JAG PANZER INTERVIEW
US Power Metal has been a personal favorite style of mine since ... oh well ... since forever :-) I totally love that kind of music, it has it all: raw power, lots of fast drumming and riffing, cool choruses (without making it too pompeous) and lots of true heavy metal spirit. At the moment ONE band is kicking my ass more than any other within that genre ... the band is of course Jag Panzer, and nothing could be more logical than to do an interview with guitarist Mark Briody;

Interview by Claus Jensen
Jag Panzer was one of the originators of the US Power Metal movement, back in the early eighties when you started out, and your debut album "Ample Destruction" gave you quite a reputation as a real "cult-act" ... how do you today view the whole eighties US metal scene - and what other bands would you back then have imagined to become successful?

"The early 80's metal scene was fantastic! It was all considered just 'metal' which means every band had it's own unique sound. Venom sounded nothing like Manilla Road who sounded nothing like Malice, yet all of them could be featured in the same magazine. It was a very good time for metal. You asked what bands I thought would be successful? I thought Warlord would be huge, Witchfynde and Tokyo Blade also. I don't any of them got the breaks they needed."

Could you please do a break-down of all your previous releases - both as what feelings you had for them back then, and how you think they would do today...?

"* Ample Destruction
I am very proud of this. If it were released today as a new album, if think it would do o.k. I don't think it would be a big seller because I'm not sure a lot of people are interested in the 80's U.S. metal sound. Of course Jag Panzer fans are, but I don't know of many other people that would be.

* Shadow Thief - demo
Ah, this is the album we should have released on Combat Records! We had an offer from them, but we didn't accept. We were stupid! We should have released this!

* Chain Of Command - demo
I think this is a very good album. A bit light compared to our other work, but I think the melodies are very good.

* Dissident Alliance Very, very low budget. Awful sounding. I think some of the songs are o.k., but it's hard to tell because the album sounds so horrible. I can't even stand to listen to it.

* Fourth Judgment
One of my favorite Jag Panzer albums! I love the tracks Black and Judgement Day. Some of our playing could be a bit better, but this album remains one of my favorites.

* The Age Of Mastery
My least favorite of the recent albums, although I do like The Moors and Iron Eagle. Recording the old songs was not fun, but everyone kept asking for these songs. It's a good album, just not one of my favorites.

* Thane To The Throne
A very complex album with lots of dense orchestration. I don't think some people have given it the proper time, it's a very deep album and requires many many listens."

Your first lead guitarist Joey Tafolla has made a name as a fantastic guitarist with his instrumental solo albums - but in my opinion your "new" guitarist Chris Broderick is easily on par with Joey .. how would you compare those two?

"Both are world class guitarists. Joey always reminded me of a new modern version of Blackmore, which is very cool and added a nice touch to our sound. Chris is a much younger guy and grew up with the influence of guys like Paul Gilbert. Chris's playing is incredible, he's got a very exciting style, he plays with lots of fire."

Besides recording with Jag Panzer, your vocalist Harry Conklin has also been recording with Titan Force and Satan's Host - has any of you other guys been doing anything else besides JP?

"Harry actually sang for Riot for a few months (many years ago). I've heard some of the material and he sounds quite good. Currently he has a Maiden tribute band called Powerslave 2000. He sounds great singing Bruce songs!"

It seems that when you did the "Dissident Alliance" album you made the mistake (at least in the eyes of the fans) to try new ways and play a different style of metal than what you've been associated with. After that release, you went back to the "old" style again, which seemed to be much more appreciated by fans and media. If you felt for trying out something different again, would you ever consider doing it even though "Dissident Alliance" proved it to be a wrong turn, or would you choose to do it under another name?

"I think the main difference with Dissident is the different band members and horrible production. I will never release anything else that sounds that bad. But to answer the question, if I were to do a different music style (like a Blackmore's Night style, which is very cool) then I would do it under a different band member."

With last years "Thane To The Throne" you did a brilliant concept based on Shakespeare's MacBeth - how did you come up with that idea? And how difficult was it writing such an album compared to all the others?

"'Thane' was Rikard or Harry's idea (I can't remember which one!). I loved the idea when I first heard it. I always thought it would be cool to adapt music to a classic story. To me this is a bit different then writing your own concept album. When using your own story, it's too tempting to modify the story to fit the music. For Thane, the music must fit the story, you can't change Shakespeare! So it becomes challenging to the musician, it's like writing a soundtrack."

Your new album "Mechanized Warfare" is definitely one of the best power and progressive metal releases of the year, and even though we've read somewhere on the internet that you, Mark, think it's just the same album as "TTTT" with slight changes in the chords, there actually is a difference between this album and all your other releases, being that you've gone into more progressive territory than ever before... Could you tell us a bit about the new album?

"Ah, that was just a joke! I said that the new album has the same notes as 'Thane' but in a different order. Nearly all modern music is based on the traditional 12 tone scale (in various octaves). So all albums use the same notes. We use the same notes as AC/DC, Dream Theatre, Spice Girls, Beethoven, the same as everyone. So it was just a joke, that 'Mechanized' uses the same notes as 'Thane'. Mechanized does have some more progressive moments. In many of the songs we tried to see how progressive we could get without taking anything away from the vocals. It's fun to play technical, but I don't like it when is disrupts the flow of the music."

You've produced the last couple of your albums at Morrisound Studios in Florida together with Jim Morris - a studio previously most known for death metal productions ... what is it about this studio, that makes musicians from all over the US going to Florida to record their albums?

"Morrisound is one of the best recording studios in America, for any kind of music. They have great equipment and a great staff. I think the studio was known for death metal simply because there were so many death metal bands in Florida. It's also very nice to go to Florida. It's warm all the time and it's a fun place to be."

Besides the music, what do you guys do for a living (well, IF you can't live off the music, that is...)? At least we know that you, Mark, did the computer-generated artwork for a couple of the albums ... do you work with computers and layout for a living?

"We make a little money from playing music, but not enough to live very well. I work with computer as a systems analyst. I just do computer art for fun. Some of the other guys in the band teach music and work in the software industry."

What do you think that sets JP apart from the rest of today's metal scene? Why should any metal fan go out and buy YOUR albums?

"To me Jag Panzer has the perfect blend of melody, rhythm and harmony. Also the perfect blend of heaviness and lightness. Plus we have a great singer and lead guitar playing. To me good heavy metal always meant a good singer and lead player."

Your (now-former) label mates Iced Earth seems to have gained good success with their power metal style, which ain't that far from yours ...however, you are a bit more progressive in sound ... do you believe that you could achieve the same kind of success with Jag Panzer?

"Each of our albums is selling more then the older ones, so I think success is coming, but very slowly. We just need to keep working, keep writing songs and keep playing shows."

Now that they are leaving Century Media, do you think that CM will promote you to as big extent as they have done with IE in the past?

"I hope so, we do get a bit more promotion with each new release. I hope that this will continue."

Finally having seen you live at this years Wacken Festival was a great experience for us. You are truly a superb live band ... do you feel more comfortable live than in the studio?

"Thanks! Glad you liked the set. Playing live is always the best thing. That's what being a musician is all about. Nothing is better then being on stage with my 4 best friends!"

What are the plans now for Jag Panzer concerning live shows/tours?

"We are planning a tour for Europe in early 2001. I'm not sure who it will be with, but I would like to go to as many countries as I can."

It would seem as JP have most of it's fan base in Europe, where this kind of metal is very fashionable right now ... do you think that it will come back in the US as well? What can/should be done to bring back "real" heavy metal to the US? What is in your opinion the main differences between the European and the US audience at your concerts?

"It will be difficult to bring metal back to the U.S. This country is so trendy with things like MTV running the music scene. But things are getting a little better. Iced Earth are touring with Judas Priest, this will be very good for the metal scene here in America. You asked what the difference is between American and European crowds. The American crowds are much smaller! That is one difference. Most of the European metal fans are very well educated, meaning they know a lot about the music and about metal in general. Some people are like this in America but it is rare."

We know that you, Mark, are quite active in the power & progressive metal debates on the internet ... is this an important place for you to promote the band, or is it just "for fun"?

"I like to go to Internet boards as a music fan, not a band member. Of course I will answer questions and talk about Jag Panzer, but I don't like to go on the internet just to promote Jag Panzer. It is a lot of fun, I've met some very cool people on the internet."

You have a homepage ... http://www.jagpanzer.com ... what can your fans find there?

"I just put some video on the website this week. I will put more on there next week. Also our hockey song can be downloaded here (this song will not be released). Also check back next month for a new song available only from our site."

Any final words?

"Thanks for the support and I hope to see you on tour!!"