Interviews: Aftermath


On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Thrash Metal/Crossover band Aftermath from the USA. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that?

When we formed the band, we did what most bands do we all tried to come up with a cool name. I was working as a screener at O’Hare Airport – the busiest airport in the world back then and instead of paying attention to the screen I was thinking of band names. I had a list and for some reason, Aftermath stood out. We all agreed that it was a cool name. It wasn’t that popular of a word at that time or not nearly as popular as it is now.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I got into rock like so many kids did when I was growing up. The band that did it for me was KISS. I moved on to Van Halen pretty quickly. By 1982 or 1983 music was getting heavier and faster. The early days of thrash were amazing and that made me want to be a singer. Before bands like Venom, Metallica, and Slayer I always wanted to play guitar, but it all changed when thrash came along.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

Steve (guitar), Ray (drums), and I all went to high school together. We formed the band. Steve and I were seniors when Ray was a freshman. Ray and I jammed in a band that never played a gig, but it wasn’t Aftermath. After high school, I ran into Steve in the parking lot of junior college and we decided to form a band. Steve was my guitar teacher before we formed Aftermath. So we got Ray to play drums and as they say, the rest is history.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

My favorite band is Van Halen (Roth era only).

Steve – it’s always hard to say one is my favorite but I have to go with Led Zeppelin.

Ray – Deep Purple I even named my son Ian

George - I have to go with Faith No More at the moment

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

I write all the lyrics. From the very beginning, I only wrote about real topics. I never got into what a lot of the metal bands write about. No dragon and wizard themes in our lyrics. I always wrote more like punk or hardcore bands. Looking at the early lyrics now I realize that I still write about a lot of the same topics. Basically how fucked up this world can be and often is. This is usually the fault of those really in power that has caused the rest of us to live under their rules. Back then I didn’t realize how much they control. I actually thought it was the elected officials. Anti-authoritarian themes dominate the lyrics. I have always questioned authority and things that just made no sense and that has been the inspiration for my lyrics. With Steve in the band it seems like he instinctively wrote music that fit the lyrics. It comes out so naturally that it is hard to explain.

6. Where was your last gig?

Chicago sometime in 2019, our next gig will be in Chicago again this December 10th

7. Where would you like to act?

To act? Nowhere. I think what band would we like to play with is VoiVod.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Back when Slayer was around playing with them would be great.

9. Whom not?

The list is too long!

10. Have Any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

None of us had that problem. I hear that tons of performers never really completely get over it, but just deal with. I think the tighter you are musically the easier it becomes to get on stage.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Van Halen. Even though we don’t sound like them, but everything they did was unconventional and so are we. Musically I don’t think any band has inspired us. We all love music and all different types of genres, but there isn’t one band or a few bands that have inspired us or influenced us so much that you can say wow I hear this band in your music.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

Nothing that really stands out.

13. What do you think of your fans?

They have great taste in music.

14. What do you think of our site? 

I really like the clean look of it. You go to some many sites that are so hard to navigate and so cluttered that it makes it hard to find stuff. Your guys have it down and it's done right. Easy to find stories and you cover some great bands.

15. Something you'd like to add?

Thanks for the interview. To anyone that hasn’t heard the new song or watched the video please do so. It’s the title track from our forthcoming album No Time To Waste. This album is the end of the trilogy that started with Eyes of Tomorrow and continued with our concept album There is Something Wrong (2019). The new album will be released soon, but we don’t have the date yet.

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