Not long before their debut album Mask of the Devil was released I was able to have a chat with SAVAGE MASTER vocalist Stacey Savage. She is a very engaging, absolute sweetheart of a person; a far cry from the fire demon you hear on the album. We talked about how the band was formed, tour plans, and more. So check it out:
Amps: How did SAVAGE MASTER come to be?
Stacey: Adam Neal (guitar) and I met online through a mutual friend and right out of the gate, I was looking for a band, he was looking for a female vocalist for a project, and we kind of started talking. It’s just history from there.
Amps: Tell me about your musical upbringing. The album has a very NWOBHM older feel to it. What made you guys write this raw, dirty, old school metal?
Stacey: I grew up on a lot of classic rock. As I got older I started getting into metal and I really started finding that what I liked most was the NWOBHM stuff. Adam grew up with a lot of that same stuff. He told me one of his uncles got him into VENOM when he was a kid. He was around it from an early age.
Amps: So there was always a lot of rock and metal playing in the house growing up?
Stacey: Yeah, my parents played LED ZEPPELIN and BLACK SABBATH all the time. It wasn’t like they were playing the NWOBHM stuff; I got into that later.
Amps: What is the writing breakdown in the band as far as who does what?
Stacey: A lot of the riffs are Adam. Our other guitarist Larry Myers sometimes has some riff ideas, and they both write their own solos. Adam will present ideas to the band musically, and everyone has input. He’s just a genius, though. He’s so fast at writing and has so many ideas and he’s been doing it a long time. I write some of the lyrics and I write the vocal melodies.
Amps: What are the tour plans for this year and beyond?
Stacey: We’re gonna do a tour mostly in the South. We’re confirming dates right now (At press time the tour had finished and was a success! – Ed).
Amps: Outside of the band what do you like to do so you can unwind and relax?
Stacey: For me my main focus IS music. I want to learn how to play some instruments and I’ve been working on my writing so I can be better at it. I love to watch movies, but it’s mostly music stuff for me.
Amps: We are living in a time right now where bands with female singers are doing great on every level. How does it make you feel to see IN THIS MOMENT, HUNTRESS, KOBRA AND THE LOTUS, and BUTCHER BABIES out there kicking people’s asses?
Stacey: It’s pretty awesome, I really like it. It’s really cool to see, it really is.
Amps: And I’ve said it before, last summer HUNTRESS and BUTCHER BABIES buried everyone else on the Mayhem bill, and I mean everyone.
Stacey: Oh really? That’s awesome!
Amps: I noticed in the bio that there isn’t a bass player listed. Is there a backing track, or do you have guys you use?
Stacey: We’ve had a lot of change at that position (laughs). We’re at bassist number four now! His name’s Brandon Brown and we think he’s the guy.
Amps: Your stage show…are all the fellas wearing the Executioner’s hoods like in the photos?
Stacey: Yes.
Amps: So there’s a great visual aspect to your live show as well, then.
Stacey: To me it’s very important to put on a very engaging show that I would wanna see. The music’s the most important thing but why not put on a great show also? When we set out Adam’s and my ideas started flowing right off the bat and we were like, “Well, people are gonna talk about us whether they like us or not. It’s a spectacle!” So we thought that would be fun to play around with.
Amps: Who are you listening to now when you’re not working?
Stacey: Oh gosh, that’s a tough one because it’s always something different. I am always listening to CLOVEN HOOF, GASKIN, RAVEN, but I like all different music, not just metal. I listened to a couple of tracks from the new RIGOR MORTIS and I’m excited to hear that.
Amps: What do you want to say to all the SAVAGE MASTER fans out there?
Stacey: I just want to thank them for all their support. We did not expect the kind of huge reaction we’ve gotten from people. It’s been better than what we could have hoped for, really. This is my first band, and the other guys are all telling me how this is not normal. And I can tell. I feel really lucky; our fans are really awesome and supportive, and I just want to thank them.
SAVAGE MASTER is poised to do some big things in 2015. My advice to you is get to know them, so you’re not left out in the cold. Mask of the Devil is out now via Skol Records. Grab your copy today!
