By John Vidiadakis

So, "Astronomica" is the word...how much are you satisfied from the album, and what is the aspect the Glory fans and the press have on it until now?

We're very proud of our new CD. We feel it's a good album to get things going again for us. We didn't attempt to make a CD that would 'change' the world or anything, but we did try to make a true CG record with many of the original unique qualities that made our sound different from the majority of bands. So far, the press all around the world has been very positive. Astronomica is just the beginning...

Wade Black is behind the microphone now, and I would like to know why Midnight didn't take part as the singer, why you chose a singer of rather different style than Midnight and how you got in contact with him. 

We did approach Midnight about singing on the album in the beginning. However, he really wasn't into it, nor was he really in the right mental frame of mind or physical condition to record the type of record our fans would come to expect from us. So, after it became painfully obvious to every one that Midnight wasn't going to be able to record with us, we immediately called Wade. We knew we had to get a new singer that was equally talented, unique and every bit as versatile as Midnight, and Wade was that singer. Fortunately, Jeff and I had seen Wade sing a few years earlier for the band Lucian Blaque, and so we contacted him and asked him to sing on a few songs we had been working on. I must say, hearing him sing our new songs confirmed our initial opinion about him, and we felt very comfortable asking him to join the band. He was elated! Some fans may question our reasons for picking Wade when we could have auditioned singers from all around the world, but we wanted more than just a 'great' singer. We wanted someone with whom we could feel close too; someone who had admirable qualities as a person; someone we could build a future with... Wade is truly someone you could go to war with and know he has your back; you know he would take a bullet for you...Crimson Glory is more than just a 'band'... it's a brotherhood.

Ben Jackson is back, and well known Steve Wacholz, formerly of Savatage, is now behind the drum kit. Some details on the coming of these two persons? Who other persons took part in temporary lineups of the reunion?

Ben is such a kind and compassionate individual and is always a pleasure to work with. He had been working on a side project called Parrish when we first started recording Astronomica, so he wasn't able to join us immediately. However, Parrish broke up not too long afterwards and he immediately contacted us about rejoining the group. We are very pleased to have him back. Steve is someone we had known and admired since his and our band's inception. We used to travel to Tampa to see his band play in a tiny club called the "Red Eye Lounge" back when tSavatage was called Avatar. We even ended up signing with the same lable as them, Par records. So when it was time for us to choose a new drummer, he was the obvious choice. He's very talented and brings a lot of experience to the band.

In which specific parts would you say that "Astronomica" differs from the previous Glory releases, except "Strange and beautiful" of course? Do you think it can be a pioneering album?

It's probably heavier and more aggressive overall in my opinion, but that's exactly what we intended for it to sound like. We feel it is a much better representation of the band than 'Strange & Beautiful', which was to us, more of a Midnight record than a true Crimson Glory album. Astronomica picks up where Transcendence left off. But at the same time, it's a new beginning for us. Some people forget, it has been a decade since the release of Transcendence, and it's only natural for a band's sound to have changed. However, I believe we have captured the original spirit and musical integrity that we had on our first two albums. We have some great ideas ready for the next album as well. Iit's going to be a more mature record overall. I think fans will be pleased with the direction we are going in... 

There was a huge delay regarding this album...I can remember comments on the songs made in the press more than two years ago, and all the fans have been waiting impatiently since then. Which were the reasons for this long delay? Do the rumors for the lost master tapes include any truth? 

Well, it is true that we completety lost all of our original source data as well as all of our backup data while recording the album the first time. We were also missing cartridges which contained data for the songs...it was very strange indeed. It caused us a lot of concern... We even contemplated leaving the state of Florida and going somewhere else to record the record to prevent this from happening again. We didn't know 'who' or 'why' anyone would do this - but whoever it was 'intentionally' did this to us. . Unfortunately, we never discovered who the culprits were. In any event, we had to completely start over. But we used the opportunity to do an even better job around the second time. What else could we do?

A question I always wanted to ask you: Who was responsible for the "Strange and beautiful" musical direction, and why?

Midnight had a big influence on 'Strange & Beautiful'. On our first two albums, he contributed one song for each. However, he was very adamant about contributing more of his own songs on S&B; lyrics, guitars, arrangements, ect... And it completely changed our style and musical direction to the degree that Jeff and I refused to record any more albums until we could recapture the spirit and original direction we had envisioned for the band in the beginning.

I always wondered though, why the Erotic Liquid Culture project, where you participated, sounded so similar to "Strange And Beautiful", since, as you say, the musical direction of the third Glory album was a Midnight's only decision.

Indeed, there are certain elements of my guitar style and Jeff's base playing that will sound similar on every album we record we make. However, how the vocalist apply's himself to the music and how we apply are trademark soun(s) -- and arrange the songs -- can be completey different. There are no songs like Promisedland, The Chant, Dance on Fire, Love & Dreams, Song for Angels, Far Aways, ect..., on Astronomica...  There are, however, some musicial segways that are similar to a coulpe of the acoustic parts on S&B, i.e. Star Chamber... E.L.C. was recorded not long after S&B. Hence, some of the similar musical sounds and arrangements. However, the project was recorded in two weeks for my very good friend David Van Landing, who wanted to record a record to showcase himself since he had never recorded an album before... One thing is certian, neither S&B, or E.L.C. were intended to sound anything like Crimson Glory's first or second album.

What are your touring plans? (any hope regarding Greece maybe...?)

We are presently working out the touring schedule now, but I believe we will be playing in Athens, Greece sometime near the end of January...at least that's what I've been told. We are truly looking forward to playing in Greece for the first time. Our fans their have been very, very supportive of us over the years and have been extremely responsive to Astronomica as well. So I can pretty much say with confidence that we'll be playing in Greece.

There are about 25 minutes of telephone discussions the end of the album... claimed to have some relation with U.F.O. matters. Some more info on them? What is your opinion about U.F.O.'s, ancient cultures etc, since the whole album refers to such matters?

The telephone conversation(s) you're referring to is an actual 911 call(s) being placed by persons, as well as by the police dept., of a real UFO sighting taking place in real time. I've always had a strong interest in the UFO phenomenon, astronomy, ancient cultures, prophecies ect... and how they were all connected. So, I thought it would make a nice theme to an album that we knew was gong to be released near the beginning of the new millennium. We've always viewed ourselves as a 'visionary' band and a 'progressive' band. Not because our music is so different or complex, but rather because we always had unique ideas, ideas about the future, for the future. Astronomica is the perfect example of this...

Let's go now back in the Beowulf or the early Crimson Glory days. Did you ever imagine the career the group finally made? What is the thing that makes Crimson Glory unique now and then? After all, what's the best and the worse memory you have from these days?

Well, I can't say any of my memories are bad. We've learned to appreciate the success we have and to appreciate the things we have as a result of our success as opposed to what we don't have. Being in Crimson Glory had been an awesome experience from the beginning up until now. I think what makes us so special is due to our unique approach to our music; a style we defined back in 1986 on our debut album and refined on our second album 'Transcendence'. We've always try to be a band with vision and musical integrity. 

How important do you think Crimson Glory has been for the progressive metal movement? Do you keep an eye on today's prog metal? What's your opinion? 

We're always extremely flattered to hear fans and members of the newer bands say we were one of their main influences. Indeed, we 'tried' to be innovative and make music in a way no other band had before us. But you never really know if you've achieved your goals until time has passed. It's the only true measure of your song writing skills. Music must have a sense of timelessness to it to be considered 'classic', and we were very fortunate to have been able to make some of the 'classic' albums for our musical genre... In regard to the second part of your question: I've only recently been listening to some of the newer bands that are making waves these days. Bands I like are: Vanden Plas, Angel Dust, Rage and Pain of Salvation. I like the less complex and more aggressive bands overall; provided they also have depth and dynamics to their music, and a strong sense of melody.

Which were the artists (especially the guitarists) that led you in playing music, and what was so interesting for you in their work?

I've always loved they way Michael Schenker plays, he's so fluid and melodic. I also really admire Uli Jon Roth, who I believe is one of the most innovative guitarist and most underrated guitarist in our lifetime. I was fortunate enough to have met both Michael and Uli last year in Zurich, Switzerland at their last show of the G3 tour w/Joe Satriani. Uli is such a groovy dude... Randy Rhoads was also a major influence of mine, he was just so unique and special. I cried my eyes out when he died... Brian May is also one of my all-time favorites. He has such an incredible feel and tone, as well as the ability to compose and layer guitars like no other guitarist. Neal Schon rates high on my list as well.

Give me Jon Drenning's playlist of the last week.

Rainbow: Rising; Long Live Rock N' Roll
Iron Maiden: Number of the Beast; Killers
Scorpions: In Trance; Virgin Killers
Judas Priest: Sin after Sin; Stained Class
Nevermore: Dreaming the Neon Black
Neal Schon: Beyond the Thunder
Vanden Plas: Far Off Grace
Black Sabbath: Heaven and Hell
Savatage: Sirens
Rush: Moving Pictures; Power Windows