Artist to Artist Interviews
Domenic Romeo Vs. Jon Mikl Thor

Domenic Romeo (A389 Recordings) takes on Jon Mikl Thor

The first time I saw THOR perform was on the Thunderstruck tour sometime in 1997. 

I took a hiatus from show business in 1987. At that time, I was deciding that I was probably never going to tour again as THOR.

Years later, I started a record label in 1996, and signed numerous bands from the USA. None were really selling large quantities until I released my own record: ‘Ride Of The Chariots’, to put a spark in the company and keep it alive. The record sales of ‘Chariot’ went through the roof, creating a demand for another album. Thus ‘THUNDERSTRUCK – Tales From The Equinox’ was created and released. But how was I going to get this label to the masses? The world of music had changed, but there still was a demand for Metal.

In 1997 I decided to take myself and 3 of our top selling artists on the road. Dubbed the ‘STAR USA TOUR 97’, we played anywhere and everywhere in the USA and Canada. Some venues were arenas, some were clubs.

You played at some weird bar on the far east side of Toronto, that looked like a place where old Italian dudes go to gamble after hours.   What do you remember from that show?   Is my memory correct/was that place really weird?  

In Toronto we played at the ‘Opera House’ first, and then the place where I met you and the guys in Coalition against Shane. Yeah, I remember it was a weird place with a lot of shady characters. But some cool people showed up, like you, some guys from Goddo and more. Great things came from meeting you. I still love the ‘Keeping The Dogs Away’ album we did, Thor’s Teeth and more! History was made at that club that night. “Romeo I presume”…from the great meeting.

I remember the crowd being small, but full of diehards. You performed as if you were headlining a sold-out show at the Gardens. That really left an impression on me. I walked away from that show with a smile that still returns anytime I think about it. You were bending steel bars with your teeth and blowing up hot water bottles until they exploded…how did you come up with these stunts? Anything ever go wrong over the years while fine-tuning them?

Bending The Steel Bar with my teeth was taught to me by Former World’s Strongest man, Doug Hepburn. He showed me the “Secret Of The Steel.” The exploding Hot Water Bottle was shown to me by Mr. Universe, Chuck Sipes. I’ve been knocked out by the Hot Water Bottle exploding, I’ve had teeth broken bending the steel. ‘I am Iron Man!!!!!’ I have a tremendous picture of the Toronto show you guys attended in 1997. You’re laughing your head off, as I pull a snake out of a basket which proceeds to try and bite me. 

To an outsider, the title track from your first album ‘Keep The Dogs Away’ could come across as He-Man jamming with a B.T.O. cover band. However, when given a serious listen, the album shines with a lot of great 70s glam-rock influences. I hear Bowie…Mott The Hoople (and…BTO haha). How does this album hold up to you, over 30 years later?  What was it like being a jacked up dude in a rock band during in the 1970s?

These artists were my influences at the time. We were going from the Ziggy, Slade, Glitter Rock period into the new punk period with the Ramones and Sex Pistols. So my look went from Glam/Glitter costumes that was seen on national TV on the Merv Griffin show, to leathers and studs the graced the cover of ‘Keep The Dogs Away’. I was a young, high energy, muscle bound berserker that would tour 300 days of the year. I was having fun traveling the world, playing music, going wild on stage and giving the audience the best performance I could each and every night. It was a great way to make a living.

What was it like being in an up and coming band in Canada back then? Did you feel that you had a disadvantage in comparison to your American counterparts?  

I knew if I was going make some kind of impact, I had to go to America. As a young teenager, I was competing in New York City for Mr Teen America 1971, with Lou Ferrigno (The Hulk). I was the only Canadian to win both Mr. Canada and Mr. USA. Just like bodybuilding, if you stayed only in Canada at that time, your career in music would only go so far. Carrying the Canadian flag, I explored the globe.

After ‘Keep The Dogs Away’ you opted for a change in style and went metal. Did you always envision your music would go into that direction, or was it something you sorta fell into?

As a teen in the 60’s, I trained to Iron Butterfly and The Yardbirds…then I got into Zep and Sabbath. I played metal in my bands before it was called metal, THOR and the Imps were heavy metal band. The demo I gave the producers and RCA Records was heavier, but they decided to go with a more contemporary sound at the time. The riffs were still heavy. After Keep The Dogs Away, my music continued to get heavier. I toured quite hard from 1978 to 1982 writing and playing songs that were to be on ‘Ùnchained,’ which is a power metal album.
 
I think those metal records had a lot of legit classics, both as metal bangers and arena anthems. This was also the height of your popularity as you crossed over into US and UK territory. What is the most memorable concert you played during this era? 

When our album ‘Ùnchained’ was released in England in early 1984, we travelled over there in February to play a gig at the Marquee. The place was packed. Not just with fans, but curiosity seekers, critics, press and even top musicians like Jimmy Page. ‘Lets see what this muscle bound rocker was going to do’…Well, we blew them all away: 5 encores. Kerrang’s headlines were `He Came, He Thor, He Conquered.’ Maybe I’m blowing my own horn, but it felt like we were The Beatles who came to New York and America in 1964, except the other way around. 20 years later, THOR came to the UK, and we had screaming girls, were on TV, in magazines…it was a wonderful time.

Craziest story from the height of this era of Thor?   

Crazy things happened all the time because my life had changed. When I came back home one time and a group of girls found out about it…they ran into my yard crushing all my flowers and garden. There was no escape.

How hard was the Helix video for ‘Rock You’? Remember how cool Brian Vollmer looked while his friends smashed rocks surrounded by Mad Max style props and tons of babes?

There were a lot of videos made. Everyone tried kiss the ass of Much Music and MTV. That’s why I like YouTube. You got a music video? Then put it up! No panel of assholes are going to sit around and vote on playing my video after putting $20,000-50,000 into it.

Did I ever tell you when I was growing up, I didn’t realize the bikers in ‘The Road Warrior’ were gay? I just thought they were sharing motorcycles because there weren’t enough to go around.  

Personally I ride alone. If you see the movie recruits, I ride that Harley like a bat out of Hell.

Switching over to movies, ‘Rock And Roll Nightmare’ is arguably the best heavy metal horror movie of all time. How does it feel to go back and watch it in 2012? 

I’m surprised that it stood the test of time. New generations got into it. There are troops that are touring and performing scenes from RNRN and ‘THOR – The Rock Opera.’ I have to say that John Fasano gave me a big break in my movie career. He saw me in Roger Corman’s ‘Recruits’ and offered me a part in ‘Zombie Nightmare.’ So many amazing things have happened. I really enjoyed working with his son John Cody Fasano 20 years later in ‘THOR – The Rock Opera.’

Is it me or does that shower scene go on for an awkwardly long time? Do you wish Carmine Appice played drums for the Tritonz? 

I haven’t watched the shower scene for a long time. Yes, it would be amazing if Carmine played drums for the band then. I do like Stig on drums. He was quite a character.

‘Zombie Nightmare’ embodies everything that I loved about horror movies growing up in the 1980s. What do you remember about making that film?  Did you get super into character and enjoy stalking your victims?  It looks like it was a lot of fun.

I worked with John Fasano`s vision. I love monster movies like ‘Frankenstein,”The Thing From Another World.’ I love playing monsters. This was my chance to shine. The makeup took 6 hours to have put on.

Were you always a big fan of horror movies?  What is your favorite?

John carpenter’s ‘THE THING.’ It had a combo of horror and Sci-Fi.

Fast forward to 2010, you get asked to perform a concert fronting Pulling Teeth. What did you think of the proposition? Did you have any apprehensions?  

It was a honor that you asked me. I enjoyed every moment. Baltimore always fascinated me, with my interest in Edgar Allan Poe. So in addition to hanging out with you and the band, I was able to check out the city.

Did the split CD you did with Coalition Against Shane enter your mind?

When I was onstage in Baltimore, for a moment, I felt the feelings I had when I was recording the intro for the Coalition Against Shame Split Cd. The intro I record at Thundergeek’s studio in Raleigh, where I farted into the mic. The crowd in Baltimore were so wild and I was so jacked, I shit my pants on stage. Hopefully you didn’t notice.

Haha no I was too distraught by the sight of Chris Kuhns playing shirtless. That concert was hands down the funnest show I’ve played in 20 years. You were in top form and it was really a dream come true for me  What did you think of the show?  Was it different having PT as your backing band in comparison to other musicians you played with over the years?

I had one of the greatest times of my career. PT was fantastic. They had a very powerful hardcore sound. With your powerful guitar…it was a UNION OF POWER

How did you enjoy your visit to Baltimore? What did you think of the city?

The people were really cool. I love the city and its history. Watching the ten cop cars chase the guys in black masks, who were trying to rob the venue with guns was an interesting experience.

It’s 2012, and you continue to be one of the most productive and prolific people I know. Constantly cranking out albums and films. What have you been working on as of late? What does the future hold for Thor?

We`ve done some great festivals in Europe and North America. I`ve got some some movies coming out and other musical works. I`m fascinated by the new technology that continues to morph out there. I want to explore it and see how far we can go. A live digital THOR perhaps. There are no holds barred. The future holds no boundaries.

Thanks for taking the time to do his interview old friend. Any last words?

Since 1997 you have been one of my greatest friends. I treasure your camaraderie, my fellow Warrior of The Universe. Theres Thunder In The Sky, As Mighty Wheels Roll On………

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