Torok Interviews

Torok Interview 101.7 The Red House with Tim Ryan March 2007.

Torok Interview 101.7 The Red House with Tim Ryan April 2004.

Aux Portes Du Metal Interview February 2007 By Jann G

Bryan, Mike, Tim, thanks a lot for accepting this interview for the french metal webzine http://www.auxportesdumetal.com/.
First of all, can you please present quickly your band TOROK to the French readers (where do you come from? the line-up?...)

Bryan Erickson : We are from the United States, more specifically the Minneapolis/St.Paul area of the state of Minnesota. The "Torok" touring line-up is, Mike Torok lead/rhythm guitars, Tim Davis on the drums, Bill Holmberg playing bass, John Jankowski on the keys and yours truly handling the vocals and some guitar live.

"Addiction Of Fools" is already your third album. How do you explain that you're not much known from the European audience?

Bryan Erickson : Its hard enough to get the gospel of Torok out regionally let alone spreading the word to other parts of the world, but the one thing all bands today have going for them as apposed to ten years ago when we put out our first CD "Silence", is the computer age. It's amazing how many people you can reach through great webzines such as yours and all of the Internet radio stations playing and pushing unknown music around the world not to mention websites like "Myspace". These avenues are completely invaluable to all bands trying to make a name for them selves. When we put out "Silence" in 1996 the only promotion we could get was through a couple small magazines and the work Lance King at "Nightmare Records" put in pushing us through his connections. When we put out "Binge & Purge" in 2001 their was much more internet based promotion we could do along with the help we received through "Nightmare Records", but even then just six years ago their was no where near the amount of inexpensive avenues one could use to help hype their band.

Michael Torok : One of our biggest challenges is finding methods of promoting and introducing our material to European fans. One has to know the avenues to effectively promote. We know that there are people who would enjoy our music, and I have read that European fans are more open to newer bands that are not playing flavor-of-the-week music. Bryan and I write and record music that we both love and listen to.

Do you plan a better worldwide promotion and distribution for this new release?

Bryan Erickson : Like I said on the previous question, we are using any and all Internet based ways of promotion along with the connections we have made over the past ten years working in this business. That being said we are in the process of putting together packages and presenting them to any and all labels that want to listen. The goal definitely is to get the word out, world wide, whatever means necessary.

If you had to describe "Addiction Of Fools" in some words, what would you say?

Michael Torok : Loud and Proud!!!...This is a labor of love! Every penny we earn goes back into the band for better equipment. There is blood, sweat, blown amplifiers, broken guitars and sore vocal cords in the ingredients of this recording. The people who played on this record with us are our friends. We had fun making this recording.

It sounds typically like a great US hard-rock n' roll in the tradition of Van Halen and Extreme. Which other influences do you think this release contains?

Michael Torok : I have as inspirations; Aerosmith, Deep Purple, Zakk Wylde, Husker Du, and Playboy magazine (for the articles).

Bryan Erickson : For me, I hear "Deep Purple" in a few of the tracks. I also hear a little "Led Zeppelin" in the drums and also the overall production. I hear Zakk Wylde and Joe Perry in Mike's guitars. I also hear many of the bands of the 80's and early 90's in the song structure and musicianship. Bands like Mr Big, Tesla, Badlands, Whitesnake, Skid Row, Cry of Love and Brother Cane just to name a few. My personnel influences vocally are people like David Coverdale, Chris Cornel and Sass Jordan. My all time favorite vocalist is Ray Gillen. It's a shame he died so young.

Did your 2 previous albums already sound in the same way?

Michael Torok: When Bryan and I started recording our 1st release "Silence", our drummer had just quit, this put us in a difficult position, so we used a drum machine. This created more of a techno feel with heavy guitars, slightly industrial. We definitely like the feel of a real drummer much more then the stiff vibe you get from synthetic drums. That being said for the 2nd release, "Binge and Purge" we stripped the music to as raw and basic a form as we could and recorded it live as a band. It was representative of where we were creatively at that point in time. For this album, I tried to slow down my lead guitar playing and play a passage that people would remember instead firing off a flurry of notes.

Bryan Erickson- "Addiction of Fools" I like to think is a little more honed or crafted then our previous releases. For the new CD Mike and I worked out all the vocal melodies on the piano. Bill Holmberg, Tim Temple (Keyboard player on the CD) and myself would listen to Mike's guitar solos and give him input whether we thought he was on the right track or maybe it needed a little more work. We also wrote about twenty songs for the CD and with the help of about twenty different people including the CDs assistant producer my old pal Mike Jesmer we trimmed it down to the ten tracks, which appear on "Addiction of Fools". "Addiction of Fools" is more melodic, while maintaining the organic feel we had on "Binge &Purge". "Binge & Purge" to me has a little more of a "Metallica" feel, meaning longer songs extended jams and more of a winging it vocal approach. "Addiction of Fools" is more about the song then the big jams. We really concentrated on melodies and song structure for "Addiction of Fools". That being said, all of our CDs have their own merit.

On the first track, you have Todd Duane as a special guest on guitar. How did you know him and why did you choose him?

Michael Torok: Todd and myself used to be in rival Heavy bands back in the 80's. He was in a band called "Regime" and I was an original member of Shock Rock Kings "Impaler". So I have known Todd at least in passing for years. Todd currently plays around the Twin Cities area in a band called "Touched" which Bryan and I often jam with to keep the chops up and have a little fun. Through his new band "Touched" which also features one of the best singers in town Mark Westlund (Who also appears on "Addiction of Fools") Todd and I have become friends. Todd is a great player and nice guy so when it came time to ask some people to help out with the new project Todd was a perfect fit to add some guitar pyrotechnics to the project. "Impaler" by the way has a new DVD out called "House Band at the Funeral Parlor" which features some live footage from back when I was still playing guitar for the Shock Rock King's.

TOROK seems to love the true hard-rock n' roll as bands played it in the 90s. Do you feel nostalgic of this period?

Bryan Erickson : I would have to say that my favorite CDs all came out in the early 90's period. (Badlands-Vodoo Highway/Dusk, Pride & Glory, Coverdale Page) But I wouldn't say I feel nostalgic. I would agree that our sound is much closer to that era but its all music to me.

Michael Torok : I hate labels! If music is good it should be listened to. In the 90's there were some really talented bands and some not so talented. I wish that people would pay less attention to the flavor-of-the-week and more to if the music has merit. There is some good music being written and recorded today. Audioslave is an example. Some people say "Oh that is just 70's/80's/90's" rehash and they dismiss it. That is unfortunate.

Which new bands or new albums does each member of TOROK love today?

Bryan Erickson :I have to say I am very impressed with Richie Kotzen's new CD "Into the Black". The vocals are incredible, a combination of Paul Rogers and Glen Hughes. Other then that and the "Audioslave" CDs I have to go back to the second "SnakepIt' CD "Aint life Grand". I guess maybe I am stuck back in the 70's , 80's and 90's.

Michael Torok : I listen to Audioslave and Zakk Wylde. I think that some of the "shred" music...Trivium, Dragon Force, Lamb of God etc...are very technically good. I listen to a very broad range of music styles.

Tim Davis : "Not much" but if you twist my arm I would say the stuff "Sevendust" puts out is pretty cool...

Could you please explain us how each of you came to music : autodidact or by professional studies ?

Tim Davis : I started playing the drums because my father was and is a drummer. Also the first time I saw Neal Peart play I knew the drums were my calling.

Bryan Erickson : I took a few vocal lessons back in college, but for the most part I'm self taught. I recently got a few good tips from Lance King (Balance of Power/Pyramaze) on creating melody and phrasing which have come in handy.

Michael Torok : I am primarily self-taught. I can read music although very poorly. I started out playing bass guitar because a local band that a friend was in needed a bass player. I steal what ever I can from different styles of music.

Which themes and subjects do you develop in "Addiction Of Fools" lyrics ?

Michael Torok : Basic emotions like lust and love lost. I wrote lyrics called "Burn the Priests", but Bryan did not like them. I think that the lyrics in the song Addiction of Fools have extra shades of meaning to them. Good art no matter what the medium should communicate something to the recipient.

Bryan Erickson : Like Mike said some of the songs including the title track and "The Burden" are lust and love lost type vibes, while other tracks like "Y" and "Full Moon" are about maturing as a person and the way one deals with it. For a CD that has drawn many comparisons to 80's music, lyrically "Addiction of Fools" is a little bit dark. Tracks like "Forsaken" and "Infamy" are about the constant battles that I go through and I think most people go through just dealing with the way society is today.

Do you plan to come to tour one day in Europe?

Michael Torok : Just as soon as some kind benefactor sends plane tickets!

Bryan Erickson : We would love to. Hopefully if things start rolling the right way it would be cool to get included in one of those Hard Rock/Metal Fest that happen so often in Europe. I know Lance King has played a few of those types of shows over the years and he told me they were fantastic. We will see what the future brings.

What are your projects for the future? Maybe each of you has a side-project?

Michael Torok : My main focus is the band Torok and becoming a better musician.

Tim Davis : Along with my "Torok" commitments I also play drums in a progressive/old school project called "Breathin Sand"

Bryan Erickson : I have about twenty songs that I would love to finish up some day for another "Son of Eric" CD but my main focus is always Torok...

If you had to convince a French reader who loves hard-rock and who still doesn't know Torok to buy "Addiction Of Fools", what would you say him?

Michael Torok : If you like loud guitars, chest pounding vocals and honest songs with a groove, then this is the album for you. This is not a bandwagon album. This is a blood sweat and white-knuckle ride of straight-ahead hard rock music written and performed by people who love the genre!

Thanks a lot for your time and good luck for "Addiction Of Fools" promotion.

Michael Torok : Thank you for the interview.

Bryan Erickson : Thanks much Yann...

Highwire Daze Interview
September 2002 issue
By Ken Morton

1. Introduce yourself, tell me what you do in Torok, and how long the band has been together.

Bryan: I am the lead vocalist. Live I also play rhythm guitar. Mike and I have been together for about 8 years with a few line-up changes.

Ken: I'm the "new" bass player. I've known Bryan and Mike for years. It's great to be back in a band with them!

2. Where is the band from and what is the music scene like there? Are there many places to play?

Bryan: We are based out of Minneapolis MN. The music scene is pretty diverse. There is clubs for all styles of music in the Twin Cities area.

3. Describe the music of Torok to someone who has never heard it before.

Bryan: I think there are elements of old Black Sabbath, Skid Row, Badlands and a touch of Metallica in what makes up the TOROK sound. We are basically a groove oriented hard rock band. I'am big fan of singers like John Carabi(Motley Crue)and Chris Cornel(Sound Garden) guys that have an element of evil in their voice. At the same time my all-time fave is Ray Gillen (Badlands) who could sing very melodic and still sound mean as hell. Vocally I try to add these elements to the Torok sound.

Mike: The music has cocky strut to it. The core is a Les Paul (guitar) plugged straight in to a Marshall amp. No effects to hide the sound. This album is like a '65 Mustang. The music is balls out with groove and feel! This music is dangerous to the health of sensitive wimps.

4. Yanni as an influence? (listed in your CD booklet as one of many influences) Who in the band is influence by Yawn-E?

Bryan: That is one of (drummer) Eric Althaus' influences. I do not know ... I hope that he is kidding. (Laughs)

Eric: I'm influenced by so many artists and musical styles. I've actually known Yanni for several years now - since his Minneapolis days in the rock band Chameleon. Anyone that has heard that band would have to admit that they absolutely ROCKED! That said, I still enjoy his 'new age' type of music as well. From a musical point of view, it has a progressive edge to it by using interesting key and time signatures. Being that my roots are based in prog music (with Equinox), that's right up my alley - and I hope to bring more of a prog vibe to Torok's hard rock music. I think that's what Bryan and Mike expected from me in the first place. (laughs)

5. Where do you get the ideas for some of the lyrics you write, and cite specific songs.

Bryan: The lyrics on this album are for the most part based on my perspectives on life and the society around me. For example: Shame (the 1st song on BINGE & PURGE) is about how each generation seems to have a hard time accepting the style of clothes, music and attitudes of other generations. Title track Binge & Purge is loosely autobiographical. It is based on my hard partying days, which went on for a good ten years. Wings of a Butterfly once again are personal, based on some of the same inner turmoil that I have battled with throughout my life. Free is about the every day search for inner peace, which I have found can be illusive. Immortal and How Much More are more fictional based. Tracks like Useless War, Amidst the Lies and Follow are me lyrically venting about society around me. Shine On, Cry for Dawn, How Much More and Wings of a Butterfly Mike and I CO-wrote and are more relationship based.

6. What is a live Torok show like for those of us who have yet to see you play.

Bryan: I would like to think that it is a high-energy show with solid musicianship. Also with the addition of Ken Olson (bass player) who has a great singing voice the vocals have been taken to a new level.

Mike: There are no theatrics as there were in my old band (Impaler). But the energy is still there. There is an element of unpredictability.

7. Any chance of you guys coming out to California to play a few dates? Have you ever been out here before?

Bryan: I would love to. We are hoping to get on a tour that would get out to the West Coast. I have been to California many times. A good friend of mine Marcus Kaladjedski, is a successful photographer based out of L.A. Hopefully he is going to do our pictures for the next CD.

Ken: I've been out there a few times also, and I would love to do it again!

8. How did you connect up with Nightmare Records?

Bryan: I have known Lance King since his Gemini days, and have always respected his music business sense. So we presented him with the BINGE & PURGE material when we were looking for a label to put out the CD. It turned out to be a good fit.

9. Why did the band decide to call yourselves Torok as opposed to Erickson, Althaus or Davis?

Bryan: When the band was named, Aaron and Eric were not in the band, so that was not an option. I thought Mike's last name had a "rock" sound to it. It was my idea to use Mike's sur-name. Believe me, Mike is not an egomaniac!

10. With Binge and Purge being recorded over a year ago, how close are you to writing and recording new material?

Bryan: We have 8 new tracks written that just need to be worked out as a band. We are playing 5 of these songs in our current set list. We hope to have a new recording out this winter. The new songs will be recorded with Pro Tools. We want to have more control over the mastered product. It will still have the live vibe!

11. Are there any Torok groupies lurking about?

Bryan: (Laughs) For Ken's sake I hope so.

Ken: No, I've taken a vow of celibacy! (Grin)

12. What are the future plans for Torok?

Bryan: (A) getting our live show ready to go out on tour. (B) Get the new material ready to be recorded. (C) Start the whole process again.

13. Any messages for people who might be interested in checking out Torok?

Bryan: Check out our web page www.torokmusic.com. Also, if the people who have read this far in the interview are interested in good energetic hard rock music with some unique twists, check out our CD.

Mike: Binge and Purge is a genuine Hard Rock album. People use the phrase "Keep it Real!" Well this is it... The raw ingredients are: beer, coffee, chips, 2 Gibson Les Pauls, one Marshall amplifier, one sore throat, a pile of broken drum sticks, duct tape, a broken snare, one tape machine and 4 guys. This is a labor of love. If you don't like it... move on. If you do like it, great we hope to play for you!

Eric: This album was really fun to record. It was such a departure from anything I'd ever personally been associated with in the past. No click tracks, only a handful of mic's (to mic a huge drum set), minimal production - just raw tracks and energy. We approached the recording process with the goal of capturing the vibe of our live shows on tape. I think we accomplished that goal with Binge & Purge. When you listen to this CD, that's ultimately what the band sounds like live. A rarity, when considering the over-production trends in music these days.

RockReunion - The Online Music Magazine
Band Interview
www.RockReunion.com
webmaster@rockreunion.com

1.) Please introduce the band and the members. (Bryan Erickson) There are 4 members right now. Michael Torok who is here with me is the guitar player. I play rhythm guitar live and lead vocals, Mike croaks sometime when he remembers to sing his parts. Ken Olson, an old friend, plays bass. He is the replacement for the bass player on Binge & Purge, Aaron Davis. Ken will be doing back-up vocals much to Mike's relief. Eric Althaus is the drummer.

2.) Who had the idea for the band name and why did you choose it? (Michael Torok) Bryan had the idea, we played a couple of gigs as Tongue in Cheek but we really did not like the name, after a lot of beer Bryan suggested the name TOROK. We had another guitar player at the time, Kurt Miller, he did not like the name but he left soon after that. The name works because it is not associated with anything. Plus there was a little bit of name recognition from the IMPALER days.

3.) Tell us more about the history of the band.(Bryan Erickson) Mike and I were the core at the beginning. We put out a demo around 1995 called TOROK. We played the 5 state region in support of it and got a really good response. We knew that we could do better. We then went to work on TOROK - SILENCE. This was a more eclectic group of songs, it ranged from acoustic ballads to balls out rockers. We were happier with this release and people really started following the band. (Michael Torok) We had a couple of drummers but they were either incompetent or flakes. Finally we started working with Eric Althaus who has stuck around for the last 3-4 years. Bass players are even harder to find. We had one good one early on, but the drummer we were playing with at the time chased him off. Finally during the recording of TOROK - BINGE & PURGE, Bryan's old friend Ken Olson called just after Aaron Davis (bass player) disapeared. (Bryan Erickson) Since BINGE & PURGE was released in Febuary 2002 on Nightmare records, we have been doing a lot of promotion and regional gigs, getting ready for the late summer/fall tour.

4.) What musical background do you have (lessons, former bands)? (Bryan Erickson) I took a couple vocal lesson in college (Laughs...sure taught me a lot...). Plus I kicked around with a few cover bands which never lasted because I always wanted to play original music. (Michael Torok) I am primarily self taught, I took a couple of Jazz lessons while in Impaler to break out of a slump I was in. Mostly I steal what ever I can from anybody I can. Bryan always lets me know when something is not working! (laughs). (Bryan Erickson) Ken Olson played in a band called Sometimes Y, which played in the same circuit as Soul Asylum, Husker Du and the Replacements. Eric Althaus on the other hand plays in a progressive rock band called EQUINOX. (Michael Torok) Eric would want to mention that they are signed to JVC Victor.

5.) How would you describe your style? (Michael Torok) The core style is simple basic Hard Rock music. Like I said before, I steal what ever I can. (laughs) (Bryan Erickson) Even if Mike's stealing riffs I think it is really hard to hear other bands, I think that our sound is pretty original...lodged somewhere between Aerosmith and Pantera.

6.) Who are your musical influences? (Michael Torok) I like taking an Ace Frehley lick and put it next to a Zakk Wylde squeal and top it all off with a bastardized Malmsteen scale. I listen to old Jazz, classical, blues and take stuff from everything. (Bryan Erickson) I often tell people if I could sing like Ray Gillen all of our albums would sound like Badlands. But being that I can't...I think that I draw a little from Zakk Wylde, James Hetfield, Paul Stanley to mention a few.

7.) What are your 5 alltime favourite albums? (Bryan Erickson) The 3 Badlands albums, followed by anything from Led Zeppelin, Zakk Wylde's Pride and Glory might have to be added. (Michael Torok) I can't list just 5...Change that to 50...Van Halen 1, Motorhead's Another Perfect Day, Anything by Kate Bush, Aerosmith Toys in the Attic and Beethoven's ninth symphony to list just 5.

8.) What are your current favourites? (Michael Torok) I like the last Slash album but Bryan took it and won't give it back. I was listening to Lyle Lovitt yesterday and I just bought an Allison Krause CD. (Bryan Erickson) I kind of dig Sevendust. I also like the new Down album. And like Mike said the new Snakepit album is awesome!

9.) Tell us more about the songwriting and the recordings of your current CD. (Michael Torok) I like to formulate a basic song idea, riffs and such, then I bounce it off of Bryan. I have written lyrics and given them to him as well, as the singer, he changes them as he needs. (Bryan Erickson) Being that I play guitar as well, I will write riffs and lyrics. Although I do think that the best songs on the album are collaborative between Mike and myself. Wings of a Butterfly is a good example of this. As for the recording process, we did this album "Old School" Basically live with a few overdubs added later. (Michael Torok) SILENCE had a more industrial feel. BINGE & PURGE has much more of a live groove feel to it. (Bryan Erickson) We have had reviewers write about the raw feel of BINGE & PURGE and wonder if it was on purpose. It most definitely was! (Michael Torok) The guitars were all an old Les Paul straight into a Marshall, there is a wah pedal in there on the title track, and I did use a strat on Shine One and How Much More. (Bryan Erickson) The drums were recorded with 3 microphones like the old Zep albums.

10.) What do you expect from this CD (sales, degree of fame etc)? (Bryan Erickson) CD sales come in quarterly. Lance King, the head guy at Nightmare records says the album is doing really well! So I am feeling pretty good about it. As for degree of fame ... I am just happy to get out and play our songs. I hope people get off on it as much as we do. ( Michael Torok) I am still trying to live down the Impaler fame ... (laughs). I think that playing live for people is the best part of the process. I love making CDs and writing songs, but I really get off on live!! As for future fame, the more females the better. (laughs)

11.) How did you finance the recordings? (Michael Torok) Previous record sales and a lot of hard work!

12.) Where and how do you distribute the CD? (Bryan Erickson) We do some distributing regionally ourselves and through our web page, (www.torokmusic.com) which is in the process of being re-worked. But the majority of the distribution is handled through Nightmare records.

13.) Are you in contact with record labels? (Bryan Erickson) Yes there are feelers out there, but right now Lance King of Nightmare records is doing a great job for us.

14.) What are your lyrics dealing with? (Bryan Erickson) The lyrics on this album are personal for me and deal with the past 10 years of my life. Partying, and living some what on the edge. This is where the title BINGE & PURGE came from... living hard! Wings of a Butterfly is along the same lines. Other songs like SHAME, deal with how people view the next generation of youth. Our generation was long hair and this generation has big baggy pants and listens to rap music. It is about kids being themselves...and adults dealing with it. Free is about the life-long quest to be just that...free! Immortal is based loosely on my favorite vampire movie. Interview with a vampire. But, for the most part my lyrics are introspective.

15.) Do you have more finished songs? Do you already have plans for the next recordings? (Bryan Erickson) Definitely!!! We have an album's worth of material written and ready to be recorded. It is heavy music but with more emphasis on melody. I like to think that we are growing as musicians all the time. I think that melody is the most difficult part of constructing a song. (Michael Torok) With Binge and Purge other band members would give us an idea, we would develop it and then Bryan and I would take it from there. The next project is going to be with the four of us working as a band.

16.) Do you regularly play live? Tell us more about your gigs. (Bryan Erickson) We have only played regionally as stated earlier and the gigs have been well received so far. (Michael Torok) With this line up being new, we are in the process of fine-tuning the show. We want to tour late summer/early fall.

17.) What has been your biggest musical achievement / success so far? (Bryan Erickson) With each CD that we have put out as a band, we have taken another step forward. All I want to do is continue building what we have started. I am hoping that BINGE & PURGE will be my biggest success so far. (Michael Torok) With Impaler we had good press and lots of tours but the band did not want to expand musically. I butted heads with the singer Bill Lindsey who is a good friend but he did not want to take the next step musically. With Torok, Bryan and I push each other, we bounce ideas around, sometimes to where we are both sick of it, but it produces much better music. That is my success!

18.) How can you be reached in the internet? (Bryan Erickson) sonoferic66@yahoo.com and www.nightmare-records.com

19.) Is there anything else you want to mention? (Bryan Erickson) I want to stress that our new web page will be ready soon, with updated information about the band, gigs and news about the band's future. www.torokmusic.com We are having problems with Yahoo and are getting off their servers. (Michael Torok) I think that BINGE & PURGE is an album that people who like Hard Rock in a live style will get off on. This is a meat and potatos album, no frills, just balls out Les Paul/Marshall based rock with good song writing. Any critic that does not agree is a wimp!! (laughs)

20.) What are your plans for the near future? (Bryan Erickson) Get the band tightened up and get out on the road. (Michael Torok) Ride my motorcycle, find another Les Paul, find another Marshall, talk Bryan into longer lead breaks, (laughs) Play live!!

Polluted E-zine Interview
By Rob Schenk

1.) First off, where can we purchase "Binge and Purge"? Is there any free music available on the web?
Bryan - "Binge & Purge" and our debut CD "Silence" can be purchased online at our web page www.torokmusic.com or at our label distributor's page www.nightmare-records.com. (Through our web page we are offering a deal. If someone buys "Binge & Purge" we will give them a copy of "Silence" free, while supplies last.) There are also many web music stores like "Cdbaby" and "Perris" records that I know are selling our music. As for free music on the web, we are in the process of updating our web page and hope to have some music from "Binge & Purge" and also a few samples of some new material. We hope to have our new CD out by winter 2003 for people to check out.

2.) The members of the band are certainly veterans of their trade, let's have some individual backgrounds. How long have you been individually playing your instruments? What stuck to you as a budding musician? There are the obvious ones, but what are some influences that are a little stranger that has had an impact.
Bryan - I've been kickin around the Minneapolis area for about the past 10 years playing mostly in original outfits. (I just can't do the variety gig.) That said, I have played guitar for about 15 years and have been a vocalist about the same. As a fledgling musician I have always wanted to write my own songs. The first thing I did when I learned a few chords on the guitar was put together song ideas. My influences are all in the hard rock genre, Mike always tells me I need to branch out. My idea of diverse musical taste is putting in an old "Grand Funk" album then switching to the new "Down" CD. For the most part any hard rock music with a little bluesy feel and hard rock attitude has an influence on me.

Mike - I went through the usual influences (EVH, Randy Rhoads etc). When I was in Impaler, we were called punk even though I thought we were metal. I look for passion in music no matter what the style. Music is meant to arouse or invoke emotion. I actively listen to Classical, Blues, Jazz (hot not cool) and all the "genres" of rock, from Kate Bush to Motorhead. As for different influences, I would say off the top of my head, Kate Bush, Howling Wolf and Mozart. Specifically related to guitar I steal from everybody, if I think that a phrase is good it is mine, I do not care where it came from. I will put a Ritchie Blackmore lick right next to an Ace Frehley pull-off and wash it down with a Zakk Wylde squeal. I approach guitar the same way I approach sex. It is going to be good for me and I hope that it is good for you!

Eric - Details of my musical resume' can be found through links on my website, http://www.ericalthaus.com , but some of the highlights are as follows: I've been playing drums on a serious level for nearly 27 years now (though I'm barely in my '30's ;-). Way back when, I was influenced - as most drummers of my generation - by Neil Peart. When I reached junior high school, I began to realize that I needed to start looking elsewhere for drumming influences. At that point I started studying the styles of many drummers in literally every musical genre that had been recorded at that point. My philosophy on 'influences' is that we're all influenced by everything we're exposed to - in one way or another, and whether we realize it or not. Because of this, I like to refer to my early drumming 'idols' as inspirations and interests - not just influences. Regarding the last part of your question, my overall musical 'influence' is (and has been for most of my life) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. There are many composers and artists that I respect and look up to for inspiration...but when I hear Mozart's music, it spawns so many ideas for me to try. I attempt to bring elements of classical music into my drumming style - if that makes sense. Terry Bozzio states that he approaches his drumset as a microcosmic orchestra in itself. I subscribe to that philosophy as well.

Ken - I started learning guitar when I was 15, and started playing bass a few years later in college jazz band in 1981, so I've been playing for about 20 years or so. I love all kinds of music. My early rock influences were the Beatles, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, moving on to Thin Lizzy, Van Halen, Deep Purple, then on to the Police and Prince and the Replacements. I also love Mozart, Chopin, Debussy, Count Basie and John Coltrane, just to name a few.

3.) What kind of gear are you guys using right now?
Bryan - I use an old Jackson V and a custom mid-eighties Kramer both loaded with EMG pickups for my guitars. My amplifier of choice is a Hughes & Kettner 100-watt combo amp, it's great for loading in and out at gigs.

Mike - I have a problem, I spend all my $ on guitars. Guitars are like women, you can never have too many of them. My favorites are Gibson Les Pauls, and PRS's. I have 2 Deluxes that are special to me. Binge and Purge was recorded through a Marshall JMC 900 series and my Les Pauls. There is a strat on 2 tracks, "How Much More" and "Shine On". All tracks were recorded with me in the same room as the amp and nothing but a cord between me and the amplifier. Most of my guitars have been customized in some way, different pick-ups and graphite bridges and nuts, that sort of thing. I am always looking for something to add a special edge to the sound. "Stock" really is not in my vocabulary. My attitude toward guitars is like a Harley Davidson owner's attitude toward his bike. Get it and make it yours!

Eric -
*Microphones provided by K&K Systems.
*Yamaha 12", 13", and 14" rack toms; 16" and 18" floor toms; and two 22" bass drums.
*A Pearl Free-Floating piccolo snare drum (3.5" depth).
*6", 8", and 10" roto-toms (though I'm planning to replace them with full depth, double headed toms later this month).
*Many cymbals all over the place ;-) currently comprised of Paiste, Sabian, and Zildjian brands.
*Too many percussion instruments to list here (see my website for more details - www.ericalthaus.com).
*Axis Foot Pedals; Pearl, Yamaha, and Gibraltar hardware. And ONLY Promark oak 5B drum sticks.
*AD Systems 8-piece electronic kit with Alesis drum module.

Ken - Right now I'm playing one of Mike's instruments. Since he has so many, he didn't even realize it was missing! It's a nice, solid B.C. Rich bass and I'm playing it through a rack-mount amp and equalizer and a 4-speaker cabinet. I'm currently on the lookout for a Fender Jazz bass though. That's my preferred model.

4.) What are you listening to right now? What is in your CD player?
Bryan - In my CD player right now is the new "Down" disc "Bustle in Hedge Grow." The first time I listened to it all the way through I thought this is similar to our stuff. (Southern blues based heavy music) I also have the new "Sevendust" disc and my fave CD "Dusk" by "Badlands"(Dusk was only released in Japan.) this CD is the reason we recorded "Binge & Purge" the way we did. (Dusk was recorded live in the studio, very few overdubs.)

Mike - Right this second there is Allison Krause's "New Favorite". Yesterday I listened to a Queen tribute album with a bunch of different musicians on it. On the way to rehearsal when Bryan was not looking, I was able to sneak Rush's "All the World is a Stage" into his CD player in his car.

Eric - I just pulled the 6-disc cartridge out of my player, and found the following: Sarah Brightman - Eden; Yanni - Live at the Acropolis; Beach Boys - Best Of; Cheap Trick - Greatest Hits; TNT - Intuition; and Journey - Essential.

Ken - Oh wow, in my CD player right now is "Motorcycle" by Daniel Amos. Other recent selections include Torok - "Binge & Purge" (grin!), Semisonic - "great divide" and "Gift Horse" by the Lost Dogs.

5.) What are the plans for the band for the next year?
Bryan - We hope to build up some momentum with "Binge & Purge"(sales and playing live) and as I said earlier I would like to have the new CD completed. We have about 8 new tracks written. Heavy hard rock music like "Binge & Purge" but more melodic vocally. Since the time we wrote the songs for "Binge & Purge" I have definitely grown as a musician. I believe strong vocal melodies are the key to good song writing.

Mike - I want to play out as much as possible. This band has energy and passion and it needs to be released on stage. We slip Qualudes into Eric's beer before the show so he does not play so many notes. This band has a unique sound, which is created by all 4 members. This is our 'ART"! We work to pay bills but we live for the music.

Ken - I'm with Mike on that one!

Eric - I'm lucky enough to play with the progressive rock band Equinox, and that band has a new album coming out soon (on JVC/Victor), as well as a track (Stone In Love) on a new Journey Tribute album put out by the Brazilian label Frontline Rock. We're also working out the details of a tour for Asia, Europe, and South America at the moment.
Because of Equinox and what it's accomplished, I'm allowed the freedom to play with whomever I chose in my 'down time'. Since 1994, I've 'chosen' to work with my friends in Torok during my 'down time', and I have to admit that it's a lot of FUN!!! As a contrast to the complexities and demands of Equinox, Torok is Hard Rock oriented, Harley ridin', Hustler reading, ROCK & ROLL MACHINE! My hopes for Torok in the coming year, are to perform as much as possible - wherever possible. I'd also like to see the recording process begin for the new material we've been working on. This stuff KICKS ASS!!!

6.) Where have you been playing besides your home state? Are you coming down south? There are plenty of folks down here that would definitely eat this up.
Bryan - We are just starting to play regionally and we are looking into booking agents as far as setting up any tour schedules. This would definitely include playing in the southern part of the states. (We would play any club that would let us play.)

7.) As a raw fusion of music from previous eras, updated and rawked, has it been difficult finding a niche?
Bryan - I think most people that have heard the songs that Mike and I have written would say these guys don't want to find a niche. (Listen to "Silence" our debut CD and you will see what I mean.) Although, on "Binge & Purge" we did hold back two acoustic tracks ("Addiction of Fools" and "To Whom it May Concern") because I wanted a more hard rock CD all the way through. (No ballads) On the next CD we are planning on including "Addiction of Fools" which I believe may be one of the best songs Mike and I have ever written together. Mike and I have also been working on a new song called "Wolf Within" which musically is very melodic and dare I say "pretty" but with very dark lyrical overtones.

Mike - People have a need to place things in a category. This is bad. These people need to be spanked. I want to be judged on the quality of the music. There are progressive elements to this music. There are non-standard time signatures being used in several songs on Binge and Purge. There are some great non-standard harmonies that Bryan captured. Eric does not approach the drums like a normal person. The simple fact of Binge and Purge is this is an honest representation of what the band is. There are many "contemporary" bands today that cannot pull off their recorded sound live. Some highly paid producer created their sound to fit in today's market. People pay too much attention to marketing and not enough to aesthetics.

8.) "Binge and Purge" sounds great sonically. Was it an easy time in the studio? Analog or digital? Describe the process.
Bryan - Thank you for the compliment. Binge &Purge was recorded live in a studio to a 16 track analog machine. The process was very difficult. I have always loved the sound of the old "Led Zeppelin" albums and I have read a lot about how Jimmy Page liked record drums, for the most part all he would do is put a mic in the kick drum with two overheads and maybe a room mic. This was perfect for us becouse we only had 16 tracks to work with, (much to Eric's chagrin) and as I said earlier, we wanted to go for that cool old school vibe that "Badlands" got on the CD "Dusk." We played each song together as a band right to tape. (very raw) After we got the songs down on tape (I think only one song was played more than twice) we brought the tapes to Mike's studio and did the second rhythm guitar, lead guitar and backing vocal tracks. The hard part started during mastering. Without an automated board it became very tedious. What this means is every time I wanted to re-mix a song I would have to re-setup the board. (Individual instrument faders, panning, effects levels, compression and so on) For the next project we have already purchased Pro-Tools for the G-4 Mac. I love the analog sound but it was too difficult to get the mastering right and in the long run I had to let some things slide. (Some vocal stuff and in the overall mastered sound) That said, I believe we did capture some of that 70's "Black Sabbath", "Led Zeppelin" vibe we set out to.

Mike - Bryan chased me out of the studio once, he had to let me back in because I lived there... (laughs). Bryan and I argued over guitar tones for 2 weeks straight. We worked for hours to get the right tone on Eric's snare. (Sorry about the duct tape Eric). There is blood, sweat, beer, coffee, broken snares, chips, duct tape, sore throats all poured into this recording. The recording equipment is as basic as one can get. One mic, some compression and reverb and a lot of time. This is how records should be made, capturing the sound of the musicians. I do not think that the recording medium matters, but the performance is everything. There can be no fixing in the mixing!!

9.) Does Torok live the rock'n'roll lifestyle?
Bryan - I have gotten most that out of my system years ago, although I do believe sometimes I tend to be too serious and it probably wouldn't hurt for me to cut loose sometimes.

Mike - Bryan brought his girlfriend at the time over to the studio/my house. She just stared in shock/horror ...(laughs). I sleep next to a Marshall amplifier, at work I have guitar calendars on the wall. Good music is like the rush you get when you see a gorgeous woman. When I die they will pry the guitar out of my cold dead hands. (They will need to sell the guitar to pay for the funeral). <Laughs>

Eric - If you're referring to the fact that I cash my royalty checks from the label and ASCAP - then YES, I live that part of the rock & roll lifestyle. But I know you're referring to partying like a wild yak (do wild yaks party?). I'm a musician. Period. The stereotypical extracurricular activities around being a musician do not appeal to me. What appeals to me is connecting with an audience - and all the subsequent steps necessary to accomplish that (writing, recording, touring, etc). Well, OK - the chicks appeal to me...but I'm happily married, so that's out the window.

Ken - Like Bryan said, I did most of that sort of thing in my younger days (and a lot of it was with him!) but let's just say that sometimes it can still be hard to say "No"!

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Bryan, Mike, Tim, thanks a lot for accepting this interview for the french metal webzine http://www.auxportesdumetal.com/. First of all, can you please present quickly your band TOROK to the French readers (where do you come from? the line-up?...)