Interviews: THE OCCULT

This is a new interview with the Rock 'N' Roll band THE OCCULT from Canada. Check out the interview and follow the band on his FACEBOOK PAGE. All these questions have been answered by the lead singer, Eric Savanis.

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you plan it or came out just like that?

I was on the phone with my former bass player, Gianni Berretta (House of Dusk/Beware/Mercy Mother), and we were trying to come up with names for our respective bands. Most of our picks were generic as hell. At the time, I was reading The Occult by Colin Wilson and just blurted it out and we laughed cuz we realized that it. That was the name.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I mean, I didn’t choose the genre in the same way that I didn’t choose music. I don’t think that musicians really have a choice in the matter. Like moths looking for a source of light, we gravitate towards it in the same way. It’s something we HAVE to do.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed?

No. The guys in the band now, Carlos Carvalho (Bass), Rafael Corzo (Rhythm Guitar) & Adrian Simpson (drums), I didn’t know them when I was recording the record. I did the record with some friends of mine who were kind enough to lend their talents to the project. Gianni, as well as playing bass on it, engineered all the guitars, some of the bass, and vocals. Alex Klimantiris, who’s pretty much one of my best buds, played all the guitars. Justin Piedimonte, who’s now playing with Immortal Guardian, I hired. He was playing in my buddy Dom’s band, The Chronicles of Israfel, at the time and was just about to finish recording drums when I asked Dom if he thought I could hire him. Justin was down and we ended up recording all the drums over a weekend. Eventually, I met Carlos, then Raf, and then Adrian, and the rest, as they say, is history.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

Eric: Metallica

Raf: Smashing Pumpkins

Carlos: Motorhead

Adrian: We the Band

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Everything really. Sometimes it’s a melody in a show or a movie, where I start humming to something. Next thing you know I’m running to the other room to record a chorus or what have you. Sometimes it comes from literature as well. A sentence starts popping off the page that can’t be denied and it inspires me lyrically.

6. Where was your last gig?

The last gig we played was Friday the 25th of June with some local bands; Mistwalker, who are friends of ours, and Obelisk who’s a band I never heard but thought was pretty cool.

7. Where would you like to act?

Like in a TV show or movie? Not sure what this question means but if you mean acting, it would be cool for the band to be in a David Lynch film or something just as demented.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

I'll assume you mean tour with. Metallica would be a dream. Ghost would work cuz there are similarities in terms of the mystical aspects of the 2 bands. Suicidal Tendencies. Danzig, Life of Agony. Warrior Soul. There are so many great bands out there.

9. Whom not?

Are you trying to get us into trouble here? Hehe. We would play with anyone really. No point in closing doors this early in the game.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on how to beat that?

At first, a little but we rehearsed A LOT, especially during the pandemic so there’s a nervousness that accompanies going up on stage with is normal but stage fright? Nah, It would be fair to say none of us have that anymore.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Metallica would have to be it. They’re the only band on earth who’s played every continent. I mean how the hell does anybody beat that? Those first 4 records are impossible to fuck with. And considering the competition they had at the time, particularly Megadeth and Slayer, they still couldn’t be beaten. They were just smoking everyone out of the water.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for?

It was more what they said. I remember being in Thailand on vacation and singing Run to the Hills by Maiden with the house bar band and someone came up to me and said, “I saw Maiden last week and that (your performance) was better!” I couldn’t help but laugh in their face. I mean is this person super drunk or just fucking crazy? Haha. You’re talking about one of the greatest live bands EVER.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Anyone who supports our endeavors in music is always greatly appreciated for sure. Although the word fan makes me super uncomfortable, since I don’t see the division between the people on stage and the ones watching them, I’m certainly grateful people like what we do.

14. What do you think of our site?

I think it’s great!

15. Something to add?

I appreciate the questions and the interview! Thank you!