Ahead of Dexter Ward's upcoming appearance in Athens - Greece, alongside the legendary Omen, their Italian singer Marco Concoreggi opens his heart to us in a super-analytical interview and explains the history of the band's career, how he became a fan of the music and why he loves Greece and its people so much.
Read on and prepare yourself properly for Wednesday 18 October at Kyttaro - Athens.
Event info:
OMEN, Dexter Ward, Valor Live @ Κύτταρο, την Τετάρτη 18 Οκτωβρίου 2023, Αθήνα
RockOvedose: Hello Marco and welcome to Rock Overdose pages. We would first like to know how do you prepare for the oncoming gig with Omen and what it means to you to play with one of your favorite bands.
Marco (Dexter Ward): Hi guys and thank you for thinking of Dexter Ward and having us on Rock Overdose. We have been on some kind of hiatus for years and personally I didn't imagine I would have the chance and honor to be presented with some questions at this time, so it's really appreciated. As you know I'm the only band member who lives abroad, so we're rehearsing separately (the guys all together in Athens - me with backing tracks in Italy) but we're going to have one rehearsal together the night before the show. It will be the first time we meet in person and play together in 5 years. The band is very solid and the guys play great, I personally am a bit rusty for the long inactivity but the passion never decreased so in any case I'm throwing my heart beyond the barricade as always since day one. Playing with OMEN ad VALOR takes me back to 2002 when I first came to Athens to see OMEN and BATTLEROAR, so it's particularly dear and special to me. Rationally, I'm not expecting to find the same atmosphere, times changed, places in a way changed and people definitely changed cause that's a fact of life but that's a little part of me that hopes to catch again a little spark of how things used to be or, more correctly, how I perceived them to be at the time. During our BATTLEROAR years, we had the chance to play with OMEN several times and that was a great honor and blessing. I haven't met Kenny Powell for many years so I'm really looking forward to this chance. As a fan, he's my idol and one of the greatest inspirations so playing on the same stage with OMEN is like Christmas and Easter and birthday at the same time if you know what I mean.
RockOvedose: Your third album was instantly considered as your best one up to date. Do you have the same opinion, and if yes, what was the main part that made it so special for you?
Marco (Dexter Ward): Yes, I think it "III" is our best record. Most of the songs were written in a relatively short period of time, it was a "magic" moment I personally had never experienced before. In my opinion it's a major improvement upon the previous releases in terms of composition, arrangements, performances. Everything came out the way we had envisioned it, from the new logo and artwork down to the last take. It's particularly special to me since it's the first album I'm involved in that in retrospective would not change anything of, except perhaps some minor details. The songs sit well together, there's variety in pace and themes but all of them have this epic feeling that binds them to each other. I would say it's fresh and balanced.
Rockoverdose: The album was released just when the pandemic hit the world. Do you feel a bit unlucky with it, or was it a way for people to digest further on it and get to know the band better?
Marco (Dexter Ward): I'm not one to always see the half empty glass but in this case I'm afraid I can't see anything positive coming from that. I wouldn't say we were more unlucky than others, because it affected almost every musician on the planet, but in our case (and mine personally) it hit really hard and almost broke the band. Most reviews were very good and I thought that was the album that could help us make a significant step forward, so when we found ourselves grounded, morale was at an all time low and frustration mounted. I don't think nowadays people really take the time to digest albums anymore, to let them soak in. It's the time of the heavy metal fast food approach, most people (I count myself in) play a new album once (perhaps partially) on youtube and if they're not 100% sure at first listen they don't even buy it anymore. Gone are the times when we would trust reviews on paper magazines and buy records at the store without hearing a single note in advance. That's understandable given the huge number of recording bands and the vast amount of records available for free streaming.
RockOvedose: You may be Italian but to most people you are considered Greek since the last 20 years you cooperate with Greek bands. Both nations share a lot in common. Was it easy for you to adapt to the needs of the bands, and what commons and differences would you highlight as the most important in the culture of Italians and Greeks?
Marco (Dexter Ward): I always found myself more comfortable with Greek people (and musicians) than with most Italians. Greece welcomed me with open arms whereas here in Italy I've often felt like an outcast. The main difference I believe is that for many years, and especially now, Italy is just a definition, an empty shell, a theoretical concept of a nation, whereas Greece, still today, is something real and even the corruption of the institutions and decay of morals can't take that away. The only thing I'd like to point out, that I observe from the outside and upsets me to a certain extent, is that sometimes even Greeks tend to be xenomaniacs, when in fact it should be the opposite. A proud land rich in everything (even though it's been - and it's being - sold off), with amazing culture, noble customs and a noble history, the best landscapes, the best food, the most beautiful women. It makes me smile (bitterly) when certain italians say "we have the best foods", "we had the ancient Romans", I'd like to tell them what do you have now malaka? Nothing, half burned overpriced pizzas and disney plus. I live in the north east of Italy and I think there's not much commonality of mindset and values, customs, etc. between locals and Greek people, perhaps most people in the southern part of Italy might have more similarities. I experienced first hand more than one case of Greeks moving here and then running back after a few years with great relief to be finally back. So what they say "una faccia una razza", as much as it's dear to me, I don't think it's generally true, at least nowadays. Most of the people closest to me are Greeks, by choice, so even if I don't feel Greek myself, I much prefer Greece and Greek people.
Rockoverdose: Since you have knowledge of both scenes, how do you believe the Greek and Italian scene have evolved through the years? Your country especially made a breakthrough after the mid 90s, while the Greek scene is ongoing on the rise with bands of all genres. What is your insight on this evolution?
Marco (Dexter Ward): I think you might overstimate me in terms of knowledge, but certainly I'm happy to share my feelings about the matter. My point of view is that of the underground heavy metal fan, and quite narrowed down to the genres I like, for instance I don't follow the thrash scene or more extreme styles so many of the recent rising bands, probably I don't know much of. My general opinion is that Greece, compared to Italy, has a much greater musical culture when it comes to heavy rock/heavy metal, whereas Italy and this kind of music was historically an ill fated coupling. We had a very special moment in the early 70s with the progressive rock season, but by middle 70s that was already finished, it has to do with the mentality of people, that led to the fact that today this is the country of the tribute bands and talent shows. Surely there's a small number of die-hards here as there are in Greece, and those are the ones that kept the underground alive all these years and, in part, made possible the "nyche" resurgence we appreciate nowadays. The italian mid 90s "symphonic power prog speed neoclassical" etc. bubble didn't last long, most of those bands aren't around anymore and even the surviving ones, in my opinion don't really come up with new albums as memorable; in fact for most of them, their first 1-2 albums are easily the best ones. They were talented of course but also lucky to be able to ride the "last train" before the industry collapsed. Many of those musicians now work as sessions, producers, take part in endless strings of projects that really don't make much artistic sense other than raising some money. I'm not able to keep track of all the bands and records emerged from Italy and Greece in the last, say, 20 years, but I fail to notice an evolution of sorts, not only limited to our respective countries, but worldwide also. What I see is, every day there's more music indeed since it's easier to record albums (smaller budget required, home recording, possibility to collaborate remotely, and so on), but there's also a whole lot of "going with the flow" involved, more than before now with social media. Sure there's a very small number of really outstanding bands releasing killer records (all of them underground) but to me that doesn't make much of a scene. Generally though I think Greek musicians possess "one or two more gears" to make a parallel with sport cars. It's not just a technical matter, but personality and attitude. For the most part they seem to me more dedicated and really into it and less inclined to be copycats or follow fashions. I'm not talking about projects made just to raise a few euros, but really great original bands like SACRAL RAGE who are at the same level of the great legends of the past, as a package (songwriting, live performances, etc.).
RockOverdose: Every band member in history, had a motive to enter a band like his heroes did back in the day. Which was the moment specifically for you and how did you know it was the time to sing in a band? Which are the singers that have influenced you the most?
Marco (Dexter Ward): I didn't plan to become a singer. My first instrument was the bass guitar that I played for a few years, but I was always fascinated with beautiful melodies. I believe this came from the fact that my father at home played a lot of melodic italian music from the 50s and early 60s and a lot of Elvis Presley. As a kid in the middle 80s I remember once I had tried to sing a verse or something from one of those songs and I liked the result but those present in the room didn't seem as captivated by my performance, so I guess I shelved the idea for a few years. Then around the end of the 90s I bought a guitar and started writing my own riffs and songs, I had written only lyrics until then. Singing on them seemed natural to me and that's the way it started. Of course I dreamed of playing live, singing in a band and doing all the cool things that I was watching on VHS from Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, or Manowar, but I never made a conscious effort to pursue that. Then when Battleroar needed a singer and I was given the chance after they had listened to a couple of my songs, I took it without any experience but I felt it was right because I was, as I still am, very much into the epic side of heavy metal and their music and the lyrics really resonated with me. I was also very satisfied to be able to contribute to the songwriting, and to tell stories and put real emotions to the words, to me that's the best part of it. You can't fake it in heavy metal, it's better to be technically less proficent than to pretend you're into it when you're performing, when instead to you it's just words to sustain a melody. The singers that influenced me the most, sentimentally not technically since I can't sound like them due to my limitations, besides the usual suspects (Dickinson/Halford/Dio/Tate) are Elvis Presley, Doug Adams from WITCHKILLER, The Tyrant from JAG PANZER, JD Kimball from OMEN, Blade Duncan from HAMMERS RULE and Jon Natisch of COMMANDER, and of course Mark Shelton from MANILLA ROAD.
Rockoverdose: In the case of Dexter Ward, the name came from H.P. Lovecraft but the lyrics always followed a different path and reference. How easy is to find lyrics for a specific part or melody and as a singer, do you believe the singer has to live every word to transmit it better for the listener?
Marco (Dexter Ward): I don't sing about things I am not comfortable with and when I try to force through it, perhaps to try new lyrics and topics I'm not 100% into, for a new song, it doesn't really work. I'm not saying I have to believe in warlocks and vampire killers to be able to sing about them, but surely I must like at least the general theme/idea/story so that I can convey my emotion and excitement in telling the tale. If you take Halford and make him sing a Coverdale love song to a woman he'll sound great because he's Halford, but observe him carefully and you're going to tell he's not genuinely into it. When I sing about warriors and dinosaurs and gang wars in post apocalyptic cities I really feel evidently, honestly happy and in my element and that's why I guess I can connect with some listeners who perhaps appreciate what I'm doing. I like to believe that they can see it in my eyes that I'm not bullshitting them. About finding the right lyrics for specific parts/melodies, I usually listen repeatedly to the part and go with the feeling it gives me, does it call for something more mystical / arcane or heroic, or something more dreaming and delicate, I don't consciously try to force something on top of the music, after some time lyrics come on their own, not all together but perhaps some key words that I later expand on.
Rockoverdose: Next year will mark 15 years after forming Dexter Ward. Did you see it coming too far eventually? Do you have plans for a special celebration for this? Also, since III is already 3 years old, do you have new material to be released?
Marco (Dexter Ward): We came a long way since the first couple shows and demo, I personally didn't have any specific plan for the future but naturally I hoped we could build up our own identity and sound and leave at least a little dent in the underground heavy metal world. I have never made more than three records with the same band, so what I want now is to have a fourth album we can be proud of, and hopefully many more. About the 15 years anniversary, honestly it didn't really occur to me but yes it's a great idea and perhaps we might thing about something to celebrate. As a small band with a small catalogue though I think it's better to leave aside the self celebration and put our efforts onto some new music and that is what we're doing at this time. Yes there is a fair amount of new material that expands on the sound and epic feeling of "III" and everybody's in the band is determined to make a killer new release. It's still a work in progress though, will need some more time.
Rockoverdose: You are considered as one of the most direct and filled with quality live acts of the latest years. What should we wait from your performance with Omen soon enough and how possible is to see you playing more gigs the following months?
Marco (Dexter Ward): I really appreciate the compliment although from the inside I'm conscious we're a band that does a rehearsal together every time they anoint a new pope, so every time we go on stage surely we give everything and beyond and I pray that's enough to keep people pleased and entertained. The OMEN gig is a chance for us to restart with me on vocals after difficult times and to present some songs off "III" that were never performed live with this lineup, plus a little surprise from the old times (20 years ago) with one or two very special guests. I'm not sure about more shows for the rest of 2023 even though I'd love to do them, but God's willing we're planning good things in this sense for the first months of 2024.
Rockoverdose: I would like to thank you deeply for your time. I would like you to tell us what you consider the most important factor a band has to be cautious for and a piece of advice to bands forming today on what they should be careful about for the future. The last words belong to you.
Marco (Dexter Ward): My life is quite a mess as it is, you should not really ask advice from me even though I'm honored, BUT one thing I believe to be very true from personal experience is that in order to be in a healthy band situation, first of all there must be a good relaxed human relationship between band members, it helps a lot to be friends and not just band mates. Then honesty is very important to talk clearly and finding out very early in the band's foundation if among members the ideas about the band and it's style and message match or if there's unsolvable conflict. Sorting out those things saves a lot of pain and time. The future is what you make of it, the record industry has failed and there will probably be no money to earn, so I think musicians should really try to do what they feel without letting external "experts" interfere or distort their vision or hinder their efforts. I thank you for this interview and most excellent and interesting questions, and the respect and genuine interest in Dexter Ward, and in my humble opinions. Take care and all the very best!
For Rockoverdose,
Angelos Katsouras
Comments
