Spiralarms – Rocking Old Thrashers

Anyone even remotely familiar with the American metal scene should easily recognize the name Chris Kontos. Carving a name for himself as one of metal's top drummers by playing in Machine Head's debut album, he went on to play in quite a few different bands, finally settling in uber-group Spiralarms, which also features the talents of ex-Forbidden guitarist Craig Locicero, ex-Systematic man Tim Narducci, bass player Cornbread and keyboardist Brad Barth.

Quite different from the kind of metal these guys used to play in the past, Spiralarms' music leans more into traditional American hard rock, certainly a change of pace for some of metal's most experienced players. We spoke with Chris about the band, his doings since leaving Machine Head, and the recently resurrected Attitude Adjustment, his first band.

Hey Chris, first I understand you did a show in Graspop Festival in Belgium, how well did that show go for the band?

Yes it went really well for Spiralarms at Graspop! We played to like 6500 kids and it was so nice to see the people react to our sound and on a big stage in a big room/tent. We had our sound man along with us and Pat Butler had it rockin'!!! On the last day me, my wife and two friends went in to Amsterdam for 4 days. We had a blast doing all that fun stuff to do while in Amsterdam as you might guess. While walking the street we met a couple from Israel. We took photos with them. they were really nice and way into metal and hard rock.

Reading your MySpace blog, you guys still sound like ordinary metal fans when it comes to watching some of the bands there perform. what bands did you enjoy the most seeing live?

AIC, Dimmu Borgir, Heaven and Hell, Iron Maiden, Stone Sour.

While I know what Craig has been doing as a musician for the last few years, you fell of my radar a while back, I know of Machine Head and Konkhra, but your name was dropped in relation to about half the bands on the planet since, what DID you do before this?

Wow, well I did a lot of music outside of the metal world and since most people in the metal world never leave the metal planet, you would not know about it. Before MH I was in a ton of hard-core/punk bands like Attitude Adjustment, The Boneless Ones, Hell's Kitchen, Grinch, Verbal Abuse. I filled in for some drummers as well, Death Angle, Exodus, Testament, Deathtoll. Most resent bands list The Servants, Sangre Eterna and now Spiralarms.

I did some hippy jam music, some country music, solo artist recordings. Now I have Attitude Adjustment back together doing shows all over the place. I'm gonna play drums for people to enjoy for the rest of my life. I done care really what kind of music it is, as long as the people are dancing and singing along with the band I'm happy.

How did you end up in Spiralarms?

Eric Kretz was playing shows with the band and I came in to record with the guys. I feel in love with the sound, I knew I could add something really strong to the sound that was missing as far as drums went, so we talked about it for sometime and then I was in
the band.

How long did you two know each other?

I have known Tim and Craig since '85 from both of the first band we all played in at Ruthies Inn. Watching Craig play for years I always thought he was so funny on stage such a showman… at the same time you could see he was a step above the rest of the pack. Tim was always real cool and was nice to be around at shows. Seeing him do so well with Systematic was nice but short lived. I always had much respect for them both. To now rock with them without all the hang ups of our past in the way, NOT trying to live up to some metal standards is just a fucking blast.

The band and the bands related to its members (Forbidden, Systematic, Machine Head) plays like a Family tree of the Bay Area thrash scene, what is it about you guys that you work together, 20 years after the big boom of the bay area thrash scene?

I think its damn time for a new BOOM!!!! We are just the band to do it! I think it is a gift to play with the guys in Spiral. We can move on a dime sometime way to fast to keep up with when we write a song. Each of us know so much about music we can finish a song so fast it is freaky sometimes. Now we know this about each other and we take a bit more tie to find the heart of the song and bring it out.

Back to Spiralarms, the music the band does sounds similar both to Manmade God and Systematic, how much of an input did Tim has in the music and lyrics?

Team Tim & Craig are the keys to that baby! They put it in air, I drop a fat beat clock wise, Corn smacks a bass line to it, Brad gives it the jello and you got yourself a nice spiralarm going!

Why was the name Spiralarms chosen?

It just slapped them one day! Really, it reached out and grabbed them! It's a name that can pull you up!!

Both you and Stone Sour are somewhat of a sign that grunge, or a type of it, are making a comeback, were you fans of the original rise of the genre, back in the early 90's?

I was a huge fan of that sound. I think it was high time to see really talented people doing really heavy music with depth and feeling as well as gut punching tone and drums. What can you say about a band like AIC? "They rock"? Not close to what they do. They are really these gems that Led Zep are to me. The songs, the singing, the drums, the full package! You know The Metallica guys got all into the rock sound when AIC took off. If Spiralarms could come close to what AIC have done for music I'll be quite pleased myself.

Musically, you're both considered as great metal musicians, but while on Forbidden Craig showed off his lead guitar abilities and you on Machine Head and Konkhra, in Spiralarms it's less a technical showpiece for the both of you, isn't there a need to "cut loose" and go extreme with your playing, the way you did in your former bands?

Brother, just so you know… it's hella easy for me to play fast heavy non stop for hours and hours. Not a big deal to pull off really. What I do in a band like Spiralarms is bash the fucking skins like the world is going the fall in on the room if I don't send out sonic waves of death from the drums.

On time, solid hard rock drums with feel, at slower tempo is WAY harder to do, it takes way more skill to hold back and let the song have it's way. Trust me I could start a band up a two days with cats that play fast and in the Metal vain……what you can do is find people that can do both…let alone get them all on the same page and make music non stop for years on end – "Fast – smashit"!

Why do you think all these people stopped doing thrash and moved into different genres, would you two consider doing a thrash album, the kind that bands like Exodus still create?

I guess if your a fan it must seem like you have been left behind or something but. people are just like that…they move on in life. Some people just have the need to find out what's outside of the cave.

You're both no spring chickens anymore, how do fit in a family life with being in a band and going on tour?

Thanks for age comment guy! Family life for me is so big. My family and friends have to fit into it or I can be happy on the road. My wife and family support me in every way. That is what drives me to never rest on this music quest I'm on. Knowing I leave with that on my side is huge to me.

A lot of bands from the American metal scene are taking a strong political stance because of the situation in Iraqi and the state of things in the US, where does Spirlarms lay with this? And you two personally?

I try to keep that shit to myself. You can find what ever you want to find in a songs text. If you look you will see it. I don't think just because you sing about something you should have to talk about too.

Any bands or musicians you really like right now?

Joss Stone, Dimmu Borgir, The Black Crows, Bandanos, Stone Sour.

Finally, what are your plans for the band?

To make as many killer records as we can before something gives way on this rock and we all end up flying at the sun at lightspeed!!!! I'd also like to tell you about Attitude Adjustment, This is to let you know that Attitude Adjustment is back, and that we are making this our official MySpace. Many hails and thanks to our fans for keeping the faith all these years, and especially to the fan that originally made this page.

We have a string of upcoming confirmed shows, with many more to come. Attitude Adjustment is Chris Kontos on drums, Keven Reed on Vox, Eric Mcintire on Guitar, Greg Orr on Bass, and Yapple on Guitar. We plan on touring the US, UK, EUROPE, and JAPAN as soon as possible in the next couple of years, as well as officially re-releasing some of our classic material. There are already some new songs being played live, and we will bust those out on CD when the time is right. Thanks you for your time and see you in the pit!