SYMPHONY X Interview with Michael Romeo and Michael Lepond

XM: You’re five shows into the tour, How’s it going?
Michael Romeo :It’s good. It’s really good.

XM: How was Montreal?
Michael Romeo: It’s great. Every time we come up here it’s been great. We were a little bit concerned when some of the bands started dropping off. People are coming out though. which is great.

XM: In the past how has Toronto compared to Montreal?
Michael Lepond: Nothing compares to ---------.
Michael Romeo: (Laughs) He’s throwing down.
Michael Lepond: When we play --------- they just bring it. ---------- is great, no question. But ---------- is better, hands down.
Michael Romeo: We’re going to delete this part of the interview.

XM: Actually this is the standard question I ask everybody (laughs)
Michael Romeo: What are you doing, bro? Why are you causing international troubles? (laughs)

XM: You have a new album coming out: "Iconoclast". In the past, Symphony X has always had a theme or concept to the album. Is there a theme to "Iconoclast", and what is it?
Michael Romeo: We always try to do that, so that lyrically we have something cool to accompany the instruments. With the upcoming "Iconoclast", we are going to make it heavier. With this one, we were trying to figure out what we could do without making it too different. So we started writing some riffs and going about writing some stuff. Then one day I was watching "The Matrix", or "300", I can’t remember. Anyways, I really liked the soundtrack to it. They had that mechanical sound, with the really gritty sound of metal. It really started to build into this mechanical machine theme idea. Lyrically it’s really deals with Man versus Machine/Technology. It’s a little different, but not so different that the band sounds different.

XM: When you go into the studio to record a new album, do you go in with the purpose to create the best album ever made?
Michael Romeo: Oh ya, for sure. That’s what takes us so long. The studio is at my house, in my basement, so we do everything there. But we are experimenting all the time and going through a really thorough process of filtering out the great stuff from the rest. It’s not like we just walk in knowing what we are going to record. We have a good idea, but we build on the idea in the studio.

XM: Going into the history of Symphony X, it seems that the platform to your success really came from Japan. A lot of Power Metal bands actually get their big break in Japan. Sonata Artica, Children of Bodom, etc. What’s your insight as to why Japan is so receptive to Power Metal?
Michael Romeo: I don’t know about now, but for us the situation back then was in the early '90's. A lot of Grunge was coming into the mainstream, so it was really hard to find a demand for Power Metal. We had gone from an era of great guitarists in the '80's, to the scene practically changing over night. Metal kind of stopped in its tracks. In Japan, however, they always respected that kind of music. For us it started out with me doing a simple guitar instrumental. Back then a lot of the guitarists were exchanging personal tapes, and one ended up in the hands of a label in Japan. They phoned me up and asked if I had a band. I, of course, lied and said "Yes". That’s how it started. They always seemed to respect good musicianship. Then over the years we played in Europe and South America, and over time Metal started to open up here again.

XM: You’re a world renowned shredder in the Metal world. I’d really like to ask you: how did you get to the level of skill you're at now?
Michael Romeo: When I first started playing, it was with a piano, so I had a basic understanding of theory and how to read music. When I got my first guitar at 14, I did the beginner lessons, and learned the bullshit chords. Over the years I got more into guitar. KISS is really how it started. KISS, ACDC, [Judas] Priest, et cetera. I think the thing that really got me practicing a lot more was Rhandy Rhodes. The things he could do with a guitar were incredible. I really started learning the serious theory and techniques of guitar. I listened to as much as possible from Steve Vai to Malmsteen. When we first got the band going, Michael Pinnella and I had this Classical thing in common. I started really listening more into Post Romantic and Modern Classical and it was a huge influence on me. I could name hundreds of bands from all different types of genres.

XM: Favourite album of all time?
Michael Romeo: "Heaven and Hell" would be one. At one time it was "Blizzard of Oz". It changes a lot.

XM: Best show you’ve ever done?
Michael Romeo: Geez. Hmmm...They have all been good and great. They keep getting better. The most memorable to me was the first time in Japan because in the States we never really played. We had a label and they were putting it out there but we never played gigs in the States. Then our first tour was in Japan, and really the first time we played to an audience. There were people everywhere, which was a huge shock for us because we never realized how much they liked us until we went over.

XM: What do you think will be Symphony X's masterpiece? Have you already made it?
Michael Romeo: We always try to make it each album. We try to do the best we can and make everything amazing. People will always like “Divine”, and it was the first album that really cemented us as a band. You can tell we were a lot more focused by that album. I really think “Iconoclast” will be our masterpiece though, personally. It’s different. And I can usually tell because after listening to the [album] over and over for a year, you end up wanting to listen to something else. I didn’t get that with this album. It’s still a pleasure to listen to. We kept wondering what was taking us so long with this new album. One day, we sat down and looked at the total time of the music we put together and it came out to about 80 minutes of audio. We figured that we had enough to cut a great album, and at the end of the day it just felt like we had created a great body of work. I think the fans will really like it.

XM: You’re a man of many guitars. Which one do you like the most?
Michael Romeo: I have been using the Comparisons for awhile. Before that it was ESP. When I first started playing, when I bought my first guitar with my own money, I bought a Kramer Pacer. I just loved the feel of it. It was always my guitar. When the Comparison people got in touch with me, I asked them if they would make me a guitar. They said yes, and I sent them the neck of the Pacer. It had a thicker grip and it sat great; nothing else in terms of instructions. I’m pretty easy that way. Strat body, humbuckers, and a Floyd. I never liked the idea of fancy buttons all over the place.

XM: If you could go on tour with one band, who would it be?
Michael Romeo: [Judas] Priest, [Iron] Maiden... the legends I guess (laugh)

XM: Favorite brand of beer?
Michael Romeo: I don’t drink beer.
XM: You know, that’s the second artist in a row that has said they don’t drink.
Michael Romeo: No I drink, I just don’t drink beer.
XM: So what’s your favourite drink then?
Michael Romeo: Jack Daniels.
XM: How?
Michael Romeo: Straight. I’m not much of a beer guy. I don’t need fancy beer, just give me a bottle of Whiskey.

XM: Where do you see Symphony X in the next 10 years?
Michael Lepond: We’re going to be doing the same thing we are doing now: writing records and going on tour. Be louder and better.
Michael Romeo: I totally agree. Every record does better and better for us. I think its cause the fans realize that we aren’t banging out a cheap album for a quick buck. They realize our dedication to our music, and know that we always release a quality product.

XM: Touring takes its toll. There ever been a point where you woke up in the morning and you just didn’t want to do this anymore.
Michael Romeo: Actually...no. Sometimes there is some drama or something that frustrates you, but we are a family now. We have never been ‘that’ band with problems or fights. We love what we do.
Michael Lepond: There are times, mentally, where you’re just kind of lost. Most of that is brought on by exhaustion. But the moment you get on stage, it just slaps you awake, and all of a sudden you realize that there are hundreds of people waiting for you to play. That gives you all the energy you need.

XM: Favourite song to play live?
Michael Romeo: It always changes. When you release a new album, you love playing the new songs. Then they get old, and the new album comes out and you love playing the new stuff. There are some that stand the test of time. “Sins of Shadows” is one. It always feels good on stage for me. “Set the world on Fire” and “Paradise Lost” [as well]. We’ve been doing two new songs from the new album and they feel great. I was a little worried playing them live [before the album is released]. Nobody knows them, so we were really hoping that we picked the right ones. But the fans love them and we love them too.

XM: What’s the first single from the new album and tell us about it.
Michael Romeo: It’s called “End of Innocence”, and it’s one of the new ones we will be playing tonight. It’s just that song that is heavy and easy for the fans to grasp.
Michael Lepond: I personally think that playing these songs before the album comes out is a great idea. It gives the fans a taste of what’s to come, and when you totally nail these new songs live then the fans are even more pumped to get the new album.

XM: Anything to say to fans out there?
Michael Romeo: Thanks for sticking with us. Thank you for being so understanding with how long we take to write albums (laughs). Thank you for always hanging in there.

XM: On behalf of myself and X-plosive Metal thank you.
Romeo/ Lepond: It was our pleasure.

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