Interview: Master
April 28 2008 at 04:02:20 AM  Paul Speckmann can only speak frankly. The living legend behind such acts as Abomination, Death Strike and Master has lead a tumultuous twenty-five year plus career fronting some of the most devastating and influential outfits in, not just Chicago, not just America, but the entire world. A life-long struggle he describes briskly as “surviving the underground.” With Master’s eighth studio record, Slaves to Society, now out and primed to be unleashed on American audiences this summer, Speckmann is back making headlines and spewing venom to all within earshot. Now it’s our turn. We contacted Paul recently to talk about the new album, his relocating to the Czech Republic and his love of the great outdoors. We also caught some choice words regarding former band mates, the U.S. government and the state of Metal today. On your knees… The new album, Slaves to Society, will be distributed through John McEntee’s Ibex Moon label this summer. How did that deal come about and will there be any new additions to this version of the album? Will the cover art be the same? Paul Speckmann: John and I had been speaking about this re-release in the USA for several months. It just took time to finally get the contract together. I figured this would be a better way to get the CD to the people in the USA. Many people had written me, and said they couldn’t find the CD anywhere in the States. John said he would push the hell out of this and get it available in the shops. The USA version will have several bonus tracks from the previous Four More Years of Terror CD that were recorded in demo form. I personally think the bonus tracks sound better than the actual past release. It’s a great record, but the demo had a more hungry sound to it, because we were looking for a deal at that time and so it’s even more aggressive than Four More Years of Terror. The cover art will be the same. This will be a great thing for the USA as they are so prim and proper about sex. This will be a nice shocker for these imbeciles. People have trouble with sex in the record shops, but you can find pornography at any gas station in Europe or America. Do you have any desire to play shows back in the States? Have you ever been back since moving to the Czech Republic? I will return to the United States in October of 2008 for 14 dates across America. I look forward to this endeavor as I haven’t been in America since 2003 and really have no desire to ever live there again. I have found more freedom in Europe period. America has been policed by corrupt officers and politicians for years, and it’s ok for a visit, but I wouldn’t want to live there. I visited in the first few years of living in Czech and worked the winters in Phoenix, but I haven’t returned since late 2003. You usually keep pretty busy on the road, if not with Master than working with other bands touring in Europe. How’s your schedule shaping up right now? I will be the Master of Ceremonies at the Fuck The Commerce Festival next week on May 1st threw the 3rd in Germany. Then I will meet and work with the legendary Massacre one more time as their merchandiser at the Wacken Open Air Festival, followed by another tour with Extreme Noise Terror in September. I have several festivals with Master coming up as well. After the tour in the USA, I will be going on tour with Nocturnus from Florida and several other adventures through Christmas. Slaves to Society is probably the most volatile and, I don’t know if it’s right to actually call it “political”, but definitely the most thoroughly critical of government power and control out of all your previous records. Is the problem for you merely the way the government is run or is the system itself - the whole distribution and model of authority, doomed to failure? If not, what could be done to change it? The so-called system as you call it sucks. Every year the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. The politicians and the leaders of these nations all live like kings. It’s time to make changes. The youth of today need to rise up against this chaos and take down the leaders. It’s time to create a really free society. Anarchy is nearly lost. Of course I realize that the youth of today are just lazy pigs, addicted to the television and the computer. Bush, Blair, and Brown are shaping the destinies of all people, and this is completely wrong. I mean geriatric patients are leading the world to extermination. I guess somewhat connected with your views on the subject is the fact that you’ve always been a kind of proponent of self-reliance. We’ve all read stories about the band camping out in the forest after shows, hiking and enjoying the outdoors. What does it mean for you to be exposed to the elements and away from the crowd? Do you have any spiritual beliefs that tie into your interests or would you say it’s more grounded in reality - the physical, mental challenge and rewards of venturing beyond the city? I live in a small city called Uherske Hradiste in the Czech Republic. 25,000 people roam the streets and villages. This is certainly enough for me. I get the taste of the biggest cities every year, whether it’s on tour with Master or supporting some other underground entity. Struggling and camping makes a man out of you. Without struggle there is no reward to look forward too. I have been struggling to survive in the underground for years, and it certainly has its benefits. I believe in myself, and the others that surround themselves around me. Belief in one’s self is the most important thing for survival. It’s a big world out there and there are many things to do as well as see in the forest and in the mountains of Europe. It’s time for people to get out and discover this wonderful planet, and experience what it has to offer. You’re also a big mushroom enthusiast… Yes, every time I get the chance after the rains and intense heat of the late summer, I go to the forest and gather the edible mushrooms and dry them out at home for soups and stews. I also enjoy fresh, deep fried mushrooms with garlic and onions. I never had these adventures in the USA. I was only worried about the next bill I had to pay. I have learned to relax over the last few years. Of course I am quite busy with music, but I do find time to enjoy the forest, whether it’s a walk or a bike ride.  If the shoe fits, wear it. I am pleased that people mention the influence, but it certainly doesn’t pay the bills. I have to go out and bust my ass with my music and the music of others every year to support my lifestyle. I am the first to admit my influences in magazines. It’s nice to pay tribute to our influences whenever possible. Without GBH, Minor Threat, The Exploited, and Motorhead, there would be no Master. There have been so many changes in the production of music since Master first began. There are bands today that have opportunities almost unimaginable twenty years ago and yet new bands are still prey for enterprising record labels. What do you see as the biggest pros and cons of making music so accessible and the market being so inflated today? The market is filled with copycats that haven’t an ounce of originality these days. Big labels support garbage, and also continually rip off the underground bands. But, this will always continue. It’s the music business. The music business sucks as well as all the illegal down loading that’s happening today. Why should people buy records when they can just download them for free? Are you still thinking about forming your own label? Maybe I will do this some day, but I am extremely busy these days. Something I don’t think I’ve seen directly answered yet: Who drew the original Master logo? Bill Schmidt, the original drummer. Poor bastard is still strung out on cocaine and heroine these days. He still lives with his mother in the basement, where I left him back in 1990. What’s the story with that Walpurgisnacht show you played with Sammy Duet and Sage Johnson? How did that all come about? Was it meant to be only a tribute for Audie Pitre (Acid Bath) or did you have some more ideas for it? Were you part of the actual writing or just performing? Sammy was in a deep depression after the death of Audie, as can be expected. We were touring before this with Acid Bath and Master. We were having a blast, when fate took an awful turn and Audie and his family were hit head on by a drunk driver on the way home from Church, I believe. The boys organized a series of tribute concerts for his pregnant girlfriend. We were happy to be a part of this live tribute. Sammy and I wrote several riffs together, and Sammy wrote the lyrics for this. We played the songs in a live set for 25 minutes finishing with a Venom cover called “Witching Hour.” Later on in 1998 we decided to lay a few of the tracks down while we were in Louisiana recording the Faith Is in Season album. Could you please give your opinion on the following? THOMAS GABRIEL FISCHER A legend of course! JEFF BECERRA Another killer creator of music that’s making a genuine comeback these days. HUNTING Killer, I love this! What kind of game do you hunt out there? Do you fix the kill yourself? Favorite way of preparing food? I haven't hunted in years to be honest. The last things we killed together were a few pigs. We have this thing called a Zabiaka here in Czech. We prepare sausages, smoked meat, and many other delicacies in Czech. I really dig this shit, brother. The pigs don't suffer as they are killed immediately at 5:30 am. I personally have no problem with hunting. We live in a world that says, “kill or be killed.” And hell, I gotta eat. GUNS (and what kind do you own, if any?) When I lived in Phoenix, I had the opportunity to fire many guns in the desert with my old roommates and friends. They had a wide variety of weapons, rifles, AK-47s and various pistols from many different countries. In Czech, it's forbidden to have weapons at home. KERRY KING Last time I spoke with him was in Chicago during the Reign In Blood tour. We drank a bottle of vodka and mixed it with orange juice while watching television until the sun came up. DAVID VINCENT He played in a band called Terrorizer, I wonder where that name came from. He says he never heard of Master, but I met him when we played a show together in Chicago, and he came over and introduced himself. I though it a bit strange when he took to wearing a dress, but hey, we know who wears the pants in his relationship! Would be it right to say that much of your exposure to new bands happens first hand on tour? Yes, I see many talented young individuals while on tour every year. Who are some the most impressive bands that you've seen lately? Suicidal Angels is a killer Eighties Thrash style band. I had the pleasure of seeing my old friends Jungle Rot on tour this past week. The crowds were small, but the band killed as always. Also this Warmaster was a cool old-school Dutch Death Metal band with slow, doomy riffs. Are there many bands today you can appreciate or do you mostly stick with the stuff you grew up with? I still listen mainly to old Heavy Metal, like Judas Priest, Saxon, Rainbow, and Thin Lizzy. Do you enjoy any non-Metal music? American country, folk? Neil Young, CSNY, as well as Willie Nelson and Johnnie Cash are in my CD player from time to time. Is there life after Metal for Paul Speckmann? Yes. I teach English a few hours a week over here in Czech. One day I will do this full time, I suppose, but this is a long way off brother. Reissues of Master’s first two albums, Master and On The Seventh Day God Created…Master, complete with bonus tracks and live footage released on DVD are available now from Displeased Records. Reissues of Abomination’s self-titled, debut album as well as their follow-up, Tragedy Strikes are available from Metal Mind Productions. [Todd DePalma]
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