I got to talk with my good friend George Call of ASKA recently over an internet connection, and this will be a running interview page with all the members of the band talking about their music and their life on the road. Check back to this site often to see what segments have been added recently. First up... my discussion with George.
DANA EDDY: Let's get started. I'm here with George Call of the heavy metal band ASKA. How's it going George?
George Call: Hi Dana, great to talk to you.
DANA EDDY: To get going tell us about how ASKA got its start... obviously you and your brother Damon, the former drummer, have been rocking together since you were kids... how did you hook up with Darren and Keith?
George Call: I met Darren in 5th grade. Turned him onto rock music, metal, the whole bit. We began playing guitar together in junior high and later in high school we started forming bands with each other. If my band didn't need a guitarist, well Darren would join as the bass player, if his band didn't need a guitarist, then I'd join as the bongo player...whatever. We just really liked playing together. We had the same musical heroes and we'd hang out at each other’s houses long before we started jamming together... George Call: so it was all very natural... George Call: We took our last high school band, LEEJON, as far as it would go and then we all split up and moved away from each other to pursue our individual goals. As fate had it, Darren and I wound up together again with a commitment to pursue our musical aspirations and see how far they would take us. Along the way, we played with many, many musicians. Very few were as much on the same page that we were on as Keith was. His joining us, in '90 I think it was, was what we consider to this day... George Call: the official genesis of the band.
DANA EDDY: So are you the Paul Stanley of ASKA and Darren the Gene Simmons or is it the other way around?
George Call: That's good! (smiles) I guess one could look at it like that. I think in some different aspects we both encompass traits that could be attributed to either one of the two though. I wouldn't want to leave Keith out of that equation though because I really feel he's an essential part of the team in every regard. He wasn't always involved in the business side of things or with the more mundane tasks that are part and parcel of every serious band out there, but at about the time we released Nine Tongues he seemed to have a grand awakening so to speak. Now instead of "Paul & Gene" we've got more of a Three Stooges thing going!
DANA EDDY: I said that because as a kid I voraciously read all about the beginnings of KISS and the way you describe your relationship with Darren sounds very much like the way Paul and Gene speak about each other. Keith could be counted in as the Ace Frehley of ASKA... because as I recall when Paul and Gene met Ace they knew instantly this was their guy.
George Call: I could see that.
DANA EDDY: So you began playing as a solid unit and you were hitting the clubs around Dallas / Ft Worth wearing camouflage Army surplus uniforms right? How did that whole "look" bring you to your current involvement with the USO and all the great worldwide exposure you've received as a result?
George Call: Well, we knew we wanted to be different than all of the other bands we had experienced out there on the local scene and so much had been done already that we really had to think of something that would set us apart from the herd. We hit on this camouflage, American flag flying concept and ran with the whole thing. Our stage shows included military netting all over the stage, prop bombs, bullets, dragon launchers, two flags flanking the drums, smoke. We'd wear different camo every other gig, from the traditional jungle green, to black & while urban camo, both types of desert gear, chocolate chip & tri-color, to SWAT camo and anything else under the sun. We even went so far as to commission a cover painting for our fist disc of an American Bald Eagle imposed over an American flag haloed by blue and red smoke. And we gave the artist an extra hundred to tinge our logo with red, white, and blue. This whole friggin thing paid off for us bigtime because anybody that saw us would always remember the band …and it got us discovered by the USO. A talent agent saw us do our thing one night at the old Basement in Dallas. You remember the Basement right? Where Pantera filmed a couple of videos? Anyway, the guy saw us and thought that we'd be a great morale booster for the U.S. and allied troops that were stationed overseas in the desert, holdovers from the whole Desert Storm war, and he made an initial tour proposal right there, that very night. We of course said we'd love to do it and it went so well that to this very day we continue to tour for them even though we've long since dropped the camo look. We've done about 13 international tours now to 36 different countries around the world. Most of them in Europe and Southeast Asia.
DANA EDDY: That's amazing. Your first exposure to the USO side of the coin was in an authentic war zone, not some stateside military post or base. Incredible! Can you remember if you were intimidated or apprehensive at all when you stepped off the plane in the Middle East?
George Call: Definitely a bit intimidated but thrilled as hell too. It was our very first tour as ASKA outside of the USA. You should have seen us on the plane! We were playing practical jokes on each other, flirting with every woman and grandmother that would look our way, hard-selling our music to anybody that had even the vaguest interest. Then after what seemed a lifetime on airplanes we finally get to Bahrain and it was complete culture shock. Maybe not so much for Darren and I, we had grown up in a third world country, but certainly for Keith and Jason. Coincidentally enough, Jason played drums with us on that very first tour. Damon had broken his elbow a few weeks before the tour was to get underway and we recruited Jason to fill the seat until Damon could eventually return. After Damon left the band we knew right away that we wanted Jason to be his replacement. After all, he had already proven his worth on tour with us. It was quite a treat for everybody to get out there. And surviving the warzone gigs, they started giving us choice locations for our follow-up tours. We've had a hell of a time doing this and made so many new fans that just would have never been exposed to us had we just been playing say, Texas and the surrounding states. The only way things could have worked out better is if we'd have snagged us a decent recording deal along the way.
DANA EDDY: I'm picturing the plane ride and cracking up here...
DANA EDDY: Cool... well as a guy who has had the fun of watching you progress here locally, and having been friends a good many years it's just great to see someone from our tribe make it to the mainland so to speak.... But let's shift gears here for a sec. I want to talk about the music you make, because after all this website will be viewed by music fans for the most part...
George Call: Sure, let's talk about the music.
DANA EDDY: I'm amazed the song "Little Sister" off of the Nine Tongues CD didn't get local airplay and seep out into the national market.... How did such a fun, catch, rocking little tune like that get passed over?
George Call: Radio people are more influenced by big labels and seeing what they'll get out of the deal if they support you. Underground bands can't compete with that so immediately have a tougher time of getting airplay and such. George Call: Little Sister did get tons of play in Panama though. George Call: 20 times a day sometimes.
DANA EDDY: I'm also astounded and mystified that your exposure via the USO hasn't snagged you a major label deal. Or even a better-known indie label that could get your name out there better.
George Call: You're not the only one. The only explanation I have is that Metal became a bad word during the mid-90's and that our discs back then were a little on the schizophrenic side.
George Call: They saturated the market with it while we were there on tour incredibly enough. It'd be Aerosmith's "Don't Wanna Miss A Thing" and then "Little Sister" all day. Freaked us out.
DANA EDDY: LOL... sharing airtime with Aerosmith is a good thing. :)
DANA EDDY: Any time you get to meet some of your musical heroes it's a thrill... you've played on the bill with some great ones haven't you?
George Call: Oh yeah. The thrill really comes when they treat you right though. It's a policy we like to use in our dealings with others. Nothing worse than a big shot trying to fuck the little guy. The little guy already has it rough and certainly doesn't need the further aggravation. Never forget your roots!
DANA EDDY: Which artists have treated you the best? I know you've played with Quiet Riot a few times... didn't you actually get to open for KISS at one point?
George Call: Yeah, we've played with everybody. Gosh there's so many. Too may to list for sure, Nazareth's Manny Charlton, Heaven, Dee Snider's Widomaker, Powerman 5000, Sevendust, Coal Chamber, Quiet Riot and all of the "80's metal" bands. Musically, we really haven't been on the same page with any of these bands. Since AVENGER and even NINE TONGUES, I’d be happier onstage with bands like Virgin Steele, Manowar, or Riot.
DANA EDDY: I've told people I know about you for years now... and there's one thing I've always stressed when describing your whole bag... your music... your stage show... your look. I've always said that there are 50 bands in town who wear the clothes they had on all day when they play a show... they don't dress to be entertainers or offer any sort of visual treat, whereas ASKA does. The leathers... the hair... the sound of the guitars... you guys really stay true to metal in a world where that's not a popular term... DANA EDDY: talk about that for a minute.
George Call: Bottom line is that we really do care. George Call: We take pride in the band and we've always felt that if anything is worth doing, it's worth doing right.
DANA EDDY: that's awesome DANA EDDY: wish more bands cared DANA EDDY: wish more fans showed up for live shows and asked their CD store for copies of releases... and called radio stations asking for bands.
George Call: Unfortunately, fans do...it's just not metal fans. They're calling and asking for N'SYNC and Brittney.
DANA EDDY: What's in your personal CD player right now?
George Call: It's actually empty at the moment but last night I was listening to the new AC/DC and some late 80's Sabbath.
DANA EDDY: I've spoken to people all across this country and there are guys in such remote spots as New Jersey who have heard of you. And once when in a record store in Japan you got mobbed by fans... surely you see these as signs of upward growth right?
George Call: Oh yeah. I know it's happening because everyday I get recognized more and more. I was at a garage sale just the other day and the guy's like "Dude!! You're the singer for ASKA!" The night before I was at the movie theater with one of my friends, lead singer for the band Miranda, and a guy in line says "Aren't you in a band? ASKA right?" Add to that the emails, the unofficial fan sites. Hell, our website's guestbook is maxed out. Then on Amazon.com's sales rankings we are on par sales-wise with many of our contemporaries.
DANA EDDY: You mentioned Sabbath... and I know you had a fondness for KISS like the rest of us... who else did you listen to growing up?
George Call: I'm very loyal to the bands I love so I still listen to just about everybody I listened to growing up. UFO, Priest, Maiden, Slayer, Venom. Celtic Frost, Manowar, Saxon. My tastes totally ranged the rock spectrum.
DANA EDDY: The debut "ASKA" disc you described... "IMMORTAL"... "NINE TONGUES"... and now "AVENGER"... all of these discs show a steady progress in the technical side of the band... better vocals, guitar effects, mixing... would it be safe to say your numerous live appearances are making you better musicians technically?
George Call: Sure. We're no doubt better musicians today than when we started and I expect that five years from now we'll be better still, that's why I see the band continuing to get better and better with every passing record.
DANA EDDY: What do you think about progressive metal... bands like Queensr˙che and their descendants... Iced Earth... Dream Theater... etc. Do you ever see ASKA venturing down that path?
George Call: I like some prog. I certainly respect the musicianship involved but for me it's always been about the song first, not playing or notes for the sake of notes.
DANA EDDY: Hehehe yeah, I think we got along together initially because we liked that each other actually SANG the lyrics when all the bands around us were into trying to sound like Phil Anselmo of Pantera or Rob Zombie or the guy in Pariah...
George Call: I liked your band the minute I saw you and even more after I talked to ya! I still recall that song about cocaine and the horrors of drug addiction.
DANA EDDY: Aw man thanks... like I said earlier we'll have to jam soon.
George Call: To answer your question a little better, some songs on AVENGER have been labeled as somewhat progressive but more in an early Queensr˙che kind of way as opposed to bands like Dream Theater. As for Iced Earth, we get compared to them quite a bit in the underground press and they are actually more in line with what we've done on AVENGER.
DANA EDDY: I'd describe you more in the Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, maybe even almost a Krokus sense... What do you think?
George Call: I'll take the Maiden and Priest comparisons as well but Krokus and even bands like KISS we don't really sound like anymore. NINE TONGUES was the last of that for us, not that it's bad, it's just we wanted to get serious on AVENGER.
DANA EDDY: Is there an ASKA video anywhere in the near future? A documentary feature length film with live concert footage?
George Call: I've thought about putting something like that out for the fans. Lord knows we've got the footage. I have drawers filled with video of the band on tour, on television, in bed...ha ha ha.
DANA EDDY: In bed huh? Well I guess it's like they say... "You always see tits at an ASKA show!"
George Call: Almost always!
[laughter]
DANA EDDY: Seriously… we'll have to get with Dan and get a video put together...
George Call: ASKA Dan? I'd like to definitely get something out there. A retrospective.
DANA EDDY: It would make a great addition to the catalogue that's for sure.... Something very cool for the T-shirt and CD sales table.
George Call: Agreed.
DANA EDDY: It's a shame the number of rock rooms in Dallas has shrunk steadily over the years. We used to have Savvy's out in Fort Worth... On The Rocks which is now a smaller version The Rock... but Dallas City Limits, arguably the best place to play for years, The Basement as you said, The old Roxy at the abandoned theater, Smokin' Dave's Rock Room, all these great clubs have gone away...
George Call: Fuck 'em. As long as they treat my fans right and pay us our money what do I care about 'em? Half of them treat the bands so poorly that it's no wonder they go belly-up and end up wondering why nobody gives a fuck. Ha ha ha.. They need to be friendlier to the people that help keep them in business, which are invariably the bands. There are exceptions to this rule.
DANA EDDY: That answer opens up a while new trail to follow... I think you're right but the problem is more widespread than just club owners and managers... it's people in general who are just downright mean these days. What are you seeing in the fans you meet along the way? Are people happy out there or is there a lot of angst pushing at the seams?
George Call: I think our crowd is for the most part pretty happy. People are there because they enjoy the music and they want to have a good time. I don' think the same can be said for all music fans across the board though.
DANA EDDY: ready to go on or do you wanna pause?
George Call: we can roll
DANA EDDY: cool
DANA EDDY: here goes
George Call: just for you big daddy
DANA EDDY: *fwap* wiseguy. : )
[long pause]
George Call: hello?
George Call: yoohoo
George Call: zzzz
George Call: zzzz
George Call: zzzz
George Call: zzzzz
DANA EDDY: I'm here *chuckle*
George Call: huh...
George Call: scared me, I dozed off
DANA EDDY: hahahahaha
DANA EDDY: it happens
DANA EDDY: then you get a QWERTY imprint on your forehead
George Call: ha ha
George Call: or an asdfg
DANA EDDY: okay... so along comes AVENGER... and now you're in the studio getting ready for yet *another* release. Will this new CD be continuing where the darker, moodier AVENGER leaves off?
George Call: Oh yeah. We actually haven't started work on the new disc yet. We were in the studio recording some songs for other purposes. Not sure what yet. I've also been doing the vocals for a Christian musical entitled "The Jew". I do the voice of Jesus. AVENGER's follow-up will see us continue down that road though. We've given it a lot of thought.
DANA EDDY: Very cool… That rules! So do you want to talk about your spiritual leanings or should we go elsewhere?
George Call: We can go elsewhere. The musical is neat and something I'm doing to stretch my boundaries but my focus is ASKA. Incidentally, I was hired to do the musical when the musical's producers happened to hear me laying down vocal tracks for AVENGER. They must have really liked my voice because I ended up with the lead role.
DANA EDDY: Your voice has always been great... you have a distinctive, smoky sounding high range... So you're appearing live on stage in this production or just on a recording?
George Call: Right now just on the recording but I've been asked to do performances on stage as well. I'm open to it as long as it doesn't interfere with ASKA.
DANA EDDY: Many artists later express an interest in the theater, such as Paul Stanley (And again we're back to the KISS analogy…) appearing in Phantom of the Opera...
George Call: This is where I feel Paul Stanley is dropping the ball. I think he's putting an end to KISS because he's been accepted in theater and wants to continue to do that, which is fine except for the fact that he's in KISS. I also seem to recall that him and Gene had it out in the late 80's when Gene was concentrating on Hollywood over KISS. Seems the tables have turned now.
DANA EDDY: I remember that. Gene was in the movies as a pretty decent bad guy. It does make Paul sound just a little hypocritical now that you mention it.
George Call: The true KISS fan doesn't care if they go out on top. We just want them to continue to release music until they keel over from death or exhaustion. Only critics care if they leave on top or otherwise and I thought they said that they didn't care about the critics. From what I understand Gene, and for sure Peter, would keep it going if they could but with Paul being noncommittal and Ace flakin’, it's all over but the crying.
DANA EDDY: Yeah but we sure got many cool years of KISS lore and music to look back on. I guess ASKA will just have to start adding lots of pyro and lighting to their shows and step up to the plate to take the mantle on into the next decade.
DANA EDDY: Tell us about some of your songs now... really enjoyed Killashandra off of Nine Tongues... what are some of your best tracks off of each release?
George Call: For AVENGER it's easily the entire CD. There's not a single wasted track on that disc. On NINE TONGUES my favorites were "The Stalker", "The Question". "The Dream", "Nightmare" and most certainly "Killashandra". My favorites on IMMORTAL were of course the title track, then "Vigilante", and "Dream In Color" which we caught a lot of flak for in the press for it's racially based content but I'd do over again in a heartbeat. On the self-titled disc I'd say "Delta Force". I think our first had a lot of great songs but we were hampered by a terrible producer who didn't really get us, if you will.
DANA EDDY: Yes indeed I hear you man… it’s difficult to find someone to produce and ‘catch the vision’ sometimes… AVENGER seems to be an answer to that at last. Well I think this is a good place to stop for now and then we'll continue with more questions and get some of the other guys in here to talk soon. I really wanna talk to Darren and Keith... and get to know Jason better and let all the fans in on him a little more.
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