SOURCE – Congratulations on your fantastic album, The Skull 3. Could you tell us a little about it, please? What will be your strongest memory from the recording of the album?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – Thank you! It was a long, emotional journey finishing this record. At one point, I didn’t think it would happen. Guitarist Lothar Keller and I wrote most of the music prior to Eric Wagner’s passing and never had the chance to work on all the songs with him.
He wrote lyrics to most of the songs, but we thought they were lost and inaccessible on his computer. Eric’s son was finally able to get on the computer and accessed a file called “The Skull New Stuff.” He sent me the lyrics, and I put them to the music we had written. Some additional verses were used to finish the last two songs we completed after his death.
Having the talents of two great and different lead singers (Karl Agell and Scott Reagers) handle the vocals and come up with vocal melodies was amazing. They lifted the songs to another level. Everyone played brilliantly on this record, and the songs became larger than life. We have heavy, emotional songs on this record that will give you chills when you listen to them.
The whole experience will forever be a great memory.
SOURCE – What do you think will surprise Legions Of Doom fans about The Skull 3?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – The variety and emotion of the songs, for sure. Everyone who played on it brought their A-game! The one song that Eric sang on is haunting as hell!
SOURCE – Given the current sad state of the music industry, how do you set expectations for an album?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – Ha! Yes, very sad state. I just hope that a whole bunch of people get a chance to hear the record. I’m just very happy to have finished the record and to get it out. It’s a closure thing for me. I’m not expecting to sell a lot due to the limited distribution that our label has. We at least got to leave our mark on history.
SOURCE – How do you view Trouble’s legacy in the metal genre, and how has their influence shaped your own career and the broader metal scene?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – Trouble did some great things and put out some great music, being influenced by Sabbath, Priest, Purple, and other great bands from the ’60s and ’70s. Trouble, as well as what we did, just kept the flame going from what these bands started. The Skull, Pentagram, Trouble, Vitus… We all listened to pretty much the same bands growing up. We showed that it is cool to play a bit slower. Ha!
SOURCE – What are your thoughts on social media and the connection you have with fans? Is it both a blessing and a curse at times when it comes to keeping the band’s brand top of mind?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – Its a great thing to have that connection with music fans around the globe. Its a hell of a lot easier these days to share music and news unlike the old days of tape trading and sending news about the band via the post office to your mailing list. The younger generation of bands have it good these days. There are alot of great young upcoming bands around the world that you can check out easily! The only curse is the Trolls and the negativity that surrounds social media. Too much hate in the world. Listen to some new great music,smoke some weed, drink a beer, get laid! Lifes too short to be so hateful!
SOURCE – How important do you think singles and EPs are in this era, compared to full-length releases?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – Labels hate them, Ha! Financially, physical EPs and singles don’t make them money. For the bands, it’s great to get new music out as soon as you can. Singles and EPs are great for doing this! Waiting to fill out a whole record can take a while, and sometimes not-so-good songs are forced onto it just to finish. Streaming is here to stay, and singles are a great way to get heard ASAP!
SOURCE – In Brazil, there are many fans who listen to your kind of music. What do you know about Brazil?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – I have heard great things about the music scene down there! Music is greatly appreciated and celebrated! The music fans are said to be some of the best in the world! I hope I get to play down there soon!
SOURCE – Looking ahead, what are your long-term goals for Legions of Doom? How do you plan to continue evolving and growing as a band while staying true to your roots?
Ron Holzner (Bass) – I really hope to make much more music with this band. I hope to play all over the world if possible. We are going to do what we have always done with writing music. Your soul knows what to do, and music from the soul is pure. We plan on using our gift, our influences, and the experiences that we have had to continue to write the heaviest music possible!
Contacts:
Video:
Photo Credit: Gene Ambo