D-Day: Thanks for speaking with us, guys. Advertise for us.... what is the general sound of Steel Vengeance?
KJ Kazlaw: The only way that it can really be described is rather simple..... Real Heavy Metal in a world full of pretenders.
Curry Russell: Steel vengeance in concept has always been very clear. Revenge for all that is pure about Metal. I'll take your head if you give me reason to. Lately there are many candidates. It's our was of saying that we are up for the challenge. Just be ready to lose.
D-Day: Who are some of your influences?
KJ Kazlaw: Man.. that's quite a span.. We would Have to say Priest, Maiden, Manowar, Saxon, Witchfinder General...
As well as earlier and newer influences ranging anywhere from Boston and Triumph to Primal Fear and Dream Evil
and even some early technical death metal influences, like Morbid Angel and Pestilence
Curry Russell: 'Nuff said.
D-Day: Along those lines... if you had the power to create a major metal tour, who would be three bands that you feel would make the best touring package to travel with Steel Vengeance?
KJ Kazlaw: Tough damn question, but a great one..I personally would love to do a tour opening for Maiden, Priest or Manowar....
but a Primal Fear/ Metalium tour will do just fine thank you very much!!
D-Day: Would you be willing to pay the $50,000 to tour with Ozzfest?
KJ Kazlaw: Would you pay our $40,000 dry cleaning bill to get the dried egg off our gear?
Seriously though.. I think the exposure alone would be worth it.. I never was a fan of the Ozzfest becuase of the slew of Nu-Metal bands that were on the bill.
The Sharon/Bruce issue left me (as all of us) a little weary and bewildered. But all hidden political agendas aside. i think in that scenario it would be a $50,000 investment to garner more of a following... so yes, for business reasons alone, it would be wise.
Curry Russell: I think Ozzy is faking it.
D-Day: I see that you guys are from Florida. How's the metal scene there and are there some bands from the area that you feel are worth mentioning as keeping the metal spirit alive?
KJ Kazlaw: I think the fact that Florida (Especially Orlando) has a horrible scene for real metal, it has ignited us to move forward and take all the necessary steps to be more of a worldwide known metal act. We are getting help from very high places which has allowed us to start implimenting a strategy to take our music around the world..and bypass the local scene. We don't take our material to the local college metal stations, or promote locally nor do we play shows around here. So my strong answer would be no... DO NOT SUPPORT ORLANDO METAL (orlando metal = contradictory)
Curry Russell: I have tried to go shows and be seen. If I have to see just one more screaming indesipherable fuck on the microphone that can't sing then so be it. It really will be the stand out factor that we are all musicians and that we don't have the want, need, or desire to conform or fit in. God I hate today's music. I sound like my father. Maybe I should write a song now that I can scream really loud to and be artistic, damaged and tortured. Grow the fuck up. get a hug, cheer up, seek jesus, do fucking something, please just do music.
D-Day: I obviously LOVE the fact that you put the word "revenge" in your description that's seen on MYSpace. You seem to be reading my mind. Your quote says "The ultimate revenge for TRUE HEAVY METAL". What is your thought process for that? Feel free to rant away...
KJ Kazlaw: Well.. The thought process is rather simple to us in concept...I think there's really alot of people who are grossly fed up with the lack of musical integrety that surrounds mainstream music today.. All corporate radio succeeds in doing is cater to angry mall going kids and using it as a deranged marketing ploy to milk the ignorant.. REAL metal fans will never buy into this.. REAL Metal fans do not lack the capability to think, learn and feel for themselves. The people who love Real Heavy Metal can remember as far back however many decades to when they heard their first metal song or record...Real Metal has that impact. The trends will never have a long term impact on anyone or anything, they are a flash in the pan and will one day (as all trends do) become a self - parody. All things great in life come full circle.. Case in example. Maiden and Priest are selling out ARENAS (not clubs) around the world. People aren't as enthused about music as much nowadays because its missing that "Larger than life" atmosphere that has always surrounded metal. I assure you... we will re-deliver. There are other trends and substandard subgenre's of metal that sicken us as well... like this gothic infuenced NU Black Metal...I have a message for you all... If you wear frilly womens blouses, fake vampire teeth.. have a keyboard player as a permenent member of the band and all the girls in the front row of your show are doing some pretentious cheesy gothic dance........ you're NOT Metal. Another one is some of the new power metal bands of today. I went to go see ManOwaR in June of this year, and a somewhat popular Italian Power Metal Band was opening up (not naming names, but it should be obvious) and at the beginning of their set, they had some playback over the PA talking about .... In the realms of dungeons , dragons, elves and knomes... or some shit like that, and i was thinking... am i supposed to bang my head, or bust out a character sheet and 21 sided dice?? I personally think if some of those "Epic Fantasy" bands dropped that Lord of Rings theme, and Axed the keyboard player, they would be damn good, because on their musical aspect, theyre all VERY talented, so i'm not putting them down. Im probably going to come under scrutiny for saying all that, but I'm just being honest. I'm Lactose intolerant and i cant handle that much CHEESE.
Curry Russell: Kyle is a real man. I have played D&D and some of my lyrics can be considered inspired by an era. There is no such thing as a 21 sided dice, you fuck.
D-Day: I see that you have some dealings with James Murphy (ex-Obituary, Death and Testament) on your new album. How did that come about?
KJ Kazlaw: Ah yes... James.. Very colorful character indeed.. He came about by pure chance really..Actually our drummer Tim works in a case shop during the day.. They make Road cases for alot of bands. James is friends with the owner of the company and Tim bumped into him while he was working his shift, they hit it off immediately.. Tim met up with James later that week to let him hear some of the material Tim had been recording with us and the rest, i guess you say is history.. James had said 15 seconds into hearing the mix that he would be happy to mix this album and help us out, so we're all very happy to have him aboard!
D-Day: Have you guys had any crazy type tales you can share with us? Fights with promoters, someone shit their pants, looney fans, shitty equipment.... you know how it works.
KJ Kazlaw: JD blew his Hartke bass rig while recording the new album so he went and bought a brand new SWR 550X....needless to say, no more problems!! . We don't really fight with promoters because we refuse to play Orlando... As far as shitting ourselves?? c'mon now dude.. we've all Sharted at least once in our lives.. Loony fans? hmmm.. If theyre fans of our music... how crazy can they really be? Last but not least... Crazy tales... Every party we have has a mandatory "all women must lose bra before entry" rule, and it's strictly enforced !
Curry Russell: Kyle is being a pussy. I'll tell. There was party quite some time ago and it involved a hottub a shower and many beers. Needless to say that a day after we were told that one of the "passarounds" had an STD. We freaked and swore that were noticing symptoms. went to have the test done and get the antibiotics. after the two week wait to get the results and taking all the medication we found out we never had it in the first place. That two weeks sucked bad.
We all showed up at a show in a local dive years back to watch Kyle fill in on bass for another band. The lead singer of the main act made mention that all the members of Steel Vengeance were in the house and maybe we could come up and do a song or two. We did so reluctanly because it was not our equipment. We ended up closing the show and nobody was talking to the main act. They loaded up their gear and went home. That was a great night.
Waiting for the Priest show and when Ripper was still singing with them. Caught a glimpse of K.K. and Ian coming out the back side door of the house of blues. The crowd nabbed Ian for the autograph barrage but K.K. was just trucking by un-noticed. Kyle and I followed him over to Virgin Records and started talking with him and shortly thereafter Ian came along. apparently they were on assignment for some magazine to review some albums for what was to be considered good new metal artists. We talked music for a while and they asked our opinion on many things about todays music which we were shocked and honored about. We spent about 30 minutes and then they had to get back over for the show. It was a great experience, and yes I did what I said I would never do and got star struck. Their autograph are still in my wallet in my pocket. Don't leave home without 'em.
D-Day: Let's try a multiple choice question.
Let's say that you're playing a killer set when the power suddenly goes out leaving the venue in total darkness. Would you:
a) Calmly stand there until the technicians figure it out.
b) Bitch out the roadies and staff for being ignorant assholes.
c) Feel free to fart loudly since no one will know who it is.
d) Blindly grope the front row of fans looking for a plump tit to play with.
e) other
KJ Kazlaw: D can be Dangerous... fat GUYS have plump tits!! Aside from that... Technical shit happens...The road crew doesn't work for the power company.. We're always been the type of people to immediately look for a solution rather finger pointing and blame game... the more you point fingers, the more you deprive a real metal audience from what they came to experience...now THAT would not be fair. . . . and if the power goes out during a killer set.. you forgot option F... Blame Sharon
D-Day: What is the main goal for Steel Vengeance?
KJ Kazlaw: Quest for world Domination
Curry Russell: Impact as many people as possible
D-Day: Thank you for playing along!! Any final words you would like to share?
KJ Kazlaw/Jerry Springer:Take care of yourselves................................and each other
Curry Russell: Pardon me while I remove the genital cuff. Why yes that is how I hit those notes.
As stated in a revised note above, the band is now known as Stone Legacy. The new MySpace page is here.
All pictures used by permission from the band.
