SODOM's FRANK BLACKFIRE Questions Band's Touring Hiatus: Why Put Out A New Album And Not Play Live?

In a new interview with RapidMetalFire, former KREATOR and current SODOM guitarist Frank "Blackfire" Gosdzik spoke about his plans for the coming months. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "I'm doing my solo band, FRANK BLACKFIRE. And we had a re-release party in — was it the 31st of May this year — it was kind of like a re-release party, 10 years of [my] 'Back On Fire' [solo] album, and High Roller Records from Germany, they re-released it. And [it was] the first time it came out on vinyl too and everything, and we did kind of a re-release party show with that. And it was pretty good, actually. We had an in-store before, an autograph session, at Idiots Records [in Dortmund] one day before, and I'm pretty satisfied how many people showed up. And I was really, 'Wow, that's surprise.' And then we did the show, and it was pretty good. Everybody who were there, they liked it. And, yeah, that's the thing I'm continuing right now."

He continued: "I'm trying to get shows with my band. It's not as easy as with SODOM, because SODOM has a much bigger name. But actually, I found shows and I found some festivals for next year. And I'm pretty satisfied with how it is going. Of course, it can always be more. But I'm really happy about it. Toni's [Merkel, SODOM drummer] playing with me, and, yeah, Toni's playing in another black metal band. He has to do jobs also, the same like I have to do. I'm a guitar teacher also, but I prefer playing live. And I'm trying everything to get shows and festivals. And I'm writing new material for a new album, FRANK BLACKFIRE album."

Frank also addressed the current status of SODOM, whose leader, bassist/vocalist Tom "Angelripper" Such, announced a touring hiatus on the run-up to the release of the band's 17th studio album, "The Arsonist", which came out this past summer. Blackfire said: "With SODOM, we had released 'The Arsonist' recently, like in — was it July? So, we had a new album out, and nothing happens with SODOM. And, yeah, it's a pity, though. I don't know. If you bring out a new album, I think you wanna go and play live and wanna go on tour or wanna play live somewhere — festivals at least, or something. But I don't know. Why bring out a new album and don't play live? This is kind of a waste of the album, I think. So, yeah, actually, it's a pity, though, but what do you wanna do? So, I keep being active. I'm working hard right now and trying to get shows, festivals, writing new material for a new album, new FRANK BLACKFIRE album. I hope I can bring it out next year. And, yeah, we are [in a] pretty good mood in the band. And, yeah, I'm surprised that people are interested in FRANK BLACKFIRE shows. Of course it's all a little smaller than SODOM — we play little club shows and smaller festivals — but I'm really happy. And I have to continue, because this is my earnings. I have to earn some money to survive, because I live on music. I have to make a living out of it. I'm still there. I don't wanna get a regular job or something. Nobody's gonna take me, [at] almost 60 years [old]. They're not gonna [hire me]. And anyway, what should I do? The only thing is guitar teaching, music teaching, anything like that — that's what I'm gonna do. Or anything that has to do with guitars or music and everything. Even help out for other bands, I would do that too, if it is an interesting thing. And, yeah, that's how I'm surviving right now."

This past spring, High Roller Records celebrated the tenth anniversary of Blackfire's debut solo album, "Back On Fire", with a remastered reissue featuring new artwork and, for the first time, a vinyl edition.

While Frank was living in Brazil after the turn of the millennium, he formed the band MYSTIC and recorded two demos with them, laying the foundation for an album that turned out to be a long time coming. The ten tracks of "Back On Fire" — including a thrashy interpretation of Henry Mancini's "Peter Gunn" theme as an intro and a guest appearance by Angelripper — are characterized by Frank's signature guitar style and rasp.

Blackfire is a German guitarist who started exploring and listening to his father's rock and roll albums at the early age of 6. Frank picked up a guitar at the age of 15, and then, at the age of 18, joined a cover band in which he played classic songs of acts such as JUDAS PRIEST and SAXON. About two years later, Frank joined the German thrash legends SODOM and entered Music Lab Studios in Berlin to record the band's "Expurse Of Sodomy" EP, and the "Persecution Mania" album, both of which were produced by Harris Johns. "Persecution Mania" was promoted on a European tour, which was documented on the legendary "Mortal Way Of Live" live album and video. In 1989, SODOM completed another classic album, "Agent Orange", which was the first German thrash metal album to ever enter the German chart. Frank left SODOM in 1989, but as his friends from KREATOR were in need of a guitarist, he accompanied them on a North American tour. Soon after that, he became a full-time member of KREATOR, joining them on the road and making three studio albums with the group: "Coma Of Souls" (1990),"Renewal" (1992) and "Cause For Conflict" (1995).

After leaving KREATOR in 1996, Frank focused on other music genres, and also started to teach guitar playing. Between 2000 and 2006, Frank lived in Brazil, where he played with several bands in between releasing an album and an EP with his band MYSTIC. In 2007, Blackfire rejoined his former bandmates SODOM at the Wacken Open Air festival and then appeared at the Chris Witchhunter memorial concert in 2008.

In January 2018, Angelripper announced the return of Blackfire to SODOM.

This past May, Angelripper publicly discussed his decision to cut down on SODOM's touring activities for the foreseeable future. Asked by Chaoszine, bassist/vocalist Thomas "Angelripper" Such if this was a "hard decision" to make at this point in SODOM's career, Tom said: "Yes, because when you make a break or you stop something, the time is always uncomfortable, I think. The record company, they told me, 'Oh, you release a new album. You have to go on tour. You have to play festivals.' I know. But it's my decision. I'm working for the whole production, I'm working for the promotion for the new album. That's not a problem. But I wanna stop touring for a while. I need more time for my family, for my hobbies, for my good old friends or time for myself."

Tom continued: "My doctor said, 'You are in very good condition for your age, but slow it down a little bit.' And I'm still working on the band; I'm still working for re-releases. I just wanna do more home office. But I have no plan to come back. I don't wanna have any pressure. When I say, 'Okay, I come back in April '27,' whatever, I put myself under pressure. I don't want [that]. Maybe — I don't know how long it takes. I will see what happens. I don't have any plans. But I'm sure I'm coming back one day."

Angelripper previously discussed SODOM's decision to take a break earlier in May in an interview with RapidMetalFire. He said at the time: "I think you know the story of [SLAYER's] Tom Araya. Maybe you heard something about it. I think he's got the same problems, like [issues with his] neck [when performing live]. He couldn't more headbang. I can headbang. It's not so massive… But that is not the reason why. The reason why is I want to spend more time with other things. I want to spend more time with my family. I need more time going for my hunting district. I want to spend time doing nothing.

"If you are a professional musician — I'm also the manager of the band — you are busy every day," Such explained. "There is no time to breathe. There is no time to relax. I like to spend the time on stage. I like to spend the time making music, but I hate wast[ing] time on airports or hotels.

"If you're getting 62 [years old] like me, you say, 'Okay, I need money to make my [living] from [playing] music.' I know — money is a very important thing. But there is something you cannot buy with money: the freedom," Thomas added. "And that's what I told to my boys, to my group. I told them, I think two years ago, 'In this year, I wanna slow down the things a little bit,' because I can't do nothing, because I'm still working on re-releases. The only difference is I have my home office. That's the only thing. But I can tell you, I have no plan what to do. I have no plan how long I'm gonna rest. I have no plan when I restart the band, so I don't wanna live without any plans in the next times. I can't tell people I want to come back in '27 or '28, maybe '26 — I don't tell the people. When I think I wanna come back, I go."

Asked if SODOM is still "receiving booking requests" from promoters around the world, Thomas said: "I receive a lot of booking requests… I get some offers from this [and that] festival. I get some offers for making a tour with HEAVEN SHALL BURN. They were interested in maybe a SODOM tour. I get a thousand of requests [for] the 'Big Four' [of German thrash metal: KREATOR, DESTRUCTION, SODOM and TANKARD] worldwide. That is not a problem… People are still interested. It's not something bad because we have no success. I can book tours every day over the year, if I want. That is another thing. SODOM is still — we are still very much a success, I think. People are really interested in coming [to see us]… So that is not the problem. I know that people wanna see SODOM."

Elaborating on his reasons for taking a break from the road, Thomas said: "I love my fans, but I also love myself. I also love my family. I also love my old friends. Now it's time to stop [and] just [concentrate on] doing other things. That's very easy. I'm still healthy. I'm able to do it. I'm still creative. Maybe the day will come I don't know what to do, I'm not more creative, I cannot write lyrics, I cannot play bass. Then it's gone. It's just a break. But I don't know how long it takes."