By Penelope Vlachopoulou

It has been quite some time since your last album ,TYRANNY was released, what are people's reactions to it so far?

Well, he reactions have been great.  We've been fortunate enough to receive great press and our fans have gotten behind the fact that it's a concept record. Once 
people get into the story, they end up with a good opinion of the record.

Is it difficult or challenging to create and follow a new direction in every album?

Yeah.  It's tough.  It's really tough of you want to continue in a certain  style
and not repeat yourself over and over. But, it's a good challenge and it forces you to grow as a songwriter.

How did you decide to compose a concept album?What kind of factors affected this decision  as far as the story is concerned?

Well, Carl came up with the story and the rest of us helped him shape it and added our ideas to it, but the concept is Carl's.  This was an easy way for us to keep the focus of the album and not get too far off track for what we wanted to do and say.  If someone came up with an idea they would give it to Carl and he would try and work it into the record, as long as it fit and made sense. A great deal of thought went into the story on Tyranny and I think it  shows.

Here is another question on your album TYRANNY. It is a concept album in which technology and the Internet are involved.What do you really think about the Internet and its influence to people's lives?

I think the internet is a beginning to an end.  It's wonderful and scary as well. Who would have thought 15 years ago that you could find out what's happening on the other side of the world, AS it is happening?  I mean, THAT is amazing. I predict that in 20 years, there will be no more Libraries. The bad parts of it are easy to see.... and who really believes that they have "privacy" on the internet anyway?  Watchful eyes are upon us.

In "New world order" I read : "This is the new world order, this is your corporate sponsored changing of a guard".How do you think applies to reality?

In America, our Constitution calls for a government of the people, by the people, for the people. Now, the sad reality is that government is paid out of the pockets of BIG business and I mean both sides, so no matter WHO you vote for, they are receiving campaign moneys from big business and are bought and paid for. This is the very smallest example of what that song lyric means.

In TYRANNY there were many "guests" who took part in the album, do you think that you are going to follow this "rock opera " style in your future  albums?

It would be neat if we did, but I do not think that will happen again.
We did that because the story called for it.  I'm just glad it worked out.

How does your songwriting process look like?

We all write on our own.  We never sit around together and write. We do go off in pairs sometimes, but for the most part, we write alone and then show the other guys what we have, at which point they take your idea and destroy it and change it all around...I'm kidding, but we do write alone. I've never been able to write with more than one person in the room.

There is a kind of "mist" surrounding your perfoming live , I think that you haven't done any live shows so far. Are going to do some for the TYRANNY?

No. We wanted to do live shows, but the tour support just never came. It is impossible for us to devote so much time into playing AND keep our day jobs and pay for bills, home, children...I used to hope that we would see the light of day in that regard ( tour support) but I know now that it will never happen.

Is your lineup steady yet?

I don't know.  I think so..  (smiles)

I am not familiar with your demos , are there early releases in demos?

Our first record was our demo.  They ( MagnaCarta) wanted to put out some product and we turned out to be it.  We sent that to them in hopes to get signed and they just pressed it. Of course, we were horrified, because the record sounds like crap..but the songs were ok.

What would be ideal, in your opinion, for someone to gain when listening to your albums ?

Spirituality. There is a GOD. I try and write music that says "There is a GOD!" And in return, GOD gives me neat songs to play. *smiles*

What do you think that prevents the evolution of heavy metal,as a  music genre, these days?

I don't think that there is anything "preventing" the evolution of metal, I just think that people lost interest in it. I mean, let's face it..there were some pretty awful "metal" bands in the late 80's and early 90's I think it will return to what it was one day, but not anytime soon.

What do you like  or dislike in today's heavy metal scene?

I love Type o Negative! There new record (World Coming Down) is incredible. I like industrial and gothic music, but they always sing about things I don't agree with. I like the fact that 80's bands are doing "reunion tours" but I dislike the fact that most of those bands suck. Remember when Metallica was cool?

Could you tell me about the projects that you are about to or have been involved in? You or other band members.

Well, Gary, Carl and Myself wrote some music for Mullmuzzler (James Labrie) and that was cool. Carl and Gary both do music for a living and are constantly involved in commercials and radio adds and that sort of thing. The rest of us just play a lot of video games. :) Chris and I have been writing a lot of slow heavy music.  I'd like to find a great female vocalist and do some Tori Amos sounding stuff...but so far, I've not been in luck.

What are your main influences as a band?

All 70's prog rock and all ( or almost) 80's metal. That's a broad statement, but with this many people in a band every base is covered. haaha Pink Floyd, Mettalica, Alice Cooper, Yes....this is a big list and could go one for days.... *smiles*

One other thing, could you name some of the concept albums you think as best?

Lamb lies down on Broadway is my favorite and Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.

What made you choose the prog metal path although you were aware of the fact that it is not the most proffitable, commercial or widly accepted one?

That's what I wanted to play when I was 20 years old. That's the kind of songswe wrote. Not all of us are into prog that much anymore, but we still write it as a labor of love....and plus , we have one more record on our contract with MagnaCarta. Writing styles change over the years, that is just a fact of reality, but we know what we are good at and will continue to do it.

In my opinion ,as years and albums go by you remove even more AOR elements from your sound am I right?

Actually, I thought is was the opposite. We have a few songs on Tyranny that could be played on the radio but there is nothing on our first record that would ever get played....but that's ok.

What are your future plans?

To recover from the terrible sunburn that Chris and I got in Nashville. To write more Shadow Gallery music and get out of the awful record contract that we are in. To buy Quake3 Arena. To see my family sometime in the next year. To find a very good female vocalist to write with.

OK, but what about the band's future plans?

We are in a state of relaxation right now. We are writing but do not have enough songs for a new record just yet. I want to do more side projects, like the Mullmuzzler cd for James Labrie. That's what I would ultimately like to do. Write for other bands.

What about your next album?

Right now, I'm just too burned out on the music business to even think about
that. Tyranny took a heavy toll on me and many others. I don't ever want to do something that long and difficult again. There were many times during the course of that record where we all just wanted to quit and go home. We made it through with the help of GOD and each other and all the support from the fans. But to answer your question, I think there will be another Shadow Gallery record. I just can't tell you when.

You don't seem satisfied with your contract in Magna Carta

No. Not at all. In fact, I can't wait to get out of it.  I can't get out of it
fast enough!!! We were all young and stupid when we signed that contract.  It was a mistake. They have been good to us in that they have let us do what we want to do musically but I'm still broke.  haahaa  It's just a bad deal.  No tour support. It's just bad.

Is there something you would like to add ?

Yes, thank you for the interest in Shadow Gallery and for spreading the word. It still amazes me that anyone even listens to us! Thank you.

Well, that's all please excuse me if it was tiring for you... Thank you very much for your time I know it is  most precious. Hope that your band will continue to give us albums so important. Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Peace to you