Jimmy Kay from Canada’s The Metal Voice spoke to STEEL PANTHER singer Michael Starr. Starr spoke about the bands new album Heavy Metal Rules which will be released on September 27 2019, being politically correct and how the band had to re-record the new album cause the files were deleted by mistake.

Watch the interview here:

When asked about the pros and cons of recording the new album
“Well we took a lot of time on this record because the whole record ended up getting deleted because Lexxi Foxx took the hard drives with the sessions and the backup a and he dropped it on the cement and the files were all gone and we had no back up in the cloud because the internet wasn’t working at the Studio. So we had to re-record all the vocals, the bass, the guitars and the keyboards for the whole record so we really re-recorded everything. Then after listening back to my voice it sounded like there was something wrong with it so I went to my voice doctor and he looked and said I had a polyp or node on it so we had to postpone the release of the record and I went and had surgery, so they cut the node out and I’ve recovered 100%. Then I recorded all the vocals again so for this record we spent a lot of time on it and we perfected every part of each song and you’re gonna hear it and be blown away it’s killer.”

When asked if re-doing the album multiple times helped made the album sound better?
“Every time we record a record, we first do a demo and then we go on to record it for real with our producer and then you live with it for the rest of your life. Well this time we recorded it and we lived with it for about a month and then we had to re-recorded it so I was able to really challenge myself to to make it better. Then when I had to get the surgery my voice was even stronger and it was easier to sing. So I would say I did each song each song about 150 times after three re-records so what you’re hearing is the accumulation of me really getting deep and emotion with the tracks and I think it reflects that very cool.”

When asked if Steel panther is part of an Anti-Politically Correct back lash movement today
“We started 20 years ago so this is something that we’ve always done and the only thing that’s different for us as a band which separates us from other bands is we sing about the same thing and we don’t give a fuck what people think. I think that people can appreciate our stance and freedom of speech and being able to not only to maintain our career but continue on. People said on our second record oh they won’t be around much longer but here we are. We hear the same thing all the time every record but we keep getting more fans and more fans and more fans. So the people that don’t like us I appreciate them because it gives us the drive to continue on to prove them wrong. ”

When asked if they are getting fans based on a wave of back lash of a politically correct society
“I’ll take it dude I’ll take it and I think that we do I think we do responsibly you know it’s not like we’re doing it just to get attention we do it because this is what we’ve always done. Not like a flash in the pan whoa well let’s get everyone freaked out about something we’re saying we don’t even try to do that it just happened. ”

When asked about the song I ain’t buying what you’re selling and if it is getting too deep for them
“I was thinking about this the other day, I’m not young dude anymore I’m 54 years old, pretty soon I’ll be a senior citizen get in the 10% discount at Denny’s and after that I’m gonna get my Social Security if it’s even there. You don’t think about that shit when you’re living with your mom, after I moved out when I was 49 I realized you know the world need Steel Panther, people need to enjoy themselves but we’re not like idiots we know what’s going on around. ”

When asked if Steel Panther would ever do a concept record like Operation Mindcrime or the Wall
“You know we’ve always talked about wanting to do that because Queensryche is one of our influences, you probably can’t tell but they are. Pink Floyd The Wall that was a big influence on me when I was younger, the concept record seems like a great idea it’s just it’s not easy to do so, I don’t know what the concept would be. I feel like most of our records are we talk about different ways to get high and f*** and I think that that concept is universal for everybody because everybody wants to get high and everybody wants to party and everyone wants to have a good time. ”

When asked about the passing of 80’s icon Rick Ocasek of the Cars?
“It’s just it sucks and I can’t help to think of my own mortality. When you hear somebody that influenced you when you’re younger passing it’s just keeps getting closer and closer to your own mortality and it’s just it’s a bummer but thankfully he has a body of work that people can still listen to and can appreciate today and in the future. Kind of like Tom Petty bummer he is gone but thankfully he leaves his legacy and major influence across the whole music industry.”