Brian Slagel
When Metal Blade Records founder and CEO Brian Slagel started his now-legendary imprint in his mother’s garage in 1982, it was intended only as a way for underground Metal bands in the L.A. scene to get their music out to an audience that was hungry for something new. At the time, Slagel was also producing a fanzine called The New Heavy Metal Revue, and he put together a compilation of unsigned bands as an extension of the fanzine. That first compilation, The New Heavy Metal Revue Presents Metal Massacre, became the launching pad for artists such as Metallica, Ratt and Black ‘N’ Blue. It also became the first ever release on Metal Blade Records. Now, 25 years later, Metal Blade has grown into an international brand while still maintaining its independent identity and the original vision of Slagel. The celebration of the label’s 25th birthday will go into full swing at this year’s New England Metal and Hardcore Festival on April 28, when dozens of bands from the roster will play, culminating with an all-star jam. It’s pretty monumental for an independent, niche label to survive for 25 years, so FMQB spoke to Slagel about the secret to his longevity.
eQB presents excerpts from the FMQB May Magazine Rock Up Close featuring CEO Brian Slagel
Slagel on starting a Metal label back in 1982… It’s funny because I never really intended to start a record label. I was working in a record store and doing a fanzine and booking shows and doing anything I could here in L.A. I was heavily inspired by the new wave of British Heavy Metal that was happening at the same time. I was frustrated because there were so many good bands playing around L.A. and there were no outlets for them. Nobody could hear them other than through tape trading, so I got the idea to start a label based on what was going on in the U.K., which was the do-it-yourself attitude.
On the rise of the Metal genre… You look back and it seemed like it was fast, but it was a very slow growth at the time. Over time things started to get bigger for us. Armored Saint got signed toChrysalis, and that was the first break we had in terms of a band getting a big deal, and they were very good about saying where they started out. And then Slayer started to get bigger. The whole scene over the course of time started to get bigger, and by ’86 or ’87 it was starting to be a legitimate thing. I think that’s when I first thought, “Okay, this is real!”
On working with Slayer in the early days… Sometimes when you produce records and you’re in the studio for three or four weeks, you’re really sick of everything. But those early Slayer records, as soon as I was done, I could not stop listening to them 24-hours-a-day. That’s when I knew there was definitely something extremely special there, because I was so into it. They were great guys and it was phenomenal working with them, and they’re still good friends of mine now. It’s just amazing to see how far everything has come.
On signing Cannibal Corpse… I grew up in the ’70s so I was a huge Alice Cooper and Kiss fan, so I’ve always loved the shock value of things. And certainly, when I got the Cannibal Corpse demo with song titles like “Skull Full of Maggots,” I was like “This is cool!” I don’t think any of us ever thought they were going to be this huge band that would end up being the biggest band of the scene. We just thought they were a cool band, and they were good guys, and they wrote really shocking songs. Now they’ve become the biggest selling Death Metal band of all time. That’s a great credit to them. It’s been great to be part of their career.
On what has given the label its longevity… We’ve always stayed independent, and I think that’s one thing. We have so much freedom being an independent. There are no corporate people hovering over our heads telling us what we can and cannot do. That has allowed us to really change and adapt to what’s happening in terms of not only music but the music business. And everybody here remains big fans of the music too. I think as long as there is good, exciting music out there, that definitely keeps us going.
On his proudest achievements with Metal Blade… Obviously being involved with some of the bands like Metallica and Slayer and Trouble and Cannibal – all the bands that had a big impact. I enjoy that stuff, and I’m enjoying what is happening now with the scene. Coming at it from doing this for a long time and having a little bit more experience – the second time around I’m probably enjoying it even more than the first because I’m a little smarter. The first time I was a kid! It’s great to see all the stuff that’s happening with the scene now with so much good music out there. It’s a great time for the heavy stuff at the moment.
** QB Content by Mandy Feingold **
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