Director Of Thrash Metal Documentary Speaks To TERRORIZER Magazine

Director Rick Ernst, a longtime freelance producer for MTV and mastermind behind "Get Thrashed", the upcoming documentary chronicling the rise and evolution of thrash metal during the 1980s and its enduring influence in later years, recently spoke to Terrorizer magazine about his film and thrash metal in general. Several excerpts from the interview follow:

On his love of thrash metal:

Rick Ernst: "I'd been a huge thrash fan growing up, and spent every weekend at thrash shows in the NY area. The headliners always went on around 2am — way past my curfew — so I'd often have to sneak out of my parents' house; catch the show and then sleep in my car til my folks opened the doors and went out in the morning; all to catch, say, SACRED REICH and ATROPHY!"

Terrorizer: What inspired the making of the movie, apart, of course, from your love of thrash?

Rick Ernst: "I started seeing a new wave of thrash-inspired bands coming up but rarely did anyone give credit to bands like MEGADETH, ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT etc. 15 years ago, it was unheard of for bands like SHADOWS FALL or LAMB OF GOD to get played on the radio or MTV. This project was an opportunity for me to showcase the bands that paved the way and made extreme music more accessible."

Terrorizer: How do those days differ from the current metal scene?

Rick Ernst: "Thrash seemed more technical - lots more solos - songs had multiple riffs and there were less cookie monster vocals. There were more categories (speed metal, death metal, thrash metal),but it was all metal and pretty much accepted. Today there are fewer categories, but one of them is a career killer: bands that get labelled nu metal are as much a pariah as glam bands from back in the day. The problem is that the term is used so loosely, it can be tagged onto just about any new metal band."

Terrorizer: You talk to some of these "nu" types in the film. How do they come across?

Rick Ernst: "It's hard to argue with them when they talk in depth about OVERKILL's first album or their first live METALLICA concert experience with the same enthusiasm I have when talking with other fans. When thrash fans talk about their music, it's almost as if a light goes on and the enthusiasm and passion just busts out. It's not something you can fake. Whether or not you like their music is not relevant. What is important is that they grew up listening to the same music most other thrash fans did and in some shape and form have been influenced by it."

Terrorizer: Do you believe "Get Thrashed" can awaken any new interest in younger kids or has the thrash phenomenon been publicised enough?

Rick Ernst: "I hope it awakens interest in younger fans and makes them go out and check out some of the legendary bands. It amazes me to see 15 year old kids at an EXODUS show and I've seen the bands be equally excited to see the next generation at their shows. There aren't many outlets outside of touring for thrash bands to be heard. I hope 'Get Thrashed' can make a little noise on their behalf."

Terrorizer: Is this going on DVD so we can all see it?

Rick Ernst: "The plan is to finish the show by year's end get it into a few festivals for fans to check out, then air on cable TV/one of the music stations in America. We're working on an international release but in any event, a DVD will be available shortly after the show airs. It will include over an hour's worth of additional material and will include features on many more bands that we cannot include due to time constraints of a television program."

For more information on "Get Thrashed", visit www.getthrashed.com.