| Dawn/The Metal Web!: Derek is still fairly new; I’m gonna make you laugh now, do you feel that he’s paid his dues yet in the Overkill camp? (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": ... Derek Tailor’s one of the most twisted individuals I’ve ever met in my life. I don’t know how well you know him. He’s the full package. He’s a nice guy. You like hanging out with him. But the stuff that comes out of this guys mouth, sometimes I turn around and I go, “I can’t fucking believe you just said that”! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … This is my attraction to him. (laughs) This is why in my opinion; he’s in the band. We had a situation come up on a tour and we knew it was gonna come up. We weren’t 100% sure but there was a good possibility and DD had to return home. His second daughter was born and we were over in Europe. Dave suggested Derek prior to us even going on the tour to be ready for it. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … He was in SMF then with Dee Snider or was that a while ago? Bobby "Blitz": … He still does shows with Dee. He does long weekends with him or he goes and does 5 shows or something. He was playing bass with Dee and we got him ready just in case and sure enough we needed him. It was kind of weird for me to see somebody standing to my left. All kind of tall and skinny, like me and lanky and I’m looking at him and going, “who is this”? I stopped a song in Switzerland, I said, “who the fuck are you and what are you doing here”? (laughs) He was so embarrassed, I think. (Laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Nice welcome! Bobby "Blitz": … But the point is, he took it in stride. He got me back some where along the line and he was instant plug in when it came to guitar. He was a guitar player first. He was an instant plug in. His attitude was absolutely awesome. He was really up. You can only give 100% and that’s what Derek was doing. And that kind of raises guys like myself and guys like DD up a level to see somebody that excited being involved in the band. So Derek, I don’t know if he’s yet paid his dues, but he’s 100% a part of the band and that’s an awesome feeling. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Do you feel this is Overkill’s best line-up to date? Bobby "Blitz": ... Again, they've all had very good qualities about them, the fact that Overkill got started as a four piece. And with Bobby Gustafson, that was a great line-up because it was the beginning. From there it’s turned into different things but still remained Overkill. I do think that this is probably the best live and studio line-up that we've had. Dawn/The Metal Web!: In keeping with the line-up, some members are involved with side projects besides Overkill. Bobby "Blitz": ... Sure. They are? (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) That's what I heard. Don't tell 'em I told you. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … What are you talking about? (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Dave and Derek are on a plane right now. You didn't know that? Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Dave, Derek & Tim have a new project called "Speed, Kill, Hate", yes, we must give them props, which they'll be taking on the road shortly and DD has the “Bronx Casket Co”. How do you feel about this and are you currently working on any projects, or have you? Bobby "Blitz": … I make porn! That's what I do. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Oh, do you? Cool! You've got to lend me some tapes. (laughs) You know, we'll sell them on the Internet. Sell them on your message board. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … I do the music for them! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Ok, cool! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … It's good that these guys have side projects. There are not really a lot of rules in this band. The rule is that you have to want to be here, when you are, that you give a 100%. But that rule counts for me too. It's not my rule. I think it's really everybody's rule. I think if you ask Dave, he would tell you the same thing. When it comes to "Speed, Kill, Hate" or the "Bronx Casket Co.", I'll always support and celebrate it because it’s a part of my extended family too. It's really a simple thing, you live once, go grab what you can. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … But are you currently or have you worked with anybody? Bobby "Blitz": … I've done some stuff in the past. I've kind of kept it to myself. It got out because the guy I was working with was real excited about it. So, I have talked about it in the past. But the idea of it was to just have fun with it. It wasn't to go search deals or do shows. It was a buddy of mine from Savatage. Chris Caffery and I have done, I guess Chris has probably written about twenty-five songs that he wanted a heavier vocalist on. We worked with a guy in Europe. It was the same guy, kind of like a centerpiece for both of us. He got us together but we're that close in proximity anyway. I've known him since he was a kid. He used to come into a guitar store I was working in and buy strings from me with his mom, "one day I'm gonna have a band too"! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … Yeah, I guess you will! (laughs) We've had a long-standing relationship and respect for each other over the years. He called me and said, "hey, I'm gonna send you a CD, what I have, tell me what you think", and then boom, ten songs were done. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Is it along the same style of what your doing now or is it different? Bobby "Blitz": … Well, I suppose anytime I open my mouth, it sounds like Overkill. But the other side of the coin… Dawn/The Metal Web!: … But that's a good thing. Bobby "Blitz": … Yeah, of course! It's identifiable. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … It's you! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … I don't want to be lost in the crowd. Whether you love me or you hate me, you can't deny who it is. (laughs) So the point is, it worked out really well. There were ten songs. We're both Metal guys, so it's most certainly primarily Metal. There is some side influence in there. Occasionally, it sounds like the Judas Priest truck slammed head on into the Pink Floyd truck and I don't understand why it came out that way but it was a helluva lot of fun to make. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) That’s all that matters! Bobby "Blitz": … It's been my closest drug experience over the last 8 years. Chris and I had a lot of fun with it. We don't know what the future's gonna bring for it. It's kind of hard for me to focus on the promotion and the writing in Killbox and the recording of it and also doing that. He's also involved right now in some Savatage projects. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well, just have some fun with it. That's the main thing. Bobby "Blitz": … Right and that was the idea. There was no pressure. There were no deals. There were no contracts. It was a garage band and it was fun to do that. A garage band with a pro tool set-up so we got some really decent recordings out of it. Some journalists I know from Europe stopped by last summer and I threw the CD in for them… Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Hey! Wait a minute! You're bringing people over from over there, but I can't come! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … I was ready! You sent me this whole thing back on how "we'll do it this time and this time, meet over here”. We were suppose to go for coffee. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) I ramble! I ramble! Bobby "Blitz": … I was gonna send you this email back going "what the fuck are you talking about"? (laughs) I was gonna come down pick you up on the Harley and rock your world! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) I ramble. You got to know that. By now you should know that, I ramble! Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) So, I played it for some guys and they liked it. So it was positive. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Overkill has changed record labels again from Metal Is to Spitfire. What lead to the demise of Metal Is and made you decide to sign with Spitfire? I ask this because I was surprised to hear of the change. Bobby "Blitz": ... As far as demise goes, there really was none. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … There wasn't? I thought something was going on there that was not good? Bobby "Blitz": … No, there wasn't. We had an offer. They wanted to keep the band. They upped the offer to keep the band. DD and I have managed this band for a nine-year period. I attribute part of our longevity to the fact that, I suppose over the years we've become savvy enough to realize when the rooms getting crowded. What I was seeing with Sanctuary America or Metal Is, was regardless of their commitment to the band verbally, that we were becoming a more ever, increasing crowded room. I remember there was a day they released Megadeth, Queensryche, and Henry Rollins all in the same day. I said, "what's are value based here"? Our idea about Overkill, and it's just as dictated by that situation but not our relationship with the record company was primarily to get as much attention as we can. That's what keeps a boat afloat. To have not just verbal commitment but quite obviously, commitment that's followed through. Not plug-in promotion, but a record company that'll hear some good ideas from the band. Take that to the next level. For instance the DVD. We wanted to accomplish this through the Sanctuary years, CMC years, through that Metal Is, that whole family. They never wanted to go for it. We said, "it's got to be documented. This may be a band that's never done the perfect live record, but god-damn it we've come fucking close to doing the perfect live show". This should be there for people. Now when we went over and started just checking out our options and I sat down with Paul from Spitfire, they had just merged with Eagle. Part of Eagle or a division of it is Eagle Vision. DVD was gonna be a big part of their future. This is about us grabbing opportunity at that time. Right to the end, I remember the last day. We weren't sure exactly what we were going to do and then we decided to go with Paul, writing Tom and saying, "we decided to not accept your offer and move on". No hard feelings, blah, blah, blah. He sent me this thing back that was, "if you ever need a home, you have one". So, whatever you had heard about it, it most certainly wasn't any problems that went on with us. I've sent these guys copies of the DVD. They've released a few things in the past that are compilations that they’re allowed to since then. Asked for my "ok" on pictures. It was their right to do though. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … That's what I was going to ask you about. I remember there was something with an album, or something they put out, or… Bobby "Blitz": … No, it wasn't them. We had signed our music to them in what's called "perpetuity", meaning that they have the right to exploit that music for life. So they had the right to make these compilations. But they at least included us in saying, we'd like to use these pictures and these and if you have anything else, could you please send. They had the right to do this. The album you're talking about is a European record that was put out by SPV who also had the right because they were a licensing company. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … So I'm getting my information screwed up as usual! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … That's just the way it goes with this whole thing. The information for instance about the Metal Fest is that we ruined it. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Oh, we're going to get to that. Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … You didn't ruin it, they did! Don't get me going! (laughs) I got screwed out of that deal as well. Bobby "Blitz": … But the point is, is that stories fly and they continue to grow. That record that was in question was released by SPV. It was called “Hello from the Gutter” and when we first found out about the record it was in advertisements and magazines. So, it wasn’t anything that we were involved in from the beginning. That’s where the, let’s say the negative attitude about, of our feeling about the record came from. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well, that’s good. At least the doors still open with Sanctuary because they were all nice guys up there. I like them. I didn’t want to say that until I heard what you said first! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … Knowing me for a long time, I have no problem naming names when the names need to be named. But I also give somebody the pat on the back where that’s due and those guys really did work hard for us over the years. They kept us on the map. I have some great friends down there that still show up at some of our shows. And by no means are there any hard feelings between Overkill and that label. It was just time to move on in our estimation, for our own lets say survival/profile. Dawn/The Metal Web!: With each album Overkill always manages to keep it Overkill but yet you progress. What do you think contributes to this success? Bobby "Blitz": … Non-forced evolution. We don’t chase our tail. We are what we are. We’ve eliminated popularity from the equation a long time ago, which gives you really purity. It’s really not about who I am it’s more about what I am. Its not about who we are it’s about what we are. I think it just gives us the opportunity to concentrate on the music. We never evolved quickly. It’s kind of at a snails pace but the ideas that, that keeps us let’s say connected to what we are, and that’s a Metal band. It’s a really, really simple formula. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … But Bobby, if you think about it, I mean I’m not going to name bands because you and me both know them and I don’t want this going on the internet. Bobby "Blitz": … I’ll name them! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) But there’s bands from years ago that you know are doing it just as long as you are but yet you’re the one coming out with albums every year and you’re still keeping it fresh. You know what I’m saying? They fade out. You don’t fade out! Bobby "Blitz": … Some fade out. Some get bigger. Quite obviously there’s some Metallica's of the world and there’s the “where are they now’s” of the world and somewhere in between lies us. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … But I mean guys when you were starting out, they were starting out. I think it’s great! Bobby "Blitz": … This most certainly isn’t for everybody. But it’s not for everybody at this length of time either and I think that that has to be taking into account, that people don’t necessarily, not all want to go bang their head for the remainder of their life. It’s just not what everybody wants to do. So I can’t really make judgment or pass judgment based on what people’s individual decisions are. I do remember back in the’90’s when Rolling Stone and MTV waved this big flag that said Metal’s dead, everybody pack their bags and go home, that a lot of people did. But at the same time, let’s say their were more than a handful of bands that quite obviously hung in there, ourselves being one of them, whether it was our ignorance or tenacity. But it gave ourselves and those other bands that hung in there, the opportunity to go out and show what we had in other adverse circumstances. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well you guys worked hard though to. See some people stop after a while. They just give it up. Bobby "Blitz": … Well it became a great building time for us. I hate to say it but they had a helluva lot less choice of who they were gonna go see or who they were gonna go buy. So the point was is that a lot of them came over here and they looked into it and said ”Jesus Christ, I never knew these guys were so raw” or “I never knew these guys were so heavy” or “I never knew these guys were so unique” or “I never knew these guys sucked”. (laughs) Whatever it was that they saw. But it got us new people and I think by getting those new people through all of that, it’s been able to keep us more than just afloat, but still a force let’s say in the underground. Dawn/The Metal Web!: There was rumors circulating when Bloodletting was released that this was to be the last Overkill album and then here you are with Killbox 13, another great album. Was there any truth to the rumor at that time and do you ever think there will come a time when you'll let the final Overkill curtain fall? Bobby "Blitz": … I don’t know who starts these rumors. Boy, that’s some question. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … I’m good. It’s a good one. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … That’s like the darkest one you’ve given me. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Nooo, I’m not being dark! Bobby "Blitz": … Get dark! You know who starts these rumors, it’s some guy in a mailroom named Fred. His name is Fred and he puts out little press things. I don’t know who he is or what he is or why he does it. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) It was circulating for a while when Bloodletting came out. Oh, this is the last one Bobby’s putting out. I’m like really. I just spoke with him and he didn’t mention anything about that. Bobby "Blitz": … Yeah. Bullshit is bullshit across the board. It’s that simple. I’m a firm believer in that you live today and tomorrows not guaranteed. The fact is, is that if this is April 9th and April 10th all of this could not exist. But the point is, is that if April 10th shows up and it still is here, I’m gonna take the same attitude into that day as I had today. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … But your not going anywhere until then! Bobby "Blitz": … No, I don’t see the point. It could go away. It could be taken away. It could just die. Hey, you know what I’m gonna do, I’m gonna clear my throat. I’m gonna spit. I’m gonna give you a little funny smile and I’m gonna say it was a good ride and I’m gonna wink on my way out. I hold it to a great value but I’m a realist. It is what it is. It can go away. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well, in knowing you, I didn’t read into it too much. Bobby "Blitz": … Enjoy it now. That’s the way I look at it. As far as rumors go, let them fly. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well, I know a lot of your fans would like this question answered because I seen it quite a bit on the Internet where there’s posting saying “Oh, it’s their last album” and “I hope it’s not their last album”. That was one of the reasons I brought it up to you. I wasn’t trying to be dark, (laughs) I was just trying to get your fans answers… Bobby "Blitz": … It sounded dark! (laughs) My eyes started closing. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) I’m a dark person! Bobby "Blitz": … My pulse slowed down. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well, you know me, I’m a dark person anyway. Bobby "Blitz": ... (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: Can you tell me a little bit about the West Coast Promotion Company that you recently picked up? Bobby "Blitz": ... It’s a booking agency out of Phoenix. It seems to have good contacts with West Coast promoters. The idea was to, let’s say open the west to us. We’re pretty self contained when it comes to east of the Mississippi. It’s not an issue. We can do big shows. We can do sold out rooms. But when it comes to the West Coast, we’ve had a problem. The honest account of that is that its finance. I don’t want to deal with a guy who’s gonna say, “we’d love to have you” and here’s $500.00. That may sound like a lot to somebody who’s out there, but you can’t do a show. One of the things that we’ve always done as Overkill is hold a standard and that standard’s high. If we can’t present ourselves with standards that we’ve set for ourselves, we’d rather not present ourselves. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Just to fly, there’s your ticket. Bobby "Blitz": … It’s just that simple. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … You know, never mind the equipment and everything else. People don’t realize all that. Bobby "Blitz": … It’s just that simple. It’s a high cost per day. We’re looking to make that develop into a reality. Good possibility we’re out there before summer’s end. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Overkill always had a loyal following. I mean just look at your message board; these people adore you guys. How does that make you feel after all these years to still be able to do what you do and still maintain a mass fan base? Bobby "Blitz": ... It makes me feel handsome! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Ahhhh, you little handsome devil you! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) I think that there’s a certain appreciation… Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well, it makes you feel good! Definitely! Their awesome! Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Well of course it does. It’s really a testimony to what we’re doing is I suppose a lot of these opinions. My feeling is that if they pick up what we do or the commitment is at such a high level; it’s quite obviously based on not just the music but let’s say what they pick up from the whole band. As not just the kind of people we are but the way that we present fully is what this band is about. It’s a great compliment to see that stuff. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Speaking of your fans, they seem to know everything about you and the band, what’s something they don’t know? Ha, ha! Bobby "Blitz": ... Ha, Ha! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Ha, Ha! Bobby "Blitz": … Ha, ha, ha, ha! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) I bet you’ve never got asked that before. Bobby "Blitz": … Something they don’t know about me? Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Yes, something they don’t know. Bobby "Blitz": … I’m gonna have to think about this and I’ll throw it in later. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Ok, we’ll go to the next one, but don’t forget because I won’t. And I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while… Bobby "Blitz": … Oh, I don’t live in a cave! I live in an orange house. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … An orange house? Bobby "Blitz": … It’s orange, yes. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … No yellow streaks? Bobby "Blitz": … No yellow streaks. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Just orange? Ok, that’s something they don’t know. Bobby "Blitz": … Orange and green. There you go. Dawn/The Metal Web!: I've been meaning to ask you this for awhile, he’s probably thinking oh, no. When dealing with the public and this is a really good question. How do you remain so positive when you have certain interviewers, reviewers, or people in general forever bringing up the past with what has happened to you? In some instances I've seen or heard questions asked where they'll ask one question about the new album and the rest will be a main focus on the negative side that you went through with your Cancer, Stroke, and before sobriety. Some don't even have the decency after making you go into minute details to say, "Glad, your feeling better" or "Congratulations on 8 years sober". I give you a lot of credit to be able to deal with some things that are asked of you. I’m serious because I don’t know if I could. Some are vultures. Bobby "Blitz": ... (laughs) I try not to think about it but I just kind of roll with what goes on. I think that’s the easiest way to deal with it. I don’t write the questions, if it was it would only be the way I represent myself and there wouldn’t be any questions about anything on the side. But your right, some people do. Some people focus only on the negative. But quite obviously it’s not a negative; none of the things that have happened to me in the past have really had negative results. They’ve all had positive results. Eventually, nobody’s immortal, it’s just that simple. But the point is, is that there’s always two ways to look at things. So I kind of feel that in retrospect or looking back on being able to go through a cancer problem, being able to recover from alcoholism or being able to survive a stroke, that there’s a possibility that somebody’s having a helluva lot harder time with one of these things than I am. And maybe they’re on the other end of this. And maybe every interview is not necessarily for me to determine what the outcome of it is, that maybe the result of that interview or the meaning of that interview should be to somebody who’s going through the same shit. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Yeah, I agree. But it’s just funny how when their saying, “Oh, I want to interview you for the new album” and they’ll ask like one question and then be like a vulture on you. Bobby "Blitz": … You know, I’m not as sweet as you think! In cases, I’ll go “hey, change the fucking subject or I’m gonna put my foot up your ass”! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … And there’s one thing about a guy who’s gone through all this shit that they know he's really serious. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: Well, I'd like to say "Congratulations on your sobriety". I think that's great! Bobby "Blitz": ... Thanks! That’s really nice of you. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … And I'm glad to see that you've recuperated due to what happened not to long ago. Though I did hear something comical that you did while you were in the hospital. Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … And you know what I’m gonna ask you right? Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Well, you’re not gonna put it in the interview. I don’t know what your gonna ask me. There are a couple of different things here. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Is this true, that you left the hospital in your gown and boots to get a pack of cigarettes? (laughs) I don’t mean to laugh, but I couldn’t believe it! Bobby "Blitz": … I had on pajama bottoms… Dawn/The Metal Web!: … You are unbelievable! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … And engineer boots. Like bike boots. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Bobby you just had a stroke! Bobby "Blitz": … And I had this hospital gown on. And I had all these wires sticking out of the hospital gown. I could stand but I couldn’t really move my left leg, I could just really kind of drag it. All these alarms went off when I unplugged myself and this woman comes in and goes, “where are you going”? I said, “I’m going for Marlboros”. (laughs) She said, “there’s no where open, it’s six in the morning. The hospitals still closed”. I said, “I saw a place that’s out in Nuremberg as I was coming into the hospital, I saw a gas station that’s open”. She goes, "it's like a kilometer from here". I said, "that's all right, I'll make it". So I went, dragging the leg and the whole bit. I actually found the bus where they were parked in the parking lot on my way back in, because they all hung in for a day or so to make sure I was ok before they went home. I went on there and my kid was on there, he was touring with us. I put my head into his bunk and I said, "their gonna operate on my brain, we got to get the fuck out of here. You got to help me start the bus". (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Oh, my god! (laughs) You are unbelievable! Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Yeah, he was freaked out. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … I can imagine. Jesus! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … He said to me, "dad, stop drooling on me"! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … You just had a stroke. What the hell are you doing going for cigarettes? Bobby "Blitz": … Well quite obviously it was a mild stroke and quite obviously it was something that anybody could be a victim of and you get through it. It wasn't an issue. I knew very soon after it happened when I was coming out of it, what had happened. I realized that it was going to be ok because as minutes passed, I was getting feeling back or at least a degree of it. The first thing I did was punch somebody right in the mouth coming out of the stroke! I remember trying to move my left and I really couldn't see the guy, but I knew he was jamming orange juice down my throat. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Wasn't that Derek or David? (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … I think it might have been Derek, yeah. I was going into a diabetic coma and I think I whacked him right in the jaw. And I said, "I'm gonna be ok". (laughs) The thing was about getting through it, not living it. It's over and it's done and I'm happy to report that all things are working, as they should. Dawn/The Metal Web!: You as well have an official fan club called “SkullKrushers” out of Germany. How did that come about and for how long have they been in existence? Bobby "Blitz": ... I'm standing in a parking lot in Bavaria, outside of Nuremberg and these four motorcycles come in, all customs, really low to the ground. One of them is got all of our logos on it and really, really nice airbrushed the bat face. The Logo on the tanks, all little bats flying all over this bike like a show bike. These guys introduced themselves. They started talking to me etc… Then they let me ride the bike. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … You're in! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … I said, these guys are ok (laughs) Tickets for everybody! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: Is it true they gave you or the band a Harley with the Overkill signature logo and artwork detailed on the tank? Bobby "Blitz": ... They gave me the tanks off that bike. They asked if it was ok if they started a fan club and made their own merchandise. I think they’re about 150 right now and it's really an active fan club. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … They go all over? Bobby "Blitz": … They travel as a group. They call themselves chapters. There's the chapter in Bavaria; there's a chapter in Dortmund. When the festivals come, all of them get together and camp and they all wear their little SkullKrushers uniforms. They're quite an awesome crew. One of the guys has a full back Overkill tattoo. It's just unbelievable! These guys are great guys. They came over for the DVD some of them. Sat right in the front row. We made sure they got back to the hotels. Their friends of ours. Cool bunch of guys! Dawn/The Metal Web!: How many Harley’s do you own and which style of bike is your preference? Bobby "Blitz": … I only have one. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … I thought you had a couple? Bobby "Blitz": … I did for a while and I got rid of them. I have a ’93 Soft Tail. It’s what you call a dick dragger. It’s really low. There’s almost no suspension left in it, just enough to not break your back when you hit something really hard. I did some custom work to it and I turn the wrenches on it a lot of times myself, whatever I can do. It’s a lot of fun. Dawn/The Metal Web!: I notice DD and you are more involved in the promotion for the band than the others. Is this something you both choose to be involved in? I always remember before the labels and the albums, you and DD were always little self-promoting machines and you both seem to like that involvement. Bobby "Blitz": ... I do involve the other guys. They do interviews. Dave and Derek take them when we’re on the road. For sure, when it’s specialty stuff, if it’s a guitar mag., then it’s definitely Dave. DD would rather not be involved in it but he will do if you specifically ask for. So pretty much it’s me and it’s been handled by me more so because when it comes to explanation and explanations probably needed more so for the lyrics than anything else, that I’ve always been kind of the right choice for such. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … If I look hard enough, I bet you I could find the Overkill demo that you self-made and gave me. Bobby "Blitz": … Make-up on and the whole bit right? Dawn/The Metal Web!: … No actually it was a demo and it had Chaly on the front and I believe hand drawn. I think it’s in the attic. That’s a long time ago. Bobby "Blitz": … Yeah, yeah I remember it. Holy Christ. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … It was a Xerox copy. Bobby "Blitz": … Chaly looks kind of like Popeye with wings. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) I’m just saying I remember that and you guys were always out there doing something with the band. Bobby "Blitz": … That’s what it was all about Dawn/The Metal Web!: March Metal Meltdown in NJ. I was covering that show through "Mazur" and witnessed what happened to you and Nile firsthand. So to set the record straight, what really happened that night and were there any repercussion for what transpired? Bobby "Blitz": … Well there’s no repercussion. When it was over it was over. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … If it were me there would have been repercussion! (laughs) I mean they just cut you guys. Bobby "Blitz": … From our end, we’re just not working with Jack again. We knew what we were getting into when we signed on. We tried for weeks to make sure that it was gonna be run correctly. Right down to setting schedules that we set ourselves that were agreed to that was never followed. And what I mean by that, it’s not just “hey, this is when we play”. The schedules we set were as early as, if you want do the show correctly, we need to load in at 8:00 AM so our guys are set up by 10:00, so that we could sound check and be done by noon. This is the way it’s gonna have to work. If you want your first band to go on at noon, you want us off that stage at quarter of, for sound check we have to get in at 8:00. They showed up around 10:00 to do this. This was the problem. I know a lot of that local crew was very, “it wasn’t us, it wasn’t us, it was them”. Now that’s their fucking problem. We’ve done 2500 hundred fucking shows, you’ve done 25. You tell me who knows how to put a show on and who doesn’t. It really only had to do with organization. It was confusing. It was confused. We tried to stay to the schedule. I had a guy that I paid extra money to that day who works for me. I said, “look, I need you here all fucking day. I need you to get bands on and bands off. Here’s your schedule”. He just couldn’t do it. He would have had to throw every band off of the stage. So we knew what we were getting into. We tried our best to avoid what had happened or to rectify it before it happened, but it was impossible to do based on the disorganization of the local crew and the head snake, Jack. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well also, their letting other bands, I don’t mean to say “no namers”, but their letting other people play longer than you guys. Then it even got funkier towards the end because I had passes and that didn’t even mean anything. They closed off everything and I even tried talking to one of the guys I said, “hey, I got passes. I’m not part of the audience”. And he just like walked away from me. I was like whoa, what’s going on here? Mazur was a big part of that place for that night. Didn’t matter. Bobby "Blitz": … It was disorganized. It wasn’t run well. Maybe shame on him for that but shame on us for being involved in it. We’ll have to take a little responsibility for the fact that to some degree we knew ahead of time but the other side of the coin was is that there was tireless effort to make sure that what exactly happened did not happen. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well that place was too small for the majority of bands that they had anyway, in my opinion. Bobby "Blitz"… Lousy location too. The location just killed the turn out. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … I was promised parking, there was none. I think people actually did get towed, if I’m correct. It was just a mess. Bobby "Blitz": … It was a mess. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Is it because of what happened at this venue, why you say you don’t like Metal Festivals? Bobby "Blitz": ... I do like Metal festivals. I just don’t like disorganized ones. I have no problem playing in the festivals. I have problems playing with ones that are slapped together. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … But the bad thing is, is how do you determine that until when your there? Bobby "Blitz": … You know by reputation a lot of times. In this case we knew by reputation that this had happened, this is a rule of thumb when a production company puts on a festival. When this promoter does a festival, this is the rule of thumb. The headliners get cut. It’s that simple. The point is, is that sure we like doing them. To be involved in something that runs as accurate as a clock is awesome or to be with another 30 other bands. We’ll be doing three or four of them over the summer in Europe. I recommend them to anybody who wants to see a great festival. Get your ass on a plane and go see stuff in Germany. Go see Grasspop in Belgium. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … I’ve been asked, but I won’t fly any more after what happened. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … You’re from Jersey! Your from Jersey, you could scare them out of there. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: You were on Eddie Trunk’s show the other night and I know you both go back quite a ways together. I recall him saying that he use to work for you years ago, what's the history between you two? Bobby "Blitz": ... Eddie use to work for Megaforce. He was at Megaforce during “Under the Influence” and “The Years of Decay”. He was an A&R guy down there. He was actually in Megaforce for a couple years. That’s where our relationship became more solid. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Well you guys seem to have a blast when you’re together. Bobby "Blitz": … Eddie and I have been close for years as he and DD are. It’s just a really relaxed kind of an interview thing. Kind of like me and you. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Yeah, I normally don’t talk like this with others. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Yeah. Right! Dawn/The Metal Web!: On to the website, the site has really progressed visually from the way it used to be since Eggy took over. Yes, we must give props to Eric. AKA Eggster, that’s what I call him. He's great! How long has he been with you now? Bobby "Blitz": ... I’ve known Eggy since, jeez, I met him in a band he use to play in called “Astoroth” in the mall in Middlesex County. They hounded me for months to produce one of their demos and I did for them and that’s how Eric and I became friends. It was actually back when I use to drink beer. I use to just sit in their rehearsal room, drink beer in the corner and get loaded and somebody would pour me back into my truck and send me home. I’ve known him since, that was probably ’89 or ’90 and we’ve always remained friends and he blows by here and whenever he’s come skiing up in Northern Jersey, he comes in for some Hot Chocolate and Coffee. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … He’s really a great guy. Bobby "Blitz": … Yeah and he really does a great job on the Website. He’s really a top of the line web guy and he really knows what he’s talking about. He knows how to make things run efficiently and visually make them let’s say exciting. It works for us really well. I think that most of the kids that or people that are into the band and frequent the Website really get the same vibe from it, that it’s, it’s really a contemporary feel to it and that’s primarily due to Egg. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … He’s been trying to recruit me for about a couple years now. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Poor Eggy! I’m gonna give him a chance one day I told him. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: Does Eggster take care of all the graphics, and the updates or does the whole band contribute to that? Bobby "Blitz": ... Well we send him the stuff. There’s a couple photographer’s that we use who are friends of ours, journalists who are taking out on the road. That’s part of the deal is that they have to service Eric with the photos. Sure they’re the photographer’s property but the other side of it is we get to use them so it works out well. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Speaking of news and updates, what can the fans expect on tour and otherwise from Overkill this time around? Bobby "Blitz": … What you see is what you get. I don’t think there’s some grand scheme that we’re going to be bringing out. We’ll always update the show based on the new record so they’ll be some visuals for that. But, this band does what this band does. It’s really quite simple for us, there’s not gonna be any bombs, there’s not gonna be anything but us playing that music at a fast pace with the lights that we’ve used in the past because this formulas always worked for us. I think it’s kind of a staple for us to do the shows the way that we’ve always done them. So I don’t think your gonna expect anything different. I think that what you can expect as different is the new tunes and see how they translate live. Dawn/The Metal Web!: Now were going to have some fun. Last time I asked you if you had any good or bad tour or band stories about being on the road with other bands. So now I'd like to know if you have any you'd care to share from within your own band? Bobby "Blitz": … Good or bad stories about the band? Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Because you and DD have been together forever, I'm sure you bicker like family. (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … It’s really funny DD and I never fight. Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Really? See now you would think the opposite because you guys are together so long. Bobby "Blitz": … Well we’ve disagreed but there’s never been voice raising or anything like such. That’s probably part of the testimony to the longevity of the friendship and the song writing, etc. But when it comes to good or bad stories, we’ve had tons of them. We’ve had our equipment trailer catch fire as we were riding in it. The tires blew out. I remember the driver dragged it on the wheels until it actually caught fire. We have a ton of good stories and a ton of bad stuff. There’s been buses breaking down, there’s been accidents we’ve been in, they go on and on. Jeez to remember something specifically, I suppose the trailer catching on fire was quite a big deal. When I was drinking, I was drinking with the light man one night back in Germany, and it always use to be a problem, because whenever we finished a bottle and there was no booze, we’d turn it on each other. There would always be some kind of a friendly, brotherly fist fight going on on the bus and that’s when everybody else would go to bed. In any case, he was sitting next to the bus driver and I was taunting him and he kind of round housed punched me or tried to, I ducked and he hit the bus driver. He knocked this guy unconscious. Now the bus is doing like 65 down French highway, we’re heading toward this thing and it’s a double decker and it’s going all over the road because nobody’s driving the thing. I hop in this guy’s lap, and he’s lying against the window, like drooling and bleeding, and I’m driving the bus, and I’m loaded. (laughs). Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Not good! Bobby "Blitz": … It’s still going all over the road and there’s people dropping out of their beds upstairs. I hear the bodies hitting the ground and I look in the little mirror, that’s over on the top between the two windows and I see somebody go “oh my god, the fucking drunks driving the bus”! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) But you recovered? Bobby "Blitz": … Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. The guy finally came to and there was no accident or anything. I was just in the right spot at the right time. (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … There you go. (laughs) Good thing you’re quick! Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: Well Bobby, your awesome as usual. We did it! I know I owe you that coffee just let me know how you take it. With that said, do you have any final words for The Metal Web! besides how much you love us? (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … Oh, I love The Metal Web! Love the pictures! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … Spent a lot of time on some of those pictures! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Yes, I did! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … (laughs) No, me! (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Oh, you did? Oh, yes! (laughs) Anything else you’d like to add, you little smart ass? Bobby "Blitz": … You got any naked's? (laughs) Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Noooo, don’t do that baby! (laughs) Bobby "Blitz": … I’m joking. I enjoyed our time. It was really fun! Dawn/The Metal Web!: … Yes, it was as usual! OFFICIAL SITE "OVERKILL": http://www.wreckingcrew.com HOME |
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