Steal the Spotlight: To whom am I speaking with and what is your part in this band?

Savage: CB: Hi this is Chris Bradley Lead Vocal and Bass guitar, and the guy who formed the band back in the day

AD: Hi this is Andy Dawson, lead guitar and one of the founder members, joined at 15!!!

KB: This is Kristian, and I play guitar.

STS: What was is like growing up in the period of time that you did?

Savage: CB: I grew up through the 70’s and there was some great music around all the glam stuff like T. Rex, Slade and Sweet to the heavy rock of Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Led Zeppelin.

AD: It was ok, part of a big family, lots of music around me and like all young people you become defined by certain types of music at an early age which was late 70’s and early 80’s rock, punk and alternative music. I didn’t go for disco!

KB: Poor! I grew up in the 80’s, just after the pits were starting to get closed. Wasn’t exactly a massive boom in the working class industries during my childhood!

STS: Who were the “Hot” ticket music personnel that you listened to growing up?

Savage: CB All those I mentioned before then of course there was also Thin Lizzy, Queen, UFO and Van Halen.

AD: All of the classic bands, Thin Lizzy, UFO, Van Halen, Pat Travers, Purple, Beatles event though they had gone by the time I listened to them.

KB: I grew up just as Metallica were starting out and the wave of American Thrash Metal was beginning. So I was watching bands like Metallica, Slayer, Megadeth & Anthrax on TV.

STS: Forming in1978, how has the industry changed for you since then?

Savage: CB I guess the biggest change for me is everything is now digital and for me some of the social aspect of listening to music with friends, passing around album sleeves and talking music, kids today tend to live in their own little worlds with their own personal soundtracks to life on their I-Pods.

AD: Technology has changed how we (everyone) listen to stuff but for rock music, you still make music the same way and technology cannot make it any better. 4 or 5 guys in a room playing live, it’s the same now as 30/40/50 years ago? Music has become more disposable and makes no money but touring makes money! Kinda reversed from back in the day, the internet gives us all better access to music and the people who make it and the people who buy it.

STS: From your bio, the band broke up in 1986, can you elaborate on that some?

Savage: AD: We were not able to see forwards and lacked support and guidance. We were still very young and we were only taking note of what the media said which was very US biased in terms of image and sound. We had more in common with AC/DC than Bon Jovi.

CB: Yeah pretty much what Andy said, we wasn’t getting the right advice, factions where forming in the band, it was all a bad time, should have got rid of Mark and Wayne and me and Andy carried on with new guys.

STS: With the large gap between releases, was it hard to get back into the groove?

Savage: AD: Not really, the process was the same, it took a few sessions to get the confidence back and be relaxed about new ideas.

CB: Absolutely not, in fact it was easy to go back to how it was in the early days with the new guys; it was like a breath of fresh air.

STS: With the young guy in the line-up now, has it taken you veterans back to your hay-days in terms of attitude?

Savage: CB: I think it adds to the overall attitude of the band, and give us another dimension, Kristian’s tastes are a lot heavier than Andy’s and closer to mine, but its early days yet for him so I hope both he and Mark will add more to the band as we work together more over time, they certainly both more accomplished players then previous members.

AD: It helps having Kristian but in some ways he’s as much old school as we are! Our attitude now is better because we don’t give a f**k what other people think. I only want to make music that I like.

STS: How is the new album “Sons of Malice” different from the other 5 releases?

Savage: AD: It’s certainly the best sounding album we have made; finally the album sounds as good as it does in the room. We have tried to remain close to our roots and listened to the stuff we grew up on with a twist here and there

KB It’s heavier than its predecessors. Still has that classic Savage feel to it, though.

CB: It’s as different to the others as they were to each other. Savage never does the same album twice, we have a certain style but we try not to repeat ourselves and try new themes!

STS: What kind of stuff did you draw on for the album?

Savage: CB: I know Andy had spent a lot of time listening to stuff from way before Loose ’n’ Lethal, the kind of music we listened to in the 70’s, as for me I always try to come up with memorable melodies with a hook and lyrical themes usually revolve around some kind of commentary on societal issues.

 AD: Musically all the classics from our youth, lyrically that’s mostly Chris with the odd idea tossed in from me

KB: Ozzy, Lizzy, Van Halen for me really. I listened to L’n’L a fair bit before we hit the studio, too.

STS: If you had to pick one or two tracks from the release, which one(s) would be your favorite and why?

Savage: CB: One of my favorites is ‘Now’ I just love that, it feels like a Lizzy song without plagiarism, The Hangin Tree is cool, I’d had this idea for the pocket watch chimes from ‘ Fistful of Dollars’ film as an intro for years, and it kinda found its way in on this album, I also love ‘Sons of Malice’ but I do like those mid paced heavy as fuck songs! Laughs.

 AD: Hanging Tree, love the acoustic parts and the gallop of the track. Rage within because it feels like we did in the beginning.

KB: The Hangin Tree, honestly I wasn’t really that keen on the track when we were jamming ideas out. It was only when we did the pre-production I started to like it, then once we’d done the tracking on the album version I was like “This tune is gonna kick some ass!” My son, Jack, absolutely LOVES this song. It should have been called “The Hangin’ Tree (Jack’s Song)” on the album!

STS: Are there any plans for a prolonged tour in the future? If so, when and where?

Savage: AD: A few festivals are lined up and more gigs to come. It’s the best way to promote the album. So Europe, US with some interest from places like India. Who knows?

CB: We would love to play as much as possible, so promoters and agents give us a call!

STS: What kind of bands would you like to tour with?

Savage: CB: I would tour with anyone, but there are loads of bands out there I like, Disturbed, Primal Fear, Black Label Society, Ozzy, Maiden, Judas Priest and of course Metallica!

AD: Ones that have a big audience! Iron Maiden, Black Country Communion, the new Lizzy. And of course Lady GaGa!

KB: Anyone!

STS: If you could share the stage with any artist ever, who would it be and why?

Savage: CB: Ozzy would be great, the ultimate metal showman, Eddie Van Halen and Zak Wylde just for the sheer kick ass metal of it, and Phil’s stand in for the current Thin Lizzy line up would be cool too!

AD: Phil Lynott, the best. Glen Hughes, I’d like to say Eddie VH but I’d probably drop my guitar on my own foot!

KB: James Hetfield or David Lee Roth. Me and James could come up with some immense riffs between us! And Diamond Dave is just the epitome of a front man, such a stage presence!

STS: Is there anything else that you want to mention to the fans or critics?

Savage: CB: To the fans I’d like to say thanks for staying with us over the years, to new kids give it a listen you may like it, then buy it don’t down load it we gotta eat too, and to the critics ‘Kiss my Ass you are obviously deaf!’

AD: Take risks with new music, check out new bands, and buy it don’t steal it!!