Interview with Steve Tucker (07.2000)
by Chuck

from brutal-death.com

Chuck: First off, thanks for doing the interview, Steve. I appreciate you being a part of this site.
Tucker: No problem, it promotes death metal, so I will do what I can to help out.

Chuck: As most people know, Morbid Angel has a new album that is being released in September. The name of the album, "Gateways to Annihilation", was recently announced. Is there anything that you would like to comment on about the new album?
Tucker: Yeah, I am very happy with the new record, I think it is very dark! I feel that it captures what Morbid Angel is all about right now.

Chuck: How did the recording process for "Gateways..." go at Morrisound Studios?
Tucker: It went well, Jim [Morris] is a pro, so everything ran smooth, and I really enjoyed working with the guy. It is always a pleasure to work with people who know their shit, and Jim Morris is that kind of person!

Chuck: The "G" in the new album follows along with all of the other Morbid Angel albums in terms of first letters in the title (A, B, C, D, etc.). Do you know if that was Trey's intention from the beginning?
Tucker: From what I know, it just sort of happened in the beginning, then from Covenant on it was planned.

Chuck: You became a part of Morbid Angel on the "Formulas Fatal To The Flesh" album due to the departure of long-time vocalist David Vincent. How has Morbid progressed since that album ("Formulas...") and how much writing did you do of the new material?
Tucker: Well, I wrote all the lyrics except for one song which Trey wrote for, and I contributed quite a bit musically. As far as changing, since I wasn't in the band before, I only know it in this format.

Chuck: I feel that your vocal/playing style suites Morbid Angel better than that of David Vincent on the latest release ("Formulas..."). David was very good for the older albums, but it seems that Morbid Angel has a more brutal sound with the addition of yourself. Some bands change with time and I think that this was a change for the better. How were you welcomed into the scene by the fans who had great respect for David?
Tucker: Well first of all, thanks! I think a lot of people accepted me right away, for some it took longer, and the people who didn't accept it really just didn't come to the shows. Some people talked shit, but it is to be expected. David was the frontman for over 10 years, and for some they felt there was no way he could be replaced!

Chuck: How often do you guys practice as a band and individually? How long does it take for Morbid Angel to complete a song?
Tucker: We practice quite a bit getting ready for tours or recording, usually 6 days a week for 3-4 hours a day or sometimes up to 6 hours a day. We all play at home daily. As for completing a song, every song is different.

Chuck: I understand that you come from the Cincinnati scene. Do you still live in Ohio and if so, does that make it hard to practice with the band?
Tucker: Not right now, and for the last three and a half years I have lived in Tampa.

Chuck: While on the subject of Cincinnati, did you and Pat O'Brien (Cannibal Corpse) or Jared Anderson (Hate Eternal) ever have projects going on? I believe those two guys also come from Cincinnati.
Tucker: Yeah they do, I have played in bands with both guys, they are my personal friends. Pat and I rarely see each other due to our schedules. Jared is one of my best friends, but we do not have any projects together right now, maybe in the future! It would be killer.

Chuck: For people who do not know, how did you come to be a part of the legendary Morbid Angel?
Tucker: I spoke to Trey on the phone and we hit it off, so I sent him a Ceremony [Tucker's band before Morbid Angel] tape to him and he liked my voice so he asked me to come down and try out, and here I am.

Chuck: How did you adjust to the playing style of Trey and Pete? Did it take a while to adjust, or did you three just "click"?
Tucker: Well they are extremely tight players, so it was really no problem. I had practiced to the records so it went very well I think. I seemed to fall right into place.

Chuck: Many people who listen to extreme music are musicians themselves. Could you tell us what kind of setup you use to achieve your sound?
Tucker: I play B.C. Rich basses, and use an Ampeg classic bass head with 8x10 cabinets, and have a Rat pedal for a small amount of distortion, just to add grit and compression.

Chuck: Did you have an idol bass player when you were growing up? What were/are some of your favorite bands?
Tucker: Yeah, I like Geezer Butler from Black Sabbath and Steve Harris from Iron Maiden, but to be honest man, I liked guitarists growing up and singers. I was very influenced by Ronnie James Dio. He is one of the most powerful singers/frontmen ever! I loved Slayer, Venom... just about anything evil at the time.

Chuck: I understand that you do Flash/web design. You have at least two Flash intro's on site's (Nile, Pessimist) that I know of. Do you have any websites out there that people can check out? If not, do you have any favorite websites?
Tucker: I really don't want to talk about that, it is just something I do to pass the time sometimes.

Chuck: What other types of activities do members from Morbid participate in?
Tucker: Playing Quake 3 Arena online.(I guess you never know who you are playing against, haha)

Chuck: Before we come to a closing, do you have any last words for Morbid Angel fans, tour information, or anything else you would like to add?
Tucker: We will be hitting the road in the near future, enjoy the new record and stay brutal!

Chuck: I thank you again for doing the interview. Good luck on Morbid Angel's new album and I hope to see you guys producing quality music for a long time to come.
Tucker: Thanks Chuck!