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Band page - Aftershok
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 What is your name and your current position in the band?
George Mihalovich, guitarist and "business manager" of Aftershok.
Tell us about the history of the band. More specifically, when was the band formed, how did you meet, and have there been any particular highlights or low points in your career, any crucial events that have taken you where you are today?
Our official bio tells the history of the band far better than anything I could write here.
As for Vic and I meeting, I got a call from some musicians I knew who had somehow ended up jamming with him. I was aware of his work with Shok Paris, so I went to check out the situation. To make a long story short, we found that we had a certain writing chemistry and some common influences, and have been playing together ever since. That was back in 1996, I believe. Vic was responsible for bringing both George B (drummer) and Nick G (bass) into the band. George submitted an audition tape for Shok Paris back in the late 80's. Although he didn't get to play with them, Vic remembered him and called him when we needed a drummer.
As for Nick, they played in a cover band together (Banger) for a while. Vic left that band to join Shok Paris, and he told me he always liked Nick and wanted to work with him again.
I guess it all came together, and for those guys it was kind of a second chance/reunion. You can tell that I have been playing with them for a while now to remember all of these stories!
I would say the highlight is the whole experience; having the opportunity to fulfil my dreams of being in a professional band that would release a quality original product into the metal marketplace. No particular low points, but it is a constant struggle to maintain momentum and try to take the band to the next level of recognition.
Was there ever a time when you wondered if your band would remain just a local outfit and never make it in the industry?
It's hard to define "making it" in this industry, but from the very beginning, we never thought in terms of being a local act. We wanted to be recognized as pros and work on a worldwide level to the best of our ability. Our goal was to have a quality product that the fans could enjoy and one that could stand with the work of those we consider our peers and influences- bands whose music we have ourselves enjoyed as fans.
What is your latest album and why should people buy it?
Our latest release (our second) is entitled "Burning Chrome." I think people should definitely check us out and decide for themselves. We just want a fair chance to be heard and we hope that metal fans will connect with what we are doing.
That stated, in my opinion Burning Chrome is a very solid disc, and it represents what we think "classic metal" is all about. We worked very hard on every aspect - production, songwriting, musicianship, etc.- and we think it shows. We feel we have created a quality product for the fans that stands up to that of many bands that are working on a much larger scale than us.
How would you categorize the style of the band? And did you ever consider or try playing other styles of music than the one(s) you are playing now?
We term it "classic metal." What that means to us is the kind of metal that is reminiscent of the music we grew up with- memorable songs, plenty of aggressive guitars and melodic vocals. Our goal is not to re-hash the past, but to put our stamp on this style in the 21st century!
More specifically, I would call it a blend of American power metal and hard rock.
We love all types of metal, and don't want to be confined to one narrow stylistic category. We want to be free to do whatever we think is valid for us as musicians and people. If we write something and we think it's of quality, that the music has something to say, that's enough for us. We hope that our sincerity comes through and is reflected in the music.
That said, even though we all enjoy and appreciate many genres of music, Vic and I have never wanted or tried to do anything else but what we view as pure metal!
Can you share with us one or two of your favourite moments with the band?
Releasing our first disc, Unfinished Business was a very big accomplishment for me personally, as I worked for many years to put together a band that could release the kind of music I wanted to play at a professional level.
The other highlights would have to be some of the live gigs we have done.
Three come to mind:- Our very first show as a band at the Odeon Concert Club in Cleveland, OH in 2000.
- Opening for Savatage in 2001-it was a great venue, and we are all fans of the band, so it was excellent overall. Plus, Vic got to see his old friends!
- Opening for Judas Priest (Ripper Owens era) in 2002 in my hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania!
How is the writing process in the band?
It's typically a collaboration between myself and Mr. Hix. The songs are composed in many ways, but the most typical scenario would be to start with a guitar riff.
Then it is built up and arranged from there, and that's where the rhythm section (bass & drums) make a big contribution in terms of finding the best way to support the inherent qualities of the music.
Often that might lead to an instrumental that Vic will work to complete. However, the vocal melodies could really come in at any point. Sometimes I have some ideas that pop into my head as we're working on the music, or Vic just starts wailing away as we're warming up on something new and puts a bunch of ideas out there for us to work with. I like the fact that we don't typically write our songs in the same way all of the time.
What brought you on the path to becoming a musician? Did you ever consider or take any other paths through life besides music?
When I was very young, I was just attracted to the sound of the electric guitar. I liked things that I heard through listening to the radio, my cousins' record collections, etc.; artists like Eric Clapton, KISS, early Van Halen- the list goes on. I really connected with the energy of rock music I just decided it was something I wanted to do. I got pretty serious about it at around 14, and I've been at it ever since.
I have never been a full-time musician, but I have always devoted more time to music than anything else; that is, besides having a day job to pay the bills. It's just something that's in my blood, and I do it for the sheer joy of it. There are not many things in life that seem worth it on that level, so for me, it's pretty profound.
Do you have any idols? If yes, who?
There are so many guitarists, singers, writers, etc., but here's a short list:
Guitar- Adrian Vandenberg, Michael Schenker, George Lynch, Warren DeMartini, Yngwie Malmsteen, Doug Aldrich, Criss Oliva, Paul Gilbert
Vocals- Ronnie James Dio, Don Dokken, Bruce Dickinson.
Do you have any regrets looking back at your career? For example any songs or even full albums that you regret recording? If so, what made you regret it?
Sometimes I do sit and think I should have pushed harder when I was younger, risked more to get into the game - and wonder what might have happened if I would have really "gone for it." But, at the time, it made more sense to me to also work on some other things so that I would have something to fall back on. While I can't determine could have been, maybe I'm more stable now and more mature as a musician than I would have been. Who knows, maybe I would have burnt out on it like many others I know? In the end, at least right now I have created a platform to work from, so I try to be content with my situation.
Keeping the above in mind, releasing two CDs and all of the live shows (particularly opening for established artists) have been a great experience for me after all of the years of preparation. The material for both CDs was picked very carefully, and I think it stands up. It's all been exciting, and even if I had to stop now, I would have no regrets.
Are there particular songs in your catalogue that the fans love but you're not particular fond of yourself?
No, because we put a lot of time into the writing and selection of songs for our albums, so I'm basically happy with everything. How can having someone enjoy your music enough to request it live be a bad thing? It's always interesting to see how the fans perceive certain songs compared to the band. They don't always line up and we're often surprised at people's reactions to certain songs!
How important do you rate the lyrical side of your albums?
It's extremely important. I think that having vocals is the magic part of any kind of popular music, including metal! Not that instrumental music doesn't touch people- clearly it does. But the lyrics just add an extra emotional element. You have all of the drama, power and emotion of the music itself, and then you add to that by telling a story, making a statement, inciting people to think- anything you want to put across. There's an indefinable quality to the human voice and singing, and it puts it over the top. It's just something that's part of the experience of being "the animal with logos."
If lyrics are well-written, they can be very thought-provoking and add another layer of depth to the composition. Sure, there are simple songs that touch people, and that's fine, but most of the music that meant the most to me had both musical and lyrical content.
I'm hooked on this form of artistic expression, because it combines the power of music, the written word and the human voice. Quite enticing. That was a long-winded way of saying that lyrics are important, and we do put quite a bit of effort into them, even though each song is working at different levels.
What do you think about the state of the music industry today?
I believe it's taking a nosedive, and no one quite knows how to fix it- particularly the labels. Everyone is trying, and hopefully in the future it will work itself out, but right now it's no secret that music sales keep going down.
File-sharing, iPods- all of the technology has changed both the way people experience and acquire music. While I am not against technology and embrace many of the wonderful things it does for us, my personal opinion is that music is more "in the background" while people are doing other things and they don't pay as much attention to it. Kids don't own an album from any one band- they just download (often for free!) a few songs from each. The sample songs that were meant for promotion become the product and people move on to something else.
I think people are missing out on things like the artwork, lyrics, liner notes, and the experience of the band's entire statement on a single disc. Also, I think it's encouraging more "throw-away" music that isn't allowing artists to develop at a deeper level. Everyone is just looking for one hit tune. If you can't follow it, you're gone.
I guess it also might be that rock and roll, in general, has matured, and I don't think it's as much of a driving social force as it used to be.
What do you think is the best way to fight music piracy?
Music piracy is rampant, and it's hurting artists. I have no way to quantify how much it affects a band like Aftershok, but for argument's sake, let's say it's 500 discs per release. Might not sound like that much, but with the scale that most metal bands are working on, it's economically significant.
It's a really hard subject, so my approach is education. People need to understand that music is not free- it costs record companies and artists to make it! This is particularly true of an independent band like Aftershok. If the support isn't there, how long can artists and labels afford to take a loss and keep producing music? There is a breaking point.
Do you have a life philosophy? If yes, what is it?
I think it's really hard to sum up all of the intricacies of life in one philosophy, or statement, but one very important basic principle that I try to remember is to "treat others as you would want to be treated." Sounds simple, but it's not always easy.
You have to often look outside of yourself and your desires and try to see the bigger implications of your actions.
Can you describe a typical day in your life?
Drag myself out of bed, do the 9-5 grind, and get home! Then, of course, taking care of the things that we all have to do in life- paying bills, shopping, chores around the house, etc.
After that, I try to spend as much time as I can with music- practicing and writing. Then it's to bed (often way too late) and the process starts all over again!
What do you like to spend your time with besides music?
I love to read, and I think staying in shape is very important for one's mental and physical health. I have been a runner for much of my life, so I try to keep up with that.
Between a full-time job, doing the band thing, these activities and all of the other responsibilities in life, my time is basically consumed.
What's the craziest thing that has ever happened on a tour?
I have never been on what I would call a real or extended tour, but when I went to Germany with Shok Paris for a week in 2004 to do their reunion show at the Bang Your Head Festival, the airline lost my guitar and all of my luggage! I managed to get my guitar an hour before our first show, but I didn't get anything else until I went back to the airport to fly home! I survived out of my carry-on bag, along with clothes I purchased and some things the guys in the band loaned me. Plus, I had an allergic reaction to something I came in contact with and had to have my arm bandaged for the rest of the trip. So that was quite a lot in one week!
You're heading off to live on a deserted island for a couple of years with your portable entertainment system... Which albums, movies or books would you bring? (Max. 3 of each)
Man, that's a tough question!
I'll just go with what comes to mind readily:
CDs
Dokken- Under Lock and Key
UFO- Force It
Malmsteen- Rising Force
Books
Lord of the Rings trilogy
Movies
Blazing Saddles
X-Men
What is your favourite joke?
The experience of dealing with club owners, promoters and all the rest of the people who are in a position to make things difficult in the music business. Some of stuff these people put you through- now that's a really good joke!\
Can you tell us about any future plans for you and your band?
In the first half of 2006, we will be playing some shows in the eastern U.S. and gearing up to record a new disc sometime later in the year. We want to keep bringing the metal!
Thanks for answering these questions. Now you are free to write a few lines to our readers.
First off, thanks to Steen and RevelationZ for giving us this opportunity to introduce ourselves. Additional thanks to anyone who took the time to learn more about Aftershok! Please visit our official website at www.aftershok.com and check us out. We truly appreciate the support that we have gotten from the fans and metal media worldwide! STAY METAL EVERYONE!
Added by Steen - 2/3/2006
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| Articles on this site
Band Information - Band Information
(Steen)
Album Review - Burning Chrome
(Hashman)
Related Links
Aftershok - Official Website |
RevelationZ Comments
| Comment by Janie (Anonymous) - Sunday, February 5, 2006 | Wow,
I really enjoyed reading that..
That thing with what happened in Germany, man! Airlines can be so careless... but this was a great piece/interview. Keep up the good work and keep metal alive. You're the best original metal band I know in PA.
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