NUCLEAR BLAST AMERICA - Interview with Liz Ciavarella by Dave Wolff - Music - http://maxpages.com/aeazine/NUCLEAR_BLAST

How long have you been working with Nuclear Blast America?
A little over a year.

How did you first hook up with the Nuclear Blast?
I was working at Earache for over two years handling all the 'zines & whatnot. I had also spent a bit of time at Atlantic Records, Thirsty Ear, and Roadrunner. I started my 'zine, Earsplit, when I was like 12 & had made contact with like every metal publicist imaginable. Paula Hogan, who is currently working as Nuclear Blast America's label president and at the time, was working for Mayhem, was one of the first people to service my 'zine. We stayed in touch and she says she just sort of watched me. I hooked up with Earache through Pete Tsakiris, who had been working with Paula for the longest. They always had good things to say about me. Once Paula was doing publicity here at Nuclear Blast and heard that I had left Earache, she basically called me & asked if I wanted a job. I took it in a second. I was here about 5 months before she got her promotion and I was promoted to head of Publicity and advertising. That's the ultra condensed version (hee hee)

Have you worked with any labels previously?
Like I said, I've been around: Atlantic, Earache, Roadrunner, Thirsty Ear.....I've also done some freelance stuff for MIA & Tee Pee Records.

How many promos do you send out each week? To which magazines?
That’s an almost impossible question as my promo mailings go according to release date & not per week. There are about 300 publications and freelance writers on my mailing list. Tons of 'zines and major mags covering Canada, South America & The US. he major ones include: Metal Maniacs. Metal Edge, Hit Parader, Unrestrained, Brave Words & Bloody Knuckles, Torment, Roadie Crew, Grinder, metal Hammer, Madhouse etc.

Are you generally happy with the reviews you've come across from people you've sent promos to?
It really depends on the release. Nuclear Blast releases so many records per month, I can't possibly expect every review to be good but I would say, overall I'm pretty damn happy with the press we get. It's usually pretty positive.

How many bands have you worked with since you started working at NB? What kind of an experience has this been for you? Any particularly memorable stories?
Wow, that's another hard one. I would say at least 30 by now. SOD has been the best. they were a favorite of mine long before I ever worked at Nuclear Blast so it was sort of an honor to be working them. They are the coolest guys, especially Danny & Billy. Had a blast with them in Milwaukee wen they came to hang. Hypocrisy was another band that had been along time fan. Pro-Pain was one of the first bands I had interviewed for my ;zine. All the NBA bands have a certain place in my heart & most of them are really easy to work with.

What is your general view of the world and how do you feel it is reflected in how you express yourself?
Wow.....this is a pretty huge question that I don't think I can answer without a lot of though. My general view of the world? I guess the world is filled with oodles of pretty wacked people. I'm a news hound. I read the paper every day. watch the news like I'm Dan Rather or something and it amazes me how many blatently fucked up people there are in his world. I'm just thankful that the people I surround myself with are generally good people. I try to make the most of each day becuase you never know what's gonna happen tomorrow.

In your opinion, is the underground metal scene more or less of a together thing than when you first got involved? Do you see a lot of backstabbing going on and how do you feel about it? Would the scene be better off if it was more tight-knit without that going on?
I think it is just as potent as it ever was....perhaps even more so. As for backstabbing, I can't really say. I haven't been wronged or anything. In fact, a majority of the people I come in contact with are pretty damn cool.

What qualities in your opinion does underground music have that mainstream music lacks?
Underground music tends to have fans who are TRUE. When I say true, I mean, they like the band regardless of weather they are on the cover of Spin every month. They will go to all ends of the earth to get the music and they STAY into the music. I mean, don't get me wrong, there's plenty of music that I like that would be considered "mainstream" but I think a lot of listeners of that music just like the band because there's a buzz. hey would have never come across that band unless they were plastered all over he place. That's what I've always enjoyed about working with indy labels. The fans are so gung ho into the music. Some of the kids I deal can spew forth lyrics like you wouldn't believe. Like, the music is their life.

Can you say the same for the underground independent film industry? Concerning the same subject, what do you think of the success and ensuing mass popularity of the Blair Witch Project? In your opinion has this given independent and underground horror films a good name?
I can't really speak for the film industry as it's not really my area. I did see the Blair Witch Project though. I thought it was a KILLER flick when I saw it.....then I found out the next day that the whole damn thing was fake. I was so pissed. But it was still a good movie. The fact that I sat there swearing to myself that these people were just regular people means that the acting must have been pretty killer. I dig the fact that the movie was scary without being gory. I think a lot of new school horror flicks aren't scary. I mean, society as a whole is sort of immune to blood, guts & gore because we see it all the time. It's the old school black & white horror movies that really SCARED people. The Exorcist is a classic for that reason. The Omen........ as far as newer movies, I thought The Sixth Sense was pretty incredible. It showed dead people but that wasn't the part that was scary. It was just the whole idea of it. Anything that makes you think, "Wait a sec. What if that was happening to me." That to me is scary.

What are your hopes and aspirations?
Hmm...I love press. I also love writing. I someday hope to be able to dedicate all my time to writing. For now I just want to kick ass in the industry. I want to make a huge impact with a band. I want to find one band that I can build from the bottom up & just have that band blow up in people's faces till they can't see straight.

In what way do you think the general stereotypes concerning metalheads and the metal scene in general can or should be disproved?
Bands shouldn't be blamed for the actions of their fans or listeners. Countless bands have been blamed for suicides, school shootings etc. The big ones obvioulsy being Ozzy, Marilyn Manson, and Judas Priest but there are hundreds of other lesser known bands that have the same things pinned to them. No band wants to make a record so their fans can kill themselves. They can't sell records that way. You can't tour if all your fans are killing themselves & their friends. Parents should take more initiative & get involved with what their kids ar elistening to. If a kid is taking lyrics to a deeper level than what they were meant, then there's some other psychological issues involved that have little to do with the actual music. Metal has a bad rap for that reason. It's easy to pigeon hole something that isn't mainstream. it's an easy cop out for parents with troubled kids.

Where do you hope to be five years from now?
Successful, happy & healthy.

Anything you wish to close with?
Thanks for the interview. Hope your paper is killer!

LIZ CIAVARELLA
NuclearLiz@aol.com

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