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Polish born guitarist, "Metal" Mike Chlasciak has been living the American heavy metal dream for over a decade now having recorded and toured with legends Rob Halford (Judas Priest) and Sebastian Bach (Ex-Skid Row). He’s also made albums as a solo artist and as part of a band with Painmuseum. "Metal" Mike (who’s currently on the road with Halford) sat down with me on the eve of Ozzfest 2010 to discuss, of course, all things "Metal".

KNAC.COM: Let me start with Painmuseum. Any plans for a new album?

CHLASCIAK: It’s not an active band right now. When I put that band together, I was after a particular sound and feel that I wanted to get across, but every few years I get this… this ‘boring button’ and I’m searching from something fresh. I want something fresh, as a fan of heavy metal, that I would want to listen to. I don’t always make a record to please me. So, that’s what Painmuseum was. It was something different and I wanted to go in a little different direction than what people might have associated with me.

KNAC.COM: You mentioned that you have a ‘boring button’, but you’ve been with Rob Halford for a decade now. Why are you not bored of Rob?

CHLASCIAK: There are obvious things about Rob, but I’ve never sat down and thought about what is special about him. I don’t want to dissect it or over think it. When I started playing in Rob’s band and we started putting together the demos for Resurrection in ’99, I came in there as a new face and I wanted to make the best music I could in order to prove myself. I knew Rob was the ‘Metal God’ and he was legendary, but I wasn’t a head over heels worshiper of (Judas) Prrest. This allowed me to look at the situation as Rob being a great singer and not just bow down at the alter of the ‘Metal God’ and I mean that in the most respectful way. But as time goes on, you realize that Rob is just a very special human being. He’s of those guys that can walk on stage and start with a ballad and people will still dig it. I remember when (Judas) Priest would start with "Out In The Cold"… there’s something about his energy that is special. Every so often a musician comes along that can connect with a higher being (for the lack of a better word). Those few chosen ones and I definitely think Rob is one of them.

KNAC.COM: You recently played the Heavy Mtl II festival in Montreal. How was that experience?

CHLASCIAK: It was killer and it had a great vibe. From what I saw it was run smoothly and very professionally. It stood out from other festivals I’ve been to that are ‘mayhemic’. It was absolutely awesome and I knew that Montreal had a fanatic metal base. So, I knew it was going to be great and it was the first proper Halford show of 2010. To be honest, my expectations came true and this was a nice way to start the tour. It’s incredibly good.

KNAC.COM: Did you check out any of the other bands on the bill? Alice Cooper, Slayer or Megadeth perhaps?

CHLASCIAK: I saw my old friends in Testament. I missed Slayer because they came on immediately after we were done. I did see Alice Cooper and Megadeth. Megadeth is Megadeth. They’re always clean and they’re always awesome. Alice Cooper was very cool though because he still has this vibe of being this big rock show. What I like about seeing bands like Alice and Megadeth is this feeling that it’s a celebration. It’s a big heavy metal show with a bunch of Marshall’s and smoke machines. It’s the visuals that I fell in love with as a kid and are now there for other kids. So, it’s a good feeling especially when I get to be a part of it.

KNAC.COM: Let’s talk about your new solo album. What’s it called? When is it going to be out and what kind of music is on it? Is it acoustic? Is it metal?

CHLASCIAK: There are no acoustic records in my immediate future unless all my Marshall’s go up in flames. The record is called The Metal Worker and the idea behind is… after I departed from Sebastian Bach’s band in ’08, I took a step-back because I wasn’t super happy in that and I had to think ‘what do I do?’ I get asked to join other bands and touring line-ups because they know what I do is heavy metal. I’m a meat and potatoes heavy metal guitar player. That’s what they get from me. It’s not the side salad and gravy. It’s Marshall’s, Flying V and I play metal. Initially, that’s what the Metal God liked because he knew what he was getting and he was very cut and dry. When I sent in my videos and self-produce CDs to Rob, he was just coming out of the TWO project. In my cover letter I said, 'I'm not sure if you guys are doing industrial themed music or not, but if you are doing heavy metal then I am definitely your guitar player.

KNAC.COM: They made a great choice. The guitar sound on Resurrection and the album itself is fantastic.

CHLASCIAK: It was wild when we were making that record. Everybody that heard the music would say, ‘Man, this is going to be big’ and I’m thinking, ‘Of course it’s going to be big. It’s Rob Halford singing. How can it not be big?’ Then you go on an arena tour with Iron Maiden. Isn’t that what everybody does? It was a very special time and I don’t take it for granted. To get back to the earlier question, I’ve been so privileged to work with a lot of great artists that have great fans. So, what is it I do? I do heavy metal and people call because they know what they get and that’s why the record is going to be called the Metal Worker. I’m going to basically draw a self-portrait on the record.

KNAC.COM: Will you be singing on the record or is it an instrumental album?

CHLASCIAK: There will be a couple of instrumental songs, but it’s not an instrumental record at all. There’s a vocalist and his name is Carlos Zema (OUTWORLD). He could be a successor to the greats. He’s an incredibly talented and fantastic singer. He’s a phenomenon boiling under the radar.

KNAC.COM: Is the band called Metal Worker as well?

CHLASCIAK: The plan is to release it as a solo record, but I’m a fan of that name so who knows how it’s going to morph? I think The Metal Worker is a cool name for band. The album itself will have that Halford sound (for obvious reasons), but it will also have Accept, Loudness and the late ‘80s Bay Area thrash bands that really shaped my guitar playing sound. It’ll be a current record…

KNAC.COM: How is it different to what Painmuseum was doing?

CHLASCIAK: On a musical level it’s a similar coloring, but obviously my sound has progressed. However, the vocalist is a lot cleaner now. He’s more of a ‘Ripper’ (Owens)/ Halford type, but without riding anyone’s coat tails because Carlos can obviously stand on his own.

KNAC.COM: Musically, this is closer to what Judas Priest does compared to a Def Leppard or b>KISS?

CHLASCIAK: Without a doubt.

KNAC.COM: When will it be out?

CHLASCIAK: I was hoping to release it sometime this year, but with me touring with Rob I don’t think it’s the greatest move to have a new record out if I can’t really promote it. When I complete the touring cycle with Rob, I’ll be able to concentrate on my own record instead of doing too much at the same time. I want to give my full attention to Rob and make sure everything I do supports what we need to do as the Halford band.

KNAC.COM: You’re also working on the new Halford record Halford IV – Made Of Metal. Is the record done or are you still tweaking it?

CHLASCIAK: The record is pretty much done, but you know how it is. Yes, it’s done, but when you’re in L.A. come in and let’s do another guitar solo. This is a time to re-establish Halford.

KNAC.COM: Let me pick up on one thing – you mentioned Sebastian Bach before. I saw you on the Guns N’ Roses tour In Quebec City. What happened with Sebastian and you? Was it musical differences or a personality thing? Why did you leave his band?

CHLASCIAK: Well… It just stopped feeling comfortable for me. It was fun and I had a really good time, but I just really wanted to get back to guitar playing. I felt like I had a lot more to say. If you want to do the rocker/ rock ‘n roll lifestyle thing it’s perfect, but it was time for me to get back to my love; which is playing heavy metal guitar.

KNAC.COM: How was it being around the guns N’ Roses camp?

CHLASCIAK: It was absolutely incredibly good. They have really good professional people on board. The band guys are cool and Axl took Sebastian and his band in his circle of friends and it was very cool. Axl and his crew were nothing but awesome to us. We never talked smack about GNR or Axl and the reason we didn’t was because there was no smack to talk about. It was cool and he was great. It’s weird, but I feel like I’m disappointing people when I tell them that. Everybody in that band is a kick ass player and the people around it work on a high-end level. They make miracles happen. I’ve seen Axl come off the stage and tell the monitor man to pack his bags. He’s out. Next morning, boom – Mariah Carey’s monitor guy will show up. Shit happens. It’s not a put your diaper on and get learning tour. It’s full on – private jets and Victoria’s Secret model type band. That’s what Guns N’ Roses is. Axl is one of those guys like Rob Halford. He’s connected to the big guy above in many ways. It was cool and it made me a better player in many ways because I had to play outside of my comfort zone.

KNAC.COM: Halford…

CHLASCIAK: I’m very protective of the Halford name. It’s the band I’ve been the longest in. It was nothing when I started. There was no Halford name. It was Rob, Pat and myself writing music in a rehearsal studio on a trial basis.

KNAC.COM: You also came in at a time when Rob had to save his career. He did Fight and it was well received, but after his Two project people thought he was done. They were ready to forget him.

CHLASCIAK: Rob was able to place people in his band that had the raw hunger and energy, but that already had a level of professionalism established. We weren’t Steve Vai’s, but we knew how the music business worked. We really worked hard and we always work hard in Rob’s band in the sense that we are always prepared. Even today, I’ll show up at a venue at noon. I’ll go in there and make sure my damn digital delay is working or change the strings on my guitar and make sure they feel right. I put in the time. I double check everything.

KNAC.COM: I saw that at Heavy Mtl II. I think you showed up by 1PM.

CHLASCIAK: And you know what – there’s still never enough time. You have to do that. That’s what the word professional means. It’s to deliver quality work under stressful crazy circumstances.

KNAC.COM: Let’s work your plugs in here…. www.planetshred.com is your web site.,p> CHLASCIAK: Or www.metalmike.net . I’m also really active on Twitter which is http://twitter.com/MetalMikeC and I keep it interactive whereas a couple of times a month or so I’ll go ‘first two people to send the words ‘heavy metal rules’ will get a Jackson T-shirt.’ Just to keep the faith going.

KNAC.COM: If they follow you on Twitter – do you think they could win a guest pass to a Halford show?

CHLASCIAK: I’d say yes. It’s easier to make that happen if it’s our own show compared to a festival show.

KNAC.COM: Let’s talk Ozzfest. You’re sharing the stage with Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue…

CHLASCIAK: Right there you mentioned two of my favorite heavy metal bands. My plan is to play a killer show with Rob and then go watch Crue and Ozzy every night. I plan to make friends with Tommy Lee and see what he’s doing after each show. The music business is so difficult and anybody who has been able to have a career like Motley Crue – it’s been what? Twenty-six years? There is nothing but respect from me for a band like that.

KNAC.COM: Career bands just don’t exist anymore…

CHLASCIAK: That’s the Gospel I’ve been saying lately. That’s why festival like Heavy Mtl are so so important because when bands like the Scorpions retire or Black Sabbath … these bands that are able to sell millions of records say, ‘We’re not going to do it anymore’. The artist development with bands is so strange now that even big bands that have that ‘radio hit’ still play a one thousand-seater club. Where does that leave us? The big shows with Marshall’s, fireworks, the horns up in the air and the bullet belts in front of 12000 people… it’s time to see that right now. We may not be able to see that in eight years. If you want to experience that big heavy metal concert…

KNAC.COM: You bring up an interesting point. In ten years, the Scorpions will be retired and maybe KISS, Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Judas Priest will be retired as well. They can’t keep playing into their 70s. All the established arena acts will be gone.

CHLASCIAK: That’s what I’m saying. The chance is right now to see these bands. You can’t wait until these bands are gone because I don’t think the music industry is nurturing the bands to be the next Iron Maiden.

All pictures by Mitch Lafon – Taken July 24th 2010 at Heavy Mtl II