Interview for DEATHTHRASHER MAGAZINE by ARMANDO MUTILATOR : 

DT: Hail Ronnie !!! once again my old friend, how are you?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Good to hear from you again ! I am doing pretty well lately. We just finished our new album with DEAD HEAD and I have a very cute little daughter since three months. So I have been pretty productive the last year.

DT: BRUCE LEE or JEAN CLAUDE VAN DAMME?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I like them both. But BRUCE LEE was an absolute legend. I have never been into martial arts or movies of that kind, but since a year or so I have accidentely seen some stuff. BRUCE LEE was absolutely amazing of course. And I think nobody has come even close to his appearance ever since.
JC VAN DAMME is very cool, I think. In his own specific way.

DT: Tell me about your National Soccer Team please and all your stars like RUUD VAN NISTELROOY, EDGAR DAVIDS, CLARENCE SEEDORF, etc, etc...
Ronnie van der Wey: Soccer… I think it actually sucks lately. I only watch the games of AJAX AMSTERDAM. Our national team is really a bunch of overestimated millionaires who can play soccer, but generally they should be kicked ass very heavily. They are lazy and easily satisfied without doing their utmost on the green field. The only thing they're concerned about are money and the stock ratings. Besides that it is a shame that they don't let WINSTON BOGARDE play, who is a very brilliant left-back.

DT: Tell me about DEAD HEAD's first album "The Feast Begins At Dawn"
(Rising Sun Records1991).
Ronnie van der Wey: That's quite a while ago. We recorded that one in a nearby recording studio named 'FRANKY's RECORDING KITCHEN'. The same studio in which we did our demo 'THE FESTERING'. In those days we recorded everything separately, so first drums, then guitars, etc. I think using that method a lot of 'feeling' disappears, and everything sounds a bit artificial. But it's no use talking about those ancient songs. It was our first album and we have learned a lot from that. 

DT : After the recordings for the debut-album DEAD HEAD did a tour through Denmark with EDGE OF SANITY and INVOCATOR, and played in Holland with SEPULTURA, HEATHEN, SKYCLAD, CANDLEMASS, SUFFOCATION, SINISTER, GOREFEST, MALEVOLENT CREATION and GRAVE, tell me about great sucess !!!.
Ronnie van der Wey: When you play live and people see you sweat and work hard on stage, I think they appreciate that. In those days we were in a line of fast progress. But when you play live so many times, it almost becomes a routine. 

DT : Why in 1992 the original drummer SPIJKER left the band?.
Ronnie van der Wey: As far as I can recall it was because he couldn't make the effort anymore to put enough energy in the band. We played a lot in those days. And SPIJKER is the kind of guy who fully commits himself when he's doing something. Combined with his personal situation at the time things became too busy for him. Then you have to make a choice.
But luckily he went back into the band in 1995.

DT: Do you remember PUTREFACTION MAGAZINE?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I read that Magazine a couple of years ago. In my memory it was very good, underground. 

DT: Are you friends with PHIL FASCIANA?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Well, I actually can't remind who he is, so I think I must answer negative.

DT: How do you contact with MARCO KLEINNIBBELINK?.
Ronnie van der Wey: You mean after we split up? We have still very good contact. He now operates with a new band named SILENT EDGE, which is Technical, Progressive Metal. A different cup of tea than DEAD HEAD, but MARCO has always been a 'methodical' musician. For us it was quite refreshing to work with him. And personally we always have had lots of fun with him. He is a person that can absolutely see the relativity of things. But for DEAD HEAD, pure musically, I prefer a more mentally twisted kind of person on the drumseat. 

DT: With MARCO, DEAD HEAD started working on new material, which in
1993 resulted in the release of the band's second album "DREAM DECEIVER", tell me abou that.
Ronnie van der Wey: ROBBIE and I were writing new songs very regularly in those days. It was a structured process. We kind of adepted a little to the drumming style of MARCO, so everything was becoming a little less stressed and freaked up. We were trying smoother arrangements and some groovier rhythms. Just for a change and as a contrast to our first album.

DT: What can you talk me about your 20 dates on European Tour with French Death Metallers, MASSACRA?, and during this Tour both bands played in Belgium with KREATOR and BIOHAZARD, tell us about that !!!.
Ronnie van der Wey: That was good 'clean' fun. Especially the (German) drummer of MASSACRA, MATTHIAS. He was the ultimate equivalent of the Metal animal. For a German his sense of humour was tremendous. The venue we played in with KREATOR and BIOHAZARD was so crowded up that I could hardly leave the building to reach the tourbus. But of course it was a great experience to play with such an outstanding live band KREATOR is. You don't play everyday in front of 3000 thrash fanatics.

DT: What represents your third album "KILL DIVISION".
Ronnie van der Wey: It stands for uncomplicated, straight Thrash Metal, no chaser. We got rid of senseless intro's, acoustic escapades and epic 7 minute songs. We had a sense of just doing everything raw and unpolished. 
That's why we recorded the basics of the album live in the studio. And I think you can hear that. It's far from technically perfect, but it sounds spontaneous and energetic.

DT: Are you a STAR WARS fan?.
Ronnie van der Wey: No, absolutely not. In fact I have never seen the first movie of the sequel. SPIJKER (our drummer) is a STAR WARS fanatic, and has pushed me several times to get into that shit. I have never been an SF freak. But due to my wife I now have seen a couple of STAR WARS episodes, and they didn't impress me much. Not bad, but movies like 'Fear and loathing in Las Vegas' , 'American Beauty' or 'Rear Window' match my interest much more.

DT: Do you know about the South American "CHIN CHIN" VOO DOO MASTER JIMMY SANTI?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Unfortunately I am not familiar with this guy.

DT: PC or MACINTOSH?.
Ronnie van der Wey: PC. 

DT: I have a DEAD HEAD's video (Zwolle - Holland 1/12/89), and you played a DEATH's cover "PULL THE PLUG", do you remember this show?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Yes, that was our very first live performance, supporting PESTILENCE on their MALLEVS MALEFICARVM TOUR. We played "PULL THE PLUG" in those days. Quite a Death Metal hit. Later we found that a lot of bands played that song as a cover so we decided to do something else. We did things like 'CHEMICAL WARFARE', 'PLEASURE TO KILL', 'TWISTED TRUTH', 'CONFESSIONS', and now we decided to play 'TOTAL ECLIPSE' from IRON MAIDEN as cover.

DT: Tell us about rare/unreleased compilation "COME TO SALEM" (2000).
Ronnie van der Wey: In coorporation with dutch record company HAMMERHEART we thought it would be nice to release a CD containing all stuff that had never been used over the years. And it was also an opportunity to release our first, pretty successful Demo "THE FESTERING" on digital soundcarrier. You can hear obscure songs, some recorded as try-outs for ourselves. 

DT: What do you think about RIP OFFS like THE BASTARD - DELINQUENT CHRISTIAN PAUCAR TOLEDO?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Nothing at all, maybe I've been too far away from the scene…?

DT: Do you remember JUAN GUILERMO "PILDORA"? Editor from Colombian Magazine, DIABOLIC FORCE?.
Ronnie van der Wey: No, but that's more my fault than his. I guess my memory wasn't too consistent at the time.

DT: Do you like the New INVOCATOR?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Yes, but to be honest I liked the old INVOCATER better. Maybe you can accuse me of being old fashioned, but I rather hear them play as an overheated engine. But what they do, they do very well. Sometimes I'm in the mood to listen to this, and I must say the fast songs on the CD are still high quality.

DT: Are you into drugs?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I surely am, but the only thing is that I stopped using more than a year ago. I just have had it. And I have had enough. But in general I think drugs are cool. If you know how to handle it. Besides that, the word 'drugs' is very misinterpreted. It can mean a lot. And different sorts of drugs cannot be compared. 

DT: In your opinion, which is the best vocalist, STEPHAN GEBEDI or FLORCITA POLO DIAZ?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I don't know FLORCITA, so no comparision possible. STEPHAN is a good singer, but he misses a certain uniqueness that singers like DAVE VINCENT, MARTIN VAN DRUNEN or JEFF BECERRA do have.

DT: Do you remember bands like PENETRATOR and PHLEGETHON?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I must have a Demo of PHLEGETON, or some tracks on a compilation album. 

DT: Do you like THANATOS "BEYOND TERROR" (MCD)?.
Ronnie van der Wey: THANATOS is a very good band, but' "BEYOND TERROR" is surely not their best release, in my opinion. What is disturbing me most on it, is the digital drum sound. Compared to their "REALM OF ECSTACY" album is sounds really 'sticky'. 

DT: Their first gig of THE GATERING followed in January of 1991, in a little town called Heesch, opening for DEADHEAD and INVOCATOR, do you remember this moment?. 
Ronnie van der Wey: Yes, but mainly because of a motor accident that happened in the neighbourhood of the venue we played. We saw it happen when we were out to lunch after we had played. It was on a clear Spring Sunday afternoon.

DT: Do you like THE GATHERING with ANNEKE VAN GIERSBERGEN? Do you know ANNEKE?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I have never seriously listened to them. But I do appreciate their way of looking at the music scene and at themselves. For them the music is the most important, and they are willing to expand their horizon. They are not frightened to try something new. And they are not pressed by any people who try to tell them what they should do. ANNEKE is a good vocalist. In general, I hate gothic bands with a female singer (and with a male singer even more), but among them The Gathering is the band I can appreciate… 

DT: Your fave 10 albums for all the times?.
Ronnie van der Wey: In random order:
1. METALLICA - Ride the Lightning
2. SLAYER - Hell Awaits
3. MORBID ANGEL - Covenant
4. MARILLION - Fugazi
5. POSSESSED - Beyond the Gates
6. QUEENSRŸCHE - Operation Mindcrime
7. IRON MAIDEN - Piece of Mind
8. STATUS QUO - Whatever you want
9. THE DOORS - An American Prayer
10. NILE - Amongst the catacombs of Nephren-Ka

And I like to add 10 more, otherwise essential material will disappear:
11. FATES WARNING - Awaken the Guardian
12. TROUBLE - The Skull
13. QUEEN - A Night at the Opera
14. PESTILENCE - Testimony of the Ancients
15. JUDAS PRIEST - Sad wings of destiny
16. ANVIL - Forged in Fire
17. MEGADETH - Rust in peace
18. VENOM - At war with Satan
19. ALICE IN CHAINS - Dirt
20. VANDENBERG - Heading for a storm

DT: Your future plans?.
Ronnie van der Wey: Release our new album "HAATLAND", do some interesting live performances, getting fat and write some evil books. At the very moment I am writing riffs for the album after "HAATLAND". I'm planning to make some tunes that are beyond the regular metal kind of thing. Not experimental in the field of arrangement, but with unusual riffs in it, and with changing keys. 

DT: Your last growl for DEATHTHRASHER's readers?.
Ronnie van der Wey: I think the chance that we will ever play in Lima is very small, but nevertheless I will send out a big HAILZ TO ALL YOU AND ALL PERUVIAN Thrashers !!! And check out our site at www.deadhead.nl.

Best regards from Ronnie van der Wey, Dead Head, guitar left.