this veteran Canadian metalbend is synonymous with the word schizo hi I’m
synonymous with the word schizo hi I’m
synonymous with the word schizo hi I’m Rebecca Brayton and welcome to
Rebecca Brayton and welcome to
Rebecca Brayton and welcome to watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking
watchmojo.com and today we’re speaking with Jeff waters from Annihilator
so we always like to start by getting
so we always like to start by getting the origin stories of the bands that we
the origin stories of the bands that we
the origin stories of the bands that we interviews to tell us a bit about how
interviews to tell us a bit about how
interviews to tell us a bit about how Annihilator first got together
Annihilator first got together
Annihilator first got together well Annihilator started back in the
well Annihilator started back in the
well Annihilator started back in the nineteen 1984 myself and a friend of
nineteen 1984 myself and a friend of
nineteen 1984 myself and a friend of mine that we were all sharing cassette
mine that we were all sharing cassette
mine that we were all sharing cassette tapes illegally traded cassette demo
tapes illegally traded cassette demo
tapes illegally traded cassette demo tapes back then of venom Slayer Exodus
tapes back then of venom Slayer Exodus
tapes back then of venom Slayer Exodus anthrax Metallica razor anvil exciter
anthrax Metallica razor anvil exciter
anthrax Metallica razor anvil exciter their first records and Mike Barney
their first records and Mike Barney
their first records and Mike Barney shrapnel records thrash stuff
shrapnel records thrash stuff
shrapnel records thrash stuff compilation albums that they had out
compilation albums that they had out
compilation albums that they had out when I heard that heavy stuff for my
when I heard that heavy stuff for my
when I heard that heavy stuff for my friend John Bates I totally got into
friend John Bates I totally got into
friend John Bates I totally got into that and just left everything else all
that and just left everything else all
that and just left everything else all the van Halen and everything behind so
the van Halen and everything behind so
the van Halen and everything behind so he and I just started Annihilator kind
he and I just started Annihilator kind
he and I just started Annihilator kind of a weird name but it worked I guess
of a weird name but it worked I guess
of a weird name but it worked I guess and it’s very hard to say for Europeans
and it’s very hard to say for Europeans
and it’s very hard to say for Europeans we got like any he that to our any late
we got like any he that to our any late
we got like any he that to our any late or anal eater but we don’t even have to
or anal eater but we don’t even have to
or anal eater but we don’t even have to really do that one
really do that one
really do that one I knee he let or occasionally they get
I knee he let or occasionally they get
I knee he let or occasionally they get it right
there have been a lot of comings and
there have been a lot of comings and goings with me ban would say a lot of
goings with me ban would say a lot of
goings with me ban would say a lot of different members what would you say has
different members what would you say has
different members what would you say has led to that well I think in North
led to that well I think in North
led to that well I think in North America finally with the internet people
America finally with the internet people
America finally with the internet people are starting to that want to know about
are starting to that want to know about
are starting to that want to know about our ban find out about her ban but over
our ban find out about her ban but over
our ban find out about her ban but over in Europe and Japan everybody’s known
in Europe and Japan everybody’s known
in Europe and Japan everybody’s known for about 20 more than 20 years that
for about 20 more than 20 years that
for about 20 more than 20 years that it’s essentially been a solo project and
it’s essentially been a solo project and
it’s essentially been a solo project and I would hire different musicians I like
I would hire different musicians I like
I would hire different musicians I like to work with different drummers so I you
to work with different drummers so I you
to work with different drummers so I you know I go after Mike Mangini spent on a
know I go after Mike Mangini spent on a
know I go after Mike Mangini spent on a record season with extreme Steve I now
record season with extreme Steve I now
record season with extreme Steve I now he’s with Dream Theater so what I do is
he’s with Dream Theater so what I do is
he’s with Dream Theater so what I do is I basically team up find a drummer and
I basically team up find a drummer and
I basically team up find a drummer and my singers been the same singer for
my singers been the same singer for
my singers been the same singer for almost a decade now which it’s
almost a decade now which it’s
almost a decade now which it’s coincidental that we’re selling more and
coincidental that we’re selling more and
coincidental that we’re selling more and more records maybe it’s because we have
more records maybe it’s because we have
more records maybe it’s because we have a stable lineup
my singer guitar player Dave Patten and
my singer guitar player Dave Patten and I have been just hiring the bass player
I have been just hiring the bass player
I have been just hiring the bass player in the drummer
in the drummer
in the drummer every time we go and do a record or do a
every time we go and do a record or do a
every time we go and do a record or do a tour so it’s like 50% of a real band but
tour so it’s like 50% of a real band but
tour so it’s like 50% of a real band but a lot of people didn’t know that over
a lot of people didn’t know that over
a lot of people didn’t know that over here because they we’ve never really
here because they we’ve never really
here because they we’ve never really played here we haven’t really put out
played here we haven’t really put out
played here we haven’t really put out records for a long time 15 17 years
records for a long time 15 17 years
records for a long time 15 17 years since we’ve done a real proper release
since we’ve done a real proper release
since we’ve done a real proper release here so all people know is that oh it’s
here so all people know is that oh it’s
here so all people know is that oh it’s some band from Canada that has song
some band from Canada that has song
some band from Canada that has song called allicin he’ll decades ago and and
called allicin he’ll decades ago and and
called allicin he’ll decades ago and and there’s a lot of lineup changes but
there’s a lot of lineup changes but
there’s a lot of lineup changes but Europe would tell you something totally
Europe would tell you something totally
Europe would tell you something totally different date they go I’ll say oh yeah
different date they go I’ll say oh yeah
different date they go I’ll say oh yeah that was a long time ago and then they
that was a long time ago and then they
that was a long time ago and then they name off all the new stuff
why do you think your popularity hasn’t
why do you think your popularity hasn’t kind of stuck around in Canada a couple
kind of stuck around in Canada a couple
kind of stuck around in Canada a couple reasons we kind of went out with the
reasons we kind of went out with the
reasons we kind of went out with the where the labels the labels were
where the labels the labels were
where the labels the labels were cleaning house back in 1992-93 of all
cleaning house back in 1992-93 of all
cleaning house back in 1992-93 of all things that had the word metal in their
things that had the word metal in their
things that had the word metal in their bio we had to go with the new sounds the
bio we had to go with the new sounds the
bio we had to go with the new sounds the new type of metal that was coming out
new type of metal that was coming out
new type of metal that was coming out like biohazard Pantera you’d have to go
like biohazard Pantera you’d have to go
like biohazard Pantera you’d have to go with the newer stuff otherwise they
with the newer stuff otherwise they
with the newer stuff otherwise they didn’t want the traditional stuff I
didn’t want the traditional stuff I
didn’t want the traditional stuff I bowed out when we lost our deal the
bowed out when we lost our deal the
bowed out when we lost our deal the roadrunner and it was the best thing
roadrunner and it was the best thing
roadrunner and it was the best thing that happened to me because well North
that happened to me because well North
that happened to me because well North America just well the industry pulled
America just well the industry pulled
America just well the industry pulled away from supporting these kinds of
away from supporting these kinds of
away from supporting these kinds of bands overseas was different it was like
bands overseas was different it was like
bands overseas was different it was like bigger weed left this Roadrunner and we
bigger weed left this Roadrunner and we
bigger weed left this Roadrunner and we got a new deal and it was an even bigger
got a new deal and it was an even bigger
got a new deal and it was an even bigger thing for us
essentially I had a kid and the mother
essentially I had a kid and the mother died of cancer I ended up being a single
died of cancer I ended up being a single
died of cancer I ended up being a single father when my kid was a year and a half
father when my kid was a year and a half
father when my kid was a year and a half so it’s just me my kid and I I had to
so it’s just me my kid and I I had to
so it’s just me my kid and I I had to make a choice do I want to maybe go
make a choice do I want to maybe go
make a choice do I want to maybe go where the money is and where the
where the money is and where the
where the money is and where the popularity is where I’m being supported
popularity is where I’m being supported
popularity is where I’m being supported if I go to North America I’ll spend all
if I go to North America I’ll spend all
if I go to North America I’ll spend all my year traveling trying to work North
my year traveling trying to work North
my year traveling trying to work North America and I won’t be able to be a
America and I won’t be able to be a
America and I won’t be able to be a father so I basically a part-time – it
father so I basically a part-time – it
father so I basically a part-time – it was like father part of the year and
was like father part of the year and
was like father part of the year and overseas the other we’ve been 22 years
overseas the other we’ve been 22 years
overseas the other we’ve been 22 years overseas successful so excited I’ll take
overseas successful so excited I’ll take
overseas successful so excited I’ll take it
it
it go to Spain any day
what are you guys working on now
what are you guys working on now fourteenth studio record is finished and
fourteenth studio record is finished and
fourteenth studio record is finished and we’re actually working on the fifteenth
we’re actually working on the fifteenth
we’re actually working on the fifteenth which is weird but I want to do a lot
which is weird but I want to do a lot
which is weird but I want to do a lot more touring so figure well let’s try to
more touring so figure well let’s try to
more touring so figure well let’s try to see if we can get two records done in
see if we can get two records done in
see if we can get two records done in between the two we’ll do a bunch of
between the two we’ll do a bunch of
between the two we’ll do a bunch of festivals and cool shows which is
festivals and cool shows which is
festivals and cool shows which is something I’m lucky I can do I’ve been
something I’m lucky I can do I’ve been
something I’m lucky I can do I’ve been booking only fun things like we got the
booking only fun things like we got the
booking only fun things like we got the 70,000 tons of metal boat cruise metal
70,000 tons of metal boat cruise metal
70,000 tons of metal boat cruise metal cruise coming up in a couple weeks and
cruise coming up in a couple weeks and
cruise coming up in a couple weeks and Grand Cayman Islands Miami and we’ve got
Grand Cayman Islands Miami and we’ve got
Grand Cayman Islands Miami and we’ve got the biggest show will ever have
the biggest show will ever have
the biggest show will ever have headlines is coming up in summer in
headlines is coming up in summer in
headlines is coming up in summer in Sofia Bulgaria the airport there’s only
Sofia Bulgaria the airport there’s only
Sofia Bulgaria the airport there’s only like 40 50 thousand people I get to kind
like 40 50 thousand people I get to kind
like 40 50 thousand people I get to kind of pick and choose all these awesome
of pick and choose all these awesome
of pick and choose all these awesome gigs and then come back work on the
gigs and then come back work on the
gigs and then come back work on the album with my singer for a couple weeks
album with my singer for a couple weeks
album with my singer for a couple weeks and then go out and do it again and make
and then go out and do it again and make
and then go out and do it again and make money and have fun
money and have fun
money and have fun sounds like fun thanks very much
”
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