Metal Shock Finland (World Assault )

Jimmy Kay and Alan Dixon from Canada’s The Metal Voice recently spoke with legendary producer Chris Tsangarides. Chris shared his thoughts about producing such classic albums as Anvil‘s Metal on Metal, Judas Priest Painkiller, Thin Lizzy‘s Renegade and Canada’s The Tragically Hip‘s Fully Completely. Tsangarides also spoke about producing the relief songs for Steve Grimmett.

Watch the interview here:

When asked if Anvil’s classic album Metal on Metal influenced the whole speed metal genre
“At the time you really don’t know, you haven’t got a clue. it’s only when you can look back and think, you know what that was the first record that did that. Metal On Metal did have a big influence on people cause there wasn’t much of it going on. But then as you see in the Anvil Movie, artists being interviewed about Anvil and given their honest opinions and coming out with we used to play their albums. I know that Lars Ulrich (Metallica) had gone into Johnny Z office with a Copy of Metal on Metal and said that’s who we want to produce our album with and Johnny Z said no, he said it would be too expensive. I was like what no one asked me? Who knows what it could have been if I produced Metallica’s Kill Em All (debut). Would it have come out the same way? I’m sure it would have not come out like that.”

When asked about him producing  Judas Priest  Album Painkiller   
“It was bloody marvelous nine weeks we were there I don’t remember a single argument.”

“In the song Painkiller where Rob Halford is singing Pain, Pain, Killer, Killer getting all intense, the production note to Rob was can you sound like a Dalek from the Dr Who Series.  Rob Halford left after Painkiller he wanted to go down the Pantera route, he said we should sound more like Pantera and I would say they are trying to sound more like you. That’s what happens with artists, they listen to some new fresh band and they want be them. You don’t want to be Judas Priest sings Pantera, be yourself.”

When asked about producing the Reaper All Stars relief songs for Steve Grimmett’s medical and recovery costs
“We have been in talks Steve and I, in the past year about making the new Grim Reaper album. This certainly isn’t the way that any of us predicted that we would get to meet up like this, in this awful circumstance. All I can say is that I cannot believe how great he has been, given what has happened to him. I know cause I was in a similar position when I was in my a coma a few years ago apparently my leg was going cold and there was fears that they would have to cut my leg off because of thrombosis due to the machines they had me plugged into and that wouldn’t have been happening. Thing is, I have the same illness as Steve, I’m diabetic insulin all that and I really feel for what has happened to him and as soon as I heard what had gone down I was like I just can’t believe  how quickly, you got a pain in your foot and then the next thing you know it’s gone the way it has. As soon as it happened in the hospital I knew that something had to be done cause  in a foreign country on you own especially when the rest of the band had been flown back home, his wife wasn’t there yet. To be all on your own like that in that dire circumstance really got to everybody and I am so proud of the metal community for jumping in straight ahead, how can we make some money for this situation and that is what we are doing and I want Steve to know that is is all being done out of respect, love for our fellow musician, warrior, metal head  and off we go. ”

“I had the drum tracks sent and a couple of guitars that Glen Drover (Ex Megadeth) has done and just waiting for the rest of the stuff to come so I compile it and mix it.”