The first interview in the history of SCREEN & STEEL was done with ex -CARCASS man Jeff Walker,
now with his new band BLACKSTAR. Their first album Barbed Wire Soul was recently released so
let's check out what Jeff had to say.
Mike Steel:
As I´m not a fan of grindcore, I started to get interested in Carcass with Necroticism -album. But
Heartwork and Swansong were the records that impressed me completely. So it was kind of
shocking to hear you breaking up after two such good releases. Do you feel in anyway that
CARCASS would´ve had anything more to say in the world of music?
Jeff Walker:
Obviously not !!! We broke up !!! Personally I remember thinking that Heartwork would be our last
album, but then we found a different twist (and a major album deal !!) to pursue with Swansong.
With BLACKSTAR there's yet another twist and in some ways (for me and Ken) it's a kind of
continuation of CARCASS, (the style of Swansong at least), in that he was the drummer and I was
the vocalist/bass player in that band. But I guess as for myself, Bill and Ken continueing with the
name CARCASS -that had run it's course....
Mike Steel:
Was there any speculation about you three (you, Ken and Carlo) continuing with name CARCASS?
Jeff Walker:
No, not in my mind. It's better to keep some dignity for the name CARCASS, we're free to make
any mistakes under another name.
Mike Steel:
What´s Bill doing nowadays? Anything music-related?
Jeff Walker:
He lives in London getting a band together, from what I know it's bluesy/hard rock.
Mike Steel:
EARACHE released Swansong but now you are on PEACEVILLE. Why this change?
Jeff Walker:
Well we wanted to sign to MUSIC FOR NATIONS (which owns PEACEVILLE). They´seemed to be
the biggest independent metal label, we just fancied a bit of a change, plus the main reason I guess
is that my good friend does press for them in Germany.
Mike Steel:
How Griff ended up in BLACKSTAR?
Jeff Walker:
I've known him for too long, and he's a friend. That's what being in a band is about, right?
Mike Steel:
Did you audition any other guitarists?
Jeff Walker:
No, it wasn't a case of me, Ken and Carlo continuing like that, It started with me, Griff, Carlo then
Ken -I know it sounds weird, but CARCASS really did come to an end.
Mike Steel:
Why the name TYGERS OF PAN TANG is so often connected with your music?
Jeff Walker:
Don't ask me -it's a bit like that whole 'medical student' rumour with CARCASS -one journalist says
something and the next thing you know everyone repeats it parrot fashion !! I think at the time it was
a compliment.
Mike Steel:
As Swansong took a little step towards seventies, it seems like with BLACKSTAR you have taken
bigger one. My analysis ot the sound is that it´s based on Swansong but is combined with rockier
influences and Griff´s obvious SABBATH/CATHEDRAL touches. Am I completely wrong?
Jeff Walker:
No not at all, I definitely think it's in the style of the stuff me and Carlo wrote for Swansong ("Keep
On Rotting...", "Black Star" etc.), and obvioulsy Ken also played on that CD. I'm not sure we've
gone into that 70s thing you talk about, we don't sit around listening to 70s rock music all
day, all I can say is CARCASS was the direct descendant of that music (via the 80s) and with
BLACKSTAR we've just gone for a more 'hard rock' approach, I mean obvioulsy it's all inter linked,
Death Metal itself is just Heavy Metal sped up !!! I personally don't think we have that much of
a SABBATH thing going (more TROUBLE, ha, ha) - Griffs just added less of that whole
boring/technical thing that CARCASS had, more of a no bullshit MOTÖRHEAD approach.
Mike Steel:
Your vocals are now a bit more melodic than before. Are you heading even more in that direction in
future?
Jeff Walker:
Maybe they've reached their limit !!! No there'll always be the 'aggressive' thing, all I've done is added
a bit of 'melody' to my existing style, it keeps BLACKSTAR sounding more 'post-deathmetalish' and
stops it from being a 100 percent retro thing.
Mike Steel:
That Saxophone part in Rock'n'Roll Circus is surprising. How you got this idea?
Jeff Walker:
Well the woman who played the sax on Waste of Space thought it up -Carlo wanted to put guitar
there - the sax is a bit more interesting/less boring.
Mike Steel:
You´ve already played few gigs with this new band. What have crowd-reactions been so far?
Jeff Walker:
Pretty good all things considered. I mean it must have been a bit of a shock for anyone who
recognised us. Plus hearing new material at a gig is not the best situation. But when all is said and
done we really enjoyed the gigs - it was just pure fun.
Mike Steel:
Are you going to extend your Barbed Wire Soul -tour to these northern grounds?
Jeff Walker:
Well we need to get out the front door first !! We'll play anywhere, we just need to hook up with a
tour !!
Mike Steel:
Will your live-set include CARCASS -songs? If will, could you reveal which ones?
Jeff Walker:
Well, we played "Keep On Rotting", but that's all. That's why we're no longer called CARCASS I
don't particularly want to play material written by other people who quit CARCASS (ie. Amott/Steer).
Mike Steel:
Finally I would like to ask you, after all these years in music-business, are you still strongly against
rock-star thing (signing autographs etc.) like you were in early CARCASS -days?
Jeff Walker:
Ha, ha. I don't think signing autographs is a sign of being a 'rock star', I might have when I was
younger, but just because someone wants your signature on a CD doesn't mean they look up to
you.I still don't have the time of day for people who do act as thoough they're 'God's gift'...
Shine on........
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