INTERVIEW CONDUCTED BY ANTONIO GIORGIO FOR THE ITALIAN MAGAZINE "FENIX"(PUBLISHED IN THE YEAR 2011)
1-Ciao David!It’s a real pleasure to talk with you for this unusual magazine for Virgin Steele & Metal Music.
ANSWER: I was not thinking of the Divine Comedy when I came up with the title. It was actually part of a lyric that I was writing for another song, but it struck me as a nice title for the new collection of songs I had, and it later came to me that perhaps in some way it could be construed as a phrase that sums up this crazy world and life as we now know it, in the same sense that the phrase Divine Comedy sums up life in all its insanity. Dante's work was originally just called The Comedia....it was later on that writers critics and translators tacked on the "Divine" part of the phrase.
1-Ciao David!It’s a real pleasure to talk with you for this unusual magazine for Virgin Steele & Metal Music.
ANSWER:
Cheers and Mille Grazie...It is my pleasure to speak with you....
Tell
me about the last great album ”The Black Light Bacchanalia” a
title that sounds like ”The Divine Comedy”of Dante
right?
ANSWER: I was not thinking of the Divine Comedy when I came up with the title. It was actually part of a lyric that I was writing for another song, but it struck me as a nice title for the new collection of songs I had, and it later came to me that perhaps in some way it could be construed as a phrase that sums up this crazy world and life as we now know it, in the same sense that the phrase Divine Comedy sums up life in all its insanity. Dante's work was originally just called The Comedia....it was later on that writers critics and translators tacked on the "Divine" part of the phrase.
With
the phrase/title, “The Black Light Bacchanalia”, I am speaking
about Life and all its attendant drama, aches, & pains, pathos,
joys & sorrows. But by that phrase I really mean “The
Great Reversal”. Where when one culture conquers another, the
deities of the conquered people become the demons of the conquerors
religion. Everything is turned upside down…topsy-turvy. This is
essentially what happened to Paganism & Gnosticism. The Pagans
were killed off, and their worship of Bacchus/Dionysus with their
bacchanalias was suppressed. But...in the glow of the Black Light
things that are white are illuminated... the other colors fade into
the shadows…The Pagans went underground….
2-Have
you seen the movie “Agora”,a movie about the martyred figure of Hypazia, philosopher & scientist persecuted by fanatics of the christian fundamentalism in Alexandria?
ANSWER: No I have not seen that movie...
...I think that there’s a trait d’union with the rebel & pagan themes of the last two albums of VS.
ANSWER: Many years ago I read about the life of Hypatia and I do reference the sadness of her situation in one of the tracks, but what I am actually doing on these last 2 albums is connecting the plight of various real historical women, plus various Goddesses, to a real live, living, breathing 21st Century woman in order to express the difficulty that women have had throughout the ages...I am trying to express the condition of the "universal" female and discuss what happened to her role in society over time. The album continues the tale I began on the “Visions Of Eden” album, and brings those elements to their conclusion, with the death of Lilith (in TO CROWN THEM WITH HALOS), & also God finally lamenting all the damage he has done & the havoc he has wrought in ETERNAL REGRET. As I mentioned, I do equate Lilith with Hypatia( the ancient Pagan astronomer/philosopher of Alexandria, who was murdered by Monks) but also Joan Of Arc, and & Lyzebel, (a Sumerian Queen who most people know as Jezebel), (but that name is a perversion of the original Lyzebel, which means Baal is exalted) (She too was murdered), as well as all the various Goddess figures like Hecate, Isis, Innana, Tiamat, Sophia, Mary, etc..... I continue the discussion of the death of Paganism and the eradication of the Female Goddess Principle due to the rise of the Mountain-Fire-Father God, but I go further on this album with discussing the rise of “organized” religion and its mark upon Paganism, and the subsequent coming of the Dark Ages. However, that being said, I am really discussing today’s Dark Ages, (not merely medieval Europe's dark ages), and the rise of fundamentalism in all walks of Life, not only religion, but politics, and everywhere else. And ultimately the album is really about Rebellion. Rebellion against authority, God, government, whatever…. etc….This is quite clear in songs like THE ORPHEUS TABOO.
Orpheus defies Hades and looks back before entering the upper world, and so...loses his wife...Adam & Eve lose the Garden when they eat the apple...But...in the end they gain something. That something is only known to each individual. I don’t believe that anyone should tell another person what to do or how to live. We should instinctively know how to act according to our own nature’s...I say Fuck you to all that authoritarian bullshit...
ANSWER:
When I discuss the terms I use to describe what I do with VIRGIN
STEELE, I am referring to the Music and how it sounds, and the types
of chords/harmonies that I like to use.
Yes,
I do define what we do in VIRGIN STEELE, as Barbaric-Romantic,
Epic Metal.
This is a category all to itself, and we are the only Group in this
genre. This style of Music has its roots in several places. One place
is the Blues, and the other is “Classical” Music, especially 19th
century Music such as Chopin, & Debussy. It can be Symphonic with
all sorts of orchestration or it can be just piano or acoustic guitar
and a vocal. It is a Music that has far reaching ambitions. For me
what I call “True Metal” or what I consider to be the kind of
“Barbaric-Romantic” Music we do has a sound that I call the
"Bones Of The Mountain" sound. This is a sound that has
earthy, primitive elements, themes & riffs based around the
modes, (the 7 ancient modes that is) the Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian,
Mixolidian, Aeolian, Locrian and occasionally the Ionian, but it also
incorporates the larger extended harmonies of the 9th, 11th and 13th
chords, as found in the "Romantic" and Impressionistic
Schools of classical music and Jazz. It runs the gamut from Gregorian
chant to Stravinsky! This sound is full bodied, & rich,
containing a solid rock base, with jagged peaks, and volcanic force.
But in addition to the kinds of chords and melodies used, what makes
it Metal for me is also its delivery. How the Music is executed means
quite a lot! Is it put forth with a thrust, a swagger an attitude of
total command? What is the intent? For it to be True Metal, it must
be full bore hardcore to the hilt kind of playing. There must be
reckless abandon combined with precision. There must be freedom,
savagery, urgency, fearlessness, and ferocity. Even if one is playing
a slow plodding doom oriented number, or a type of Metal balled, each
note must have total commitment, and must be performed as if it was
to be the last note ever performed before the entire Universe goes up
in Flames! True Metal is a Religion, a Spirituality based on all the
finer and nobler things in Life. It can show one a code or way to
live by. It can teach, and it can heal. Intent is everything! If you
really go for it, it doesn't matter if you hit a few wrong notes on
your road to greatness and Immortality! Passion, commitment and
intent are everything.
In
discussing this Music that we do and all quality Metal in general,
for me the inherent quality that is built into a composition is what
makes a song “heavy”, or a Metal song. Some music is full of
"sound & fury, signifying absolutely nothing". To me
Metal is so much more than just loud guitars and exploding drums. If
you think about it, even Punk has that. For me Metal is a special
kind of harmonic & melodic vocabulary, a special phrasing and
inflection that exists even when performing this music on an acoustic
guitar or piano. Metal is far more than a cranked up Marshall amp and
lyrics about dragons or elves. It is a Philosophy, a Spiritual quest,
and a life long commitment to strength, honor, dignity and
maintaining one’s place in the world in the face of adversity. As I
said earlier, for me Metal, (or at least what we do), comes from this
combination of the Blues, Gregorian chant, Classical & Operatic
elements and of course Hard Rock. The musical vocabulary that I use
in the songs of VIRGIN STEELE, are all these things and more. Even a
very quiet track like “IPHIGENIA IN HADES”, from THE HOUSE OF
ATREUS ACT 1, or GOD ABOVE GOD from VISIONS OF EDEN, is still Metal,
in that it contains the phrasing, the intent and the ATTITUDE of
Metal. I always try to write songs that I feel what I call “blood
related to”…they come from the depths of my Mind, Body &
Spirit. I try to make each one a universe unto itself…this takes
time and this takes life…Living and exposing yourself to all that
Life offers…the good, the bad & the ugly.
In
terms of the Poetic side of the lyrics...this probably comes from the
Theater. I was born into a Theatrical & Musical household. My
Father was and still is a producer, director and actor. Growing up I
watched his rehearsals and performances of everything from Greek
Drama, to Shakespeare, to Edward Albee...Watching these productions
lead me to start reading all the various Myths I could lay my hands
on.
The Myths have always been all around me in my Life. That World always seems ever present to me…always there in open sight.
The Myths have always been all around me in my Life. That World always seems ever present to me…always there in open sight.
To
fully get what I am going on about...remember...our "Manifesto"
is:
We
were born to defy, we were born to heed our own heart’s call and
our own voice. Amidst a sea of lame excuses, mediocrity, conformist
rhetoric, and other bland sentiments that pass for METAL & ROCK
MUSIC these days, we stand as an Island, a Fortress, a Bastion, and a
Haven for the Foundation of what we consider to be the True METAL
Faith and perhaps the CLASSICAL MUSIC of the 21st CENTURY. A
Testament to the Power of the Will, exploration and
self-expression.
An alternative to the ever-present corporate menace that passes for
Popular Music.
As
we enter the new Millennium, we see our goal to be a union, a
convergence of various Forms into one. Music, be it ROCK/METAL based,
CLASSICAL based or whatever, Poetry, Theatre, Painting, Sculpture and
Film can and will be molded, blended and reborn in new and exciting
shapes. Shapes & forms which can enrich our World, galvanize our
emotions, open our senses, our hearts, our minds, to Spheres, Plains,
and Oceans of unlimited possibilities through which we may see our
Universe and our relationship so it in a new and different Light! To
truly live, to drink the new Wine, to bathe in new Waters both
strange and beautiful, to embrace what was lost and what may be
found, this… is the Spirit which drives our passion ever onward!
We
invite you to join us on this Quest for Life, Adventure and the
Pursuit of all Forms of Emotion, Expression and Passion!!! BY THE
GODS & GODDESSES it is time to Fly!!! ALL are Welcome, ALL are
One, THE
GATE
OF KINGS AND QUEENS is Open for those who have the Wish and the Will
to Walk on through!!!
After
the Fire, Water, Wrath, Storm, Pain and Tears... We will meet again
in Honour, Faith & Love... Don’t be late!!!
4-I really appreciate the progression of your band through the years. The first & the last album seem to come from totally different bands,but the “Epic Spirit”is the Leit-Motiv that has never abandoned the band & a trademark of Integrity & Honesty. I see a lot of bands,famous or not,that betray their Integrity chasing the trends & the taste of fans. What’s your secret of your Genuiness?
ANSWER: Thanks so very much! I really appreciate your kindness...
I think the core of what we do today was there on the first album although in a more pre-natal form...It really blossomed on the Noble Savage album and all the subsequent albums kept developing & taking the style to new places. If there is any "secret", it is really simply about always being honest, and always trying to learn more about Life, Music, & the World at large, and having the Passion to document all those experiences in sound and word.
I
have always consciously tried to keep moving forward. It
has been my quest to keep trying to redefine what Metal can be, and
constantly try to bring in new elements to help make the
Music grow. I never want to become stagnant or musically
irrelevant. I believe in furthering the cause and the case for this
Music, and I push myself to the brink to bring forth new creations
that are fresh, alive and forward thinking.
Our
approach or attempt has always been not to craft a “career”, but
to create a “Way Of Life” that would sustain us, give shape and
meaning to our existence, and be the guide through our
time on the Earth. To make one’s Life a work of Art, that... was
the point. I believe that goal has been achieved. And that is
still the plan for the future. To keep going, to try to always
make Life worth living, to keep creative regardless of how successful
or unsuccessful it all is business wise. That is meaningless. What is
important is the Life, the creative process, the Work crafted. The
lives touched along the way…the communication.
To me
success is measured in musical terms…again...what we create. In
this the Group & I feel quite successful. Again…I tell you this
and I mean it sincerely. We never intended to be the biggest band on
the planet. We never intended to be the flavor of the month. We never
wanted to be all things to all people. We simply wanted to create
original Music that would be challenging and hopefully remembered 300
years from now.
5-I
personally see Epic Metal like Noblest & Purest style of Metal,an
High Celebration of Life in the Quest of the Inner Peace &
the Mystic Gnosis & I totally disagree with suppost ”Epic
Bands” that are so devoted to the Opposites
ANSWER: I do think that this style of Music is Noble, Beautiful & will become Eternal! I am not really sure that I understand what you mean by bands that are devoted to the Opposites. Do you mean money, fame for its own sake and the likes of which? If so...I agree with you.
6-I have created a personal Vision of Epic-Metal called GOLDEN METAL,an Alchemical Vision of Metal, because the Purest Metal is the GOLD & I see Virgin Steele like a perfect Golden-Metal band, that has created with other Golden bands a New Golden Age of Metal Music with the Passage from Vile to Noble Metals,a Transmutation of Alchemical & Opposite Elements,creating a Third & Renewed Element. Do You agree?
ANSWER: I thank you kindly for your most Noble words, and I am honored to be thought of in such a high minded way. Mille Grazie! I do love what we have achieved, and I am proud of our accomplishments, and I still have a whole lot more that wish to explore both Musically & Lyrically...
As
regards transmutation and new third elements combining from 2
opposite entities...well this is something I have been going on
and on about for eons now on record and in interviews since day
one......One of my earliest attempts at sorting out these ideas was
the NOBLE SAVAGE album. As regards the "quest" or some of
the hunger or Spirit that drives us on...well if you are familiar
with the "Bio" I wrote there is a section in there which
reads:
"With
our music we wish to invoke the spiritual nature locked within all
men and women. Our thoughts hearken back to an older Pantheon of Gods
and Goddesses, such as Dionysus, God of the vine, and Demeter,
Goddess of the grain, Earth Mother and spirit of fertility. It is our
believe that all religions/ myths speak essentially about the same
occurrences. There may be differences in dialect, syntax, or
phrasing, but the fundamental beliefs are all the same. Just as with
language, there are different words or dialects, but we are all
expressing the same ideas and communications.
It
is our dream to convey through the music, a feeling of Power &
Divinity in oneself, and a feeling of togetherness with all people on
this planet, as well as a strong sense of personal freedom and
spiritual well-being. Music is the great unifier and universal
language. It crosses all boundaries. On stage we are striving to
commune with the Infinite, searching for that spark where the
Lifestream touches Eternity!!!
We
yearn for that moment of exultant Glory, where we and the audience
transcend. It is raw, sexual, earthy, spiritual, yet tangible.
Everyone should come away from the show feeling transformed -
something new has come into the room that was not there before we
began playing. Ultimately, we wish to smash through the barriers of
ignorance, and reach that Divine place of Freedom, where you can go
out on a limb and become a God or Goddess. A Journey to transport one
through Chaos to Enlightenment and Beauty!!! . . . THAT IS THE GOAL
!!!"
7-My
favourite albums of VS are the Two Marriage &”Invictus”,the
beginning of the New & Actual Era of the band.The title”The
Marriage…”is the same of the Epic,Philosophical,Mystic
Blake’s Masterpiece,my favourite work of the Great Bard.I know
that you knowed only”Songs of Innocence & Experience”of
Blake at the times of the first chapter,but I have noticed that
in the second part you have used some phrases inspiring by
the Blakian Vision like”Virtue comes from Impulse not from
Rules!”(“Devil/Angel”). What’s your about
the Brilliant & the Ingenious English Poet & what’s his influence on your thought?
ANSWER: Those albums are not based on Blake. I came up with that title long before I ever heard of Blake's work. I did not hear about his poem until we were finishing "The Marriage" Part 2 album. We had recorded Part 1, and most of Part 2 already, when we had to change the drummer. It was upon meeting Frank Gilchriest and getting him into the band, that I first heard about Blake's poem. Frank was the one who told me that it existed. I was handing Frank a copy of THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL Part 1, so he could learn some of the tracks, in order to come down and audition for us, and he said..."oh William Blake", and I said, "huh? what do you mean"? And he explained that Blake had written this poem entitled The Marriage Of Heaven & Hell. At that point in time I was only aware of Blake's poem "The Songs Of Innocence & Experience", and that is it. I came up with the title, THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL on my own, because I wanted to discuss opposites and how to reconcile differences. I wanted to make an album about putting together all the kinds of things that are not supposed to go together, and I thought to myself..."what title can best sum up an idea about opposites" and my reply to myself was, "why THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL of course", as I wanted to discuss opposites and how they could be integrated, made to combine and give birth to a new "third" element. And that is what I meant by that title. After Frank informed me that such a Work by Blake existed...I could not resist the temptation to go and read it. I did and found that it could be construed as having some sentiments in harmony with my own Work. The track Devil/Angel was the one track that remained unfinished lyrically, so yes that one track was in part inspired by his poem, and in part inspired by certain relationships I had at the time with various women who drove me crazy...
the Brilliant & the Ingenious English Poet & what’s his influence on your thought?
ANSWER: Those albums are not based on Blake. I came up with that title long before I ever heard of Blake's work. I did not hear about his poem until we were finishing "The Marriage" Part 2 album. We had recorded Part 1, and most of Part 2 already, when we had to change the drummer. It was upon meeting Frank Gilchriest and getting him into the band, that I first heard about Blake's poem. Frank was the one who told me that it existed. I was handing Frank a copy of THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL Part 1, so he could learn some of the tracks, in order to come down and audition for us, and he said..."oh William Blake", and I said, "huh? what do you mean"? And he explained that Blake had written this poem entitled The Marriage Of Heaven & Hell. At that point in time I was only aware of Blake's poem "The Songs Of Innocence & Experience", and that is it. I came up with the title, THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL on my own, because I wanted to discuss opposites and how to reconcile differences. I wanted to make an album about putting together all the kinds of things that are not supposed to go together, and I thought to myself..."what title can best sum up an idea about opposites" and my reply to myself was, "why THE MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL of course", as I wanted to discuss opposites and how they could be integrated, made to combine and give birth to a new "third" element. And that is what I meant by that title. After Frank informed me that such a Work by Blake existed...I could not resist the temptation to go and read it. I did and found that it could be construed as having some sentiments in harmony with my own Work. The track Devil/Angel was the one track that remained unfinished lyrically, so yes that one track was in part inspired by his poem, and in part inspired by certain relationships I had at the time with various women who drove me crazy...
All my
lyrics are based on life experiences. I try to keep the lyrics
somewhat vague, so the listener can read their own life inside them,
and utilize the words and music as part of the "soundtrack"
to their own lives.
8-I know that you like Poets like Byron,Baudelaire,the named Blake,Milton,
Dante Alighieri,Homerus, Shelley,Keats &
composers & pianists like Wagner ,
Lizst,Chopin,Verdi,Debussy & the specific Romanticism like cultural & artistic movement.I see the noblest Epic-Metal like a form of Modern Romanticism,because there’s a great exaltation of human capacities like the Imagination,Spirituality & Sentimental Virtues,in opposition with the Illuminism,that we can see in this actual times like the Dominion of Science & Technology : you agree with me?
ANSWER: I am a fan of the Romantic school of ideas, and I do prefer older methods of communication as opposed to the new facebook, etc...living life online mentality. But I am not against science and technology as it benefits our understanding of the World and where we came from. I love the disciplines of archeology, anthropology, sociology, and I am all for new achievements in medical science...What I dislike is the internet's pervasive scrutiny, viral noise and the computer driven lifestyle...I don't appreciate how many people have no time for actual communication, real dialogue or understanding. I don't enjoy a "sound-bite world", and I don't appreciate the fact that many people can not accept a new idea or a difference of opinion. I think the internet, rather than introduce or foster new ideas, more often makes us look for confirmation of our beliefs, instead of exposing us to a new concept...
Lizst,Chopin,Verdi,Debussy & the specific Romanticism like cultural & artistic movement.I see the noblest Epic-Metal like a form of Modern Romanticism,because there’s a great exaltation of human capacities like the Imagination,Spirituality & Sentimental Virtues,in opposition with the Illuminism,that we can see in this actual times like the Dominion of Science & Technology : you agree with me?
ANSWER: I am a fan of the Romantic school of ideas, and I do prefer older methods of communication as opposed to the new facebook, etc...living life online mentality. But I am not against science and technology as it benefits our understanding of the World and where we came from. I love the disciplines of archeology, anthropology, sociology, and I am all for new achievements in medical science...What I dislike is the internet's pervasive scrutiny, viral noise and the computer driven lifestyle...I don't appreciate how many people have no time for actual communication, real dialogue or understanding. I don't enjoy a "sound-bite world", and I don't appreciate the fact that many people can not accept a new idea or a difference of opinion. I think the internet, rather than introduce or foster new ideas, more often makes us look for confirmation of our beliefs, instead of exposing us to a new concept...
9-We
are come to the end of this particular interview.This magazine has a
clear Spiritual Direction. What’s your Idea of God &
Spirituality?
ANSWER: If I had to put a name to what I am...it would be closer to Pagan than anything else. I believe in the cycles, and rhythms of Life and I try to adhere to that ever changing journey. We are most definitely the stuff that the stars are made of...Science has more than proved this...and we are also something not so easily defined...something instinctively felt...and ever present...but not always tangible or quantifiable...nor need it be...it simply...is...That is the Magick part...We can be Gods...Goddesses or whatever we wish to be...
I
believe in what Nature tells me...I see God & Goddess in all
things...to quote one of my songs...CROWN
OF GLORY..."What
was forbidden now is open...the Golden Apples of the Sun...all that's
alive consider holy...body & soul are reconciled...And Heaven &
Hell remember their love and every road leads me to you...to
truth...."...
I give you a trace:if God forgives who forgives God for the Evil in the World(& sometimes in the Nature)?
I personally think that Evil is Necessary to the Human Existence & Human Progression,but we need to fight to conquer our Personal Demons:it’s a Spiritual & Intellectual War.
ANSWER: In my opinion...there is no need for forgiveness...Nature is what it is...it is outside the sphere of good or evil....God is another story...Life has always been about, and will always be about struggle, strife, conflict, dissonance & harmony, Rebellion, Freedom...Love, Hate, Death & Resurrection...
Bonus
Question
10-Tell me about your Theatrical Experiences.
10-Tell me about your Theatrical Experiences.
ANSWER: I have had the good fortune to be able to have had 3 "Metal-Opera" type Works performed onstage in a full Theatrical incarnation. The first was called KLYTEMNESTRA and was based on THE HOUSE OF ATREUS albums. The second "Opera", was called Hel Oder Die Rebellen, and was based on the 2 MARRIAGE OF HEAVEN & HELL and INVICTUS albums...The last was titled "Lilith" and was based on the VISIONS OF EDEN album. All 3 were presented in Germany by the LandesTheater Scwaben, and were very well received with over 50 performances each. If we ever eventually do this DVD...I will include some pieces from these Works so people can understand what we did there.
11-What’s the Plans for the Future?
ANSWER: We will start to re-issue some of the VIRGIN STEELE Catalogue over the next months, and also continue recording what will be the next new album, plus issue some rare musical bits...hopefully the DVD...a live album, and of course perform many more concerts.
You
can greet the readers of”Fenix”with
your classical Epic
your classical Epic
ANSWER:
Cheers & BY THE BLACK SUN & MOON! I thank you all for your
interest & support and I look forward to seeing you all
again soon!
I
wish you ALL a most Glorious Winter, New Year and Beyond...
David
DeFeis November 29, 2010
Pamela
Scavran
Kizmaiaz Publishing & Promotions
via Volga 47 - Loc. Osmannoro
50019 Sesto Fiorentino FI
tel. 055 3427377
Kizmaiaz Publishing & Promotions
via Volga 47 - Loc. Osmannoro
50019 Sesto Fiorentino FI
tel. 055 3427377
