We wanted something that sounded unapologetically metal.

Yes we play live regularly, special live moments include opening for Judas Priest, Deep Purple and playing on the Big Day Out Festival here.

This is a big issue right now," he says, "and there are differing opinions one being is the legal issue and trying to preserve the old infrastructure and one being the forward direction of the music industry and making changes to accommodate where it is going such as paid downloads etc. From my perspective and particular situation my thoughts are that downloading and the internet is great for a band like Black Steel because we don't get much in the way of radio support, so it is a way for our music to get heard all over the world. These days major labels don't have the clout they once had. Technology has caught up, it is now cheaper to record than it ever has been and distribution and promotion world wide can now be made with the click of a button, tapping into potentially millions of people and it is getting bigger by the day. In the old days it used to be about getting deal with a major and you were on your way to a career, who would facilitate recording and distribution promotion whilst stitching the artist up with a with recoupable debt with insane interest etc. These days much of that you can do yourself so it is more a matter of being hands on proactive and getting your stuff out there. Downloading to Black Steel is like radio play it is promotion and it is great. As long as people like it and want to get the full package, or a paid download which they do, then I am happy. Of course you can't download t-shirts or the live experience. One would think companies like Apple are the big boys of the music industry these days, with all the iPod players iTunes and stuff, there is more money to be made in hardware then selling plastic discs. Times are changing for the better - the business infrastructure has changed, there is more music out there than there has ever been and bands like ourselves and millions of others have a better chance of reaching their audience. We are in the digital age yet some people still think in the analogue age - you know the old school of thinking would be wow we just impressed that A&R guy or what do we have to do to get signed so they can loan us a lot of money and mass market our band - that kind of mentality is not facing up to the future reality. I mean when the band down the road has had 400 000 paid downloads on iTunes in less than 6 months, or 10,000 hits a day promotion on myspace or their webpage - with an album they recorded in their home studio - they are already doing it. It is a real good time for music just not the music business of old who are still battling the downloading is illegal issue.

Doubtfull these days, all the bands musicians I know signed to majors are in recoupable debt. It makes one wonder if this is still the best business model for the music business, maybe it works for the pop icons.

Personlly we all listin to and enjoy many different types of music and stuff but we play pretty much what we feel most comfortable nad not pandering to any current trends fad or fashions.
Lots of metal, rock expecially the classic bands of the 80's.

Our hometown of Perth is a nice place to live..

Please check out our music and website www.blacksteel.com.au