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 Agent Steel... now THIS is Metal. Bursting forth with their otherwordly proto-thrash back in the mid-80's, this band represented major technical ecstasy. Now, after many years of inactivity following their demise in 1988, these US Masters of Metal have arisen from the watery depths of Atlantis to cast forth 'The Omega Conspiracy', a damn fine slab o'steel. Fitted Kitchens caught up with Dr Rock himself, Juan Garcia, for a yarn about the comeback platter, egos and misheard lyrics
First off, it's great that Agent Steel have reformed... 'The Omega Conspiracy' is a blinder of a returning statement of intent... you must be pretty chuffed...
"I am very happy and satisfied with 'Omega Conspiracy' it is for real...this new AGENT STEEL release is disturbing to say the least. Lyrically, musically, vocally, artistically very creative... it has a lot of elements to offer."
Bruce Hall... what a set of lungs! Where did you find him? If John Cyriss was comparable to Rob Halford, Bruce is more like Bruce Dickinson... balls, better vocal range. Besides Bruce, it's the same line-up from 'Unstoppable Force'... who took the initiative in bringing about the Agent Steel reformation, and how difficult was it to resurrect this line-up? Also, wasn't there, at one point, a plan to reform under the moniker of 'Agents of Steel'?
"Our drummer Chuck Profus took the initiative in reforming AGENT STEEL... he kept asking me to reform for years, but I was recording for EVILDEAD and SPV records in Germany... doing the anti-vocal thrash music thing. After the break up with AGENT STEEL in the mid 80's I did not want to ever deal with a singer... Mr Cyriis really messed things up for us. Then guitarist Bernie Versailles toured with FATES WARNING and recorded a live record with them called 'STILL LIFE Live...' and he said after most shows with FATES there were AGENT STEEL fans asking about a possible reunion. Then, for the fun of it, we got together without a vocalist and rehearsed the old songs off 'Skeptics Apocalypse' and "Unstoppable" and the magic was still there....it was classic old school Metal... so for the fun of it we put it together. Of course, we would need a new singer, first of all Cyriis was missing, and second of all we knew deep down inside that it would not work with him singing....because he is an eccentric, hard person to deal with musically. So we auditioned vocalists and I think Bruce was the second guy that came in, and unlike Judas Priest who took 6 years in finding a vocalist to replace Rob Halford... we found a great singer Bruce Hall in our second audition... I guess we were gifted by the Gods."
You're due to head out with Armored Saint for several dates on their tour...
"This is true. Joey Vera, the bassist for Armored Saint who also plays with Bernie in ENGINE, asked us on a few West Coast dates as special guests and of course we were into it... first of all both bands come from the same era, and we are both local Los Angeles bands trying to show L.A. what true metal is about!!! I think their new album rocks!!! I love the Spanish song on it... John Bush is an awesome vocalist for both Armored Saint and Anthrax. So this should be fun.....since both bands SAINT and A. STEEL are friends, I would like to tour the whole U.S. with them if possible... not to mention we are now label mates with Metal Blade Records in the United States."
Would I be wrong in thinking that there's more of a market for steel in Europe than the States? A scan of the mainstream European press would have us believe that US is populated solely by sports/ nu-Metal bands now, what are now being called 'sports Metal' (fucking hell!). Ok, the States is still famed for having an extremely strong underground Death scene, but I don't hear much about straight/ power Metal beyond Steel Prophet, Virgin Steele... and, slay me should I forget, Manowar etc.
 "You are correct... the United States is into this corporate sport Metal, new Metal, whatever you wanna call it... it's weird... some of these new bands have great musicians, but I don't really care for the songs... they get some amazing guitar and bass tones but to me it's all the same... at least AGENT STEEL has our own sound, and we will stick to it whether we sell 10,000 CDs or 1 million CDs. AGENT STEEL will always be AGENT STEEL (NO selling-out in this band). The United States does also have a good underground Death Metal scene which is cool and dedicated... but you are right as far as power/speed Metal, it's not popular here in the States, and Europe is more of our market."
In the four years that Agent Steel existed before the 1988 demise, the reputation that you built for yourselves was phenomenal. Early comparisons to 'Maiden on speed' were soon discarded by the time 'Unstoppable Force' was unleashed. Reviews from the time raved about the dynamics and expanse of the sound, showcased on such ditties as 'The Day at Guyana'...
"We worked hard, especially on the song writing and arrangements in rehearsing... we tried to take what Iron Maiden had accomplished at the time, and take it to another level, with our own concept of course... we did not want to rip them off... although we are influenced in many ways by them... they are an amazing band and I am so happy Bruce Dickinson is in Maiden again. I would like in the future to see Paul Di'Anno record a new song with Maiden... I think 'Killers' is a masterpiece... same with 'Number of the Beast'. But you are right... on AGENT STEEL's second album, "Unstoppable Force", we recorded it at Morrisound Studios with Dan Johnson (SAVATAGE) producing and we concentrated on the dynamics and proper tones, and vocal melodies. Honestly, I like "Unstoppable Force" a lot, but "Omega Conspiracy" blows it away! At least I think so... and for those who don't think so... give it time, you will see, and understand that 'Omega Conspiracy' is infinite... timeless, just like 'Unstoppable' and 'Skeptics' (not to sound like a fuckin' stuck up rock star, but AGENT STEEL kicks ass)."
Agent Steel was always famed for its internal tensions. There'd always been personality clashes in the band (like most bands), for example, leading to the departure of Kurt and his replacement by Bernie. 'Unstoppable Force' was the final output, with both you and Bernie leaving shortly after recording and before touring in Europe with Nuclear Assault. What are your recollections of this time?
 "Horrible recollections... let's see... the first thoughts that come to mind are Capitol Records wanting to sign the band and Combat/ Relativity being cool about it... since at the time they let MEGADETH go to Capitol. At the same time we had John Cyriis acting crazy, wanting to relocate to Florida and the Bermuda Triangle all kinds of insanity... so I said to him you go down there and hang out and write lyrics, and let me and the rest of the band write the music in L.A, but he had the management company convinced that AGENT STEEL was nothin' without him. Chuck bought into it and moved to Florida... I was fed up with the whole head-trip, so was Bernie and our bassist....so that was that and they recruited new replacement musicians, one of them being James Murphy (who by the way I think is a great guitarist). I truly believe if John Cyriis did not have so many personal issues and internal rage AGENT STEEL would have been very successful, and I am happy that we got a new singer and here we are, over 12 years later, doing it again....old school, baby!!!! Fuck yeah....underground again...but that's OK because we got knowledge and we got what it takes to make it happen... and that is belief in ourselves."
You went on to form 'Evil Dead', producing such goodies as 'The Hood'...
"The Hood' is a great track off 'The Underworld' on SPV Records... my personal fave was the song 'Annihilation of Civilization' "...
Evil Dead was a very different beast to Agent Steel... why so? Was it a catharsis from the previous musical environment?
"Exactly....it was rage, it was in ultimate spite of fuckin' melodic savatagin' self-centred ego maniacs... you know what? All fucking rock star singers can go fuck off!!! I like respectful human beings/ musicians first, people you can drink a beer with and talk sports, and viewpoints on different subject matters... and then, if you can sing or play your instrument, that's great, awesome... but to be dealing with an asshole in a band is something that I will not deal with ever again."
You'd played with John Cyriss before, in Abbatoir, later hooking up with him again when you joined the newly-formed Agent Steel (re-named from 'Sanctuary') in 1984... Any word of John at all?? All I know is that he went on to play in a few bands after Agent Steel collapsed in '88 (Pontius Prophet, with Chuck, Malfeitor, Lemegeton and Black Reign). John had a quite remarkable reputation for 'eccentricity' (others would put it somewhat less diplomatically), care to share a few examples?
"Not really... I believe in letting sleeping dogs lie... I have no further comment on John Cyriis."
Juan, in each interview I've done in this issue, I've tried to clear up an 'urban myth' about a band... Metallik folklore has us believe that Agent Steel had a propensity for wearing, um, orange jumpsuits on stage... surely not...
 "Fuck that.....have you ever seen me in a orange jump suit?? Have you seen Bernie in one?? However, I think SLIPKNOT stole or borrowed the concept... they must of seen the AGENT STEEL video from the Hammersmith Odeon (what ya think? I am kidding of course!). Fuck jump suits ....it's all about Denim & Leather and spikes and Kerry King leather bands with nails, and Blackie Lawless sawblades and Gene Simmons spitting blood and breathin fire!! That's what I'm talking about... headbanging mania... bang thy head that doesn't bang!"
The new album's been well received, at least in the UK press. Tell me, have any accusations of jumping on the 80's bandwagon been flung at you? When you consider that many 'eighties' bands are now reforming (Armored Saint, Exciter, Destruction, etc), is this not an inevitable risk?
"Yeah, we've been asked if we jumped on the bandwagon... and I said 'What bandwagon?? What? You think I am actually getting rich playin' this kinda music?'. AGENT STEEL is music from the heart... it's original, conceptual metal. 'Omega Conspiracy' kicks ass... just come check us out when we are comin' to your town... and rage with us... in thy Name of Metal!"
Misheard lyrics are a constant source of amusement... I remember reading an interview with Ozzy Osbourne, where he said he'd thought for ages that Jimi Hendrix had been singing the line 'Excuse me while I kiss this guy' in Purple Haze. I'm only bringing this up because I was playing your new album to a friend, and she thought that one of the songs ('Know Your Master') was called 'Blow Your Master'... hmmm, Agent Steel in sado-masochist shocker, eh?!
"Yeah, I think 'Blow your Master' is a better title (that is great)... we will have to sing the back ups live that way for now on!!! And I'm with Ozzy... I thought Jimi Hendrix did sing 'Excuse me while I kiss this guy'. 'Blow your Master' fuckin rocks!!! This will be the new live version for us (thank your friend for us) seriously!"
Seriously though, I found the lyrics of great interest, particularly regarding the Illuminati. For readers who mightn't be aware of this subject, would you care to inform them? Also, have you ever heard of the Bildeburger group... the world's most powerful financiers, industrialists, and political figures?
"I have heard of them all, and I think if your readers want to find out more, they should research it... 'Those who know do not say......those who say do not know'. Life is a mystery in that way. 'Illuminati' is a great song, I really enjoy the title and lyrics myself... they're so deep and interesting. I would like the Bilderbergers to finance our next studio album and tour....wouldn't that be interesting!".
Ok, Juan, well it's been great chewing the fat with you... any final messages you'd like to say to the readers of this zine?
"Open up your minds a bit, give 'Omega Conspiracy' a few listens... I think there's something for everyone in that CD, whether you're a 'New School Sport Metal Baggie trouser wearing freak' or a fuckin' earth-dog rivet head like me. It's all about Metal... it doesn't matter as long as it's real and you believe in what you do. Don't try to please your friends, or the press, or fans, or your fuckin' whore girlfriend... you got to please yourself and your band first and stick to it... that's where it's at... be true to yourself and be honest. Peace."
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