How did you first meet Blitz and D.D.?

Verni was in my high school. I found Ellsworth by running an ad
in “The Aquarian” newspaper; it was answered by our founding guitarist “Riff Thunder”, who brought Ellsworth along. Watch my film “Born in the Basement” to discover the untold story. You can still get the DVD FREE at https://ratskates.com/Free/

You tried a bunch of different guitarists, but no one really stuck until Bobby Gustafson, what made him stand out from the rest?

He was into Maiden and all the NWOBHM bands; he played well and was open minded to the direction Verni and I had in mind.

Taking Over has tracks that are still played on metal radio, and the band is still playing live, could you ever have foreseen that tracks off of the album would have that sort of staying power?

No, absolutely not; the reason being is that we were breaking new ground and part of a new movement that was evolving so fast that I really didn’t have much of a chance to think about anything except where we were AT; not where we might end up.

What are your memories about recording with Alex Perialas?

GREAT memories…lots of crazy times…lots of beer. He was – and still is – the real deal, and my friend! He was a rebel and not afraid to take chances. Technically, he knew his shit. Broadly, he knew the metal scene, and above all he always gave us 110%.

In recent years musicians have come out and complained about how he produced certain albums, do you have an issue with how he produced Taking Over?

Great question! I have always had an issue with the album production. BUT, Alex was not THE producer; it was a co-effort between him and the band. The regrets I have are not with anything Alex did, it’s what the band did.

I was really impressed at the way Terry Date produced the Metal Church album, it was really heavy and each instrument was crystal clear. THAT is the production I was pushing for. BUT, naively thinking we could sonically out-do Master of Puppets (which was EVERYONE’S frame of reference), we layered WAY too many guitar tracks, eating up a lot of “bandwidth”, and hence, the drums got completely buried, and it ended up one big wanna-bee-Metalli-mess. (But, something positive DID eventually come out of it for Overkill; after I left, they used Terry Date to produce their next record and got a great sound).

During Overkill’s ’87 Taking Over time period, there was not just a blatantly obvious Metallica influence amongst certain members, but an embarrassing attempt to copy them. That lasted only about a year until the thrash fans saw through it; big white high top and peg-leg Metalli-pants intoxicated the musicians and saturated the scene. Thrash became predictable and burnt out faster than it arrived. This was one of the reasons I said “see-ya!” Innovative songwriting could be the only thing anchoring a band’s longevity; it would HAVE to carry the bands past that arc of irrational exuberance and keep them relevant. And, it really only did for Metallica, although good songwriting is what mostly carried the other 3 of The Big 4, but not 5 though…

What are some of your fondest memories of touring behind the album?

Personally? Depression, frustration, confusion, drinking and sleeping too much. But on a band level, we had literally taught Helloween about how to conduct a live performance in Europe. In the states, Megadeth had to really step up their game with us opening…we were on fire. We had arrived.

Did you have any favorite tracks off of the album to play live?

I loved to play ‘em all…didn’t matter; just loved to play.

Shortly after you departed from the band, do you have any contact with your former bandmates?

Shortly after, yes. Today, they still choose to avoid me.

You have transitioned into being a filmmaker and producer, has been in Overkill helped you in any manner with film?

Yes, but it’s not specific to Overkill; it’s having experienced the journey of fulfilling my (then) musical dream by stubbornness, vision and hard work. I enjoyed the journey much more than the destination. To this day, the DIY mentality that I used to carry Overkill is still hard wired into me. So I never second guess the scope of what I can do creatively. It’s a great freedom not being a slave to any genre. And because I’m sober, perceptive and open-minded, I can relate to anyone about anything. I carry the flag of objectivity and honesty; THAT is what allows me to make a difference in people’s lives, and hence, to rise above the mediocrity of the herd. I’m very grateful to be doing what I love.

Are you currently working on any film-related projects?

Yes; many…my writing is always manifested in film, TV or spoken word. (See the next question)

Where should people go if they would like to keep up with any project you might be a part of?

https://RatSkates.com or follow me on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rat_Skates