From the deep underground of the US Metal scene, Knightriot emerged as a legend back in the 80ies, and the fact that they have released just three demo, increases the magic's aura that always surrounds them. They can be the next metal sensation, Ronnie J.Dio try to manage the band, but alternative rock first, and a line up crises after, drowned the band in a sea of nothingness....
Interview done by: Beppe Diana
Hi Jeff and thanx for this big chance, first of all, what are your memories about music?
being part of the Historic Hollywood Metal scene in the 80's is Surreal. It's a part of American Pop culture and we knew we were riding a wave that would crash, but it was beautiful. So many bands, so much hairspray! How at a later stage you got introduced to Hard Rock/Metal music?
I have 3 older Brothers that were rockers, but My oldest Bro Dan introduced me to Black Sabbath and Judas Priest. I introduced him to Iron Maiden and Anthrax, so Metal was a love that grew out of hard rock like Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple.
When was the band formed and which were the founding members?
The Band was formed in 1988 in Burbank, California. I was the Lead Vocalist (Jeffrey Michael James) My Brother Danny James on Bass, JD Brytton on Guitar and Jeremy Crowther on Drums. We played our 1st show July 14th, 1988 @ Gazzarri's to a packed House.
Was Knightriot the name of the band since the beginning?
When we came to Hollywood from Phoenix, we were called "Nytro", a name Dan came up with while working with what would later become "Tuff". Lead singer Jim Gillette, went on to front an LA metal act called "Nitro", Dan was not Happy, so we changed our name and theme to "knightriot" a name a picked up from a defunct Phoenix act, only they spelled it as 2 words...silly Biz!
What were your influences as a band back then?
Very simply: Black Sabbath, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden
Both individually and as a band?
As a singer My influences were Ronnie James Dio, Jim Morrison, Billy Joel and Jello Biafra
You first appeared in the Metal scene in 1989 with a four track demo including “Rock Hard”, “Wasted Youth” and “Holy Avenger”, what do you remember about this record session?
It was done at a studio in Hollywood, very exciting to record it, we were young and learning. Our Guitarist on that was Christopher Blake, our 2nd Guitarist, he was an MIT Grad that had Jeff Buckley for a Guitar Tech. "wasted youth" was the power ballad that become a crowd favorite.
The sound on the tape is more influenced by Judas Priest and Maiden, but also from band as Armored Saint, what you can say?
Maybe it was the knight thing but I was often compared to John Bush from Armored Saint and later Anthrax, but I didn't really see it, I was so much more a Dio guy and Ronnie was a supporter of the band and I loved that. I do like Armored Saint and I am still friends with Armored Saint Guitarist Jeff Duncan
If i'm not wrong the distrubtor Spring Arbor Records contracted the tape and released it across the USA, right?
Correct
How was the feeling of holding a demo from your band at your hands? In how many copies was it printed?
It felt great to have Product for Our fans, we printed 1000 copies and sold all...
The track “Kiss the black” will appear at the compilation album “Underground Metal II”, in which way are you chosen?
The song was so Bold in it's lyrics about facing your maker and see death before you die. We were about salvation and that's why we were chosen
I remember at the time that the band paid to be included in the compilation, so it was for you?
We did not pay, we were paid a nominal amount
The song was so Bold in it's lyrics about facing your maker and see death before you die. We were about salvation and that's why we were chosen
I remember at the time that the band paid to be included in the compilation, so it was for you?
We did not pay, we were paid a nominal amount
Despite you were a Christian band extraction, you played often in places notorious for being places of perdition as Gazzari's, The Troubador and The Whisky.....you can explain to me what was the thrust of the band live?
Knightriot were the good guys in a sea of darkness, we saw our anthemic songs as the sound track to a world gone mad...Our stage show was explosive and powerful. Our fanbase grew fast and we held their attention amongst a lot of other great metal acts.
The second demo was released only a year later, and showed a band much more mature and confident about their qualities, technical and interpretive, this let me think that the songwriting process was becoming definitely fluid, ow many hours of your time you spent writing songs and playing?
By the second demo "Beware The Knight" we were much better as a band, 3rd Guitarist Jamie Purpora took us to a new level. His lightning fast blues riffs were deadly, Jamie was a Monster live. Producer Alex Woltman worked with Motley Crue, so he was a pro. Longer, Harder recording but a lot of fun, We recorded next to an unknown artist called "Vanilla Ice"
On the cover of the tape appeared once again the knight of the first demo, it makes me realize that the intentions of the band were to create a sort of mascot like the famous Eddy, what was his name?
Sir Joshua was our mascot. He appeared on our covers. he represented a force for good and respect for the past
Knightriot were the good guys in a sea of darkness, we saw our anthemic songs as the sound track to a world gone mad...Our stage show was explosive and powerful. Our fanbase grew fast and we held their attention amongst a lot of other great metal acts.
The second demo was released only a year later, and showed a band much more mature and confident about their qualities, technical and interpretive, this let me think that the songwriting process was becoming definitely fluid, ow many hours of your time you spent writing songs and playing?
By the second demo "Beware The Knight" we were much better as a band, 3rd Guitarist Jamie Purpora took us to a new level. His lightning fast blues riffs were deadly, Jamie was a Monster live. Producer Alex Woltman worked with Motley Crue, so he was a pro. Longer, Harder recording but a lot of fun, We recorded next to an unknown artist called "Vanilla Ice"
On the cover of the tape appeared once again the knight of the first demo, it makes me realize that the intentions of the band were to create a sort of mascot like the famous Eddy, what was his name?
Sir Joshua was our mascot. He appeared on our covers. he represented a force for good and respect for the past
I guess that due to the first the band was more known and had more contacts so more copies made it to more “important” distributors/fanzines etc. right?
Yes, we got more and more press worldwide and especially in LA
The band had it all, a perfect iconographic side, a perfect sound, how much passion and how conviction there was in what the band was do
There's was some indie metal label that has shown their interest in the band? Or you, like hundreds of other bands, looking for a deal with a major label?
We had a fair amount of label interest. Gene Simmons and Ronnie James Dio were keeping an eye on us. We were keeping our fanbase close and reaching out to indie labels too
The third band's effort see the light in a strange transitional period where the alternative and the new punk
movement rules the musial's scene you were feeling that something was changing?
The title speaks for itself, what you can say about the record session of “Killing Time”?
This was an odd time to be LA's #1 unsigned Metal act, we had 6 labels ready to sign us and Rick Ruben showing interest in producing. Kim Fowley of the Runaways fame writing in BAM Magazine that we were the next big band to be signed. Working with Ice T and Body Count at the Time. over night Seattle stole that spot light and the interest slipped away to Grunge bands.
The Killing Time recording was done at the famous NRG studios, it was a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Some of the songs like "Killing Time" and "The Second Coming" were some of our best and "Ballad of the Unsung Hero" was way ahead of it's time, talking about Hemp saving the planet. Some of the other songs, we were not proud of.
When did the Knightriot story end and for what reasons? You have tried in every way to keep the band alive?
Frankly, it ended for Me when I was fired from the band I formed with my brother. Danny Wagner replaced me for about 6 months and Knightriot went out with a fizzle. The band felt that I was the reason that we did not get signed. However in 2010, after 18 years, Knightriot reunited for 1 night only to a packed house at The Cat Club on the Sunset Strip, it was closure in a positive way for all four of us and we sounded incredible for some old Dudes
In the last years some labels, such StormSpell records, are specialized in reprints old material, you haven't received some deal's proposal to publish an anthology with all three demo?
You Never know!
Ok, before the end can you talk about The 420 Comic?
Well. I still Entertain, but now I do Stand Up Comedy to a certain demographic, Cannabis lovers. I have worked with Roseanne Barr, Tim Allen, Chris Rock and Kevin Hart. Opened for acts such as Willie Nelson, Ziggy Marley, Fishbone and Kottonmouth Kings. I love telling jokes and making people laugh with my Impressions.
Yes, we got more and more press worldwide and especially in LA
The band had it all, a perfect iconographic side, a perfect sound, how much passion and how conviction there was in what the band was do
There's was some indie metal label that has shown their interest in the band? Or you, like hundreds of other bands, looking for a deal with a major label?
We had a fair amount of label interest. Gene Simmons and Ronnie James Dio were keeping an eye on us. We were keeping our fanbase close and reaching out to indie labels too
The third band's effort see the light in a strange transitional period where the alternative and the new punk
movement rules the musial's scene you were feeling that something was changing?
The title speaks for itself, what you can say about the record session of “Killing Time”?
This was an odd time to be LA's #1 unsigned Metal act, we had 6 labels ready to sign us and Rick Ruben showing interest in producing. Kim Fowley of the Runaways fame writing in BAM Magazine that we were the next big band to be signed. Working with Ice T and Body Count at the Time. over night Seattle stole that spot light and the interest slipped away to Grunge bands.
The Killing Time recording was done at the famous NRG studios, it was a lot of fun, and a lot of work. Some of the songs like "Killing Time" and "The Second Coming" were some of our best and "Ballad of the Unsung Hero" was way ahead of it's time, talking about Hemp saving the planet. Some of the other songs, we were not proud of.
When did the Knightriot story end and for what reasons? You have tried in every way to keep the band alive?
Frankly, it ended for Me when I was fired from the band I formed with my brother. Danny Wagner replaced me for about 6 months and Knightriot went out with a fizzle. The band felt that I was the reason that we did not get signed. However in 2010, after 18 years, Knightriot reunited for 1 night only to a packed house at The Cat Club on the Sunset Strip, it was closure in a positive way for all four of us and we sounded incredible for some old Dudes
In the last years some labels, such StormSpell records, are specialized in reprints old material, you haven't received some deal's proposal to publish an anthology with all three demo?
You Never know!
Ok, before the end can you talk about The 420 Comic?
Well. I still Entertain, but now I do Stand Up Comedy to a certain demographic, Cannabis lovers. I have worked with Roseanne Barr, Tim Allen, Chris Rock and Kevin Hart. Opened for acts such as Willie Nelson, Ziggy Marley, Fishbone and Kottonmouth Kings. I love telling jokes and making people laugh with my Impressions.
Well Jeff, this is the end, last words are your.....
Look for Me on Youtube and Thanx for keeping the spirit of metal alive.....
Look for Me on Youtube and Thanx for keeping the spirit of metal alive.....
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