Declarations by: MARK TRUEIT,
guitar of THUNDER REIGNS
Band location: USA
Website: www.thunderreigns.com
Interview by: Valgorth | Date of publication: Nov 11, 2001
Hello there, Mark! How are You?
Hello- I am doing great, thank you!
Man, it is a fucking pleasure to have Thunder Reigns into the Metalica compilation! How do You feel about it?
This is an honor and a big reason why I am feeling so great. To know that my music will be heard by thousands of Metal Heads in South America is fantastic!
For those who are unfamiliar with THUNDER REIGNS, could You introduce the members of the band and instruments You play?
Guitar- Mark Trueit
Vocals- Mike Hutchings
Drums- Pete Dallas
Bass- Steve McCormack
I am curious about the creation of Thunder Reigns, please, could You go over the history of the band?
It was not easy and it did not happen over night. I was trying to either join or start a band. I’ve played and recorded in bands before and it had always been a collaborative effort. After a couple years of bullshit, meeting/talking/jamming with musician “loser-wannabe-fuckheads”(this brings back memories. I can laugh about it now though- ha,ha). I was fed up searching. I decided I had to do something on my own, because I could only rely on myself not to be full of shit. I had no songs and no band, so I came up with a name that I believed would help develop a concept that represented my style of Metal. Once I thought of Thunder Reigns, that was it. Now I had to make it real, so I designed a logo and had stickers made. This was about three years ago! I then began to search for a singer to write songs with. A drummer in another band helped me record rhythm tracks for a couple songs so I could give a tape to singers to see if they could write something. The short story is, I met many more losers- more bullshit! (of course- Ha,ha) Then one night at The Whisky, I went to see Fates Warning(April ‘98 ?)and I met Rick Plester(a fellow Canadian) from Black Symphony. I ran into Rick again later that week at another rock club. It seems fate brought us together as we became friends and he recommended a singer he knew from another band that lived in his town (50 miles outside of L.A.) Strangely enough(or fate) I hesitated calling the singer(Mike Hutchings)until I was reading BallBuster magazine- which I just received in the mail. On the last page of over 100 reviews I noticed a review of his band(Driven by Hate) and the review went on about how great the singer was(this was the only magazine I ever saw a review of his band in) I couldn’t believe it! I immediately called him and we talked. He is a big Racer X fan himself so we hit it off. (note:Jeff Martin- singer for Racer X was the drummer for Black Symphony at this time. I kept in touch with Jeff and sent him tapes{he lives in N.California} with guitar tracks to see if he could write some lyrics. Unfortunately this did not produce anything but that’s ok because Jeff left Black Symphony and recorded Technical Difficulties with Racer X- their first release in 8 years! The guitar tracks for what would become “Evil One” was on one of the tapes I sent to Jeff- I think I inspired him! Ha,ha).
Meeting drummers is another story. My music scares them away. I’m not kidding! Evil One is a very simple song for drummers- but wait ‘till you hear “Hell’s Demon.” It is more work than most drummers are willing to do. That’s been my problem, many musicians/singers want to do whatever is trendy, to sell records or get airplay. If they are good enough sometimes they are just into heavier death/black Metal, nu-metal, or want to sound like Metallica or Pantera and don’t think my music is “brutal” enough! Whatever, I’m not into trying to sound like someone else. Fuckin’ posers(ha,ha).
I prefer melodic/European influenced Metal which has never been that popular here in L.A. Even during the 80’s it was not easy to get talented musicians to play my music because everyone wanted to be the next Guns n’ Roses or Motley Crue and sell a million albums. I’ve never been concerned with that shit. I hope people enjoy my music but I don’t expect it to appeal to the masses. I write what I want to hear and what I enjoy playing. One day I walked into a neighborhood bar(Aug.`99) and this guy looks at me and says “Hey didn’t we play in a band together?” I didn’t recognize him (he cut his hair) It was Dallas. We had played in the same band together for a couple shows back in 1990. He didn’t live in L.A. anymore but he was in town regularly doing studio work or gigs. I told him I had just found a drummer for my project but as it turned out my music scared him away too(ha,ha). Again it seems as though fate brought us together as Dallas is a total pro-drummer and up for a challenge. Unfortunately with Dallas living about 150 miles away, conflicting schedules, I moved twice, both of our cars broke down a couple times. Xmas holidays, etc. It was a challenge just to get together to practice.We finally recorded drum tracks for some songs in April 2000.
What can You say about the recording of Evil One?
Triumph! A big step in a series of steps that got me this far. It may be difficult for others to understand how long it took and how many obstacles had to be overcome just to get this one song recorded/mixed and mastered. Then I had to put together the CD for promotion and send it out, which was a project all on it’s own and took several weeks to complete. In Feb.2001 I had all the tracks recorded except for bass. I took the raw tracks to Rick Plester’s home studio. He offered to produce/mix/master and have his bass player Rev Jones lend his talent. Unfortunately Rick was having many problems of his own releasing the next Black Symphony CD. I decided I couldn’t wait for his schedule to clear, as it would be months. After all I went through I decided not to waste anymore time and energy looking for a bass player. I hired an experienced studio musician, Steve McCormack(also Canadian) this was the easiest part of recording Evil One. Things worked out for the best I think.
Who is the creature on the front-cover of “Evil One” CD?
Ha,ha - I have nicknamed him “Evil One”(of course) When a friend of mine first saw my car she asked “Is that suppose to be you on the hood?” Very perceptive of her- but I think he represents all Metalheads. I created him when I came up with the concept for my car. If you look at the “About Us” page at MetalLives.com you will see a photo of The Metal God(Rob Halford) and the Metal Lives car. The “Evil One” is rising from a grave that the losers of this world had proclaimed Metal was dead and buried in. I want to make it clear, he is not Eddie (the Iron Maiden mascot) Eddie is a rotting corpse and looks nothing more like the Evil One than does Vic Rattlehead (Megadeth mascot) or one human compared to another. On the CD cover of “Evil One” and also the Metal Millennium poster he is desecrating a gravestone where Alternative,Rap,Hip-Hop,Disco is buried with the statement Metal Lives!!!!!!!! There is also a gravestone for the PMRC(parental music rights committee)- the group from the 80’s that Tipper Gore(presidential candidate Al Gore’s wife) headed, that was responsible for parental advisory stickers on CD’s and a gravestone for the Christian coalition for attacking Metal during the 80’s. For those of you who don’t know history, many Metal bands had to defend themselves in court in the U.S. from lawsuits brought by these groups against the likes of Ozzy and Judas Priest for supposed Satanic and suicidal lyrics etc.
You are also the main editor and creator of the web site that is called Metal Lives.com. Why did You build this site and what is its principal goals?
Yes- during the mid 90’s living in L.A. you would think that Metal did not exist. Trying to tell people that Metal was not dead was futile. The two main “corporate” magazines available at newsstands that once had Iron Maiden and Judas Priest on the covers now had Marilyn Manson and the like. It made me puke! Marilyn Manson is not Metal! (morons). So I started sending away for underground fanzines. I didn’t know what I was going to get. I was blown away by all of the great magazines out there. With each fanzine I’d learn about another one and soon I would send away for a different one every week. I especially looked forward to ones from other countries so I could see what was going on around the world. It didn’t matter if it wasn’t written in English. I didn’t know anyone who even knew these magazines existed. The greatest thing about these ‘zines were the editors ranting about the same things I was thinking about, like what a load of shit nu-metal was and how they were sick of it too. I was inspired! I didn’t even have a computer yet, (this was July `99) but I contacted a company that would help me to reserve a domain name. MetalLives.com was born. I still didn’t know what I was going to do with this though. I knew I wanted to help give exposure to all of these ‘zines which took me a couple of years to collect. About 6 months earlier I had searched for an airbrush artist to paint the Thunder Reigns logo on my leather jacket. This guy(Steve Shuck) is an amazing artist. We became friends and I started thinking up ideas to utilize his talent for my website. It took months to create everything. You can see the results in the website logo, the Metal Millennium poster and all the artwork on the T-Shirt and Chickwear. Which by the way I was inspired to do because the only cool Metal shirts I’ve seen are concert shirts which are like $35.00 I wanted to come up with something that promotes Metal in general and would appeal to fans of any genre of Metal. The “Chickwear” I came up with because I always hear women complain that there is nothing for them to wear. Oversize men’s T-Shirts are mostly worn to sleep in. Baby-dolls only recently became popular and are overpriced concert shirts too- which is fine but I wanted to offer an alternative. I have some unique designs that only a MetalChick would wear with skulls and skeleton claws and styles other than just baby-dolls. Critics are entitled to their opinion but I always need to hear a band for myself so that’s what the Underground page is all about. What’s the point of having your band on the web and not have your music available to listen to? It’s like going to a concert and the band didn’t bring their instruments. If I can’t listen to your music- you don’t exist! MetalLives.com first went online in June 2000, but do to problems with hosts I had to take it down in Jan.2001. It took me a couple months to upgrade my computer, design a new website and find a suitable host.
I am curious about something in Your site... Did the girls send You their photos or did You rip off the photos from magazines?! I am asking You this because I have never seen so many photos of beautiful Metal-girls as You are showing in Your site!!!
(laughing) I think that is a great compliment to me and the girls, I’m glad you think so! The photos were not “ripped off. “Every one of the girls gave me permission to post their photo. Some sent me their photo or gave me permission to copy one from their website or I took it myself. I got the idea because I was sick of visiting Metal sites with photos of women who weren’t even into Metal. I’ve had offers from porn chicks to model my tops, but obviously their websites are not about Metal so I turn them down. I want to show that there are women who love Metal all around the world. Some of them have websites/’zines of their own for promoting Metal. I invite MetalChicks in Argentina to show the world your love for Metal at MetalLives.com
Could You name the Internet as one of the biggest successes of the millennium?
Yes of course- it has changed the way the world operates on so many levels, for the good. How else would we have become friends if not for the Internet?
Also, some musicians are against the MP3 theme. But there are some who think the MP3 doesn't affect the music career at all. What is Your opinion about it?
I don’t understand this at all, they are crazy! I’ve been recording and sending out demos since the late 80’s. It is expensive to make tapes/CDs and then mail them all over the world maybe just to be thrown away. Now with the Internet and mp3 available worldwide 24/7 at no expense to me or to people who want to listen at their convenience. Now the hard part is reaching people to get them to visit your website to download a song. It is an amazing opportunity to make music easily available for fans to listen to. This is important for “signed” bands as well. Just because you are on a label doesn’t mean I am going to buy your CD- I still need to hear it. I am very hesitant to pay for a CD without knowing what I am going to get. Many times I’ve purchased a CD after reading glowing reviews about a band only to have it take up space on my CD rack gathering dust. Now it is possible for anyone with a computer to potentially listen to your music. Not everyone has a computer, but how many people are going to hear your music if you are an unknown band anyways? Now the possibilities are limitless. But, even when it is free, it is still difficult to get people to take the time to listen to something new. Some band e-mailed me after visiting MetalLives.com and they told me that if I wanted to listen to their music I could buy their CD! WHAT?? Are they fucking insane? I can’t afford to buy all the CD’s I want as it is. They’ll be lucky to get someone to take the time to listen to their music even if they give it away!! Good luck you dumb fucks! (Ha,ha) BUT if they had an MP3 download I would make the time to listen and I will post them on the Underground page and help them get exposure!
Where do You find the inspiration to write music?
1) hearing something in my head and trying to work it out on guitar. 2) working off of an idea from someone else.”Evil One” was actually an idea my friend had on guitar- a crude version just the verse, he sucked at playing guitar and asked me if I could do something with his idea. This inspired me and I went beyond what he had come up with. I like to collaborate like this. He also wrote the original lyrics which were completely different. 3) I’ve written complete songs by working with a tape that had only vocals on it and I’ll just jam over parts until I hear something that “clicks.” 4) Jamming with drum tracks sometimes can inspire new ideas as well.
What kind of guitar and/or guitars You use to play?
I only have one guitar- a Fender Squier-Strat w/hotrail pickups, a kahler locking whammy and a 15db boost switch.
Would You think the magic and the spirit of Metal have been lost in the last years?
NO!! Not for me. Discovering Metalheads around the world and all the underground ‘zines that exist, I believe the spirit of Metal is greater than ever. These ‘zines and websites did not exist until Metal went underground again. We who know Metal, know that it lives! Life is a cycle, music and trends go in cycles. Real Metal is not about trend or popularity. It lives for those who want it and appreciate it. I feel the spirit is stronger than ever because Metal is not trendy now, so only people who truly love Metal are supporting it and playing it(and I don’t mean nu-metal- which is very trendy here in the states) It seems we are stronger in our defiance of mainstream acceptance than ever before.
Do You think bands such as Limp Biskit or Korn contribute to this particular situation?
I say lets just ignore that shit. Whatever I may have heard from these bands did not make me want to hear more. I don’t buy their music, I don’t go to their concerts. They may as well be The Bumfuck (Backstreet) Boys for all I care- Lame! These bands are to this generation what bands like Poison, Whitesnake and Motley Crue were in the 80’s or Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins were in the 90’s they appealed to the masses of a younger generation. Let’s see where they are in 5, 10 or 20 years when the fashion fades. When UDO and Saxon came to California I drove to San Diego to see them in a tiny club. It was great. I have more respect for these bands that still tour even though they don’t play stadiums like in the 80’s. I don’t appreciate people who think it is a joke that these bands are still around. Those people just don’t get it, they are not true metalheads. These bands are still around because they love Metal, they live Metal, and they have fans that appreciate that. Where is Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumkins now ?
I think Metal is for a chosen few and this kind of alterna-crap called "nu-Metal" has a very different spirit, and it isn't Metal at all.
I agree.
So I think You are also agree with the famous quote “Death To False Metal”, right?
Of course!- ha,ha Let’s bury that shit!
What kind of bands do You currently listen to?
I have been inspired more than ever by some of the bands out there. I’ve only recently become a fan of Primal Fear. Helloween, Gamma Ray, Racer X of course continues to be awesome. Rob Halford’s return is monumental and signifies a re-birth of Metal. I only recently bought Rainbow’s “Long Live Rock n’ Roll”. The fact that it was recorded over 20 years ago only makes me more in awe. To me there is nothing “old” about the music-it is timeless, it fucking rules! As a guitarist I appreciate Ritchie Blackmore’s talent and sound more than ever and Dio’s talent and his legacy to Metal is undeniable. Where would Metal be without these people. To me, their contribution to Metal is as significant as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I can’t believe it when I read “extreme” metal critics who do not respect Dio’s amazing voice and prefer the unintelligible glass gargling growls of “brutal” nu-metal. I am more of a Metalhead now than I was in my teens. Metal is not a phase to grow out of, you are either in it for life or you were never in! We dare to be different and do not succumb to the brainwashing efforts of record companies and corporate radio. That crap is for the weak minded lambs who follow the crowd.
Which was the album that made You become a heavy metal fan?
Girlschool ”Hit and Run” I know it’s strange but I heard the song “Race With The Devil” on a midnight Metal Hour radio show when I was 14 and I had never heard anything like it. Kelly Johnson is a great guitar player- this was 20 years ago. My first Iron Maiden concert I didn’t even know Maiden’s music yet. I went because Girlschool opened for them.
Great band! So... Mmm... It leads me to ask You... imagine an extreme near future in the human evolution. Mark Trueit is the last surviving man of the whole planet and, recently, he discovered a Metal store which survived to the main destruction. In there, he find his very 5 favourite albums to play at maximum volume... Do You know what kind of albums he found?
I like to make compilation tapes of my favorite songs because rarely are there albums where I like every song. BUT if I had to choose off the top of my head I would say 1)Racer X- Second Heat 2)Iron Maiden- Number of the Beast 3) Judas Priest- Unleashed in the East 4)Rainbow- Long Live Rock n’ Roll 5) Ozzy- Diary of a Madman
What about the books and the comic books? Any favorite one from each category?
No, it’s been a long time since I’ve read any books or comics. If only there were more hours in the day!
Where can the Metal heads go to purchase merchandise of Thunder Reigns and/or Metal Lives?
Thunder Reigns.com has no merchandise- yet, but the mp3 download of course is free! A direct link to our MP3.com page can be found at ThunderReigns.com, MetalLives.com merchandise can be viewed of course on the website. For only $10.00 you get a full color Metal T-Shirt or Chickwear top, mailed to any country in the world- if you think I'm making any money from this you are crazy! (and I'm crazy for doing it)
Please Mark, give me the last words and let us know why the Thunder Reigns.
The answer is simple, yet only a metalhead could appreciate and understand. It’s like a reflection in the mirror, the meaning is the same. Look at the words and think, you will see why it is – where METAL RULES/THUNDER REIGNS!!!!!!!
Band location: USA
Website: www.thunderreigns.com
Interview by: Valgorth | Date of publication: Nov 11, 2001
Hello there, Mark! How are You?
Hello- I am doing great, thank you!
Man, it is a fucking pleasure to have Thunder Reigns into the Metalica compilation! How do You feel about it?
This is an honor and a big reason why I am feeling so great. To know that my music will be heard by thousands of Metal Heads in South America is fantastic!
For those who are unfamiliar with THUNDER REIGNS, could You introduce the members of the band and instruments You play?
Guitar- Mark Trueit
Vocals- Mike Hutchings
Drums- Pete Dallas
Bass- Steve McCormack
I am curious about the creation of Thunder Reigns, please, could You go over the history of the band?
It was not easy and it did not happen over night. I was trying to either join or start a band. I’ve played and recorded in bands before and it had always been a collaborative effort. After a couple years of bullshit, meeting/talking/jamming with musician “loser-wannabe-fuckheads”(this brings back memories. I can laugh about it now though- ha,ha). I was fed up searching. I decided I had to do something on my own, because I could only rely on myself not to be full of shit. I had no songs and no band, so I came up with a name that I believed would help develop a concept that represented my style of Metal. Once I thought of Thunder Reigns, that was it. Now I had to make it real, so I designed a logo and had stickers made. This was about three years ago! I then began to search for a singer to write songs with. A drummer in another band helped me record rhythm tracks for a couple songs so I could give a tape to singers to see if they could write something. The short story is, I met many more losers- more bullshit! (of course- Ha,ha) Then one night at The Whisky, I went to see Fates Warning(April ‘98 ?)and I met Rick Plester(a fellow Canadian) from Black Symphony. I ran into Rick again later that week at another rock club. It seems fate brought us together as we became friends and he recommended a singer he knew from another band that lived in his town (50 miles outside of L.A.) Strangely enough(or fate) I hesitated calling the singer(Mike Hutchings)until I was reading BallBuster magazine- which I just received in the mail. On the last page of over 100 reviews I noticed a review of his band(Driven by Hate) and the review went on about how great the singer was(this was the only magazine I ever saw a review of his band in) I couldn’t believe it! I immediately called him and we talked. He is a big Racer X fan himself so we hit it off. (note:Jeff Martin- singer for Racer X was the drummer for Black Symphony at this time. I kept in touch with Jeff and sent him tapes{he lives in N.California} with guitar tracks to see if he could write some lyrics. Unfortunately this did not produce anything but that’s ok because Jeff left Black Symphony and recorded Technical Difficulties with Racer X- their first release in 8 years! The guitar tracks for what would become “Evil One” was on one of the tapes I sent to Jeff- I think I inspired him! Ha,ha).
Meeting drummers is another story. My music scares them away. I’m not kidding! Evil One is a very simple song for drummers- but wait ‘till you hear “Hell’s Demon.” It is more work than most drummers are willing to do. That’s been my problem, many musicians/singers want to do whatever is trendy, to sell records or get airplay. If they are good enough sometimes they are just into heavier death/black Metal, nu-metal, or want to sound like Metallica or Pantera and don’t think my music is “brutal” enough! Whatever, I’m not into trying to sound like someone else. Fuckin’ posers(ha,ha).
I prefer melodic/European influenced Metal which has never been that popular here in L.A. Even during the 80’s it was not easy to get talented musicians to play my music because everyone wanted to be the next Guns n’ Roses or Motley Crue and sell a million albums. I’ve never been concerned with that shit. I hope people enjoy my music but I don’t expect it to appeal to the masses. I write what I want to hear and what I enjoy playing. One day I walked into a neighborhood bar(Aug.`99) and this guy looks at me and says “Hey didn’t we play in a band together?” I didn’t recognize him (he cut his hair) It was Dallas. We had played in the same band together for a couple shows back in 1990. He didn’t live in L.A. anymore but he was in town regularly doing studio work or gigs. I told him I had just found a drummer for my project but as it turned out my music scared him away too(ha,ha). Again it seems as though fate brought us together as Dallas is a total pro-drummer and up for a challenge. Unfortunately with Dallas living about 150 miles away, conflicting schedules, I moved twice, both of our cars broke down a couple times. Xmas holidays, etc. It was a challenge just to get together to practice.We finally recorded drum tracks for some songs in April 2000.
What can You say about the recording of Evil One?
Triumph! A big step in a series of steps that got me this far. It may be difficult for others to understand how long it took and how many obstacles had to be overcome just to get this one song recorded/mixed and mastered. Then I had to put together the CD for promotion and send it out, which was a project all on it’s own and took several weeks to complete. In Feb.2001 I had all the tracks recorded except for bass. I took the raw tracks to Rick Plester’s home studio. He offered to produce/mix/master and have his bass player Rev Jones lend his talent. Unfortunately Rick was having many problems of his own releasing the next Black Symphony CD. I decided I couldn’t wait for his schedule to clear, as it would be months. After all I went through I decided not to waste anymore time and energy looking for a bass player. I hired an experienced studio musician, Steve McCormack(also Canadian) this was the easiest part of recording Evil One. Things worked out for the best I think.
Who is the creature on the front-cover of “Evil One” CD?
Ha,ha - I have nicknamed him “Evil One”(of course) When a friend of mine first saw my car she asked “Is that suppose to be you on the hood?” Very perceptive of her- but I think he represents all Metalheads. I created him when I came up with the concept for my car. If you look at the “About Us” page at MetalLives.com you will see a photo of The Metal God(Rob Halford) and the Metal Lives car. The “Evil One” is rising from a grave that the losers of this world had proclaimed Metal was dead and buried in. I want to make it clear, he is not Eddie (the Iron Maiden mascot) Eddie is a rotting corpse and looks nothing more like the Evil One than does Vic Rattlehead (Megadeth mascot) or one human compared to another. On the CD cover of “Evil One” and also the Metal Millennium poster he is desecrating a gravestone where Alternative,Rap,Hip-Hop,Disco is buried with the statement Metal Lives!!!!!!!! There is also a gravestone for the PMRC(parental music rights committee)- the group from the 80’s that Tipper Gore(presidential candidate Al Gore’s wife) headed, that was responsible for parental advisory stickers on CD’s and a gravestone for the Christian coalition for attacking Metal during the 80’s. For those of you who don’t know history, many Metal bands had to defend themselves in court in the U.S. from lawsuits brought by these groups against the likes of Ozzy and Judas Priest for supposed Satanic and suicidal lyrics etc.
You are also the main editor and creator of the web site that is called Metal Lives.com. Why did You build this site and what is its principal goals?
Yes- during the mid 90’s living in L.A. you would think that Metal did not exist. Trying to tell people that Metal was not dead was futile. The two main “corporate” magazines available at newsstands that once had Iron Maiden and Judas Priest on the covers now had Marilyn Manson and the like. It made me puke! Marilyn Manson is not Metal! (morons). So I started sending away for underground fanzines. I didn’t know what I was going to get. I was blown away by all of the great magazines out there. With each fanzine I’d learn about another one and soon I would send away for a different one every week. I especially looked forward to ones from other countries so I could see what was going on around the world. It didn’t matter if it wasn’t written in English. I didn’t know anyone who even knew these magazines existed. The greatest thing about these ‘zines were the editors ranting about the same things I was thinking about, like what a load of shit nu-metal was and how they were sick of it too. I was inspired! I didn’t even have a computer yet, (this was July `99) but I contacted a company that would help me to reserve a domain name. MetalLives.com was born. I still didn’t know what I was going to do with this though. I knew I wanted to help give exposure to all of these ‘zines which took me a couple of years to collect. About 6 months earlier I had searched for an airbrush artist to paint the Thunder Reigns logo on my leather jacket. This guy(Steve Shuck) is an amazing artist. We became friends and I started thinking up ideas to utilize his talent for my website. It took months to create everything. You can see the results in the website logo, the Metal Millennium poster and all the artwork on the T-Shirt and Chickwear. Which by the way I was inspired to do because the only cool Metal shirts I’ve seen are concert shirts which are like $35.00 I wanted to come up with something that promotes Metal in general and would appeal to fans of any genre of Metal. The “Chickwear” I came up with because I always hear women complain that there is nothing for them to wear. Oversize men’s T-Shirts are mostly worn to sleep in. Baby-dolls only recently became popular and are overpriced concert shirts too- which is fine but I wanted to offer an alternative. I have some unique designs that only a MetalChick would wear with skulls and skeleton claws and styles other than just baby-dolls. Critics are entitled to their opinion but I always need to hear a band for myself so that’s what the Underground page is all about. What’s the point of having your band on the web and not have your music available to listen to? It’s like going to a concert and the band didn’t bring their instruments. If I can’t listen to your music- you don’t exist! MetalLives.com first went online in June 2000, but do to problems with hosts I had to take it down in Jan.2001. It took me a couple months to upgrade my computer, design a new website and find a suitable host.
I am curious about something in Your site... Did the girls send You their photos or did You rip off the photos from magazines?! I am asking You this because I have never seen so many photos of beautiful Metal-girls as You are showing in Your site!!!
(laughing) I think that is a great compliment to me and the girls, I’m glad you think so! The photos were not “ripped off. “Every one of the girls gave me permission to post their photo. Some sent me their photo or gave me permission to copy one from their website or I took it myself. I got the idea because I was sick of visiting Metal sites with photos of women who weren’t even into Metal. I’ve had offers from porn chicks to model my tops, but obviously their websites are not about Metal so I turn them down. I want to show that there are women who love Metal all around the world. Some of them have websites/’zines of their own for promoting Metal. I invite MetalChicks in Argentina to show the world your love for Metal at MetalLives.com
Could You name the Internet as one of the biggest successes of the millennium?
Yes of course- it has changed the way the world operates on so many levels, for the good. How else would we have become friends if not for the Internet?
Also, some musicians are against the MP3 theme. But there are some who think the MP3 doesn't affect the music career at all. What is Your opinion about it?
I don’t understand this at all, they are crazy! I’ve been recording and sending out demos since the late 80’s. It is expensive to make tapes/CDs and then mail them all over the world maybe just to be thrown away. Now with the Internet and mp3 available worldwide 24/7 at no expense to me or to people who want to listen at their convenience. Now the hard part is reaching people to get them to visit your website to download a song. It is an amazing opportunity to make music easily available for fans to listen to. This is important for “signed” bands as well. Just because you are on a label doesn’t mean I am going to buy your CD- I still need to hear it. I am very hesitant to pay for a CD without knowing what I am going to get. Many times I’ve purchased a CD after reading glowing reviews about a band only to have it take up space on my CD rack gathering dust. Now it is possible for anyone with a computer to potentially listen to your music. Not everyone has a computer, but how many people are going to hear your music if you are an unknown band anyways? Now the possibilities are limitless. But, even when it is free, it is still difficult to get people to take the time to listen to something new. Some band e-mailed me after visiting MetalLives.com and they told me that if I wanted to listen to their music I could buy their CD! WHAT?? Are they fucking insane? I can’t afford to buy all the CD’s I want as it is. They’ll be lucky to get someone to take the time to listen to their music even if they give it away!! Good luck you dumb fucks! (Ha,ha) BUT if they had an MP3 download I would make the time to listen and I will post them on the Underground page and help them get exposure!
Where do You find the inspiration to write music?
1) hearing something in my head and trying to work it out on guitar. 2) working off of an idea from someone else.”Evil One” was actually an idea my friend had on guitar- a crude version just the verse, he sucked at playing guitar and asked me if I could do something with his idea. This inspired me and I went beyond what he had come up with. I like to collaborate like this. He also wrote the original lyrics which were completely different. 3) I’ve written complete songs by working with a tape that had only vocals on it and I’ll just jam over parts until I hear something that “clicks.” 4) Jamming with drum tracks sometimes can inspire new ideas as well.
What kind of guitar and/or guitars You use to play?
I only have one guitar- a Fender Squier-Strat w/hotrail pickups, a kahler locking whammy and a 15db boost switch.
Would You think the magic and the spirit of Metal have been lost in the last years?
NO!! Not for me. Discovering Metalheads around the world and all the underground ‘zines that exist, I believe the spirit of Metal is greater than ever. These ‘zines and websites did not exist until Metal went underground again. We who know Metal, know that it lives! Life is a cycle, music and trends go in cycles. Real Metal is not about trend or popularity. It lives for those who want it and appreciate it. I feel the spirit is stronger than ever because Metal is not trendy now, so only people who truly love Metal are supporting it and playing it(and I don’t mean nu-metal- which is very trendy here in the states) It seems we are stronger in our defiance of mainstream acceptance than ever before.
Do You think bands such as Limp Biskit or Korn contribute to this particular situation?
I say lets just ignore that shit. Whatever I may have heard from these bands did not make me want to hear more. I don’t buy their music, I don’t go to their concerts. They may as well be The Bumfuck (Backstreet) Boys for all I care- Lame! These bands are to this generation what bands like Poison, Whitesnake and Motley Crue were in the 80’s or Pearl Jam and Smashing Pumpkins were in the 90’s they appealed to the masses of a younger generation. Let’s see where they are in 5, 10 or 20 years when the fashion fades. When UDO and Saxon came to California I drove to San Diego to see them in a tiny club. It was great. I have more respect for these bands that still tour even though they don’t play stadiums like in the 80’s. I don’t appreciate people who think it is a joke that these bands are still around. Those people just don’t get it, they are not true metalheads. These bands are still around because they love Metal, they live Metal, and they have fans that appreciate that. Where is Pearl Jam or Smashing Pumkins now ?
I think Metal is for a chosen few and this kind of alterna-crap called "nu-Metal" has a very different spirit, and it isn't Metal at all.
I agree.
So I think You are also agree with the famous quote “Death To False Metal”, right?
Of course!- ha,ha Let’s bury that shit!
What kind of bands do You currently listen to?
I have been inspired more than ever by some of the bands out there. I’ve only recently become a fan of Primal Fear. Helloween, Gamma Ray, Racer X of course continues to be awesome. Rob Halford’s return is monumental and signifies a re-birth of Metal. I only recently bought Rainbow’s “Long Live Rock n’ Roll”. The fact that it was recorded over 20 years ago only makes me more in awe. To me there is nothing “old” about the music-it is timeless, it fucking rules! As a guitarist I appreciate Ritchie Blackmore’s talent and sound more than ever and Dio’s talent and his legacy to Metal is undeniable. Where would Metal be without these people. To me, their contribution to Metal is as significant as Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden. I can’t believe it when I read “extreme” metal critics who do not respect Dio’s amazing voice and prefer the unintelligible glass gargling growls of “brutal” nu-metal. I am more of a Metalhead now than I was in my teens. Metal is not a phase to grow out of, you are either in it for life or you were never in! We dare to be different and do not succumb to the brainwashing efforts of record companies and corporate radio. That crap is for the weak minded lambs who follow the crowd.
Which was the album that made You become a heavy metal fan?
Girlschool ”Hit and Run” I know it’s strange but I heard the song “Race With The Devil” on a midnight Metal Hour radio show when I was 14 and I had never heard anything like it. Kelly Johnson is a great guitar player- this was 20 years ago. My first Iron Maiden concert I didn’t even know Maiden’s music yet. I went because Girlschool opened for them.
Great band! So... Mmm... It leads me to ask You... imagine an extreme near future in the human evolution. Mark Trueit is the last surviving man of the whole planet and, recently, he discovered a Metal store which survived to the main destruction. In there, he find his very 5 favourite albums to play at maximum volume... Do You know what kind of albums he found?
I like to make compilation tapes of my favorite songs because rarely are there albums where I like every song. BUT if I had to choose off the top of my head I would say 1)Racer X- Second Heat 2)Iron Maiden- Number of the Beast 3) Judas Priest- Unleashed in the East 4)Rainbow- Long Live Rock n’ Roll 5) Ozzy- Diary of a Madman
What about the books and the comic books? Any favorite one from each category?
No, it’s been a long time since I’ve read any books or comics. If only there were more hours in the day!
Where can the Metal heads go to purchase merchandise of Thunder Reigns and/or Metal Lives?
Thunder Reigns.com has no merchandise- yet, but the mp3 download of course is free! A direct link to our MP3.com page can be found at ThunderReigns.com, MetalLives.com merchandise can be viewed of course on the website. For only $10.00 you get a full color Metal T-Shirt or Chickwear top, mailed to any country in the world- if you think I'm making any money from this you are crazy! (and I'm crazy for doing it)
Please Mark, give me the last words and let us know why the Thunder Reigns.
The answer is simple, yet only a metalhead could appreciate and understand. It’s like a reflection in the mirror, the meaning is the same. Look at the words and think, you will see why it is – where METAL RULES/THUNDER REIGNS!!!!!!!
