Blind Illusion

Blind Illusion, started in the late seventies, and has been known as a technical thrash metal band. They recorded 6 demo tapes and an Lp during the 80's, having the band split up in 1989. After a 20-year hiatus, Biedermann reformed Blind Illusion in 2009 and released one album. We had a chat with main man Marc Biedermann, to know a little bit more about them.

Q. - Hello Mark, tell us a bit about the beginning of the band, how did it all start, who were the first members, how did the name came up?

Mark - My first musical endeavour was to sing for my friends band that was in the beginnings of it's formation. It was Alvin Petty on guitar and Dave White on drums. They agreed to my offer as vocalist on one condition, that I learned to play the bass. We jammed for awhile after I learned a few bass lines but after a year I switched to rhythm guitar Dave was replaced by Bret Hern on drums and Alvin left shortly after to pursue his art career. We were a two piece for awhile and it was my brother that suggested the name Blind Illusion. Les Claypool came to me for guitar lessons but I told him guitarists were a dime a dozen and that he should learn to play bass. Soon after he showed up at my house with a memphis P bass and I asked him to join the band and the band will be called Blind Illusion! Our first gig included Keith Stewart on vocals who was soon replaced by Dave White.

Q. - In the beginning how it was the interaction with the other Bay Area bands, since the late 70's, early 80's, what other bands were there too? Anvil Chorus, Metal Church, Brocas Helm, Dammaj?

Mark - We were all like 15 years old at this time so our interaction with other bands was limited to our friends Exodus , Aftermath, Hexx,. We all played Alvarado park together and word spread and soon some bands from Berkeley and Oakland like Eddy Fontaine, Third Rail. Heretic, Savior, Chainsaw Dawg joined our circle of bands. Eventually we played the Keystone Berkeley with Aftermath and we met Anvil Chorus. Now mind you that Kusf 90.3 rampage radio was already playing our music but we didn't have any idea of how to market our recordings so we just kept playing and writing for the sheer thrill of playing Heavy Metal. Some other bands we played with in those days were Outrage, Fuhrer, Trust, Wraith, Kenny English Band. This was before we finally played in S.F at The Old Waldorf's Metal Mondays.

Q. - Did you share the stage many times with those bands? What memories do you keep from those times?

Mark - Some of those bands only played one or two gigs with us. There was always a good feeling between us with some of those bands but there was also an understanding that loyalty to your own band was most important which is why a band like Exodus really excelled. Not just because they were a real kick ass band but they were very solid in their friendship and loyalty to each other.

Q. - After David leaved, did you try to find another singer or you took over vocal duties right after?

Mark - When Dave left the band it had already been decided upon by the rest of the band that I would take over the vocal duties. The first demo I sang lead vocals on was the Bloodshower / Smash the Crystal demo and it excited the people at Music For Nations so we knew we were on the right track!

Q. - Why did it get so long to get "The Sane Asylum" released? Were there problems to find a label, or difficulties to find the wright line-up?

Mark - Well that was all up to the record company. I may have been mistaken about what they wanted musically because the songs that Dave sang on were not received well by the record company so we dropped those songs and wrote some new ones. As it turns out the record company wanted to know why Cry of The Banshee, Destroyer, Glass Guillotine, Blind Sun, and Walk the Iron were not considered for the album. I was going on the strength of their immediate acceptance of Bloodshower and Smash the Crystal and therefore wrote more songs in that direction. Very metal yet still somewhat progressive but very heavy! 

Q. - What do you think that went wrong at the end of the eighties, early nineties, so that the project did not have continuity?

Mark - I don't really know. Maybe it was the departure of Les and Larry. Also problems with the record company. They didn't want to bring us out to Europe in support of The Sane Asylum and we had poor management after we lost our management team. All these things halted our momentum.

Q. - At one certain point you played the bass for Heathen's Victims of Deception album, were you invited to stay in the band? Why didn't you stay?

Mark - I don't remember If they asked me to stay on with them.It would not have worked anyway because of the friction between Dave and I. It was great playing bass for a minute but I am a much better guitarist than I am a bassist.

Q. - What made you feel like reuniting Blind Illusion again? Has it been difficult to keep this band alive?

Mark - One day I listened to the Sane Asylum at the urgency of a good friend guitarist Phil Kunick. I then realized that I had left my life behind and immediately began putting the band together. It coincided with the return of Death Angel and Mordred and that helped feed my fire!

Q. - Was it easy to find this new line up for the band? Who's been playing with you lately?

Mark - The first incarnate of the years after 2000 was more Rock than Metal largely due to the players. Eventually bassist Harald O Oimoen from DRI, drummer Erik Cruze and guitarist Aaron Knudsen joined forces with me and we returned to the sound we had on the Sane Asylum. We couldn't tour because Harald O was too busy with DRI so we enlisted Bassist virtuoso Tom Gears and Guitarist extraordinaire Doug Piercy from Heathen/ Anvil Chorus and now the band is truly magical!

Q. - Have you had any contacts with labels for future albums editions?

Mark - We are still signed to World in Sound for a few more months so we'll see what happens.

Q. - Before the "The Sane Asylum" there were 5 demo tapes recorded (and one after), have you ever thought about compiling all this demos on cd?

Mark - Of course!

Q. - What was the feeling of bringing Blind Illusion back to Europe and play Keep It True festival?

Mark - It was fantastic and I can't wait to return to Europe next year!

Q. - Do you have plans to record a live album in the near future? Or will you take advance on this new line-up to record a new album?

Mark - We are currently in the studio and the tracks sound great! Most likely we'll release an E.P and then a full album. The E.P will be like the singles from the album.

Q. - Do you keep an eye to the metal scene of today? What do you think are the main differences between now and back in the day?

Mark - I really like the band Black Breath and there are alot of older bands that I am just now getting into like Satan, Winterhawk, etc.

Most of the difference from then and now is how well the band is recorded and produced. As far as the progressive metal bands go there has been a lot more daring exploits like Dream Theatre.

Q. - How do you want to end up this interview? Anything more you want to say?

Mark - I want to thank all of the people who never gave up on Blind Illusion and for everyone to keep their ears to the ground because we are soon to be coming your way!

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

Thank you!!!!!