PARADISE LOST's GREG MACKINTOSH: 'There Is No Money' In The Music Industry Anymore

Metal Road conducted an interview with guitarist Greg Mackintosh of British gothic metal pioneers PARADISE LOST at this year's Hellfest, which was held June 20-22 in Clisson, France. You can now watch the chat below.

On how the Internet and digital music revolution has affected the music industry:

Greg: "It's kind of killed it a little bit, because there is no money for the industry. I don't mean for the bands — I mean, just in the industry, there's no money — so there's not as much for tour support, things like that, or promotion, so everyone kind of has to do extra things which you wouldn't normally want to do. Even just like the packaging of an album, you have to do 20 different formats just to try to sell it to people. It leaves a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. We started in the music scene when it was more honest, shall we say?! But, I mean, there's plus points to the way it is now. People get to hear things faster, people get to promote things instantly. We don't have to rehearse as much, 'cause we just send each other things over the Internet."

On PARADISE LOST's revolving door of drummers:

Greg: "It's just the typical heavy metal 'Spinal Tap' thing; you just can't keep a drummer, they just keep disappearing. The first drummer would still be in the band if he could drum better, but just as we got bigger, he couldn't keep up, if you know what I mean?! So he would probably still be in the band if that were the case, 'cause we're still relaly good friends. And the second drummer just went insane and turned to God. So he's kind of into God now. And the next drummer had kids and got married. And now we have Adrian Erlandsson, who is in, I think, probably most bands that are playing today, probably, I don't know. He's in a lot of bands. But Adrian is cool. We try and hold on to people. It's just that, over the years… It's not for everyone, this kind of life. It's a strange life."

On the progress of the songwriting sessions for the follow-up to 2012's "Tragic Idol":

Greg: "We're writing a new record at the minute. I think we've got about eight tracks done; we're gonna write maybe another four. So we'll get in the studio maybe October or November. Maybe November. And then the whole thing starts."

PARADISE LOST will perform with an orchestra on September 20 at the Roman theatre in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. For the one-off concert, the band will be joined by the renowned Plovdiv Philharmonic Orchestra founded nearly 70 years ago and made up of over 100 highly qualified musicians. The orchestra has its roots in the hundred year old orchestral tradition in Plovdiv and over the years has launched the careers of many world-famous conductors.

The prestigious evening will be promoted by the Bulgarian independent radio station Tangra Mega Rock and orchestrated by conductor Levon Manukyan who wrote the first metal ballet and is the founder of the Levon Manukyan Collegium Musicum orchestra. During his career, Levon has given the classical treatment to rock and metal works by MARILYN MANSON, ALICE COOPER, DREAM THEATER, AC/DC, EVANESCENCE, GUNS N' ROSES, KISS, LED ZEPPELIN, NIRVANA and JUDAS PRIEST, and worked with world-famous soloists including ex-NIGHTWISH vocalist Tarja Turunen.

Said the band: "We have recorded elements of orchestration many times in the studio over the last two decades, as many of our songs lend themselves well to classical arrangement. However, we have never before had the chance to play with a real orchestra in a live situation, so it's very exciting to have the opportunity to play with Plovdiv Philharmonic and in such a prestigious location as the Roman theatre."

"Tragic Idol" sold around 900 copies in the United States in its first week of release. The CD landed at position No. 32 on the Top New Artist Albums (Heatseekers) chart, which lists the best-selling albums by new and developing artists, defined as those who have never appeared in the Top 100 of The Billboard 200.

Released in April 2012 via Century Media Records, "Tragic Idol" was recorded in part at The Chapel studios in Lincolnshire, England and features cover art by by Parisian designer Valnoir, who has previously worked with MORBID ANGEL, LAIBACH, ULVER and WATAIN, among others.