Interview by Kris Peters.
It seems inconceivable that a major international band could be on the world touring circuit for over three decades and never played a note in anger in Australia.
Almost criminal in fact, but when that band is Powerman 5000 it doesn't take long to move on and forget the thirty year snub and merely rejoice in the fact that they are finally coming.
Very soon in fact.
Powerman 5000 land in this country in around two weeks time, starting the nationwide trek in Brisbane at The Zoo on January 12.
Not only will the pioneering industrial/nu-metal heavyweights be armed with a plethora of awesome hits up their collective sleeves, they are also celebrating the recent 21st anniversary of their breakthrough debut album Tonight The Stars Revolt!, spearheaded by the song that changed the landscape of metal as we know it, When Worlds Collide.
HEAVY sat down for an enlightening chat with frontman Spider One, starting by emphasising the point that Australian fans have been neglected by the band for far too long.
"It is kind of amazing," he smiled. "We've been touring since 1996 or 97 and for some reason we've either eluded Australia or Australia's eluded us, but we are finally getting there, which is kinda cool. I mean, it's not that common after being in a band for thirty years or so that you can say you're gonna do something for the first time. We've toured the States so much, and I can pretty much tell you exactly what a night in Dallas, Texas is gonna be like. Or a night in Los Angeles is gonna be like. But I don't know what a night in Sydney's gonna be like, I have no idea. So it's gonna be exciting."
In the full interview, Spider talks us through the 21st Anniversary of Tonight The Stars Revolt!, why he thinks that album resonated like it did in the metal community, their role in bridging the gap between industrial metal and nu-metal, the early days of Powerman 5000 and how they shaped their sound, lessons learnt from his older brother Rob Zombie that helped Powerman 5000 in their formative years, blending his love of sci-fi and horror into their music, appearing on Beverley Hills 90210, coming back from being dropped by Dreamworks Records in 1996, revitalising the band, his side gig directing films, what we can expect from Powerman 5000 on tour and more.