METAL PULP AND PAPER: Hello Charlie. So glad to be catching up with you. Thank you for taking the time to speak with us here at Metal Pulp And Paper. We appreciate it. So, how are you doing?
KYRIAKOS "CHARLIE" TSIOLIS:Doing well. Thanks for asking.
MPAP: Now give us a little run down about your band and what we need to know, and especially tell us if you have any new music coming out or any tour announcements you can share here?
CHARLIE: Hopefully some of your readers know the band and own a cd or stream our music. We formed in 1985 as a pioneering crossover thrash band then went on to become one of the first technical progressive thrash bands on our debut album Eyes of Tomorrow. We sued Dr. Dre for trademark infringement. We broke up in 1996 and formed our alter-ego project called Mother God Moviestar and ended that in 1998. We reformed Aftermath in 2014/15 and released our second album called There Is Something Wrong this year. It was only 25 years between releases. If that isn’t enough on the band you can check out the rest of the story on our Wikipedia page or our bio on our site.
MPAP: So, for anyone new to this, we changed things up and are doing something different. We've pulled some recent headlines from the Metal Injection website and get reactions and comments on them from bands all over the world. We did this last month, with different headlines, of course, and it was fun to read each group's different answers. So, please place your seat backs and tray tables in the upright position, and hang on, here we go again.
1. Granny Caught Rocking Out To Slipknot
MPAP: At a recent Knotfest show an elderly woman, even with her cane in hand, is caught on video rocking out to Slipknot. The story doesn’t mention her age, but I would say she’s in the prime of at least her 70s. What do you think of granny rocking out to Slipknot? Have you ever seen any older folks rocking out at any of your shows before? And bonus points, if we were keeping score, have you had any of your grandparents at any of your shows before?
CHARLIE: Granny rocking out to Slipknot is cool with me. Metal doesn’t have an age limit anymore. She was probably listening to Sabbath back in the 1970s and still digs heavy shit. We formed in 1985 so we see a lot of older folks at our shows now. None of my grandparents ever saw a gig, though.
2. Metal Guitarist Too Young To Play Bar Plays Outside With Wireless System Instead
MPAP: The band Ancient Burials had a bit of a dilemma when they played a show at the Hawthorne Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Their guitarist was underage and not allowed into the bar to play. Some places will mark your hand with an 'X' identifying you’re a minor and let you play. Not the Hawthorne Theatre with Oregon’s liquor laws. So, instead of them canceling the show, fellow bandmates Paradigm Shift hooked him up with a wireless pack, and he went outside and played. The bar had an open window so you could see the band playing inside and he was outside shredding it out on the street. It’s a great video to watch.
CHARLIE: They need to fire their tour manager, lol. I haven’t seen the video, but that has to be a first. The start of a new genre: pedestrian metal.
3. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried Reveals Himself As Slipknot’s Tortilla Man
MPAP: Obviously, someone brilliant out there got him to announce that, probably on one of those Celebrity Cameos or something. In all seriousness, does it even matter who Tortilla Man is? And why do you think Slipknot is so strict on revealing who new band members are? They had this previous issue when Paul Gray passed away and was replaced by Alessandro Venturella, and also when Jay Weinberg replaced Joey Jordison.
CHARLIE: I couldn’t care less. I think they believe this secrecy thing somehow creates an aura around the band. The mystery thing was done with Kiss and anyone that still thinks it’s cool is wrong.
4. These Post Malone Fans Are Just Hearing About Ozzy For The First Time Thanks To New Collaboration
MPAP: Recently Post Malone recorded a song called "Take What You Want," and it featured Ozzy Osbourne. Honestly, it’s not a lousy collaboration between the two. Wasn’t expecting it to be a good song. Anyways, what gets me is some people, mainly his fans were saying thanks to Post Malone he just gave this Ozzy guy a career. They obviously have no idea! Even back in 2015, it was almost the same thing, Kayne West did a song with Paul McCartney, and Kayne’s fans were saying Kayne just gave Paul a career in the music business. Really c’mon? So, my question is, should the history of music be taught in school or something? Shouldn’t the younger generation know who Ozzy Osbourne and Paul McCartney are?
CHARLIE: It’s truly sad that anyone would think that some one hit wonder would give a legend like Ozzy a career. What’s even worse is that Ozzy is still around and famous. It’s not like Ozzy retired in the 1970s and he just came back out of nowhere – the dude helped create reality tv and this little festival called Ozzfest. The Paul McCartney thing is pathetic. My brother’s neighbor who is in her 30s said she had no idea who John Lennon was. When he said do you know The Beatles, she said I know The Beatles, but don’t know their music. He told her Lennon was in The Beatles and her stupid ass answer was I wasn’t alive then. Well I wasn’t alive when Mozart was writing his music, but I know his music. It’s a symptom of a fucked-up world we live in today. All soundbites, empty calories, total bullshit. No appreciation for history whether it’s history of music, movies, books or world history. Even if you teach it doesn’t mean they will understand it and appreciate it.
5. Sabaton Involved In 'Serious Traffic Accident' In Tunisia, Cancel Tonight’s Show
MPAP: Luckily everyone is ok now, but do you have any scary tour bus accident stories that you can share with us? Or, if no accidents, any close calls where you thought you might die?
CHARLIE: We were doing a show back in the 1980s in Minneapolis during Thanksgiving week. We were driving in two vans from Chicago. It is usually like an 8-hour drive. The weather was so bad that we could only drive 10 miles an hour for long stretches any time because if we got over 10 mph, the vans would skid all over the expressway. One of the vans skidded off the road. The trailers on the back of the vans were jackknifing and smashing into the vans. We all thought we would die during that trip. We finally got there and it was the coldest day we ever lived through, and we live in Chicago. where we get to 81 below with the wind.
6. Slipknot’s Jay Weinberg: The Effects of Climate Change Are Undeniable
MPAP: Some say there is no such thing as climate change, or some say it is getting better. Both sides of the party point fingers at each other. Even back in February of this year, Ocasio-Cortez, the 29-year-old democratic socialist, wanted us to get to the point of where air travel would stop becoming necessary, and believes farting cows are responsible for the climate change and we need to get rid of them. What are your thoughts on climate change?
CHARLIE: I thought it was another Slipknot question and was about to let someone else in the band answer the rest of the questions. Just kidding. I am not sure what the solution to Global warming, now called Climate Change, is or if there is a solution. I know that the left keeps blowing their load with the changing dates of the point of no return. And the right is just as crazy in their denial. The weather is changing how much of that is normal change due to cycles and what is caused by us is anyone’s guess. Well anyone’s guess that isn’t causing it. What I mean is HARP is a government program to manipulate the weather. What does that cause? Look at all the chemtrails and ask what are they doing to our weather and climate. The normal conversation about climate change only focuses on the talking points given to the talking heads on tv. The real question is why are our governments manipulating the weather? China did it during the Olympics. The other view is if you believe history there was an Ice Age, cows didn’t cause the freeze or the melting.
7. Nicole Kidman Attended An Iron Maiden Show with Her Husband, Keith Urban
MPAP: Never would have expected that couple to be into Iron Maiden, but still cool either way. It’s good to know that music can reach anyone. So, have you ever had anyone famous that you know of attend one of your shows? If not, who would you like to leave a ticket for at will call to come to your next show?
CHARLIE: With metal you never know who a fan may be. Some of those celebrities only go to the show to act cool. We played with Merciful Fate years ago and Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins was in the audience. I would leave a ticket for Eddie Van Halen.
8. Yellowstone Police Are Using AC/DC To Clear Bison Off The Road
MPAP: In our previous headlines feature Metallica was blasted to scare away a cougar, and now bison are being blasted by AC/DC. It makes you think, what animal is next, and then how long until the animal kingdom doesn’t put up with this anymore and revolts against humans?
CHARLIE: Planet Of The Apes is it just a movie, right? I think that pop music would make them revolt.
9. Vinyl On Pace To Outsell CDs in 2019
MPAP: Buying albums seems to be the trendy hip thing it looks like again. Since streaming services are the popular norm, it’s good that records are making a comeback, but sad in a way, because CDs will become extinct.
CHARLIE: Vinyl has been making a comeback for ten years now and it keeps growing. I just read an article in Billboard that says that CD aren’t dying as quickly as people thought it would. They use the new Tool as an example, and a few other releases this year that sold a lot of CDs. They point out that people are buying the more expensive CDs than the cheaper ones. So, the CD isn’t dead yet. We released our new record on CD, it sold out on Amazon on the first day, and the distributor had to double the order.
10. Dude Who Tried To Swim Back Into Slayer Show After Being Ejected Immortalized on Beer Can
MPAP: The guy that tried to swim back into a Slayer show is from 2018, but him being immortalized on a beer can is new. This is a two-part question. Which beer can would you like your face on, and while out on tour, what is the craziest thing a fan has done that you have seen?
CHARLIE: I don’t drink beer anymore, but I guess since I used to drink Budweiser that would be the one. We opened for the Genitorturers back in our Mother God Moviestar days and they had some insane fuckin’ fans. We did a gig in Lapeer, Michigan, not with Genitorturers, and the pit during our set was insane. At one point two fans were really going at it and then got on to the stage, the one dude punched the other dude and knocked over all the guitars of Coal Chamber.
11. Former Five Finger Death Punch Drummer’s New Gig: A Horror Porn Anthology Series
MPAP: Yep, you read it right, former Five Finger Death Punch drummer’s new gig is in the porn business. Not only is Jeremy Spencer a part-time cop in Indiana now, but now he writes, directs, and even stars in his pornos. Crazy. So, my question is, what is your dream job if you weren’t performing in a band? If you had to hang things up in the music business, what would you rather be doing?
CHARLIE: It definitely wouldn’t be being in the porn business. I would have to say being a producer.
12. Flaw Accused of Plagiarizing You Tuber’s Song, Vocalist Said He Had No Idea
MPAP: This isn’t really a question about that headline, but it made me think and want to ask, is there one song out there that some band has recorded, and it’s so good that you wish you could claim it as your own song?
CHARLIE: "In A Simple Rhyme" by Van Halen.
13. Metallica Named 'World’s Biggest Touring Act' According to New Study
MPAP: Even though they’ve released a few records that some fans can’t stand, that still hasn’t stopped them by selling over 22 million tickets and grossed $1.4 billion in touring since 1982. That’s very impressive. So, I guess the question would be, lets rain on their parade for a moment, what’s your least favorite Metallica song that you must turn off or turn down when it’s on the radio? And by no means, this is no disrespect to Metallica at all. I think they are man enough to handle hearing which songs or albums are not fan favorites. It's just for fun and games, until we shot our eye out.
CHARLIE: I stopped listening to Metallica after Master Of Puppets. But, since I have to pick one I would say "Enter Sandman."
MPAP: On behalf of Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Charlie, for taking the time to answer these questions. We look forward to what Aftermath does to finish out 2019 and beyond.
CHARLIE: Thanks for reading this. As always, thanks for the support. If you want to hear a concept album, then check out our new album, There Is Something Wrong.
Kyriakos "Charlie" Tsiolis/ September 22nd, 2019/ Headlines #14
KYRIAKOS "CHARLIE" TSIOLIS:Doing well. Thanks for asking.
MPAP: Now give us a little run down about your band and what we need to know, and especially tell us if you have any new music coming out or any tour announcements you can share here?
CHARLIE: Hopefully some of your readers know the band and own a cd or stream our music. We formed in 1985 as a pioneering crossover thrash band then went on to become one of the first technical progressive thrash bands on our debut album Eyes of Tomorrow. We sued Dr. Dre for trademark infringement. We broke up in 1996 and formed our alter-ego project called Mother God Moviestar and ended that in 1998. We reformed Aftermath in 2014/15 and released our second album called There Is Something Wrong this year. It was only 25 years between releases. If that isn’t enough on the band you can check out the rest of the story on our Wikipedia page or our bio on our site.
MPAP: So, for anyone new to this, we changed things up and are doing something different. We've pulled some recent headlines from the Metal Injection website and get reactions and comments on them from bands all over the world. We did this last month, with different headlines, of course, and it was fun to read each group's different answers. So, please place your seat backs and tray tables in the upright position, and hang on, here we go again.
1. Granny Caught Rocking Out To Slipknot
MPAP: At a recent Knotfest show an elderly woman, even with her cane in hand, is caught on video rocking out to Slipknot. The story doesn’t mention her age, but I would say she’s in the prime of at least her 70s. What do you think of granny rocking out to Slipknot? Have you ever seen any older folks rocking out at any of your shows before? And bonus points, if we were keeping score, have you had any of your grandparents at any of your shows before?
CHARLIE: Granny rocking out to Slipknot is cool with me. Metal doesn’t have an age limit anymore. She was probably listening to Sabbath back in the 1970s and still digs heavy shit. We formed in 1985 so we see a lot of older folks at our shows now. None of my grandparents ever saw a gig, though.
2. Metal Guitarist Too Young To Play Bar Plays Outside With Wireless System Instead
MPAP: The band Ancient Burials had a bit of a dilemma when they played a show at the Hawthorne Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Their guitarist was underage and not allowed into the bar to play. Some places will mark your hand with an 'X' identifying you’re a minor and let you play. Not the Hawthorne Theatre with Oregon’s liquor laws. So, instead of them canceling the show, fellow bandmates Paradigm Shift hooked him up with a wireless pack, and he went outside and played. The bar had an open window so you could see the band playing inside and he was outside shredding it out on the street. It’s a great video to watch.
CHARLIE: They need to fire their tour manager, lol. I haven’t seen the video, but that has to be a first. The start of a new genre: pedestrian metal.
3. Comedian Gilbert Gottfried Reveals Himself As Slipknot’s Tortilla Man
MPAP: Obviously, someone brilliant out there got him to announce that, probably on one of those Celebrity Cameos or something. In all seriousness, does it even matter who Tortilla Man is? And why do you think Slipknot is so strict on revealing who new band members are? They had this previous issue when Paul Gray passed away and was replaced by Alessandro Venturella, and also when Jay Weinberg replaced Joey Jordison.
CHARLIE: I couldn’t care less. I think they believe this secrecy thing somehow creates an aura around the band. The mystery thing was done with Kiss and anyone that still thinks it’s cool is wrong.
4. These Post Malone Fans Are Just Hearing About Ozzy For The First Time Thanks To New Collaboration
MPAP: Recently Post Malone recorded a song called "Take What You Want," and it featured Ozzy Osbourne. Honestly, it’s not a lousy collaboration between the two. Wasn’t expecting it to be a good song. Anyways, what gets me is some people, mainly his fans were saying thanks to Post Malone he just gave this Ozzy guy a career. They obviously have no idea! Even back in 2015, it was almost the same thing, Kayne West did a song with Paul McCartney, and Kayne’s fans were saying Kayne just gave Paul a career in the music business. Really c’mon? So, my question is, should the history of music be taught in school or something? Shouldn’t the younger generation know who Ozzy Osbourne and Paul McCartney are?
CHARLIE: It’s truly sad that anyone would think that some one hit wonder would give a legend like Ozzy a career. What’s even worse is that Ozzy is still around and famous. It’s not like Ozzy retired in the 1970s and he just came back out of nowhere – the dude helped create reality tv and this little festival called Ozzfest. The Paul McCartney thing is pathetic. My brother’s neighbor who is in her 30s said she had no idea who John Lennon was. When he said do you know The Beatles, she said I know The Beatles, but don’t know their music. He told her Lennon was in The Beatles and her stupid ass answer was I wasn’t alive then. Well I wasn’t alive when Mozart was writing his music, but I know his music. It’s a symptom of a fucked-up world we live in today. All soundbites, empty calories, total bullshit. No appreciation for history whether it’s history of music, movies, books or world history. Even if you teach it doesn’t mean they will understand it and appreciate it.
5. Sabaton Involved In 'Serious Traffic Accident' In Tunisia, Cancel Tonight’s Show
MPAP: Luckily everyone is ok now, but do you have any scary tour bus accident stories that you can share with us? Or, if no accidents, any close calls where you thought you might die?
CHARLIE: We were doing a show back in the 1980s in Minneapolis during Thanksgiving week. We were driving in two vans from Chicago. It is usually like an 8-hour drive. The weather was so bad that we could only drive 10 miles an hour for long stretches any time because if we got over 10 mph, the vans would skid all over the expressway. One of the vans skidded off the road. The trailers on the back of the vans were jackknifing and smashing into the vans. We all thought we would die during that trip. We finally got there and it was the coldest day we ever lived through, and we live in Chicago. where we get to 81 below with the wind.
6. Slipknot’s Jay Weinberg: The Effects of Climate Change Are Undeniable
MPAP: Some say there is no such thing as climate change, or some say it is getting better. Both sides of the party point fingers at each other. Even back in February of this year, Ocasio-Cortez, the 29-year-old democratic socialist, wanted us to get to the point of where air travel would stop becoming necessary, and believes farting cows are responsible for the climate change and we need to get rid of them. What are your thoughts on climate change?
CHARLIE: I thought it was another Slipknot question and was about to let someone else in the band answer the rest of the questions. Just kidding. I am not sure what the solution to Global warming, now called Climate Change, is or if there is a solution. I know that the left keeps blowing their load with the changing dates of the point of no return. And the right is just as crazy in their denial. The weather is changing how much of that is normal change due to cycles and what is caused by us is anyone’s guess. Well anyone’s guess that isn’t causing it. What I mean is HARP is a government program to manipulate the weather. What does that cause? Look at all the chemtrails and ask what are they doing to our weather and climate. The normal conversation about climate change only focuses on the talking points given to the talking heads on tv. The real question is why are our governments manipulating the weather? China did it during the Olympics. The other view is if you believe history there was an Ice Age, cows didn’t cause the freeze or the melting.
7. Nicole Kidman Attended An Iron Maiden Show with Her Husband, Keith Urban
MPAP: Never would have expected that couple to be into Iron Maiden, but still cool either way. It’s good to know that music can reach anyone. So, have you ever had anyone famous that you know of attend one of your shows? If not, who would you like to leave a ticket for at will call to come to your next show?
CHARLIE: With metal you never know who a fan may be. Some of those celebrities only go to the show to act cool. We played with Merciful Fate years ago and Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins was in the audience. I would leave a ticket for Eddie Van Halen.
8. Yellowstone Police Are Using AC/DC To Clear Bison Off The Road
MPAP: In our previous headlines feature Metallica was blasted to scare away a cougar, and now bison are being blasted by AC/DC. It makes you think, what animal is next, and then how long until the animal kingdom doesn’t put up with this anymore and revolts against humans?
CHARLIE: Planet Of The Apes is it just a movie, right? I think that pop music would make them revolt.
9. Vinyl On Pace To Outsell CDs in 2019
MPAP: Buying albums seems to be the trendy hip thing it looks like again. Since streaming services are the popular norm, it’s good that records are making a comeback, but sad in a way, because CDs will become extinct.
CHARLIE: Vinyl has been making a comeback for ten years now and it keeps growing. I just read an article in Billboard that says that CD aren’t dying as quickly as people thought it would. They use the new Tool as an example, and a few other releases this year that sold a lot of CDs. They point out that people are buying the more expensive CDs than the cheaper ones. So, the CD isn’t dead yet. We released our new record on CD, it sold out on Amazon on the first day, and the distributor had to double the order.
10. Dude Who Tried To Swim Back Into Slayer Show After Being Ejected Immortalized on Beer Can
MPAP: The guy that tried to swim back into a Slayer show is from 2018, but him being immortalized on a beer can is new. This is a two-part question. Which beer can would you like your face on, and while out on tour, what is the craziest thing a fan has done that you have seen?
CHARLIE: I don’t drink beer anymore, but I guess since I used to drink Budweiser that would be the one. We opened for the Genitorturers back in our Mother God Moviestar days and they had some insane fuckin’ fans. We did a gig in Lapeer, Michigan, not with Genitorturers, and the pit during our set was insane. At one point two fans were really going at it and then got on to the stage, the one dude punched the other dude and knocked over all the guitars of Coal Chamber.
11. Former Five Finger Death Punch Drummer’s New Gig: A Horror Porn Anthology Series
MPAP: Yep, you read it right, former Five Finger Death Punch drummer’s new gig is in the porn business. Not only is Jeremy Spencer a part-time cop in Indiana now, but now he writes, directs, and even stars in his pornos. Crazy. So, my question is, what is your dream job if you weren’t performing in a band? If you had to hang things up in the music business, what would you rather be doing?
CHARLIE: It definitely wouldn’t be being in the porn business. I would have to say being a producer.
12. Flaw Accused of Plagiarizing You Tuber’s Song, Vocalist Said He Had No Idea
MPAP: This isn’t really a question about that headline, but it made me think and want to ask, is there one song out there that some band has recorded, and it’s so good that you wish you could claim it as your own song?
CHARLIE: "In A Simple Rhyme" by Van Halen.
13. Metallica Named 'World’s Biggest Touring Act' According to New Study
MPAP: Even though they’ve released a few records that some fans can’t stand, that still hasn’t stopped them by selling over 22 million tickets and grossed $1.4 billion in touring since 1982. That’s very impressive. So, I guess the question would be, lets rain on their parade for a moment, what’s your least favorite Metallica song that you must turn off or turn down when it’s on the radio? And by no means, this is no disrespect to Metallica at all. I think they are man enough to handle hearing which songs or albums are not fan favorites. It's just for fun and games, until we shot our eye out.
CHARLIE: I stopped listening to Metallica after Master Of Puppets. But, since I have to pick one I would say "Enter Sandman."
MPAP: On behalf of Metal Pulp And Paper, I’d like to thank you, Charlie, for taking the time to answer these questions. We look forward to what Aftermath does to finish out 2019 and beyond.
CHARLIE: Thanks for reading this. As always, thanks for the support. If you want to hear a concept album, then check out our new album, There Is Something Wrong.
Kyriakos "Charlie" Tsiolis/ September 22nd, 2019/ Headlines #14