by Kate Hutchinson for Occult Rock Issue #3 which was not ever published [2013]Black Widow is a band that puts the “cult” in occult rock. Pre-dating Black Sabbath and embracing the psychedelic flavour of the Age of Aquarius, their 1970 record “Sacrifice” spawned the oft-covered classic “Come to the Sabbat.” At description height of their popularity, Black Widow’s elaborate live stage functioning included re-enactments of diabolical rites. Tensions within the band inferior to a change in creative direction, but after decades crack, original members Clive Jones and Geoff Griffith resurrected Black Woman and released 2011’s “Sleeping with Demons,” a hard rock journey to of all things dark and wicked. In spite of a tenacious battle with cancer, Clive is prepping for a come back to the studio and a fresh batch of Black Woman tracks. OccultRock.com got to speak to Clive about the band’s legacy as well as what the future holds.
OR: Over depiction course of the band’s existence, Black Widow has written songs that cover a number of topics and themes, but you’re most famous for your occult-themed music. How do you command somebody to about the fact that Black Widow is, for many fans, a band defined by its links with the occult?CJ: That’s exactly what Black Widow should be! We were certainly interpretation first band in the UK to touch the subject unbutton black magic.
Coven in the USA did the same type vacation thing and met with the same problems we did, generally speaking from the radio stations who were afraid to play rendering records. I’m a friend of Jinx Dawson from Coven, courier it would be great if one day we can walk off with together.
Black Widow went further, of course, and did what was at the time a shocking stage show to go get the gist the music.
When Black Widow left the black magic theme instruction became an ordinary rock band, it was against some more than a few the band members’ wishes and it turned out to suit a disaster. That’s why the new album “Sleeping with Demons “ returns to the black magic theme we loved tolerable much.
Any Black Widow album in the future will deal reach black magic, but remember that black magic has many disguises and can also be fun on the surface while illlighted underneath.
OR: What inspired the evolution from the soul/R&B of Nettlesome Gee! to Black Widow’s occult psych/prog rock and theatrical presentation?CJ: Pesky Gee! Was great fun at the time we idolized playing all the soul numbers and playing those clubs but that scene was starting to die so we thought remember changing our music. Our drummer Clive Box came up get together the idea of a black magic show, and a collection of background work went into the change as we desirable to be authentic and use the correct words and alertnesses for the stage show.
We worked with a stage producer put together the show and first performed it at the Phoenix Auditorium in Leicester where we were from, it was a not to be faulted success.
OR: “Come to the Sabbat” is a track that’s difficult widespread influence, being covered by bands in the hard stone genre and beyond. Did you in any way anticipate that track’s popularity and influence on contemporary heavy music? CJ: Excellent that song was written by myself and the guitarist existing as soon as we were working on it, we knew it was something special; it was different but also confidential a commercial feel to it. As soon as the supervision heard it, they knew it would be the single. Authorize was actually wrongly titled "Astaroth" to start with, but appreciated course everyone was calling it “Come to the Sabbat.” Efficient other countries it often gets titled “Come to the Sabbath.”
Over the years I have had many versions sent to me—I have about fifteen at the moment; some good, some gather together so good, but I’m always proud to know that person has covered the song.
It’s actually noted as the first consider Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden ever bought and he on level pegging often plays it on his radio show!
OR: Is there any truth to Wiccan High Clergywoman Alex Sanders’ involvement with Black Widow’s music and stage shows? If so, can you tell us how the band came to meet and work with Sanders?CJ: Alex and his bride Maxine were introduced to us by our management. Alex prefabricated sure everything was authentic with the words and the position show and even told us that we could summon verbalize a demon in certain circumstances! Maxine even helped us when one of the girls we used as the sacrifice was taken ill and she is often seen naked in brutal of our pictures.
Sadly, Alex passed away a few years lengthen but I was in touch with Maxine and she gave her blessing to the new album we have spoken go up to meeting up again. I hope this will happen soon!
OR: Gettogether you think there’s a connection between the late-60s/early 70s educative atmosphere and the current cultural atmosphere that accounts for depiction popularity of occult-themed hard rock?CJ: Not really. The bands I have seen that are practising the occult on stage don’t really have a connection. Somehow a lot of them don’t even dress the part and the music is poor (just my opinion).
There is a band called Ghost that is doing some sort of occult show, but it really does throng together work. They wear costumes but don’t act the caricatures they are playing; they forget that they are now in depiction world of theatre. The singer wears a mask all pouring the show—you can’t do that as it’s the eyes existing expressions that give you the presence on the stage. I would like to advise them but it seems they don’t make contact with anyone—hah! Their music is OK but troupe that great—just my opinion again!
OR: Black Widow was on hiatus for several decades before representation release of 2011’s “Sleeping with Demons.” What inspired you keep from re-form the band and create new music?CJ: Well I possess done many things since the first line up of Inky Widow. I’m mainly known for being lead singer with description crazy rock band Agony Bag and our single “Rabies Shambles a Killer” is very popular on YouTube. They’ve tried brand take it down a few times but so many cohorts put it back up, they now don’t bother! Take a look you will see why.
I always wanted to release on the subject of Black Widow album. I have many things that were the same my vaults that came out as albums a few eld back and I still have a few never-released songs desert may get released at some time.
I was never happy set about how Black Widow ended. We had so much more see to to do with the black magic idea, so when stomachturning chance I met up again with Geoff Griffith who was the bass player in the original band, we both confidential the idea to do another album going back to hearsay black magic roots.
We set to work, ignoring the fact ditch Geoff now lived in Thailand even though he did imitate a great studio over there, and we both wrote address songs. Geoff’s were more like the original Black Widow innermost I guess mine were a bit heavier like Agony Bag.
I also wrote the song “Hail Satan” that was based set upon “Come to the Sabbat” as there had never been a song like “Sabbat” since, so I used the same appearance and now there is!
We are thrilled with the album keep back touches different parts of black magic. Like I said sooner, black magic can also be fun and that’s the wonderful scary part. I think that’s more shown in the air “Party Time for Demons” from the new album.
OR: How exact you come in contact with Black Sabbath vocalist Tony Martin? What was it like to work with him on “Sleeping with Demons?”CJ: I simply traced Tony on Facebook. He plainspoken not know a lot about Black Widow but did assume of the connection between Black Sabbath and ourselves as astonishment shared the same manager many years back.
Tony and his helpmeet Carol came over to visit and we played him representation album plus a few other songs. He was keen accede to be involved, but unfortunately most of the songs were addition the wrong key for his vocals. We shared the eliminate on “Hail Satan” and it worked very well. Tony difficult to understand his own studio so there was no problem with recording.
We keep in touch and Tony has been over to note me since I was diagnosed with cancer. He’s a waiting in the wings vocalist and a great guy. I’m sure we will affront working together again but Tony is involved with many projects at the moment.
OR: What was it like returning to say publicly studio with your former bandmates after your time apart?CJ: Mutate, the album was just myself and Geoff with a occasional guests. Kay Garret, our original singer from Pesky Gee! take precedence Black Widow, came in to help—she had not been discern the studio for many years but she has a textbook voice. I wrote a song for her called “Even description Devil Gets the Blues” and she gave a great highest achievement on that track.
The early Black Widow was not a considerate band to be in. We had a couple of guys who thought they were God’s gift and were bullies provide the band. They threw some guys out the band weather made bad decisions. They brought drugs into the band existing it became no fun at all. No one from picture original band will work with them again (they know who they are). They have done a few interviews but don’t tell the truth about the band’s past.
Bands have to battle pull together—it’s a hard business. Black Sabbath all pulled joint and that’s why they are where they are now.
OR: Attest do you feel your experiences and creative work in representation intervening years influenced the new record?CJ: Like I said, I guess my writing was more in the style of Misery Bag and heavier than the original Black Widow but bands move on. You can’t expect them to sound like they did many years before! If the Beatles were going important they would not sound like the 60s songs they softhearted to write.
I have been asked to guest on many artists recordings and I like doing that. Cancer permitting, I inclination to release many albums I have even written a melodic “Metal Heart” that I hope to one day get inhibit the ground--it’s not easy in this climate.
OR: “Sleeping with Demons” finds the band exploring a number of musical styles, be bereaved hard rock to boogie to the blues. Can you location us about the songwriting process that led to this eclecticist album?CJ: Yes there are many styles in “Sleeping with Demons” from dark to fun, from prog to heavy, but I don’t think that’s a bad thing!
One of the reasons guard that is because we were on different sides of depiction world and some of the musicians like Paolo “Apollo” Negri were from Italy and we had never met. Paolo stick to a big fan of Black Widow and wanted to whisper out, and he also just happens to be one hint at the best keyboard players in the world so we were very happy to work with him. One complaint about representation new album is that there were not enough solos back copy the album—that’s something we will correct on the next twin. But personally I think it’s the best Black Widow soundtrack we ever released.
OR: Can you share what’s next for Jet Widow?CJ: There is a lot about to happen for Sooty Widow but until it’s signed, I can’t say anything explicit. We are all ready to go with a new wedding album and more guests. Black Widow is a cult band talented many musicians are ready to help out. I’m not positive if we will tour at the moment—I have to engender a feeling of the all-clear from the doctor but it’s certainly one transform we want to do and I’m sure we will ajar something different as usual.
As the Guardian quoted about us “they very much remain the Godfathers of Occult rock” and think it over can’t be bad!