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MARCO BARBIERI - HEAD HONCHO
What got you interested in Metal? I was into comics in 2nd grade and a schoolmate named Rex told me about a band of superheroes who played rock. Mom bought me KISS - Alive II and 40+ years later I continue to be a passionate music fan. I just followed the trajectory from ‘70s bands like KISS, Angel, Nugent, Aerosmith, Rush, Sabbath, Zeppelin into ’80s hard rock and metal and then through European mags, fanzines and tape trading discovering more and more indie labels, demo bands and underground acts.
Favorite Concert/Band: My favorite band is KISS. I've witnessed thousands of shows over the years all around the globe. The early ones probably left the biggest marks - KISS, Maiden, Dio, AC/DC and first US tours by Death, Carcass, Morbid Angel, At The Gates, Dissection, Emperor, Sepultura, Napalm Death, and Entombed are some that left major impressions. Also lots of great shows from my college days in the Bay Area thrash scene.
Hobbies and Interests: Metal, and music history and business, in general, is my obsession but outside of that I love to spend time with family, travel, watch movies and sports (Raiders and Golden Knights) and read books, comics and metal mags.
ERIC DOW - Production Manager
What got you interested in Metal? My dad was into Rock n' Roll and in the late 70's/early 80's he got into what we now know as Heavy Metal. He played me bands like Black Sabbath, Dio, Scorpions, and Iron Maiden. When I heard Iron Maiden for the first time I was hooked for life.
Favorite Concert/Band: Give Me Ed Till I'm Dead 2003 Iron Maiden, Dio and Motorhead; Iron Maiden will always be my favorite band.
Hobbies and Interests: I like professional hockey... go Red Wings! Mostly my life revolves around Metal.
POWELL M. COONAN - Accounting / FULFILLMENT
What got you interested in Metal? When I was really young my stepfather and I would listen to his record collection in the garage. It was all classic rock, then one day I heard Metallica on the radio, and it was all over from then on.
Favorite Concert/Band: Metallica, Type-O-Negative, Amaranthe, Soilwork, Within Temptation, Bob Dylan and the Beach Boys.
Wacken - 2016
Metallica @Thomas & Mack, LV 1998
70,000 Tons of Metal - 2015 - 2018
Motorboat - 2015
Hobbies and Interests: Going to shows, reading, riding horses, cooking, swimming, watching horror movies, spending time in NOLA and sleeping in whenever I get the chance.
SCOTT COONAN - Sales and Distribution
What got you interested in Metal? After hearing Guns N' Roses for the first time, I became hooked on hard rock and it just spiraled from there.
Favorite Concert/Band: Overkill 1996 @ Tommyknockers in my hometown of Farmingdale, NY. Was only 15 and had to get permission from the owner to be escorted into the venue with an adult. Went through a lot to see Overkill shows in my youth. Few other notables were Death in 1998 and 70K Tons of Metal Cruise in 2023. As far as favorite bands go, I actually have 3: Overkill, Nevermore and Life of Agony.
Hobbies and interests: Playing guitar and drums, attending concerts, pizza connoisseur, going to baseball games, traveling and spending time with my wife.
Favorite Concert/Band:
My favorite bands are Dream Theater, Rush, Queensryche, In Flames, Iron Maiden, Fates Warning, Savatage, Meshuggah, Slayer, AC/DC, Halloween, Toto, Extreme. I’m sure I can add many more!
TIMOTHY BINDER - FROM NEW OCEAN MEDIA - RADIO PROMOTION
What got you interested in Metal? I had an older brother and sister that were both big into music, so I got the bug from them. My brother was a big Springsteen and Van Halen fan, so I had a good rock foundation from him as well as from hearing bands like Krokus & Motley Crue on the radio. Also, around that time, my brother got a video tape from a friend with a ton of music videos (as we had yet to get MTV) and I remember the first-time seeing Kiss, Twisted Sister, Ratt and Motley Crue videos and I was instantly hooked! I later got MTV and discovered the Headbanger's Ball, and through that and some of my good friends at school, I slowly got exposed to and interested in some of the heavier bands.
Favorite Concert/Band: I started going to shows around 1991 but my first ever show at a club was a sold-out Ramones show on the Acid Eaters (20th Anniversary Tour), August 16, 1994, at the Horizontal Boogie Bar in Rochester, NY. It was a hot August night, and the club was a sweatbox, and that show was magic! As for favorite band(s) - Kiss, The Ramones, Goo Goo Dolls and Savatage probably top the list. But I have so many other favorites too (including Jesse Malin, Def Leppard, Gene Loves Jezebel, Hanoi Rocks, The Hellacopters, Mother Love Bone, Van Halen, Ratt, The Donnas, Jason & The Scorchers...)
Hobbies and Interests: Music & Concerts, visiting record stores and collecting CDs, LPs & Cassettes (I love physical media), watching films - especially in theaters (as I am a huge movie buff), and traveling (especially road trips).
AUSTIN GRISWOLD - FROM SECRET SERVICE PR - North American Publicist
What got you interested in Metal? Hearing Metallica for the first time, and an older sister who got me into Type O Negative.
Favorite Concert/Band: Nine Inch Nails, Type O Negative, Tool, Metallica, Pearl Jam, Rage Against the Machine
Guns N Roses @ Troubadour (4/1/16)
NIN @ The Henry Fonda (9/8/09)
Metallica @ The Omni (4/22/97)
Lollapalooza @ Forks in the River in Knoxville, TN (1996)
Tibetan Freedom Concert @ Randall’s Island (1997)
Hobbies and Interests: Collecting Vinyl, Gardening, Woodworking, Concerts, working on cars/trucks, Traveling, Alabama Football (Roll Tide!), Dad Life.
BRIAN LEWIS - Graphic Designer
What got you interested in Metal? Playing guitar mostly and the friends I'd jam songs with in junior high and high school that introduced me to heavier stuff than I was currently listening to.
Favorite Concert/Band: Difficult to say, but favorite concert is between Dillinger Escape Plan, A Perfect Circle, or Ghost. Favorite Band is also a toss-up between Opeth, Cradle of Filth, and Cattle Decapitation.
Hobbies and Interests: Writing and playing music, home-brewing mead, Graphic Design, Audio Visual engineering, Football (RAIDERS!), Video games.
OLEKSANDR MAKSYMOV - FROM GRAND SOUNDS METAL - EUROPEAN PUBLICIST
What got you interested in metal? It happened back in 1991 when a friend of my elder brother left a cassette with an obscure layout (DEATH - Leprosy) behind. As I have always had a love for music from my early days, I decided to take that tape, intrigued by its “scary” front cover, and couldn't resist giving it a listen. I craved more and more, leading me to delve into the world of metal music, searching for metal cassettes, vinyl records, and so on.
Favorite Concert/Band: Some of my favorite bands of all time: Death, Celtic Frost, Slayer, Morbid Angel, Black Sabbath, (early) Metallica, Archgoat, Darkthrone, (early) Sepultura, to name a few. Favorite concerts: Hellhammer at Brutal Assault, Slayer in Poland (2018), Behemoth at Brutal Assault, Mayhem at Brutal Assault.
Hobbies and Interests: Travel, music, craft beer, gym, and music once again.