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  • Brian Wilson – “I feel really grateful that I get to do what I do”

    Brian Wilson – “I feel really grateful that I get to do what I do”

    Brian Wilson is one of the most exciting young Heavy Metal drummers in the world, notably backstopping Yngwie Malmsteen, Night Demon, Hellwitch, and a number of other bands. I caught up with him backstage in 2022 and asked him what he’d tell his younger self about the music life.

    “I would tell my younger self to just keep at it. Touring and being a part of the music industry is not for everybody. It’s not comfortable, there’s a lot of luxuries that you have to forego, unfortunately, to be a part of it, but I knew when I was younger, the only thing I wanted to do was be in a band and play music, so that’s all I aspired to do, my whole life, and I found a lot of roadblocks along the way. What you really have to do, is you have to find like-minded people, people who share the same goal as you, people who share the same dreams as you, and if you don’t have that, then it might not work out. . . Or you can go for it as much as you want, but you gotta find the right people. And that’s what I struggled with for a long time, but I kinda think that if you are that relentless about it, just keep going and just do it. If you keep trying, you’re gonna fail, and you’re gonna fail again, but eventually you might make it. Not everybody, unfortunately, makes it to the top, but I personally feel really grateful that I get to do what I do. I’m very grateful to be out here with Hellwitch playing alongside Wraith, Exciter, and Midnight
    If I were to talk to myself when I was 13 and I was like, ‘You’re gonna be on tour with Exciter when you’re older,’ I’d say, ‘You’re fucking crazy.’

    “Also, an important thing to remember is that not everyone’s going to like it. And you should expect that when you put yourself out there, you should be doing it for yourself at the end of the day. If it’s good, people will recognize it, but it’s impossible to please everybody, you gotta please yourself first.”

  • Bjorn Englen – There’s Not Only One Way to Make It

    Bjorn Englen – There’s Not Only One Way to Make It


    Bass virtuoso, Bjorn Englen, has played with the best of the best: Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Tony MacAlpine, Uli Jon Roth, Quiet Riot, and the amazing Dio Disciples. I spoke with him for a few minutes in 2025 on the Metal Hall of Fame gala red carpet and asked him to give some advice for young musicians. This is what he had to say:


    “A lot of it comes to down to: people forget about the old school of doing things, playing in a band, playing together. . . Start putting posters up. Nobody does that anymore. They will be seen, but nobody does it. It goes back to basics. There’s not only one way to make it, keep that in mind. Think outside the box. Be creative when it comes promotion and all that stuff.”

  • dUg Pinnick of King’s X

    dUg Pinnick of King’s X

    King’s X are often cited as one of the most underappreciated bands of all time. I had the opportunity to chat with their iconic bassist and lead vocalist, dUg Pinnick, for the release of their 2022 album, “Three Sides of One.” He had this to say about the future of music:

    “I don’t know where it’s going, but I know that. . . kids are pulling in information from everywhere they can that touches them, moves them, and wants them to create it, and there’s crazy stuff coming out. And I encourage it. My only problem is: learn to write a great song. Then you win.”

    https://www.kingsxrocks.com

  • Biff Byford of Saxon

    Biff Byford of Saxon

    Biff Byford just turned 74 at the start of 2025. He joined his first band in 1965, then became Saxon’s lead vocalist in 1975, and has been performing and pushing his voice to the limits ever since. He’s an icon of the New Wave Of British Heavy Metal movement. He spoke about musician longevity in a 2022 Metal Asylum interview with Jack Mangan.
    https://www.saxon747.com/

    Jack Mangan: You know, I won’t name any names, but there are some of these guys who sounded great 30 years ago, but don’t sound so great today. I saw Saxon on the Priest tour; you guys sounded as fresh and invigorating as ever, so my hat is off to you for that.

    Biff Byford: Yeah, my voice is good at the moment. I was singing today, actually, going through a few things . . . I usually set up a microphone and play some songs through the PA and sing along to them. That’s how I keep my voice. You know, it’s a muscle, the voice, so you have to exercise it a lot. It’s a shame I don’t exercise everything else the same, but you have to keep the main muscle that forges your career. But yeah, generally just keep using it, and don’t abuse it with too much hard liquor and drugs, really. I don’t really do any of that. I suppose my worst would be a bit of red wine now and again and sometimes a rum or rum cocktail or something if we’re out partying. But generally, I’m not sort of puking into the toilet bowl drunk. Much. (laughs)

    Image from Saxon’s official website. Credit sought.
  • Pat Ranieri of Hellwitch

    Pat Ranieri of Hellwitch

    Pat Ranieri founded Thrash/Death Metal pioneers, Hellwitch, in 1984, giving him over 40 years in the music life. He’s also your go-to for bootleg tapes (Are we going to get him into trouble for mentioning that??) He’s proven to be a wealth of experience, passionate fandom, and intense music. He spoke with Jack Mangan backstage at a 2024 gig.
    https://hellwitch.com/

    Pat Ranieri: If I could go back in the time machine to my old self: “Do less bong hits and write more song.” (laughs) That would have probably been the best thing I could have done, because I wasn’t very aggressive with composing music, just was aggressive with playing and practicing and whatever. I’m motivated now more than ever to write, I think, than I ever have been. I see now that’s a big part of it, because the more stuff you have, the greater your chances of success – – and not even success, just getting your sound out and sharing your ideas with the world, and hopefully more people like it and you get noticed – – and lives are enriched from your creativity.

  • Dobber Beverly and Cammie Beverly of Oceans of Slumber

    Dobber Beverly and Cammie Beverly of Oceans of Slumber

    https://www.oceansofslumber.com

    It’s an honor to have Dobber and Cammie Beverly of Oceans of Slumber as Support Life And Music’s very first official artist testimonials. They’re a Houston, TX-based band whose music is heavy, deep, emotional, beautiful, dark, intelligent, intricate, challenging, soulful, and intensely original, self-described as “Southern Sonic Storytellers.” How many bands can say all that? Add off-the-charts musicianship and one of the best voices in the world, and you have something truly special. What follows is an interview excerpt from summer 2024, when I spoke with Dobber and Cammie about their latest album, “Where Gods Fear to Speak.”

    Jack Mangan: I want to tell a quick story. The first time I met you guys, you had just finished a trip across the California desert in the middle of summer in a bus where the A/C had broken, and you guys and Insomnium were just suffering. So the Rock n’ Roll/music life is hard. You guys are veterans. What would you tell young artists, or if you could go back in time to young Dobber and young Cammie, what advice would you give? 

    Dobber Beverly: Don’t. (laughs)

    Cammie Beverly: I wouldn’t change anything and I wouldn’t not do it. For me, I have a very unique experience. Everything I’ve done is intertwined with loving him (Dobber), and so I can’t speak to separating the two from an impactful relationship that I have, so I’m a little bit more embedded than other people (laughs). It’s a part of our dynamic, it’s a part of our relationship. I’ve never been in another band that did anything to this caliber that didn’t involve him. So obviously it works for us, and it makes it very special and it makes it less painful and less stressful. But it’s hard. Prepare yourself for anything and know that your biggest fight is gonna be with yourself. There’s no predictions, there’s no knowing where this goes. Technology is going to ruin everyone’s lives.  

    Dobber Beverly: I would tell myself to get over thinking you’re going to change how things work. Going into the thing, I thought I was gonna find a way to revolutionize something or bring an element into a world that would benefit and extend what’s possible. You know, I thought that it was gonna be impactful in that kinda way. Once you get in a room with everybody, you kinda realize that there’s nothing you can do to make the status quo change. 

    ~