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.
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.
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!
