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Date:
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Taken from: The Metal Minute
URL:
rayvanhornjr.blogspot.com
Interview by: Ray Van
Horn, Jr.
Take 5 with Billy Milano of S.O.D./M.O.D.
Obviously
this man needs no introduction, even if you weren't there originally when the
punk and metal undergrounds were merged together around the time S.O.D.'s "Speak
English Or Die" came out. At that point, both sanctions were at war with one
another. Crossover taught punkers and metalheads to cut their bullshit and unite
with the common bond of being dregs of society, hence the creation of one of
S.O.D.'s few serious songs "United Forces." Unfortunately the lessons we learned in
the eightes have been squandered in today's punk and metal resurgence. If you
weren't there originally, then history is doomed to repeat itself, as they say...
Billy Milano has never been afraid to speak
his mind, which accounts in large portion for his legend, but at this point in
his career, Milano seeks to purge some of the anger and vehemence that's fueled
his infamous tongue lashing. With a final S.O.D. altar offering, the "Rise of the
Infidels" EP and a forthcoming M.O.D. album "Red, White and Screwed" that is the
definitive mark of Milano's hardcore background, the former New York stomper has
taken up residence in Austin, Texas where he looks forward to a more harmonious
existence and future music projects that do not include S.O.D.
I had a lengthy
discussion with Milano about his state of mind these days, and I urge you to
check out the main portion of this interview in my column "Death From Below" in
the October/November issue of AMP magazine for more of Milano's colorful
comments about life in S.O.D. and the story behind the live show at The Phoenix in
Seattle, Washington that is captured on "Rise of the Infidels". Not to be missed,
I assure you...
The Metal Minute: Here it is 2007 and Megaforce is
back, and so is S.O.D. hypothetically with the "Rise of the Infidels" EP. That label
was one of the coolest of the day before they eventually folded the first time.
I want to get some of your memories of the early days with Megaforce, "Speak
English Or Die" and "Ram it Up" from "Songs From the Megavault". In your mind, what
was so cool about Megaforce that you went with them again for "Rise of the
Infidels"?
Billy Milano: Megaforce Records back in the day was really unique in a way that
the bands themselves that were going to the label grew up in the music scene and
represented it at that time. It’s not like music today; you have factory bands,
is what I like to call them. What you have today are bands put together for the
label by producers. It’s just not really a situation that has any grass-roots
movement in it. It’s actually built to be successful and there’s nothing wrong
with that; success is a wonderful thing. In the reality of it, however, in the
early days of Megaforce, it was something that everyone who was involved with it
or everyone who wound up signing to it at that point wound up being affiliated
with the music scene for many years. I was part of the New York hardcore scene;
the first show I ever went to was in 1980. Back in the day, Megaforce was just
starting in ’82, I believe, and I was already a part of the New York hardcore
scene for a long time before they got to a point where they were signing that
kind of stuff. Once they did, it was like someone representing the music scene,
and that’s what Megaforce really was. Megaforce was a label where you’d get
signed and they were really a part of it before they signed acts. I mean,
Testament, Overkill, Anthrax, S.O.D., M.O.D., there were a lot of bands, even bands
you may not have known like Blessed Death, smaller bands that were a part of the
music scene. You had Raven, Metallica...there was something about it back then
that was functioning under the premise of integrity and belonging.
MM: What exactly happened with (1999's) "Bigger Than the
Devil"? I know Nuclear Blast released it, but not much has been made of it and
only the real hardcore fans have it. Was it really properly promoted, or what?
BM: Well, the S.O.D. reunion first of all was the bane of my years. It really
culminated as a bad experience into a terrible experience. As much as I had fun
touring, I never really got along with Charlie Benante. Me and Scott (Ian) are
just amicable at best. Nuclear Blast was not a very good record label. Actually,
I should say that in Europe they do a very good job! They’re a German-based
label and they promote very well in Germany and their other markets out there,
but in America, they’re not too focused, not really intent on making things
happen. They’re not really worried about the American market; the American
market to them is a third-rate market, not a first-rate market, whereas the
record label that did all of their distribution in America, Century Media, they
have an understanding of the American market because they’re not only selling
records here but they work this market. Nuclear Blast didn’t, and consequently
they didn’t feel they did anything wrong, and they certainly did nothing period.
There was virtually no promo for "Bigger Than the Devil" by S.O.D. or "The Rebel You
Love to Hate" by M.O.D., and it really culminated into a full-blown war with me. The
difference between me being your nemesis and let’s say, one of these hardcore
bands talking about the streets being your nemesis, then more than likely I’m
going to come through your office and punch you in the fucking mouth! So you
don’t wanna fuck with me, especially when I’m right! I’ll defer blame if I’m
wrong; I’ll accept some of it, but not all of it. If I’m right and you’re
fucking screwing me over telling me one thing and I find out another thing, it’s
going to be fucking war! That’s what happened with Nuclear Blast.
MM: Obviously S.O.D. is bigger than itself as far as the
time and place when it came around during the crossover phase in the mid
eighties. In fact, I think it instigated crossover, which has already been
discussed a thousand times, but I think the key element to the demand for "Rise
of the Infidels" is that it's there for fans--old and new--to try and experience
that moment.
BM: Well, all I can tell you is this: S.O.D. gets a lot of credit for a
lot of things and it deserves it, but sometimes things are better off left a
mystery. I think S.O.D. has done what it’s done. This package that was put together
by me is simply for the fans. It’s not too elaborate; there’s no cashing in on
this. It’s probably going to sell enough to pay for what it cost to make it and
that’s more than enough at that point, because I was able to give the fans one
last thing of value before putting this behind me officially. This is it. The
bottom line is we were able to offer something to the fans that made sense
without trying to milk anything. The hardcore fans of S.O.D. will buy this, which
is probably a small minority of people as far as the music industry is concerned
at this point, but that’s okay, because the people who buy this are going to
genuinely want this to fill out the mandatory S.O.D. recordings in their minds. So
with that in mind, it’s done and I’m glad we were able to end it this way.
MM: Do you foresee ever being able to just stand in the
same room with all four S.O.D. members together?
BM: No. I honestly feel like I’ve outgrown them spiritually and emotionally. I
really don’t need to do this anymore with them and I’m happy that I was able to
bring it this far so that I can bring it to the point where I can say I don’t
need to do it or I’d rather not do it, or more importantly, I’m happy that it’s
over. I think I’m able to say, without a doubt, that I’m really happy that it’s
done. It’s a part of my life that was a huge influence and it dictated not just
my success or my entrance into this industry, but dictated what I wanted to
accomplish with my life in music. I know I’m going to do more, I have a new M.O.D.
album coming out ("Red, White and Screwed"), I’m going to be producing and I’m
producing lots of local bands in Austin as well as giving some advice. I’m
possibly going to be representing the roller derby in Texas and doing this new
band with Scott Sergeant where I’m the bass player and I’m no longer the singer.
There’s a lot I want to accomplish and S.O.D. helped facilitate that and I’m really
happy for every point in my experiences in S.O.D.--good and bad. I can honestly say
at this point I’m just happy that I was there and that it’s over. At that point,
I move on.
Getting to play bass again is getting back to your
roots, man...
BM: Well, this was my theory when I moved down to Austin. I want to play bass
again because that’s where I started, and I honestly want to finish my career
playing bass. I know M.O.D. is viable; I get offers for touring all the time and I
know the new record is awesome because everyone keeps telling me it is, but
there’s something to be said about going back to where you started. I don’t want
to go bounce at CBGB’s again, even though it’s closed; I don’t want to go that
far back! I’m not trying to prove anything at this point. I’ve proved everything
I want to prove. Now I just want to have fun, I want to do music, I want to
express myself musically, I want to help as many bands and people as I can,
because not only do I work in the music industry, I work in the club industry as
well. I’m mixing and promoting at a club that I have a vested interest in that’s
called Headhunters, and I’m content with how I’m going to approach the rest of
my music. I want to be happy; I’ve got two great dogs, I live in a great town, I
have good friends, the music scene down here is great and I’m an hour from San
Antonio, three hours from Dallas, two-and-a-half hours from Houston. I can go
anywhere I want in Texas to see shows, I love swimming in the Colorado River;
what the fuck else do you want out of life? I’m the happiest I’ve been.
Billy Milano website:
Billy Milano.com
Billy Milano MySpace page:
Billy
Milano MySpace page
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© Copyright 2007 Ray Van Horn, Jr. / The Metal Minute