A Sunday Conversation With Rev, vocalist of Greyhawk.
When I was a kid, growing up in a house with Cat Stevens, Neil Diamond, and Simon and Garfunkel, the first time I ever heard Kiss's "Detroit Rock City," it was a moment of musical epiphany. It was just so vicious, aggressive and mean. It changed the way I listened to music. I've had a few minor epiphany's since then, when you come across a band that just brings something new and revolutionary to your ears.
What have been your musical epiphany moments?
Oh man, there have been so many. Most relevant here would be when I first heard Opeth's Blackwater Park, when I first heard Captain Beyond's 1972 self-titled album, and when I first heard Rainbow's Rising.
Talk to us about the song-writing process for you. What comes first, the idea? A riff? The lyrics? How does it all fall into place?
Sometimes it's a riff or a snippet of lyrics, but more often than not it's actually the title that gets my creative process started. Imagine I wanted to write a song called "Leaves of Sorrow," a random title I just made up. What would that song sound like? What would it feel like to play that song live? I can already hear something in the back of my mind, and if I put enough effort into it, I could eventually bring the whole thing into focus and have the skeleton of a new song. In Greyhawk, our lead guitarist writes the majority of the guitar parts, so my focus is on lyrics and vocal melodies/harmonies. I'll think of a title that feels appropriate to what Jesse has composed and build the story of the song from there. That's just the beginning, though. By the time a Greyhawk song is done, every member of the band will have had their input and added their own personal, and the song may have gone through multiple rewrites.
Who has influenced you the most?
When it comes to rock vocals, my biggest influence is Dio. I'm I'm having issues accessing my technique or my enthusiasm, I just throw on The Last in Line and I'm all sorted out before "We Rock" is even finished. I also should say I'm very grateful for the singers who paved the way for lower voices in heavy music. I'm talking about guys like James Hetfield, Till Lindemann, Zak Stevens, Danzig, and Jake Rogers from Visigoth.
Where do you look for continuing inspiration? New ideas, new motivation?
One of my biggest sources of inspiration is the natural world. Nature is always changing, growing, dying, and renewing itself, so there are always ideas to be found within it. Here in the Pacific Northwest, the natural world is especially epic. We have giant volcanoes, raging rivers, jagged mountains shrouded in mist, and shadowy ancient forests, all a great source of material for a metal lyricist like me. Also I have to say that I'm very inspired by the fact that the world is such a mess right now. It's times like these when heroes rise and legends are born!
We're all a product of our environment. Tell us about the band's hometown and how that reflects in the music?
Seattle is a very introverted city, but one that takes rock and roll pretty seriously. The legacy of grunge and the 90s Seattle Sound is still a big deal here. None of us are really into that particular style, but it's cool to be a band in a place where music is treated with a lot of respect. Of course, there's also a great tradition of metal bands from the Northwest. Queensrÿche and Metal Church are some of our biggest influences, and they're both from this area.
Where'd the band name come from?
We were all sending each other long lists of potential names, and we realized that Greyhawk was the only name that had appeared multiple times on different lists. The more we thought about it, the more it felt like the right name. We liked that there's a strong Dungeons and Dragons connection, even though we aren't named for that specifically.
You have one chance, what movie are you going to write the soundtrack for?
It would a psychedelic tale of a time-traveling wizard who comes to our time to recruit a motley band of outcasts to surf the waves of history, restoring justice to the timestream.
You now write for a music publication (The Ripple Effect?). You're going to write a 1,000 word essay on one song. Which would it be and why?
The title track of Opeth's Deliverance. I've been listening to that song for years and it just never gets old. Probably about 750 of those words would be devoted to the coda alone. I think people tend to underestimate the power of a great outro!
Come on, share with us a couple of your great, Spinal Tap, rock and roll moments?
All of your moments are great Spinal Tap moments when your heart is full of rock and roll.
Tell us about playing live and the live experience for you and for your fans?
Playing live with the guys in Greyhawk has been one of the absolute highlights of my life to date because each member of this band pulls his own weight and is equally comfortable taking the spotlight or letting the others shine. We really try to create something special for the audience and to make our performances into a "show" in the classic sense. Our set includes shapes, props, solo breaks, and careful organized transitions between songs, even if we're just playing in a basement or someone's driveway. At the same time, we cultivate a very personable atmosphere and do our best to make every fan feel welcomed into the world we're creating.
What makes a great song?
A great song is able to communicate something to the listener in a way that no other song can. It should be complex enough to still reveal new secrets after thousands of listens, but simple enough to understand the first time it's heard.
Tell us about the first song you ever wrote?
Well, I've been writing songs since I was a little kid, but the first Greyhawk song I wrote vocal parts for was "Circle of Heroes" from our first EP, Ride Out. Our guitarist Jesse wrote the instrumental parts and recorded a demo, and I devised lyrics and vocal lines to fit on top. That's a process we've used a number of times since, although occasionally I also contribute riffs. The first Greyhawk song I wrote the riffs and main melodies for was the title track of Ride Out.
What piece of your music are particularly proud of?
There's a song on our upcoming album Keepers of the Flame called Black Peak, and which I think is probably the best recording we've made so far. Everyone's performance is absolutely spot-on, and the song has an unusual structure and a unique vibe which I hope audiences find intriguing. The bridge features an absolutely mind-melting double guitar solo that I'm very excited for unsuspecting listeners to discover!
Who today, writes great songs? Who just kicks your ass? Why?
There are so many great bands out there these days that it's honestly kind of overwhelming. It's a great time to be a fan of heavy metal and power metal and if you're looking for a new favorite band, the scene today is definitely a target-rich environment! Canada especially is producing a bumper crop of kickass bands, several of which we've been lucky enough to play with. Edmonton's Striker does really impressive stuff with vocal harmonies and amazing catchy hooks, and their live sets are an absolute party. I can't wait to see them again! I'm also a big fan of our friends in Unleash the Archers, too. I'm really excited about the follow-up to their concept album Apex. I'm stoked for the music, but also to find out what happens next in the saga! Their singer Brittney, aside from being a fantastic vocalist, is also an excellent storyteller, which I find very inspiring. Also, here in Seattle, there's a speed-metal band called Solicitor. They're about to unleash their first full-length, which shows every indication of being a true banger. We've played with those guys a number of times, and they never fail to kick major ass!
Vinyl, CD, or digital? What's your format of choice?
Definitely Vinyl. I dig the warm sound of vinyl, but even apart from that I just like the experience of holding the record, seeing the cover art, and settling in to listen for a whole side without distraction.
Whiskey or beer? And defend your choice
Whiskey for me. I'll take a good single-malt scotch over pretty much anything else in the alcohol world. It's hard to beat that feeling of whiskey heat spreading throughout the body, especially among friends on a chilly night. And whisky is of course very efficient. It makes it easy to achieve any desired level buzz in no time at all! That said, beer is lovely too. Greyhawk is a very beer-oriented band. Our bassist Darin is a brewer and the other guys are beer enthusiasts as well. We actually have some exciting beer-related projects in the works, so stay tuned!
We, at the Ripple Effect, are constantly looking for new music. What's your home town, and when we get there, what's the best record store to lose ourselves in?
It's definitely worth dropping by Zion's Gate Records on Pike Street in Capitol Hill. It's not a huge shop, but they have an impressively thorough metal section, as well as good jazz, reggae, and punk collections.
What's next for the band?
Right now we're building up to the release of our first full-length album, Keepers of the Flame, which drops on June 16th on Fighter Records. We've already released the first single, "Don't Wait for the Wizard", and we'll be releasing two more singles, including our first official music video, before June. We were planning to do a bunch of gigs surrounding the release, including some awesome festivals, but sadly the COVID-19 outbreak has made all of that impossible. Whenever the virus-imposed hibernation is over, though, you can be sure that we'll be back with a vengeance!
Any final comments or thoughts you'd like to share with our readers, the waveriders?
We're all going to make it through these strange and difficult times together, and we're all going to rock harder for having done so. Fighting through adversity with courage, passion, and resolute positivity is what this upcoming album is all about, so I hope those of you who hear Keepers of the Flame find it resonant, refreshing, and just plain fun. We'll see you out there on the road!
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