By ADAM COOPER
DREADNAUGHT had their maiden voyage in 1995, sailing into a thrash and metal scene with the likes of Christbait, Damaged and Frankenbok drifting alongside them. Hailing from Tassie, crossing Bass Strait was inevitable and they forged ahead charting their own course as they went.
A plethora of worthy releases saw them play support to Devin Townsend and Testament to name a couple. Well … they are back with cannons firing!
With a new release entitled “Shutdown In A Heartbeat”. Yours truly caught up with first mate Greg ‘Egg’ Trull for a chin wag.
Hot Metal: Hey bud, what’s happening? The new shit sounds mint! Tell me about the recording process for you guys?
Greg Troll: “This album was a slow process, recording and mixing over an 18-month period at (bassist) Mark Kelson’s studio Lucidity Sound in Melbourne. It was good to have time to work through the material as opposed to recent records where we have rehearsed the fuck out of the songs, then gone in and smashed it out over a few weeks.”
HM: Dreadnaught has had a few members come and go over the years, how has the current line up settled in?
GT: “Our current line up has actually been together for a quite a few years but i think getting to write and record a new Dreadnaught album has really solidified our internal workings as a band. For a band that has been in existence as long as we have it can be difficult to maintain momentum and with long time members Damon, Ando and Marty retiring in recent years we did find ourselves somewhat directionless for a while. But being back with our first new record in eight years and playing our first shows in over two years has lit the fire once more.”
HM: How have you found recording now as opposed to the late nineties?
GT: “In the ninetiess there was this thing called tape and all I can say is you had better get it right quickly or the quality of your recording is going to diminish. But today you can fuck up as much as you like and still come out sounding good. Plus the endless tracks gives today’s records a depth and scope almost unheard of before. But i do miss some of the DIY approach such as the time we filled a steel rubbish bin with broken cymbals and then ran into it with Richie’s car and used it for a sound effect. Fun times.”
HM: You’ve got a few album launch gigs happening around the traps, tell me about touring as we get older?
GT: “Having done the first batch of the album tour shows thus far, being older and touring is actually easier. We have done this for so many years so nothing is a surprise anymore .And at this stage of our lives we are a lot more settled in our approach.We are not all living on $5 to last us for three days and the days of hard partying are way behind us. It’s all about the shows now as opposed to how much mischief we could get into when we weren’t playing.”
HM: The playing on the new record is worthy of note. Do you think time has been kind in regards to chops?
GT: “Personally I find it much easier to sing Dreadnaught songs than I ever have. Ever since the band began there has always been a focus on both individual and collective practice. For us the metronome has always been God. Richie still does the same warm up he has done for 30 years.”
HM: Tell me a crazy story from back in the day?
GT: “The time certain band members ‘borrowed’ a boat in Brisbane to cross the river and get back to the hotel. Or when possibly a vocalist was left stranded on the side of the highway at 2am in Ballina after the rest of the touring party drove off without him. And what about when we performed as a four-piece after two members of the band got into an argument on stage before a note was even played. I’ll stop there as this question could go on for hours.”
HM: OK serious question… If you were a pro fighter, what would your walk out song be and why?
GT: “‘Some Heads Are Gonna Roll’ by Judas Priest. The reason is obvious.”
HM: Do you follow any sports or sporting teams religiously?
GT: “Heavy Metal Is A Contact Sport.”
HM: Thanks mate…. Sail on sailor, through the sorrows of life’s marauders.
