Chad Bowar: How did you get started writing about metal?
Scott Alisoglu: I reviewed a Pantera/Soulfly/Morbid Angel/Nothingface show, submitted it to a couple of zines, and the fuse was lit.
Are you able to write full time, or do you have another job?
Yes, I’ve got a full time “day job” as well. It would be very tough for me to make a living writing. And health insurance is nice too.
Take us through your typical day.
Crawl out of bed, feed the cats, shower, check e-mail, head to the day job, come home, check e-mail and respond to publicists, labels, etc, go through the stacks of promotional CDs that came in the mail, sometimes review a CD, write questions for an interview, transcribe, or simply listen to whatever CDs I’m reviewing that week. I listen constantly: at home, in the car, at work, etc. It’s essential. Music rarely leaves my head. Weekend mornings (if I’m not too hung over) and afternoons are spent doing a lot of writing.
Who was your favorite interview?
That is a very difficult question and I know I’m going to forget several. Lemmy is definitely up there because he’s an idol of mine and he’s always good for quotes. Rob Halford was great, and Pete Way (UFO) was drunk, hilarious, and out of his friggin’ mind. I’ve had some marathon interview sessions with John McEntee (Incantation) too; that guy is as true as it gets. The same with Ross Dolan (Immolation); another true warrior and one hell of a nice guy! And I can’t forget talking to Danny from the North Side Kings sometime after he knocked out Glenn Danzig; that was rather comical.
Who was your least favorite interview?
Scott Ian, mainly because it was a situation where I took the interview at the last minute and the label hadn’t sent me the disc yet, so he spent most of the interview bitching about me not having heard the new material.
Who was least like you thought they would be (either positively or negatively)?
I’m thinking Rob Halford, although I didn’t think he’d be a (jerk) or anything. I just didn’t expect him to be so friendly, intelligent, and genuinely down to earth.
What makes a good interview?
A two-way conversation during which the parties are in sync and the flow is smooth. Any time you can throw away your notes and just go with it, it’s most likely going to be a good interview. And humor is always key.
What’s the dumbest or most unfortunate question you’ve asked?
I know there have been many and I’ll be damned if I can think of a good one, or maybe subconsciously I don’t want to sound like an ass all over again. I do recall starting an interview with Cedric Dupont and beginning it talking about something I had seen about Brainstorm, which would have been fine, except that Cedric is one of the guitarists in Symphorce.
Who are some artists that you would like to interview, but haven’t?
Ronnie James Dio and Ted Nugent. He’s not a “big star,” but I’ve always wanted to interview Phil Campbell from Motorhead too; the guy is a rock ‘n roll machine!
How do you deal with negative feedback from bands or readers about something you’ve written?
I don’t really worry about it, especially nowadays; it’s part of the gig. A friend and colleague of mine once told me that “no matter what you write, you’re wrong.” Truer words have never been spoken.
Writing for Blabbermouth means instant feedback and comments about your reviews. What are the nastiest and most positive things someone has said about one of your reviews there?
Oh man, I've written so many reviews for Blabbermouth that it's difficult to remember specific comments. I can tell you that I've been called everything in the book: retard, idiot, moron, you name it. There have been positive comments as well, but I don't recall any one in particular. You've got to have a thick skin if you want to write reviews for Blabbermouth.
What’s the most fun you’ve had doing an interview?
Pete Way (UFO) because he was such a lunatic.
Who are some other metal writers that you respect?
Nathan T. Birk, Keith Bergman, Erik Thomas, Dave Brenner, and Liz Ciavarella, but there are several others too, including some of the Terrorizer and Unrestrained folks.
Other than the outlets for which you write, what are your favorite metal magazines and websites?
Terrorizer and Unrestrained for print magazines, and www.metalreview.com online.
What’s your biggest pet peeve about other metal writers?
Pretentiousness or the “I’m smarter than you and you don’t know (crap)” syndrome.
