I N T E R V I E W

Interview Lex Koritni

Thanks a lot Lex for this interview for the french metal webzine http://www.auxportesdumetal.com/
Can you please relate us what happened since your gig in Paris in "Le Nouveau Casino" 2 years ago ?

Since there, we played in Savigny Le Temple and we recorded a live DVD on that tour in Raismes Festival. We also recorded some parts of Paris show in Savigny Le Temple. We recorded the audio at that show, that was a great gig. We were a little bit tired, a little bit fucked because we had 4 shows just before that night but I think that the croud really got kicked in the balls, we were on fire. Then, after that tour, I've stayed in Paris for about two months, living with Eddy, the french guitarist because he couldn't come back to Australia because of visa problems. So I stayed in Paris and did some songwriting with him preparing for the new album and then, later last year, he came to Australia and we continued writing. It took us about a year to write "Game Of Fools" and to get recorded, so I didn't really do much except drink and songwrite with Eddy and of course have constant fight with him about the songs (Laughs)

On your latest album "Game Of Fools", you changed a little bit your look. You, Lex, your hair is longer and maybe, Eddy wants to look like Slash ? Is it a marketing change ?

It's just time for a change. Partly because for 3 years I've been coming to France and coming back to Australia for about 6 months at a time. That was a 2,5 year winter for me, I was in France for the start of winter. At the end of winter, I came back to Australia and fuckin' winter again ! My long hair was quite good when it's cold ! But I had a summer in Australian, long hair is no good in the heat so cut this shit off !

How would you compare "Game Of Fools" to "Lady Luck" ?

I think it's a different album completely. I mean, I wasn't happy with "Green Dollar Colour" and "Lady Luck", there are a lot of things we could have done better. I think that's normal for any artist. "Game Of Fools" is the first project we've done, where, at the end of it, I'm happy to wash my hands of. Just personally for me, I'm actually happy with it, I think there's a lot more depth in the music, it's still rock n' roll. I think there's more substance and more depth musically and lyrically.

Do you already have some feedbacks about press reviews ? How do they sound ?

Yeah, yeah... They're fuckin' great ! They mirror my feeling about that album. On the review in "Hard Rock", the only negative point was about "Lady Luck". They say that we should have taken the time. The time we spent writing "Game Of Fools", we should have done it with "Lady Luck". "Game Of Fools" is a far superior album which is true I think. There hasn't been a bad word said about it.... yet !! (Laughs)

Where does the story of "155" come from ?

That was written about our last tour when we went to Italy. Usually, when we tour, our manager Sam comes on the road, he drives, he navigates, he does everything. We just sit in the bus and get pissed. But this time, we flew to Milan and we had to pick up a hire car to go to the first gig. We were a little bit drunk, Eddy was driving but he was fine. But at the end of tour in Italy, we had to drive 2 hours to Milan airport. And, 2 hours on the highway should be OK. Unfortunately, fuckin' italian roadsigns, nobody speaks italian... We were going to the wrong direction. After 3 hours, we thought it was fine as we saw a sign to an airport. We stopped at a petrol station and we asked where the airport is. The guy, in broken english, said "Milan airport is 2 hours that way, you're in Venice". So, we were 2,5 hours from the airport and we had 1,5 hour to catch the plane. So, we had to drive 190 kilometers on the highway in a tiny little time. I would have called the song "190" but it doesn't sound the same, "155" sounds better. But we succeeded, we could give the hire car back and catch the plane !

Do songs like "Deranged" or "Stab in the back" deal with people you know ?

Yes, they do, they do... "Deranged", I ownly produced that track and arranged it. Luke wrote the lyrics for, so I don't know what's about. Who knows... ? Probably about some girls who pissed him off, that's usually the case... (Laughs). "Stab in the back" : I had those lyrics standing around for a while. It's a mix of ideas, it's partly about an ex-girlfriend and partly about a friend of mine, totally separate issues. He was a best friend of mine and he became a junkie and I had to delete him from my phone because he told some thinks about me. Junkies are no good, you know.

In "Roll The Dice", you talk about the rock n' roll attitude : sex, alcohol & rock n' roll. Are you rock n' roll or are you serious in the day-to-day life ?

You can do both (Laughs) !! When it comes to music, we're all very serious, we treat this like a job and this is one of the few jobs you're allowed to drink. That song "Roll The Dice" is about going to the pub and trying your luck with the girls, that's a simple rock n' roll song but that's quite true.

The introduction riff of "Roll The Dice" reminds me the introduction of "Gone Shootin'". The introduction of "Game Of Fools" reminds me "For Those About To Rock".

I would have said "Stiff Upper Lip"

You're right !!

But I can't actually remember the introduction of "Gone Shootin'".

Did you see the movie "Beavis And Butthead Do America" ?

Yeah !

When Beavis headbangs in the bus, he listens to "Gone Shootin'".

Yeah ! I have to revisit that song. I haven't listened to this one for a long time but I have to, definitely.

How do you explain all these comparisons in the press between Koritni and AC/DC ?

I enjoy these comparison, AC/DC is a great band. A lot of people say that their music simple but there's a lot of architecture goes into their arrangements. I guess that's because we're australian. I guess that in any rock n' roll, you can compare us to Aerosmith, to Guns N' Roses to... When you get a streaming guitar, you could say that's AC/DC or Guns N' Roses.

As we talk about AC/DC, don't you think that on their latest album "Black Ice", there's a little bit of renewal ?

I'm one of the few people who didn't really like this album. I much preferred the "Stiff Upper Lip". But still it's AC/DC, I still listen to and say "that's great !". They have such a high standard that I was expecting a little more. It's still AC/DC and it's still great.

Your new "Game Of Fools" tour is very much focused in France. Is it due to Eddy, to your label ?

I think that there are more dates to come in Italy. We're not going to the UK this tour but I'm pretty sure that our management is planning a tour in November/December as well. Maybe we'll also play in Holland and Switzerland. At the end of the day, I don't really know because that's management's job, I just go where I'm told as long there's a drink where I get there, I'll be there !!

You'll play live in a lot of french towns. A lot of reviewers on our webzine http://www.auxportesdumetal.com/ come from the south-east of France. You'll play in Peymeinade, they all thank you about that. You're the only band in the world to play in a such small town. Peymeinade is the "asshole" of France. Why will you play there ? Do you have any girl there ?

I don't know. Because we do so many shows in places, it's quite often the case when we're rockin' in a town, it looks like a country postcard and quite often, in these places, we've played the better gigs we've done. If that was the place I remembered with 300 people, that was a fuckin' crazy night ! If we've played in Peymeinade before and if we go back, that was probably a good gig !

You'll also play at the Hellfest festival. This year, the line-up is amazing : Motley Crue, Manowar, Heaven & Hell, Dream Theater ... How do you feel ? Do you feel anxious ?

You forgot W.A.S.P !!!!! I'm looking proud. I'm glad, it should be good fun. I imagine it will be a great week-end for all.

Joey Di Maio from Manowar uses to drink beers in the "King Of Metal" way during his shows. You, Lex, like to drink whisky on stage. Do you plan any alcohol contest at the Hellfest with Joey ?

Probably not, I actually don't know much about Manowar. I'm happy to meet a lot of bands like WASP, I'd also like to meet Ian Scott from Anthrax, and Vince Neil obviously because at the moment, my favorite album I'm listening to is "Vince Neil - Exposed", his solo album from 92-93. Steve Steven's playing guitar and it's one example of the best of Steve Stevens playing. In my opinion, it's one of the best things they've ever done. It's an amazing album ! I look forward to have a chat with Vince Neil about that album. I think it will be very interesting. I'll be careful on the first two days, no to get too thrashed !

On your latest tour, you played covers of Guns N' Roses, of Skid Row, of AC/DC (High Voltage). Do you already have any covers for the next tour ?

Yes, we've got a Billy Idol track. We've released some new covers, the covers are usually more for us than for the crowd because we enjoy to play strange covers. But no more Guns N' Roses covers ! I can promise that.

About Guns N' Roses, do you think that the 18 year expectation reaches the quality expected by "Chinese Democracy" ?

To be honest, when I first listened to that album, I was quite disappointed. But there's so much on that album ; I listened to it 2 or 3 more times and I fuckin' love it ! I think it's fantastic. I'm not sure if it's just because it's to hear Axl singing on something that I haven't heard because he's such an amazing vocalist ! He's got that amazing voice and I really enjoy about that album. At the end of the days, Guns N' Roses has always been Axl Rose and is always.

Who got the idea to sell a package including your latest album "Game Of Fools" with a ticket concert for approximately the same price ? That's an excellent idea ! No more interest in Peer-To-Peer downloading !

That's our label's director and our management. I thought it was a good idea. The show will be better because people will have more money to get pissed. The music we play is a great sountrack for drinking and fucking. At the end of the gig, if you don't want to go home and have sex, there's something wrong with the music. This way, people have more money to come along and to pay for drinks. And if they're ugly, they'll take the money to go to hooker.