On the occasion of the visit of the historic NWOBHM band HOLOCAUST for live performances in Greece and Cyprus, Antonis "Jey Key" Katsaros had the opportunity to talk with John Mortimer, the guitarist and founding member of the Scots! Read what he said about the upcoming concerts, memories from the Holocaust's early days and their new album!
Rock Overdose: Hi John! It is a great honor to have you here in Rock Overdose! You are one of our NWOBHM heroes, so… tell us how was those years. How you formed your group back then at 1977 (the year of my birth!)?
John Mortimer: Thank you – I’m very happy to do this interview!
In 1977 we were 14 years old and totally passionate about rock and metal. The nucleus of the band originally consisted of myself, Robin Begg and Gary Lettice. We were all at the same high school. We literally saved up the pocket money we got from our parents for instruments and a mic.
In my case, when I got about half the money required for my first guitar, (which was a Columbus Les Paul copy), my parents supplied the other half. By that time it was summer 1978.
It was funny getting the instruments – all we had taught ourselves to do was tune them! It was like, “Ok, what do we do with them now”?!
Robin and myself taught ourselves to play really quickly. Thinking back on it, there was never any doubt in our minds that we would be able to play well enough to write our own songs. We knew we had to be more than just listeners to rock and metal... we had to be part of it, playing it.
So at this point I made contact again with Ed Dudley, who had been at the same primary school as us but was at a different high school. Gary had maintained contact with him and knew that he had a guitar and an amp that could take two guitars. I remember the first jam we had. I’d got the verses and choruses for the song, “It Don’t Matter To Me” together and wanted to see if we could work on the middle section. We came out of that jam with a complete song, Ed doing the solo, and so we now had 2 guitarists, a bassist and a vocalist.
Nick Brockie was at the same school as myself, Robin & Gary. When he heard what was going on he expressed interest in playing drums for us. We jumped at that chance of course – and even better, his dad was a priest and so was able to give us access to a church hall for full volume practices! The band was well and truly underway.
Mind you, if you had been around our high school in those earliest days you would not have heard of a band called “Holocaust”. Oh no, it was – get this – “Preying Mantis”! Seriously. I so clearly remember an announcement in “Sounds” of the release of the “Soundhouse EP” by Praying Mantis. We were like, “What are we going to call ourselves now”?! I mean, ok, we were spelling “Preying” with an ‘e’ and Praying Mantis had the more usual “a”, but there was no way we could continue with that name... they had well and truly beaten us to it. So I remember saying to the guys, “Well, when someone hears us, it should be like a nuclear bomb going off!” That’s where the Holocaust name came from.
Rock Overdose: The "Nightcomers" album became a legend between the NWOBHM albums. Did you expect that to come?
John Mortimer: At the time we were getting it together, yes. We were just so excited and inspired, y’know?
But then when it was released we found it depressingly difficult to get gigs. The NWOBHM was mostly happening in England and we were in Scotland. And these were pre-internet days.
In terms of the longer time frame, like how Metallica picked up on it and how, over 30 years on, there are people of all ages who get into the NWOBHM thing.... no, I never expected that.
Rock Overdose: Specially the songs "Heavy Metal Mania" that become a hymn of Metal and "Death or Glory" are still killers songs in every playlist! Can you describe us what is happening when you performing those songs live?
John Mortimer: I always find a sense of triumph when Heavy Metal Mania is appreciated or taken to be cool in any way because when it was written it was a song that guaranteed to have you labelled as a “freak” if you liked it. It was the antithesis of cool in those days. Punk was “cool”, Heavy Rock was seen as something from the past. “Heavy Metal” was perceived by most people as just a stupid expression that some freaky and un-cool teenagers used, y’know?
I will always remember writing that song... it happened all in one go, (this is the 12” single version I mean), and it came from a place of just feeling like I was associated with something that didn’t fit in and would never be recognised as valid music, but no matter - I was going to make that statement and I was going identify myself as that. There is a lot of anguish and frustration beneath the surface of the song. It really is glorious when it goes down great live! I used to think in those days, “Wouldn’t it be great if Heavy Metal was an everyday term that everyone knew?” Well...... now it is!!!
“Death Or Glory” was inspired by the Robert De Niro movie, “Taxi Driver”. I can see the common link between Heavy Metal Mania and that song now... they both have a sense of alienation and frustration.
Rock Overdose: I suppose that you have heard the version of "Death or Glory" from Six Feet Under. What is your opinion for that version?
John Mortimer: I love it, I really do. I’m not one of these people who thinks metal should be played in a particular way or with a set style. It was really exciting for me to hear that different articulation of the song. I feel honoured that Six Feet Under covered it.
Rock Overdose: After 1984's "No Man's Land" you did a long pause as a band and you returned at 1989 with the EP "The Sound of Souls" that some fans are describing it as thrash metal! Are you agreeing with the term?
John Mortimer: Oh, there is no question that Thrash influenced that album heavily. I was especially into Voivod at the time. I found the Thrash movement totally exciting when it emerged.
Rock Overdose: You last album was at 2003's "Primal". The fans are wondering, will we have any new Holocaust album?
John Mortimer: Yes! There is a concept album entitled “Predestination” that we’ve been working on for years. That will soon be complete. The thing is, it is so expansive and relies on so much overdubbing that we would need about ten musicians and three singers to perform it live! So I can’t see any live performances from that album in the near future. HOWEVER.........
We have a full-on new album of material that we are indeed playing live for the first time in Greece and Cyprus. We are planning to record the album after the tour.
The songs are:
“It’s What You’re Doing, Girl”
“Expander”
“Now”
“The Body Of 7 Rays”
“Wherever You Are Is The Presence”
“Can’t Go Wrong With You”
“Bridge To Freedom”
“Solar Winds”
“Elemental”
“Benedictus”
Rock Overdose: So, a small tour in Greece and Cyprus is coming. What should the Greek and Cypriot fans wait from these shows? Will you play songs from your whole career, or you will focus on the early period of the band?
John Mortimer: It will be the first introduction of the new drummer and bassist for people in Greece and Cyprus. The line up is now:
John Mortimer – Guitar & vocal
Scott Wallace – Drums
Lewie Harrison – Bass and vocal
We will be doing plenty of back catalogue material, especially from the very earliest days, and also the new album.
Rock Overdose: After those shows, what should we wait from Holocaust?
John Mortimer: We want to get the new album recorded and get some video together. After the summer, we want to get more live work rolling.
Rock Overdose: Thank you so much for this interview! I hope that we will have a drink a beer together in Cyprus. The last words are yours…
John Mortimer: Thanks to you also... and I look forward to that beer!
I will always be a heavy metal maniac.
Scott (Wallace - drums) says, “We are all really excited about this tour and feel very inspired, so thanks for giving us the opportunity,
we hope you enjoy the set which consists of a blend of old and new that really captures the NWOBHM spirit.”
For Rock Overdose,
Antonis "Jey Key" Katsaros
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