Pic courtesy of: Jerome Chiarandini "They are trying to relive things instead of inventing their own thing and some of the thrash influences are been clouded by the Emo, scremo thing (laugh), I mean I’m not a hater of any kind of music you know, there is good in everything I really believe that."

CR: Hey Craig how are you?
Craig Locicero: I’m feeling good how about yourself?

CR: I’m fine man, just a bit nervous speaking to you (laughs)
Craig Locicero: No, don’t be, I was just in the bathroom taking a crap (laughs) I bet that breaks the ice for you! There you go the sound of flushing!

CR: (laughs) yes it does man! I was supposed to call you a couple of days back but we were having some problems with electric storms over here in Costa Rica, so it was kind of hard to call
Craig Locicero: Ah yeah a lot of people forget about some parts of the world were stuff like that happens.

CR: Well yeah is not like we are in the middle of a hurricane but those kind of things do end up having a backlash over here…
Craig Locicero: Well yeah but still, you know, we forget that some parts of the world do get ravished by things like that.

CR: Ok let’s get started, Forbidden is back, how did that happened, I mean did you guys just one day decided to reunite and start playing again?
Craig Locicero: Originally there was a point in my life where I tough I will never do it again; but Im saying this from my point of view, because is not just about me is about everybody you know. In my life I was doing a different kind of music and I liked it, at the end of Forbidden I was so into it you know the Green album, I was so angry I tough of it as our anger album, I taught it was a good record a little ahead of its time maybe some 5 years or so. So yeah I tough we were doing really good and then when we took it to our label and they didn’t understand where we were coming from they said that only musicians will like it, and we were like “what the fuck!” and then they put us on tour with Manowar, keep in mind that this is 1996, so I talked to Russ…1997 I’m sorry and I talked to him about this incredible heavy record we just got out, I mean I know it wasn’t what we used to do but it was definitely not working with Manowar, this was not going to work. Besides in that time everything on the metal world was almost dead, there was a few bands that could survive through it, there was just Pantera and White Zombie it was a different era; so I just say I wanna go, I’m out of here, I wanna experiment do some other stuff, get back to my roots not just in metal you know. So I started a band named Manmade God, and Russ didn’t play music for a while and then he started Parking Lot Prophets just for fun.

So fast forward years and years later I started to think about what I had done, you know, I got to meet some really cool people, some great musicians and I had a lot of fun; and one day I was watching this movie “Get thrashed” sitting with Zetro from Exodus with my wife and he got his wife and kids there, and he just said to me Craigy see what it was, see what it used to be, you know the world is waiting… well I know the world inst waiting but some people were waiting for Forbidden to come back; and as that movie progress, just remembering how I felt like as a kid, when I used to go to the shows and how at 14 I bought Kill em all the first day it came out you know all this things just kept rushing through my head; I was really taken by the whole movie and I started to get very nostalgic, so I started to think about it, but before that Paul Bostaph had been telling me for the last 4, 5 years before that “we should really get together, play some shows” and I was pretty busy doing what I was doing. So it just came to a crashing reality, that it was great what I have done and I’m really proud of it; but Forbidden is who I was and who I am and I can’t run away from it you know, and so I just called everybody to get together and talk and when we did we came up with a deal to jam and maybe play a couple of shows and Paul was going to play drums and he got a called from Exodus, like immediately after our meeting. So he had to take the sure shoot gig because Exodus has a record deal in place and they were already working on a record; so we decided that we were going to play some shows and brought Gene for the first shows and they went great, good reactions; but I think we didn’t really decided that it was going to be a serious reunion until we went to Europe with Mark Hernandez on drums, and the crowd reaction was so overwhelming for us, we never got that kind of reaction I mean at least not night after night after night and in the club shows it was just ridiculous; so by the time it was over I was already thinking about riffs in my head, and then I just decided I wanted to write a record. So it didn’t become official until we got back from Europe and I made that conscious decision.

CR: So you are working on a new Forbidden record?
Craig Locicero: Is in the riffs stage, but I’m also writing lyrics and Russ is writing lyrics, Glen is been writing riffs and Matt is writing riffs… and Matt never used to write riffs; once we get back from Japan we are going to get on a new studio, kind of a headquarters and start to get it all together making the new songs.

CR: You guys came back pretty much in the perfect moment; there are a lot of thrash bands coming back, bands like At War, plus the huge amount of young kids playing old school thrash, bands that are inspired by Forbidden, Metallica, Megadeth…
Craig Locicero: Metallica and Megadeth inspired us… I’m not naïve enough to really believe that is really going to last; I don’t think this is going to last a really long time; Forbidden came out in the end… well we were around in the heat of it 1988 and he had like two good years of thrash been recognized and then it just died during the 90’s. I think is cyclical, it has to do a lot with the world, sometimes it has to get really, really bad and then it sort of creeps up again. But yeah it is happening now, plus we are in a dictatorship here in America and still half the country doesn’t believe in it you know, so yeah is pretty crazy up here, but I think when the timing is right for now but ultimately what I have decided it has nothing to do with if it’s cool or not cool or is it going to last or not, If we write an album that is good enough there is always going to be a certain amount of people that is going to like it and a whole lot more people that can get turn on to it, and there are some bands that are bigger than us that are into what we used to do that can give us an opportunity to play with them. A lot of things could happen, is one’s investment of time, at least we have something to call a solid base; whatever is cool or not is not going to really matter to us.

CR: Do you feel that perhaps this whole “thrash revival” is more of a market oriented movement than a fan base movement? You know all the major record labels are pushing their thrash bands from their rosters…
Craig Locicero: It’s going to over saturate the market that’s what’s going to do; its going to do what it always does, people become sick and tire at some point and they will desire for something with a different twist; there needs to be some bands to come out and do that. For me personally there are really very few bands that blow my mind, because there is a formula you know that people call extreme I call it very safe; to have the melodic vocals and then the screech over that, is very safe to have the extended Iron Maiden harmony solos, there is nothing extreme about it… is by the numbers you know, like painting by numbers, and I’m not underrating the stuff, because in some ways Forbidden was painting by numbers back in our “Hey day” we did what people did, but I think we were at least unique; people are going to get tired of one sound and move to another sound; is gonna happen like you say the people and the labels jumping on it, it’s gonna choke up the entire “river”.

	Pic courtesy of: Jerome Chiarandini "When you go to a show now there are a million things people can do, there is the internet, their Xbox, they don’t care so much on what’s going on out there you know, and there is too much traffic and the list just goes on and on for why people don’t go to shows"

CR: You guys just came back from touring Europe and I think in December you’ll be heading to Japan if I’m not mistaken…
Craig Locicero: Actually next week

CR: Oh, so this will be your first time in Japan?
Craig Locicero: Never have, we almost went but we didn’t. I’m really looking forward to it.

CR: Japanese fans seem to go insane over American bands, do you have any idea on the record sales that Forbidden has over there?
Craig Locicero: Well when it comes to Combat which was our old label and every License they had on our records is something that the fans can care less about, they don’t care how many records you sold or who’s your manager; but every band that was on Combat I can say this, in that period of time got exceedingly rip off, they didn’t keep straight books, this was back when cassettes tapes where around and they literally sell shit out of the back of the truck to this little Mom and Pop labels for discount prices that didn’t count, everything was sort of under the table during that time kind of dirty, so yeah their numbers weren’t straight; we know we sold a lot of records…we had no idea exactly what we sold, we had more of an idea of what we sold in the last 10 years. The last we heard up to 1991, was that we sold around 80 thousand copies of Twisted into Form worldwide back then; Twisted was a more popular record in sales than Forbidden Evil, I don’t know now.
So yeah we don’t have any specific numbers, now days is easier to follow your stuff around you know, you have itunes and things that you can specifically keep your eye on.

CR: How many shows have you done this year?
Craig Locicero: We did 5 here in California; and then we did 12 in Europe and then we are going to do 1 and two more so, I guess it will be like 20 shows we’ll do this year, then we are going to shut it down and start writing and we are going to start doing more festivals next year, continue writing and somewhere between there we are going to record; and there are quite a few labels that are interested in Forbidden, but we decided not to sign anything without having some music recorded, because that kind of pressure and expectation is something we don’t need. I mean we haven’t been sign for a while we can stay that way for a bit longer (laughs).

CR: It is cool to hear you actually confirm that Forbidden will be recording an album… I was just watching an interview you did I think back in June and they ask you about that and you said you did not know them…
Craig Locicero: Yeah I mean I kind of explain that earlier, that you know A: I wanted to feel inspire enough to write that record and B: that enough people will give a shit about it you know so it wouldn’t be a complete waste of time. When we went to Europe we only played songs from Forbidden Evil and Twisted into form because we just wanted to play the best and not jam a lot into people’s throat. I got in touch with what we were doing back them, and I think we played, we jammed a lot better than what we did before. So you need those right ingredients in order for you to consider writing a record. We did a lot of looking into the past and to the future so it was pretty much my call.

CR: Any ideas on how the new album will sound, I mean there are a lot of fans waiting for you come up with something like Forbidden Evil.
Craig Locicero: I really don’t know; what I do know is that it will be as all records are; it will be a great disappointment to some because it will not be what they wanted it to be and it will be a great surprised to others because we took the stuff and put the right influences and put it together again. You are never going to make everybody happy with your band coming around again, is just never going to happen, but it is going to be on fire, it is going to be very aggressive, it is every we worked on for the last few months. So right now Russ is signing great, I mean he had a hard time when we did 9 shows in a row, I mean 9 shows you know forget about it. But right now he’s voice is in great great shape, I can’t wait to play tomorrow. He’s going to unleash everything he’s been doing and he’s going to put it over the top as he always does it you know.

CR: You guys have been recording all those shows right?
Craig Locicero: Yeah some of them got recorded and some of them got recorded professionally by the festivals, we had the opportunity to do some stuff take a clip from here and there, there were some moments that were great, some that were funny stuff that people really like; we recorded a lot of personal stuff and I think eventually will do something will that.

CR: Now that Forbidden is back, what do you see as the most “shocking” thing that has change in the scene?
Craig Locicero: Well you can never duplicate the way it used to be, most importantly because of technology so everything is different, there used to be tape trading back then, it used to be more underground. And I see the work that people do to try to get the sound, there are bands out there trying to get the sound like the way it used to be, but is different you know, things are recorded differently, you can fix things. Back when we did it, you just recorded it and there was no going back, you know moving drums and putting samples and all those things that people do today, which are cool you know; is you making art so you can do whatever the hell you want; but that’s the biggest difference and I see bands that are trying to get that spirit back and they get close but it will never be same like it used to be, the world was different and we can’t change that. I think the biggest difference I have seen with the bands is that they’ll never get the real spirit that we had, and it’s not their fault; we look back 20 years from now and it will never be like it is now you know; this is the greatest time ever.

CR: Your first album, Forbidden Evil, today is a huge influence on a lot of young bands, have you ever heard a band that is just copying your riffs from back then?
Craig Locicero: Yeah, well some of it is because of speculation and some of it is because they told me (laughs); I’ve heard big bands do it, I have even heard of Slipknot talking about how much they liked Green and Joey was a huge Green fan; you know and that first Slipknot album has some serious Green rhythms on it, and I don’t have a problem with it, I think is great; just to mention a cliché, no one is reinventing the wheel or anything is all your interpretation and nobody is original but everyone is unique in a way. I’m flatter that the cycle of music has come to a point where we are influencing some bands, and quite a few have come up to me and told me how much of an influence we are, and that is flattering you know, that’s just the way it goes, if you get a record out someone is going to like it, and everybody is going to get a change to be influenced.

		Pic courtesy of: Forbidden "A band like Exodus was here just fucking killing people and influenced all those bands, and Metallica had to steel their guitar player (laughs). Exodus came out of nowhere, a guy like Paul Baloff is an influence on everybody because he was the most FUCK YOU guy we had ever come across; so yeah Baloff was the dude! I attribute to him a lot of the Bay Area attitude"

CR: I wanted to ask you a bit about the Bay Area, and why do you think that during the time you guys came out and when Metallica and Exodus where around did that specific part of the country was so special for thrash?
Craig Locicero: I really don’t know where it all started, I know that certain bands got influenced by the right things you know, Metallica moving here from LA, because they wanted to get away from there. A band like Exodus was here just fucking killing people and influenced all those bands, and Metallica had to steel their guitar player (laughs). Exodus came out of nowhere, a guy like Paul Baloff is an influence on everybody because he was the most FUCK YOU guy we had ever come across; so yeah Baloff was the dude! I attribute to him a lot of the Bay Area attitude. I think it’s a melting pot for a lot of middle class, is very expensive to live out here even back then and there is something also about the suburban side that works I don’t know what it is really. I can’t really explain why that makes any sense (laughs). Most of the bands back them came from middle class families and people had a little bit of support from their families. There were kids struggling trust me I didn’t come from a lot of money; it was comfortable to do it out here at that time and then it imploded on itself, too many bands same shit happens; everyone is ripping each other off, everyone is trying to do the same thing and nobody cares anymore.

CR: Do you think it still has some of that “magic” from back then?
Craig Locicero: No, it’s a great place to live, it’s beautiful; but if you are asking me if there is anything special regarding the scene around here then no. We are playing a show tomorrow night and I’m pretty sure is going to be a packed show, play a couple of memorable songs, those shows make people remember what it used to be, those kind of shows are really special; but when you go to a show now there are a million things people can do, there is the internet, their Xbox, they don’t care so much on what’s going on out there you know, and there is too much traffic and the list just goes on and on for why people don’t go to shows. So there is not really a huge demand for great bands out here and people don’t even know how to recognize great bands even if they come and slap them in the head you know (laughs); they are more in what it used to be than what is right now.

CR: True, it is hard to find people excited about new bands, new kids…
Craig Locicero: Yeah, I feel sorry, there are metal bands out here that are going for it, we got a band called Hatchet; they are sort of what we used to be more than most bands but, everyone is a little of the mark because there is not a lot of support but they have kids that come see them.
I think a big part of it, going back to the Bay Area scene and what was so great, was that a lot of bands were so young and there was a lot of kids coming from high school to this shows and it was a local thing; it wasn’t like they were all into Slipknot like it is now; I mean Metallica wasn’t around yet, and kids have their own local thing; a lot of this suburban kids will go to Berkley or where ever they were from and check out another scene and like it better. So yeah we don’t have a lot of young great bands to pull a lot of kids into.

CR: Have you heard any band today that is actually trying to progress the sound of thrash, because all you get today are bands trying to play 80’s style thrash?
Craig Locicero: I think they are trying to do something like we spoke about earlier, paint by numbers. They are trying to relive things instead of inventing their own thing and some of the thrash influences are been clouded by the Emo, scremo thing (laugh), I mean I’m not a hater of any kind of music you know, there is good in everything I really believe that. I didn’t hate the grunge scene from coming and destroying fucking metal, because metal need a shake up and everything needs a shake up, but I think the closest we can get are bands like Lamb of God and stuff like that, and I do love those guys, but they are not doing anything different but they are getting extremely popular; so maybe we can be a part of putting some new flavor into thrash. Testament certainly did sort of that with their new album, a very good album; maybe they have the best album that has come out from the Bay Area with all this resurface of thrash; And Exodu’s Tempo of the damned.

CR: Yeah I know what you mean; I have pretty much loved every single new album Exodus has put out…
Craig Locicero: They are all pretty good, but again that’s a matter of opinion you know, are they good from the first song till the last song all the way through, you know all that is very subjective. I mean you can ask me if we ever did an album that at least some people didn’t like a song or too, is very subjective.

CR: Do you have any personal choice, I mean is there a metal album that you could say is perfect?
Craig Locicero: The ones that always come to mind to me are Ride the lightning and Master of Puppets and as an old Metallica fan, because the older fans are the ones most disappointed with them, because we loved them and then they lost their perspective, now they are trying to find it again but to me is not the same.

CR: Yeah but I just heard their new album Death Magnetic, and is pretty good…
Craig Locicero: Yeah it’s pretty good, but I’m going to be totally honest, I’m not dissing the band, but they did put out all those other albums. I mean is pretty good and people are willing to jump on board and drink the cool laid, you know they are saying “oh at least they are coming back” but what if they had put out this album after ...And Justice for All; people would be hesitant you know, they wouldn’t have love it.

	Pic courtesy of: Forbidden "I’ve heard big bands do it, I have even heard of Slipknot talking about how much they liked Green and Joey was a huge Green fan; you know and that first Slipknot album has some serious Green rhythms on it, and I don’t have a problem with it, I think is great"

CR: Yeah you are right, I mean after St. Anger well…
Craig Locicero: Is a fresh change right! It’s good that they did it, but is it great uhmmmm I don’t know; none of the songs are great they are pretty good. I mean I’m completely blown away by the Black album, is pretty good, but does it blow me away that they put so many riffs into one song…. NO, is pretty good. I think people are starving for something that is pretty good that in the process of waiting for that they settle for something that is not that good. I mean I’m not saying we are going to make a great album, I have no idea what we are going to get, but I hope so, is hard man, you coming out of nowhere and trying to relive the past and for that you have to have a real strong grip on yourself.

CR: What do you think is or was so special about Forbidden that has kept your name floating around fans?
Craig Locicero: Well for a while I didn’t understand at all; like I said there was a point in my life where I wasn’t in to it. In retrospect I think we had the right combination of things, and a little bit different than other bands, because musically we could lay it down as aggressively as anybody, we were as tight as anybody. And we also had Russ to kind of top it all; we didn’t sort of discover our sound like Priest with Pain Killer, we didn’t thrash things up, that was just the way we came out; we had a great singer, we have a great singer and I can’t wait for him to show everybody how great he is. So yeah I think it was the combination that we had going, there weren’t many great singers, they sort of sacrifice that to have something else.

CR: To push it a little but more, how long do you think we have to wait for the new Forbidden record?
Craig Locicero: Well for me personally writing songs has become a lot simpler than it used to, sometimes when it comes to metal you can overanalyze things you know; but I think is going to be pretty fucking easy to write it because we are on fire right now; we don’t have any kind of time table, and that’s the beautiful thing of not having a label breathing down your neck. I do want to get it out towards the end of next year or the year after that; the hole writing recording process will go through the holidays, and probably into summer; and the shop for labels. I just want to make sure that the labels know the direction that we are taking, you know so that they know where we are now. Everybody talks about Nuclear Blast but they are just one of them

CR: Well Craig thank you so much for taking the time man!
Craig Locicero: Sure man, I hope to met you someday, just let me know when the interview is online, you can get in touch with me through the myspace page, and like I said earlier, I know somebody will be disappointed with our new album (laughs) no I hope we don’t get any writers block or anything!