DAVID T. CHASTAIN 2/19/99

Arda Turac-You have made 7 studio albums with CHASTAIN and, 7 albums in your solo career. Generally musicians make a choice in solo career and group. You are still working with two kinds of them with full-powered. And you fit 14 albums in 16 years. What is the secret of this energy?
*David T. Chastain-I have a creative river that never stops. I use to write about an album's worth of material every month. I have been fortunate in having great musicians at my disposal to perform the music.

-There is a two kind guitar virtuosos in Heavy Metal scene in my opinion. One of them is playing melodic and soft metal music (like Joe Satriani, Marty Friedman, Jason Becker ect.) and one of that two kind is making hard music and they have their bands (like Chastain, Axel Rudi Pell band, Malmsteen band, Joe Stump's Reign Of terror, Vinnie Moore ect.). But you're including of two kinds. I think you don't want to remembering by H.M. listeners as a monotonous virtuoso. Isn't it? Or what is the reason?
*I like all styles of music and I get bored if I play the same thing over and over again.

-Let's go to the past little bit. May I learn your story of beginning to music?
*I was always drawn to the sound of the lead guitar and I wanted to learn how to play that exciting style.

-Did you begun with guitar? And which model it was, acoustic or electric model?
*There was always some sort of cheap acoustic guitar around the house when I was growing up but it was very difficult to play and I probably would have trouble playing it today if it was still around. I don't consider that I really started playing until I got a cheap electric guitar in high school.

-When did you recognize with piano?
*My older sister took piano lessons and I banged on it from time to time but I really can't say that I play very well. I can put backing keyboards and intros on our cds.

-May I learn your musical education?
*Pretty much all self taught in that I had no lessons. I did study many music theory books and of course listening to other players. I also jammed extensively when I first started which helped develop my improvisational skills.

-You 're playing guitar and keyboard. There is no many musicians who are playing guitar and keyboard since time in H.M. scene. I can remember only Tony MacAlpine and Vitalij Kuprij. Isn't it hard to keep both of them?
*As I mentioned before I can't really play keyboards very well and I only use them on recordings as I don't really have time to practice them. Actually I am a much better flute player than keyboardist in regards to a second instrument.

-In studio of course you play them one by one. But in concerts what are you doing?
*We use tape intros for some songs, but basically no live keyboards.

-Would you explain to me a interest of play more than one instrument? May musicians, especially guitar virtuosos want to play all instruments (bass, guitar, keyboard, back vocal, vocal etc.). What is the reason of unsatisfaction? (as a joke of course)
*Most guitar virtuosos are perfectionists and we can't handle people who are not into our music as much as we are. Also by the time you show someone the part you could already have recorded it yourself .

-Which guitarist or musicians are your favorites?
*Allan Holdsworth has always been very inspirational as far as a lead guitarist goes. I have been into the sound of heavy metal bands with very progressive guitarists. I can enjoy something in most players.

-You proud to say "I've influenced by..... ...... ......". And nowadays some guitarist are proud to say "I've influenced by David T. Chastain". How this feeling?
*It is an extreme compliment. I always made music that I enjoyed with no worry about the commercial aspects and if people are influenced by it in a positive way then I am very happy.

-Which trade-mark guitars are you playing? Have you got any deal with any label?
*I mainly use old Kramer Pacer guitars that have not been made in a long time.

-Which trade-mark are making great guitars in your opinion?
*I really don't go into music stores so I can't really say what are the great new guitars.

-Do you want to give any advice to teenager guitarist who are reading you now in Turkey?
*Practice hard and learn as much about music theory as possible. Decide what you want from the guitar and make the effort in that direction.

-What kind of difference could be between the guitars (From different trademarks). Would you explain it little bit?
*I personally can get any guitar to sound good thru an amp. It is the fretboard that makes all the difference to me. I am happy with the feel of my old Kramer guitars and I am not out looking for anything to replace them. I am not a gear head as I feel that "It is a poor worker who blames his tools." Too many players worry about their equipment and not about their playing.

-You have recorded a concert album with Michael Harris in 1992. Would you little talk about from that concert?
*Actually we did a couple of concert tours and it was very fun. We recently recorded a new studio album together but this one has vocals. The name of the band is ZANISTER and hopefully that will be out in Europe in 99.

-Who have planned to give a gig with M. Harris and to record this concert? Why M. Harris have chosen?
*Michael and I have been friends for years and we play in the same general style so it was a good match. Plus there were no big ego problems and we enjoy each others work.

-Album's name was "Live! Wild and Truly Diminished!". Diminished has a various meanings, what did you wanted to hint?
*I have a song on Instrumental Variations that is called Wild and Truly Diminished. The reason I called it Truly Diminished as it was based on the full diminished scale and not the scale that most neo-classical guitarist call diminished. In A it would A,B,C, D, D#, F, F#, G#, A. The name of the album was just a play on words of that song title.

-What mind of differences are you making when you decide to record a concert album?
*We had to figure out which songs we thought would translate with two guitar players and which songs we could pull off live. Actually some worked better than others.

-Have you got any concert video?
*There are tons of bootleg stuff out there but only one real quality multi camera video and that was a live CJSS video.

-(If yes---) So what kind of extra preparations you're making before concert video? (as in backstage, as on stage)
*We had to bring in a video crew, a live sound engineer, plus a recording crew and sync everyone up so that we were all on the same page.

-Let's talk about last Chastain album IN DEMENTIA. I'm a listener of classical H.M., melodic power metal and guitar virtuoso albums. I've recognize you with your 1987 album which is called THE SEVENTH OF NEVER. And it has sound which is one of my favorite musical kind preference. But nowadays you have different musical style in IN DEMENTIA. What is the reason of this changing or variation?
*The times have changed and sounds of today's music are engineered differently. On In Dementia, the rhythm guitar is much heavier sounding than in the 80s. Kate brought a newer sound ideology to the group. If you like the sound of the 7th of Never then you will be very happy with ZANISTER as we have gone back to more of the 80s sounding style for this cd.

-Your line-up have passed reform with SICK SOCIETY album. Already your line-up is all changing but isn't it making to you any problem?
*The guitar has remained the same thru all of the cds and there has only been one vocalist change and that is the most important for the continuation of the sound. Plus both of the vocalists, Leather and Kate French sound remarkably alike.

-In heavy metal scenes a few bands include female vocalist or musician. And Chastain band is one of them. Why do you prefer female vocalist to male?
*Female vocalists just touch me more emotionally. Plus they have a higher range which helps to sing some of my songs. I didn't start out CHASTAIN to have a female vocalist, it just happened that way. Both Kate and Leather can kick any man's ass in the vocal department.

-You have worked with Leather Leone for a 7 years and 5 albums. Why Leather switch-off with Kate? What was the problem with Leather?
*There was no problem with Leather, we just needed a change. I did not record a CHASTAIN cd between 90-95 as I wanted to try a few other things. Kate came up to me in late 94 and gave me a tape and I thought she was a great so I decided to do another Chastain cd with her on vocals.

-Leather was with you for a 5 albums, Did you lived any problem after Leather's leaving? For example, did your fans give bad reaction?
*Of course some people like Leather better and some people like Kate better. I think they sound pretty much a like and each has their strong points.

-Let's talk about your last solo album, which is called ACOUSTIC VISIONS. Can you present it to Turkey's H.M. listeners?
*Acoustic Visions is an all acoustic solo heavy metal guitar recording. No overdubs just straight guitar to tape. I don't believe anyone has ever done a recording like this. It is a very good cd for background music and has a lot of moods and color to it.

-Would You explain your emotional situation while you're writing songs?
*Nothing special, I write songs everyday and I have written songs in every frame of mind. I do not have to be sad or anything to write songs.

-Have the songs any history? Would you talk about a little?
*A lot of the lyrics have a lot of personal meaning to me. Too many to go into detail and I don't want to tell the listener what the songs are about. It is up to each person to evaluate each song for themselves and draw from them what they think they are about.

-I guess ACOUSTIC VISIONS is your first acoustic album. Why did you feel the necessity to make an acoustic album?
*I had been practicing a lot on the acoustic guitar and was coming up with some pretty cool ideas. So I decided let's do it.

-May I learn your future projects? (as Leviathan Records, as musician David Chastain)
*I have 2 new cds already recorded and hopefully they will be released in 99. ZANISTER Symphonica Millennia is a traditional heavy metal cd with both Michael Harris and I on guitars. More in the style of Hammerfall, Helloween, etc. I also have recorded a very heavy blues rock cd. The name of the group is SOUTHERN GENTLEMEN and cd will be called Exotic Dancer Blues. It is my first time as the lead vocalist and the music brings to mind the sound of the early 70s blues rock of ZZ TOP, Trower, Hendrix, etc.

-We know that you've influenced by classical music. Would you make an album which is include Metal. versions of these works?
*I am not sure what you are asking but I would love to hear some of my music performed by a symphony. I have also written some string quartets that I would love to hear performed in that setting.

-What is the most thing would someday love to study? (It could be a fantasy)
*I would like to travel to a lot of the exotic locations of the world that I have not visited such as the Pyramids at Giza and then I would like to see what kind of inspiration that brings to my music.

-You have made 14 children (as a albums of course) until now. Which work is your favorite and why?
*If I could only take one cd to another planet I guess it would be NEXT PLANET PLEASE because I feel that the cd will still sound very fresh in 30 years.

-What do you think about anti-christ or brutal metal music which are making nowadays more and more?
*I can't handle the death metal vocals no matter if they were singing about Pamela Anderson. All religious propaganda both dark and light is ridiculous. I do not believe in fairy tales from either side.

-Do you feel any sorrow from H.M.'s that kind of going to unesthetics shape?
*I am not effected too much by the masses as I have always made music more for myself and I just hoped everyone else liked it. It is too bad that Heavy Metal is not as popular as it once was but things seem to be moving back in that direction if only a little bit at a time.

-What can we do against of these formation as a keepers of true and esthetic H.M.?
*Support metal bands by buying their cds and spreading the word to the non believers about the power and greatness of the music.

-Finally Have You got any message to Turkish heavy metal listeners? Don't forget Turkey's active H.M. fans are generally read this lines.
*Keep the faith and spread the word. Real Heavy Metal Music will never die!