DECEASED Interview with King Fowley

XM: “Surreal Overdose” is soon to be unleashed to the world in April 2011. Was your songwriting/recording process any different than usual?
King Fowley: Well it took 6 years to do it. but not for lack of ideas or songs. so many things went on over last half a decade. Members retiring from live gigs. retiring from playing music. marriages, moving to different states from each other etc etc. We've been doing so much in the last 5 years and it took time to get the songs down and correct. We jammed as a 3 piece many times, our bassist Les lives in Tex far far farrr from us. Recording wise we flew Les in and all met in Virginia to record. It went well. Very ready to roll and it fell into place. We're all very proud of the new record. It's finally out Friday may 13th!!!

XM: How many songs did you write to get down to the 8 new tracks?
King Fowley: Just the 8. But a lot of arranging and deranging of songs for the last few years. We've never wrote 'extra' songs. If somethings working we roll with it, if it's not we just move on from the track and write new. It works best for us!

XM: What are your expectations for the album?
King Fowley: We wanted it to be very well played as a band, which to us it is. Strong songs and a nice full, heavy sound. After it's out it's just out. We're not trying to take over the world or anything. Just getting it out an gigging and saying 'hi' on the road to friends an supporters the world over. If it sells well, cool! If not, cool too! We write music for us and nothing more!

XM: With "Surreal Overdose", was it hard to recapture that signature sound that "Deceased" has become famous for?
King Fowley: I don't think so. We've always written what feels right. We lost Mark Adams on guitar, one of the long time band members, but new guitarist Shane came in ready and delivered the goods. He's been an avid Deceased supporter for 20 years so he knows where we come from. He's a local guy and a long time pal. It all fell into place. I've always arranged the songs so that didn't change and Mike Smith has written the riffs for many, many years now.

XM: Tell me a little about the songs on the latest release.
King Fowley: Well there's 8 new songs. 'Skin Crawling Progress' leads off the record and is a longer cut. It deals with the world today. All the bad all the false hope and all the honest dirge we are all wading in. From child molester/killers to half assed hospitals, it's all there in the words. Very up tempo lead off cut. 'Kindred Assembly' follows and deals with the sad world of Alzheimer's disease, fast paced as well! This will more than likely be 'The Single'. 'The Traumatic' follows and is about a woman with mental illness having children to bring fear and doom in to heir hearts. It goes even further with her and the ending is tragic. This one also is fast! A lot of fast paced stuff on the record. 'Cloned (day of the robot)' is next and deals with the sci-fi world of cloning. Is it happening? Is it gonna work? Should it work? It's all here. More mid paced for the first half, then it back to go go go speeds. 'Off-Kilter' is a very fast paced cut about everything in the world just being a little bit off, nothing ever fits right, it's always out of whack!!!! 'In The Laboratory of Joyous Gloom' deals with drug addiction and mental illness, are they one? Did one cause the other to happen? A very gloomy tale about one persons decent into real hell. 'Doom Laden Aura' is a guitar piece that seals the ending of the previous song, haunting and kinda just 'brooding' along. The album closer 'Dying in Analog' is the story of man being told disease is ending his life. He realizes his past isn't the best it could of been and tries to go back and fix things with his family and friends. He's little time for closure. This song has a lot of melody in it and it's a perfect closer for the record. 45 minute record in all.

XM: With so many classic ‘80s bands no longer putting out new material, just living on their past as nostalgia acts, why did Deceased break from the pack and decide to put this CD out?
King Fowley: We've never gone away. We've trudged on from day one. We make and create music for us. We don't care what year it is or how old we are. We're very, very viable players and we'll never lose our spirit or determination. We've got many decades left in us. Music comes from the heart and we've got plenty of that in us. We're proud to put out new GOOD music. You're right so many bands live in the past musical endeavors. If you run out of steam, you run out of steam. We haven't!!!

XM: Deceased was the first band to sign on to Relapse Records and stuck with them for quite a while. Why the decision to switch over to something new, that being your own label?
King Fowley: Too much bullshit and lies from them. As the years went on it became headache on top of headache. We're straight up guys and we expect the same in return. Too much nonsense ended it! One day i told Matt Jacobson "we're leaving your label it's not happening anymore here". We're happy to put the records out our self. We're in this to have fun and smile, not worry about if the 'other side' is doing their part., which they weren't! Easy going and care free business now. The way we like it!!!

XM: You play the drums for recording purposes so I have to ask, do you ever get frustrated when you play live shows and the drumming is not exactly how you would do it?
King Fowley: Well I understand that players are players. We all do it a little different. The 2 drummers we've had David Castillo and Eric Mayes both kick ass and play hard and dead on. You have to allow a drummer to 'breath' and add to the rhythms. I play an odd style of drumming and it can confuse them and believe me it has at times! But it's really been great overall and I'm super happy to have had and have them.

XM: What are the difficulties and differences between playing live and when you are recording?
King Fowley: Live we are more over the top! very fast, lots of adrenaline pouring out. On record i like that too but we know we are trying to put the songs down as tight and precise as we possibly can. We try to find the fine line to make it work out in both worlds. The new record has been the best example of our energy live in a studio setting. We learn as the years come and go. Maturity comes with the time!

XM: The band has done several cover tunes over the years and released a 2 disc set “Cadaver Traditions” which has them all plus 3 new ones. Of all the cover tunes you have ever worked on which one would you say is your favorite and least favorite? Why those?
King Fowley: Well that release isn't out yet. Later this year. but we love doing covers too. We love music and paying tribute to songs/bands we love makes it fun, less pressure just go with it. I really like the venom 'Black Metal 'cover we did as well as Maiden's 'Two Minutes to Midnight'. Hard to narrow it down to one. A couple of my least faves are Motorhead 'Stay Clean' and probably Agent Steel's 'Agents of Steel'. The voice in our band isn't always best for certain songs and sometimes it ends up not working. That is the case with agent steel. As for Motorhead, I thought we lacked the power of the original cut for whatever reason.

XM: If you could have been involved in the production, writing or recording of any album which would it be and why?
King Fowley: Hard to say, anything I like works already! No need for help or my opinions :)

XM: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words X-PLOSIVE METAL?
King Fowley: I read the x and think 'xxx' from nasty savage! :) Hearing it I feel aloud punishing sound, maybe Venom's 'Warhead' :)

XM: Could you just briefly take us through the band’s plans for the 2011?
King Fowley: 10-15 gigs, DVD release, CD and vinyl of the new record. New merch, record a few cover songs, and to start writing the next Deceased record 'Ghostly White'!

XM: On behalf of xplosivemetal.com I would like to thank you for taking time to answer a few questions with us. Anything else you'd like to mention or promote?
King Fowley: Thanks for the support. upthetombstones.net is the website. Look for the new record 'Surreal Overdose' out Friday May 13th. Anyone can order it by emailing me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . UP THE TOMBSTONES!!!!!