Metal Israel
Interview with Billy, January 2006
It is definitely an honor to post this as Biohazard is a band that means
very much to me for reasons obvious in Billy’s answers. The messages that
Biohazard relays are what life is all about. Staying true to your beliefs.
Getting back up when you fall. Striving for your dreams.
“We were a band who took no shit and did what we wanted to. Biohazard was a band who never wavered in our way of life, our beliefs, our artistic expression, it was our life, our way and with being on so many labels (6 in total)….need I say more…” - Billy Graziadei
The way he talks about Biohazard in the past tense is causing me pain though. However, DFL 4EVAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA… (DFL meaning Down For Life for all y’all not familiar with the term) and you never know, they may come back.
THE INTERVIEW
MI: Billy, THE MAIN QUESTION TEARING AT MY HEART: Is it true your last tour will be Biohazard’s farewell tour? Why?!??
BG: I will not be doing a “Last” tour….I will always be on tour…now I tour with my new band SUICIDE CITY. Biohazard will not be doing a “farewell” tour as I feel that it cheapens what we were about. I made a great album, an album that I am VERY proud of…MEANS TO AN END, and I want to leave Biohazard on a great note!
MI: How would you describe Biohazard to someone who’s never heard you?
BG: We were a band who took no shit and did what we wanted to. Biohazard was a band who never wavered in our way of life, our beliefs, our artistic expression, it was our life, our way and with being on so many labels (6 in total)….need I say more…
MI: Why is “Hold My Own” considered Biohazard’s main ‘theme’ song?
BG: My motto bro… in life it doesn’t matter how many times you get knocked down, it’s getting back up that counts!
MI: What’s your most proud memory of Biohazard?
BG: Too many to mention, I’d have to say it started in 1988 when we were kids recording our first demo!! And it hasn’t stopped since….to now with SUICIDE CITY selling out CBGB’s!!!! It’s all about making realistic dreams (goals) and not stopping until you reach them! Then you set new goals!
MI: How do you feel knowing that thousands of people you’ve never met gain emotional support just from listening to your songs and love you for it? (like me wuuuuh)
BG: That is the most awesome feeling in the world. Better than any amount of ego stroking attention from the media!!! I touch people with my music and that I proudly take with me to my grave!!! So, THANK YOU!!!
MI: Can you describe a bit about what makes the Brooklyn metal scene so great?
BG: Brooklyn is real, there is no bullshit there…what you see is what you get!
MI: Are you still living in Brooklyn?
BG: No, my wife and I had a beautiful little girl and I decided not to raise her in Brooklyn!! As much as I love Brooklyn, growing up there is a crap shoot that I don’t want to subject my daughter to! Funny how Suicide City is now based in Brooklyn!!
MI: What neighborhood in Brooklyn are you originally from?
BG: Marine Park (aw I knew that- MI)
MI: Is it all as bad as it sounds in the lyrics? I used to walk home from L’amour at 2:00 in the morning cause there was no bus and nothing ever happened to me.
BG: Trouble finds trouble and I’ve found a lot….I only know the trial and tribulations of growing up there and I have a lot of stories but I think that if we were walking a different walk… We wouldn’t be so fun to share stories with over beers! ;)
MI: Can you tell us how Biohazard was founded - like, how you guys all met?
BG: I was playing in Hardcore bands in NYC….Evan and Meo (first Biohazard drummer) were jamming together so I joined up with them. Meo and Bobby were playing together in another band…..Meo brought Bobby into the band…then we were born…officially on Easter Sunday 1988!
MI: What’s going on with Suicide City, how did that start and how does it differ in outlook and musical style from Biohazard?
BG: Suicide City began as a side project while Biohazard and Kittie were still going strong. I produced Karl’s (singer of Suicide City) band The Groovenicks and knew that I wanted to jam with him one day. Creativity is something that you can’t control, I’ve always had other outlets for music and found myself with side projects like blu, Endrah, Ampt…etc….as I would write for Biohazard I found some music not fitting what I was looking for in Biohazard and would put those songs aside….those songs were the seedlings that became Suicide City. I then brought in our drummer Dan Lamagna into the studio to jam…he fit like a glove! Then right after that we got AJ Marchetta (old Groovenicks and Ghostfight guitar player). Jennifer and I had toured together and spoke often about doing something together….so this was natural for us!! Suicide City was born….officially in the winter of 2005!
MI: What are some of your favorite bands to play with?
BG: Damn, touring with Pantera was by far the most fun!! Sepultura, Agnostic Front, Sick of it All, Type O Negative, Life of Agony, Metallica, Slayer…Suicide City just toured with Mindless Self Indulgence and that was an awesome tour!
MI: What’s in your CD player/mp3 playlist right now?
BG: Tom Jobim
MI: “Music’s for you and me, not the fkn industry”. How do you feel about downloading?
BG: It kills income for artists!!! I’m pro-download but with compensation to the artist, NOT the record company!! I know the numbers of the biz and we are all being raped. My perfect world would be one with cheap, reasonable downloading!! Eliminate the middle man!!
MI: What are some of the acts that you have produced?
BG: The obvious: Biohazard, Suicide City, blu, Endrah, Ampt (Rob Gee and Sid-Slipknot band) Ashes are Nutritious, No Hollywood Ending, The Outside, Fake H, ….
MI: Are you going to be involved in Joey Z’s (from Life of Agony) new studio at all?
BG: No..Joey spoke to me about this a while back but I’m too busy with my studio and Suicide City! Is it open yet???
MI: So what’s your address on the State of the World at this point in time?
BG: Means to an end!!!
MI: ARE YOU GUYS COMING TO ISRAEL OR FKN WHAT?!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know people are trying to bring you, please please come here, pleasepleasepleaseplease, if it must be your last show here, we will send you off in style. And I know you like Rockaway Beach but Tel Aviv has awesome surf.
BG: I will bring Suicide City there but Biohazard will not be doing any more touring. As for surfing Tel Aviv???? When we were there it was completely flat!!!! But well worth another try!! Thanx for your time and support!!! Take care!
MI: YEEEEEEEEH MOTHAFKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!! DFL