Rockezine.com interview with Ballistic on Sep 17, 2003

with Tom Gattis on Sep 17, 2003

Ballistic started in 2001 but is by no means a rookie band. Their debut album is a piece of very experienced metal. It doesn’t come as a surprise that the main man behind this band is no one else than Tom Gattis, a man who has been in the scene since the late seventies and played in bands like Deuce, Tension and Wardog. Tom fortunately hasn’t grown soft over the years, and strikes back with full anger, going truly ballistic on you. A more than good enough reason to ask him some questions about his new band.
		Ballistic is an excellent debut album but most of the band members have been in the heavy metal scene for a very long time. Can you tell our readers a bit about your respective backgrounds and how the band came into existence? Thanks for the compliment! Well I’m assuming you have introduced my background so I’ll go on to Rikard. He is the drummer in Jag Panzer, and has been that since the 80’s. I’m sure your readers are well aware of the background there. Tim O’Connor is the amazing bassist, who was my band mate in Tension. He has been playing very intricate jazz fusion stuff since then. Petio Petev is a guy I met through a mutual friend. He was a very fast and talented player who I knew would fit in. After I left Wardog I wanted to get a no-frills, fast thrash band. I had real trouble finding a drummer until my producer here in Phoenix called me with Rikards number. It clicked right from the beginning, plus he is very professional.
		The album is an almost relentless onslaught that reminds strongly of the eighties. Did Ballistic start with this style in mind, or was it just a natural result of the way you write your songs? I have been writing that way since the late 70’s. The only thing that really changed is that I have gotten better at guitar/songwriting so the music has advanced also. I still really like many of the old songs though, and I simply haven’t heard a style of music I like better since the NWOBHM. I really liked the mid-eighties crossover stuff, and of course old Slayer, but still the NWOBHM has always been #1 to me. I must also include old Scorpions and Accept.
		Although most of the songs on the album are played at a pretty high speed, it is still diverse; to me it feels like Ballistic mixes several styles. How would you describe your own music and what can the listener expect to hear on Ballistic? The first thing I hope is the songwriting. There are tons of great musicians out there but the most prized position is that of the songwriter. I can’t say that I purposely write in certain styles, to me it’s all metal. I can never really rate a band on first listen. If I’m still singing the songs in my head a week later then I know they are good.
I am almost 40 but I think I can still speed my way through a lot of younger bands.		What bands have influenced Ballistic’s style the most? Raven, Priest, The Dead Boys, Maiden, Saxon, The Ramones, Pistols, but honestly it’s more of an inner anger that I have had all my life. There weren’t a lot of bands out there to imitate in 1978, but old Scorpions were one, Yesterday and Today, Motörhead.
		When listening to the album it struck me right away how aggressive Ballistic sounds and the lyrics are certainly in line with that aggressive approach. Is there any specific reason for this aggression? There have always been posers to hate. In the 80’s it was the hairspray and make up, in the 90’s it was grunge, then in the late 90’s the fake tough look with all the tattoos etc. I just hate fakes, people who do things for all the wrong reasons. I can understand the feelings of insecurity where you have to look like you fit in with the latest fad, when it has an adverse effect on your music that is when it goes too far. If you want to look weak that’s fine, but just don’t start playing weak. Grunge was the worse. A bunch of kids playing music that is more tired than my grandparents. I’m not a big fan of the new punk movement, but at least they play like they are young kids, not tired old burnouts. I have to say that if there is one thing I try to do it’s not to sound my age. I’m almost 40 but I think I can still speed my way through a lot of younger bands.
		Can you tell us a bit about how the band approaches song writing; is it a process that involves the band as a whole or is it more an individual process? Usually me and Rikard will bring a song and everyone else will add parts. That’s the great thing about having other musicians that are better than you are, is they always add, not subtract. With Wardog the song was pretty much the same from the beginning, but with Ballistic I can always count on the song getting better the more people put into it.
		How did the cooperation with Metal Blade Records started and what do they do for you in terms of promotion? Well they always got us killer gigs in Wardog, and when they heard the Ballistic 2001 demo they were very interested. I’m not sure how much promotion is going on but really we are not a top priority of the label. We get in all the magazines and they are very helpful. Even though I have a longer history than Metal Blade itself, there are many bands that have been on the label much longer than me. We’re not a big money band and frankly they don’t have to sell many albums to make their money back. We may not make the profit they project, but they also don’t ‘lose’ money on us. It’s all accounting and business jargon, but recouping does not really mean making the money back, and visa-versa. That part of the business is contractual bullshit, and someone who is deep in other businesses (like Engineering) can figure it out pretty quick. You just have to remember what is really happening, and what is artificial in the contract, are often two different things.
		Metal Blade Records seem to have an extensive roster of new and attractive heavy metal acts and also has a very long history in metal not unlike Ballistic. What does the band expect from Metal Blade and how has the cooperation been so far? Before we signed, Rikard and me had long talks about different record companies, since we both are very experienced. Like I said they used to get me killer gigs, that was the main thing. They treated me great and still do. We both agreed that that was the important thing. So Metal Blade treats me well, but at the same time I really like doing things myself and do not like being taken care of. So I think Metal Blade likes the fact that I can take care of myself and has to worry less.
There are tons of great musicians out there but the most prized position is that of the songwriter.		Can we expect to see Ballistic on tour in Europe, and if so together with what bands will you be touring? Uh, probably not with this album, but lets see. It’s too early. I think it is more likely with the next album.
		During the long time that you have been active in the metal scene, what did you like the most in being part of the scene, and what the least? Easily the best thing is playing live in Europe. The American gigs have sucked. Most of the guys here are more interested in smelling men’s toilets than hearing real metal. But it seems like that is changing a bit. I think the worst thing is the individual musicians who will not play a note without getting $$$, and really have no love for playing for huge audiences. Also, the business itself is set up for failure, that’s why I’m so glad to be out of that aspect.
		What can we expect from Ballistic in the future? I have absolutely no idea at all. All I can say is that I’ll probably still be releasing demos etc., no matter what.
		What would you like to say to all those people who keep on insisting that (heavy) metal is dead? It can never be dead if there are still people who love it. The people who say metal is dead probably never got out of the small world of the USA, and they probably WISH it were dead. So they say it is dead to serve some sad part of themselves. I can honestly not remember a time when it was dead. I know times when it was less popular, but never dead.
		Well that’s it. Thanks a lot for this interview and good luck with the release of “Ballistic”. Is there anything you want to add to the interview? Yea, you gotta at least give the CD a listen! If you haven’t been happy with recent albums then you might want to check this out. And of course it would be great to play for you next year, so let’s go!!! Thanks!
		(Frank van de Voorde)