STEVE DI GIORGIO doesn’t need any longer introductions, as he is widely renowned as a pioneer on the fretless bass in heavy metal music, being the bassist of TESTAMENT, DEATH and SADUS, among others. Within his genre, STEVE DI GIORGIO is respected for his playing skills, versatility and incredible technique. He has more than 40 studio album recordings and over 20 years of touring the world.
On December 1st, Tarja Virmakari of Metal Shock Finland & Alpha Omega Management met Steve Di Giorgio at Live Music Club in Milan, where TESTAMENT gave a killer show on their “Brotherhood of The Snake” tour. Tarja and Steve spent a nice afternoon, having a long and pleasant chat, talking about the tour, of course, but also about life, music, gear, upcoming tours with Vader and Annihilator, ice hockey, his experiences in Finland and more. So please sit down, join the chat and enjoy! (Find the list of topics below)
(0:21) when asked about the “Brotherhood of The Snake” tour in Europe with Annihilator and Death Angel… (3:11) talking about Steve’s 3 nationalities, nature and animals… (8:53) what would Steve do if he wasn’t involved in music? (9:52) when did music became a great part of Steve’s life? (11:00) talking about his fretless basses, ESP, Ibanez and about his influences… (19:45) about signing the artist deal with Alpha Omega Management (23:27) Besides Testament, what other bands/projects Steve is currently involved in? (30:57) talking about upcoming tours in March/April with Vader and Annihilator (37:15) Christmas, Santa Claus and new Year’s resolutions (41:50) Chickens… yeah you read right, we talked also about chickens 😉 (44:27) Steve on Finland, Ice Hockey + his message to all the fans out there
Enjoy also Steve’s bass solo @Live Music Club in Milan, here:
Please Note, STEVE DI GIORGIO is available for studio sessions. For further information, please contact via email: alexalphaomega@gmail.com – robertoalphaomega@gmail.com.
Watch Steve Di Giorgio LowDown: Bass Playthrough | Terra Odium – Crawling:
On August 29th, Metal Blade Records and BMG released“For the Sake of Heaviness: The History of Metal Blade Records” – written by label founder and CEO Brian Slagel with Mark Eglinton, and featuring a foreword by Metallica‘s Lars Ulrich. Celebrating the storied label’s 35th anniversary, “For the Sake of Heaviness” is an inside look at how Slagel built Metal Blade from a one-man operation in his mom’s non-air-conditioned garage to the preeminent international home of heavy music that it is today.
On August 3rd, Metal Shock Finland‘s CEO/Founder and President Tarja Virmakari had a chance to interview (for Truemetal.it) BRIAN SLAGEL, talking about his book “For the Sake of Heaviness: the History of Metal Blade” in detail. See below the list of main topics. Join the conversation below, enjoy!
To read the interview on Truemetal.it, in Italian, go here.
The main topics of the interview:
(0:20) Now that the book is written, what are your feelings?
(1:14) When was the moment you decided to write it with Mark Eglinton?
(1:55)The name of the book: “For The Sake of Heaviness” is the song of Armored Saint…
(2:29)Lars Ulrich wrote in his foreword: “When you tell the story of Brian Slagel and chart the course of Metal Blade Records, the three words that come to my mind are loyalty, consistency, and dependability.” How do you respond to his definition?
(3:20) Reading the book, it’s clear that you really live what you do! so the passion is your real life-style, philosophy! But please tell me, was there a moment that you just wanted to give up and change the direction?
(5:03) How important was the work of the talent scouts? You tell in the book that often you went to gigs, looking around for new bands, who played live, after a hard work and long time they had spent in the rehearsal rooms. While today anyone can record a demo with the simple computer intake and softwares…
(6:47) Talking about different metal genres, I think now-a-days it’s pretty difficult to categorize some bands, also because new sub-genres are born nearly every day, but to your opinion, is it so important today to stamp the bands under the specific styles?
(8:44) Your personal favourite sport has always been ice hockey, and you’ve had some many great opportunities to put it together with metal, would you like to tell me some of your greatest memories?
(11:20) Metal Blade has been involved in almost every movement that has happened in heavy music since 1982. You havent really followed any mainstream trends, but you’ve singed the bands that you like, despite their music style or what the others think about them. Is this the leading guideline for the success of Metal Blade?
(13:29) Also your mother’s role in all this was very important…
(14:28)I’m part of Alpha Omega Management, and as Bill Metoyer is part of our team, too, I just have to ask about him and his contribution… you also mention him several times in the book.
(16:09) you wrote: “it’s unrealistic to hope that you’re going to hit the board with every dart you throw. That’s not going to happen, but I’m a firm believer in the idea that, to be successful, you’ve got to keep throwing the darts.”
(17:39) To your opinion, where is the record business going?
(20:51) “For the Sake of Heaviness: The History of Metal Blade Records” comes out On August 29th, what will happen the day after?
(21:38) With the exclusive box-set, besides the book, there’s also a music casette including great songs from the Metal Blade history! The choice to put them on a handwritten casette was something that tells a lot of your “old school” passion.
(22:40) A classic question (honestly this one comes from my 12-yrs daughter): if you would find yourself stuck in a desert island for a month, which 5 albums or things you would take with you?
(23:40) What is your message to all those bands out there whose dream is to become “somebody” and who would want to be signed by Metal Blade?
To order “For the Sake of Heaviness: The History of Metal Blade Records”, please visit: smarturl.it/mbr35th – where an exclusive box-set is available, with the following contents:
–For the Sake of Heaviness: The History of Metal Blade Records book
–For the Sake of Heaviness cassette
–Metal Blade Records 35th anniversary bookmark
–bookplate autographed by Brian Slagel
* box dimensions: 9.375″ x 6.375″ x 1.25″
See below for the For the Sake of Heaviness cassette track-listing:
SIDE A
1. Fates Warning “Guardian”
2. Lizzy Borden “Lord of the Flies”
3. Omen “Holy Martyr”
4. Cirith Ungol “Black Machine”
5. GWAR “Gor-Gor”
6. Cannibal Corpse “Stripped, Raped, and Strangled”
7. Six Feet Under “War Is Coming”
SIDE B
1. Mercyful Fate “Egypt”
2. King Diamond “Voodoo”
3. The Black Dahlia Murder “Funeral Thirst”
4. Unearth “Black Hearts Now Reign”
5. Amon Amarth “Twilight of the Thunder God”
6. Visigoth “From the Arcane Mists of Prophecy”
For the Sake of Heaviness pulls back the curtain to reveal the definitive look at how Metal Blade began, what they’ve accomplished, and where they’re going. Slagel reveals the early advice he gave that helped guide Motley Crue‘s career; how he helped Metallica replace their bassist – twice; his detailed work on Thin Lizzy and Alice Cooper re-issues; his behind-the-scenes role in the careers of Slayer, GWAR, Mother Love Bone, Alice in Chains, Faith No More, Goo Goo Dolls, and Lamb of God; and his unlikely ventures with kindred metal heads – from hockey star Ken Baumgartner, to celebrity chef Chris Santos, to The Howard Stern Show‘s Richard Christy, to comedians Jim Florentine, Don Jamieson and Jim Breuer.
Since the inception of Metal Shock Finland back in 2010, it has grown and developed with a larger team and many more viewers visiting every day to read the latest metal news, reviews and interviews. All this is with Founder, President and CEO, Tarja Virmakari at the helm. Today is Tarja‘s birthday and here are the team’s birthday messages:
Mohsen Fayyazi, Chief Editor:
Nice and beauty, no one could have a better boss than you. Happy Birthday sister, Cheers!!!!
Ali Blackdiamond, Senior Manager:
It’s always a pleasure working with you Tarja and seeing MSF grow. Wishing you the loveliest birthday, I hope it’s a great metal one! \m/ xx
Larry Paterson:
Nice one 🙂 Happy Birthday Tarja! It’s pleasure ‘knowing’ you x
Di Parkes:
Happy Birthday Tarja, hope you have a fabulous day, love and hugs, from Di xxx
Loris Bergagna:
Tantissimi auguroni, Tarja….passa una splendida giornata e un anno meraviglioso! Un abbraccione! Baci 🙂
Nathan Daniel:
Happy birthday Tarja 🙂 have an awesome day! Enjoy x
Dylan Raine:
Many happy returns ole lady of metal.
David Captain Howdy Pearce
Happy Birthday Tarja Hope U Have A Rocking Day as you are a true inspiration to us all
Mike Paradine:
Have a great one Tarja. A bottle of wine and heavy metal is a good way to start your birthday and I will raise a toast in your honor today when I hit the bar…..All the best!!!!!
Sandy Storm:
Happy Birthday Tarja! Hope your day ROCKS! 🎂
Rich Davenport:
Wishing you the happiest birthday ever, Metal Queen!!!! YOU ROCK!!! \m/
Teresa Hopkins:
Dear Tarja,
Because of your great love for music, all of us benefit. You had a vision to create magic in your own way and find kindred spirits who agree with and believe in what you do. Now the world gets some of the best news, reviews, and information about the music they love. That you chose to go off the beaten path by helping showcase so many artists who may otherwise not have received the support and exposure they needed and deserved has opened up many doors of opportunities and friendships for all of us, writers and artists alike.
Thank you for all that you do and all that you are. Blessings to you! Happy Birthday!
We at METAL SHOCK FINLAND are very proud to announce our association with the non profit organisation RACPA UK (Rock Against Child Pornography And Abuse UK).
The dedicated members of the organisation work very hard to promote awareness about this subject, through their website, and organising and attending rock concerts, to give the message that any form of child abuse is not acceptable.
This in their own words is what RACPA UK do:
Who we are….
‘Simply put We are an awareness campaign group, ordinary people, with ordinary lives, who got involved in something that we all believed in completely, because Child pornography and abuse has no borders, no politics, no religion. It does not see colour, gender, race or age. It simply destroys the lives of everyone it touches.
We are the same as every one of you who reads this parents, step parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts, brothers and sisters, human beings…only we are shouting out to make heard the silenced and silent topic of child pornography. The risk to children both in cyberspace and the real world from the evil of paedophiles and paedophilia in whatever form or context it may arise.
Because in that silence it flourishes…We hear the silence of the children, and cry out on their behalf……
…..and all we ask is that you too HEAR to HELP…‘
…and what we do…
‘So we are organising concerts, primarily within the Rock genre, to combine live performance with the strong message that ANY form of child abuse is not acceptable and that we demand changes that favour the victims of such crimes and more resources to be made available in the field of prevention.Through the medium of music, we can reach out to the thousands who want to see reform for our children in the modern world. We make a noise, we cry out for those with no voice of their own. Help us make that cry even louder, so that our children cannot be ignored any longer.Together we WILL break the silence, and make a difference for the children of yesterday, today, and tomorrow.’
For more information check out the video below:
From the early days when RACPA was started by a group of German students determined to make people more aware of child abuse and how to help, the organisation has grown and developed and now has 10 teams all over the world. Also, METAL SHOCK FINLAND CEO and Creator, Tarja Virmakari is President of the Italian team.
METAL SHOCK FINLAND will keep viewers updated with events and what is happening with RACPA UK. Details of the most recent hugely successful event, the New Disorder Music Festival can be found at this location.
For more details about RACPA UK check out the official website at this location .
Hello everyone, This is Mohsen, Chief Editor of Metal Shock Finland. Today July 18th is the 50th Birthday of our beloved MSF founder and President, Tarja Virmakari. I am honored to be one of her friends and team mates and I want to say” HAPPY BIRTHDAY TARJA, I wish you a wonderful day and life and of course a METAL one. You’re doing a great job Tarja, keep it up.”
And also other MSF staff are here and they have their own message for you:
Ali Blackdiamond, MSF Senior Manager:
“A Very Happy 50th Birthday Tarja!!! Have a fab metaltastic day and enjoy every moment!! You’re a brilliant boss and friend to work with and you’ve done an awesome job building our MSF team into what it is today! 🙂 xxx”
Dylan Rain, MSF Review Manager:
David Pearce:
“Happy Birthday Tarja without you there would be no MSF. You are our heart & soul and you give us a reason to enjoy what we do. When we are down you are there to pick us up & give us a helping hand. So thank you & have a rocking Birthday today you are simply AWESOME I raise my horns to you \m/ \m/”
Since the inception of Metal Shock Finland back in 2010, it has grown and developed with a larger team and many more viewers visiting every day to read the latest metal news, reviews and interviews. All this is with Founder, President and CEO, Tarja Virmakari at the helm. Today is Tarja‘s birthday and here are the team’s birthday messages:
