Hi Peavy, thank you very much for this conversation.
New Studio installment for Rage and the title “Resurrection Day” …how you, and the band feel?
We feel very good, happy about the new album!
Your new album “Resurrection Day” is due to be released on September 17th, so share some of your thoughts about the new Rage Album
We´re proud that we were able to record a real impressive work, I spite of having new members on board and being in the middle of a pandemic!
Maybe “The Price of War 2.0” was a nod to all for the new - in way - direction for Rage in 2021?
We wanted to introduce the new band members to the public in a best possible way, so we decided to record a classic Rage track with the boys and bring it to the fans with a video clip, instead of just posting a photo on our channels...
What made you bring up a second guitar on the band again, something that we first saw on “Black in Mind”?
Since a couple of years we had orientated our musical output more on the Albums of the 90´s from Rage. So we finally came to the conclusion that it would be good to bring a second guitar to the lineup. This was already when Marcos was still in. We planned to bring Stefan in for the next Album, and when Marcos left, we replaced him through Jean...
Strange days we are living in. how difficult was for you to making the album? Any difficulties recording the album due to technical reasons or due to corona virus?
Originally we had planned to record all together in Spain , in the Studio of our long time Live Sound engineerr Dani Gonzalez.We had the drums already done, then came the big lockdown and we had to stay home. So we decided to record the rest at home. Modern technique makes it possible, we still enjoyed the production a lot...
To our ears the new Album hears like the Rage that we knew, but also fresher and “thrashier” to some songs, if not all. And that is for the better to our view. Do you believe that the new additions, Stefan Weber and Jean Bormann behind the guitars played a major role to that?
Sure, the boys are young and burning to conquer the world ;-) The album shows this fresh energy in combination with my song ideas. Also Dani has given the album a transparent but heavy sound!
Looking “Resurrection Day” artwork I realized that loosely on 1988’s “Perfect man” and more distinct on 1991’s “Extended Power”, Soundchaser accompanies you throughout the years. What this figure means for you and the fans and what soundchaser symbolize on “Resurrection Day” artwork?
The Soundchaser joins us already since 1988`s Perfect man and his story I explained detailed on the Album “Soundchaser”. Also you can find the story on my web page ...
in your point of view, what are your fav tracks of the album and share a story about the making of it, something that you consider as something worth remembering.
I couldnt say right now which ones are my faves, its all too close for me. The making of “Traveling through time” was funny. I had this renaissance theme, that I knew since my childhood. Around it I wrote the rest of the song. I was not sure if it would fit to Rage for a long time but when I played it to Jean, he liked it and recorded a quick demo of it , here he confused the rhytm that I had shown him. I liked the “mistake” even better than my original idea, so we developed the song in that new direction.
The consequences of covid-19 from the start of 2020 to the music industry and not only affected many bands, labels and releases. what are your plans for supporting “Resurrection Day”? do we see that, at last, tours are “back on the menu?
Sure, we have announced our tour for Nov/Dec. This year and we are in good hope that it will happen!
From 1985 “Avengers” and a walloping 25 Albums later and not mentioning the various live albums and compilations, what is the secret of the band through all those years?
I simply love writing songs. I love the music and that keeps me fresh and active.
What are the plans for promotion and touring, now that we have some means against Covid-19?
Like I said, Nov/Dec. Get all vaccinated, if you wanna see concerts! Thats the only way out of the pandemic!
Do you believe that the pandemic unintentionally made a new way of creativity for the artists? We saw many collaborations and “quarantine songs” throughout those two years
No, I don´t think that this has changed the creativity. All the musicians simply had nothing better to do ;-)
When all of this with the pandemic subsides, any thoughts coming to Greece for a show.
Definitely. There are plans for Shows and even a Cruise in Greece for next year´s Spring!
What other bands you are you listening this time around?
Opeth, Katatonia
Any memories from the first time you went on stage?
It was my very first band and I was maybe 15. We had to fill in for a band that were stuck in the winters snow and didn´t make it to their gig. As we rehearsed in the club the owner asked us if we could jump in to ease the people a bit. I played in rubber boots and Winter coat , we were only able to play 3 songs, I guess we sounded pretty bad ;-)
Any memories from the worst \best show you had? Any funny moments?
Good moments were the very first show with a full symphonic Orchestra on a castle in Austria in 1996, or our very first Japan Tour – we had a teenage audience screaming as if we were a boygroup ;-)
Any memories that you had visiting Greece. Any other funny moments there?
Lots of good memories. In 96 I lived for a couple of month in Athens with my Greek Girlfriend.
Something that you regret throughout your career.
Many business mistakes! All in all I lived my life.
A message to your fans?
Thanx for your loyality and support! Hope to see you soon! Stay safe and don´t forget to enjoy life!
Thank you, guys. Keep the faith.
Thanx, too! Best, Peavy
Chris Mouskos, Tasos Zervoudakis
Black Velvet Radio
