Successful in music industry

BRIAN SLAGEL

On account the merits of Metal Blade boss could to be taken only two of facts. He exactly has discovered SLAYER and offered to METALLICA a phonographic debut, putting “Hit The Lights” on the first edition of compilation “Metal Massacre”. It’s enough to build him a monument alive. Brian Slagel doesn’t want however to retire and smoking a pipe, whisper nostalgically to the past. This guy still has a music hunger, a feeling of good understood mission and still awaits the new arts of business challenges. The company directed by him had of course the days of boom and fall, but the moments of those first were of course often. Only the fact of existence a 25th years Metal Blade bastion on the market must to reason a big respect. Today Brian manages by a powerful firm, which still plays a very big role in the creating of metal music.

During the talk with the boss of this American label (having presently the branches in Europe and Japan too), I was especially wined by his still the same and truly enthusiastic way of confession about the beginnings of his job-career and about the future, where he looks very optimistic forwards, although of not sure situation in the music business. There’s something else yet, what decided in my opinion, that exactly this corpulent man with a face of hot-dogs seller during NBA matches was able to create so good prospering kind of firm. That’s his passion and a love to the music. Maybe it sounds some curious, but I can’t to imagine myself, that releasing the albums, which are listening all over the world, would be for Slagel like unimpassioned production, comparable to the making of orthopedic-shoes insertions.

Slagel grew up in Woodland Hills, California. Began as a seller in the local store with Oz Records CD’s. Fascinated by NWOBHM decided to bring from Europe unavailable then in USA the records of those bands. Together with a group of similar fanatics, where one of them was Mr. Ulrich, he propagated the British heavy metal on the pages of the one and first zines on those side of ocean-The New Heavy Metal Revue. He published too his articles in “crawling on all fours” at those days Kerrang! and Sound Magazine. In 1982 he decided to release the first compilation album, featuring the local L.A scene, growing stronger and stronger. A vinyl record “Metal Massacre”, included the stuff of RATT, STEELER, MALICE, AVATAR, CIRITH UNGOL, BITCH and enough popular already METALLICA. 5 thousands copies of this releasing sold itself so great, letting Brian to sign a distribution contract with Enigma Records. In 1983 releases oneself the first albums signed by a logo of Metal Blade. So called – meanwhile, Slagel comes to Woodstock Club in L.A to the concert of BITCH. Better than the evening star likes him however a support-band gig, which playing “Phantom Of The Opera” of Maidens throws him against the ground. After gig he goes to the backstage, proposing to the guys a recording of “Aggressive Perfector” song for the third edition of his compilation. It wouldn’t have must to wait long for a full-length album “Show No Mercy”. The sell of 40 thousands copies the debut album of SLAYER convinces Slagel about the good chosen way of his life.

-Suppose, that most of journalists talking last time with you stands the similar first question. It’s very difficult to escape from reflection about the beginnings of your firm. Have you seen immediately so big kind of potential in heavy metal to sacrifice him your whole job-life? You have reached almost everything in this business, having a name, money, respect. Are you feeling fulfilled yourself?
Hi, you have asked two of questions, so I must to attitude towards them (laugh). Starting with my unsure project named Metal Blade I have known really anything about the music business. I have learned myself everything practically from a naught. I have done a horrible mistakes of my simple-mindedness, which finally were more and more rare, so after few years I have escaped from the debts. That, what had kept me in convincing to never surrender was my passion of music. It was keeping me alive, staying as my fuel to this day. Usually, 4-5 days in the week I plane throughout the world, listening and watching the new bands, which could to be a part of our family. If I wouldn’t like to do it, I would sit down at patio of my home and being totally bored, shoot to the ducks! I can’t however to work this way, I must to be active, in so called the eye of the cyclone (laugh). And thank of it, I feel exactly fulfilled myself. I am very proud of the Metal Blade achievements, the renown which we have, but still I have a lot of plans, which would like to realize yet alive. The firm can’t to be in stagnation, basing on the sentiments, cause the past is nice to remind, but can’t to be a fundament of business.

-You speak, like you would quote a business guide. But you must to remember, that you are a boss of Metal Blade and neither of Walmart shops! You firms by your mark so called art or maybe – if somebody prefers – a fun. Are you treating this kind of work after years of leading your label simply as a business?
No way! I am really exciting, that the records released by us are very important for the people, it can to discuss about much of them through many years. They becomes this way especially desired goodies. It’s difficult to discuss so long about a cheese or about crisps, which you have bought in supermarket. Another way, it’s not comparable and more difficult kind of business. You must to have a specific know-how, to can calculate, to strive for the signing the most of lucrative distribution contracts, to command a logistic of work… At the same time, the CD’s releasing by you must to be simply good. Another way, nobody will to have them at home on his shelf. No matter, how could you to pack a shit, after the packing back it will stay still only the shit (laugh).

-Could you truly admit with the hand on your heart or are you satisfied of the albums released by Metal Blade? With so much of titles in year, you have probably the some kinds of work-accidents too…
You estimates the music – the journalists, fans, so our fanatics. I tell you, that I have never released a record of band to which one I wasn’t convinced in 100 percent. More complicated is decision process, especially regards Metal Blade in Europe, where I more rely to my German co-workers. But there’s no change in fact, that I listen many times every of our albums, released by us on both sides of Atlantic. Besides must to remember, that every of markets can to be very specific. In Europe bestly still sales itself a traditional death or black metal, the people in USA are searching the news, except of very known names, they have a better kind of reaction for the new bands… We must to middle these kinds of tendencies. Our catalogue stays a mix of routine, experience and even the young blood, sometimes, very young like for example FUELED BY FIRE. We does everything to make our offer the most universal. We avoids of any kind of metal. Through the years we have released almost all of things: from classic heavy and thrash through grind core, crossover, a progressive metal or the bands very difficult to classify like for example PSYOPUS.

-On which bands are you putting the biggest hope? Can to measure the bands which have made last time a big career in USA like for example AS I LAY DYING, UNEARTH, JOB FOR A COWBOY, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER with the selling results of giants your label which are CANNIBAL CORPSE or SIX FEET UNDER?
Normally, I give to the magazines any kinds of information about the selling results. I think, that each of bands must to be treated individual. I can’t to await from every of them the similar results like Cannibal or SFU. It would be simply not fair. Those bands builds their renown since a many years, in the case of CC above 20 years, what’s surely a big phenomenal for me. I tell only that I am really very fucking satisfied of the results achieved by the young stars of our label. In all of those bands I have seen a big potential, so I am happy, that I didn’t mistake (laugh). It’s very splendid to see that metal keeps the form oneself. I think, that at least in USA the condition of scene is now the best since 10 ten years. I haven’t seen already long time the crowds coming to the concerts. It means probably the generation change, the young people have got to know a new music, into which committed themselves. I don’t know how long it will be, but these all of moans about dying the metal are the words of people, who died oneself already for this music. But I have some strayed from the point… I am very awaiting the reaction of the people for our new bands like WOE OF TYRANTS, WHITECHAPEL, BRAIN DRILL. I am convinced, that you will be very nice surprised. And I am very glad too, that I have signed last years the contracts with many of very promising bands.

-So, if you don’t want to tell about the results I continue this question no more, but you know probably which album stays for this moment your biggest bestseller?
It’s still “Hell Awaits” of SLAYER. That’s exactly our album of all times (laugh). This way it looks in question of metal, cause we have released in the mid of 90s THE GOO GOO DOLLS and “A Boy Named Goo” is not a one album with a Metal Blade logo, which reached a status of the double platinum. That’s not so easy to sell a few millions of copies. Generally, a few of our bands have entered into Billboard list. As the first has achieved this result FATES WARNING. The next were SLAYER, KING DIAMOND, GWAR, KING’S X, then CANNIBAL CORPSE for “Vile”. Last years into the list Billboard 200 have entered AS I LAY DYING, THE BLACK DAHLIA MURDER, UNEARTH, THE RED CHORD, JOB FOR A COWBOY… We weren’t already since a long time in luck like now.

-I have noticed, that Metal Blade concentrates itself more on the creating the new stars and at least the searching of the promising newcomers than to overtake a some faded names, which had no lucky under the wings of previous companies.
That’s right. More satisfying is for me making a success from zero than trying to resurrect the glory of older bands. That’s of course any rule, although the success not awaiting by you has a some another, better taste (laugh). We have in our catalogue a few bands with a very long practice, but there’s a more of young wolves, hungry for a success… That’s our business politic, which we are keeping now.