Interview for Born Too Late, March 2003
1. When did you start? (How long has yer band been together?)
While Heaven Wept began in 1989, so it has been a long 14 years of Epic Doom Metal!
2. What influenced (bands) you to get into doom and start a band?
Well, first and foremost, life itself dictated the need for personal expression of this ilk, but some musical influences included: Candlemass, Trouble, Celtic Frost, Black Sabbath, Witchfinder General, and Fates Warning. These days anything from Krautrock to Black Metal exerts an influence on WHW.
3. How often do you play gigs in your local area?
Seldom if ever; our ensemble is too large to perform at the few tiny clubs open to Metal in Washington DC, and the music is both unpopular and too personal for regular performances. We pretty much stick to special events like Born Too Late, or focus on the European market.
4. What is your impression on the doom metal scene and how it's progressing?
Well there are more bands than ever, and it is great to hear all these awesome new bands like The Doomsday Cult, Doomshine, Orodruin, Well Of Souls, and Thunderstorm coming along. It seems that this year is going to be a great year with new releases from many of the veterans of the scene as well. The only negative aspect of the scene right now is the large amount of misinformation being spread through various publications and forums, as well as the wars between bands.
5. Stoner rock... Opinions?
If you are talking about Gong, Zappa, or Miles Davis, I am all for it, but if you are referring to various Fu Manchu and Sabbath clones, I'd rather send them to the gas chambers personally. Everyone has a right to their own expression, but the fact that for a while Doom METAL was equated with Stoner Rock is fucking inexcusable. DOOM=MOOD…Stoner Rock has nothing to do with that…
6. What instrument(s) do ya play?
Guitars, Keyboards, and Vocals in the studio, but live, we have the beautiful and talented Michelle Loose of Brave on Keyboards.
7. Looking forward to the BTL fest? Any expectations so far?
I expect that everything that can possibly go wrong will, at least for us, which always seems to happen. I expect we will sound like shit…lol…but man, I am really looking forward to seeing my buddies Revelation, Penance, and Pale Divine again, as well as experiencing Orodruin live for the first time. I also expect there will be a lot of hangovers, debauchery, and lawsuits…and you can be damn sure that George Foreman grill of yours will be working overtime.
8. Favorite guitarist? (or drummer, singer, bassist, organist!?)
Guitarist - Uli Jon Roth (Scorpions/Electric
Sun), Blackmore (Rainbow/Purple), Brian May (Queen), Neal Schon (Journey)
Singer - Steve Perry (Journey), Jon Arch (Fates Warning), Geoff Tate (Queensryche)
Keyboard Player - Klaus Schulze, Kitaro, Rick Wakeman (Yes)
Hey…with 6,000 CD's, how can I choose just ONE?
9. From 1965 - 1975 what is the best album in your opinion?
Man, I can't answer these kinds of questions! Too many bands, too many albums…how about all the Hendrix, King Crimson, Black Sabbath, Magma, and Yes from this era?
10. From 1978- 1985 what is your favorite album?
Ditto, except Journey, Fates Warning, Queensryche, and tons of German, French, and Italian prog
11. What would you say your favorite gig or show was ever? (played or even just attended)
Played - The first show in support of the "Sorrow Of The Angels" album in 1999, at the horribly missed Phantasmagoria in Wheaton, MD. with Arise From Thorns (now Brave), and Pale Divine
Attended - Steve Perry, February 1996, when I met him, Queensryche on both the Empire and Promised Land tours, Fates Warning at the Limelight in NY when they played "Guardian" for me and former WHW bassist Gabe Funston, Yes/Kansas at Nissan Pavillion, and Rush every damn time I've seen them. But for you Doom freaks, the first Pentagram reunion show around the time of "Be Forewarned."
12. Best Vitus album? (or Trouble)
Vitus - Hallow's Victim (and the Walkind Dead
EP)
Trouble - The Skull
13. Favorite drink?
Mountain Dew (I am cheating off of Dennis from Revelation's answers…lol)…or super strength lager \m/
14. Favorite or most influential movie/book?
Books - Crack In The Cosmic Egg (guide to
Krautrock), Lords Of Chaos (yeah, the one about Black Metal)
Movies - I'll go with the two installments from Lord of the Rings for this
one
15. Some of these questions are gay, do you agree?
Probably, but at least you did not ask the seemingly obligatory biographical questions everyone else does!
16. What do you do in your freetime? (concerts, hobbies , work, etc?)
Well, when I am not battling for metal, I am usually involved in some kind of debauchery, however in my few moments of spare time, I am doing internet crap and trying to listen to this week's new batch of CD's and vinyls…
17. Any last words or shot outs to the doom fans?
Cheers for the unwavering support, and positive feedback for the new "Of Empires Forlorn" album. We appreciate your devotion and fanaticism without end. Doom forever onward…
18. Vitus is god.
Now now…everyone knows it is Yngwie Fucking
Malmsteen…(hysterical laughter ensues)…