Interviews

Interviews: Manowar

Jeremy and fellow Metal DJ, Paul the Mad Hatter, had the privilege of talking Metal with Manowar's singer, Eric Adams. Manowar's latest triumph of steel, "Warriors of the World" is out on Metal Blade records. Read on to find out what it takes to be a King of Metal.

Jeremy Coulson: How have things been since the last record? Update the world on the Manowar camp.

Eric Adams: Things have been smokin'. We've been busier than hell. You know, people say, "It's been 6 years since your last studio record", but we've been bustin' our ass. We toured the world three times, we recorded two double live albums, then we came out with remakes of 'Battle Hymns' and 'Into Glory Ride', the silver edition of both of those albums, and did all the archival work and had Ross and Donny come up and sign all the stuff for both those albums, then we did a DVD of 'Hell on Earth Part 1', 'Hell on Earth Part 2' is done and ready to be released in December, 'Hell on Earth Part 3' is done, and we did a big DVD from Brazil. 'Blood in Brazil' it's called. It's a 12-camera shoot in 5.1 sound of a full Manowar show we played in Brazil. And we had to go to a studio and record an album, so we've been busy.

JC: Definitely sounds like it, dude. So how are you feeling about the reaction to 'Warriors of the World'?

EA: It's been a great reaction all over the world, which is really too cool. I just got off the phone with Brazil and they said it was just released there this week and they sold a thousand copies in the very first hour it was out. They're screamin' for us to get back down to Brazil, so it'll be cool. In Germany, it's been out for weeks now and it's still in the top 5.

JC: It seems like there's a little more variety on the new album. You've included more artsy stuff on it. What played into that?

EA: That wasn't planned. The album just kind of wrote itself. After you come up with some song ideas, the song demands what instrument has to be played. If it means it has to have an orchestra behind it, well then that's what it calls for. If it calls for a choir, then that's what it calls for. If it calls for a screamin' ass guitar, then that's what it calls for. You don't know until you try different things.

JC: When did you guys decide to start incorporating some of the September 11 theme into it?

EA: To be honest with you, the album was all written before September 11 happened. Most of it was recorded before it happened. We dedicated 'Fight for Freedom' to the families of 9/11, but it was already written. It's weird because when 9/11 happened, real shortly after that, we got a call from the NBA team up in Portland, the Blazers. One of the guys involved called us and wanted to know if they could have our permission to use our song in a video they had put together for 9/11. It was a video of the scenes of 9/11, it was a video of firefighters and police, and they used 'Courage' as the song. It's really too cool, we put it on our website, you can download it and check it out.

JC: How do you manage to keep the lyrical themes from getting old? Some bands just keep releasing the same rehashed Satanism on every CD. How do you keep Manowar's glory, honor, victory, and battle themes from getting tired?

EA: I can only say, it's because it's really played from the heart. I think if it's played from the heart and sung from the heart, people feel that and they know that. It's like the musician who plays his part and plays it well and it's perfect, but has no feel behind it. Something's missing. If you're not a musician, you won't be able to pick up what that is that's missing, but as a listener, you listen to it and you say "Fuck me, there's something that sucks about this". What it is is there's no feel behind it. His heart and soul isn't into it. He's just playing the part because he's getting paid to play the part. That's one thing we can honestly say is that our songs come from the heart. If I was in this for the money, I'd be an entertainment lawyer. I'm in it for the love of Metal. I'm in it for the art of Metal and just doing what I love to do. It's great to know the whole world's picking up on it. It's a huge thing now for us. It's a cool scene when we go play in front of 30,000 people.

JC: Manowar is a pretty enigmatic band as far as Metal goes and it's odd that a lot of Metalheads aren't 100% familiar with your history. What would be a brief, one-minute summary of Manowar's history?

EA: Smokin'! Our history has been early struggle. Our history's been believing in Metal. Livin' the life of Metal. Not takin' shit from anybody. That's why we've been with 20-some record labels. Believing in just the fans. We started off playing for a hundred people and now we're playing for thousands. It's just been built up like that. The history has just been blood, sweat, and guts and it continues.

JC: So where did the idea for the Wagner influenced track, "The March", come from?

EA: When Joey first wrote that, he was up all night writing this piece. He calls me early in the morning and asks me to come over and listen to it, so I bop over there, and he plays me this piece, and I've got my eyes closed, and I listened to the whole thing, and when it was all done, I looked at him and I said, "That's Wagner inspired if I ever heard it." And he started laughing. He hands me the score and on top of the score it says "Wagner's March". So I says "Man it really is Wagner oriented" and he said "Yeah, I just couldn't get it out of my brain." It just came to him and he put it down.

JC: Where did you guys get the idea to do "An American Trilogy"?

EA: It's one of those songs that we've wanted to do for a long time now and it just seemed now was the time to do it. Not because of the 9/11 thing, although it does give it meaning now, but because the album started to take shape and be more symphonic and be more versatile than any of the other albums. To take the "American Trilogy" and put it in an album like "Kings of Metal", it would have stuck out like a sore thumb. So we decided this is the album for it. We were having "Nessun Dorma" put on there and all the other orchestration that went on with this album. Plus, the coinciding with the death of Elvis, we decided this is the time to do it.

JC: It definitely adds an extra texture to the album, which is overall more eclectic than previous ones.

EA: You know, when people listen to this, they say "In the land of cotton? What the Hell is this all about?" But that's the song, and to do it justice, you have to do it exactly like the original composer wanted it done. So, we really took Elvis' version and copied it exactly. I mean exact! When you listen to it, you're going to hear the fluctuation of timings throughout the whole thing. There's not four measures that are exact same tempos. They constantly fluctuate back and forth, so it's so perfect, that if you could listen to the Elvis version, you could a/b it to our version and it's right there.

JC: Is there any formal music training among the band?

EA: I went to Hard Knocks University. We've played in different bands and our whole lives have been music. I think the best training you can get is being out there on the road and just doing it and making your mistakes and fucking up and finding out what you did wrong and correct it. That's how I've done my vocals and I think that's how everyone in this band has done it. I think the lineup we have now is the best lineup we've ever had. It's a smokin' lineup and everyone is a great musician and I don't think we've found our boundaries yet with Metal. I don't know where the Metal scene is going to go from here. Someone earlier today asked me what I thought the future of Metal is and I told him "The next Manowar album".

JC: Whereas lots of bands respond to trends, we can always be assured that the next Manowar album is just going to be 100% Metal.

EA: It's always going to be Metal. Metal is in our blood. That's no bullshit. I was raised on Metal, that's what I believe in, that's my lifestyle, that's what I do. I love being up on that stage playing. Who wouldn't want to do this for a living? You get up there, you see the world, you play for the greatest fans in the world with the best brothers you can come up with, you get fucked at the end of the night by any chick that you want, you're drinking booze, having a good time, and you get paid for it at the end of the night! Who wouldn't want to do that?

JC: What's the average Manowar show like? For those of us who have never been able to catch you.

EA: You know, we played down in Virginia. You should have come out.

JC: No, you guys were going to play, but it was cancelled.

EA: Oh was that the show that got cancelled? The first show of the tour!

JC: Yeah, we had passes and were all stoked for some true Metal, and like two days beforehand, the club posted on their site the show was cancelled.

EA: Why was it cancelled? I didn't get what the reason was.

JC: Well, I don't know for sure, but on the club's site, it said "The band was making some pretty outrageous demands, so we had to pass on the show." These are words I will never forget.

EA: Oh man, maybe it was to get paid? Come on, it's a club gig, we wouldn't be demanding anything. Maybe a little wine, some beer at the end of the night. That sucks. That really blows. Hey, I'll play anywhere. A soon as the bus stops, I get off and I play, that's the way I look at it.

Paul: Hey, I have a big backyard. And I'll get you a bunch of beer!

EA: That's it Paul!

Paul: I said I wasn't going to get married or die until Manowar played at both of them.

EA: I guess if you've never been to a Manowar show, you can expect to have your nuts blown off, so strap them to your leg, man. It's an exciting, powerful gig and something we all believe you not only have to see, but you have to feel. That's why we're the loudest band out there. When Scott hits his bass drum, I want you to feel that in your chest. When Joey hits his bass guitar, I want you to feel that in your chest. Get into the gig and feel the show. You can expect the whole place singing the words to the songs.

JC: I think people do know Manowar lyrics better than any other Metal band.

EA: More than me!

JC: Well, when you forget, you just hold the mic out and let the crowd take care of it.

EA: Yeah, I've done that, brother!

JC: So, what's in the future for Manowar?

EA: Well, here's the immediate future. I go to Denmark to play a festival, then we go to Spain to play a festival there, then we go to Germany to do some TV shows there and an awards show there in August, then sometime in September we start major touring. That's going to be worldwide touring, brother, and that includes the states, so get ready and we're going to just constantly tour and tour.

JC: How do you feel when people tell you that you're the kings of Metal?

EA: I tell you, I love it. I think it's great. Anyone who says that to me knows the band and if they know the band, that's great!

JC: Not just any band can say it. Manowar can get away with it though, because it's true.

EA: We didn't say that, the fans said that to us!

JC: Anything you'd like to close with?

EA: Tell everybody when we're in town to make sure you make the show. I don't care how far you have to travel. It's a rare even when we get to play the United States. When we decide to play there, get your ass out to the show. It's something you'll never forget.

JC: Hell yes, you'll see us there!

EA: Alright brother, I'm looking forward to it!

Related Links:
Official Site

Metal Blade Records