Whuh? Oh... that. Yeah, congratulations on not knowing the difference between happy grind and happy thrash.
Tim (Splatterhouse): : Oh yay! Kings? Great! We are so used to being called 'Queens' all the time; it is nice to be Kings for a change, even if we have to share it with those degenerate fucks in Ghoul! I personally think we are WAY more happy than they are, I mean we take more Zoloft/Xanax/Paxil than the whole state of Utah! And our parents will be very proud! They were very disappointed with our first venture into brootal metal as the BRUTAL CUNT RAPING MIDGET KNIFE FIGHTERS, and they were right, there definitely needs to be more positive role models and really, why not us? Bands like Gigantic Brain really bring me down, and that is just not what I need or the world needs now.
Have your happygrind releases been your most popular releases?
Billy: I really can't answer this since I still don't know what "happygrind" even means. Is that something you made up when you were rapping over your favorite slam/groove-death song while you tripped over your baggy pants?
Say what you will about my taste in music, but do not diss my pants. Martha Stewart paid thousands of pennies in child labor to produce these pants. Think of the children! Anyway... what about the least popular Razorback releases? What release is doing so poorly that you wouldn't even be able to give it away?
Billy: Honestly, all our stuff has done really well I think. Some haven't sold as much as others but I can't say there's been any total failures or anything like that.
What have been your favorite Razorback releases to date?
Billy: I'm 110% happy with the way the new Engorged and Lord Gore albums have come out. Both of these bands just keep getting better and better I think. I'm also really happy with the upcoming new Machetazo album which is a concept based on a series of Spanish horror films from the 70's that I'm a really big fan of. They really did those films justice.
Has there been anything you've released that you haven't been entirely happy with?
Billy: I really hate the first 2 compilation CD's we did. Those are totally awful. I wasn't happy with the Intense Hammer Rage CD. It was too tech/brutal death style for my tastes. They were really nice/cool guys though, so it's nothing personal. I just didn't like how that album came out. The County Medical Examiners album isn't a fave much either. It's basically too much of a gimmick CD to me these days. It has no replay value at all. It's just a curiosity piece, basically. It's still better than most generic brutal death metal stuff though.
I've heard rumors that Dr. Guy Radcliffe was once a pediatrician, but due to his reputation as being "Dr. Happyfingers", the hospital administration put him in the morgue, feeling that at least if he touched the corpses inappropriately, they wouldn't sue. Any truth to this?
Billy: I think that guy has seen too many episodes of St. Elsewhere and ER.
Are there any bands you haven't worked with yet, but would love to release?
Billy: Nope. Maybe if Impetigo got back together... but that's never going to happen so nope... nobody! Well, maybe Timeghoul...
What happened with the planned Gore Beyond Necropsy release?
Billy: They just decided one day to do it on a Japanese label, which is no problem to me. It kinda bummed me out since we spent over 2 years saying it was coming out on Razorback, but whatever. I'm not gonna lose any sleep over it. We have plenty to keep us busy.
Are there any bands you've worked with who've turned out to be such giant douchebags that you have no desire to ever deal with again?
Billy: No bands have been assholes, actually. I've always tried to work with people who are cool and down to earth. I always make that a priority when I commit to work with someone.
Who decides which bands get signed? Is that entirely your decision, or is it up to Jill, or do you mutually agree, or do you just have a barbwire exploding ring death match and the victor gets to choose the next release?
Billy: We use my old wrestling ring from JLN toys to figure it out. I usually pick the George The Animal Steele figure and Jill picks Brutus Beefcake and we let them fight it out. George Steele had a green tongue, you know... and Brutus Beefcake was Hulk Hogan's brother (I think)... what was the question again?
Have you given any serious thought to having a Razorback fest?
Billy: Yeah, it would definitely be something that I'd want to happen in Portland, Oregon. That's where most of our bands are from and everybody over there seems really cool and truly into good metal. They have a thing going on over there and I think it would be the perfect area to have it in.
I remember a few years ago the whole fiasco with Intense Hammer Rage. In retrospect do you think it was wise to sign them, and has there been any backlash from that release?
Billy: No, there was no backlash. The band and Razorback both agreed to just stop pressing the album since it was causing them so many problems over there. We both felt it would help their case out more. Also, they weren't allowed to get any copies of the album so we didn't want to keep pressing it since they couldn't even get any copies to sell. It wasn't right. Looking back on it, it was definitely the right thing to do, especially since it was never an album I was really that into in the first place.
Do you think there's any lyrical subject matter that's "too extreme"?
Billy: Well, I don't think because it's "extreme"... just stupid maybe. I hate all that child porn/fetus-rape whatever stuff. But whatever, every band can sing about whatever they want. I don't really focus on stuff that I'm not interested in. Usually I'm on some horror film web site looking up when Blood Diner will be out on DVD (got it, and I love it!).
If you could do away with an entire style of metal music, what would you wipe clean off the face of the earth?
Billy: I think bands like White Lion, Extreme, Warrant, Jackyl, Fungo Mungo, Seahags, Bango Tango, Nitro, Bulletboys, Leatherwolf, Nelson, Trixter, Tora Tora, Britney Fox, Firehouse, Kix, and Winger are currently destroying the metal scene and need to be stopped.
You're a big horror movie fanatic. Do you have any recommendations of slasher flicks that people must absolutely check out?
Billy: Usually anything from the late 70's and 80's is the best, obviously. Anything influenced by that Scream franchise is usually the worst. A few undiscovered "gems" I'd recommend would be: The Mutilator, House On Sorority Row, Cheerleader Camp, Night Of The Demon (instead of a guy in a mask you get Bigfoot killing people, how can you go wrong with that?), Humongous, Don't Go In The House, The Initiation, Pranks, and so many more that it would take forever to answer. Check out Legacy Of Blood, a great new book all about slasher films. It just came out last year and I've been reading it non-stop.
What do you think of The Leprechaun movie series?
Billy: I've only ever seen the first two, and I thought they were pretty fucking hilarious actually. It's so funny seeing that over hyped "celebrity" Jennifer Aniston run around while Wicket from Return Of The Jedi is chasing her asking for "me gold coin". It's priceless crap. Or how about part 2 when the little bastard wants a child and says "She'll be bearing my wee little ones soon" or something like that. Wow... a great new franchise is born!
You have to watch the rest in the series. Not only does the Leprechaun hit Las Vegas, but he also goes to the hood twice, killing Ice-T once and goes into space. Warwick Davis is definitely the most talented midget in the history of film... well, next to porn starlet Bridget The Midget, of course. So what is your idea of the "ultimate" horror flick?
Billy: I only like new horror movies with tons of CGI FX, fast-MTV style editing, and films that have Rob Zombie, Static X, and Fozzy on the soundtrack. Anything directed by the guy who did House Of The Dead is what I'm all about these days. You can't go wrong with remakes too! I hope they remake all my favorites like Dr. Giggles, Wishmaster, Strangeland, and Jeepers Creepers! I also hope they re-make the re-make of The Ring.
You and Jill have been working on the label for quite some time now. Rumors have surfaced that you two are romantically linked. Is it not true that your more intimate moments are shared while in full Leatherface and Jason Voorhees attire?
Billy: Our most intimate moments are when I'm trying to dust off my Godzilla figure collection and Jill walks by and says "you're pathetic". It brings a tear of joy to my eye just thinking about it.
My roommate has more horror action figures than I do. Sometimes I start to feel like I'm less of a man so I push her down the stairs. *clears throat* Speaking of Jason Voorhees, what did you think of the epic battle between Jason and Freddy?
Billy: As stupid as the movie was, I actually found myself enjoying lots of it. It had a wonderful nu-metal soundtrack also. I can't wait for Leprechaun vs. Munchies with soundtrack by Shadows Fall.
A while ago you had a contest where the winner of the contest won a Transformers Razorbeast figure. Since you're obviously a gigantic geek, who do you think would win in a battle between the Maximal's Razorbeast from Beast Wars or Decepticon's Snarler (also a wild boar) from the first generation of Transformers?
Billy: Didn't that contest rule? I mean...wow! Who comes up with awesome stuff like that? WE do, that's right! I'm not a walking encyclopedia of Transformers knowledge though...so I'm gonna let Ryan from Engorged answer this since he's the biggest dork...uh...I mean, fan. Go to it bot-brain...
Ryan (Engorged): With front mounted razor-tipped drills, sonar distorters and a 30 MM submachine gun, as well as the capability to remotely control his outer bio-mechanical "pretender" shell, coupled with an all around obnoxious, selfish and nasty disposition G1 Snarler would make short work of Razorbeast.
Not only do you know nothing about music, you know even less about Transformers! Razorbeast's intelligence ranks at 6.2, whereas Snarler is nerf-na-nerfing about at a mere 5. Razorbeast's courage is a full 10, whereas Snarler, the bitch that he is, runs in terror at a mere 8. Now, granted, Snarler has better firepower, ranking an 8 compared to Razorbeast's 6, and his endurance is a full 10 compared to Razorbeast's 8.1, Razorbeast will destroy Snarler in an arm wrestling contest with a whopping 9.2 strength rating compared to Snarler's 7. I mean, come on, it's no contest, in 6 out of the main 8 categories, Razorbeast wins hands down. You may as well just move back into your parents' house and start playing with your sister's Barbie dolls if you don't know that. Fool! Back to Billy... what do you think, in general, of the more commercially focused metal labels, like Earache, Metal Blade, Century Media and Relapse?
Billy: Earache: Are they even still around? Metal Blade: I like lots of their 80's releases and the first two Cannibal Corpse albums, but other than that I don't really know anything about what they've been doing for the past decade. I did like that Defleshed CD they put out, but it wasn't really their release I guess. Century Media: They have Impaled now, so they rule! Relapse: I'll answer that later.
What are your impressions on Willowtip joining forces with Earache? Also, if you were given the same opportunity Jason was offered, would you take it?
Billy: You mean to tell me Earache really is still around? Wow...I really have no clue about that label. I can't even remember the last album I bought that was on that label. It might have been Bolt Thrower's IVth Crusade, but I'm not sure. Anyway...to answer your questions, it would have to depend on exactly what kind of deal it would be. I'm very protective of Razorback and I would never just dive into some kind of "deal" if I didn't believe in it 100%. The metal scene is a sleazy, fucked up business...probably worse than any other one out there. I don't trust anybody but myself, basically. We've been offered a few deals to do Razorback Europe with some "big" labels, but I turned it all down because I don't think anybody is really on the same page as Razorback. They just see us as being a "product" to shift more "units" of, that's all. I'm much more happy being a smaller label, putting out whatever the hell I want and having fun. These CD's I put out are the kinds of albums I wish Earache and Relapse were putting out! They're not, so I started Razorback to put out the kind of stuff I would buy and enjoy as a fan. I'd only work with another label if they really believed in us and were seriously fans of our label and bands and weren't out to fuck us over.
Just so you know, Earache are indeed still around and stronger than ever, releasing ripping new albums by Mortiis, Deicide, Ultraviolence and Mistress, not to mention making dozens of dollars re-issuing the entire Earache back catalog again and again with special "bonuses" like Earache Pez dispensers and glow in the dark Earache lightswitch covers.
Billy: No wonder I stopped paying attention to them...
Do you ever worry that someday you may do something stupid that will run the label into the ground, like, say, hiring all of Impaled to run the label, like what happened with Necropolis Records? Do you think it was sabotage on their part?
Billy: I think it was more of Necropolis letting that two-faced, lying, scumbag, jealous, insecure gore-poser Matt Harvey from Exhumed run the label and basically help fuck over every band and then try to pretend he did nothing wrong (just like the Nazis who were "only following orders"). Just ask any band that was on there about all of that and they'll tell you the truth. I think if anything, Impaled was the best thing that label had along with Engorged and they blew it by basically being the sleazy fucktards that they are. Let's ask Sean from Impaled what he has to say about this.
Sean (Impaled): I'd stop just short of comparing anyone there to the Nazis. Maybe the Klan, but not Nazis. Nazis were really organized and they probably would have had a very successful label, if they hadn't been too busy trying to enslave the world. No, the staff at Necropolis were more like these 5th generation Klan members who have obvious chromosomal abnormalities but still talk all day about how the white race is pure and white people are superior and all that. Yeah, I'd have to say their downfall was when they became white supremacists, not hiring Raul and Leon.
Speaking of Impaled, why is it at every show they perform with Ghoul, they're always carrying around Ghoul's gear, but the moment Ghoul hit the stage, Impaled are nowhere to be found?
Billy: Ok...let me tell you the truth. Ghoul is really The Great Kat. That's all I can say about it, but let's ask Sean again what he thinks of all this.
Sean (Impaled): Impaled has never played a show with Ghoul, so the question is invalid.
*applauds* Well played, Mr. McGrath, well played. I was trying to trick you into revealing the band's true identity, but, Billy let the "Kat" out of the bag already. Well, at least it explains why Digestor has such fat titties. Mr. Nocera, here's another Razorback-related mystery I was hoping you could answer; why is it if a person joins one Portland-based gore band, they wind up playing for them all, and they all wind up signed on Razorback? I'm starting to think it's the work of a devious cult
Billy: Yes, it's called the Bigfoot Splatterthrashers cult. Yep, that's it. All your effort was wasted.
Rumors have spread through the internet for years that you are, in fact, a musician performing in several of the bands related to your label. Do either you or Jill have any music-related experience? I would make reference to the playing of the pocket piccolo, but that would be highly inappropriate and unprofessional of me.
Billy: I used to beat the shit out of those dirtbag heshers at the handball courts back in the day. You know the kind, sitting there trying to tell me that Pink Floyd was cool because it was "mellow" and then trying to defend Metallica's "black" album since it was the only Metallica album they ever heard. Pathetic. I'm a metal GOD, and I can never be stopped Mr. Foofur's Tomb.
Speaking of professionalism, do you have any formal schooling in small business ownership, or have you done the label without having any real clue as to what you were doing?
Billy: I have a degree in being a total jerk, does that count? Jill went to college and took a lot of business classes, so she is more skilled to answer this one. My schooling came from years of listening to metal and watching horror movies. Huh... huh heh heh... cool right? I like when the Critters eat the chili...
Any advice for other label owners on how to do things "the right way"?
Billy: Yes. Please don't start anymore fucking record labels. Thank you.
Speaking of epic battles, I've heard you and Relapse aren't on the best of terms. What have they done to draw the ire of Billy Nocera?
Billy: For me to answer this, I must go back in time. I'm going to use the Gore-Boar 5000 Splatmatic-Time Machine... here I go..... FSHOOM!!!!!!!!!!!........... Hey man! Wow, Relapse rules. They've been putting out some of my favorite underground death/grind stuff ever. There's so many cool guys that work there that I get along great with. Rob Waller, Tom Hailey, Pellet, Bill Yurkiewicz, etc. All great guys! Everybody there is totally down with old school metal and grindcore, no trends or anything like that. I have absolutely nothing bad to say about them at all. People bitch about them but I see no reason why when they're releasing so many cool albums. I'm really looking forward to that Goreaphobia album and hopefully the General Surgery Sex God Pathology album comes out soon also. I keep reading about that in their mail-order catalogs.
Finally, since I enjoy angering as many people as possible, please tell me about all of the people who have ripped you off that you would like to pin to a wall and beat repeatedly with a Singapore cane.
Billy: I'm sorry to break your heart man, but no rip-offs to report. What a letdown this must be. I really failed.
Yea, it's like the 3rd grade all over again.
