DESTRUCTION's SCHMIER: 'We're Able To Make A Living From What We Do, And How Many Bands Can Say That?'

Mark Kadzielawa of 69 Faces Of Rock recently conducted an interview with bassist/vocalist Schmier of German thrash metal veterans DESTRUCTION. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

69 Faces Of Rock: It's been almost two years since your last studio album, "Spiritual Genocide", came out. How do you feel about it now since you're still promoting the record?

Schmier: I feel great about it because we managed to make an album that sounds fresh. When you listen to it, it doesn't sound like it was made by a band that's been around for 31 years. I think we're a little bit more satisfied with the sound. It sounds much more natural than the album before. Considering the circumstances, we've made a great record. There were a lot of people questioning us why we made the album that fast. It was only two years since the previous album was released. Some people were accusing us of writing too fast, but we don't write too fast. We write when we're inspired. There are weeks and months and nothing is happening, but once you sit down and write, it's working. I still like the album. We've played two songs from it on the current tour. The newest work is something that you criticize after a while, or you end up liking it very much. And after two years, I still very much like the album. I think the last two albums are the better albums.

69 Faces Of Rock: One of the songs from the last record was called "Legacy Of The Past". The song spoke about the underground scene of the '80s. What do you miss about that time?

Schmier: I think the appreciation was very much different. It was all new and young people were living for the metal. Now metal gets more consumed, and I can see it. We get more and more metal bands, and people don't appreciate it so much, in some countries at least. Of course, those vibes back then were amazing. But, if you go to South America, or some other countries in the Far East, you still have those vibes. But if you're in a market that is overloaded, then those vibes go away because it's all about consuming and making money. The metal scene in Europe is huge now; you get the Wacken [Open Air festival] that sells out in one day for 100,000 people. It's getting too much sometimes. If the scene explodes, there's always too much commercialization. That's a little bit of a problem. The same thing happens here in the States.

69 Faces Of Rock: Are things any easier for the underground survivors like yourselves?

Schmier: We're able to make a living from what we do, and how many bands can say that? How many heavy metal bands can really live from their music? We manage to tour a lot, to play a lot. We don't make a lot of money, but we can live from the music, and see a lot of great countries. It's a big achievement for us, and it's a pleasure to do that. I can't really be complaining. Of course, getting more money would be good, but I really like how things are now. It's amazing that after 30 years we're still able to be in business, and still play the big festivals, and still touring around the world. I can't complain.

Read the entire interview at 69 Faces Of Rock.