A better translation.
Quote:
A few years have passed since Matt Barlow´s departure from Iced Earth and Matt never told us his point of view. For Rockhard he made an exception. And the best thing is: He is not just talking, he is also singing again! Totally surprising he joined the danish Prog-Metalband Pyramaze.
I get in touch with Matt at 7 a.m. in Delaware, where he now lives with his wife and his 18 month old son and is working as a police officer. Matt is very realxed and chooses his words wisely.
Matt, at what point did you, for the first time, have the feeling that being the singer of Iced Earth is not what you want do in your future?
MATT: Iced Earth was not the problem. Not even 9/11 was the reason for my decision, but it was the final sign. It was a time, when I was thinking about what to do with my life. I think everybody has a stage in life, when he thinks about everything. Back then I was 31 years old, just married, but had no financial safety. The years with Iced Earth have been great. The tours and all the experiences with the fans will forever be a positive memory. But there was no constant in the career with Iced Earth, I really had no financial safety, because I never had a side-project like Jon, in which I could make money. I had a long conversation with my brother – who also works as a police officer- and I was sure, that becoming a police-officer was, what I wanted to do. Everybody who knows me can say, that this is not unusual for me. I never broke the law, I didn´t even get a ticket for driving too fast. I was never arrested. Others, who only saw the long-haired rocker in me, maybe didn´t understand this. But most metal-fans are very respectable. Their only crime might be smoking a joint.
As it was time to sign the contract for “The Glorious Burden” I hesitated and told Jon how I imagined my future. This contract would have tied me to Iced Earth for many more years. Jon and I decided, that I would do the vocals on “The Glorious Burden” and go on the road with the band and leave after that. As the vocals were finished, Jon once again talked to me, and told me that he was not happy with my singing. Moreover Tim Owens just left Priest and I realized very quickly that Jon would decide for Tim.
Six months later I went to police academy. Leaving Iced Earth was very emotional, because Jon and I have gone through so many things together. It was neither easy for him nor for me.
This sounds like there never was an argument between you and Jon. Even though Jon said a few not too nice things, for example that you never gave 100% for Iced Earth.
MATT: I´m sure he said that very shortly after the split when he still was very emotional. I don´t blame him for that. Since then we met a few times and there´s no bad blood between us. I even talked to Tim Owens a few times. He loves working with Iced Earth, I love my work, and so everybody is happy in the end.
As a police officer you have a very dangerous job. What was your wife´s reaction to your decision?
MATT: Oh yes she was concerned. Especially when I was in patrol. But we police officers are well trained. Furthermore, my area isn´t that dangerous, even though there are some places you better avoid. I´m not chasing criminals all the time, I try to help people. Of course, if I had to, I would go into a fight, but to me the most important thing is helping the kids in my area and giving them a perspective.
Of couse there are times when I really miss being on stage, because nowhere else you get that kind of an adrenalin rush. But the thing I miss the most is being creative. That´s why I was so interested, as Michael of PYRAMAZE called me. He wants to record music of high quality, but on the other side isn´t interesting in touring for months. I had offers of many other bands, but I don´t want to go on tour for an eternity. A few festivals and club shows – that is perfect and I can do that besides my job.
There was also a very short interview with Michael Kammeyer of Pyramaze in the magazine. Here´s what he said:
Michael, how did you do that as a young and mostly unknown band, to get such a singer as Matt Barlow, who already turned his back on the music business?
MICHAEL: Well, we already have some experience with american musicians, because our keyboarder comes from the United States, and our last singer Lance King was American too. I admit: The idea of Matt joining Pyramaze was absurd. But after I fired Lance, I took some time to think about a replacement. My absolute favorite was Matt Barlow, because I am a huge Iced Earth fan, since I first saw the band at the Wacken festival. And I knew, that Matt has a job, as the rest of Pyramaze does, and that he is not interested in doing long tours. So I decided to call him, because I had nothing to loose. What else could he do than say no.
But your old singer sounded very different than Matt.
MICHAEL: When we did our second record I asked Lance to do the vocals in a more powerful and rough way. I was sick of this clean vocals and the high voices.I mean, we do the music for ourselves, and it was clear to me, that our third record will be more powerful and rough.
Will you have do change your style of songwriting, to make the music fit to Matt´s voice?
MICHAEL: I don´t think so, because Matt is a real profesional, who can fit into every sound and still give it a personal note. We don´t want to sound like Iced Earth, and nobody should expect this. We are Pyramaze and our new singer is Matt Barlow – that´s it.
The next Pyramaze record is set to be released in spring 2008. After that the band wants to do some festival shows. Before that they still have to find a new record company, which will be no problem concerning the new line-up.
