When you work for a legend (Rob Halford) for several years and it comes time to call it a day so he can join up with his old pals again, you can do one of two things: 1. retire from the business and tell your grandchildren how you played with “The Metal God” or 2. forge ahead and keep the fire burning that still rages inside. Well, for Metal Mike Chlasciak, he has done just that. Prior to joining with Rob, he has pumped out three solo albums and he is in high demand to be on other people’s projects as a guest artist. He has just joined his new team mates in TESTAMENT and he has released his debut band PAINMUSEUM on his own starter up label: C.M.M. Entertainment. If you ask me, Mike still has a lot to offer and Metal runs in his blood and his career is just beginning to take off. I managed to fire off some email questions for the busy man and what he has to say is a whole hell of a lot, especially when it comes to the late “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott.

Mike, this is Joe from “The Metal Observer”. How is life treating you? I hope all is well and now if you don’t mind let’s get into the interview.

All is well. Let’s talk Metal. 

Obviously, on Wednesday December 8^th 2004 was a complete tragedy with the loss of “Dimebag” Darrell Abbott. Being a fellow guitarist, what did he mean to you and did he at all help or inspire the way you play guitar today?

You know what happened with “Dime” was a complete fucking blow to the Metal world. A lot has been said about that already. But, in a nutshell I think it is a horrible tragedy. I wish “Dime”, Vinny’s family and the families of the fallen my best wishes and my sincere condolences. Double tragedy here is that there are people dying in Iraq to keep this country safe, in vain. For what? I think what I took away from “Dime” is to be myself and do what feels right for me. 

PAINMUSEUM is your new solo outing that is a no frills albums. This album simply crushes anything in its path including the current roster of bands that try to make music like this, but fail miserably. Was this always your mission to make a product that is loaded with power and aggression?

It was my mission to make a record that speaks the truth. To make a record that I would want to walk into the music store and buy a record that was not destroyed by managers, labels and anyone else. We are in the golden time with PAINMUSEUM. We do whatever the fuck we want and the fans know that. And, they appreciate it. The PAINMUSEUM album is a dedication to Metal, the way we want it to be. The more the music industry pressed for this album to be something else, the more I pressed it to be the opposite. After a while, that became the purpose of this album, this band and my vision in general. We are the artists and we play the music we want to play, not for anyone else, but for the fans and also ourselves. 

The lineup on here helps makes this a devastating CD. How did you come to the conclusion of including, Steve DiGiorgio, Bobby Jarzombek and Tim Clayborne?

Steve DiGiorgio I knew from TESTAMENT. And, I called him and asked if he’d be up to record this album. Told him he was able to do whatever he felt like doing on bass. He was way into it right away. Bobby is my close friend from Halford, and he was the first member of the band, right of the bat. Tim sent in a tape that just fucking blew me away. I saw sincerity and someone that is not jaded by the business. A real clear soul that wanted to play Metal as much as I. The choice was clear. That was the line up. Later, I called Roy Z to mix the whole thing. Roy was on board right away with much of the great vibe and enthusiasm he brings to each album. Making a record with all these guys was the easy part, musically speaking. No boundaries, just go and fucking play good music.  

The one thing that is hard to ignore is that besides having an 80’s vibe in your music, you have a possessed demon screaming on the mic. Tim sounds a little like Chuck Billy during the “Demonic” period. Was this the style you were gunning for?

Well, I never hid that I’m a huge TESTAMENT fan, outside of being in the band already, ha. I love what Chuck does vocally. When I heard Tim Clayborne’s old band HATRED, that was more of a Death Metal band …. I heard Tim sing quite easily in that vein, so I was very excited. Tim has all the qualities of my favorite signers: Chuck Billy, Chuck Schuldiner, Udo, etc. Not necessarily the very clean vocals. I was always more into the more aggressive vocals.  

Each song is a punisher and will leave you on the floor. Will you continue in this vein on the next release or experiment?

Well, we plan on doing what comes naturally, but I believe that we have found a PAINMUSEUM sound, by just doing the easiest thing you can do …. Being ourselves.

This music is a reaction to all the things around us and as along as we meet wining bitches, fakes, posers and assholes in this world … we will make exactly this type of music. So fear not…

What about the lineup? Will it stay the same or will you rotate musicians?

The line up will stay exactly the same, except the bass player position. We have been helped out in the past by Joe Comeau (x-ANNIHILATOR/OVERKILL) and Mike LePond (SYMPHONY X). Between these two great guys and players, we are looking very good. PAINMUSEUM core is myself, Tim and Bobby. 

You know you have to tour with this band? What is the current status?

YES!!! We will tour some parts of the US in earlier part of 2005. Our label overseas is looking into some European dates and we already have festival options that came in. So, yeah … we all know that PAINMUSEUM in not an MTV band, or a radio hit bad, we will need to tour to sell a decent amount of records, which in turn will allow the band to exist and record more music. There must be that chain reaction. Luckily both the band and the label know and understand that fact very well. PAINMUSEUM is a very high priority for all its members … and to me it is my fucking vision and way more than just a band. It serves a big purpose in my life and allows me to do interviews with people like yourself where I have un-censored forums to speak my mind. It’s very important to me. 

I read that you were born and raised in Poland and then moved to the U.S. in your teen years. Was it always a dream of yours to get your Metal career started here?

Oh no. I wasn’t even a guitar player when we moved here in 1984. I started playing in 1986 and just dove head first into Metal. I’m serious … from the first day that I got my cheap BC Rich copy guitar I knew I wanted to be a Metal guitar player. My parents weren’t so sure about it, but they changed their mind when Halford played Madison Square Garden, ha ha. 

I see that you are a graduate of Berklee College of Music. Did you use that school to help hone in on your guitar skills or did go there to learn how to play guitar and everything else as well such as theory and compositions?

A little of both. Actually I learned more from my friends that were going to Berklee than the school itself, although it was a wonderful experience. A one I’d recommend. I did not party extremely a lot, just stay home, play guitar all day, sent out demos of my playing. Everyone was learning their Real Book Song Jazz Charts and I’d blow up fucking amps in control rooms jamming to Joe Satriani or LOUDNESS. People knew me by me wearing my Yngwie T-shirts to class and some dismissed me as oh … another Metal guy. But, you know …. In the end it worked our very well. 

You have always been a busy man. You released three solo instrumental records. Will you continue to make more in the future?

Possibly. There are some additional areas I’d like to explore. It’s about finding the time and making it happen. However, I know that the PAINMUSEUM schedule will be a busy one, as we don’t want to have too much time between the albums. 

This question must be asked. How on earth did you score the dream job of being the main six-stringer for HALFORD?

I read on the internet that Rob was looking for a guitarist. At that time, he was just off of doing the TWO album, which was not really a Metal thing. Or at least a “Metal God” thing. I said fuck it, here I go …. So, I sent Rob and his managements my first solo album Isolation Chamber “Grind Textural Abstractions” that is just pure fucking Metal riffing and guitar solos. I said if they don’t like it – fine. But, this is what I have to offer. It turned out that Rob is just about to make his comeback album in Metal and guess what: my CD just came in. I flew out to LA and we wrote with Rob, demoed the music with Roy Z. at Silvercloud Studios where both Halford albums were recorded. At the end of that 2 week period, we decided that Resurrection was about to take place and the band line up is pretty much complete. The rest is as they say, Metal history right?? 

You recently joined the TESTAMENT camp. It’s an obvious choice why they picked you. What is the current status of the CD? What direction is this going to be in if you can explain?

Yeah, playing in TESTAMENT is a huge honor as I was way into Alex Skolnick and all that. Now, to carry that torch is really great and a lot of fun. Next CD, I’d say is gonna’ carry the tradition of “The Gathering”, but with more guitar solos reminiscent of “The New Order”...The band is finalizing the writing process at this time. The new album will be out next year on Spitfire Records.  

Your career is really hot right now. Many people want you to guest on albums and you have also supplied guest performances as well such as on the last PRIMAL FEAR CD. How does it make you feel to be in such demand?

Well, I never things about it much I guess. It’s nice and it feels good when people ask me to join them in their albums, projects and all that. But only when they ask me to do what “Metal Mike” does, you know. It’s never something like …. Can you come in and sound like this or that guy. Or just do some overdubs here and there. I’m not interested then. Music and Metal for that fact is a very personal thing to me and I want to say what I need it is I need to say at that time. So, I like to work with a free pallet to do whatever I want to add to each project. But, yeah … to answer your questions … it’s very flattering and I appreciate it all.

In your career, you have accomplished two main things which was performing to a sold out crowd at the almighty Madison Square Garden and at the Rock In Rio. What goes through head as you perform in front of 20,000 plus of your fans?

Few things …. First one is don’t fuck up … no just kidding. Man, it’s just a pure adrenaline rush, a release. When we played the Garden it was great, sure …. But it really did not hit me, until I saw the video tape of it. There it is you know, a place that I walked so many times right by on my trips to NYC. Ahh … I don’t know … its fucking great. There is a different smell in the air playing arenas and the whole vibe in NYC is great. It’s a great city that I identify with. “Rock In Rio” …. Oh …. That’s another interview … the stories I have for you ….. 

C.M.M. Entertainment is your record label, correct? If so, what kind of bands do you look to have join your roster as you build it up?

Well, C.M.M. Entertainment is now also a label. It’s a company that I own that takes care of day to day business for me, PAINMUSEUM and things like that. We opened the record label wing as basically it was a matter of necessity really. We are glad we did it. When we met with several record labels in the US and saw the record deals that were offered to us, it was quiet amusing. So to make a long story short, CMM can do more for PAINMUSEUM than a lot of the labels can. We have dedication, experience, and people that want to be here. On top of that we have national distribution across all FYE, Coconuts, Wherehouse Music, Kamelot and many more locations. 

Thanks for the interview and can’t wait for the tour. Take care and never let the spirit of Metal die!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fuck no. The real spirit will live as long as we are around. Thank you to all the support from everyone. Reject posers ….. SUM 41 is not Metal, fuck their so called Metal roots … don’t buy into the hype and propaganda run by corporate beasts …. As a matter of fact, fuck all the bands that state they started in Metal, but changed their vision, etc … the LITs, NICKLEBACKs and all the posers, sell out fucks who simply gave up and play more accessible type of music. PAINMUSEUM will NEVER join the list. We are METAL FOR LIFE.

If you can’t get enough of Metal Mike, then go to www.painmuseum.com for your additional fix.

2004: Metal For Life (Battle Hymns For The New Apocalypse) (CD, C.M.M. Entertainment)