In nearly 30 years of history, Tourniquet has built a solid fan base with its unique musicality, defined by them as “Beethoven Meets Frankenstein”. Fans who were eagerly waiting for a new album and who were rewarded with “Gazing At Medusa”, a work that even recently released, is being very well received by all (you can check our review here). And to talk about all those issues surrounding the new album, plus some stuff that fans have been waiting for a long time, Ted Kirkpatrick, drummer and band leader has given us this exclusive interview that will surely cease many doubts in the thoughts of his fans.
By Márllon Matos
Metal Na Lata: Despite of not releasing a full album since 2012, this is not a sign that the Tourniquet was inactive at this time. The band released an instrumental version of “Antiseptic Bloodbath” in 2013, the Ted Kirkpatrick’s Tourniquet album in 2014, the vinyl reissue of the classic album “Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance” and the first live show in nearly 10 years. How do you guys stop and concentrate efforts exclusively on a new album by the band?
Ted Kirkpatrick: Plus “The Doom in Us All” Black Sabbath tribute album released in 2016. Incidentally, “Onward to Freedom” was the same amount of work as a “traditional” Tourniquet release – maybe more as there were quite a few musicians involved. Interesting to note that OTF has now significantly outsold Antiseptic Bloodbath. Seems to answer the question as to whether people can enjoy an entire album dedicated to songs about the struggles animals face, sung by multiple vocalists and featuring leads by numerous guitarists. As for concentrating efforts “exclusively” on a new album – that never happens. There’s so much involved in keeping a band active, relevant and current. Social media, merchandise creation, endorsement updates, interviews, fulfilling orders, interacting with fans, YouTube content, etc. But I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Metal Na Lata: “Gazing At Medusa” was initially shown to the world on a crowdfunding project and was promised for March 2017, but we know the album will only come out in September. What happened to have this delay?
Ted Kirkpatrick: Many, many factors that the backers and other fans who were waiting are mostly not aware of. There are just timing things that often simply can’t be sped up. Sometimes they don’t come up, sometimes they do. It’s one thing when I can count on myself to get things done – but when it comes to having a vision for the album, then deciding how best to make it happen – musicians are all on different time schedules. They may be on tour, in the studio recording, busy writing, or rehearsing for a tour, just returning from tour and need a break, etc. And sound engineers – the ones that make an album sound great, like Aaron Pace – are usually in demand and you may be third or fourth in line to get your album mixed and mastered. All these things can delay an album for weeks, months, or more. One of my issues was moving from Wisconsin to south Florida – a major endeavor for sure. Also getting the best vocal performance that we could was very important and didn’t happen overnight. Everything changes with a Kickstarter campaign, as the artist is accepting people’s hard-earned money up front. I know the delay has been long, but we’ve put a great deal of effort into trying to speed up the release as much as possible, without sacrificing on the quality of the final product. I refuse to do that – period. It’s ready when I feel satisfied to release it to the fans, and not a day before. The release date is a goal. It’s not like intentionally breaking a promise or a vow. These type delays are extremely common in the music and film industry for many of the same reasons I just stated, and others. But, alas, there’s always a few people who just can’t let it go no matter how you explain the delay and work to make up for it. It’s been cool to already see reviews saying that is was totally worth the wait. With that said, we don’t ever plan on having an announced release time come out so very far behind schedule – way too long on this one and we do apologize to our patient fans.
Metal Na Lata: On May 22 we had the release of title track’s lyric video. Anyone who was suspicious or hopeless with the band took a hit with the quality of the song, many even say that this is one of the 10 best compositions in the history of the band. Much of the success of the song also comes from the participation of Deen Castronovo who performed exceptionally well! Was it very difficult to reconcile the musician’s agenda in his numerous projects with an appropriate time to make to make this recording? By the way, I think that’s why he does not appear in more songs, does he?
Ted Kirkpatrick: Thank you – yes the response to the title track has been amazing. And yes – it took some work and planning to get this track done. Deen is very busy and records and tours a lot. He was so kind to squeeze it in and get to the studio to do it. Such a great vocal performance too and such a cool person to call my friend. He had intended to do more songs, but we just ran out of time on both sides.
Metal Na Lata: Deen Castronovo, Chris Poland … When we thought that all his good cards had already been used, we are surprised by the announcement of the legendary Tim “Ripper” Owens as lead singer for the rest of the album. Of course we all know his talent and abilities, but why him? What was the decisive factor that made you invite him to sing with the Tourniquet?
Ted Kirkpatrick: I’ve been a fan of Tim’s fantastic vocal abilities for years. My favorite of his vocals is the Judas Priest live version of “Diamonds and Rust” from London. It’s incredibly cool. I had worked with Tim before on my Sabbath tribute album, where he sang “Children of the Grave”. Also – Tim is METAL – through and through. That’s important as it adds an intangible but very present depth to the vocal delivery. So awesome to have him sing on the whole album.
Metal Na Lata: The cover is very beautiful and exhibits with fidelity the feeling described in the title of the work. Which artist was chosen? Did the end result meet what you expected?
Ted Kirkpatrick: The artist is Jason Juta. He does lots of fantasy, gamer, and futuristic stuff. He’s amazing. There are hundreds of images of Medusa out there – this one is my favorite. I absolutely love this cover and the response to it has been extremely positive.
Metal Na Lata: There was a kind of world selective to find a new voice for the band (if I’m not mistaken, voices, since the goal was a more aggressive and a more melodic vocalist) but as we can realize the idea was not the front. Did this happen because there were no candidates who crossed the required quality standard or was not the right time for them?
Ted Kirkpatrick: Kind of both. We really did a search for a new singer – and are still totally open to that. But announcing we are searching for a new singer is not the same as “promising” to have a new singer, much less promising to have one by a certain time. Finding a permanent vocalist was not our only goal. Although many singers knew about our situation, none were quite right for us. We wanted to get the best singer for the songs for this album – that was the main goal – and I believe we’ve achieved that.
Metal Na Lata: The band has had some stability in their formation since 1997, so a good part of the fan base was surprised when in 2015 Luke Easter was no longer in the band. Being the oldest member in the band besides you (Luke entered the Tourniquet in 1993), was it a bit complicated to work on songs and vocal structures for a vocalist other than an old roadmate?
Ted Kirkpatrick: For Deen and Tim – they had absolutely no trouble killing the vocals. In fact, they learned the vocal parts by hearing my terrible (but pretty much on pitch) scratch vocals, just as we have done for many years. They are not only great singers, but true talents as they expanded on the vocals significantly without being shown what to do, while staying true to the melodies I’ve written and where the lyrics go. Listen, there are not many Deen Castronovos or Ripper Owens – or Michael Sweets or Dug Pinnicks out there. After working with all these guys – I can say that when they lay down their tracks – they OWN the songs – they put their unique and awesome stamp to every tune I invite them to sing on. For example, Michael Sweet’s added screams and harmonies on “Onward to Freedom”. Or Ripper – I give him one harmony on the scratch track – he sends back three – plus more tracks with different octaves – and with feel. Ditto for Deen on the title track. That’s totally different than simply singing the parts. And the key is they do it on their own. That’s talent. I always tell the singers “I want you to be you”. And I always want them to feel glad and proud that they chose to be a part of it.
Metal Na Lata: Aaron Guerra is doing some ripped voices on the record and what we can already hear is really fantastic and of course that as a guitarist his talent is undeniable, but don’t you think he lacks due recognition? It’s rare for anyone to comment on their solos and riffs (and both are of the highest quality, Aaron is a full-fledged musician). In fact, is there any composition of him on this record?
Ted Kirkpatrick: Well, Aaron is kind of a reserved person with a great personality. Most of the time we’re recording, it’s just a lot of laughing. As for his guitar playing – there’s no one else I can think of who I would rather have play the guitar parts I write. Just listen on the new album – or past ones for that matter. He’s a very precise rhythm player and a good lead player too. When I write the tunes, I record scratch guitar parts and email the audio files to him, along with the drum audio. He has a great ear for learning just by hearing the parts. Trust me, there are many guitarists who cannot learn parts by hearing only – it’s not their fault, it’s just the way it is. They either need to see the music written out, or sit next to someone playing it so they can see what notes to play. Plus very cool that Aaron can do vocals and play difficult guitar parts at the same time live. Try singing the verses to The Tomb of Gilgamesh and play that long classical guitar part at the same time. Aaron does that live, as we seem to always play that tune – a crowd favorite. And he’s always very supportive of bringing in guest lead guitar players to add a different mix to the albums. Aaron flew out to Florida from LA to record the guitars for GAM. He finished 80% of the rhythm guitar tracks before he had to leave. I finished the rest.
Metal Na Lata: The album has not yet been released (maybe it was already when this interview is on the air), but would it be possible to comment briefly on each of the 9 tracks? How they sound, what they treat lyrically, what musical influences we can find?
Ted Kirkpatrick: I can just comment on the whole album. To me, this album has the best production of all the Tourniquet releases. The sound is very separated, so everything is quite clear and slamming. It’s my favorite drum sound for sure. It also sounds like a band effort, as opposed to a collection of guest artists, like Onward to Freedom, which was intended to feature numerous guests. Only four people on GAM, plus our honored guest Deen Castronovo singing the title track. The songs all have a message of hope and challenge, and some weirdness for sure. It could almost be considered a concept album – dealing with the human condition and the need for God. Included in the lyrics is a bible verse, because after all, it’s really about God, isn’t it? A lot of the album sounds like getting punched square in the face. Lots of aggression. Plus is has “atmosphere” – it’s ALIVE. To me it sounds like a nod to the early albums, but with a fresh, modern metal overall feel and sound. Also, some beautiful slow parts and classical rffs. Phenomenal lead guitar from Chris Poland – and I mean great. Ditto for Tim, with lots of different vocal stuff, harmonies, octaves, etc. Awesome guest vocals by Deen on title track. Aaron sounds great on vocals – we worked together to get a cool sound for him. As always, precise rhythm guitars. Plus I hope people really enjoy the drumming on this one. Should be fun for drummers to learn to play.
Metal Na Lata: It has been said that Tim “Ripper” Owens will not follow the band on stage. Is there already a support lineup prepared for the gigs promoting “Gazing At Medusa” or is this an issue that will be evaluated yet?
Ted Kirkpatrick: It’s one thing to have someone appear on an album by recording at home or at a nearby studio – and a whole different thing to ask someone to learn an entire set list, travel to shows halfway around the world, etc. If we did a show near where Tim lives, he might be up for joining us onstage for a Tourniquet song or two he already knows from Gazing at Medusa, plus we throw in a Judas Priest song or two… Same for Chris Poland – who I know would be into it. Play a song or two from GAM, plus a couple Megadeth songs. Look for this to maybe happen sometime!
Metal Na Lata: Many people have been saying that Tourniquet is now just a “Ted and Friends”, that the band has lost the real essence of being a real band. What do you have to say about this and how do you see the evolution of the band from the beginning to the present day. Can fans expect more albums making use of heavy elements and creativity in the future?
Ted Kirkpatrick: Looking back to the very first album, Stop the Bleeding, you can start to see the things Tourniquet is now well known for: inventive guitar riffs, classical music influence, multiple tempo changes, crushing rhythms, weird sections, ethnic instruments, interesting drumming, beautiful passages, dissonant harmonies. Then the lyrics: Edgar Allan Poe type descriptive horror, allegorical life lessons, made up words, medical terminology, Christ centered lyrics, social issues no one else tackles. Starting from the very first song I ever wrote, The Test for Leprosy – and into Ark of Suffering, Psychosurgery, Pathogenic Ocular Dissonance, Gelatinous Tubercles of Purulent Ossification, The Skeezix Dilemma, Vanishing Lessons, The Hand Trembler, Claustrospelunker, Twilight, Melting the Golden Calf, Antiseptic Bloodbath, 86 Bullets, Gazing at Medusa, The Crushing Weight of Eternity, and on and on – you will hear all those things we are most known for. Bottom line: where all those things came from has never changed from day one of Tourniquet. Plus as band members come and go – we have never lost our spiritual compass. And we have been blessed with the fact that even non-believers and many serious musicians are into our music.
So as some fans see the band as simply “the members”, which I can appreciate, I see – and often do – things differently. The band to me is also hugely about the total catalog of MUSIC. With each album, we strive to make it better than the last.
As many know, I’m hugely into classical music. I could never fully put into words what that music, and the composers who wrote it – means to me on an ongoing basis. It’s been a decades long passion for me. I’ve been to literally hundreds of symphonic concerts, operas, solo performances, chamber music recitals, and more. I’ve seen some of the world’s greatest living pianists and violin players from the front row – watching in amazement. So I don’t really expect everyone to “get it” when I share my thoughts on what to me constitutes a “band”.
To expand on that, one of my absolute favorite composers is Mozart. He wrote music of all kinds in his brief life of only 35 years – like no one else in history. 41 symphonies, 23 piano concertos, violin concertos, some of the greatest operas ever written (Don Giovanni, The Marriage of Figaro), solo violin sonatas, string quartets, a requiem mass, clarinet concertos, and so much more. He didn’t limit himself to what he wrote. And… he never limited himself by using less than the best soloists if the best in all of Europe were available to him for the incredible music he had written. When I say “the best soloists – I mean the best FIT for the music he had written. As for opera – there are many singers heard throughout the performance of operas. Basses, baritones, tenors, sopranos, male, female. Or in the case of his piano concertos, he often just played them himself. Why would he compromise? Why would he allow his music to be represented in any other way but the best it could be? It would be like a brilliant artist using cheap paint and a mediocre quality canvas, or a world ranked tennis player using a 1960’s wooden racquet to try to win Wimbledon. Why do it?
Part of moving forward with Tourniquet involved not compromising on what a Tourniquet album can be, and that sometimes involves a change. So when I write music, I hope to bring it to life with the best personnel – who best fit the music – I possibly can. Why? Because that way, it speaks to people in a manner that is the most powerful – whether that power is in the form of heaviness, emotion, mellow beauty, or technical expertise.
Take the song “The Slave Ring” from Onward to Freedom– a song about the heartbreaking, maddening world of organized dog fighting. You think you can use just any screamer to do the verses to express the anger and horror? You can’t. That’s why Mattie Montgomery did it. You think you can have a mediocre lead player do a minute long soul-searching guitar solo to convey the sadness? You can’t. That’s why Chris Poland played it. By the way, if you think Aaron would want to play a one-plus minute long guitar solo on a Tourniquet album – he wouldn’t. Although Aaron is a really good lead player, he expresses himself best in shorter sections. Aaron has other strengths which he uses to the fullest: his fantastic rhythm guitar playing and his effective shouting voice.
Or take the heavy bluesy “No Soul” off OTF. You think anyone can do that song justice on vocals? No – they can’t. That’s why Dug Pinnick sang it – and killed it.
Think you can use a “pretty good” singer to convey the importance of having compassion for all of God’s creation? You can’t. That’s why Michael Sweet sang the title track off “Onward to Freedom”.
And all of this holds true for the songs on Gazing at Medusa. The final say goes to the fans, who have already overwhelmingly shown their positive response.
You CAN use other musicians who may not be as good of a match to bring the music to life, but your music will be less than what it could be – compromised. If you do it on a full album or albums, and even other people start to notice the music is less impactful than what it could be, it may be time for a change, even if it’s difficult or painful. Because trying to fit a round peg into a square hole just doesn’t really work. It doesn’t mean either one is bad or lessened in any way.
I don’t do anything flippantly – without thought and care. I try to think of all the people who will be affected by a change. This same scenario plays out in literally thousands of situations every year: with sports teams, bands, symphony orchestras, opera productions, the film industry, Broadway productions, on and on – often times when there is a long history and deep friendships involved. And during the entire history of Tourniquet, these changes in personnel have ALWAYS – as in every single time – been discussed, prayed over, and supported by multiple band members – never, ever just by me alone. Many times, these changes give the departing person the freedom to try and thrive in an environment that’s more suited to them.
Of course, there’s always a few people who will just see this part of making difficult life decisions as backstabbing, betrayal, ego-maniac, jerk, etc. And usually these same few people think they know the “inside info” and understand what’s going on, when in truth, they may know like 5% of the whole story, have little understanding of the issues involved, and hear all 5% from one side only – sometimes a very bitter or envious side. And the biggest part is they know nothing of my heart, character, thought process, God’s individual guidance in my life, seeking input from others, the departing member’s behavior, etc. Add the giant piece of the puzzle – what direction is God leading this band? Of that, these few people of course know precisely zero. “Armchair fan band judgement”. Totally lame.
I guarantee you these same fans would be shocked, and even disgusted by some of the things that have been said or done – some of it in plain sight, staring them right in the face. I have, as people know, said very, very little about any of these matters through the years. I’d rather move forward with the positive – and do so with positive people.
And in these situations of change, something is often overlooked: the fans. THE FANS. I truly care about our fans. I always want to give them the best that Tourniquet can be. I feel they deserve it. Is it fair to give them less? They’ve supported our efforts for years, bought our albums and other merch, come to our shows, sent and posted endless encouraging words, shared our music with their friends, used our lyrics in sermons, even sung our songs in church. I also want to give God what is my very best, as far as I am able. And I can rest in the thought that I feel we’ve given our best on Gazing at Medusa.
The bottom line for me – and what fans have told us for years is this: “All Tourniquet music can quickly be recognized as Tourniquet”. That’s a huge compliment. That makes it TOURNIQUET, not “Ted and friends”. And one of the biggest compliments I get for my drumming is similar: “Even if the rest of the music was missing, and only the drums were playing, I would know it’s Ted Kirkpatrick on drums.” That means a lot to me.
As for your original question: “Can fans expect more albums making use of heavy elements and creativity in the future?” Yes. Music is not just what I do, it’s who I am. I can’t envision a time where I won’t write and release music – share it with the world. And as long as it comes from me, I guarantee you it will be called Tourniquet. I also plan to release more “non-Tourniquet” solo stuff. Like what Mozart did, who knows what kind of music it will be?
Metal Na Lata: They have been doing more than 20 years of the first, and only, concert of the band in Brazil. What are your memories of that day and are there any plans for a return soon?
Ted Kirkpatrick: I totally love Brazil – I’ve been there a couple other times too – to Rio and to the rainforest of Rondonia. What I remember about that show is that tons of fans didn’t even know we were there for a concert. Too bad. When we return, with social media the way it is now – every Tourniquet fan in Brazil will know we’re coming! Just need a good promoter to follow through on what it takes to get us there. We’re always up for it!
Metal Na Lata: Whether on cd or vinyl, Tourniquet re-releases are very good and feature revised and improved covers, explanatory notes on songs and various bonus tracks. Titles like the EP “Carry The Wounded”, the collection “The Collected Works”, the acoustic “Acoustic Archives” and the album “Micorscopic View Of A Telescopic Realm” are the titles that are currently exhausted in the catalog of the band and that many fans ruthlessly seek to be able to complete their collections. I know that now the focus will be more on the launching and later release of “Gazing At Medusa”, but is there any previous plan for relaunching these materials?
Ted Kirkpatrick: All of them. Just takes time and $$$ to do it. Possibly look for Vanishing Lessons on vinyl next.
Metal Na Lata: Thank you for your attention and availability. Feel free to make your final considerations.
Ted Kirkpatrick: To our fans in Brazil and all over Central and South America – stay crazy!!! Thanks and see you for a Tourniquet concert sometime in your beautiful country. Hope you enjoy “Gazing at Medusa”.
More Informations:
Site: www.tourniquet.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Tourniquet-56372703466
