Interview: Axe Dragger
I feel that all of the people who have reviewed the record and commented on it get where we were coming from 100%, especially regarding the early ’80s metal inspiration.
Axe Dragger are a new band whose members have playing in the hefty likes of Pantera, Fu Manchu, Dark Funeral, Pentagram and SLOWER, both past and present. The bands debut album showcases their brand of high octane heavy metal recently and Gavin Brown recently caught up with Axe Dragger guitarist Bob Balch to hear all about how Axe Dragger got together, as well as talking all things metal and what his other bands Fu Manchu and SLOWER had got planned.
E&D: How did Axe Dragger start as a band, and what was the impetus for the band starting?
Bob: Pete Campbell reached out to me to throw him some riffs to play drums on, and I was teaching one of my students the first two Riot records in full, so I was pretty pumped on that kind of metal at the moment. I just started sending him riffs inspired by Riot, Judas Priest, and Dio, and it snowballed from there.
E&D: Were you a big fan of the other members’ previous bands beforehand?
Bob: Yes, I’m a fan of those bands.
E&D: Your self-titled debut album has recently been released. Have you been happy with how it has been received so far?
Bob: We are extremely happy with how it’s being received. I haven’t read a bad thing—everything has been very positive. I feel that all of the people who have reviewed the record and commented on it get where we were coming from 100%, especially regarding the early ’80s metal inspiration.
E&D: With it being such a high-energy album, was recording it a cool experience, and was it a challenge given the various geographical locations?
Bob: I’m no stranger to making records remotely. I started doing that during COVID with Big Scenic Nowhere (which has members of Mos Generator, Yawning Man, and myself), and SLOWER, which is a Slayer covers record slowed down and tuned lower. So this was not foreign territory for me.
E&D: What are the biggest influences on the sound of the album?
Bob: Early Riot, Judas Priest, Armored Saint, early Scorpions, High ‘n’ Dry-era Def Leppard, Hall of the Mountain King-era Savatage.
E&D: Did you want to capture a real “live” sound with the record?
Bob: Yes, I did. We were pretty adamant about trying to get a British Steel-era Judas Priest drum sound, so you can hear a bit of the room in the drums.
E&D: What inspired the lyrics for the songs?
Bob: The lyrics were written by Terry’s friend Michael John Herrington. They’ve been co-writing songs together for a long time, and I was comfortable with Mike’s lyrical style, so I was 100% on board with that.
E&D: Has Ripple Music been the perfect label to release the album on?
Bob: Ripple Music has been great—no complaints here.
E&D: Are there plans for further Axe Dragger material?
Bob: I’ve already got half of the second album in the works.
E&D: Are there plans for any Axe Dragger live shows in the future?
Bob: We all want to do that. Everybody’s schedules are conflicting because we all play out all the time with different bands, but the stars will align and we will rock these songs live.
E&D: What are the essential classic metal albums for you?
Bob: Riot – Fire Down Under, Savatage – Hall of the Mountain King, Judas Priest – Painkiller, The first seven Iron Maiden albums, Def Leppard – High ‘n’ Dry, Obsession – Methods of Madness, Death Angel – Act III. I could go on and on.
E&D: What was your introduction to heavy metal in the first place, and what was the first album you ever bought?
Bob: My older brother got shipped off to the army because my parents couldn’t contain his “mentalness,” so I got to dive into his record collection and take over his guitar. He introduced me to Ozzy Osbourne, Scorpions, AC/DC, Judas Priest—early ’80s heavy metal vibes. My older brother influence was pretty heavy at the time.
E&D: What was your first metal live show?
Bob: Ozzy Osbourne on the No Rest for the Wicked tour—I was in sixth grade.
E&D: What have been some of the best live metal shows you’ve ever seen?
Bob: Seeing Metallica on the …And Justice for All tour blew my mind in sixth grade as well. After seeing that, I was completely hooked and wanted to play guitar as much as possible.
E&D: Which metal guitarists are the biggest inspirations to you as a player?
Bob: Chris Oliva from Savatage is a big one. Hall of the Mountain King still gets a lot of play around here. I do rip off a lot of licks from Kirk Hammett from the Kill ’Em All era, and Randy Rhoads was a giant inspiration. Those were the major ones for me in metal.
E&D: What are your all-time favourite metal riffs and solos?
Bob: ‘Painkiller’ by Judas Priest probably has both of those covered. There are so many it’s hard to say. I love the first Iron Maiden record and Killers, those have incredible riffs and solos. Slayer stuff too. I could give you a huge list!
E&D: Who are the most underrated metal bands ever?
Bob: Riot, Exciter, Sir Lord Baltimore, Budgie, Cactus.
E&D: What newer metal bands are impressing you the most?
Bob: I really dig Power Trip and Evile.
E&D: Have your other bands Fu Manchu and SLOWER got anything planned for the rest of this year?
Bob: Working on new SLOWER material now, new covers and guests lined up for that record. Fu Manchu is going to Europe in July and August for festivals and club shows, and we’re opening for Acid Bath in Phoenix in May.
E&D: Have the other members got anything planned musically as well?
Bob: They’re all pretty busy, but you’d have to ask them about their specific plans.
