The band Aftermath, formed in 1985 by Kyriakos “Charlie” Tsiolis, brings us a very technical thrash metal mixed with hardcore, with lyrics regarding the world and political problems.<\/p>\n
Kyriakos gave us this interview, which he talked about the beginning of the career, the American metal scene, about mixing metal and politics, and the difficulties surrounding the band and Dr Dre.<\/p>\n
Are you Greek, right? How do you come to US?<\/strong><\/p>\n I am Greek.\u00a0 Born in Greece, but my parents moved to the States when I was 11 months old.\u00a0 So that makes me a Greek\/American.<\/p>\n I think wistfully it is interesting to live in a city like Chicago. How important is this city to you and your music?<\/strong><\/p>\n I love Chicago.\u00a0 It is the greatest American city and one of the best in the world.\u00a0 Maybe the best in the world.\u00a0 The city has great music.\u00a0 A great history when it comes to music in all genres.\u00a0 The metal scene in Chicago when we formed back in \u201885 was really strong.\u00a0 Great bands, venues and fans at that time.\u00a0 The metal scene is still really active today.<\/p>\n When did you start with music? What were your influences?<\/strong><\/p>\n We formed Aftermath like I said in 1985. Ray and I jammed before that for a few months, but I would have to say that the real beginning was when the band formed on Halloween night 1985.\u00a0 I wanted to be in a band from the age of 10 when I discovered Kiss.\u00a0 Then, I hear Van Halen for the first time and was blown away.\u00a0 Hearing them made me realize this is what I wanted to do.\u00a0 I was still a really young kid then.\u00a0 I discovered Iron Maiden in 1980 and started to get into heavier music.\u00a0 In 1983, I heard Venom and everything changed.\u00a0 They were so underground.\u00a0 Even the early Metallica stuff was extreme back then.\u00a0 I knew I wanted to be in a band and now I wanted to be the singer not a guitar player.\u00a0 Back then, Slayer was a huge influence along with the hardcore bands.\u00a0 Those I can say were early influence for the Aftermath sound at that time.\u00a0 After that initial period, I wouldn\u2019t say anyone has influenced our sound.\u00a0 There have been bands that we love like Voivod, but none have been direct influences more like bands we have total respect for.<\/p>\n And the American scene, how is it? Is there space for metal bands? Here in Brazil is a bit difficult, because people typically prefer bands from US, Europe, Japan (in some exceptional cases), but for Brazilians, except big names as Angra and Sepultura, is hard to find loyal audience.<\/strong><\/p>\n The US still has a very active and big metal scene.\u00a0 The extreme metal scene is probably bigger commercially today than it was back in the 1980s.\u00a0 Metal will always be around in the US.<\/p>\n I have seen you, during a short time, changed Aftermath\u2019s name and played a more industrial\/alternative rock music. Why? I said it because Groundcast is a website with a big interest in this kind music and when I listened to Mother God Moviestar, for me, sounded a good mix of Marilyn Manson, Ministry and Nine Inch Nails, but with some gothic identity.<\/strong><\/p>\n It is a very interesting story.\u00a0 Mother God Moviestar had all the Aftermath members plus a DJ and female vocalist (one on the record and different ones live).\u00a0 The band came about as a result of our lawsuit with Dr. Dre.\u00a0 Interscope Records signed Aftermath to a deal.\u00a0 Interscope owned the Dre label. We really experimented with that record.\u00a0 We could have released a thrash record by Aftermath, but didn\u2019t on principle.\u00a0 We got a record deal that was perfect because we had all the control.\u00a0 We released the record without the label interfering.\u00a0 We decided to change the name of the band to Mother God Moviestar, a name no one would ever come up with besides me.\u00a0 The record was unconventional and uncommercial.\u00a0 Really it had no genre.\u00a0 We were listening to a lot of different bands and genres at that time.\u00a0 I wanted to incorporate different styles on that record.\u00a0 In the end, it was a mix of metal, industrial, and electronica (or EDM today). \u00a0The album begins with the band and as it slowly goes along it becomes more electronic and it ends with remixes of the songs by a DJ.\u00a0 It transforms or morphs in a way that makes it totally unique.\u00a0 It was several years ahead of its time in my opinion.<\/p>\n Why didn\u2019t you continue with this industrial approach?<\/strong><\/p>\n We released the record did a tour in the US and decided it was time to breakup.<\/p>\n And the court case with Dr Dre, could you tell us something or it is secret?<\/strong><\/p>\n We sued Dr. Dre for trademark infringement in 1996.\u00a0 We had a US trademark for the name Aftermath and Dre wanted to license the name for his new label.\u00a0 The problem is that they lied to us.\u00a0 His lawyer lied and said he represented a small R&B label that was just starting, and they wanted to license the name for like $5,000 at first.\u00a0 The truth was that his client was starting a multimillion dollar label owned by one of the biggest record labels in the world.\u00a0 They kept lying and we figured it out.\u00a0 We said no to their offer and they offered us like $50,000 for the rights.\u00a0 We sued them to stop them from using the name.\u00a0 They won the first round in court.\u00a0 Fucking bullshit, I think the judge was paid off.\u00a0 We could have kept the lawsuit going, but we didn\u2019t have the money.<\/p>\n Could you tell us something about There is Something Wrong? For me it sounds like a good 80s thrash metal, but less-beer influenced (hehehe) and some industrial\/prog influences and, probably, something that annoys you.<\/strong><\/p>\n The record is a concept album.\u00a0 When we got back together and wrote the first song for fun, it came out sounding great and it felt fresh.\u00a0 We kept writing and it organically became the record.\u00a0 I wanted it to be a concept album because I believe the message of the record is important and only as a concept can the real message come out.\u00a0 It needed to have an intro, interludes and outro.\u00a0 We wanted the record to represent both styles of Aftermath \u2013 the early crossover days and our later technical\/progressive era.\u00a0 We are unique that the band has two very distinct sounds and with the concept album it was perfect for the music to have the aggression and attitude of the crossover style and the progressive parts also needed to be part of it.\u00a0 I don\u2019t hear the industrial part you mention.\u00a0 Our music especially my lyrics have always been about things that annoy me.<\/p>\n I have read in an interview you said your lyrics are based in reality, and some of them include politics. What themes do you like to explore \/ show?<\/strong><\/p>\n Glad to hear that someone has read one of the interviews hahaha.\u00a0 I have always written about real life issues. I never got into the typical metal lyrics.\u00a0 I like the punk lyrics.\u00a0 They wrote about life in a real way from being young and angry to hating the government that suppresses and enslaves you.\u00a0 Those lyrics have a real meaning for me.\u00a0 I always wanted the listener of our songs to get the feeling I got from the lyrics.\u00a0 A feeling of fuck the system.\u00a0 The new record is all about the ones that rule the world and their plans for us.\u00a0 The elected officials are mere puppets or actors taking their orders and reading their scripts.\u00a0 It\u2019s not about just politics it is about the entire corrupt system.\u00a0 From banks to schools to government to religion. All of it.<\/p>\n With a very punk-rooted origin, I note you try to maintain some political attitude \u2013 something rare nowadays in metal bands. What do you think about \u201capolitical\u201d metal guys or guys that say \u201cmetal and politics can\u2019t be put together\u201d?<\/strong><\/p>\n I think metal bands should be political.\u00a0 I don\u2019t get that argument that you can\u2019t mix metal and politics.\u00a0 Its aggressive music and what a better way to deliver a message than with metal.\u00a0 The punk bands have the attitude but often miss the aggression and heaviness that metal has so it would be great to hear more metal bands sing about politics and real topics.<\/p>\n What bands are you listening to and recommend to our readers?<\/strong><\/p>\n I haven\u2019t been listening to many new bands recently.\u00a0 I listen to old thrash.\u00a0 The new Voivod is great.\u00a0 The new Death Angel I have heard sounds killer.\u00a0 Believe it or not I have been listening to our new record a lot.<\/p>\n About Brazilian bands (because we are a Brazilian webzine.): do you know any Brazilian band?<\/strong><\/p>\n Of course I know Sepultura and Angra. I know of Chakal and Sarcofago as well.\u00a0 Do you count Soulfly even though Max lives in the States lol?<\/p>\n Well, I would like to thank you for this interview. This is your space to let a message to our readers. Let\u2019s go.<\/strong><\/p>\n I want to thank you for the interview.\u00a0 I hope we can one day play Brazil.\u00a0 The women are beautiful and the metal scene for bands has always been great.\u00a0 Pick up the new record and listen to it from start to finish with headphones if possible.\u00a0 The people of this planet need to be united and wake up to what is really going on.\u00a0 The people in control are not there to help us.\u00a0 They are here to keep us divided and enslaved through their institutions, laws and monetary systems. We aren\u2019t free as long as they control everything.\u00a0 TIME TO WAKE UP.\u00a0 The record is also available on CD now and vinyl soon. Also check out the videos on our YouTube channel.<\/p>\n Related Links<\/strong><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AftermathChicago<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.aftermathchicago.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/aftermath_band_official<\/a><\/p>\n https:\/\/play.spotify.com\/artist\/2HlaZ7yPsLrQA5zmDU1lch<\/a><\/p>\n