SENSE OF MELODY AND ENERGY IN
YOUR MUSIC. HOWEVER, IF YOU WERE GIVEN THE CHANCE TO ACTUALLY REVIEW AND
PRESENT THE ALBUM, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY, TRYING TO BE AS OBJECTIVE AS POSSIBLE?
We are one of the few bands out currently
that can write a real riff. Our singer Chris writes real lyrics that
mean something and make sense. We represent and truly live what Chris
sings about. There is a huge market that is dying for our sound.
If one of the "veteran" bands could write "Hail the Kingdom", it would
be one of their biggest albums and give them relevancy again. Finally,
while we are not trapped in the past. We are one of the few bands
on this planet that can take the old school attitude and do it in a modern
non-cheesy way.
6.YOU HAVE CREATED A MASSIVE, CLEAR AND POWERFUL
SOUND. WHAT IMPRESSED ME IS THE FACT THAT YOU RECORDED, MIXED AND MASTERED
THE SONGS IN 3 DIFFERENT STUDIOS. WHY?
We started recording a bunch of material at
Cloud City in Redford, Mi and scrapped all but "Feeling Overloaded".
That song turned out well. The other songs were good sonically, but
were inferior as songs, so we shelved them.
-TELL US WHICH ARE THESE STUDIOS AND WHY YOU DID
THAT. ALSO WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THE FAMOUS
MORRISOUND STUDIOS TO MASTER “HAIL THE KINGDOM”?
Cloud City for "Feeling Overloaded".
All others were tracked at Midwest Studio in Rochester Hills, Mi.
Midwest is an amazing studio where we will be recording 4 new songs in
July 2005. We chose Morrisound to master because their rates were
reasonable, their name recognition is stellar, and their quality is top
of the line.
7.NOW TELL ME A FEW THINGS ABOUT THE COVER ARTWORK
AND PLEASE CONNECT IT TO THE ALBUM TITLE AND THE LYRICS.
Our bassist Michael Massie came up with the
concept and did all the artwork. While I have not asked what his concept
is, my concept is that fact that majorities' current god is the television.
It is sad but true. I look around and all my friends do little but watch
tv or an activity that surrounds it. The new cover (we sold out of the
first printing), will feature an inverted star worked within the stack
of televisions. The star represents our heavy metal influence working itself
within the system that is in state. Overloaded lyrics are being worked
into the brain waves and broadcast through the media systems with the help
of our transparent orange inverted beacon of heavy metal.
8.NOW, I’D LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE LYRICS. WHICH
ARE YOUR SOURCES ON INSPIRATION? FROM WHAT I RECEIVED BY READING THEM I
UNDERSTOOD THAT HALF OF THE SONGS DEAL WITH SENTIMENTAL/LOVE ISSUES AND
ABANDONMENT AND THE OTHERS WITH CRUCIAL SOCIOPOLITICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL
TOPICS. OF COURSE THERE IS ALSO A “HYMN” TO
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL. AM I RIGHT?
There is a huge "hymn" to rock and roll and
it's culture/lifestyle very akin to "you can't be king of the world if
you're slave to the grind". Let me run through each song with a quick
synopsis:
1. Beaver Fever - an attractive female
burns up the mind with desire. You can handle her, but the girl has
a lot of drama and isn't girlfriend material. You're up shits creek unless
you can end this.
2. War of the Worlds - Some fake friend
betrays you. Mother-fucker better watch out cause he's about to get
a lead pipe to the head.
3. Feeling Overloaded - Can't be king
of the world if you're slave to the grind. Let's fucking rock.
4. Where are you Running to
- A woman divorces her man thinking she iss getting the upper hand. Sad
thing is she is ultimately ruining her own life.
5. King of the Landfill - Blackened
Metallica style.... but with sicker images and better rhymes.
6. Cyclone - We are drunk rock warriors.
Quit being a pussy and rock.
7. Sick - The one song that doesn't
have anything to do with the band. A fictional song about some scary psycho
man that kills people.
Now, these are quick synopsis'. The
lyrics themselves are much more interesting.
9.TO BE HONEST “WAR OF THE WORLDS” BROUGHT TO
MY MIND THE CURRENT POLITICAL SITUATION AND I DON’T KNOW YOUR VIEWS O THE
SUBJECT, BUT I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE ACTUALLY PORTRAYING THE U.S. EXTERNAL
POLICY… I MEAN REACHING SOMEONE AS A FRIEND WANTING TO HELP AND THEN CREATING
A WAR FOR FINANCIAL OR WHATEVER OTHER REASONS. PLEASE COMMENT ON THAT.
The middle east has always been a mess. The
US has the best intentions. The world is reaching a dangerous place with
the oncoming energy crisis. Would you prefer a world war? America is setting
up a huge police station in the middle east to try and prevent a world
war.
10.DO YOU HAVE ANY PLANS FOR LIVE SHOWS? WHAT
DOES THE FUTURE HOLD FOR OVERLOADED?
We play live all the time. We're trying to
get on the road. It's damn near impossible in the states. Everything is
too expensive and club owners are absolute assholes especially out of town.
They would rather book a local band that sucks ass than bring in a good
out of town band.
11.WHAT KIND OF FEEDBACK HAVE YOU RECEIVED THIS
FAR? WHAT WAS THE MOST FLATTERING AND WHAT THE MOST UNFAIR REVIEW YOU READ?
The feed back has been very positive. The
best feedback is that we are what guns n roses fans were hoping for with
velvet revolver and never got. The most negative is that we are too rooted
in the old ways and will never get taken seriously by record companies.
12.ARE YOU UNDER NEGOTIATION WITH ANY LABEL? IT’S
HARD FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT SUCH A GREAT BAND DOESN’T HAVE A RECORD DEAL
YET. WITH WHAT KIND OF TERMS WILL YOU SETTLE?
No negotiations what so ever. As for
what we want, put out our record, put us on the road. Don't try and
fuck us over with a shit deal that we can never make money on.
13.BY THE WAY, WHAT’S THE BEST AND WHAT’S THE
WORST PART IN YOUR MUSIC, ACCORDING TO YOU? IS THERE AN ELEMENT YOU’D LIKE
TO ADD OR EXPERIMENT WITH IN THE FUTURE?
I'm totally satisfied with our music. The
best is the energy, hooks, melodies and riffs. There is nothing I feel
is missing in our music. I hate ballads.
14.IF YOUR MUSIC WERE AN EMOTION, WHAT WOULD IT
BE?
-IF IT WERE A PAINTING, WHAT WOULD IT SHOW?
A sonic wave emitting from an inverted start
leveling corporate america.
15.IF YOU COULD INVITE FAMOUS MUSICIANS TO PARTICIPATE
ON YOUR ALBUM, WHO WOULD YOU CHOOSE AND WHY?
There is no need for anyone else. We can handle
everything we do.
16.THANK YOU! IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU’D LIKE
TO MENTION AND I FORGOT TO ASK YOU? LEAVE A MESSAGE TO THE READERS…
Lars Ulrich was right in his lawsuit against
Napster. Free internet downloading will destroy the music industry. People
are cheap asses by nature and will steal something if they can get away
with it. This world is based on money. Real voting is how you spend your
money. Artists need financial support or they will die. If you respect
an artist and want to see them make it, you need to buy their album. Don't
give me the arguement that the artists only recieve a quarter for each
album. Their management teams and record people are just as important in
elevating an artists career as the artist themselves. Without their machines
(management, etc), these "artists" are helpless little children. Buy our
record www.overloadedmusic.com
Christine, thank you for the opportunity to
do this inverview!
Sincerely,
ERiK
Christine Parastatidou
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