MR - It's an honor for us to do this interview. We are big fans of WASP here. Personally, The Crimson Idol is my favorite album (Chris).
Blackie : Me too.
MR : What can you tell us about the two new songs on your "Best of" album ?
Blackie: Well, "Unreal" was written somewhere back in the "Still Not Black Enough" time and it wasn't finished and like all song-writers, you're waiting for some inspiration to finish the song. And recently I was finally ready to do something with it. And the other song is Elton John's "Saturday's Alright For Fighting".
MR : Was is your choice to do a best of ?
Blackie :No, it is a label decision.
MR : How do you feel with this choice ?
Blackie : The previous one (First Blood, Last Cut) has been out of print for three or four years now, so I think it is probably a good move for W.A.S.P. fans too.
MR : Did you choose the tracks for this "Best of" collection?
Blackie : Yes, tracks are my entire decision.
MR : Can we expect a world wide tour for this "Best of" ?
Blackie : Well no. We are going out for two months in North American starting tomorrow (29.2.2000).
MR : No plans for Europe ?
Blackie : Not till later in the year.
MR : So, no chance to see W.A.S.P. at any European festivals ?
Blackie : We are talking about that right now. I can't say anything until I know for sure.
MR : What will be the next move for W.A.S.P. ?
Blackie : We are about half way finished the next studio album and that's supposed to come out in September. We don't have a name yet. We don't even know how it will really sound as only half of it has been written. We will resume the writing after the North American tour.
MR : Looking back through W.A.S.P.'s discography, "Kill Fuck Die" looks like an alien compared to all other W.A.S.P. albums ? How do you explain it ?
Blacky : It was the mood that Chris and I were in at that time. First time we came to Europe in 1984, we've heard a lot of that stuff and we really liked it you know. And one day we said we wanna do something like that... so we did. OK, it doesn't sound new, it's been over there for a long time.
MR : Stop me if I am wrong, but reflections of your soul / mind seems to be your main source of inspiration, right ?
Blackie : Still is man.
MR : Are there others ?
Blackie : Well politics, social ... everything that the average person sees. I am no different. If I am truly inspired than it makes the writing process pretty easy.
MR : "Chainsaw Charlie" is my favorite W.A.S.P. song. Can you describe the mood you were in during the writing process of that song ?
Blackie : I was really angry at the time.
MR : Yeah. I can imagine (laughs).
Blackie : I wrote about the president of a record company here in America. He lied to me on a number of things and it hit me so bad. I needed an idea for the story anyway. And somehow he served it to me on a silver platter. So it was pretty easy to write this song after that.
MR : What is your opinion on metal in the U.S. nowadays ?
Blackie : It seems to get stronger and stronger all the time. It is not what it was in 1985 or 1986 but it seems to be very close.
MR : At that time W.A.S.P. was present on MTV. How can you explain this 'blackout' today ?
Blackie : Well, there starting to increasing more and more. I am going to New York tomorrow and I am going to do MTV and VH1 and that's things I haven't done for a long time. A year ago that would have been impossible.
MR : So better and better ?
Blackie : Yeah (MR note : American channel unfortunately for us... Europeans are always late compare to US).
MR : Do you like to watch movies ?
Blackie : Oooh yeah.
MR : What about "The Crow" ?
Blackie : First one is very good. We were supposed to work for the soundtrack of "Crow III" but they have so many people trying to be the boss that no one could find the direction for it, so Disney scrapped the whole project. It will eventually surface... but I don't know when.
MR : What about "Fight Club" ?
Blackie : I didn't see it.
MR : "Star Wars" movies ?
Blackie : Didn't seen the last one. But of course, I have seen the first saga. Just fantastic.
MR : Would you like to be someone else ? If it is the case, can you describe that guy ?
Blackie: (Silence)... I think growing up, we all have heroes... .we think we might wanna be. But ... I mean the first guy that come to mind is ... Presley, but he is dead (laughs). That will be my only thought.
MR : Do you consider our society to be not too far away as what could hell be ?
Blackie : Well. I think there is goodness in every area, in every time frame for our history. And a lot of it depends on what you make of it. If you do something to help yourself, I'm not saying it is always gonna be always true, but I am a great believer in a portion of the manifest destiny. Where... .you make what happens to you in life. There is always gonna be hell on the world of some source, but a lot of it is what you make for yourself, what's good and bad !!!
MR : Thanks Blackie, we wish you a nice tour.
Blacky : Thank you for taking the time. I've appreciated it.
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