PRESS COVERAGE
Read press reviews about Betrayer and interviews from the band members:
| Metal Massacre |
| October 2002 | By Missy of Metal Massacre |
I had the opportunity to speak with Jeff, Shawn, and Norm of the band Betrayer that hails from Windsor, ON, Canada. Here's what they had to say.
What year did your band Betrayer form and how did you all meet?
Shawn Bastien: Me and Guitarist/Vocalist Jeff Klingbeil met back in the early summer of 1996. From there, we had a lot of different musicians that came in and out of the band. In the long run we ended up with a good group of guys, Norm Michaud and Bill Lozon.
Norm Michaud: The band started in the summer of '96 with Shawn and Jeff. I joined in March of '99 as a fill-in for former bassist Vince Manzerolle.
How did you come up with the name Betrayer and is there any meaning behind it?
Shawn Bastien: Jeff came up with the name when we were searching for a new name. Our first few names were already taken: Cornerstone and Swarm. Betrayer would become a better name overall that really stuck out. The band name means to Betray trends, to go against what those would say you'd have to be, or what you'd have to do in the art that you're creating. We want to be ourselves and not re-produced as every band you hear on the radio day after day.
Norm Michaud: After our former name, Swarm, was taken by another act, we chose Betrayer. It symbolizes how we betray the current trends in music, that we follow what we chose and write music that we love.
Jeff Klingbeil: Through countless hours of trying to come up with a new name, looking everywhere and anywhere. The dictionary was a great source of finding new names, and that's where I came across the word 'betrayer'. I thought to myself that sounds like a great name for a metal band - which is what I was looking for. Then I looked up the definition - one revealed further meaning of the name Betrayer in relation to our band. I won't reveal the definition, you will have to search the great book yourself.
How would you describe your music?
Shawn Bastien: Late 80s with an early 90s touch. You can hear a lot of Iron Maiden and Megadeth in our sound, yet still very original it's definitely something you'll have to hear.
Norm Michaud: When asked what we sound like, I usually answer: Put Megadeth and Iron Maiden in a blender - you get Betrayer, but it's more complicated than that. Each band member has their own influences. Our inspiration is as diverse from Testament, Iced Earth, and Slayer to Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and the Scorpions. As a band, we don't try to duplicate what others have done, but combine the best elements of our influences and create something new. So the blender analogy is a basic way of saying we combine the aggression, attitude, and fierocity of Megadeth's music with the finesse, energy, and epic qualities of Iron Maiden's music - but by no means are we set to copy them - we make it something that is us, Betrayer.
Jeff Klingbeil: I don't think that we have acheived the music we've envisioned as of yet. I can only describe what we hope to sound like, or what I hope to sound like. This is my description of our potential music - Heavy Metal. I would consider the term 'Heavy Metal' as I know it to be the best music ever created on the face of the Earth. It incorporates a wide variety of musical styles. My favorites being classical and blues. I feel that we have incorporated those two styles in our music thus far, um, in the future I would like this band to be more melodic vocally and possibly introduce some jazz elements into our compositions.
How many members are in your group? What does each member play?
Shawn Bastien: 4 members, Jeff Klingbeil - Lead/Rhythm Guitar/Vocals, Bill Lozon - Lead/Rhythm Guitar, Norm Michaud - Bass/Backing Vocals, Shawn Hebert - Drums/Backing Vocals
What made you want to be a drummer/guitarist/bassist/singer etc?
Shawn Bastien: I was just a kid surround by a family of musicians. That had a pretty big effect on me. My dad passed away when I was ten, from there I think it just started to grow on me... a passion to share the music and to paint the scene with our energy. The main boost that finally took me where I needed to go had to have been the Metallica video - Nothing Else Matters, seeing all that studio work and studying their faces, you knew they were having a great time and music was all they wanted to do. So I took flight with my music and here I am now, working on a dream.
Norm Michaud: When I first got into heavy music, it was around when the Black Album came out. Hearing how much presence the bass had on that recording, I wanted to be that part of that. The thick, lower end in music has always been welcomed to my ears. There's just something about bass that can be powerful and crushing one moment, then fluid and agile the next. It's a very underestimated instrument.
Jeff Klingbeil: It would have to start with me playing the piano, which introduced me to creating my own music and trying to learn songs by ear at a very young age, as far as I can remember actually. If it hadn't been for the previous owners of my house leaving that piano behind, I don't know if my musical journey would ever had begun. So playing the piano made me take an interest in music, and even up to the point where I was going to purchase my first guitar - I was undecided if I should chose guitar or keyboards. The deciding factor in choosing to play the guitar was watching this Van Halen video, 'Live Without a Net', I rented it - many times. I guess it would have to say it was Eddie Van Halen who made me want to play the guitar. Well, initially when I got into bands, I just wanted to focus on one instrument - the guitar, but when I met Shawn, we auditioned singer after singer and no-one really came close to what we wanted in the band, so I gave it a shot and done it since. It was basically out of desperation.
Who inspired you when you were young and who inspires you now?
Shawn Bastien: I'd have to say its always been my father. He taught me more than anyone has ever taught me in my life, he was always there for me as a child, too bad he wasn't around now to see me walking his footsteps. As I progressed with my instrument, the drums... I studied Lars Ulrich, Nicko Mcbrain and Nick Menza's drumming skills. I learnt so much and was able to contribute so much back to our music by my simple understandings. I'd be blind to not mention that Jeff Klingbeil is a pretty big inspiration to me. I thank him for his dedication that has made me apart of who I am today as a musician.
Norm Michaud: When I was young - my mom, Metallica, Megadeth. Now - my mom, Iced Earth, Annihilator, Shawn, Jeff, Bill & Mark.
Jeff Klingbeil: Is that supposed to mean musically? I'll presume it does. When I was young - Micheal Jackson, he was the bomb-shit back in the day. At an even younger age, the Village People - they were also the bomb-shit, nobody could rock a disco club like them. I'd have to say I have countless influences today (well, you could eventually count them, if you took the time), some of my top influences today would be Yngwie Malmsteen, Scorpions, Motley Crue, Metallica, Megadeth, Dio, Iron Maiden, Ozzy, Nicolo Paganini, and most recently Edguy.
Can you recall when you first realized the power of music?
Shawn Bastien: It was always there, within me. I was in grade 3 listening to Iron Maiden's Number of the Beast while kids made fun of me. I had a Cinderella shirt back in grade 7 ... I always knew that music was powerful and every time I heard a guitar solo or a simple, yet powerful melody, I went ape shit!! What else can I say? I was born a musician... I live, eat and sleep music and drums.
Norm Michaud: ...And Justice for All' was the first album I owed. 'Dyers Eve' was the song that made me realize that music could be a great way of expressing yourself. I've always seen music as a way of keeping myself sane.
Jeff Klingbeil: The first time I realized the power of music was when I cranked my amp to 11, that's it.
What gets the song writing process going? Who contributes to it?
Shawn Bastien: Betrayer. We all sit around and evaluate what we've created, from a simple riff to a complicated riff we just sit there and work with it. Norm, Me, Bill and Jeff will just sort it out... by the end of the day we've made a song, we've made something to give back to those that understand what we're doing, our fans.
Norm Michaud: Pretty much everyone contributes on every song. Jeff may come to practice with a song nearly completed and we work on it, or Bill or I could bring a riff or two that we've been working on and we jam on them - sometimes a song can unfold very easily, or take months to get to the point you want it to. Some our best jams come from song ideas or drum beats that Shawn gives us.
Jeff Klingbeil: Usually it starts out with a guitar riff or a series of guitar riffs which anyone of the band members contribute. Then either one of us or the band as a collective starts to work on the arrangement and how further develops the riff. Then it is usually the vocal melody that I would write, followed by lyrics to match the melody and then we write guitar solos and fills. Shawn works on developing his drum parts when we are rehearsing the riffs at practice, then Shawn further works on his beats and fills with recordings on the riffs and works on it himself. Of course, there are always exceptions to the formula - you might add the wrong chemical and create mustard gas, when you originally intended to create ice.
What are your current favourite bands/artists?
Shawn Bastien: I'm very closed minded when it comes to music, no offence but these days you have to be. I need to hear a good guitar solo, a great vocalist and some powerful rhythm behind it all. Bands like Creed, Nickelback and Korn don't cut it for me. I'd take a bullet before I'd have to listen to one more Nickelback or a new Tommy Lee track.
Norm Michaud: Annihilator, Iced Earth, Testament, Megadeth, Iron Maiden, Black Label Society, Dream Theater
Jeff Klingbeil: Uh, I kinda answered that in a previous question, so, look back there, kids.
Do you have a lot of fan support? How did you get the following?
Shawn Bastien: I'd have to say we do. We have a lot of people all around the world that dig us, we've done a lot of CD sales everywhere. I thank Mark Wolf our Manager for giving us the chance to show ourselves to the world. The website alone has brought people upon people everyday to hear our music and to interact with our band, what other bands do that? Plus, all the shows that we've played from Kitchener to Hamilton back to simple Leamington to Sarnia... our music and our CD's have touched the world. In the summer we hit this big venue where Hulk Hogan and a special guest band will appear, this will again help us deliver so much to so many people.
Norm Michaud: Well, it is always increasing. With every show, every time someone hears us, downloads our music, or visits our website, we gain another fan. I think it just comes from harkwork and dedication. There are lots of obstacles, especially for the music that we do, you can't let them ruin your focus and motivation. Working hard always pays off.
Jeff Klingbeil: We don't have a large number of fans who attend our shows on a regular basis, but we do have a small group of dedicated fans whom we met through friends and family. Our larger fanbase in on the Internet, via our website. It seems like every show we do, we win over some new dedicated fans.
What are the majority of the lyrics about? Do they hold personal meaning?
Shawn Bastien: The majority of the lyrics have a lot of meaning, from life to an all out heartbreak... stuff that you and I would go through in life. We write our songs about things that matter and not about sex and drugs but we do add in the rock n' roll. Our lyrics have meaning where there's always an understanding... almost like a solution to a problem.
Norm Michaud: Well, I can't speak for Jeff's personal meaning, but most of our lyrics are of situations or subjects. I like to see lyrics as either a way of telling a story or conveying a message. A song like 'Waiting' may seem to be odd, because it is set in the point of view of a stalker and his feelings towards his victim. But, I wrote those lyrics while my sister was being harrassed by some asshole who wouldn't leave her alone - I used that and overdramaticized it. In reality, it is a very serious topic. 'Rusted Icons' was our title track because it represented a lot of what we were about. I wrote those lyrics when I looked at how much bands like Megadeth and Metallica had inspired me and what they had changed into. They tarnished my respect for them - I still love the music, but the greed they have now is disguisting. 'Sands of Time' is a love song, a thank-you to my long-time girlfriend Cathy, but it can be universal as a way of thanking anyone who's helped you in life - a mother, teacher, friend. 'Captive State of Mind' is a story, just a fictional situation I thought about. Basically, I envisioned what it would be like to be comatose, to have your body be non-functional and dornmant while your mind was still 'awake' and able to see what was going around you. I thought that would be pretty much the most horrible thing to experience - to be dead in a physical sense, alive in the mind, and unable to do nothing to stop it. 'Tribulation' is about being in a band, the sacrifices, the hopes, the whole experience when playing a show. 'Anger's Release' About being betrayed by someone you trusted, who was very close to you. Just about letting go of your emotions and letting them know how you feel.
Jeff Klingbeil: Well, for me to explain 'Descendants of Death' would take a good seven-page essay, which would involve an explanation of my interpretation of Biblical issues. In a nutshell, it is about people misinterpreting or twisting scripture for their own personal gain. Or because they don't know any better (basically what they've been taught to believe) without actually researching issues on their own. I would have to say that yes, the lyrics to 'Descendants of Death' hold a personal meaning to me, because I believe what I wrote is taking place in this world as we speak, probably moreso than ever. Um, well, each verse of 'Fire to the Coals' states a low-point or struggle in someone's life and the chorus tries to convey the message of hope, that whatever situation a person is in, or if life seems overwhelming at times, that if you focus on a particular goal, no matter how small it may be, that each goal accomplished will evenually lead to success. I've tried to apply these principles to my life even though it is hard to stay focused on smaller goals, rather than the big picture.
What are your dreams and goals for the future of Betrayer?
Shawn Bastien: Simple, to share the art that is music to millions upon millions of people. To give back to the people. We're a band of morals last I checked, I want our band to only put smiles on the faces of those that suffer and give to those that need it the most. The future holds music, and we're going to deliver.
Norm Michaud: I would love to be able to tour full-time and perform nearly everyday. I would love to explore the world while sharing our music with others. To have Betrayer become the defining work in my lifetime is my ultimate goal.
Jeff Klingbeil: I hope eventually we can sell millions of albums and become dirty, rotten, stinky, filthy rich because that's the only way we can accomplish playing arenas and putting on amazing shows, as well as recording well produced albums, all of which I hope happens, but if we have to change our style of music to make money, which I don't think will happen anyways. I would just rather settle for just making a living at doing this.
Favourite Books/Movies/Foods or anything else you want to include in the interview?
Shawn Bastien: Stay true to yourself always, never look back in regret cause you can take any dream and turn it into reality with full dedication. Life is dedication, the will to live and the will to just move on. Without dedication there is no motivation. The sky isn't the limit, God knows you can go higher than any mountain or star. Keep at your dreams.
Norm Michaud: Book: Earth Time by David Suzuki, Movies: Memento, Usual Suspects, Falling Down, Reservoir Dogs, Food: Chinese or a good steak.
Website: www.metalprovider.com/metalmassacre
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