Интервю с BLAZE BAYLEY

Metal Hangar 18 interview

1.  Would you be so kind to share with us and our readers some news from the studio?

I am working on the brand new album, “The king of Metal”.  We have finished the drums, the bass and the rhythm guitars and now we are working on the guitar solo’s.  On Saturday I hope to start work on the vocals. Everything is going really well and I am really proud of all the songs. Some of them are quite different to what I have done before but I am very excited about the whole album, it is dedicated to my fans who are the real Kings of Metal. Their support has made it possible for me to make this album.

2.   How is the album going to be different from the previous one?

Some of the music is the heaviest thing I have ever done and some of it is the most melodic song that I have ever done. Some of it is very old school heavy metal and other songs are modern.

3. The upcoming album is called “The king of Metal”. Who’s the king, wasn’t that Manowar?

The King of Metal is the fan who buys the CD, the t-shirt and the concert ticket. The fan that makes it possible for me to continue to do what I love, singing and songwriting and performing. The fans are the real Kings of Metal so that is who this album is dedicated to.

4. You worked with many musicians. Who was the easiest to work with? Who would you llike to work with in the future? Do you know any Bulgarian musicians?

I don’t know any Bulgarian musicians but hope to meet some when I am in Bulgaria.  The easiest to work with is difficult to answer, probably Steve Harris.

5.   What is the reason to use different musicians for the tours in North America, Europe and Russia?

It is too expensive to keep one band for all the tours. Heavy metal is an underground music, i am a small cult artist, making my own music and if I want to go play gigs for the fans and make the ticket price cheap, I can’t take my band everywhere. It is the way that a lot of old-time rock’n roll artists have done.

6.   You travelled all over the world. Which country, culture or nation really impressed you and like you the most?

I usually don’t get much chance to check out the cities where I play but based ont he fans i would have to say Wales and Scotland. Those are the wildest fans of them all and they seem to really like me.

7.   Do you remember anything from your visit in bulgaria with Iron Maiden back in 1995?

Yes, it was insane, really crazy. The fans there are really lovely so I am very excited about going back there with my own band and with the new album: The King of Metal.

8.   What do you think – does the audience accept you as a solo performer and not just like “the ex-vocalist of Iron Maiden”?

I will always be the ex-vocalist from Iron Maiden, but I knew that before I started. It is the same with Kiss, every fan knows all the previous members of the band and that is the same with the Iron Maiden fans. I think Iron Maiden is the most important heavy metal bands of the world so it is something that I am very proud of.  But it is 14 years later now. I have made a lot of great music that I believe in and I believe that the king of metal is going to show people that I am an artist in my own right.

9.  Who is Blaze Bayley – Wolfsbane, Blaze or Blaze Bayley band?

I am a complex character with many sides to my personality. I am a bit of all of them.

10.    In its career and life everyone has ups and downs. How do you think you are?  What’s your biggest success and respectively – your bad moment?

I had a motorcycle accident and I feel that was the worst moment. I was just in Maiden and broke my knee and it took a very long time to recover. I thought that they were going to replace me. It would have been common sense to get someone else in but I was lucky that I was able to recover from it.  I think my biggest success is yet to come, I am hoping that The King of Metal will be that.

11.    What’s your inspiration for the songs you write?

A lot of things that have happened to me in my own personal life,hysterical characters and stories of inspirational people who overcome difficulties in life and do things that other people think is impossible.

12.    Which bands/musicians gave you influences?

Iron Maiden, because I have always been a big fan of them. writing with Steve Harris has also been a big influence in my career. Early Ac/DC with Bon Scott and Elvis Presley and Ronnie James Dio

13.    English musicians are famous with their passion for football. Who’s your favorite one? And do you like any other sport?

Aston Villa.  I was born an Aston Villa fan. All of my family are fans of Aston villa and when I was a child we lived near the grounds. My dad was a season ticket holder all his life. I have just got into belt sander racing on a visit to Texas at the Happy Cow. It is the only place in the world they do this sport.

14.    Past years we see a new wave of British bands rising. Young musicians with a new modern sound and look. What is your opinion about them?

I see as many of them as I can but I don’t have that much time as I work most weekends. If I go to gigs I like to ride there on my motorcycle.

15.    If you had the choice in which years to create music and live what would you choose -21th century, 90‘s, 80‘s, 70‘s …?

Right now is a great time for music.  I am in the underground of music and am at the cutting edge of what is going on. With social networking and technology it is really exciting to be in music right now.

16.    What can we expect in Sofia on 22th of March? Any Special surprises?

I am going to sing the Clansman on tour. Otherwise there might be some more surprising song choices but that will be decided during the tour as we get more comfortable with the setlist.

Message to the fans:

I’d like to say a huge thank you for the fans for the support and the encouragement, for believing in me and not giving up on me. I will play one of the greatest gigs of my life in Sofia. I hope you’ll enjoy The King of Metal album, it is dedicated to fans like you that have made it possible for me to do the album.