Above Pic Debbie Gunn credit: (marieneseroni.com)
Here is my second interview with the legendary Bay area thrash maiden Debbie Gunn. The first one was over 20 years ago, while she was in the band Znowhite, probably time to see what is happening with the leader of Sentinel Beast.
Do you feel there is a resurgence of 80s thrash metal? If so does that fuel your fire even more?
Debbie: Yes, very much so and it’s bigger than ever now. I can’t believe how these kids and young adults have embraced the 80’s and absorbed it all like a sponge. Sentinel Beast is bigger now than we were back then and it’s all due to this and the internet. You better believe it fuels my fire baby and I’m hungry for more!! \m/
How is the scene currently in the Bay area? What are some hot bands?
Debbie: The Bay Area is cool but it’s not like it was in the 80’s, I hate to say. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few good promoters that are trying like hell to get the scene going, but people need to get off their asses and start going to the shows to help promote the local bands, like they used to. It seems that people just go to a show for one band and then leave. What the hell is that!?
Some of the hot local Bay Area bands, in my opinion are, of course, Hysteria, Serpent & Seraph, and Skitzo, just to name a few. There’s a lot of great talent there but I really do wish that the locals would come out to the shows more often and help support these bands. I would love to see the Bay Area thrive once again.
In addition to Sentinel Beast I see you are managing Hysteria. What made you decide to manage instead of exclusively working with Sentinel Beast? Describe their sound.
Debbie: Well I’ve always wanted to manage a band but I needed to wait for the right time so I could learn a bit more about management. I think I’ve learned what “Not” to do, from working in Ice Age and having the manager try to kill us. Hahaha. True story!
I wasn’t really looking to manage yet but the songs from Hysteria caught my ear and I was hooked! I couldn’t believe that these songs came from young 20 year old guys. It was like they were around in the 80’s. They captured the heart and soul of the 80’s power/ thrash metal.
Some of their songs remind me of Iron Maiden, Helloween, Anthrax, and various 80’s metal bands. The influences are definitely there.
Guitarist/ vocalist, Jake Nunn is an awesome song writer and musician. Also in the band are Brandon Hanson (guitars), Bernt Strom (Bass), and Michael Smith (Drums). I’m so very fortunate to now have him playing guitar and backing vocals in Sentinel Beast. He played his first show with us last month and kicked ass!!
You can check out Hysteria and become a fan on reverbnation at:
http://www.reverbnation.com/hysteria1
Above pic Hysteria credit: (marieneseroni.com)
What about Sentinel Beast touring prospects, shows outside of the area?
Debbie: Right now we don’t have any shows booked, but that always changes. We’re currently working on getting the songs finished for the next album. It’s taking forever, due to line-up changes and mishaps along the way. But I can tell you that the songs that are written are very 80’s thrash and I feel very confident in this next album.
We’re “Keeping It True” to the Sentinel Beast sound!!
Also, check us out and become a fan on reverbnation at: http://www.reverbnation.com/sentinelbeast
Any side projects? Album guest work?
Debbie: One of my biggest side projects right now is working with the original members of Sentinel Beast. Michael Spencer, Barry Fischel, Greg Williams, Scott Awes, and I are getting together for a “one-off” Sentinel Beast reunion show. This will take place in Germany at the “Keep It True” Festival in April of 2012. We’re not sure if we’ll be playing a couple more shows around Europe, but we’re hoping to while we’re over there. All of us decided to play a last show together and we wanted to play it in Europe because we never got a chance to play there as Sentinel Beast. So this would be sweet for the Euro fans to see us as the original line-up for the first and last time.
I know you have been asked this a million times, what singers influenced your initial foray into thrash? Has the list varied throughout all your years as a singer?
Debbie: Well I know this sounds strange but Judy Garland has been a huge inspiration to me since childhood. Every time I hear her voice I get goose bumps. I guess it’s her powerful voice that transcended me into heavy metal. And when I heard Paul DiAnno in 1981, well I knew then I wanted to sing Metal. It was his raw voice and energy that caught my attention to it. I had already started listening to metal and loving bands, such as the Scorpions, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, and others, but it was Paul that caught my attention and the band, Iron Maiden. I was hooked!!
Throughout the years I’ve stuck to my roots but I’ve also opened up to others for some influences. Not major ones but enough to make a slight difference, and not all of them being metal. I love the natural voices of Sarah McLaughlin, Loreena McKennitt, Enya, and others, just to name a few.
A bit of history, How did you find out about joining Swedish metal band Ice Age? What attracted you to their music and style? Would you guest sing with them if they ever reformed?
Debbie: I had just left Znowhite and was looking for another band, when Roadrunner Records contacted me and told me about Ice Age. I was a little hesitant on joining an all-girl band because I had never worked with them before. Roadrunner said they would send me the tape to give it a listen. It was cassette tapes in those days. Hahaha. I listened to it and was completely blown away. I had never heard a girl band play this heavy before. The songs were brilliant, the guitars and bass were brilliant, the drums were brilliant, and the vocals were brilliant!! Ice Age was like a cross between Metallica and Megadeth, and the drums were influenced by Scott Rockenfield of Queensryche. I had to be in this band!! So I sent them my tape and photo and I got the gig. I learned an albums worth of songs in one month and they flew me to England. We lived in England because we had English management. We had one month to pull it all together before we shot an MTV video and embarked on a European tour. It was so awesome for me and we played to packed shows. This was one of the most incredible experiences in my life.
If they ever asked me to be a guest on a couple songs I would definitely do it. I have been trying to get them back together with original vocalist, Sabrina Kihlstrand. I hope they do because Sentinel Beast would love to tour with them. I still keep in touch with Pia Nystrom, Sabrina Kihlstrand, Viktoria Larsson, and Isabella Fronzoni. All great women, friends, and musicians.
Same Question with Znowhite...
Debbie: I found out about Znowhite when guitarist, Greg Fulton (Ian Tafoya), phoned me and asked me if I was interested in auditioning for them. I told him yes. Sentinel Beast was breaking up due to the departure of Michael Spencer, who was replacing Jason Nested in Flotsam and Jetsam. Jason left for Metallica. Znowhite flew me to Chicago to audition and I got the job. I loved the solid, hard driving guitar riffs of Znowhite. Greg was an awesome song writer and friend, and still is to this day. I did two USA tours with them and loved every minute of it because this was my first tour. I had only played throughout California before this. Things got a little bumpy on the road for us by the second tour and I was thinking of leaving the band. I wanted to have more creative freedom in writing the songs but Znowhite was Greg’s baby and he wrote everything. We started working on the new songs for the next album, when I decided to leave. It just wasn’t working for me. Those songs were later released after Greg had changed the name of the band to Cyclone Temple. I was replaced by male vocalist, Brian Troch (Hammeron). He was very cool when I met him.
I learned so much about the business from Greg, even though we always butted heads. I didn’t understand what he was trying to teach me then, but it makes sense to me now. We still stay in contact and I love him to death. We’ll always be friends!!
If Greg was to ask me to be a guest vocalist with him, the answer is YES. It would be great to jump on stage with him again. \m/
If you could join an existing band besides Sentinel Beast and be the singer, which band would it be? Why?
Debbie: Oh wow, that’s a tough question. There are so many great bands out there but I would have to say Iron Maiden. I would love to sing the old songs; DiAnno era. Dickinson and I could take turns. He can sing the later ones and I’ll sing all of Paul’s songs. Hahaha. That sounds fair to me, since I understand that he hates singing the old songs. And we all know the “Why” factor in this one. DiAnno is one of my heroes!!
Discuss future plans with Sentinel Beast, Hysteria, and any other projects you have?
Debbie: Well, after Sentinel Beast finishes the album, I want to play as many shows as we can to promote the hell out of it. Some in the USA, Europe, Mexico, and South America. We’ll see what happens.
I’m working with Hysteria to bring them to the next level. They have been playing the Bay Area for many years now and it’s time that they get the chance to branch out to new audiences. I’m working on getting them a record deal and some more interviews and CD reviews, and hopefully a tour. They work really hard and they deserve this. They’re great guys and I think the girls will love them too. ;-)
As far as any other projects, I may have something in the works with another guitarist, but I have to wait to see how things go before I can disclose anything. I want to be sure.
I want to thank you so much Danny for this opportunity to interview for you again.
It’s been many years since we did this. Cheers my friend. You are awesome!!
Yes Debbie it has been over 20 years since we did this cheers to you as well.
Above Pic Sentinel Beast credit: (marineseroni.com)
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