Overkill – Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth

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Metal Obsession: Hey Bobby, welcome back to Metal Obsession. How’s the Ironbound tour been treating you so far?

Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth: Well, good. The first show was February 6th and I think the release was 4 days prior. I think a successful release is all about the fans embracing it. We found that out very quickly, that 4 days after the release of Ironbound the majority of fans could sing all the songs. [laughs] So if you look at that as a first show, and now we are heading to Australia so many months later I think we are looking at a really successful year for us and a release that’s been, again, embraced by this part of the metal community.

MO: Do you find fans embracing Ironbound more than Overkill’s previous releases, now that the album has been out for some time?

BBE: I think its more on an equal level. I think one of the things which is unique about the scene right now is that there is a much younger, vibrant fan! You know, the 19 and 20 year old fans….and sometimes even younger. I think the newer material is something that they can say “Hey! This was a time in my life”, something they can relate too as oppose to records like Horoscope which was in 1990 or Feel the Fire which goes all the way back to 1985.

MO: On the subject of tours. I actually got to Overkill at Wacken this year. To me, it seems Overkill is a major institution in Europe with many fans rivaling that of many mainstream bands around the globe. Do personally find you get a better response when touring Europe or America?

BBE: It’s about the same. You know, Overkill has always been…well, we are what we are. I think there is a uniqueness to us and I think that we thrive, or embrace originality. We think that to some degree that our performances are different to others in this genre. I think if you think that, and you push that, it becomes true.

I’m a big fan of Kurt Vonnegut and if you read Mother Night you’ll understand what I mean. If you believe in it, it will eventually become what you want it too. [laughs] So I think in our case we always look at it as one of our principles, being that this could be our last moment. Not like, its just another show. So whether it’s Wacken or Podunk, Pennsylvania, or whether it’s Sydney at the Metro. We embrace it like such and it comes along at the highest level possible.

MO: This was your 5th time at Wacken this year, correct?

BBE: 4th!….ummm, let me think, shit! I have the book here. 1997, 2000, 2004…yes, 5th time.

MO: Did you find this year’s Wacken to be your most successful year, moreso with the release of Ironbound?

BBE: Not necessarily so, no. I think Wacken has always been an institution with regards to metal and thrash in general. It’s really the mecca of metal, you know. That’s where metalheads go to pray in August. [laughs]

There was a moment at Wacken, I don’t know if you remember when I went too talk to DD? I said “Jesus Christ! I can see people all the way out to the fucking horizon”. [laughs] I wouldn’t say it was a more intense response, but for sure MORE people.

MO: I was completely blown away at how many people were actually there this year. I think on record there was about 80,000 people this year.

BBE: Magnitude would be the world of the week. It’s amazing that there is that many people who have that type of love for this music. Obviously the people who pay for tickets, the press and bands are the ones who make this thing happen and it’s good to know that many years later, Wacken still has such a high value.

MO: It seems each time Overkill tours more and more countries and dates get added to the roster. With all this touring, does it ever catch up with you psychically. I mean you’re 51 this year. Does it ever get unbearable traveling from one side of the planet to the other?

BBE: It’s funny. I just lit a Marlboro and opened a Heineken. [laughs]

MO:…I’m guessing that’s a no then? [laughs]

BBE: [laughs] Exactly. It’s not like pineapple’s and mango juice, you know. [laughs] This is a real special place to be and I’ve always treated it as such. This is a doping of adrenaline that I think unless you’ve experienced it, you’d never know what could have been. I’ve even said in interviews in the past that this is a dope which has kept me away from dope, because there has been no better high for me. I think that, you know, if you experience the Wacken show with us, and that’s a big stage.

To be able to get energy across from 5 guys to 80,000 people, or however many there were this year. I’m not going to say its a great feat, I’m going to say that if that’s natural for us, its natural for the people who are watching. This just continues to roll as its always rolled for me. It’s never “Oh my God! We’re on a plane to Australia and have to fly so many hours”. I look forward to it! I get a really big book and I’ll know I’ll have the credit card out for a few drinks and that’s just the way it is. I get a kick out of it, I get a jolt out of it and I start getting really high based on anticipation.

MO: Having said that, it seem many bands are celebrating one milestone or another this year. One example is Grave Digger celebrating their 30th anniversary. I know last time we talked I brought up the subject of Overkill’s 25th anniversary. Now that’s its actually here, does it feel real to you?

BBE: I probably said this last time we talked, its really more about the present for me. Value to me has a lot to do with what’s happening next Wednesday, or in your case next Thursday, as appose to what happened prior. Ironbound has given us legs and so have the people in this scene. You saw the response at Wacken, I think for me too stand up there and say “Thank you for 25 years” really negates the fact, or negates the value of what Ironbound has done for us, and that’s to say “Wow! We tapped in at the right time with the right material, the right feel and the right honesty”, which is what we do. It’s simple. I don’t like to think in those terms. I’d rather think in terms of what more we can accomplish as appose to what we have done in the past.

MO: As we all know Overkill will be touring Australia starting next week with shows on the 23th of September in Brisbane at the Hifi Bar, 24th of September in Melbourne at the Hifi Bar and finishing off in Sydney on the 25th of September at the Metro. This tour will also see the support of long time friends Mortal Sin. It seems Mortal Sin has played a major role on many of Overkill’s past tours. When did this healthy relationship first start?

BBE: I think it’s always something stupid. At the first moment, its always handshakes and everyone’s nice and the next thing you know someone throws up [laughs]…and all the politeness goes away and everyone’s pointing fingers saying “Look at that fucking idiot”. [laughs] But then, all awkwardness is gone and the next thing you know these guys are on our tour bus or we’re on their tour bus and their telling us stories of their sweethearts and  wives and then we tell them about our sweethearts, wives and kids and the next thing you know, you have a really strong bond.

You’re obviously trying to accomplish the same thing. They say “Hey, can we have 5 extra minutes tonight” and we say “Yeah sure, no sweat!. You recognise people who have the same goals and these guys have been around since the beginning, or close to the beginning as we were and there is something about that. We are cut from the same cloth, so it’s not that hard to have that stronger bond or hungry over time. “You need help, ask me…here’s my number” and vise versa for Matt, Luke and the other guys in Mortal Sin.

MO: Has the Ironbound tour had a specific setlist, or do you mix it up at each show?

BBE: You know, there is legs to it. You could see those legs by checking out www.wreckingcrew.com and sure, they’ve been mixed up since each leg of every tour, but one of the things which we will always do is carry a six pack of songs in our back pocket in case we’re 2 nights in one place. For instance, we’re going to be in Japan prior to Australia and we’re playing the same venue two nights in a row, so it doesn’t make much sense to do the same set, so sure we will mix it up if necessary, but one of the things which is an Overkill principle is running like a machine, and if you run like a machine you rarely change its rhythm. We will mix it up from leg to leg, but not necessarily night to night.

MO: Will the Aussie fans get the chance to hear any rare songs or material that the band haven’t played in awhile?

BBE: For sure! We are going to throw some stuff in there. I mean the beauty about the old school stuff is that’s its really celebrated by a lot of the younger fans in the scene right now. To be able to play it this many years later gives it new life, which also gives it a present day value. That’s why I think it’s always cool to throw something out of the blue from the first record like Blood and Iron, or recently we’ve been doing Sonic Reducer which is a cover off Feel the Fire, but it’s really about the presentation of 2010.

MO: What’s one thing you’re looking forward to the most about this Australian tour, since it’s the band’s first time touring here?

BBE: Well, in terms of being it the first time, that’s when you get really excited. The hearts going to start beating quicker before getting on the plane, which will only be two days from now. [laughs] The beauty of that is to say that after 25 years that there is still new territories to conquer, or at least take a shot at. Beside that and being close to the guys in Mortal Sin, we are going to run into them the first day we’re there, then its going to be 3 shows in a row which is a lot of work, but the other side of it is we are going to have locals there showing us all the dirty stuff. [laughs]…I’m not talking about any crocodile wrestling. [laughs]

This is living the dream you know! I can’t say it any other way. It always has been that way for me, regardless of the popularity of the scene or the band. Whether you do like the new release, or don’t, we’ve always put everything we can into it. We have always enjoyed everywhere we have gone and everything we have done. I mean obviously there is an odd problem here and there, but when I look at it as a whole I say, “Hey, it’s been a great fucking ride!”.

MO: On that note I better let you go. Any final comments?

BBE: I do want to give a plug to www.ovakiloz.com. That’s a fan page from a friend called Wade, who’s apart of our website which www.wreckingcrew.com. If you want more info on us check out his page or ours. We are really looking forward to getting down. Will see you all on the 23rd, 24th and 25th of September!

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Q’s: Anwar Rizk
A’s: Bobby “Blitz” Ellsworth
Band: Overkill
Date: 02/09/2010
Origin: New Jersey, USA

Don’t miss your chance to see one of the pioneer’s of thrash metal this September as Overkill tour Australia for the first time with local thrash metal heroes, Mortal Sin. Tickets are still available through respected outlets. Don’t miss out!!

Australian Tour September 2010
Thursday 23rd September
The Hi Fi. Brisbane 125 Boundary Street, West End, Brisbane
Tickets available from www.redanttouring.com, www.thehifi.com.au, www.oztix.com and all Oztix outlets
VIP Meet and Greet packages available exclusively from www.redanttouring.com

Friday 24th September
The Hi Fi. Melbourne 125 Swanston Street, Melbourne
Tickets available from www.redanttouring.com and www.thehifi.com.au
VIP Meet and Greet packages available exclusively from www.redanttouring.com

Saturday 25th September
Metro. Sydney 624 George Street, Sydney
Tickets available from www.redanttouring.com, www.ticketek.com.au and metrotheatre.com.au
VIP Meet and Greet packages available exclusively from www.redanttouring.com

For more information go to: www.wreckingcrew.com – www.redanttouring.com – www.ovakiloz.com