Interview with Shorty, KILLER (Belgium)

The Band: Killer
Country: Belgium
The Member of the band: Shorty, guitarist, voice and leader of KILLER
https://myspace.com/killerhelgium

http://users.telenet.be/4-killer/

Interview by Vpower

Today I have the pleasure to talk with Shorty, the guitar and vocals of the Belgian legend band Killer, we can say he belongs to that selected group of musicians that have lived almost all the evolution of Metal throughout the decades, apart of being a great guitar player and frontman.

First of all, Shorty, congratulations for your new work, Monsters of Rock, because I think it is a lesson in classic Metal. What have been the reaction from the fans to this new album?

The reactions are overwhelming and mostly super positive.

At first sight it surprises a little the number of songs in the album, 15, nothing less. However, you never allow the level of the disc going down. Why so many songs?

Because it took 10 years between the previous and the new album, I had so many songs composed and we could not decide to let a few of them out of the new album. So we recorded them all.

And we enjoy them, but please don’t make us wait another 10 years for the next release. What Killer offers with Monsters of Rock is Heavy Metal with all the classic roots and flavour,  with an outstanding sound and perfomance. Killer albums have always had this classic sound, but I guess this new work is more polished, as if you have taken care of every detail, what do you think?

The reason why it sounds better is because the recording techniques are better today than ten or twenty years ago. And, of course, we are more experienced ourselves. I can conclude that we made a Classic Metal album with a modern sound.

Clear as water, yeah. How is the composition of a Killer album? Do you work the same way as when you started in the business?

Yes, in fact I compose all the songs and the lyrics, but the other band members can inject theis suggestions or ideas. I am not dictator.

This is your seventh album, the time passes for all, although listening to your songs it seems you have made a deal with the Devil, lol. What are your plans for the future?

I hope to play a lot of live concerts and festivals with Killer, and I hope to make at least one more album with Killer. If I stay healthy of course because I become older and older...

But your sound is forever young. There you have it guys, a new more album for the future, at least, great news! Let’s go back in time. Which is your favourite album of the band?

The new album is the best we ever made and it is my favourite.

How was the life for Killer back in the 80’s? You think it was a better time for Metal than now?

Yes an no. In the 80ties there was a Metal explosion and we were some kind of pioneers. Also, records were selling a lot. But nowadays records don’t sell anymore. But you can reach fans all over the world thanks to the Internet, Facebook, Youtube, websites, etc...

Killer had many years with no activity, for more than a decade, from the beginning of the 90’s to the new century, what happened? The Grundge wave, perhaps?

Yes, due to the Grunge style we went on non active, becasue this was not our favorite style of Metal.

There are no many renown bands from Belgium, but you have come to exceed those limits. How do you feel about it?

Yes, for a Belgian band it is difficult to become a major band, although we have some good bands (Ostrogoth, Channel Zero)

That’s true, I have review in my blog the new EP from Ostrogoth this year. You are a celebrity in the Metal world we could say, how does the people in Belgium live the Metal? Do they stop you at the street asking for signatures and photos?

Yes, that happens of course, and not only in Belgium, this happens in other countries as well. But I like it, it is a form of recognition and respect.

Sure, it is. Let’s do for a moment an effort of imagination, how do you think your life would be without a guitar, without playing? What would be your “other career”?

I don’t know, I can not imagine my live without music, it’s simply not possible. I am music.

Fucking true, man. Apart of Killer, do you have any other project right now?

Yes, we have a cover band called BlackJack. This is the same line up as Killer, but we play famous Classic Rock and Metal hitsongs. We have a lo of concerts with this band. We even played seven concerts in Spain a few years ago.

Very interesting. With a so long experience as yours in music, what advice would you give to the new young bands?

Believe in yourself and don’t give up, even when it is not working right from the beginning.

So, you have been so many years in the business, tell us of some guy that has really impressed you, out of Killer, lol?

Dio / Michael Schenker / Lemmy

I buy it! Do you have any touring dates scheduled for Spain this year?

Yes, we play “Metal Cova” Festival in Barcelona, on 28 November. And we will try to do a club concert with our conver band BlackJack the day before, on 27/11. But this is not yet confirmed, our manager is now in Spain to look for a club. Hope you can come to meet me?

Oh, I would like it very much, you can be sure, Shorty, although I live in Galicia, just the other corner of Spain, so we will see. But it’s fucking great to hear that you are going to to be in Spain so soon, and I hope this is just the first of many times to come, because, believe it my friends, KILLER is a band not to miss.

Thank you very much for your time, Shorty, you are a great guy!