INTRODUCTION:

How are you Jeff ? What’s goin’on with you these days? – Actually since 2000 I missed you so much.....................

Hey Luca, it has been a long time my friend. Last time I saw you was in Athens I think at the Metal Invader Fest. Well you probably know all the problems that happened with Venom leading up to the recording of Resurrection then after that the incident involving Cronos and his accident. Venom had been asked to headline the Terrorizer 10 th anniversary gig in London then I received an email from Cronos saying that he had had an accident and would have to pull the show and to be perfectly honest with you, after that email we just seemed to lose touch. This is not unusual with the members of Venom because the only thing that really connected us was …… Venom and without that connection we have nothing in common with each other and therefore no real reason to stay in touch. This is just the way it has always been, so during this time I just concentrated on my Martial Arts training and gained another Black belt, this time in Aikido. I was not doing anything musically whatsoever, then I received a phone call out of nowhere from the guys at Demolition asking how I was and what I was doing and would I be interested in having a meeting with them. It was during this informal meeting that they put forward the idea of a solo album. I told them that I really did not have any plans but I would think about it. We had a few more meetings over the next few months and I eventually decided to go for it and began writing for the album.

1. (Just a question to introduce yourself to all our younger readers...) What was the first moment of realisation that you wanted to be a serious musician? What bands or performers influenced you in your early youth? And by the other hand who influences you now in the song-writing for this new album?

The first moment? …….Judas Priest, Killing Machine tour, I think it was 1977 or 1978. It was seeing K.K. Downing on stage for the first time that made me realise that this is what I wanted to do. For me he represented the ultimate Heavy Metal guitarist at the time and I can’t wait for them to play Britain again. So if anyone is to blame for the existence of Mantas then its K.K.

Its no secret that I also loved the theatrics of Kiss and therefore wanted more pyrotechnics than anyone ! Other than that, other influences were basically any good Heavy Metal.

I must admit I have never consciously listened to anyone to draw influences from them I would rather be a leader not a follower. I think as a musician you should constantly strive to retain some form of originality however hard that may be. With this album I suppose you could say I have tried to evolve further than I could have within Venom because as I always say…..without evolution comes extinction, and I have so much more to give yet.

• Since Mantas is a new band, in a paragraph or to, please explain your music to the uninitiated? What do you consider the band's strength?

Full on …..In your face ………No limits………..No compromise………HEAVY FUCKING METAL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is me , this is my kind of metal and believe me its going to get even more brutal………ZERO FUCKING TOLERANCE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would say that the bands strength is the music, its as simple as that, we all have the same desire……..to play the heaviest music possible.

• Can you tell me how and when the band came together, who is currently in the group with ya, and what they’ll doing previous to join you in MANTAS?

During the recording of the backing tracks the question arose as to who was going to handle the vocal duties. It was then that I received a phone call from a friend of mine with whom I train with in Aikido and he asked how the recording was going. I told him that it had come to the time to find a vocalist at which point he said he knew a guy who he had worked with in a previous band who he thought would be perfect for the job so he put me in touch with Bry. Bry then came down to the studio to have a listen to the songs and he liked what he heard. An audition was then arranged and we went to a different studio. At that time I had just began writing the lyrics and one of the first songs that came together with the lyrics was “Rise” so that was the track he sung. Two weeks later the job was his !

Marsy was originally brought in to design the web site, it was much later that I discovered he was a guitarist. By this time during the recording I was starting to think about a full band line up as things were progressing so well it just seemed natural that there should be a band. I wanted a second guitarist to add to the weight of the sound as the recordings were sounding so fucking brutal. Marsy was at that time in the process of disbanding his own band due to the lack of commitment from some of the members. I approached him to see if he would be interested in trying out for my band and gave him 2 songs to learn – “Rise” and “Original Sin”. He came back to the studio about a week later, played the tracks and the job was his.

Obviously then Tony D. came in to handle bass duties which I was really happy about and with him came Cherisse on drums both of which have since very sadly departed the band, Cherisse because of other contractual reasons and Tony because of an unfortunate situation completely unrelated to this band. Tony is and always will be my closest friend and he is a great miss to us all but we have to move forward and so now have recruited ex Hellbastard bassist Drew. We are still currently auditioning drummers and are down to the final two so hopefully will be announcing the name soon.

1. What about their backgrounds? Are they guest musicians or part of the group?

All of the members will be full time members of the group although the only musicians who played on the album are myself, Bry and Tony D. The drums on the album are a mixture of my own programming and an Italian session drummer whose name I do not know but was brought in by producer Dario Mollo.

Bry has been in a number of North East bands ranging from death metal to hardcore industrial, Marsy had his own band called New Future Cowboys which incidentally included Annton on drums for a short while, Drew as I said was in Hellbastard.

1. Ok, let's talk about the new album: “Zero Tolerance” its finally completed…I’d like to know which are your feelings, your emotions…now that everything is done!

I am really proud of this album and can not wait for everyone to hear it, the reactions so far have been phenomenal. This was definitely me writing without any restrictions or to any formula, after all, there would have been no point in me coming back with an album that just sounded like another Venom album, if I was going to do that I would have remained in Venom. I have always said that if I am going to make a change in my life or career I make it a drastic one, why have a white wall and paint it white again?.....paint it black, paint it red, ….make a difference, then people will take notice. Everyone is telling me that this is the heaviest album I have written and I really believe it is.

1. So how did the “Zero Tolerance” sessions turn out? What do you like most about the album?

Like everything in life when you step outside of what you know, your comfort zone if you like, you will be a little nervous about how things are going to go but once I heard those first backing tracks coming back at me in the studio I knew that this felt right and with every new song my confidence grew and grew. This is definitely the best time I have ever had recording an album, everyone involved was so positive and this created the perfect working atmosphere. I even continued to write during the recording as every song seemed to inspire a new one, the track “Kill It” was literally written one day and recorded the next, that is how creative the whole process was and I suppose it was this creativity that I enjoyed the most.

1. Tell me something about the feelings that affected the working progress of this new album, and how was your mood when you started writing the songs for the album?

I suppose for my own indulgence as the founder member of Venom I really wanted to put my own stamp on this album and say “this is where the real Metal came from” and because of that I was determined to write the heaviest material possible…..NO COMPROMISE !! It was definitely the most free and creative I have felt in a long time, that’s not to say that anyone told me what to write in Venom it just meant that I could take things a lot further without being expected to sound a certain way, I did not have to stick to any formulas the whole thing was wide open to me and I just let rip.

1. Who produced it, where did you record it…c’mon, tell me something about this…

It was recorded in the North East of England. All guitars, bass and vocals where recorded in one room on Cubase SX directly into the computer which is the first time I have recorded this way. We then went to another studio and set the guitar stacks up to add an additional layer of more live guitars.

It was then sent to Italy to be produced by Dario Mollo.

1. How much time did you spend in the studio for the recording of the album? By the way: did you change something in your way of working this time?

Because of the availability of the engineer the recording was done mainly over Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays so the time was stretched out over a period of a few months. As I have said it was the first time that I have recorded in this way but I will definitely continue to work this way.

1. Are you totally satisfied about the production of the album?

Yes, I think Dario has done an amazing job with the production. It was also the first time I have worked with a producer in this way, in as much as we never actually met each other. All communication was done via email, MP3 and telephone. I think the result speaks for itself.

1. Why did you choosed to mixing the album here in Italy with Dario Mollo?

The guys at Demolition had got Dario to produce the Skyclad album and asked if I would be interested in him working on mine. I was a little dubious at first because of the difference in music and knew that Dario worked more with melodic rock. I sent Dario the track “Rage” to see what he could do with it. When it came back I was blown away so asked him to do the rest of the album.

1. What do you expect from this album? I mean what is your main goal?

Obviously every musician who records an album and is lucky enough to have it released would love to sell a million copies or more and I am no exception but that takes a lot of hard work and I am lucky now to have a band that is prepared to put in all that hard work and more. I am still very ambitious and driven towards gaining success and recognition for this project and would love to be in the position again to headline the big shows but we all realise that we are going to have to work our way back to the top and I am fully prepared for this……bring it on !!!!! Remember that you first have to believe in yourself before anyone else will believe in you and never give up, this is what separates success from failure, no pain no gain.

1. Which are the best songs on the album in your opinion and why?

Difficult question as I am so close to them all, I think I will have to let other people answer that one as everyone seems to have their own personal favourites. My favourite song changed from day to day as the recording progressed and new ideas were added to each song. One of the songs that definitely brought the album together and was the song that laid the template for Brys vocal style was “Rage” but opinions vary as to which is the best song, one thing I firmly believe is that there are no fillers on this album, each song is strong enough to stand up for itself and I think there is definitely an identifiable Mantas sound to this album.

1. To me your new album presents a very modern sound, but at the same time, it reminds me the “old glorious days”, especially when it comes to the guitar riffs. During the process of composition was there a preoccupation with coming to grips with your glorious past or not at all?

I did not take into consideration any Venom connection whatsoever whilst I was writing these songs, after all, as I have already said, why write just another Venom album, that was then , this is now. You have to remember that what was considered extreme 25 years ago is now called “Classic”. Even the last Venom album has nothing in common with today’s Black Metal bands and again, that is called evolution. If no-one had invented the automobile we would all still be riding horses, things have to evolve and I think that is one of the best ways I can describe what I have done on this album but I don’t think I could have done it within Venom.

I wrote these songs from the heart with feeling and passion for the music that I love……Heavy Metal !! I did not sit down and think that I had to sound a certain way to be accepted as Mantas. At the end of the day I am the founder member of Venom and no-one or nothing dictated to me how I should look or sound back then and the same applies to this band. This is a new beginning with the same attitude that I had 25 years ago…….to be the best I can possibly be. Another thing that we must remember is that the vast majority of today’s audience were not around when Venom released their first album and this is who I am now aiming at. I am not about living on past glories even though I am justifiably proud of my past and would like to think that the die hard Venom fans will love this album as much as I do.

1. Do you find that the objective of “Zero Tolerance” is to give to your song-writing a new musical direction?

Yes, definitely. I think now I can take things to new levels of the extreme. The whole album was written without compromise and because of the people I now have in the band, I know I can take things even further.

As a musician or songwriter you are constantly being creative so it will come as no surprise to know that I already have the title for the next album and around 10 songs in demo form which I can tell you are sounding even more extreme. There are no limits as to where I can take this, musically or lyrically.

1. Do you think that the your new record has many good qualities to appeal all metal fans? I mean a death metal fan, a black metaller or even a thrasher, or a doom maniac as well?

A lot of people have told me this, they say that it crosses so many boundaries without being tied to one particular genre. Personally I just look at it as HEAVY FUCKING METAL, after all, that is where all these other divisions of metal came from. Like I say……..NO LIMITS!!!

1. Why did you choose a title such as “Zero Tolerance”? Could you please tell me something about the lyrics of the album?

Zero Tolerance to me means having no restrictions, no compromise, no limits, taking no shit, maximum brutality and I think that it describes the album perfectly. As for the lyrics, what they mean to me may not be what they mean to you and that is good because we are all individuals with our own thoughts and the power of choice. People should interpret them the way they choose, I am not a preacher or a politician, I am a musician and as such would never force my opinions on anyone.

• Do you think that this time: with a brand new album, the new record deal you signed with Demolition Records, and so on, we can speak of a new life for the Jeff “MANTAS” career?

Yes. I think I went as far as I could with Venom but I want to go further and I can honestly say that there is a new fire raging within me and it is ready to ignite everything that it comes into contact with, so be ready !!!

• Ok, tell me something about the new record deal with Demolition Records. Why did you choose to sign the record deal with that label?

As I said, I really did not have any plans to do anything like this, it was them who approached me with the offer and it was only after long consideration that I agreed to do this. I signed purely as a chance to do something with the music that I love not realising the beast that I would create in the process. I had not even looked ahead as far as putting a band together or live dates or anything like that it was just as things progressed I realised that this was destined to go somewhere and it literally took on a life of its own.

• It was your first and only choice or did you have the opportunity to choose amongst others labels that showed interest in your music?

At the time of signing I had not even began to write the songs so really there was nothing to take to other labels. The guys at Demolition had the faith in me that they knew as the main writer in Venom I could deliver the goods. They wanted a fucking heavy album……. I gave it to them.

• Are you totally satisfied so far with Demolition Records? I mean, do you have artistic freedom in terms of artwork and music or do you have to accept some
  compromises?

Again……..NO COMPROMISE !!! I created all the music, lyrics and artwork my way. I will never let anyone tell me how I should look or sound. I am always open to ideas and constructive criticism and will take on board opinions but I will never be dictated to.

• Could you please tell me something about the lyrics of the album? From where did you get the inspiration for the lyrics this time?

Songs like “Look who died” and “Original sin” I think are self explanatory ….I still don’t like religion ! But can you guess what the lyrics to “Kill it” are about? Probably not, and I’m not going to tell you because you should make up your own mind and decide for yourself. Who knows, they might have a much more personal meaning to you and that is good because that song then becomes yours, not mine. I know what they mean to me and I feel strongly about it but that is my opinion not yours, if it is your opinion, then good, we have something in common and I have shared it with you but it is for you as an individual to take from it what you get and that applies to all the lyrics on the album. Make up your own mind.

• I mean, its seems that the songs have taken a little different direction on this record. Instead of focusing on a lot of satanic-subjects in the lyrics the songs seem more "real life," if that makes any sense right?

As they say my friend, reality is far more frightening than the idea of demons and goblins.

• There's some sort of Metal which is successful in the States what people would call the “New Millennium Metal” - J - What do you think of this new scene: Sliptknot, Papa Roach, Korn, Limp Bizkit and so…

I have to admit I love Slipknot although I am definitely not a fan of the other bands that you mentioned but we have to keep in mind that any band that does its bit to keep Heavy Metal alive is doing a good job, admittedly some better than others. Slipknot bring brutality and theatrics which I can totally identify with, other bands which I really like at the moment are Machine Head, Damage Plan, Fear Factory and my favourite guitarist at the moment has to be Zakk Wylde, that guy is brutal !!!

1. Do you think that the harder-core Metal fans are expecting some really more excited music that there will be an alternative circus like the ever limpening Ozz-Fest?

I think we are starting to see some more extreme bills coming up. Just look at the Slipknot, Slayer tour, but again anything that keeps metal alive has to be good.

1. You've seen a lot of things in your career. What's your opinion of the music biz as it stands today?

The one thing that I fucking hate is all this manufactured shit , put together by executives in suits then aimed at little girls, bled dry for every dollar then dumped and move on to the next one - its all just conveyer belt shit, everyone sounding the same as the last. At least metal bands get out there and play live, and write their own songs.

I have always hated the business side of the music industry but it is a necessary evil.

The metal scene at the moment is pretty damn crowded, certainly more so than when Venom started and as a result it is easier to be accepted as an extreme band than it was back then, just look at the majority of action and horror movies, a lot of them have metal soundtracks as do a lot of video games even the U.F.C. (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and the W.W.F. have metal soundtracks.

1. I really think that things have suffered nowdays because someone can take their crappy vocal tracks and plug 'em into Pro Tools and fix it. You don't really have to be able to sing or play your instrument any more! Expecially when a band takes a shortcut in the studio and then you see that band live, they can't pull it off on stage! It's a joke! Do you agree with me?

Totally, but again that is evolution. Recording software nowadays is so sophisticated that you can take some talent less fuckwit, stick him through a computer and make him sound amazing but again you are right when you say that when it comes to live it’s a different story……..or is it?

In the studio you can do as many takes as you need to get it right and we all do that because at the end of the day what ends up on that CD in the record store is there forever, you cant change it, but I am a firm believer that what you play in the studio you should be able to play live.

1. What do you mean for you to be EXTREME?

No limits…….No compromise……….No restrictions………..No holds barred

1. What does music mean to you? What do you think of today's music in general? Is Heavy Metal music a movement can it still survive in the 21st century?

I can not imagine my life without music, it has always been there, it always will be.

Todays music? All this pop, dance, house , trance and whatever else you want to call it means nothing to me, a few samples and 120 bpm and you have a song….yeah right, I don’t think so. It all sounds the fucking same to me.

Heavy Metal will never die !

1. Which instruments and amps fit better to your sound?

Guitars and fucking LOUD amps !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ha!

1. What guitars do you play (types, brands)? Do you customise them? What do you look for in a good guitar?

Currently I am using Ibanez, Jackson and B.C Rich. My old faithful guitar is the Ibanez RG, it has been with me for many years now and it is always the guitar I go back to because it is so reliable and has never let me down, if you ask any guitarist they will tell you that they have at least one guitar which just feels part of them and felt right from the moment they first picked it up and for me it is my Ibanez.

Usually for me to customise a guitar would just be to make it personal to me for example the way it is set up, the way it looks and the pickup configuration. I use D,Dario strings 11 to 52 and Ibanez 1.2mm picks.

I look for durability and reliability in a guitar, they have to be tough enough to take the punishment on stage and in the studio.

1. Are you self-taught on the guitar or did you receive training? Do you play any other instruments?

I am completely self taught. I am not really interested in music theory, I am more interested in how it all works together in the context of a song because after all, that is the eventual aim…….to be creative with your knowledge. If I get into my car and drive to my friends house I am not then going to analyse the mathematical equations of how I got there …. The arrival at the destination was the goal and I achieved it, for the journey to get there I only needed the basic knowledge of where to go, do you see what I mean? Always remember that the rules are there to be broken, I have always played what sounds good to me not what is mathematically or musically correct.

I also play a little bass guitar and keyboards.

1. Is there any person you'd love to play or jam with?

Good question, I’ve never really thought about it but I suppose I would like to crank out a fucking brutal rhythm while Zakk Wylde let rip over it.

Other guitarists I like would include Dimebag, Rob Flynn, Mick Thompson and from the older school Gary Moore, Eddy Van Halen, Randy Rhoads, Jake E Lee, Akira Takasaki and of course K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton………and yes I still like Ace Frehley !!

1. When you have time off from your musical endeavours, what do you like to do? Hobbies? What is your favourite book? Movie?

Obviously my Martial Arts training, Playstation 2, and just spend time with my wife.

Favourite book would have to be “Angry white pyjamas”. It is the true story of an Oxford University poet who ended with the Yoshinkan Aikido Dojo in Japan and completed the 11 month riot police training course, brutal ! I suppose its something you have to be interested in to appreciate.

Favourite movie? “The Exorcist” ….because it was so ahead of its time and I do not think any horror movie has surpassed it.

1. I’d like you to tell us about your relationship with the Internet?

To be honest I do not use the internet that often. I think it is a great thing but there should be at least some control over it.

1. What do you think of the fact that nowadays more and more new upcoming albums are available on the Internet even weeks before it's actual release?

(Personally I think that if a fan listens the MP3 before the album release and likes the disc he's gonna buy it anyway.)

I do agree with you to a certain degree and I have to admit that I still like to get the official release just to have all the stuff that goes with it but can you imagine (1) going to work every day and not getting paid at the end of the week or (2) going into a shop and just walking out with whatever you want for free…well that’s not the way it works is it. The first example could be called slavery and the second could be called theft. I believe if a band wants to share some of its work then that’s great and we are planning to do just that on the Mantas website as a thank you to those who buy the album but you have to appreciate the months of hard work that goes into creating an album and any other industry just would not take it. Go and ask a builder to build you a nice house for free… no chance, because that’s how he makes his living.

It is unavoidable that this will happen but I do hope that people will continue to buy the official releases of albums as this is what keeps the bands and our music alive.

1. What do you think about the Internet as a tool only for promotion?

The internet can be a great promotional tool as there are so many websites devoted to metal but we still need those hard copy magazines in the stores to let everyone know that METAL IS ALIVE AND WE ARE NOT GOING AWAY !!!!!

1. Are Mantas planning any live dates for the end of the year and what can we expect from your band in 2005’

We had quite a few live dates planned for the end of the year but due to the unforeseen and sudden line up changes we have been forced to reschedule for next year. We will however be doing a couple of shows before the end of the year. I will keep you posted.

In 2005 we really plan to tour hard, anywhere and with anybody, we just want to play live. We are also hoping to hit as many of the Summer festivals as possible.

1. How long is your setlist? Some Venom’s songs will be included? If yes: which ones?

We will be playing the full album plus 3 Venom songs but you will just have to wait and see which ones.

1. How important do you think it is for your band to go out in tour concerning publicity and sales?

Very important. Heavy Metal is very much a live music experience, you have to make people aware of you, you have to take it to them.

Remember that todays news is tomorrows garbage so you have to be constantly in their face.

1. Do you will play here in Italy?

We will definitely play in Italy at some point. I remember the Italian metal fans were so crazy….. I hope they still are !!!

1. Do you have any new plans for a video clip for one song from the album? What would be in it?

We have already shot the promo video for the song “Zero Tolerance” and we are currently editing it together. We have to do 2 versions .. the safe version to be played any time and the uncensored version.

What would be in it?.......you will just have to wait and see my friend !

1. Who has been during the years the favourite bands you’ve played with and why?

Slayer and Metallica because it was definitely the beginning of a new era in Heavy Metal at that time.

1. What current bands do you like or respect the most in the scene?

Slipknot, Machine Head, Damage Plan, Soulfly and I have heard that the new Mantas band are fucking brutal……Ha!!!!!!!!!

1. What do you really expect from this new album?

I really hope this album is successful and therefore allows me to continue making the music that I love………..Heavy Metal !!

1. Is there any others plans to support the release of the album?

There are a few other ideas that I hope come together but nothing I can reveal just yet.

1. What are you up for the coming months now?

The main priority is to get the band back to full steam and get ready to tour. Obviously I would say that the next 12 months are going to be spent promoting “Zero Tolerance” with little time for any thing else, so its going to be pretty hectic, but I am really looking forward to it.

1. This is my very last question for you and I'm really looking forward to your response to this question. What do you think of the state of the world right now? Do you see things going on in the world and relate it to religion at all? You know, I've read that religion is the leading reason for war in the history of the world...

You are right my friend … the world at this point in time is a pretty fucked up place…just look around you, the human race seem to be doing a damn good job of destroying themselves and this planet we call home. Greed, power, control, religion… its all to blame and where is this all loving , all caring god when we need him? Listen to the lyrics in “Original sin” or “Look who died” that’s my opinion of religion. Its ok to have a faith or a belief, but it should not be forced upon another individual and that is the key word…INDIVIDUAL, we are all different so one persons belief is not necessarily going to be another’s but this has been an issue for centuries. What has changed though over those centuries is mans ability to destroy his fellow man…. A few hundred years ago the sword and the arrow were feared weapons…. now with the push of a button it could all be over and that is a definite cause for concern. We are now in this day and age , capable of far more efficient destruction than back then. The human race is just one of many species on this planet but I will bet that you have never worried about a heard of Elephants starting a nuclear war with a neighbouring heard of Giraffes. They do say that it is mans intelligence that separates him from the animal kingdom…..well perhaps its about time he started to use that intelligence a little more wisely.

• Ok, you can close this interview the way you want… Do you have any words to the Italians Metalheads fans out there? Or to young aspiring musicians? And please leave a message to the Flash’s readers…

To young musicians, above all believe in yourself, stay true to yourself, never give up and never take no for an answer.

To all the fucking CRAAAAAAAZYY Italian metalheads, I hope you all enjoy “Zero Tolerance” and I will see you all on tour my friends !! Lets show the world that Heavy Metal is alive and stronger than ever !!

To all the readers of Flash, thank you for taking the time to read this, I hope you got to know me a little better and thank you Luca for a superb interview.

Here endeth the gospel according to MANTAS !

A-FUCKING-MEN.