Interview: Phantom-X

Phantom X - Interview with Kevin Goocher

Hello Phantom X, how are you doing?

Kevin: DOING GREAT AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE.

I want to welcome you to the interviews with Rocket Queen. Thank you for taking time for thisone... I got some questions for you.... so letz start...

1. Please welcome your band to us first.. and tell us how you deceided to use Phantom X as your bands name... what does it stand for?

Kevin: THE LINE-UP OF THE BAND IS REECE STANLEY ON DRUMS, BILL ENGFER ON GUITAR, GLENN MALICKI ON BASS AND KEVIN GOOCHER ON VOCALS. WHEN WE STARTED IN 2004 WE WERE SEARCHING HARD TO FIND A GOOD TRADITIONAL METAL NAME FOR THE BAND, SINCE THAT IS THE STYLE OF MUSIC WE MAKE. THE NAME, PHANTOM-X, CAME FROM A VERY DARK DREAM THAT I HAD. I PRESENTED THE NAME TO THE BAND AND EVERYONE SEEMED TO LIKE IT. SO, IT STUCK! PARTS OF THAT DREAM CAN BE FOUND IN THE CHAPTERS THAT ARE WRITTEN ABOUT THE DREAM ON EACH CD. WE INCLUDE 3 OR 4 CHAPTERS ON EACH CD.

2. Your third album was released in February 2010. It is called "This is war". Can you tell us something about the development of the cd?

Kevin: WE HAD GONE THROUGH SOME MEMBER CHANGES AND OTHER BAND ISSUES AFTER OUR LAST EUROPEAN TOUR IN 2006. IT WAS A VERY FRUSTRATING TIME FOR THE BAND AND I THINK SOME ANGER THAT WAS PRESENT MIGHT HAVE FOUND IT'S WAY INTO THE MUSIC. BUT, AFTER THE ADDITION OF REECE AND BILL, EVERYTHING STARTED COMING TOGETHER AND THAT ANGER TURNED INTO RAW POWER. WE'VE MANAGED TO HARNESS THAT ENERGY INTO WHAT I THINK IS THE BEST RECORDING WE'VE DONE SO FAR. WE HAVE ALSO DIRECTED THAT POWER AND ENERGY INTO A GREAT LIVE SHOW. \m/ \m/

3. Why did you chose the "This is war" for the album title?

Kevin: WELL, THE TITLE IS SELF EXPLANITORY.THIS IS WAR PRETTY MUCH SAYS IT ALL. AFTER ALL OF THE TURMOIL PHANTOM-X IS READY TO TAKE ON ANYTHING THAT GETS IN OUR WAY. SO, THIS IS WAR, IS OUR STATEMENT THAT THERE WILL BE NO QUARTER. SO, WATCH OUT! HERE WE COME!!!

4. What is Phantom X doing at the moment?

Kevin: THE BAND HAS JUST COMPLETED ALL OF OUR U.S. TOUR DATES AND WE ARE PREPARING FOR OUR 3RD EUROPEAN TOUR AS WELL AS WRITING FOR OUR NEXT CD.

5. When did we get to see you over here in Germany?

Kevin: WE WERE LAST IN GERMANY IN 2006 AND ARE SCHEDULED TO BE BACK IN BERLIN ON SEPTEMEBR 29TH AND OSNABRUCK ON SEPTEMBER 30TH.

6. Kevin will be the host of the reality Tv-Show called Rock Race.. can you already tell us something about the show and stuff?

Kevin: WELL, IT IS A COMPETITION REALITY SHOW WHERE BANDS FROM ALL OVER THE U.S. COMPETE FOR PRIZES AND A POSSIBLE RECORD DEAL. THERE ARE ELIMINATIONS EVERY WEEK UNTIL IT'S DOWN TO THE LAST TWO BANDS. SHOULD BE VERY INTERESTING TO SEE HOW IT ALL GOES BETWEEN THE BANDS.

7. Kevin and James Rivera sang MOB RULES togehter.... just seen the video on your page. As you like we all loved Ronnie so much... did you do this as a special tribute or only performing this one on some kinda Ronnie James Dio tribute show? Are you friends with James too?

Kevin: LET ME SAY THIS FIRST.. JAMES RIVERA IS A GREAT FRIEND AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE SINGERS. HE HAD BEEN KIND ENOUGH TO HAVE PHANTOM-X DO MANY SHOWS AND TOURS WITH HELSTAR AND LOTS OF HIS DIFFERENT PROJECTS. THIS DUET BETWEEN JAMES AND I WAS DONE AT JAMES BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION IN HIS HOMETOWN OF HOUSTON, TEXAS ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE RONNIE JAMES PASSED AWAY. SO, RONNIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN AN INSPIRATION TO BOTH JAMES AND I! IN FACT, RONNIE WAS THE REASON WANTED TO BECOME A SINGER TO BEGIN WITH. FOR THOSE WHO DO NOT KNOW, PHANTOM-X STARTED OUT AS A RONNIE JAMES DIO TRIBUTE BAND AND EVEN AFTER WE BEGAN PERFORMING OUR OWN MUSIC, WE HAVE ALWAYS PLAYED A DIO/BLACK SABBATH/ RAINBOW SONG IN OUR SHOW. WE WILL ALWAY TRIBUTE RONNIE. THE DUET WITH JAMES WAS A GREAT HONOR. MAYBE WE'LL GET TO DO IT AGAIN SOMETIME.

8. Kevin and his daughter Devon were on VH1s reality show... I know my kid is a star. Can you tell us something bout this show and what you were doing there? Is the show still runningand what are the goals of the show?

Kevin: THE SHOW ONLY AIRED FOR ONE SEASON, BUT IT WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE AND FUN TO WORK WITH DANNY BONADUCE(OF THE PARTRIDGE FAMILY AND BREAKING BONADUCE TV SHOWS). IT WAS A COMPETITIVE REALITY SHOW WHERE THE KIDS HAD TO WIN ENTERTAIMENT ORIENTED TASKS AND THE PARENTS WERE JUDGED ON HOW WELL THEY MANGED THEIR KID AT EACH COMPETITION. DEVON WAS PICKED OUT OF 1000'S OF TALENTED KIDS TO BE ONE OF 10 PARENT/ CHILD TEAMS TO BE ON THE SHOW.WE WEREN'T THERE FOR LONG BUT SHE DID MANAGE TO LAND A HOLLYWOOD TALENT AGENT AND A HOLLYWOOD MANAGER BECAUSE OF IT AND REGULARLY ACTS IN MOVIE PARTS AND TV AS WELL AS PERFORMS HER OWN MUSIC CONCERTS.

9. Which bands do you guys listen to in your free time?

Kevin: I LOVE THE NEW IRON MAIDEN CD! OF COURSE, THE LATEST HEAVEN AND HELL CD RULES. MEGADETH, PRIEST... OLD SCHOOL METAL!!! BUT, ALSO DRAGONFORCE, AND THE NEW BROKEN TEETH CD ROCKS!

10. Last but not least... what have you got to add on here?

Kevin: IF YOU HAVEN'T HEARD PHANTOM-X, I HOPE I'VE GIVEN A LITTLE INSIGHT ABOUT US AND HOPE THAT EVERYONE WILL GO CHECK OUT OUR MUSIC AND WILL COME TO A SHOW WHEN WE ARE IN OR NEAR YOUR CITY. WE LOVE METAL AND METALHEADS! WE CAN BE FOUND ON FACEBOOK, AND MYSPACE AND AT OUR WEBSITES.... WWW.PHANTOM-X.COM OR WWW.PHANTOM-X.NET WE MESSAGE BACK, SO SEND US A MESSAGE ANYTIME! \m/ \m/

I thank you so much for the interview. Wishing you all the best, Susi

Kevin: THANK YOU SUZI FOR THE INTERVIEW AND FOR THE BEST WISHES. HOPEFULLY WE WILL SEE YOU AT ONE OF THE GERMANY SHOWS!
Thank you, Kevin Goocher

Interviews '10:

Interview: Phantom-X