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 Frontman Brian Vollmer of Helix is one of those artists that never gave up on his band through the years. Whether it was the grunge invasion, or the boy band invasion that plagued the Heavy Metal scene for a while, Vollmer kept on writing, recording and performing like the Rock N' Roll animal that he truly his. With his dedication and determination, the Heavy Metal frontman is still recording Helix albums today, such as his latest party album titled "Get Up!"
Helix has been around since the early 70's, and have released many great albums over the past thirty years, but the band really became known here in the states with their 1983 release of "No Rest For The Wicked" with Capitol Records. The album is loaded with great metal songs such as "Don't Get Mad Get Even," "Dirty Dog," and everybody's favorite, "Heavy Metal Love." Helix stayed with Capitol Records until 1990 and released other great albums through them as well like, "Walkin' The Razor's Edge, "Long Way To Heaven," and "Wild In The Streets."
Helix has certainly had it's share of fame and fortune over the years, but has also had it's share of member changes and tragedy as well. Whether you like Helix or not, there is no denying that this band is without a doubt, just as much an important part of the Heavy Metal community as any other metal band, past, present or future. So, with that being said, we at GlamMetal.com are happy to announce that here to talk about some of Helix's good times, and bad, is the one and only, Brian Vollmer! Enjoy!
Brian Vollmer, welcome to GlamMetal.com! How are you man?
Doobie, what's up? Nice to be here man, I'm great!
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Congratulations on the new Helix cd which is titled, Get Up!" Did you guys stick to your roots on this, or did you go in a different direction musically?
I think it was more of a return to our roots. As you may know, I was searching for writing partners for much of the 90's. In 1989 Brent Doerner left the band, he was one of my writing partners, and Paul Hackman as you know was tragically killed in the early 90's in a van accident coming back from western Canada...so when you lose those people you write with, you lose your sound. I kept going and I refused to give up, and I didn't see any reason to change the Helix moniker. I put thirty years of my life into the band, and I wasn't about to just jump ship, you know? Eventually, I ended up with the writing team that I've got on this album, quite by accident, they're actually people I've known for twenty years. This new album sounds like early Helix material with a fresh edge.
There is no doubt that Helix has maintained a loyal fan base over the y ears, do you think it's safe to say Brian that Helix fans young and old alike will dig this new cd?
Well so far everybody seems to like it, and we've been getting great reviews through the metal magazines and metal webzines, so I really think that's a good indication.
How many tracks are on the new cd?
There are seven tracks on there, six are brand new Helix tracks. The reason that we put it out in an abbreviated cd is that we were rushing to coincide the release of the cd with the new Trailer Park Boys movie. Capitol Licensed "Heavy Metal Love" for the movie, but not the movie soundtrack, because they got into a pissing match with Universal. So...we re-recorded the song exactly like the original and we slapped it on with the six songs that we had already recorded, and put that disk out as "Get Up!"
Is "Get Up!" available in any record store, and if not, where can it be purchased?
It'll be in select record stores. In my opinion, it's a really bad mistake for anybody to sign with a small label without getting some insurance that you're going to get some sort of a pay out down the line. You'd have to have a reason for signing with a small label. In the case with Helix, we developed markets over the years. When I do an album, I know I'm always gonna break even, so before I sign a deal with any record company, I've got to make sure there's a good reason I'm signing with them right? "Get Up!" was primarily put together as a tool for myself and Gord Prior who I write with, and who also helps me co-manage the band, and to go out there and shop the material to different people. There's all sorts of labels around the world that handle this type of music, you know who they are I'm sure. So...one by one, we're going down the list and we're approaching them and seeing if there's any interest there for the band. I think now a days with this type of music, there has to be a connection between the record label and the promoter that helps to get the band out there to play, because radio doesn't really support this type of music, so it has to be supported on a live level. Getting back to the original question though, for now I'm just selling through the website at www.planethelix.com
Helix has had a few member changes over the years, who's currently in the band now?
Well, my studio band and my live band are two different animals. I use Rob MacEachern on drums when I record in the studio. Now for those who don't know, Rob MacEachern is famous for inventing the drum claws that you see Tommy Lee and Nico McBain using now. They are the clamps that you see holding the skins on the bass drums. So, for the studio, I use Rob MacEachern on drums, I use my live player Jeff Fountain to play bass. Steve Georgakopolous on guitar, and he's one of the people I write with as well. The background vocals are supplied by Danny Broadbeck and Gord Prior. My live band is Brent Niemi on drums, Jeff Fountain on bass, Rick VanDyk and Jim Lawson on lead guitars. Great bunch of guys, good attitudes, great players and great performers.
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Helix did a few dates with the Trailer Park Boys recently, how'd the tour go?
That was fantastic! It was a great exposure tour for us because Swollen Members were on the bill as well. Swollen Members of Canada are Juno Award winning, rap slash metal. So we had that young audience there for the Trailer Park Boys and Swollen Members that give us that exposure to a whole new generation of fans. They loved us, because they'd never really seen a band like us before, you know? We're an all in your face rock band! (Laughs)
(Laughs) Helix in your face is a good thing man! So, does Helix plan to tour more in support of the new record at all in 2007?
We're trying to do as many dates as we can. I'm getting the band slowly back in the United States, we just played Florida a couple of weeks ago, which was more or less a show case date for the agent down there. Once he came to see us, I think he is going to now get us dates in Cincinnati and Columbus. There's one in Virginia siting there, a couple probably in Texas, we were very big in Texas. You know, we're just trying to get our foot in the door there and get back down to the States. I always tell people, from where I live in London Ontario to Thunder Bay Ontario, there's about three places to play, and it takes the same amount of time to drive from here to Thunder Bay as it does to drive from here to Florida, which has more dates in between. Through the 80's we played in the United States constantly, and I love the United States, and I love playing down there, and I think it's only a matter of time before we get back down there again. Classic Rock slash Metal is definitely on it's third wave coming from Europe. The reason is simple, my opinion is that people who have followed this music in the 80's are now the baby boomers, and now they have disposable income and want to go see these bands now. They have the money now to buy the tickets and see the shows.
That makes a lot of sense. I hear many people saying that this genre of music is indeed coming back around again. I believe it, and it's cool that you can see it as well.
I don't think it ever really left. Music always goes out of style for a while, it goes around in cycles. Like I said, this is the third wave of metal, the first wave of metal was probably like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath. The second wave of metal would be Motley Crue, Helix, Ratt, Whitesnake and the Scorpions, and now it's coming back around again. People never forget the old acts. Even through the lean years, Helix continued to put out cd's, we continued to put out dvd's, and we continued to play. I never gave up, I think that's the secret to success no matter what you're in, just keep pressing forward, and the powers that be will take care of you.
Getting back to touring, Helix has toured extensively over the years. What's a couple of bands that you really enjoyed touring with the most back in the day?
Kiss, Motorhead...the Trailer Park Boys. Alice Cooper was a fun tour. I don't know, they were all fun.
What's one of the wildest or craziest things you've ever witnessed on the road Brian?
Oh god! (Laughs) Lots of crazy things, but probably some of the craziest things that we encountered was when we played with W.A.S.P. Motorhead was another crazy band, and I'll tell you this. The same day that Brian Robertson wanted to fight me at the House of Guitars in Rochester, which was the same day that Lemmy at the Penny Arcade in Rochester asked me if I believed in god, and the same day that we all stood on the roof of the Penny Arcade and watched Lemmy get blown by some chick. That was a weird day. (Laughs) I remember over in Europe touring with Motorhead, Girlschool and Merciful Fate, on the last day of the tour, Motorhead stole King Diamond's sacred bones and he flipped out! I also remember being pulled into a dressing room by Gene Simmons while we were on the Kiss tour, and he looked down on us like we were little school kids and he went, "Now you know, the world does not want another Kiss, and I don't want you to do this, this or this in your show, because it's copying us!" (Laughs)
Helix has been around since the 70's, looking back on what you've done, and what you've accomplished musically over the years Brian, what are you most proud of?
Ultimately it's gotta be the songs. I hope that I've made people happy with my music. I've always been in this to be a songwriter, so hopefully I've written some good songs.
What's a couple of your favorite Glam-Metal bands from back in the day?
Oh Geez...Glam-Metal bands...that's a good question. (Laughs) Probably Poison and Motley Crue when they were glam. I can't really think of anybody else right off hand... the New York Dolls of course who were the original glam band.
You've been in this business for a long time, and I'm sure you've seen many changes in the record industry over the years, what's going on now a days? Mind sharing your personal thoughts on the music biz today?
I actually think the music industry now a days is pretty exciting because it's breaking away from the big labels. Big labels have lost touch with the common people I think, and it's going back to when music started like in early radio, you know when groups used to take singles to the radio station and hopefully get em' played? If they got enough singles on the radio, then they'd go do an album, and it's kinda turning into that with i Tunes and stuff like that. If it weren't for the internet, I don't know if Helix would still be around. The internet has helped me connect with fans all over the world, when it took years and years of touring to connect with those same fans, you know? Also, on a recording prospective, we can do an album now for twenty-thousand dollars when it used to cost a half a million to do back in the day. So I try to look at the advantages verses the disadvantages. For example, some people in my position look at age as being the detriment, I look at it as an advantage because of the knowledge I've gained over the years about the business. Same thing with being Canadian. Someone asked me the other night, " Do you find it to be a disadvantage for being Canadian?" (Laughs)
(Laughs) Now why the fuck would somebody ask a question like that?
I guess they figure that Canadians get picked on, I don't know what they think, but I never felt that! I think those things are only problems if you let them be problems.
What's the writing process like in Helix, past or present Brian? Are you the primary song writer?
Yes, I'm the only person in the live band that writes. I own the band. The band is me. I tell people that I'm the captain of the ship, and the ship has had many crews, but the captain is only as good as his crew.
That's exactly right.
It is, you know? Ultimately the buck stops here. I take responsibility for the people in my band, and that's why you choose people with good attitudes. I don't want some fucking jerk working for me, and I've had a few fucking jerks working for me, and they're not here anymore.
Do you plan to continue writing and recording Helix records in the future?
Yes, and I think I can, because I have the added advantage that I learnt very early in my career how to sing Bel Canto, which is the old Italian method of singing. I had nodes in my vocal chords back in 1975, so I had to go and learn how to sing properly. I actually teach it now a days, and I'm probably one of the last people in the world to teach true Bel Canto. It took me years to learn how to master it, but it's the only way to sing.
What do you do to take care of your voice?
(Laughs) Well, I should do more to take care of my voice, but I warm up before I sing, I keep in good sensible shape. I jog three to five miles every morning first thing. I eat pretty good, and since last September I've dropped thirty pounds. I'm down to the weight I wanna be, which is 165.
Good for you man. I guess we won't see you on Celebrity Fit Club anytime soon then huh?
(Laughs) Well you know, nobody likes a fat singer!
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Aside from writing or playing music, what do you like to do for fun man?
I like working with architectural antiques. The house where we live here is called Planet Helix. We were just featured on MTV Cribs. I basically re-did my whole house with architectural antiques from Southern Ontario. I stripped em' all and worked em' into the architectural parts of the house. People come here all the time for parties and stuff from all over the world, and they're kinda blown away, because it's almost like coming to Disneyland or something. (Laughs) So that's my hobby. I like taking films, I've got my own little show I'm putting together called "At Arms Length," and we're just starting to put the films now up on myspace at www.myspace.com/helixonmyspace We did some great ones out west with the Trailer Park Boys and my band playing Liquor & Whores. Also, I released my book last year called, "Gimme An R," which is a history of me in the band up to this point. Everybody that has read the book seems to like it as well, so if you want to find out more about the band, and get some shits and giggles at the same time, my book is a good bet. That's about it, the band is my hobby. You can purchase the new cd "Get UP!" and my book "Gimme An R" at www.planethelix.com
In closing, is there anything you'd like to say to all of the Helix fans out there Brian?
I'd like to thank you all very much, and keep supporting us.
Thanks for talking with GlamMetal.com today Brian. We wish you the best of luck with the new record, "GET UP!"
Thanks so much Doobie for interviewing me. Take care.
To check out Helix's kick ass website, go to www.planethelix.com AND www.myspace.com/helixonmyspace
Also, I'd like to give a shout out and thanks to our buddy and supporter of GlamMetal.com, Mr. Razor Ray at WRBC 91.5 Lewiston, Maine! Check out Razor Ray at www.myspace.com/razorraywrbc
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