Interview: Chainsaw Charlie speaks about Ravenous

Chainsaw Charlie - Guitarist from death metal band Ravenous speaks with What's Good about his reflections on music, and the band's recent inauguration into the Southern Metal Confederacy’s Hall of Fame.

1. How did Ravenous first get started? We met at Lorneville Freezing Works, in FP2.
   The drummer Rick and I organised a jam. He then asked Jared our vocalist to come down the same day we first jammed.
   
2. Can you tell me about Ravenous' first gig? It was a Battle of the Bands competition in 2002 or 2003 I think. We didn't win and got all depressed. Lol.
   
3. What did you guys do after the Battle of The Bands competition? Got wasted and bitched about the other bands. Haha.
   
4. What was one of your favourite moments of your musical career? Opening for Pungent Stench from Austria and for myself, opening for Ozzy Osbourne and Kiss in Wellington.
   
5. Do you have any specific moments you remember that inspired you to take your music more seriously? Listening to Nirvana for the first time and being like, "Wow, I want to play like that!" Also the reaction of the crowd is always a big inspiration.
   
6. What are your personal top 5 favourite albums? Ohhhhhhhhh don't do this to me! There are way too many!!!! But if I had to choose 5 they would be:
   Nirvana - Nevermind (the first cassette I saved up for.)
   Metallica - Master of puppets
   J Dilla - The Shining
   Bonobo - Black Sands
   Shapeshifter - Solstice.
   
7. What went through your head when Ravenous got inaugurated into the SMC Hall of Fame? I was a bit embarrassed to tell you the truth. Haha. I'm not one to make a fuss, but really grateful to the organisers, it was truly a humbling experience.
   
8. Do you think the overall sound of Ravenous has changed or adapted with the times? Nope, straight blackened death metal until we die! Lol.
   
9. What made you identify with making death metal compared to other genres? Rick and Jared were both into it and I slowly started to enjoy it as well. More the Black Metal at the time for us all, then we moved on to the more technical music.
   
10. Do you have any advice for aspiring musicians? Get used to being poor.
    
11. How did you expect things to be musically when you were younger, and what things have you found different (or what you expected)? I dreamed of being a rockstar, haha. I realised traveling the world as a sound guy that that stuff was less important to me as I got older. Watching the crowd have a great night is more my buzz now!
    
12. What's next for Ravenous? Not sure? I'm only back for the year, so we'll have to wait and see.
    
13. Any special thanks or shout outs you want to make? Just to all the metal heads out there. Brutal Hails to you all.