Interview with Snowy Shaw
By Gabriel Mendoza

Well, we know you, for being a multi - gifted musician and singer, and for being in a big numbers of bands since Mercyful Fate to XXX your new project, what you can tell us about that kind of journey through the bands and the years?
Yeah, what can I say. I just follow my heart and do whatever I feel like doing for better and for worse. Sometimes it may seem to other people that I’m making really stupid business decisions like quitting King and Mercyful Fate to form my own bizarre underground black metal act Notre Dame or turning down Saxon and then helping out a couple of nobodies in an unknown glamband from nowhere.. but again, I’m in this business for the passion and love of creating sound and vision and NOT just to make money and achieve great success in the eyes of the beholder. So I have to deal with the consequences of my sometimes less lucrative business decisions..
So for the so called journey, I am convinced that as long as I follow my heart, it will lead me on the right path, whatever that path might be... but that’s the whole beauty of life if you ask me.

What is your favorite instrument to express yourself and create a song?
I guess my voice doesn’t count as an instrument, so when it comes to writing I must say guitar, acoustic or electric doesn’t matter, could probably be bass as well maybe because I mainly write songs based on vocal melodies or harmonies not riffs... well I guess I do that too... I must say it all depends on the style of music I’m writing of course, Piano or keyboard is ideal in some cases.

Did you ever dream about being the person you are right know? In terms of music of course…
So what am I right now?
Hmm, never thought about that actually. I have never had something like a 5 year plan, timetable or clear idea of what or where I would be at a certain point in life, but I always wanted and knew from the day I started playing music that this is what I wanna do with my life and from that point on I have walked in that direction and made those choices and probably sacrifices too, although I don’t see it like that at all. To be honest I could never picture myself at age 39, not even now.

Like I said earlier I always follow my heart and wherever that may lead me. But I never set out to be in all those bands I’ve been with, it just sorta turned out that way and occasionally when some offer comes up that I find too interesting to turn down I sometimes feel like Yeah, why not it could be fun and I could at least give it a try, if I don’t enjoy it I can always leave. And then the years fly by, But I always wanted to be my own and create my own band and I never ever dreamt of being in someone else's creation, it has just sort of happened in the meantime.. ha ha . But I’ve learned a lot in the process and achieved tons of experience so I guess about time I get to it now, Dammit!

What can you say about the new project called XXX?
XXX as in triple X is a new band of mine, and although I shouldn’t reveal too much about it at this point I can’t help myself because I’m so excited about it. Right now me and guitarist/engineer X are putting down the final touches now doing vocals, guitar overdubs and all sorts of effects and editing before the mixing in 2 weeks with Andy La Rocque, my old pal from King Diamond in his brand new superduper studio. I’m proud to say that I got a great offer from a big Mexican company that we’re negotiating right now, so XXX is gonna be distributed and pushed on a big scale all over Mexico and we can come to tour in your beautiful country.. I can’t wait- Yeehaw!

I think you made Therion more and more dark oriented, with all the theatrical and dramatic stuff on stage, what are your comments to that?
I’d say it was about time ..ha ha! Honestly, what I intended to do was basically to present visually what Therion represented musically. Well, it’s my opinion and view of it of course and I think Therion have made tremendous improvement as a live act. There are of course things we can improve here and there, but judging from the impression and response from the fans and all people, it is nothing less than a big success. Unfortunately we haven’t been able to bring the big production stageshow over the Atlantic yet... hopefully in the near future.

Please tell us about the future plans for Therion, Are you still hanging with them in the future?
I think and hope so. Me and Christofer have talked a little about future plans but I think he should recharge his batteries and enjoy his well deserved one year vacation and then we’ll see what happens.

This was your second time in Mexico right? What are your impressions of Mexico and your Mexican audience?
I was only in Mexico one time before with Mercyful fate where we just played Tijuana on the US tour, but I had a really really wonderful time and great impression of Mexican people and Mexico on our last tour with Therion.

I know about a project with Therion´s ex singer Mats Levén called S&M, I'm feel impatient to hear that material, but tell me… There doesn't seem to be huge egos here. Correct?
Eh, what do you mean huge egos? No, of course not. Mats and I work great together with the deepest respect for each other. We wrote a bunch of really great songs together and recorded some rough stuff at my house. Unfortunately we’ve both been having a tight work schedule so S&M had to stand aside. I suggested to Mats just a few days ago that he should drop the S in the band name and do a solo album with the material.

- King Diamond - Hats off for the King! I was lucky to be in that band at the very height of their career. Everything started there for me.

- Memento Mori - Was OK.

- Mexico - What can I say? I love Mexico, period.

- Carl XVI Gustaf - who? Is that our Swedish king? I ’d rather go for King Diamond or Kerry King instead.

- Threesome - hell yeah,

And Finally.. a Few Trivia Questions:

- Favorite Food - all sorts of junk food, Tacos, Pancakes

- Favorite Singer - hard to pick one, many favorites, my number ones being in some sort of order: Eric Adams, Dan McCafferty, Paul Stanley, Rob Halford, Axl Rose, Klaus Meine, Ronnie James Dio, David Byron and then the rest.

- Favorite Album. Same here, hard to pick , but a few all time favorites.. KISS- Destroyer, Into Glory Ride-Manowar, Loud n Proud – Nazareth, Clandestine –Entombed, Desolation Boulevard – Sweet, Rainbow Rising, In Rock- Deep Purple, Ziggy Stardust – David Bowie, Sad Wings of Destiny/British Steel/Painkiller by Judas Priest. Appetite for Destruction – Guns and Roses. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap – AC/DC. Candlemass Live. And about a 1000 more…

- Favorite Song. You´re killing me here..ha ha!
- Life on Mars-Bowie, Return to Fantasy – Uriah Heep, Gates of Valhalla –Manowar.
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- Favorite Artist / Musician.
Oh, there are just so many that have my admiration, whether it is for their songwriting, being a visionary, their musicianship or people just doing their thing without compromise that I could make a real long list, Paul Stanley, Ken Hensley, Rob Zombie, Alice Cooper, Ronnie Dio, Ola Salo, Marilyn Manson, Nicke Andersson, Gwen Stefani , Lips, Vinny Appice, Bruce Dickinson, Ace Frehley, David Bowie, Kate Bush, Mikkey Dee, King Diamond, Rob Halford, Blackie Lawless, Nikki Sixx.. I must say I used to worship Joey Demaio,..

- Favorite Movie. Big fish, Forrest Gump, Amelie from Mont Martre, The Omen, Happy Gilmour, Borat, Life and death of Peter Sellers. Etc.

- Favorite Video Game.. Never even played once..

- Favorite TV Show.. none, ..House and Dr Phil maybe.

- Favorite Book. read only autobiographies, rockumentaries mostly.

- Favorite Country to Play Live. Everywhere and wherever they want me.. I’m not trying to kiss ass but I must say that the whole South American tour and all the Mexican shows we did last with Therion was really favorite tour of mine, east Europe and Japan is great too.

- Favorite Band to Play With… my band, or wherever my role and input is important and highly valuated.

- Band or Artist that You Wish to Work With. Rob Zombie, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein, Rob Halford. Nikki Sixx, Nicke Anderson, Last but certainly not least Snowy Shaw and the seven dwarfs, XXX and Therion.

A few words to Mexican Audience…
Muchos gracias.. ha ha ha pardon my poor Spanish, I love Mexico, Hope I can come back to tour again real soon..
Lots of love. XXX
Snowy

www.snowyshaw.com