Interview с Manilla Road : DARKSIDE.ru

I am sure that Manilla Road new album called "Mysterium" has become one of the most diverse in content albums of this band, confirming the high status of these Americans from Kansas. And I’m sure that the following interview with the founder and main driving force of Manilla Road Mark The Shark Shelton will be interesting not only for old fans, but for all potential listeners of Manilla Road.

First of all, let’s talk about your last to date album “Mysterium”. How would you describe this album? In general, are you satisfied with the result?

Shark: I would describe Mysterium as sort of a collage of all the styles of Manilla Road rolled up into one album. Well, maybe not all the styles for we have touched on many. But I think if you have never really listened to Manilla Road, Mysterium is a really good place to start or maybe Gates of Fire or The Deluge. I actually really like almost all of my releases for the most part and with Mysterium it's more of a love. I really am proud of the project as a whole. It was a fun album to create and I really love the music. So yea I am really pleased with the result.

How do you think, "Mysterium" - it's just another album of Manilla Road, or whether it should be an important part of the discography, opening new opportunities for the band?

Shark: Oh I think it is far more than just another Manilla Road album. It has one of the best productions on it we have ever achieved for one thing. It's full of really good music that ranges from almost thrash to folk music. There is quite a variety on this album and I'm really proud of the lyrics and the lead guitar work on this one. I think it should be an album for everyone to hear and decide for themselves but I think it is a very important part of the MR discography.

As far as I know, the title theme of the album is dedicated to your ancestor Ludwig von Leichhardt, who was an explorer of Australia. Tell us more detailed about that…

Shark: My mothers maiden name is Leichhardt. Ludwig von Leichhardt is my great great great Uncle. He was one of the first white explorers of Australia in the mid 1800's. He became renowned for mapping out much of Australia and discovering many types of fauna and flora that the ci

vilized world did not know about. He earned many high awards for his contribution to science. On his last expedition his patrol was lost trying to circumnavigate the continent from East to West. This was in 1847 and 1848. There was very little trace of the patrol and to this day nobody really knows what happened to them. They do think that he made it about two thirds of the way across the continent though. Just seemed like a good mystery to throw out there and little bit of unique ancestral shark history also.

What other topics you touched on the "Mysterium"? All the same, I think, high-quality, meaningful lyrics are an integral part of a good album. Isn’t it?

Shark: Oh hell yeah. You have to have good lyrics especially for epic metal stuff. It's all about spinning a good yarn. Telling a good story you know. I do my best to try and have the music emulate the theme of the song as well but the lyrics are vital to the making of a great song. Other topics on the album also have to do with my ancestral background but from the Scottish, Irish and Viking side of my family. There are also some good metal anthems on the proje

ct along with a rendition of a Robert E. Howard story on it as well.

Name of the song Do What Thou Will reminded me Aleister Crowley phrase "Do What Thou Will Shall Be The Whole Of The Law". Is it a coincidence? And what you think about this old "junkie"?

Shark: “Do what thou wilt” or “will” was a much older saying than Ozzy's inspiration hehe. Mr. Crowley was sort of out there but he did do some pretty strange stuff and some of it remarkable. But for the most part I don't think much about the dude. It is a saying from the old pagan beliefs and something that is said quite often in those rituals of old.

"Mysterium" was recorded with new drummer and bassist. Tell us a little about these guys. How much the work style and approach to writing music changed when Josh Castillo and Neudi joined the band?

Shark: Well because of Neudi's background and the fact that he is a huge Randy Thrasher Foxe fan (Manilla Road drummer since 1985 to 1990, recorded albums which are considered as classics today - auth.) he has fit in really better than I could ever hope. He just happens to

be the best drummer that I could have in this band right now. He truly understands the style and the approach of the band from a musician and fan point of view. This is really helpful. And with Josh he just has the capability of playing pretty much anything that I can write. Because he is also a good guitarist he can relate to me very well and that is a plus also. And Josh as well understands where this band is coming from on the lyric side of things and I think that is really important when it comes to my band mates. I'm not sure that these guys have really changed my approach to Manilla Road music but they have allowed me to be able to proceed with what Manilla Road was originally intended to be in my mind.

To date the band over 30 years on stage. Is not it time to release an impressive DVD, which would be captured the band and told its history?

Shark: We are working on that one and it should be put together before too long. We just keep adding more footage to the damn thing hahaha.

In November 2012 came out re-release of Manilla debut album "Invasion". Please tell me more about this

re-release. Are there any differences from the original release? How do you evaluate your debut album today?

Shark: Well it's pretty much the same album that we released way back when with a little bit of re-mastering but not much at all. My really early stuff is what I am least impressed with to be honest. But I do love some of the stuff we were striving for at the time. It's just that the performances got much better on later albums.

Please tell about your attitude to the concept "Classic Band." Do you think that Manilla Road is a classic band?

Shark: I think that is one of many of the genres we fit into. I was most definitely influenced by classic rock music but we also fit into many other styles as well such as power, progressive, doom, thrash, epic, folk, blues.... Hell over the years we have touched on many styles and genres of metal and even other forms of music.

Let's discuss this in more detail. At various times you played in Manilla Road quite different music. However, despite the stylistic changes, the sound and original spirit of Manilla Road still remai

ned. I think this aspect is very important! How did you do it?

Shark: It's magik my friend. The phenomena that is Manilla Road is something really special. The muse has definitely been involved here. It's sort of a blessing and a curse at the same time and I usually call it the blessed curse of the muse.

Have you ever been accused in an old-fashioned?

Shark: I think I have seen a couple of reviews from American Core webzines that accused me of being old fashioned as far as the style of the music goes. But the most common thing that I hear that some don't like is my voice. It appears that you either love it or hate it.

You have no so many band photos… Why?

Shark: Actually we have a shit load of photos and you can see a lot of them on our facebook pages. Look at the inside cover of The Deluge re-issue album and man that's a lot of photos just in that album alone.

Do you think the music - it's just a reflection of the personal emotions and experiences, or it can help to influence and change our reality?

Shark: I think music is the one thing that everyone on the planet has in common. Maybe not the styles specifically but music in general seems to be the one common communication that we all have. It seems to open doors that war, politics and religion can't. Music includes the emotions of course but also the inner workings of the mind as well.

What you feel while playing on stage? Do you feel the excitement?

Shark: Oh yeah I feel it mate. It's one of the greatest highs that I have ever experienced and I never get tired of it. Especially when the audience is as excited as I am. Then it becomes the magikal whirlwind and it is off to the races.

Judging from the lyrics, you always interested in history and mythology. Moreover, in the 80's you completed the course in anthropology. How do you think, why the different nations of the world have so much similar mythological stories? From the point of view of anthropology...

Shark: Yep I am a really huge history, mythology and anthropology and archeology buff. The subject of ancient times and ways has always interested me for

some reason. Many of the ancient tales were absorbed by the conquering armies of other nations. Look at all the mythological assimilation that went on during the times of the Roman Empire alone. Once again it's all about a good tale. You just can't keep a good story down.

In your opinion, is it possible to consider rock and metal music from the point of view of anthropology?

Shark: Of course. What do you think I have been doing all these years hahahaha.

Is there a lyrical or musical theme you've always wanted to touch in your works, but still didn’t?

Shark: Several, but I am not done yet so I think I might get to them yet.

Let’s play in associations. Let’s go:

- Science
Shark: Future

- Religion
Shark: The fall of man

- Faith
Shark: Necessary

- Fate
Shark: Your own to make

- “Open the Gates”
Shark: I did

- Jim Morrison
Shark: Weird poet

- Molly Hatchet
Shark: Down home

- Whiskey
Shark: Oh yes please

- Death
Shark: Valhalla

- the IV-th crusade
Shark: Blood letting in the name of god

The next question is rather unusual as for the musical interview. As far as I know, in the U.S., people think that World War II was won by the Americans. Yes, the pact with Japan on the cessation of hostilities was signed on the U.S. battleship "Missouri", and when in Europe combat operations were completed, the U.S. continued to fight in the Pacific. I do not deny that from a legal point of view, the United States completed the war. However, the most extensive battles with German troops took place in the Soviet Union. Stalingrad and Kursk battles were turning points of that war. These victories made possible the opening of the Second Front and the Allied invasion of Normandy. Very interested to know what you think about this?

Shark: Nazi Germany lost that war for the same reason that Napolean lost. He pissed everyone off and so did the Nazi's eventually. You just can't win a war on so many fronts. The war in Europe was won by all nations that fought

against the Axis powers. Hell I think the Battle of Britain was probably a great turning point in the war. Russia entering the war was a huge thing also but remember it was Americans hauling supplies across the frozen ice to keep the Russian strongholds holding on. Not saying the Americans won the war on that front but just saying that we still had a part in it all. There were very few Americans flying in the Battle of Britain and the Pacific War was not fought by the Americans alone either. It was the congruent actions of many nations and peoples that brought down the Axis powers all over the world in my opinion.

By the way, what you think about this recent idiocy associated with the waiting for the end of the world? In my opinion, it is incredibly thoughtful commercial move, which made possible by modern information technology. I think many people have earned on this hysteria a big money. More surprising – why in the XXI century, many people have a medieval level of thinking?

Shark: I'm pretty surprised that as educated humans that there are still so many out there that still believe in organized religious orders.

You would think that by now everyone would have figured out that it is just a way of trying to control the masses. Faith is what people need not some priest telling them what to do. It's always good to listen to interpretations of faith but by the gods make decisions based on your own intelligence and stop relying on the church to tell you what the hell to do. Hell I'm a pagan at heart so it's an unfair question. I am appalled by organized religion.

Thank you for your answers. That’s were all my questions. If you want you can add something in the end of this interview.

Shark: Thank you for doing the interview. It was an honor for me. I would like to say one last thing and that is a brief message to all our fans, friends and supporters. Thank you so much for allowing me to continue making the music that I love. You have all been there for Manilla Road and I plan on keeping Manilla Road alive as long as you wish it. Up The Hammers & Down The Nails to all ye brethren of the hammer. Blessed Be
Shark

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14 май 2013 the End


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