What’s that noise?! (pt.3)

Here’s the third and final part of the interview Dolloff The Rat did a couple of years ago for his Sit Home And Rot fanzine with Dan Lilker. If you still wish to read more about Dan Lilker and the old days you should check out this interview conducted by Billy Milano, an interview that has only one purpose from Milano’s side: get Dan to talk as much shit as possible on Scott Ian.

I’ve seen a video of a NYC Mayhem show where you sing Life Of Riley with them. Were you into NYC Mayhem? What about Mental Abuse?

Oh, yeah, I forgot fucking Mental Abuse. That vocalist Cyd Sludge was a classic! And of course I enjoyed the short-lived NYC Mayhem, who went from death metal in ’78 to insane ultra-fast hardcore in a matter of what seemed like weeks.

Was it mainly bangers, hardcore kids or skins that moshed for you guys? Or was it a combination of the bunch?

Probably mostly bangers, but certainly a healthy amount of the other two categories. There were plenty of hardcore kids who could tell that we were not that serious with the lyrics and enjoyed us live for the intensity and the ‘moshability’. For that matter, I must say I thought it was pretty dumb to put ‘mosh part’ in the lyrics of Speak English Or Die. I only saw that when it was too late to do anything about it.

Will S.O.D. ever consider playing another show? I know you guys played CBGB’s once a year or two ago.

Although I very highly doubt it at the moment, it is possible that with time (and the right offer) it could happen again.

What do you think of Anthrax? Is it true that they were hated back then?

Well, the thing with those guys back then was that they had a little habit of latching onto certain trends and activities and trying to associate themselves with these things in a rather clumsy and obvious manner. So when they put the NYHC symbol on one of their shirts, more than a few people got a little pissed. It didn’t help when metal journalist Don Kaye mentioned in some widely distributed magazine that ‘it was rumored that they had actually tried to copyright the symbol’. That is not true, but it fanned the flames. Especially when they could compare Anthrax to Nuclear Assault. John and I were regulars at the CB’s matinees. We played a few of them and we didn’t pull kiss-ass-maneuvers if you get me. Scott later tried to get out of it by claiming that by putting the symbol there they were promoting it, thereby ‘supporting the scene’. That tired old expression. Hardcore kids weren’t fooled and pointed out that they could have supported the scene in a much less misleading way by simply mentioning bands they liked in interviews and wearing their shirts.

Are you really into horror movies? Do you like The Exorcist? Freddy Krueger’s a great song.

Oh yeah, I love all kinds of horror movies. From total humorous splatter to mind-bending psychological terror. Favorites include Evil Dead 2, Suspiria and Bad Taste.

Any closing words?

This has been a real trip down memory lane for me. It was quite nostalgic doing all this reminiscing and shit. I’m glad there’s people like you out there that are still enjoying and supporting the old style. After all, look at mainstream metal today… Papa Roach?!