Twinmusix chat with Mantas from Venom Inc about there Australian tour and more
What can fans expect from your Australian show?
You're going to get everything we can give you! We are going to play some of our classic songs and some of our new stuff. People wouldn't let us leave the venue if he didn't play some black metal, so there's a good cross-section of all our music.
What made you want to reunite for this tour?
It was never planned, myself and Tony were doing the Empire of Evil band and we toured all over with that band. We made the decision if we were going to do it, we would go out there with all the sweat, blood and tears we had and hit every target that we possibly can and we did. Tony got a call to do a school festival in our home town of Newcastle, I was in Newcastle at that point so he asked me to jump up on stage to do a couple of songs so I did. There was also a comedian band that did Die Hard in their set. Abaddon was in the audience and we haven't spoken since 1998. There was also a guy in the audience called Oliver that runs Keep It True festival in Germany. When Oliver got back he wanted to book Empire for the festival in Germany. He asked me why I didn't get up and do stuff with Abaddon and I explained why, then Oliver asked me if Abaddon was there would you play Venom songs at my festival and my first reaction was no I didn't want to do it. So we spoke about it and all flew into Germany with no rehearsal and played five or six Venom songs and the place went nuts and it hasn't stopped since then.
What guitars do you use and what's your rig?
Marshall amps, chorus pedals, digital delay, overdrive, mini wah and my tuner.
What was your recordings process for the album Ave and how did you come up with the album cover?
It depends how constant you write, I'm writing new stuff all the time and have my own studio at home so I'll go in there and write stuff left right and centre. For Ave I wrote over 25 songs, a lot of which are in various stages of completion obviously. I sifted through them and chose what I thought would be the best. I also did the mixing and mastering.
Tony came over to my studio and recorded a lot of the bass bits and we filled in the lyrical gaps. We weren’t in the same room but I think it's worked out well.
I was talking to Tony on Skype one day and he said he had an idea about the artwork, so he said to me “you don't do anything you just concentrate on the album”. Tony did a sketch and sent it to an artist who did an awesome job and made our album artwork.
If you could have any band play one of your songs which band would it be and in your style or theirs?
Judas Priest doing Seven Gates of Hell in their style.
when you first started Metallica was your support act would you ever tour with Metallica again?
I would love to tour with Metallica again! In one of our Venom ink tours, James came down to see us in San Francisco. As we were waiting to go on I looked over onto the balcony and I saw James Hetfield standing there, and all the way through the show he was head banging, singing and playing air guitar. We came back stage and I was getting changed and sorted things out and then I hear james saying “Hey Jeff” and I hadn't seen him for a long time but they're great guys, they deserve every success that they've got.
When you first started you came up with stage names, what you made you want to get stage names?
It was because of the whole image we had and the music was dark.
Anything else you want to announce to your fans?
Never ever forget that you guys are the most important part of the music industry! It's not the bands, it's not the agents? it's not the magazines it's the fans! None of it would exist without the fans support. If everyone on the planet stopped buying music and supporting music, we would not exist. In metal we bleed. We are coming your way soon.
Playing some classic Venom
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnZ2ATnTA00
Playing some new Venom Inc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xt_yGt0ET0U
Buy Tickets
Buy New Album AVE
https://itunes.apple.com/au/album/av%C3%A9/1241404968
PRESS RELEASE
https://www.twinmusix.com/venom-inc
Venom Inc. Photography Link Here - https://www.twinmusix.com/venom-inc-photos
Venom Inc. Tickets Link Here - http://www.hardlinemedia.net/
