terça-feira, 11 de agosto de 2020

Greta Tate (Metal For Melbourne)




Greta Tate is well known for being the founder of the legendary metal music store Metal For Melbourne, and have been one of the biggest driving forces behind the Australian Heavy Metal scene, since its early days.

Q. - Hello Greta, tell us a little bit about you, how did your interest in hard rock and heavy metal music start?
Greta - Firstly let me start by thanking you Paulo for asking me to be a part of your Blog. Being born in the 50’s I was right into music by the time The Beatles came on the scene and as they grew musically, so did I. Come the late 60’s and 70’s I was into bands such as Cream, Ten Years After, The Yardbirds, Free, Humble Pie and the like. Then in 1970, the year I started work at Allans Music Store, which was a very large company back then, I heard the 1st Black Sabbath album. I knew then that this is what I was looking for and since then I have never looked back. I must say here though, as my music tastes in Metal have changed through the years, my all time 2 favourite bands to this day are The Beatles and Black Sabbath.



Q. - During the 70s you worked at Allans Music, but do you remember how did the idea to open your own Metal Shop came up?
Greta - To be clear, Metal For Melbourne wasn’t my shop. I created it for a small (at the time) shop called Central Station Records who had a very small shop in Melbourne and a shop in the suburbs. I joined them in late 1979. In early 1980 my boss Joe Palumbo, started importing Dance music and it got so big so fast that he moved out into a bigger shop just upstairs from the small shop. I can remember looking up at his shop one Friday night and seeing it so busy and I was doing nothing. The next week I asked him if I could start changing the small shop into a Metal Shop. He said yes. By 1982 we were a totally heavy metal shop and my boss had opened more dance shops. I was the only Metal shop of his for 16 years. It wasn’t until 2 years ago that I now have the rights to Metal For Melbourne.

Q. - And how did the name Metal for Melbourne came up?
Greta - In 1981 I was talking to members of Taipan and I was going to put on a Metal Show, my 1st one, and we came up with Metal For Melbourne. It wasn’t until 1987 that my boss suggested we change the name of the shop From Central Station Heavy Metal to MFM. By that stage I had put on 5 annual Metal Shows, the last being in 1986.

                                                    Greta with Rick from Blackjack 1985.

Q. - How was the Melbourne metal scene back in the day? Was it a united scene? How was the relations between the bands?
Greta - The Melbourne scene was awesome back then. So many bands and we had gigs every week. Most bands worked together, including with a lot of bands from Adelaide. They had a good scene over there as well and we often swapped bands. We played over there and their bands played in Melbourne. There were quite a few metal fans that would drive the 8 hours each way to see the bands. Adelaide and Melbourne were very united in their music back in the 80’s.

Q. - Did the bands play regularly in Melbourne back then or was it hard for a heavy metal band to be booked at that time?
Greta – Yes we had regular weekly gigs right through the 80’s, but most of them were in licensed venues such as pubs, which is the reason I started putting on annual Metal shows.

Q. - Do you remember the first show organized by you? How did the idea came up? And how did it go?
Greta – Yes. The 1st MFM show was in 1981 with Taipan, Bengal Tigers and Formula. It went really well. Virtually the idea for MFM gigs came about because my younger customers didn’t get a chance to see these bands, so I thought we should have an All Ages show. So I had one annually up to and including 1986, although I missed having one in 1984. Each year audience base doubled in size and I also tried to get more bands on the bill. 1982 was Taipan, Ion Drive and Treason (Sydney), 1983 was Ion Drive, Taipan, Heresy (soon to be Nothing Sacred), Blackjack, 1984/85 was Axatak, Blackjack, Nothing Sacred, Prowler (soon to become Taramis) and Escape (Adelaide) and the final one was Nothing Sacred, Taramis, Blackjack, Tyrus, SAS and Renegade!
In 2016 my friends Sham (Nothing Sacred) and Rob (Abramelin and more!) asked me if they could put on a MFM for the 30th anniversary of the last MFM gig in 1986. I said yes and so in Feb 2017 we had 11 bands with some reforming just for this gig, and some of those that reformed are still going now! The bands who played were Hobbs Angel of Death (RIP Peter Hobbs), Abramelin, Mass Confusion, Bengal Tigers, Persecution, Nothing Sacred, Ion Drive, Tyrus, Taramis, Renegade and Depression.

Sepultura Instore 1992

Q. - If I'm not wrong, Black Jack - Five Pieces of Eight, was your first release, in 1986, what memories does it bring to you?
Greta – No, Taipan was out first release back in 1981 or 1982. I was a 4 track 7’ which was later picked up and released as a 12” in the UK. Blackjack was next and Taramis albums (2) after that. If it had been my shop and label there would have been many more!

Q. - How did you convince them, since you didn't have any band in your label at that time?
Greta – They didn’t need convincing. The Metal shop worked closely with the local bands at the time, advertising their gigs and selling their demo’s etc, instore and on my monthly charts that were sent all over Australia. I counted many band members as my personal friends and am so grateful that they are still my friends today.

Q. - From the demo tapes that you received at the store, was there any that caught most your attention?
Greta – Too many to mention I’m afraid!

Q. - Do you feel you were, somehow, the dynamic force behind the Australian Heavy Metal scene, on its early days?
Greta – I certainly didn’t back then, but since the emergence of social media, so many of my old customers have told me how much the Metal Shop changed their lives. You have no idea how happy that makes me.



Q. - Do you think that the long distance between Australia and Europe was an obstacle for the bands to have a better recognition?
Greta – I have said right from the beginning that Australian Metal Bands were at such a disadvantage contrary to their international counterparts. Australia was and still is in a lot of cases, so isolated from the rest of the world. Back then, travel from Australia was very expensive as was travelling within Australia State to State and Australia is a huge Continent. We didn’t get many International Metal Bands out here back then either, due to promoters not wanting to take a chance and the expense of bands travelling here, unlike today. Mind you it worked well in another way and that is the Distinctive Aussie Metal sound that most of our bands had and still have!

Q. - Do you keep in touch with the majority of the bands (former members) that you released?
Greta – After the shop shut and 25 years on, I can honestly say that the majority of my friends are from back then, band members and old customers alike and also newer metal friends such as their kids and younger Metal Heads who have heard about the shop. Very heart warming!

Q. - Were there any bands that you used to follow on tour, at that time? Or bands that caught your attention?
Greta – The tour that I remember the most (other than seeing Black Sabbath here in 1973) was Iron Maiden-Number of the Beast tour. I was lucky enough to catch quite a few shows and also I loved their support band Heaven (RIP Allan & Kelly) who were from Adelaide but based in Sydney. That was an excellent tour!



Q. - Which bands were most in demand in your store? Both nationally and internationally?
Greta – Oh wow.....So so many and all different eras.....Iron Maiden, Saxon, Metallica, Megadeth, Slayer, Crimson Glory, Manowar, Queensryche.....I could go on! lol

Q. - Are there any funny moments that you can share with us?
Greta – I know there were but I can’t think of any off hand!

Q. - How do you see the heavy metal scene nowadays? Are there any bands that you still like to listen?
Greta – I still love a lot of the older metal bands and keep up with them in general, but really love Amorphis at the moment and locally, Sithlord (Melbourne) Abramelin’s new album and again the list could go on!

Q. - Do you try to keep the eighties heavy metal spirit alive?
Greta – I still play my cd’s old and new metal. And I’m still old school as I much prefer to have the hard copy in my hand!!



Q. - What other activities, related to heavy metal, do you have besides Metal for Melbourne?
Greta – Nothing really. Loved going to Metal gigs, but that’s on hold due to COVID 19. Just bringing out Metal For Melbourne merchandise, as I now have the rights.

Q. - And what can you tell us about future plans?
Greta – To keep breathing and keep listening to Metal!

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?
Greta - I would just like to thank you again and thanks for your interest in our Aussie Metal Scene and I hope your readers don’t get too bored! \m/

Thank you for your time, and wish you all the best for the future!

sábado, 8 de agosto de 2020

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell - Give Em Hell / Gettin Heavy



Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell launches a new single in August 15 by the name of 'Give Em Hell'

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell is an official Witchfynde band formed by original Witchfynde bassist and founding member, Andro Coulton (also in Malleus). Andro is joined in the band by his wife, Shaz Coulton, on Rhythm Guitar (also in Malleus); Gee Harliquin on Lead Guitar; Micky Dietz on Drums (also in Rampant); and Lead Singer, Tee Rets (also in Rampant).

Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell began life in the Summer of 2019 after Andro had been urged to start a 'Witchfynde' band to bring his heritage back to global audiences.

The single, scheduled for August 15, 2020 release, includes two songs, 'Give Em Hell' and 'Gettin Heavy'. It is the band's 40th anniversary release and is available both on CD and as Bandcamp download.




Andro Coulton's Give Em Hell is currently working on a full album and has a UK Summer 2021 tour scheduled with fellow NWOBHM bands, Rampant and Malleus.



You can also find new t-shirts, releases and other merchandise on their official web page:





And you can keep up with the band and its news on their official Facebook page:






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