The Metal Web - Overkill Interview

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Let me start by saying, lately, Overkill’s name is all over the place and the band is doing some great things. Immortalis is doing extremely well press-wise; you did the Gigantour with Megadeth, signed to Bodog, as well as supporting Motorhead on a few dates. Why do you think it took the Gigantour to wake a few people up again to Overkill and open some doors, or as you put it in a previous interview, to “up” the value of the band, as opposed to prior years?

Bobby Blitz: It’s a reintroduction and I think that especially in a scene or I’m going to call it, the world market of music, you need to be reintroduced all the time. You’re only as good as your last day when you’re at the level were at. And what have you done for me lately or what have you’ve done with regard to the energy level, the song writing, etc... I think that always has to be proven over and over again. So, having something like a Motorhead tour through Europe or a Gigantour through the states, or having a label like Bodog which has a little bit more clout and a little bit more cash, makes that reintroduction possible. I think that if you take the band to a higher level, it always performs on whatever level “it’s” at. If the record label and the higher profile changes our level higher, we can always perform at that level. So, reintroductions are necessary sometimes. You don’t have to reintroduce Metallica, but, you have to reintroduce Overkill sometimes. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Oh, please! (Laughs) It’s the same band and it just seems like lately, the band is all over the place, as opposed to maybe a couple years ago. I don’t know if it’s because of the labels Overkill was signed to. I’m guessing that would be part of the reason.

Bobby Blitz: Sure it is. That’s a huge part of it. The people at Spitfire Records were really nice people. They were great and they did the best they could with Todd Hance. We were happy to have a deal at that time. Right now, I think that it’s given us, with this reintroduction, a higher level to the metal community or to people that knew we existed, that didn’t know what our value was in 2008. It gives us the opportunity to let’s say, reprove and we’ve never had a problem with that. We’ll always go to the party and dance. It’s never a big issue for us to just do what we do because we’ve always done that and it’s a really simple formula.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Well, Bodog’s has given you some great opportunities. Especially, with the Gigantour or wait, that was before them.

Bobby Blitz: Yeah, the Gigantour was all us. Sometimes you have to sneak it in there yourself and we obviously have made some good decisions over the years and that was one of them. It interested Bodog and other things follow. All those other things we talked about. These guys were willing to extend money from day one. Let’s get them over to Wacken. Let’s get a DVD. They’re going to be releasing that at a lower price. I think there will be a special for it on I Tunes with regards to downloads. These are ideas that make bands in a day when the industry itself is dead and what I mean by dead is people just don’t buy CD’s anymore. They download. It’s all about how many good songs do you write and these guys are willing to expose us on that level, which kind of modernizes our approach from vinyl to download.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Speaking of great opportunities, the band recently did some dates with Motorhead. What was it like to tour with them again, because I remember in the past you saying, that touring with them are one of your most memorable experiences while being on the road?

Bobby Blitz: It will never replace those early memories obviously because your first impressions are always big ones. But, with this one... there was everything. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Well, tell me! (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: Motorhead’s Motorhead. One of the good things is that I’ve always run this like a mob guy from New Jersey. For one, I just can’t keep my mouth shut about a lot of things. (Laughs) It was fucking fantastic! They were cordial from day one. The opening acts, Skew Siskin who played right before us and Valiant Thorr had all been in contact with each other prior, so, they all knew each other. We were kind of the outsider. We had only known Motorhead from the past. I haven’t sat down and had a drink with Lemmy or Phil Campbell in almost twenty years. I would run into them here or there, but, it was very twenty years ago when I sat down with them, hey, good to see again kind of a thing. The first name was still there and we had a blast. Motorhead is rock ‘n roll and rock ‘roll is where what we do comes from. I could say our best touring was back in 1987 with Motorhead and also, in 2008. My only complaint was that it was only 10 shows.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I’ve met so many people in doing this, after parties, covering shows, but, he’s one person I never met and I want to.

Bobby Blitz: He’s a true gentleman. He’s a really great, interesting person.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Being that I’m late in interviewing you, and I feel like saying, due to no fault of my own, 4 months later. (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: Alright. Are you going to put that in the interview? (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: No, I ‘m not going to put that in. (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: It’s ok. I don’t mind you calling it like it is. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: (Laughs) Could you tell me about the “making of” Immortalis that perhaps was not mentioned before in prior interviews?

Bobby Blitz: We have a formula and we always stick with that formula and I have probably said that in many prior interviews. We had more time with this record because part of it was recorded prior to going out on the Gigantour and part of it afterwards. There wasn’t a vocal done before Gigantour, but, all the drums and I think the guitars were started. I was writing right up until the end. Under normal circumstances, we’re probably eighteen months between releases. This one is probably closer to two plus years, twenty six months maybe. I think that’s the x-factor with this record and it gave it a cohesive quality about it because it’s more of a record than ReliXIV was. ReliXIV was a little bit unglued in spots, meaning that you could take songs out and replace it with something else and I think to some degree would still have the same value. Immortalis really has much more of a cohesive feel that every song is necessary for the song that proceeds and follows it. So, it becomes much more of a complete project, much more of a complete puzzle. I suppose that’s probably the successful feeling about the record that the band has.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Well, you kind of answered my next question. I was going to say that I think this album has a very cohesive feel to it, where if one track was omitted the album just wouldn’t be complete and would you agree.

Bobby Blitz: Well, we come from a day of records. The first thing we did was vinyl and it was about a record. It was that big, black disk. It was in a album cover and it was about everything that was in that disk. We grew up on albums, as opposed to songs. That’s what we’re cut from. That’s what we really know. So, when we succeed in our eyes, with regard to making an album or making a full record, it’s successful. That to us is what we’re trying to do because it is what we know. Why do what we don’t know? We’re not “singles” writers. If we were, I wouldn’t be having this conversation obviously. (Laughs) Just saying it like it is.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Vocally, I think you were more versatile on this album, mixing it up with a more low-end guttural approach. Was that intentional or was it more of a natural progression?

Bobby Blitz: Well, it’s a little of both. Obviously, time brings that “guttural” in as time passes. The other part of it is, I had recently done The Cursed record and that was all about the lower end than I had.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Yeah, but, to me, you sounded more “bluesy” with that.

Bobby Blitz: Yeah, without a doubt. It’s sometimes very hard to sound bluesy to a riff that DD’s writing. (Laughs) It’s not a bluesy riff. It’s more of a Metal, Rock riff or a Thrash riff. So, it’s not really a blues based thing. It doesn’t mean I can’t apply what I know to the situation. It was fun doing The Cursed record. But, to add another dimension with regard to Overkill was just to do that. In many different songs I try and create characters so that you hear a different guy telling the story. I also did it on Killbox 13 where I think it was noticeable. I think on this record it’s a difference between What It Takes and Hellish Pride, sure there’s commonality to the vocals, but, at the same time, they sound like different guys.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You used Poet Dante Alighieri’s Circles of Hell as a foundation for writing the track Hell Is. What in particular from his poetry inspired you enough to choose that as a basis for writing the lyrics? Are you possibly feeling a little devilish? (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: It’s about ridiculousness! (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I thought maybe you were feeling a little “devilish”? (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: This is the beginning of the understanding of hell from the great minds. Sure, I guess it segregates it to a certain degree, but, there’s a little bit of ridiculousness when they’re putting the fornicators and the babies in the same rings. (Laughs) The way I was looking at it is, I don’t necessarily believe in either end of the spectrum.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You don’t?

Bobby Blitz: No, when it comes to this, I’m fascinated by people’s motivation around it. I’m not really truth finding. So, I don’t really believe in my head that it exists and to highlight it like so, was just to do so from a ridiculous point of view.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You mean as far as the Devil and God?

Bobby Blitz: Yeah, I don’t believe in that crap.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I believe there’s one and the other. (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: Yeah, you might be talking to one of them, right? (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Yes, that’s why I asked if you were feeling a little “devilish”? (Laughs) Can you tell us about the Live at Wacken DVD that’s being released in February through Bodog?

Bobby Blitz: The beauty of that is that it’s Overkill kind of personified with regard to sixty minutes. I remember going on that night and we were having trouble, but, then ended up pulling it off. We were having trouble with the drums all through getting ready for the show. I remember even to the point where there was stuff falling over and I was holding a piece and DD was holding a piece and it’s one of those things. The point is that, that DVD is about what were about. The cool thing about it from a business perspective was, it was Bodog’s step toward us. We thought it was a great idea. Get us on Wacken. Include it in a Digipack. You can put it where you want. But, if we do that, it proves that we all are what we say we are. Originally, that was free with the first 7500 pressings. So, we thought that was kind of a cool way to again, reintroduce ourselves to a very crowded market. It was hell of a lot of fun to do. It was a hell of a lot of fun to make. There’s a couple new tunes on it, as well as a couple of oldies. It was cold that night. But, I still think to some degree we heated it up. There was steam coming off us in the end. So, it was Overkill personified.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I know there were talks of doing a video for the track Skull and Bones with Randy (Blythe) of Lamb of God doing a guest appearance in the video. Has that video been completed, and if so, when will it be released?

Bobby Blitz: It has not. It’s always a scheduling conflict. Randy’s doing a lot of things right now. He’s really hot. We actually talked 2 days ago and were ready to start moving forward with it. I think Bodog will release it as a video without Randy and then add Randy to a second version of it that’s released later on. They’ll release the video directly from Wacken and then we’ll release one with Randy in it. There will be two singular videos for Skull and Bones. There will be one that highlights the Wacken show and then one for Fuse and all that stuff.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Is it going to have a storyline to it or is it just you guys jamming?

Bobby Blitz: Well, see what happens. We think a storyline.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Ok, well, tell me a little about the storyline? Give me something here. You’re not getting off that easy! (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: It’s going to be production versus live. It’s going to be us playing live and Randy and myself involved under a production situation, as if he’s in Wacken. I really don’t want to go any farther. We haven’t put down a 100% clamp on it and I think it would be kind of wrong to say that right now if we don’t have 100% confirmation on it.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: What’s the status on the band Avenged Sevenfold using your logo idea? I really liked the t-shirt design you came out with this tour, “Get Your Own Fucking Logo”. (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: You think that was for them? (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: No, actually I thought it was for Rat Skates! (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: We’ve done this for a long period of time. We’ve always done it by our own rules. My feeling about it is, that it’s obvious who’s it is regardless of who sold records. Whether they listen to us or they don’t listen to us, that’s up to them. But, obviously I would think they know who we are. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Just a little. (Laughs) I was told you were taking them to court.

Bobby Blitz: Rumors fly and I don’t like to validate rumor. I don’t think it’s fair to. I think it only creates undo interest in the band, as opposed to do interest. Obviously, we looked into it. Are we going to take it any further? I don’t know that either and to say, yes, would be the wrong thing to do because it’s really much more of a private decision than a public decision. Obviously, we’ve talked about it. But, it’s something that we have to keep private if we’re going to make anything happen with it what so ever. We’re not sure.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I wanted to get your thoughts on how you feel Overkill was portrayed in the Born in the Basement DVD that Rat Skates recently released, because as you’re already aware, I interviewed with Rat (Skates) a couple months ago where he had his opportunity to discuss his point of view on the band.

Bobby Blitz: Good for Rat and I’m not going to validate his work either. Obviously, he wouldn’t have his work if we weren’t still doing this. I don’t want to sound “pissy”. But, I think if you put four guys in a room that started this band, and it wasn’t started by one guy, it was started by four guys, and you asked them what happened and then you took them out of that room to answer the same questions, you would get four different answers. Some would be very similar I think. I think that the idea that, we do what we do for a twenty-five year period, doesn’t validate his 5 year period. It just doesn’t. His general misconceptions about how big the band was prior, to how big the band is now, it is absolute misconception. It is teenage exaggeration when it comes to how big the band was prior. We sold more records when those guys left the band. He has the right to do his work. I saw it. I think he’s a good filmmaker. But, the other side of it is, that I’m not going to validate that so that someone can make a living off it. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: But, do you know how much controversy I received from that interview? I received emails from people and websites. Bobby G. got in touch. He wanted to tell his point of view on how you, DD and he feel. All these people got in touch and some I haven’t spoken to in twenty years.

Bobby Blitz: Bobby G. was an instrumental member in how this band was formed, as was Rat Skates, DD Verni and myself. I can never go into an area where someone puts me in a situation that’s where, I feel like I need to respond. To respond, only gives them validity. I feel more for a guy like Bobby Gustafson, because my file is quite thick, over two plus decades. Rat’s file is less than Gustafson’s. You know what I’m saying, right? (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: (Laughs) No, I know. I here ya! But, Bobby G. gets in touch to tell me how you guys feel and I’ve remained friends with you and DD throughout the years. It’s like, I know how these guys feel.

Bobby Blitz: I don’t play Highschool stuff. It’s like, hey, good luck with your filmmaking. It’s your right to talk about what you did. It’s your right to portray people the way you’d like to. That’s exactly within the confines of your rights. Do what you got to do.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I’m just saying Bobby G. got in touch after all these years and I haven’t spoken to him either since Rat, twenty years ago. Just took me off guard. He’s good people. We use to hang out back then.

Bobby Blitz: Bobby G. was very instrumental in forming the band. He had angst and fervor and he could bring that angst and fervor out in his part of the song-writing. He was instrumental in giving Overkill definition and in interviews I will always thank Bobby G. for such a thing. I do think Rat’s a very talented filmmaker, success and good luck!

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: On a different note, Rat did tell me off record about your involvement and participation with the chicken sisters. I couldn’t believe it when he told me that you would do some of those things, is it true?

Bobby Blitz: Oh, sure, probably. If he said it, it must be! (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: (Laughs) I’m only kidding! He didn’t tell me anything bad about you and them. But, I thought I would just bring up that name because he told me some stories about these chicks that use to hang around. So, I figured I’d say that just to get something out of you.

Bobby Blitz: It was a long time ago. It was a lot more teenage then. We did have a lot of fun together.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: He said they were a couple of sluts that use to hang out.

Bobby Blitz: That’s the best way to describe it. I think that was our buddy boys moniker and he gave it to them.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: No, he said the roadie gave it to them.

Bobby Blitz: I don’t even remember. It was so long ago.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: As you know we had a “ask Blitz” where the fans could write in their questions for you to answer. The first question is from Tina in Michigan and she writes, there’s a question that has been driving me batty since the late 80's. What is your middle name, and I know that “Blitz” isn't the answer either? I thought that was pretty original.

Bobby Blitz: (Laughs) Joseph.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: The next one is from Joe in NY and he writes, I know you have mentioned that you started out playing bass early in your career, do you still play?

Bobby Blitz: No I don’t. It’s something that I kind of lost interest in. The lyrical melodies I would do for Overkill overtook all that. Let me tell you, I was never a great bass player. I knew enough to play a few songs in college bars for free beers and the occasional “hit”. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I don’t know why I agreed to let this next question go through because with you, I know I’m going to regret it. But, I’m a good sport. Sam from Germany writes, Bobby’s always being interviewed by Dawn and Dawn’s only been interviewed once in the last couple years, so, I would like the both of you to reverse the roles with Blitz being the interviewer and have Bobby ask Dawn whatever he wants, that she must answer and that most would not know. It’s a nice change for Bobby and I think it would be fun! But, you see Sam, there’s reasons for not getting interviewed, like, I don’t like them. (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: Ok, Dawn, what’s your biggest metal memory over the last twenty years?

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Meeting Rob Halford and having the opportunity to attend his after-party. Oh, and of course, you guys! You guys are always up there! (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: (Laughs) I’m not looking for cheap compliments!

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: (Laughs) Well, at least you didn’t get “bad” because I was worried you were going to get me and leave me out to dry for all the years that I’ve gotten you.

Bobby Blitz: I learned how to be a gentleman from meeting Mr. Kilmister. (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Well, I thought you were going to ask me something crazy that I wouldn’t be able to answer or you were going to be naughty or I don’t know what. So, I am glad you kept it to that. (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: Chicken sisters.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Not me. I’m was never a chicken sister! (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: (Laughs) No!

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I’m now going to give you one of my own “make you think” questions. See, you had your own chance and now you blew it. So, if you had the chance to go back in time and live in a specific time period, what time period would that be, what role would you play in society and why?

Bobby Blitz: See, this is if I wanted to do so and I’ve never thought of anything like so. You know, maybe that’s my problem I could care less about most things. (Laughs) I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: You like the 1920’s, the 30’s, the 50’s? What do you like? (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: No, I like now. I like where I am. I like what I do. You know, a lot of people are going, ah, that’s boring. Not really. I got a good day gig! (Laughs) It’s just not a bad thing and not a bad place to be living. I like it. I like the changes. I think the politics are outrageous. I think the things that are going on in the world are unbelievable. And where I prefer living is something I could have never of dreamed of. To dream somewhere else to me...

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: He’s getting all philosophical. I’m going to smack ya! (Laughs)

Bobby Blitz: It’s anti-climatic! (Laughs) I’m a realist when it comes to things. I really like where I am. It’s not about, doing something different when we started the band or doing something another way or making a decision along the way that would have been different. None of that shit matters to me. What matters to me is right now.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Yeah, but, it wasn’t supposed to be philosophical. It was supposed to be a “stump you” question. (Laughs) I guess the jokes on me.

Bobby Blitz: Ha ha!

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: What’s next for Overkill in 2008?

Bobby Blitz: We’re looking at a European tour that starts in late February. I think it starts in Moscow. From there, we’re working on a US thing that follows in April-May. We have one off shows in Puerto Rico. We’re doing the West coast in the US. It’s a pretty busy year for us with regards to shows etc… We’re looking forward to it. It’s going to be a good year, more of the same.

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Bobby, as always, I had a lot of fun. With that said, do you have any final words for The Metal Web! besides how much you love us?

Bobby Blitz: Yeah, keep spinning your “web”! (Laughs)

Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: That was cute! (Laughs) I like that!

OFFICIAL SITE "OVERKILL": http://www.wreckingcrew.com

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