Inside the Mind Interviews #2 - The Beast (USA)

1. G'day Anthony the Beast! How is it going in New York? What have been up to lately? Anything crazy!!
Hello and a big hell yeah to all my boys down under. New York has changed quite a bit from my days doing gigs. There were a ton of clubs to play and a whole different scene going on. I play drums occasionally with the one and only Guitar Pete and do gigs here and there. The only thing crazy still is me.

2. How and when was the beast formed?? Give us some background information on that classic moment in history! The early days of the Beast.
The Beast was formed thanks to Guitar Pete. We were neighbors and best friends since I could remember. We grew up playing in bands together. I played drums and of course Pete the guitar. He was recording his next album with Axe Attack for Heavy Metal America. When asked by the label if he had any other projects he bought me in to the mix. We sat up in Pete's room and put together the songs that would become Has Arrived. I was angry and pissed off at the scene on Long Island it was hair metal and pretty boys playing all the gigs around town. The Beast was ready to freak these fools out. We recorded the album in two 5 hour sessions at our friends studio. We took the finished tapes to a new label that was being started by Pete's label called Napalm Records. They loved the record and I was signed. Next came the record release party at The Cat Club in New York City.

3. Did you play and go crazy in any bands before the beast?
I played in rock bands and funk bands and did what I had to do to make it as a musician. I was playing drums in clubs and shitholes since I was 14 years old. When I was 17 I packed up my drums and hooked up with my boys from High School and flew to Florida and worked six nights a week playing funk and soul music. I was down to my last twenty dollars when we landed a gig at the coolest club in Miami. Hookers used to watch from the windows out the club and give me the thumbs up and yell out that's my man!

4. I know The Beast did 2 albums. First one being The beast has arrived in 1985 on Napalm Records and Carnival of Souls in 1987 on Maze records. Was there anything released or even recorded but not released from the Beast? How did the record deals come about etc.
Well you already know how I got signed for Has Arrived so here's how it went down for Carnival of Souls. The first gig officially was at The Cat Club in NY. It also was a record release party for Napalm Records. The jerk off that booked the club was not gonna give The Beast a gig. They leaned more toward glam and hair bands. With the radio station WBAB and the their Metal DJ, Fingers the show was set up so The Beast was in. The night of the show I met a bunch of guys from The Bronx, a tough section of New York. These guy went fucking ballistic during my set moshing, stage diving, headbanging and general mayhem. That night film director Adrian Lyne was in the club with his daughter. He calls the club the next day looking for The Beast. The owners of the Cat Club are like holy shit Paramount Pictures wants to use me in a movie which turns out to be Fatal Attraction. Long story short now I'm getting mad respect from the owners of the club and Pete used this upcoming film offer to spark a deal with Maze Records. The producers of the movie wound up going in a different direction with the film and I was not in but it gave me a lot of clout and got my name out there and a second record deal. Funny how shit works out sometimes.

5. I know it was a long time ago haha but what is it like recording the first album the classic the beast has arrived? give us some background on the atmosphere, the classics, the recording process surrounding that classic record.
Well now your gonna be in for a surprise, here is some info that has never been released till now....The Beast has Arrived was written and recorded by just me and Pete no other musicians were used. I played all the drum tracks and Pete did all guitar and bass tracks. It was hard to find guys that could play this stuff. Not that it was insanely hard to play but to get the feel of the songs we wrote. Most guys were playing lame rock and pussy rock and never listened to a Ramones record or The Clash, Sex Pistols, Suicidal Tendencies....so we did everything ourselves!! It was a blast to record and the record really wrote it self, I had so many ideas that it took about 2 weeks to write the songs. Me and Pete were playing so long together we knew where each other was gonna fart just about. The guys that recorded us became great friends of ours and really got in to the spirit of the album and helped us through the process.


6. What was reception like to the first album like at the time? Was there many gigs supporting the record? How did they go down with the headbangers?
I started playing gigs out on Long Island where I lived and the reaction was fear.....by the girls that followed the glam bands about. The reaction from a lot of the other bands and guys that came to the shows loved The Beast!! I did a lot of funny gross shit on stage to freak people out so the chicks would always be like "whats wrong with him". I loved it though. Has Arrived got great response from people thanks to the support of the local radio Metal show on WBAB hosted by Fingers who loved The Beast and always promoted the shows and played the record. Punks and Headbangers always loved the live shows because there would be mayhem and shit would get broke and sound men would go crazy cause there shit would get fucked up. I was'nt a real Beast gig unless I owed money for some microphones or something by the end of the night.

7. After some research I see that James Huberty was a madman who went on a rampage in a McDonalds store in 1984. Did this crime have an effect on you at the time? Must of been horrible crime at the time. How did the idea of the McDonalds man song come about?
McDonalds Man wrote itself it put me in the middle of it by saying I was some poor bastard who went in to get some burgers and got caught in the middle of that incident. I was easy to get ideas from the TV news it was always a ton of bad depressing stories. Fans used to come to the shows and wear those paper hats that employees wear at McDonalds and I used to crack up. Some times befoe a show I would stop at McDonalds and buy a big bag of hamburgers and throw them to the crowd.


8. What is the song poison dart all about?
Poison Dart was basically about the AIDS epidemic that was running rampent through New York at the time. I was again watching too much TV and the news was beating this story into everyones head.

9. What was it like to be in the metal/punk scene in your city at the time? Must of been a magical time compared to these boring days. What sticks out for from that mid 80's time? Who are the scumbellys that didn't believe? Fingers metal shop? The bronx bombers? is some of those still around?
I guess I gave you some of the answers to this question already, Fingers is still around and still hosting Fingers Metal Shop on the radio, I love this guy and will always be a brother to me. There were two scenes that I was involed in. Long Island where I lived and New York City where I would hang out and play gigs as well. New York had an awesome music scene and people embraced The Beast. Long Island well there were alot of scumbellys who were pissed that I had a record deal and would open for major acts and just basically jealous assholes. I did have my friends and fans on Long Island too and they would come to the gigs and support me but it was more of a pretty boy rock hair band scene on the Island.


10. Time to go deep into the memory vaults again haha the next album you released was Carnival of souls in 1987 a more polished album than the first one. Give us some background on the atmosphere, the classics, and the recording process surrounding that classic record.
Carnival of Souls was signed to Maze music, Pete knew Zoran Busic who ran the label and got him interested because of the movie buzz that was going around from Paramount Pictures. Pete and I locked ourselves into his room and started the writing process pretty much the same way Has Arrived began. Riffs were laid down and recorded on a small 4 track machine and I sat there with pen and paper and let loose what ever was going on in my head at that time. It seems when ever you have turmoil going on in your life your creative flow is at it's best. An old bass player friend of ours had just built a studio and offered to record the record for us at no charge. Pete bought in his drummer from Axe Attack, John "Cujo" Sherry and Pete again doing the bass tracks. There was no pressure because of the free studio time and the boys from Up All Night studio were bought in to mix the record. The album is way more polished than Has Arrived because we did'nt want to make the same sounding record again. I don't think it took more than two weeks to record the album, the material was kickin around for a while so it fell into place quickly.

11. Was the reception to the second album better than the first album? How was the gigs around this record like? Did you maniacs make progress?
Carnival of Souls was recived well, again the live gigs and radio support from Fingers helped alot. There was a club on Long Island called Sundance that was booking major acts, I knew the owner from his days of being a booking agent with all the bands on the Island. He gave us the opportunity to open for Suicidal Tendencies, Bad Brains, MOD, 24-7 Spyz, Death Angel to name a few. The gigs in New York helped as well, my friend Handsome Dick Manitoba would have us open at CBGB's and my other friends Circus of Power would let us open at the Cat Club and so on. There were alot of Metal radio programs that supported the album and fanzines and metal magazines always gave it pretty good reviews.

12. What happened after the second album? I'm guessing the beast folded not long after the second album? What lead to the end of the beast?
After Carnival of Souls had been out for a while I started writing more songs with another guitar player named Rob Ruymaker. We did a 5 song demo tape called Beastreality and had interest from some more indie labels, Roadrunner was one of them and believe it or not Atlantic was scouting us as well. There were plenty of players that had come through The Beast. Writing songs was what we were trying to focus on right at this point. We kept playing out and had interest from Steve Thompson who had mixed Appitite for Destruction for Guns and Roses. He's a local guy who used to catch our set out at the clubs and signed Guitar Pete to a deal with Giant Records.

13. Did you do anything else musically after the beast was laid to rest?
After The Beast was "laid to rest" Pete had started a real down and dirty blues band. Yeah I know the "blues"!!! But when you get right down to it I found a real love for this music, it was so dark and primitive. He needed a drummer and I was in. Pete got an independent label to sign him for an album which I played drums on and co-wrote a song for. The album was called Burning Bridges by The Guitar Pete Blues Band. It was a blast to record with my best friend and brother Pete. We played tons of gigs and still when he needs me I'm there with sticks in hand.

14. What are your musical and non musical influences personally and for the beast?
Some of the music that influenced me was the stuff I grew up on. Led Zeppelin Black Sabbath
Deep Purple on the metal end and I loved Iggy Pop James Brown Sex Pistols The Clash The Ramones X Fear etc etc it just goes on and on. TV is always a big influence it's on all the time how can it not seep into your head. Loved horror movies growing up so I'm sure some of that's in there too.

15. Has the thought of doing another the beast album and returning to the stage ever crossed your mind?
The Beast like a lot of other bands has done its time so to speak. It's a struggle to keep the machine going. It's a lot of work and at this time in the music world it's not the same. Back in the 80's you had a whole scene dedicated to this and other indie music. There were fanzines and radio stations that promoted our kind of music. Sad to say most of the stuff being played out there blows!

16. Has there been any interest in re-issuing the albums and other rare and unreleased songs? Would you like to see it happen?
There is a shit load of material laying around I'm putting something together to post on The Beast fb page. It's a track that wound up on a compilation cd called When the Wind Blows. Other stuff like I Hate Lucy, Garbage Town and Voodoo Master to name a few I would love to see put out. I think both Beast albums are still around someone posted all the tracks from Carnival of Souls on YouTube and supposedly they got the tracks from a reissue.

17. Do you still follow or keep a eye on what's happening in the metal/punk scenes these days? What do you think of it and all these kids going retro and worshipping everything 80's & 70's haha. What do you listen to these days?
I think it's great that kids discover the roots to their music and what ever turns you on then go for it. I listen to everything these days and I still love the stuff from the 80's. I love old blues music punk metal just too much to even tell you about even jazz.

18. Ok Anthony the Beast, Many thanks for taking the time to answer the questions and bringing some light back to the days of the Beast! Any last words? Good luck and all the best!
I want to thank The Rubbish Mob and Joe Steel for keeping The Beast alive I knew this would be the start of a great friendship. Take care all and can't wait to hear what The Rubbish Mob come up with next!

Facebook page > https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Beast/205383716145517
Interview by J Steel April 2012

Gaming Remembrance #5 - Shadow of the Beast

 Introduction: Shadow of the Beast is a side-scrolling platform computer game produced by Reflections Interactive and published by Psygnosis in 1989. The original version was released for the Commodore Amiga, but the game has been ported to many other systems. The original Amiga release cost £35, an unheard of price for a video game in that era, but it did include a T-shirt in the box, that had a print of the box's artwork on.

Psygnosis had published numerous side scrollers with high quality graphics prior to the release of Shadow of the Beast (most notably Obliterator). Shadow of the Beast, however, was considered revolutionary because its graphics, with many more colours on screen and up to twelve levels of parallax scrolling backdrops, were of a level rarely if ever seen before in action games. It was also notable for its atmospheric score composed by David Whittaker that used high-quality instrument samples.

The first game's story is about a man named Aarbron who was kidnapped as a child and corrupted through magic into a monstrous warrior-servant for the evil beast lord Maletoth. The creature's memory of his human life returns when he watches a man being executed, whom he later recognizes as his father. This prompts Aarbron to seek revenge on Maletoth.

The box artwork of the game, like many Psygnosis releases of the time, was created by fantasy artist Roger Dean, in a style reminiscent of his Yes album cover artwork.
Most reviews were highly positive, although reviewers complained that the game was too difficult and that the game suffered from a focus on style over substance. Regardless, it became a hit and spawned two sequels. Because the game was built for the Amiga's powerful graphics and sound capabilities, ports on other gaming platforms are generally considered less attractive by fans of the game, and such, make the Amiga version the most desired, or 'definitive' version

This game was a real stand out back in 1989 when it was released. The graphics and music were out of this world at the time (probably still is).
I was totally mesmerized by this game with it's weird levels, monsters and feel to it.
The game was very hard and I never finished it without cheating. With the cheat on it only takes around 20 mins to finish this game haha.
Over 20 years later I still love the music to the game and I don't mind playing it again here and there. Shadow of the beast 2 and 3 were also very good especially 3. The first one just has that music and character that is just classic and special.

Classical Visions #2 - Fletch

Fletch is a 1985 comedy film about a wisecracking investigative newspaper reporter, Irwin M. Fletcher (Chevy Chase), who writes under the name of Jane Doe. The film was based on the popular Gregory Mcdonald novels, the screenplay was written by Andrew Bergman and it was directed by Michael Ritchie.

In the 1970s, Burt Reynolds and Mick Jagger were considered to portray Fletch on the big screen but these suggestions were rejected by Mcdonald. The author agreed to the casting of Chevy Chase despite never seeing the comedian in anything. Chase reportedly enjoyed the role because it allowed him to play several different characters and work with props. In a 2004 interview with Entertainment Weekly, Chase confirmed this was his favorite role.

Fletch earned several positive reviews from critics and performed well at the box office and home video. It has since developed a cult following and was followed by a 1989 sequel, Fletch Lives. A prequel, Fletch Won, has been in talks for more than a decade.

One of the greats, this movie just captures the 80's so perfectly. The acting and the story are right up there, it's very well done. I've seen this movie over 70 times easy in my life and it never gets stale or old. Always a thrill to watch this classic. Probably my favorite movie starring Chevy Chase. There is just so many wisecracks you will be forever quoting this movie.
I remember reading there is still heaps of cut footage from this movie, so it's about time those Universal Pictures bastards did a proper release package with everything included on the discs. 
"Why don't we go lay on the bed and I'll fill you in? "

Dangerous Recommendations #3 - The Beast - ...Has Arrived

Another classic here from the old vaults. Already from the cover you can tell this is a classic album. Picked it up dirt cheap a long time ago and impressed immediately on the first play. Released in 1985 this album is a killer  mix of thrash, punk and heavy metal. The songs although quite simple are well written with many catchy parts accompanied by great lyrics and structure.

The vocals is what gives this band character, they are in a league of their own. I hear GBH, Motorhead, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden and maybe some Ramones? in the beast's music but they make it their own.

The production is a little beauty raw and rough with a slight home touch to it but still clear and in your face.

I listen to this album all the time, just sticks to you like glue the songs.
The band released another album in 1987 called Carnival of Souls which had a bit more cleaner more expensive production and more crossover feel to it. Carnival of Souls is another great album as well the songs are just as catchy as the first album.
...Has arrived album just wins for me, just got that character and charm to it, that will forever be a underground classic album.

Classical Visions #1 - Duel

Duel is a 1971 television (and later full-length theatrical) film starring Dennis Weaver, who plays a terrified motorist stalked on a remote and lonely road by the unseen driver of a mysterious tanker truck. It was written by Richard Matheson, based on his own short story, and directed by Steven Spielberg in his feature film directing debut.

The script is adapted by Richard Matheson from his own short story, originally published in Playboy magazine. It was inspired by a real-life experience, in which Matheson was tailgated by a trucker on his way home from a golfing match with friend Jerry Sohl, on the same day as the Kennedy assassination

The original made-for-television version was 74 minutes long and was completed in 13 days (three longer than the scheduled 10 days), leaving 10 days for editing prior to broadcast as the ABC "Movie of the Week". Following Duel's successful TV airing, Universal released Duel overseas in 1972, especially in Europe. Since the TV movie was not long enough for theatrical release, Universal caused Spielberg to spend two days filming several new scenes, turning Duel into a 90-minute film. The new scenes were the railroad crossing, school bus, and David Mann's telephone conversation with his wife. A longer opening sequence was added with the car backing out of a garage and driving through the city. Expletives were added to make the film sound less like a television production.

The Valiant's red color was also intentional; Spielberg did not care what kind of car was used in the film, but wanted it to be a red car to enable the vehicle to stand out in the wide shots of the desert highway
Spielberg had what he called an "audition" for the truck, where he viewed a series of trucks to choose the one for the film. He selected the older 1955 Peterbilt 281 over the then-current flat-nosed "forward control" style of trucks because the long hood of the Peterbilt, coupled to its split windshield and round headlights, gave it more of a "face", adding to the menacing personality.In addition, Spielberg said that the multiple license plates on the front bumper of the Peterbilt subtly suggested that the truck driver is a serial killer, having "run down other drivers in other states."For each shot, several people had the task to make it uglier, adding some "truck make-up". The shots of the truck are done in such a way as to make it seem "alive" in terms of its attack on Mann.

Duel! what a classic! I've watched this that many times, bloody hell! The tenseness and the atmosphere of the film just hooks you in. Seeing that old dirty truck just thunder down the highway right up Dennis's arse is on the edge of your seat stuff. Dennis weaver's acting in this is just a bloody ripper!
I really think the now days boring hollywood have no chance in hell in remaking this classic.

Gaming Remembrance #4 - Xenon 2 Megablast

Introduction: Xenon 2 Megablast is a video game originally produced for the Amiga and Atari ST, and later converted to the PC, Sega Master System, Sega Mega Drive, Acorn Archimedes and Game Boy platforms. The sequel to Xenon, it was designed by the Bitmap Brothers (although coded by The Assembly Line). It became one of their most well-known titles, and is a classic of its genre.

Xenon 2 Megablast is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up. Unusual for the genre at the time, the player's spaceship can reverse the scrolling of the play area for a limited distance; which is used in the game for defeating bosses, avoiding enemies and escaping dead ends. This game consists of five levels which are each divided into two sections.

The game has a generic sci-fi theme and almost no plot, focusing instead on presentation and gameplay. Indeed, it was the quality of the music and graphics that led to the game's memorability. The graphics bear the trademark "Bitmap Brothers" appearance, with realistic and detailed renditions of rock and metal objects. The enemies are mostly various nondescript organic creatures, plants, bacteria-like lifeforms, though the final levels feature robotics, mechanical enemies, and various artificial hostile entities.

The player of Xenon 2 Megablast must rely heavily on power-ups, which may be gained by shooting power-up containers that appear through the levels. When an enemy or a wave of enemies are destroyed they leave behind credits in the shape of bubbles. Small bubbles are worth 50 credits and large bubbles are worth 100. When a mid-level boss or end of level boss are destroyed, they explode to reveal lots of credit bubbles. Credits are then spent at a shop owned by Crispin The Alien (who bears a remarkable resemblance to the alien from the film Predator). Power-ups of various sorts may be bought there. Accumulating power-ups rewards the player with more heavy-duty firepower. The shop appears mid-level and at the end of the level.

At later levels, getting credit bubbles becomes easier, as certain areas contain an endless supply of enemies - strange bee-like creatures and killer kites - which will always drop a credit bubble upon dying. If the player stays long enough, making slight movements backwards, he can get an enormous amount of credits. This is where a major glitch occurs in Xenon 2; if you accidentally "over-collect" the credit bubbles trying to maximize your money to the highest possible amount, the money amount will simply over-lap back to zero, and the player only finds this out upon finishing the level. So if the money counter is over-lapped, and the player is left with something like 200 or 500 credits, the game becomes next to impossible, and the player has to start all over again.

Ahh Xenon 2 what a classic this was when it was released for the Amiga. The first thing to grab me was the soundtrack, it  was unbelievable at the time just one of those you had to be there moments to appreciate it! The graphics and game play were ahead of it's time, I didn't really play a game like this at all back in 1989 this was brand new genre to me. It was such a classic and fun game to play, The soundtrack I still listen to quite regularly, great memories!