PAGAN ALTAR - DICCON HARPER

PAGAN ALTAR

💿 Hi, it's a pleasure for us to have on Hardrockheavymetal DICCON HARPER, bassist of NWOBHM legends Pagan Altar! Let's start talking about the early days of the band. You're not a founding member of the band but, I think, a fan..What Pagan Altar are for you? Hi Giovanni! Correct, I am not a founding member as I would have been only 6yrs old when the band first started. I was put in touch with the band around 2007/8 by a friend at the time as they were searching for a bassist in order to play some live shows. I was sent a copy of ' Mythical and Magical' to hear and I though what a great guitarist and songs they had and that is exactly what Pagan Altar are to me, still. Well-crafted, atmospheric songs with some of the finest lead guitar playing and riffs out there. Al is an excellent songwriter as well and deserves recognition for that. Terry was a great lyricist in that he always told a story with his songs and had a unique style and way with words. 💿 In these days we're talking about your new full-length called THE ROOM OF SHADOWS, out on August 24th. Can you tell us somethin' about this new work and its composition process? And, at last, will be there differences in style compared to classic PAGAN ALTAR sound? Well this album is not really 'new' in the sense that the songs have just been written as they have been around for quite a number of years now though never released. I was given a demo of it to learn when I first joined back around 2008. The band only got round to recording it around 2013/14, but never released it due to various difficulties. I  left the band around 2010, but have kept in touch with Alan ever since and late last year he decided to pretty much start again and release it in a form that he would be happy with so he asked Andy (Green - drums) and myself to help him re-record it. The only parts that were kept from the original 2014 recordings were the vocals and the guitar solos. The rhythm guitars, drums and bass have all been redone. It's been a bit of a tricky process as it's like recording an album backwards, but everyone is really happy with how it's sounding now. In terms of style I would say that this is more of a straight-ahead heavy rock album than their previous releases though better ( I hope ! ) recorded. It will sound a bit more polished than the other albums, I think, so it's nice to be able to give these songs the treatment they deserve. 💿 Can you tell us about your current line up and can leave us a memory about an iconic singer as Terry Jones?   The line up on the album is the live band from 2008/10 and is one of the finer of the many incarnations of the band. We all played together really well back then and the songs really came to life. It's one of the reasons that Alan wanted this same lineup to complete the album. Memories of Terry? Ah, where to start.....He would snore loudly. Very, very loudly... 💿 The real "news" in music industry is the return of vinyl; What's your feeling with this classic format? Will be available the vinyl version also for the ROOM OF SHADOWS? Who doesn't like vinyl?  An album is more than just a collection of songs and vinyl is the best way to present the whole package. Yes, of course there will be a vinyl release for Room of Shadows and Annick is currently finalising the designs and she's done a tremendous job. 💿 What do you think about renewed interest for NWOBHM and traditional hard'n'heavy music? That depends on who's interested in it!  As long as the interest and appreciation is genuine then that's good. 💿 Can you tell us somethin'about next live gigs? Well, there will be the gig a Wings of Metal Festival in Montreal on Sep 8th and 9th. Alan wanted to do a tribute to Terry and it will be an opportunity to play some of these great songs again. We have Brendan Radigan from Magic Circle on vocals and Andres  Arango from Cauchemar doing the rhythm guitars so it should sound great.