La Rocque & Patino & Thompson

King Diamond

King Diamond performed live in Athens at April 8th, 2001 and we managed to talk with Andy La Rocque, Hal Patino and Matt Thompson (King Diamond's new drummer). Of course, 10 minutes aren't enough to interview Andy La Rocque but we did our best and here you can read what he told us...
By Makis Kirkos
April 29, 2001
La Rocque & Patino & Thompson (King Diamond) interview
Since I'm from an Internet Metal Magazine, the most classic question is : what's your relationship with the Internet ?

Hal: I got an Internet back home, usually my kids use it. I 've only used it a couple of times to see some dark pages and also to look out for my kids, to see in what XXX pages they are going to (laughs).

Andy what about you? I know that your relationship with the Internet is very good, and I also know that you have spoke with the Greek Coven's webmaster via email...

Andy: Oh yes, yes I remember it now, I remember he sent me an email for an interview but it's just that I didn't have enough time to do it and so that is why I didn't reply to him. I think Internet is really good.

...and mp3's too?

Andy: Oh, I think mp3s are cool also... as long the people don't spread, you know. It's cool to have them cause you can hear samples of music that you love and the people can decide if they will buy our music or no, but it isn't right people, you know, downloading a whole album of a band... I mean that really sucks and they don't have the right to do it.

Ok, so how is the tour going until now?

Andy, Hal (together): Very good, Very good... we started off from Russia about a month ago and I can tell you it was SO cold (laughs). Actually that was our first time in Russia and it was really awesome, something else.. pretty crazy.

Hal: The responce was very good from the fans , I mean I was actually for them a new bass player and Matt also the new drumer, Mike took over the guitar so basically we were a new band (laughs).

How was it in Thessaloniki last night ?

Andy: Awesome , it seems like the audience, the people , you know the crowd , they really like what we're doing. Matt: I saw a guy corpsepainted like King in the front row, he was kicking ass... pretty cool.

Oh, he was the webmaster of the Greek Coven...Andy,

Hal: God , crazy guy...

Ok , so let's talk about your album House of God , it's a concept album, can you tell me the story...?

Andy: Matt ? can you tell the story ? (laughs)

Matt: Oh well the story as I get it, is like... there is a guy and he is chased by a wolf so he finds bield in a church. He sits there and another wolf comes into the church and metamorphose into a very beautiful and desirable woman. So , the guy falls in love with the woman , but she is cursed to have her human figure only into the church...bla...bla...bla...(laughs)...and the guy gets tricked by her and he metamprphose into a wolf while the woman gets away from her curse.

Andy: What is really based is that we don't know if there is a God or if there is a real God and Jesus. We can't prove it so why do we believe in him? Actually King knows the story a lot better than we do (laughs)...

...Don't you find the title House of God ironic ? Because we all know King's satanic beliefes..I mean when I got the album and I saw your picture inside the church I said...(Hal interrupts me)...

Hal: You said we are crazy , right ? (laughs)

Andy: Yes it could be ironic I suppose but , I mean House of God could mean a lot of different things for a lot of different people I guess. For some people God means a church and stuff like that, but for other means something else , something different and actually the story of the album grows inside a church. I think it's a really cool title.

Do you believe that your music should sound, different if you had another singer and not King? I mean your music is based on the lyrics, right?

Andy: No , not really, I don't think so. No , not with the lyrics I wouldn't say that... it's like a combination of everything. I mean it's a combination of King's voice to lyrics and of course the actical stuff. I think everything is a combination of eachother. If we didn't have King Diamond on the band , I don't know , we'd probably sound different since we already know how the band sounds with King's vocals. It's also all those theatrical stuff that we think while we compose riffs. So it's a combination of all , I mean the lyrics , King's voice , our music and King's theatrical stuff.

(At this point their tour manager provided them with their dinner...and they didn't touch it until I was gone at the end of the interview) Ok , so tell me what happend with Glen ( Drover ) ? Why did he leave the band ?

Andy: ...He had a job back home , a really great job that he really, really didn't want to give up. That's all , he didn't want to leave his job...at least that's what he told us.

So , he didn't leave the band because of Eidolon, his project ?

Andy: I don't know. Maybe it's that reason too , but the official news about him , what he told us , is that he didn't want to leave his great job.

(At this point my mobile phone rings , with the mission impossible ringtone , and all together Andy , Hal and Matt start singing...laughs ...laughs ...laughs) Ok , what do you think about King's image...I mean the corpsepaint , and his show while he is performing...

Andy: Well the thing is that beyond his voice , that image is what makes King Diamond a little bit unique.. I mean I wouldn't call it corpsepaint cause that's something that somebody invented not so long ago really, I prefer to say his mask. If he didn't have that , then he would be like everyone else I guess. I like him with his mask.

Hal: Can you imagine King without his corpsepaint on stage ? With sunglasses and a cowboy hat singing..?

No , never...

Hal: Well ? See ? ( laughs )..

So , is King a god that failed ?

Hal: Oh yeah , absolutely he believes that.

Andy: A god that failed ? it sound's good , you pass it nice.

It seems to me that all your latest releases could be soundtracks for horror movies. Are you inspired by that kind of art ?

Andy: Definitely. I always was into that kind of stuff since I was a little kid, you know I watch horror movies, I read horror books. I love Steven King's books. And if you could combine that scary and horror things with your music while you are onstage, that would be really great.

Let me ask you something else now...Andy how do you feel knowing that you have inspired so many young guitarists?

Andy: It's great, I feel great. I mean this is the biggest compliment you could hear from someone. If someone comes and tells you I've been listening to you for years and years and years... oh god you feel great, you know. That's pretty cool, I like that (laughs).

Let me surprise you now with a different question. What do you believe about Evergrey?

Andy: Evergrey? (Laughs) I love them. Well, you know, it's a band that I produce in the studio... it's not like my favorite band, but it's something different from all that, that I am usually listening to. It's one of the best bands I've ever produced in the studio. Cool guys, great music, you know, but not really the kind of music that I am listening to. I usually hear old stuff like U.F.O, Uriah Heep, Black Sabbath and thing's like that. They are definitely a really good band.

Ok so... I can see that you are waiting for me to end this interview so you can have dinner...

Andy, Hal and Matt (together): OH yes (laughs)

Just close this interview in anyway you'd like to...

Andy: Ok, well it feels very good to be here back in Greece cause, you know, we had 11 years to perform here and we have some CRAZY, CRAZY fans that are loyal to us for so many years. So prepare to kick your ass bad today (laughs). Matt: ...and you are gonna like it too (laughs)...

Hal: We know about you, how crazy you are, we saw it last night and we wanna thank you.

Ok guys thanks for this interview have a nice dinner (laughs)...

Andy: Hey man can I get you anything to eat? (Laughs)...

No, no I am fine... I am waiting to enjoy your show.

Hal: Oh you will, take care!

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