OUTLOUD (Eng.)
– Hello, thanks for taking the time. What are you currently up to?
Tony: Hello Sergio and thanks very much for the interview! Things have been going pretty well the past few months. We are about to release our second album this month and we all feel very excited about it. Right now, the band is rehearsing for it’s upcoming show with Twisted Sister here in Athens!
– If you don’t mind, I would like you to start making some history of OUTLOUD for all those who don’t about you yet…
Tony: Happy to answer your question Sergio.
Long story short, the band’s history starts back in the year of 2004. That’s when I met Bob Katsionis, our other guitarist. Bob encouraged me back
then to keep throwing song ideas at him, we demoed them, and before we knew it we had recorded an entire album together.
After that a voice was needed. Bob recommended to me a singer that he knew, that’s Chandler Mogel. I hired him to do the job and flew him to Athens from NYC to record.
Once all the songs were finished, Bob recommended his friend and bandmate Mark Cross, who was also hired at the time, to record drums on the album.
Soon after that, the album was mixed and that was it. Our first album was finished and everybody was more than happy with the result and all the musicians that worked for hire joined the band permanently!
– You will soon release your new «Love Catastrophe»; what are your expectations?
Tony: Our main goal after the successful release of our debut album was to create an even better, more mature sounding album. We feel we achieved this goal with Love Catastrophe. Better songwriting, more chemistry from the band and sure all of us have bigger expectations for this album. Sure we are living in diffucult times nowadays, but I believe that this album has the potential to stabilize Outloud as a household name in the rock music industry.
– And why such name? What does it represent?
Sverd: Tony actually came up with the name OUTLOUD, it’s actually from one of the songs, called «Out Loud», off of the first record. It represents nothing more than rock ‘n’ roll!!!!!
Chandler: If you’re referring to the album title, well that comes from one of the songs as well, a perfect 80’s sounding name! The song talks about two people falling in love who are a complete disaster together, young and reckless, but still meant to be anyway!
– How could you describe the sound on the album and push people to purchase it?
Chandler: If you liked the first album you will LOVE this one. We feel it’s an overall, more mature effort. We’ve really come together as a band since the last release, and we feel it shows here. If you like good-time 80’s-based hard rock, with some surprises thrown in, you’re in for a treat! 🙂
– And what are the main musical influences behind this album and behind OUTLOUD?
Chandler: Everyone comes from a little bit of a different field. That’s what makes us unique I think. Tony is influenced by bands like Motley Crue, Guns ‘N’ Roses, Iron Maiden, Judas Priest – hence the 80’s side of the band. I’m into lots of 70’s bands – Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Rainbow……but also love funk and soul artists like Tower of Power, Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind & Fire, etc……Bob comes from a bit more of the progressive stuff and modern melodic metal, hence Firewind and his solo records. All of this comes together in some way to make OUTLOUD’s sound!
– Working with people as Tommy Hansen (HELLOWEEN, TNT, PRETTY MAIDS) puts more pressure on you or is some kind of liberation because of his knowledge?
Chandler: I would say liberation because we just had to sit back and let Tommy do his thing. It was very enjoyable to see how he would interpret our songs through his mix. He’s a seasoned pro and we knew we were in good hands!
– Your previous record was released through Frontiers Records while this new will come out via AOR Heaven. What prompted that change? And are you guys now satisfied with this new label to you?
Chandler: That’s right. Yes, we are very satisfied, AOR Heaven has done an awesome job thus far. But honestly the only reason we didn’t renew our option with Frontiers was their release schedule. We needed the album to come out this summer, due to their roster they weren’t able to release it till December. We promised the fans we’d have it out by summer so we wanted to stay true to that, then Georg (AOR Heaven) made an offer and we went with it!
– What’s the best and the worst side of working with such well-known labels into Melodic Rock?
Chandler: The best side is that they promote us well, are a pleasure to work with and have down to a science the most effective ways to get our name and records out there and sell as much product as humanly possible. The (only) down side is that they aren’t able to put us on the road, we have to do that ourselves. But maybe that will change in the near future.
– We can find in the band’s line-up artists such as Bob Katsionis, so I guess the band’s line-up is as well one attraction to get new people listening to your stuff. Do you think this is a benefit for you or is it bad that some people may value you just because the band’s members?
Sverd: I would say that it’s a benefit in that it draws their fans to check us out, but overall we are a different style of music than the metal bands that Bob and Mark come from. So we had to forge forward ourselves (as a band) in the melodic hard rock genre and gain fans that way. But a lot of their fans like it anyway, are supportive no matter what they do. In short, everyone is invited to listen to Outloud, and we feel there’s something for everyone in the music, regardless of the notoriety some of our musicians have in other genres.
– You will soon play with TWISTED SISTER, what are your feelings about it? Aren’t you excited?
Tony: Of course, very much so. It is the first time that we open a show for a big band like Twisted Sister. It’s going to be a great time for us and everyone involved and we’ll enjoy it very much!
– And finally, what are the near-future plans for OUTLOUD?
Tony: We are going to be shooting our second video for the album as well as lining up a tour for late autumn / early winter.
– That has been all from my side. If you now want to add some final words, feel free to do it.
Tony: Thanks a lot Sergio. Outloud is here to stay and to Rock You to Hell and Back Again!!
Sverd: Thank you for your time Sergio.
Chandler: Thanks and follow your dreams everyone! 🙂
