OVERKILL's BOBBY ' BLITZ' ELLSWORTH: 'The Only Bad Thing About Technology Is That Everyone Can Use It'

HardrockHaven.net recently conducted an interview with vocalist Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth of New Jersey thrash metal veterans OVERKILL. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

HardrockHaven.net: On this tour, are you going to be playing a lot of the new songs from the new album? Is it hard to put together a setlist? You have so many great songs.

Bobby: It is funny. With 17 records in, you can just barely play one with every record. Our feeling is when you put new songs in that are always the most exciting thing for the band. We haven't played these songs thousands of times but in rehearsal. We picked three new tunes, three obscure tunes, and couple of ones that we haven't done over the last album, like "Ironbound" and "Electric Age". It is kind of a mix of things but there is going to be a mix of three new tunes on there.

HardrockHaven.net: When you entered the studio to record "White Devil Armory", did you want to go back to more old school on this album? What was the vibe?

Bobby: There is not [a lot] of talking when we go in. It is more about action and reaction. The chemistry between the bandmembers is really good. I think by doing it this way, the songs kind of take shape itself. We are not talking about repeating ourselves, we are just making that type of flavor convey. That is always in your head, that you don't want to repeat yourself. I do think at the end of the day, whether it be a lottery, or horoscope, OVERKILL is OVERKILL. It is going to come out as an OVERKILL album in the end.

HardrockHaven.net: You have inspired so many bands in the industry today. How has it changed recording-wise? Do you find it easier? Back in the day, record companies would give bands huge amounts of money to record. Now, today, you have Pro Tools and record a lot cheaper. It is a limited budget but you have control and Pro Tools. What are your thoughts?

Bobby: I agree with that. When I first come into the music business, it was the end of the era of excess. A record deal wasn't 40,000 bucks. A record deal was six figures. For a very big band, it was seven figures. Again, that is based on excess. That excess came from a record industry that obviously milked the public. They realized they were charging so much for their product that that could filter into the band. There is nothing wrong with making money, I am a capitalist; don't get me wrong. But I think what ended up happening was technology changed and the record budgets shrank based on sales shrinking that people came up with ways to actually make great-sounding stuff at a lower cost. It kind of evened itself out. I think the only bad thing about technology is that everyone can use it. Back in the day of excess, you really had to work at playing for record companies to throw that record deal at you. Now you can be made in the bedroom. For sure, everyone has a shot at it with Pro Tools.

Read the entire interview at HardrockHaven.net.