Tony Mills je eden najimenitnejših pevcev, kar jih je dalo Britansko otočje v oblikovanju melodičnega hard rocka skozi zlata osemdeseta. To se lahko pohvali s kopico odličnih AOR skupin, kot so bile in so FM, Heartland, Dare, Strangeways in seveda Tonyjevi bivši kolegi Shy. Tony je s svojim vrhunskim vokalom vdahnil poseben melodični pečat Shy imenitnosti in zvočni perfekciji. Leta 2005 pa je Shy zapustil in se pridružil norveškim hard rockerjem TNT, ki nosijo v letu 2010 brez dvoma kulten status. Kot novi pevec TNT bo Tony izdal v začetku prihodnjega leta že svoj tretji studijski album s TNT.
"TNT ste pred pragom izdaje novega albuma. Lahko poveš kaj več o tem?"
Tony: Novi TNT album se bo imenoval za območja Evrope (brez Skandinavije) in Japonske kot "A Farewell To Arms", v ZDA ter Skandinaviji pa "Engine". S tem smo ugodili zahtevam različnih tržišč. Album bo izšel v Aziji, dne 15.12.2010, v Evropi in Skandinaviji pa, dne 20.01.2011. Na turnejo krenemo v Januarju 2011, s prvim terminom na Norveškem. Turneja bo za nas dolga. Trajala bo predvidoma dve leti.
"Kdaj si se odločil za kariero pevca in kakšni so bili tvoji začetki?"
Tony: Svojo kariero sem začel v punk skupini konec sedemdesetih, vendar pa sem se v tem času bolj ali manj skušal najti v obliki izvajalca. To je bilo kake tri leta preden sem se priključil bolj sredinsko orientirani rock skupini, ki je izvajala turneje po Veliki Britaniji. Šele leta 1984 sem si plačal inštrukcije petja. Ugotovil sem namreč, da med turnejo izgubljam moč v vokalu, kar je bilo precej nerodno in me je spravljalo v zadrego. Te težave sem prebredel in razvil vokalne sposobnosti do te mere, da se lahko vključujem danes v kopico projektov, ki zahtevajo različne vokalne pristope.
"V obdobju let 1976 in 1983 si posnel nekaj demo posnetkov. So ti ti posnetki pomagali, da te je kasneje odkrila zasedba Shy?"
Tony: Da. To povsem drži. V studiu sem sodeloval z mnogimi izvajalci, kot studijski pevec. Ena takšnih so bili tudi Shy v letu 1982. Ko so sklenili pogodbo za snemanje albuma, sem se jim kmalu tudi uradno priključil. To je bilo leta 1983.
"V današnjem času nisi aktiven le s TNT. Samo letos si izdal že dva studijska albuma kot del projektov Serpentine z albumom "A Touch Of Heaven" in State Of Rock z "A Point Of Destiny". Lahko približaš oba projekta in ali se obetajo kakšni koncerti s Serpentine oziroma State Of Rock?"
Tony: Obe skupini sta ločeni entiteti. State Of Rock so locirani v nemškem Nürnbergu. V vsega treh mesecih intenzivnega dela in internetne komunikacije so uspeli posneti celoten album. Jaz sem priletel z letalom v Nürnberg in potem, ko sem odpel vokale v studiu, smo tudi preizkusili kako funkcionira material v živo. Pripravljeni so že načrti za snemanje novega State Of Rock albuma. Serpentine pa so zelo mlad bend iz Walesa, katere je pred 18. meseci zapustil njihov pevec. Sprejel sem njihovo prošnjo, da se jim priključim in pomagam pisati album, prav tako pa smo se dogovorili, da jim pomagam na odru kot občasni vokalist, v kolikor me obligacije ne vežejo prioritetno na zasedbo TNT. Skorajda sem dokončal delo za njihov novi studijski album, pričakujemo pa tudi, da bomo obiskali koncertne odre v prihodnjem letu.
"Torej zgodba s Shy je zate povsem zaključena?"
Tony: Da. Na sodelovanje s Shy me ne veže trenutno nič več. Za njih sem pel med letoma 1983 in 1990 ter potem kasneje še med letoma 2000 in 2005. Vključen sem bil v pisanje materiala za novi album, a sem moral s sodelovanjem zaradi časovnih omejitev prekiniti. Skupina je zato dokončala album z Leejem Smallom, ki je prišel iz skupin Phenomena in Surveillance. S Shy smo opravili nekaj turnej po Evropi, pa tudi obredli večino mest po ZDA, zlasti ob koncu osemdesetih. No z izjemo sporadičnih nastopov, pa Shy v zadnjih petnajstih letih niso veliko nastopali po odrih. Skupino sem skušal nekako oživiti, ker pa je tržišče za takšno glasbo v U.K. zelo ozko sem ugotovil, da je kaj takšnega danes nemogoče doseči. Tudi to je bil eden od razlogov,da sem skupino zapustil in se leta 2005 priključil TNT.
"Vrniva se k TNT. Si opravil predhodno avdicijo, ali so te kar vzeli v skupino? Kakšen je občutek peti stari TNT material? Ali si se težko prilagajal na ekstremne vremenske razmere na Norveškem in kako vpliva nenehno potovanje na relaciji Velika Britanija -Norveška?
Tony: Za TNT nisem imel nobene avdicije. S Shy sem nastopal v Berlinu, fantje iz TNT, pa so prileteli iz Norveške na ta koncert. Komaj teden po tem, sem bil že nastanjen v Oslu skupaj s TNT, kjer smo se pripravljali že za prvi skupni koncertni nastop. Odličen občutek je peti stari material s TNT, naši oboževalci še vedno radi prihajajo na naše koncerte, tudi po več 1000 glav pride poslušat TNT. Vreme na Norveškem je zelo ekstremno. Vroče poleti, pozimi pa se temperature spustijo tudi do 50°C stopinj pod ledišče. Le kdo bi se kdaj lahko prilagodil na kaj takega? Potovanje je najtežji del bivanja s TNT. Preprosto. Najprej moram z letom iz Velike Britanije prispeti na Norveško, potem pa se prevažati po deželi tudi s pomočjo dodatnih notranjih letov. Doslej sem opravil že okrog 500 letov na Norveško in nazaj.
"Bi za konec še rad sporočil karkoli našim bralcem?"
Tony: Nekaj zagotovo velja. Rock ni mrtev!!! Kot opažam sam, podpirajo ljudje v Evropi rock glasbo bolj kot kdajkoli. TNT pa so živi dokaz za to. Rad bi se zahvalil vsem ljubiteljem te glasbe za to ker skrbijo, za ohranitev tega življenjskega sloga.
vprašanja pripravil: Jani Mihevc Cah
besedilo prevedel in uredil: Aleš Podbrežnik
English version:
"Can you tell us something about your recent plans with TNT and tour, release of a new album, etc... "
Tony: The New TNT album, which is called 'A Farewell To Arms' for i's releases in Japan and Europe, has a different name for its releases in Scandinavia and the U.S. In those territories, the album will be called ENGINE. This was decided to match the demands of different markets. The album is released in Asia on 15 December 2010 and in Europe and Scandinavia on 20 January 2011. The touring schedule, which we expect to be a long one will commence in Norway in January 2011. We expect this to take us as far as we can possibly go across the world.
"When and how did you start singing, and did you work a lot on your voice?"
Tony: I started singing in a punk band in the late 70's, but I guess at the time, I was really only trying to find my feet as a performer, it was only a matter of two or three years before I was singing for mainstream rock bands and playing concerts around the UK. It wasn't until 1984 that I actually employed a vocal teacher. That was mainly because I kept losing my voice on tour, which was very embarrassing. I eventually overcame those problems and developed the different sides to my voice that I now use on different sounding projects.
"You've recorded several demos between 1976-1983. Did those demos help you to become Shy singer?"
Tony: Yes, that is quite correct, I did sing for many different bands in studios as a session vocalist and SHY were one of those bands in 1982. Consequently, they got a record contract with the recordings that I worked on and I eventually joined the band in 1983.
"Beside TNT activities you are also involved in some other project. Can you tell us something about them, too?"
Tony: The two bands are very separate entities. State Of Rock are based in Nuremberg and we worked remotely via the internety for only three months and the album was finished. Then I flew to Nuremberg and we played live together after rehearsals. There are plans to record another album, but not until next year. Serpentine are a young band from Wales that found themselves without a singer eighteen months ago. I agreed to step in and write an album for the band and to cover any live commitments when I could, if I wasn't away on tour with TNT. I have nearly finished writing their second album and we expect to play live together next year.
"Is the Shy story for you completely over? Did Shy tour a lot back in the days?"
Tony: Yes, I am no longer involved with SHY; I sang for the band between 1983 -1990 and then re-joined in 2000-2005. I was involved in the co-writing of the new album, but because of time constraints my work has been shelved and they have completed the album with Lee Small from Phenomena. We toured Europe several times and covered most of the States in the late 80's. But apart from a few one off shows, SHY haven't really played much live for 15 years. I was trying to get it back on its feet, but because of the depressed market in the UK, it was impossible and finally I left and joined TNT in 2005.
"Let's go back to TNT. Did you have any audition, or did guys give you a call to join the band ? How is for you to sing old TNT stuff? Did you already adjust to cold Norway weather and how is for you to travel with plane from U.K. to Norway?"
Tony: I didn't have an audition for TNT. I was playing a concert in Berlin with SHY and TNT flew to Berlin to see me sing there. A week later I was based in Oslo with the band working on the live show. Its great to sing the old material, the fans still love it and turn out in their thousands to see the band. THe Norway weather is very extreme. Extremely hot in the summer and down to -50 degrees in the winter. Who could ever get used to that ? The traveling is the hardest job with TNT, because there are so many flights all the time into Norway and then inside the country itself. I think I caught 500 flights so far.
"Can you tell something to all Tony Mills and TNT fans for RockLine.si e-zine?"
Tony: One thing is for sure, ROCK AINT DEAD !!!!! People across Europe as I see it, are supporting the rock market stronger than ever and TNT are living proof of that. Thank you to all rock fans everywhere, for keeping this lifestyle alive !!!
conducted by: Jani Mihevc Cah
edited by: Aleš Podbrežnik
na vrh