Producer CHRIS TSANGARIDES - " METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER.......ect.."

Producer CHRIS TSANGARIDES - "ANVIL’s Metal On Metal Became The Template For METALLICA, ANTHRAX, SLAYER; The Speed Metal Thing"






Greece's Rockpages Web Magazine conducted an exclusive interview with the famous producer Chris Tsangarides (JUDAS PRIEST, THIN LIZZY, GARY MOORE, ANVIL) when he was recently in Greece for a seminar. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Rockpages.gr: Which would you say that are the most important albums you made in your career?

Chris Tsangarides: "Well, the first one I made, Back On The Streets (GARY MOORE), that was important, because it set me on my way and the next thing was ANVIL’s album Metal On Metal in 1982 I think it was, because it became the template for the likes of METALLICA, ANTHRAX, and SLAYER, the speed metal thing, that we didn’t know it was speed metal, it was just what they did and I would recorded it and people happened to like that. Then, it would be THIN LIZZY’s Thunder And Lightning for its sonic properties if you like. It became the benchmark for European heavy bands to sort of try and emulate that sort of tonality. And then, I suppose it’s been on to Painkiller by JUDAS PRIEST, which set up a whole new benchmark of how fast, heavy speed metal should be, it was kind of pivotal. Then, the other ones for me were the record I did with CONCRETE BLONDE, and the records with TRAGICALLY HIP, huge selling alternative products if you like. They sold more copies than the metal records, which is surprising. They are completely different to that, but it was very good for me because it means I have a career I can either do rock, metal, or indie, whatever you wanna call it."

Rockpages.gr: Working and making a living… which decade would you say it was easier for you? The ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, or the ‘00s, and why?

Chris Tsangarides: "I guess it would have been, for making the sort of types of money that everyone thinks a producer makes, the end of the ‘80s, ‘90s for me. Because, I had great successes in the US, where the market place is that much bigger, and therefore the royalty stream was that much bigger as well. It’s also where you build a reputation and they are willing to pay you well enough for someone of a certain stature in the business. It used to take longer to make records then, for some reason, and I could only do three a year maximum. Nowadays, since I had my little studio in four years we’ve made over 35 albums! I don’t know how I would have done that if the things were like they used to be in the ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, or whatever… I think it’s a whole new ball game the way finances work these days."

Read the full interview here and watch the complete video interview below: