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INDEX
INTERVIEWS
GUESTBOOK
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THRASH
SPEED FROM THE 80's
1. Hello! For those who weren't familiar with MASTER FURY, could you write down a little of thrashing history? What was the band about? And when?
Digg: We got
our start as the known classic line up of Master Fury, in 1986 when
I got back from serving in the Army.
We were all about writing
original material because we were seeing what was going on in the
scene with the other locals at the time and we wanted to be a part
of it. When I say locals I'm referring to the likes of Anthrax,
S.O.D. and Overkill just to name a few.
We had a vision and
wanted to see it come reality.
2. Would you say MASTER FURY played extreme music at the time? It was 1988 and 1989 for the releases of your albums, so I imagine many peoples were still into Metallica and Anthrax...
Digg: I wouldn't call it extreme, at least not from our view point... it wasn't "Main Stream" for sure, but it wasn't the normal shit you were hearing either that were the likes of Metallica etc. etc.
3. You were very influenced by Slayer, it's obvious since almost every fast thrash metal bands were in the 80's, but I can't get out of the idea you probably loved the thrashing death metal of Possessed... There's sometimes the way of riffing, a quite evil (Almost infernal) vibe... Which bands would you say were musical influences then?
Digg: Slayer
was part of what was driving us to make our presence known, they
were doing what we were trying to move into.
Possessed not so
much, I wouldn't really put us in that category.
As to influences....
We were HUGE fans of S.O.D. , Napalm Death, Megadeth, Exodus and
a few others...the speed those guys all were using and the pure
heaviness and anger in their music... helped us to form our direction.
4. On your first album "Hell party", I feel there's something like an early speed metal touch (The early, brutal one. Perhaps close to the fastest moments of the first EXODUS album, or something). Do you remember the way you called your music back then? (Was it thrash metal, speed metal... Or even Death metal?). Was there really a difference between thrash and speed back then?
Digg: It was DEFINITELY Speed Metal, Thrash didn't get into our style until our second album came out.
5. The first song of "Hell party" is really great technical thrash metal, with some cool leads, melodies and breaks that can remind of King diamond, Yngwie Malmsteem, or Agent steel. It shew the band had great technical skills. Was this considered as an introduction? Was it a one-shot thing or did you have other things like that in mind?
Digg: No it
was intentional for sure, Lou and I always loved instrumentals and
had many ideas for a few more.
We wrote both "Hell Party"and
"Semper Furious" as the songs they are, with every intent
on trying to inject some of our influence from other musicians we
grew up listening to.
6. Your second album "Circles of Hate" shew a more brutal development, the music contained also heavier parts, and something like the "speed metal" influence disappeared. Would you say you became angrier at the time? Or the fact things were quite "rolling on" for the band helped you to be more focused and brutal perhaps?
Digg: I would
say it was a combination of both or few things.
We knew we wanted
to go heavier but not lose the speed edge if possible, there was
in fact a LOT more anger in the music and lyrics mostly as a direct
result of what was going on in the world.
We never considered
our selves a "THRASH" band... we knew we wanted to go
to a few more levels of heavy so we started to put a few tentacles
out there and see where they lead.
I can assure you that "Circles"
was just the beginning of what we were trying to do as to going
heavier.
7. Your two albums were released on tapes, on your own record label. Do you remember how many copies you were able to sell or trade back then? Were these tapes professionally pressed, or was it dubbed at home by yourselves? Was it easier to sell tapes at the shows, in local records stores, or through the mail (Thanks to flyers and reviews)?
Digg: Actually
.. the first one was tape only, Circles was also on vinyl (which
we regretted later on).. We did something like 1200 of "Hell
Party" and I want to say upwards of 2000 of "Circles".
We
did both in pro studios and were pressed and released professionally.
We never did anything "BASEMENT" tape release... we went
all out.
We sold most of our stuff at gigs or in stores when
possible, you have to remember... back then there were a shit ton
of local record stores that you could just walk into and ask to
sell your goods... most of them would.
8. To release your music on your own, was it a conscious choice to avoid the business side of things and keep control on everything? Wasn't it too hard and time consuming to do everything by yourselves then? Or maybe the forces of the underground were making things easier? :)
Digg: No, we
made a conscious decision right from the start that we would be
in control... We knew what the record companies were about back
then even.. and we wanted no part of it, if we were going to get
our goods out to the masses then it was up to us to make it happen.
Did
it make it harder... yes... but it was worth it because it put you
in direct contact with those who wanted to buy your music.
It
put it on a very personal level, and the fans knew this and it showed...
still does even today.
9. There were talks of a third MASTER FURY album, but it wasn't recorded because the band split up and everything around in the scene apparently fall apart. How did it sound compared to the first two albums? Maybe it was a bit more death metal? Could we hope to hear it, or part of it one day? Maybe you have traces of it, such as songs recorded during rehearsals?
Digg: The third
album: "Dreams of War" was actually being recorded when
we called it a day. It was the next step in the bands evolution
of going heavier and more defined as musicians.
Not sure if
you would put it in the "DEATH" Metal genre .. because
I'm not a fan of the cookie monster vocals for myself, do I listen
to it? yes... do I play it ? ... no. I would put it in there with
South of Heaven for sure in that vain... but even heavier.
It
was in fact way ahead of its time for that era, sadly this was also
the era of "HAIR METAL".. and cockrock, also this new
phase of something called "GRUNGE" which single handily...
killed the Metal scene in the early 90's... So when that clown blew
his brains out.. naturally I drank a beer.
10. The music of MASTER FURY was always fast, fast, fast and thrashing, or almost always. Was your goal to be as extreme as possible? If the band had appeared a few years later, do you think you might have used blastbeats in a so extensive manner? (In the mid to late 90's it was the way to be the most extreme (If it was well done)).
Digg: I was
NEVER a fan of blast beats... doubt we would have ever used them,
even today I'm not a huge fan... if they are done with taste though,
I can live with them, such as the likes of Gene Hoglan.
We were
always about the speed end of it for sure, we started to use more
intricate stuff tho in out newer songs on the third album. Even
another instrumental called: "No One"
11. The band originated from Trenton, New Jersey. Were there cool metal bands in your area back then? Maybe there was something like a scene with bands worth the neckbreak?
Digg: I'm sure
there were, but we were totally focused on what we were doing, our
goal was world domination... and nothing short of it. You gotta
remember something... in a way the "LOCALS" were the guys
who we were trying to ride the wave with, it was the likes of S.O.D.
, Anthrax, Overkill etc. etc. When we hit the scene as the line
up that is on the records, we were out to take no prisoners.
When
I came back, we really went full bore into writing what you hear
on the records.
12. Your two albums were recently rereleased together on one CD by Contaminated Tones records. How did it happen and are you happy with the release?
Digg: This
is a very, very cool story.... I might get a little long on this
answer, but it's worth it.
I had recently just dropped the "RE-Birth"
line up (2009/10)and was wondering what I was going to do about
it when out of the blue I got an e-mail on our F/B page from Jon
asking if he could do a "RE-MASTER" of sorts of the two
albums and put them out as a CD.
I was very very hesitant at
first because of the legal end of things.... of which I cleared
up.
Jon told me what his intentions were and after we talked
it over a few times I was all "hell yes."
He then sent
me a few pre samples of the remixes and after about 6 or 7 times
we agreed on what you hear today.
Am I happy... for what they
are and how it got there... very much so.
Do I wish we had the
actual tapes for re-master.... of course... but since we don't know
where they are anymore....it is what it is.
Anyways.... after
the art work was done (which is all Jon's idea) as is the name of
the CD. It was released to the world as a combo of both albums for
the first time ever on CD. THAT made me very, very proud, because
back when we went to release "Circles" ... we had that
option... and didn't bite on it. I think that may have seriously
hurt us now that I look back at it.... but we did what we did.
13. I didn't hear about your band before the CD rerelease. Do you remember if you had contacts in France back then? (I wasn't into underground metal before beginning 1994, but was quickly reading new and older fanzines so I might have found some infos... Maybe the price of postage and the width of the ocean didn't help?)
Digg: I know we had fans from all over the world and still do, France is almost a certain.
14. Comparing
the current metal scene to the 80's, do you regret anything? Maybe
paper fanzines keep a place in your heart? Maybe you loved to pile
tapes over tapes, until it reached the roof? Lol
Don't you feel
sometimes, the underground communication was more efficient in the
80's/ 90's, even though there were fewer (And harder) possibilities
to communicate?
Digg: Today's
"SCENE" here in the states is in question.... not really
sure of what to make of it. I keep telling people that we need to
get back to our roots of the 80's and early 90's and bring back
that magic.
I for one loved the way we used to move the music
back then, you were forced to make it work on a face to face level....
no internet, and no bullshit excuses.. you either were or you weren't.
15. Are you in touch with the other old musicians of the band? What did you all do on a musical point of view after MASTER FURY split up? Did some of you play in metal bands and maybe recorded something?
Digg: I haven't
talked to Nick since the split, I talked to Lou off and on over
the years... but he's done playing now all together. He went into
"Bluegrass" down in Arizona and retired from it about
3 years ago.
I also talk to a few of the other guys that were
in the band prior to my return, and they are for the most part still
active in music one way or another.
16. Now, were all the recordings of MASTER FURY released? Maybe some decent live recordings, or cool rehearsal tapes are hiding somewhere? Perhaps a small tape or vinyl label would like to release parts of it... Do you think it could be a nice idea, or would these recordings be too poor (If it only exists)?
Digg: Nope...
what you see on the market is what there is, we didn't do and basement
tape releases or keep anything laying around.... that I know of.
If there is ... trust me I would LOVE to hear it \mm/
In FACT...
if anyone still has a copy of the VINYL... let me know... it's a
rarity in and of its self.
17. Could we expect something from the band in the future, or it's all old stories for you? Perhaps you will focus on another band or something?
Digg: Master Fury is very much still alive, we are in the process of bringing our new drummer up to speed and also going to start working on new tunes in the next few weeks. I am very happy with the way we are moving and can not wait until we slam the world once again.
PLEASE check
us out on:
Facebook
at: www.facebook.com/masterfuryband
and Reverbnation
at: www.reverbnation.com/masterfury
I
just want to say one thing to all those out there that have the
dream with music, STAY TRUE to your cause, do not let anyone or
anything distract you from your coarse.
Take the world by storm
and let them know who you are.
Thanks for still believing in
us...
Digg,
Bass / Vocals
Master Fury
