The Median Man sat down with Piotr Luczyk to talk all about KAT and their new album The Last Convoy.
The Median Man sat down with Piotr Luczyk to talk all about KAT and their new album The Last Convoy.
BIRTHDAY
What inspired the writing and recording of The Last Convoy?
The main reason was KAT’s 40th birthday. I never expected the band to become the story of my life. But the years roll by and KAT is still going strong.
On this 40th anniversary, I want to remind our fans of the most important moments in the history of KAT. I have also decided to show the musical origins of my, and our, sensitivity and style. Of course there are many artists who helped to form our musical identity.
We grew up listening to Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Scorpions, AC/DC, Judas Priest and many more! Perhaps you can hear that in KAT’s music ? I think it’s time to look at ourselves from a distance, pay tribute to the giants and show that we are constantly moving forward.
How does this album differ from previous releases?
Each track is re-recorded. What suited us with the old versions remain but many parts have been completely changed. Listening to old songs after many years, you always want to change something. We took the opportunity to show a new face. The main thing was not to spoil anything.
“The Last Convoy” is the most important song in the early years of KAT. In 1986, the radio would not broadcast aggressive songs like “Satan’s Night.” The Last Convoy was our ticket to the media and exposure. The first version is quite archaic but it is of its time and reflects what was then possible for us. Of course I wanted to show that this song doesn’t age. I think it worked. I am surprised to say that orthodox fans like this song very much.
“Satan’s Night” was a world view revolution. In the first version, the text contained the phrase “and at Satan’s night to take a hand, like Faust did.” For the fans, it was a sign of liberation and rebellion against the church. Currently, there are thousands of “Satan, Devils” bands, so we took a different path. More pleasant and nice. In Satan’s Night, the text has a different theme, but was written by the same author, Robert Millord. We used to make a revolution together and now we play with our work. We opened the old gate for the second time, as if it were the first!
So much for the beginning. The rest of the songs show the breakthrough time and the most important moments in the history of the band.
However, the greatest novelty and advantage of the album “The Last Convoy” is looking to the future and cooperating with a star of the calibre of Tim Ripper Owens. We are proud that Tim sang KAT with us! His experience as singer of Judas Priest and Iced Earth highlighted yet another facet of our work. Tim sang brilliantly in his distinctive style, emphasizing the genre and character of the song, and we had the opportunity to see how stars like Tim Ripper Owens regard our work.
SATAN’S NIGHT
SATAN’S NIGHT
How does this album differ from previous releases?
Each track is re-recorded. What suited us with the old versions remain but many parts have been completely changed. Listening to old songs after many years, you always want to change something. We took the opportunity to show a new face. The main thing was not to spoil anything.
“The Last Convoy” is the most important song in the early years of KAT. In 1986, the radio would not broadcast aggressive songs like “Satan’s Night.” The Last Convoy was our ticket to the media and exposure. The first version is quite archaic but it is of its time and reflects what was then possible for us. Of course I wanted to show that this song doesn’t age. I think it worked. I am surprised to say that orthodox fans like this song very much.
“Satan’s Night” was a world view revolution. In the first version, the text contained the phrase “and at Satan’s night to take a hand, like Faust did.” For the fans, it was a sign of liberation and rebellion against the church. Currently, there are thousands of “Satan, Devils” bands, so we took a different path. More pleasant and nice. In Satan’s Night, the text has a different theme, but was written by the same author, Robert Millord. We used to make a revolution together and now we play with our work. We opened the old gate for the second time, as if it were the first!
So much for the beginning. The rest of the songs show the breakthrough time and the most important moments in the history of the band.
However, the greatest novelty and advantage of the album “The Last Convoy” is looking to the future and cooperating with a star of the calibre of Tim Ripper Owens. We are proud that Tim sang KAT with us! His experience as singer of Judas Priest and Iced Earth highlighted yet another facet of our work. Tim sang brilliantly in his distinctive style, emphasizing the genre and character of the song, and we had the opportunity to see how stars like Tim Ripper Owens regard our work.
HISTORY
Why did you decide to cover the three songs that you have?
As I mentioned, it’s an album that shows our history. And without Deep Purple, AC / DC and Scorpions, there would have been no KAT. For us, recording these songs is much more than just playing covers. It’s a demonstration of our roots. Deep Purple, AC / DC and Scorpions also recorded covers of their idols. And so we all follow this path and create something new. The life decision to become a musician does not come out of thin air. Something or someone made us choose this way of life. This is what I wanted to show.
What plans do you have following the album’s release?
In the era of COVID 19, it is difficult to plan anything. Concerts are suspended and it is not known how long this will remain the case. That’s why we are currently focusing on creating music videos. It is possible that we will shoot a concert for streaming purposes. We still have a big surprise for our fans, but there will be time for that. We’ll announce everything through our publisher Pure Steel Records and www.kat-band.com
COVID
COVID
What plans do you have following the album’s release?
In the era of COVID 19, it is difficult to plan anything. Concerts are suspended and it is not known how long this will remain the case. That’s why we are currently focusing on creating music videos. It is possible that we will shoot a concert for streaming purposes. We still have a big surprise for our fans, but there will be time for that. We’ll announce everything through our publisher Pure Steel Records and www.kat-band.com