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| Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Can you tell me what the concept was behind naming the album after the track The Living Dead ? Paul Di’Anno: The Living Dead is my favorite track and I wrote the song during a long stay in Brazil. The song is partly about the have nots of this world who never have a say in anything, and just have a daily struggle just to survive. It is also privately to me a lot deeper than that, but not something I'd want to actually talk about. Either way it turned out to be the leader track and the video too. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: How would you compare The Living Dead to the last four albums preceding it? Paul Di’Anno: Well I am proud of all my previous album indeed, but The Living Dead is totally full of aggression and repression and just about my heaviest album throughout my entire career. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: What was your mindset going into the recording of The Living Dead? Paul Di’Anno: Well as everyone knows, I am not really into recording studios as they bore me to death, and bearing that in mind I wanted to make the album fast and spontaneously. My feeling was to just get into the studio and do it like we I really meant it and get it all done and dusted within 3 weeks. We did however get the entire album recorded in about 2 weeks, including the final mixes too, and I managed to get all of my vocals don within 3 days. I wanted to have a high energy no bullshit album that was not an excuse for some producer to experiment on, so I produced the album myself, so as to make sure it got done real fast and effortlessly. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I noticed musically with this album that there’s a heavier influence than past efforts, was this intentional? Paul Di’Anno: Yeah totally, I didn't want anything too flowery or with flowing melodies. I just wanted something that sounds like it really means business and full of power and aggression. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: What made you decide to use Wrathchild and Phantom Of the Opera as the bonus tracks as opposed to using something off of your solo projects? Paul Di’Anno: That was my manager's idea to let new fans know where I had came from, and also those 2 recordings are just about as raw as it gets, and even had some cock-ups in the actual performances. But, that shows that everyone fucks up a bit at times, eh. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: How did the appearance on the track The Alliance of Hellhoundz come about off of Destruction’s latest release Inventor of Evil, as well as recently being involved with the horror comic Jenna? When I heard that you guessed on Destruction’s album, I thought that was pretty unique being that they’re a bit different musically from what you’ve done in the past. I thought that was cool! Paul Di’Anno: Well I have always really liked the band and when they asked me to guest for them, I felt it would be a good thing to do, as I always like to try out different tactics and this was a good opportunity. The Jenna comic thing was totally the work/idea of my management, and I have never even been sent a copy of that. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: I realize you just started touring again but what has the fan reaction been to the new album and other than the confirmed tour dates already posted, are there any plans in the works to add more dates like perhaps in the US? Paul Di’Anno: Regarding the sticky subject of the US, it is totally up to whether or not the US immigration officials decide to let me back into the States or not. The reaction top The Living Dead has simply been quite amazing as it seems fans generally wanted me to make an album like this for years. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: How did you decide on The Living Dead as the first video and can you tell us a little bit about the making of the video? I really liked the concept. Paul Di’Anno: The record company decided on that track thankfully, and the video was filmed in London and directed by a Swedish director called Mats Lundberg, who kept flying over to London from Sweden to work on the concept with my manager. All of the special effects were added in Sweden and the story line was 70% Mats and 30% my manager, totally based on the lyrics and message of the song. I basically just performed the song and had very little to do with the actual making of the video itself. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: We spoke about touring earlier which is something that you’ve done quite extensively throughout the years. So, I must ask if there are any good or bad tour stories that you’d care to share with the fans? And, don’t tell me there’s too many to mention. I know you can at least think of one or two in each category. (Laughs) Paul Di’Anno: Yeah recently whilst playing Italian shows (with the Italian backing band) the band leader tells my manager, that if we want to eat, then we must personally negotiate with the local promoters. It seems this fucking idiot Italian guitarist, who is also the band's booker and leader, forgot to tell the promoter that I need to eat daily. (Laughs) Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: What do you feel accounts for Paul Di’Anno’s longevity and what keeps you going beyond the fans? Paul Di’Anno: I think it's the fact that despite all the shit that has been written about me since I left Maiden, the fans know that I am a genuine article and that unlike other so called Metal bands I am honest, sincere and care about the music. Most of all, I am not just trying to steal as much money as possible from the fans like some other Metal bands keep doing. Apart from that, quite simply, my voice is still there, harder and better than ever. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: After 20 years, is there anything that the you haven’t accomplished yet that you’d still like to see happen or do you feel as if your goals have been met? Paul Di’Anno: Yeah I would like to actually get back into the States and tour there, as I feel I really owe it to my fans out there. Dawn/TheMetalWeb.com: Paul thanks for taking the time in interviewing with me as it’s been quite while since our last. With that said, do you have any final words for The Metal Web!? Paul Di’Anno: Yes I do. Please Everyone check out my new website. OFFICIAL SITE "PAUL DI'ANNO": http://www.myspace.com/diannothebeast HOME |