Craig Locicero of Forbidden

For any die hard thrash metal fan the name Forbidden means something special. Forbidden is synonymous with the thrash movement during the eighties, particularly the San Francisco Bay Area, releasing two albums at the height of this movement – Forbidden Evil and Twist Into Form – for my mind they were one of the bands who were hard-done-by when it comes to their share of the “trash meta pie.” 

To put these two albums in perspective, they were much more complex and better structured pieces of art, with far superior production, to that of Metallica’s, Exodus’ and Death Angel’s first offerings. They had a vocalist [Russ Anderson] who could sing in a much more melodic way than that of his counterparts. The twin guitar attack of Locicero and [initially] Alvelais [and then] Calvert was untouchable. Finally, the drumming of [Paul] Bostaph is unsurpassed by any of the thrash drummers of the eighties, and to this day, he is still one of the best drummers in metal, playing with Slayer, Exodus and Testament since Forbidden.

From the end of the US thrash metal movement Forbidden morphed into a progressive metal outfit so sophisticated that they were creating material about fifteen years ahead of their time; as bands such as Chimaira themselves have noted. In 1994 Forbidden released Distortion and in 1996 Green - both of these albums really did not receive the praise they deserved, metal was at an all time low and both albums were quite experimental and very heavy. 

From this point, Forbidden disappeared, with [Craig] Locicero forming his own more accessible project Manmade God and the soaring vocals of [Russ] Anderson joined a more laid back band in the Parking Lot Prohpets.

Now to 2008, Forbidden reform with Locicero, Anderson, Camacho and newcomers Steve Smyth and Mark Hernandez. They embark on a European festival tour to see if anyone remembers the name Forbidden. Low and behold, we all did and the band went down an absolute storm everywhere they went that summer. At this point, a lot of speculation was rife about a new album and Locicero put us all straight, hence Omega Wave in 2009. 

FORBIDDEN TO FORBIDDEN EVIL AND TWIST INTO FORM

What are you earliest memories of Forbidden as a band?

Craig Locicero: Really, we weren’t aware of what we were doing for a long time. We were just kids attracted to the same music. And we stumbled across Russ [Anderson] who moved from L.A., we were like ‘wow’ because no one sounded like him. 

We heard him jamming in a garage – Robb Flynn was in this band actually - and I just wanted to play with this guy. From this point I played him a few riffs and away we went, we weren’t even called anything yet. We just started to play and things started to happen. Then we progressed to play bigger shows - opening up for Testament, or Legacy at the time, and Death Angel. When we started playing bigger shows it got even faster and the interest just kept growing

What was the best thing about the Bay Area in the mid to late eighties?

Craig Locicero: The best thing was that it was all new; there was a real crest of a music wave forming. Everyone was just on fire and it was alive with creativity and magic. It was all very innocent actually, and uncharted territory. I was one of the youngest and very wide-eyed it was a crazy experience. It is still respected today I guess because we were doing it real and raw and not over cooked this may be the reason.

How did you get your initial record deal with Combat Records?

Craig Locicero: Many labels were after us at this point, as, like I said, it grew quickly. Our manager steered us through all of this business stuff. She was Debbie and we took Combat as they were the label who had the longest shelf life at this point. 

In retrospect, this was a bad decision, due to its staying power, but at the time they were the right label for us. Everything was looking good but the jump to a major label from them was very difficult. Like all bands we made a number of wrong turns and we paid the price. Really from 1991 to 2000 if you weren’t a death metal band or grunge you got ignored by the bigger labels.

Forbidden Evil is such an important Thrash Metal album to metal fans but how is it important to you?

Craig Locicero: Cause [sic] it is my first, and that innocent factor I mentioned earlier. We kept it raw and with a heavy melodic sound that made its mark. That’s the one I listen to the least though if the truth be known, but this isn’t because I don’t like it but due to imperfections, it drives me crazy when I can hear things that we could have done a whole lot better. I love the vocals, guitar and drums, all of it. Paul [Bostaph, drums] helped arrange the songs and he got credit for that, it is important to involve the drummer I think in this.

Twist Into Form was an extension of Forbidden Evil in many ways, but it was also a more mature album with a more progressive feel, how did this come about? Was it a conscious thing or just natural?

Craig Locicero: Natural progression really - as musicians and a band. Also with having Tim Calvert [guitars] in the band he changed things to a certain extent and we also worked well together. A great creative chemistry existed between us and it was thrown together quickly. A super melodic and well disciplined album that’s how I see it still! A good step in the right direction. 

I think if we kept in that direction we would have had a winning combination that would have moved along for a long time. This is the music people associated the name Forbidden with. 

The two instrumental pieces on Twist Into Form; ‘Parting of the Ways’ and ‘Spiral Depression’ have a real dark atmospheric feel, where did they come from?

Craig Locicero: Both started by Tim [Calvert] and I finished and arranged the music. He is real dark and moody and his personality came across on this, a perfect example of what he brought to the table; but I must add he is a great bloke with a wicked sense of humour. 

This is why Nevermore were after him, Sanctuary - they loved him and he loved it. I reckon they carried on his tradition, not very thrashy but a more classic metal and melodic stuff, a perfect combination.

From the recording of the second album what was to be next for Forbidden? Where was the band hoping to head?

Craig Locicero: That was supposed to be the major label leap that I talked about earlier. Combat wanted us to record quickly as a lot of the thrash bands were doin’ [sic] that. We wanted to be more elaborate, and take time. Our egos said that we deserved something better than this and tried to move forward in this way. 

We did a lot of melancholy and experimental demos at this point. I like them but it was an example of how we lost it really and things changed from this point. We should have stayed with more thrash and where we started, that’s what we needed to do.

What was the beginning of the end for Forbidden “the thrash metal band from the Bay Area” - as things obviously changed significantly from here?

Craig Locicero: The writing was on the wall for a few years before we got there. We didn’t matter as much to the metal community and we jumped off the track. I can’t pinpoint a year but at this point people questioned us as we weren’t a brand anymore. However bands and musicians need to grow and do other things and that is what we were doing really, but the audience wasn’t there for us like before.

FORBIDDEN DISTROTED IN THE 90's

Distortion is a brilliant album and one far removed from Forbidden Evil. Why did the band take such a huge turn in its material?

Craig Locicero: We moved and started to get more focused at this point. I had finished playing guitar with Death on tour. Some quite different sorts of songs were on this album. A turn for the better as far as I am concerned, but it was a dark period for metal, and it wasn’t received as well as it should have. 

We toured with Gorefest in Europe and we didn’t fit, you could see the death metal thing just growing and we were doing our thing, it just didn’t seem right.

What, in your eyes, was the highlight of Distortion as an album?

Craig Locicero: ‘Hypnotized’ [by the Rhythm] is a great song, the album had great moments and musically a highlight for me. But vocally I wasn’t happy, it wasn’t Russ, he was rushed and this could have been a lot better for him, we needed to give him more time and that shows for me. 

Ultimately the album sounds a little stiff, but with some killer stuff, yet not loose or the energy we had. I think that the industry at this point made us rigid.

What do people say to you about Distortion today?

Craig Locicero: They love it or hate it - nothing in between, a lot of contention. I guess with all music we like what we like and that’s just how it is.

There were two years between Distortion and Green, what happened during this time?

Craig Locicero: A lot [of] touring and writing. We toured a lot, three extensive tours, one in Europe and two in the states. We thought that we were set in motion for this album. Tim was not motivated and thought that the direction was not right. He wasn’t ready for it. This was written mostly by me and Steve, and Tim just little bits in parts. 

I love the production but the mix could have been better. It has serious anger and venom and as soon as it was done I felt that I had gotten all of my venom out, I was done! And I think that I needed a new direction from here. 

The label didn’t know what to do with it as it was so heavy. Devin Townsend and Lamb of God love Green and it influenced a lot of newer bands. There were not so many solos or real singing on this album as before, and what we made Forbidden on, we changed, and we had repercussions from the metal community for this.

Outline for me what happened to the band after the release of Green. Why did the band decide to split at this point – was it internal pressures, or the fact that sales for metal bands at this time were very low?

Craig Locicero: Well, for one thing the label didn’t understand us. They also had a tour offering to us - Grip [Inc], and we thought that it would be fun, but they changed and put us on Manowar, and I was listening to different stuff and listening to more rock – as I said, I was done at this point and needed a change. Russ was also done and from this point we fell apart. 

The one rejected, was Tim, as the three of us, minus Russ, ended playing together. We were tired of the whole thing – Steve and Matt wouldn’t let me go they just followed me and wanted to do something. Manmade God with Steve [Smyth, guitars] and Matt [Camacho, bass] was very underground and had some good and bad feedback. We found an amazing singer and we were heading in the right direction but the singer got disillusioned, as he was so green, and it took ages for the record to come out. I ended this before it should have, if we kept going we may not be having this conversation now.

2008 TO OMEGA WAVE

Which Forbidden member initiated the reformation and how did you all get together to talk the possibility through?

Craig Locicero: I guess that it goes back to the early 2000’s and when I couldn’t play the Thrash of the Titans as I was recording, and I struggled with this. At this point it didn’t feel right for the others. 

From this point we did a few shows, 'Get Thrashed' [2008] came out and I sat next to...Exodus and I felt how I did when I was as a kid and it got me excited and I wanted to play this stuff again! It was just to play and nothing to do with albums or anything. 

We called a meeting, as I said this was not going to happen unless we had the combination of everything back together. Once we did, Paul wanted to do the Testament album and Forbidden, but we didn’t know if this could happen. We got Gene Hoglan [drums], just as a reunion and fun. We were paid well and away we went and from here it cultivated and grew. We didn’t commit to writing a record until half way through the European tour, and I got the spark back and then we threw it around.

How did you come across Steve Smyth and Mark Hernandez? Did you know them before this incantation of Forbidden?

Craig Locicero: I have known Mark since Violence, and thought that he was a cracker and a good showman. But I wasn’t sure of how creative he was but after trying him out he worked well, and it started, so he did the tour. 

But it wasn’t until after the tour - we had to see if we could write music together - so he wasn’t in until this point. Russ was still a little skeptical. Steve [Jacobs, drums] hadn’t played since we split, he thinks too hard as he has his ideas and he wanted it to be more modern and we needed to replace him; but there are no hard feelings here, he is a good guy.

The credits for Omega Wave are spread across the whole band, how was the song writing process? Did members bring songs to rehearsals and then they were arranged, or were songs written organically as a band?

Craig Locicero: This process was very easy - it started with me. With an idea, some subject matter and then the riffs start out. This is how “Hopenosis” was born, how [Barack] Obama had this charisma and mesmerized people. 

From Steve [Smyth, guitars] joining it was simple as Mark and I worked at home, but mostly, I would write riffs and we sent files back in forth. No room full of people fighting for ideas this really worked well. It was easy and gratifying and everyone was happy and got credits on the album!

Where do Forbidden go from Omega Wave? What do you guys as a band want to achieve beyond this point?

Craig Locicero:  I think that we all want to continue, but I want it to be real, and to be inspired, to let it all come naturally. 

With Omega it was new as I stayed away from metal for so long. I was fresh, and I embraced the metal again. It’s got to be something that comes from the heart and Omega Wave did. As long as we’re all passionate and in to it, we have a band and we hope to keep this line up together.

Forbidden is touring Australia this July and August, for more information on the tour, follow this link. Their fifth studio album, Omega Wave was released in 2010 through Nuclear Blast Records.