Agent Steel
Juan Garcia
Q: Where is Agent Steel from?
A:(Juan Garcia) Agent Steel was formed in Los Angeles, California. The band is still active and the majority of the members still live in Los Angeles, with the exception of Bernie Versailles who know lives in Nevada.
Q: How long has Agent Steel been together?
A:(Juan Garcia) The band’s debut album “Skeptics Apocalypse” was released in 1985 in the U.S.A. on Combat Records, and in Europe on RoadRunner.
Q: How did Agent Steel get started?
A:(Juan Garcia) It got started by John Cyriis (vocals) and drummer Chuck Profus; then later I joined the band when I left Abattoir and with my connections with Combat Records our debut album was released.
Q: How many members are in Agent Steel? Names? Instruments?
A:(Juan Garcia) Five members. We are a traditional Heavy Metal band influenced by bands like Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, etc.. the current line up includes:
- Bruce Hall – Vocals
- Karlos Medina – Bass
- Bernie Versailles – Guitars
- Juan Garcia – Guitars
- Rigo Amezcua – Drums
Q: What is the age range of the band members?
A:(Juan Garcia) We are seasoned veterans to the metal scene. We were there when the first wave of speed metal was formed. So I suppose this make us ageless right? We are old school bad motherfuckers!!
Q: What (if any) is the message behind Agent Steel’s lyrics?
A:(Juan Garcia) I think I will let Bruce Hall our vocalist talk about this sort of stuff.
Q: How many releases do you all have?
A:(Juan Garcia) 5 and a DVD
- Skeptics Apocalypse (1985)
- Unstoppable Force (1987)
- Mad Locust Rising Ep (1986)
- Omega Conspiracy (1999)
- Order of the illuminati (2003)
- DVD – Live at the Dynamo
Q: Who are your biggest influences?
A:(Juan Garcia) Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Saxon, Scorpions.
Q: Of the various tours and shows you have played, what is the most memorable, and why?
A:(Juan Garcia) Dynamo Open Air festival 2 years ago was a good show for us; we had a good set time and the overall sound for AGENT STEEL was good. Also Wacken Open Air in 1999 was very magical; right when we went on the clouds darkened and when we played “Children of the Sun” i think it started raining.
Q: What is some of your favorite art, books (please include authors), & movies, if any?
A:(Juan Garcia) All of Zecharia Sitchin’s books are real good, He published a series of books called the “Earth Chronicles” which includes titles like the “12 Planet” real informative out of this world intelligent reading.
As far as movies, I enjoy a good horror movie and also science fiction. I thought “Devil’s Rejects” by Rob Zombie was very entertaining, also the classics like “Scarface” “Swimming with Sharks”
Q: When will Agent Steel be touring? Is there a American, European or Japanese tour planned?
A:(Juan Garcia) I think later this year in 2006 sometime in October we will tour Europe.
Q: In general, what has Agent Steel been up to lately?
A:(Juan Garcia) Recording the new album that’s it.
Q: How do you categorize Agent Steel’s sound when people say “What kind of music is it” Death, Black, Metal, What?
A:(Juan Garcia) This is a good question, I usually say we are a speed/thrash/power metal band.
We were in the beginning originally influenced by Iron Maiden, but we kick it up a notch as far as the heaviness and over all metal assault.
Q: Any Agent Steel members from other bands, or currently working on other projects?
A:(Juan Garcia) I did a project called “Killing Machine” with James Rivera (Helstar), and David Ellefson and Jimmy DeGrasson (Megadeth) which came out on Mausoleum Records a few months ago. Bernie Versailles has done a few albums with Engine. Right now we are all focused on Agent Steel and our new album
Q: Any plans for the next CD yet, or are you still working on supporting the current release?
A:(Juan Garcia) Like I said, we are tracking the new Agent Steel album which will include 10 brand new kick ass songs and the album is being produced by Bill Metoyer.
Q: Besides Agent Steel, what are the various band members into when not, touring, rehearsing, recording music?
A:(Juan Garcia) I like sporting events like Baseball, and NFL Football. I also enjoy researching Real Estate properties (that sort of stuff) and also traveling to cool places like Mexico, Netherlands, England, etc..
Q: What is your opinion on the current state of the world? (terror, the war in Iraq, and so on…)
A:(Juan Garcia) I have no comment on this sort of political stuff, war & violence are unnecessary in my opinion. One would think that in the year 2006 human beings would find a way to work out our problems and world views without war.
Q: Anything I left out that you want to say?
A:(Juan Garcia) Thanks for the support and visit us online at www.agentsteelonline.com and also www.myspace.com/agentsteel/
Bruce Hall
Q: Of the various tours and shows you have played, what is the most memorable, and why?
A:(Bruce Hall) Well, the most memorable was the Exodus/Nuclear Assault debacle back in 2003. It was horrendous. The agency we used to work with, Metallysee, really fucked us over. I mean, touring is never going to be an ideal situation, particularly when you are not a household name, but this was far beyond the usual bullshit. All of the bands were totally cool…and there were a lot of them…Grave, God Dethroned, Occult, Callenish Circle, Prospect, Nuclear Assault, Exo and us…but the way the agency handled the tour was a nightmare. Ultimately, they tried to shaft us into playing for free after 10 shows and we told them that wasn’t part of the agreement so we ended up going home.
We really didn’t want to, but you have to make choices in life and to be viewed as a lapdog who takes whatever shit is heaped on them is not one I want to make. As it was, the conditions were akin to living in a petri dish of human excrement, to call it squallor would be luxurious, the crew was unhappy and people we particularly like were being sent home…and while we were willing to tolerate that we weren’t going to take that shit and do it for nothing or ask our label for support to keep us out there.
We weren’t the only ones either!
I think by the time the tour ended there were only 4 or 5 bands left on the bill. That is easily the most memorable, but, clearly, for all the wrong reasons.
My favorite show was playing in Slovenia on my birthday last year. That was just unbelievable. The place was packed well beyond capacity and the entire crowd knew every word to every song. I could have faced the mic at the audience and sat back just to listen. Really incredible response and some of the most fun ever.
Q: What is some of your favorite art, books (please include authors), & movies, if any?
A:(Bruce Hall) I like classical realism as far as art goes. The old masters, y’know? Rembrandt, Rodin, Rubins, Titian etc.
My favorite books range from fiction like “Weaveworld” by Clive Barker to light factual science like Bill Bryson’s “A Short History Of Nearly Everything” and harsh history books like “Lies My teacher Told Me” by James Loewen that explain a lot about the real history of our country. I, of course love Zechariah Sitchin’s “12th Planet” series, William Cooper’s “Behold a Pale Horse” David Icke and virtually everyone who writes about conspiracies, whether it’s all true or not. Frankly, with the exception of one piece of shit book by a hack author named John Saul I don’t think I’ve ever opened a book and not finished it. I am a pretty easy reader to satisfy.
Movies that I like are usually black comedies such as Raising Arizona, I Heart Huckabees and Rushmore… usually more obscure shit like that. Although, I do think Undercover Brother was brilliant. I am also a sucker for ANY horror movie, no matter how shitty, as long as it deals with the occult. I just love that stuff even if it is a total waste of time.
Q: When will Agent Steel be touring? Is there a American, European or Japanese tour planned?
A:(Bruce Hall) Nothing planned at the moment but I’d say there is a pretty good chance we will be back in Europe in the fall.
Hopefully, in the coming year, we will finally get to Mexico and South America. I will believe Japan when I see it, but truth is, we will happily go anywhere.
That’s one of the great things about doing this is getting to see other parts of the world while doing something you love doing.
Q: In general, what has Agent Steel been up to lately?
A:(Bruce Hall) Playing the odd show here and there and working on the new CD, for which I still have no title. It’s coming along nicely. I am in the process of recording my tracks now and I am very pleased with what we are doing. This is definitely not the rewriting of old songs to a familiar formula. It’s really something new and different for us without compromising heaviness or melody.
Q: How do you categorize Agent Steel’s sound when people say “What kind of music is it” Death, Black, Metal, What?
A:(Bruce Hall) Depends. In the 80′s I’d have called it speed metal. In the 8 years I’ve been here, I’d say it is more thrash metal with the influence of the 80′s version of Agent Steel. This new CD, well, I can tell you it is certainly our heaviest yet. I know everyone likes to say that but it’s really true in our case, not only musically, but lyrically as well. Easy listening, it ain’t.
Q: Any Agent Steel members from other bands, or currently working onother projects?
A:(Bruce Hall) Everyone is but none of it is as good as Agent Steel so, do you really care?
Q: Besides Agent Steel, what are the various band members into when not, touring, rehearsing, recording music?
A:(Bruce Hall) Me and Bernie have kids so a lot of our time is spent with family. Rigo just pays attention to professional sports when he isn’t playing. Juan still gets out to see lots of bands and he follows sports as well. Karlos goes out to comedy clubs a lot, sees a ton of movies, hangs out with his new wife.
Q: What is your opinion on the current state of the world? (terror, the war in Iraq, and so on…)
A:(Bruce Hall) I don’t really want to write a book about it here but suffice it to say, I think terror begins at home. It is the great manipulator. People’s most base reactions are generated by fear. Using fear, our government has managed to line the pockets of a lot of already very wealthy individuals while sacrificing the less fortunate in wars that they manufactured out of greed. It’s nothing new but it still sucks and the worst part of it all is how many people in this country still buy into the idea that America is some great benevolent country with only the best intentions for the rest of the world. It’s not true and it never has been. This country only serves the interest of the very wealthy. The rich manipulate and everyone else dances to their tunes, reacts to their TV, believes their lies and finds contentment in the success of the annointed. Makes me fuckin’ sick but I know I am in the minority. I don’t read People magazine, adore pop stars, sit mindlessly in front of the television and suck down all the shit being sold to me like it’s my favorite soda. Most people, however, still do, and that’s why it’s easy to pull off bullshit wars on “terror”, make crimes out of non-violent acts, push new pharmaceuticals etc etc. All the while convincing the populace that whatever is being done is for the greater good when it’s really being done to make rich people richer and the rest of us petrified or complacent. Sad. Really fuckin’ sad. 
Q: Anything I left out that you want to say?
A:(Bruce Hall) Not so much. Thanks for the interest. Be aware of the world around you. Look deeper. Our time here is very short. Don’t spend it as a willing slave.