– First of all I’d like to ask what’s your relationship with Black Sabbath?
– I first heard Black Sabbath’s Paranoid album when it came out and it was so unique and heavy – lyrically and musically. I then sought out to hear everything they put out.

– What did you get of Black Sabbath as musician and as person?
– The Sabbath guitar riffs were a big influence on my writing with Tourniquet. The doomy sound and minor keys of much of their music – and of course, I love the distortion.

– Which Sabbath-era do you prefer? Ozzy or Dio?
– Gotta go with the earlier Ozzy era albums. Dio’s stuff with them is excellent too, but a little more mainstream. How can anyone not love Dio’s vocals?

– Why just at this time you made its tribute album? Who idea was it?
– The release was timed to come out the same day as the Black Sabbath “The End” final tour start. I had hoped to do this album for some time, and finally got around to actually making it happen.

– What do you think about the Black Sabbat’s quit?
– I can’t speak for them, but it seems the right time for them to call it quits on the touring aspect of the band. Maybe they will make more music, who knows?

– Tell us about your partnership with Doug Pinnick, please!
– I had worked with Dug on my Onward to Freedom album, where he sang the tune “No Soul” (and sang it with a lot of soul!). So – I thought it would rule to have him play bass on The Doom in Us All. It turned out pretty cool.

– How did you select the musicians to songs?
– I try to match the guest artist with the tune. A lot of thought goes into it, as someone who might not be quite right for a song may be perfect for another one. Example: Eric Wagner singing Electric Funeral – that’s a perfect match.

– Was anybody who you asked, but didn’t want or can’t to play in this project?
– Yes there are always a few who may be currently on tour, in studio, right in the middle of writing their new album, may not want to, etc. Next time…

– It’s only 6 track. Why? And why just these songs?
-The album is over 30 minutes long – so it’s technically a full album. Hey Slayer’s Reign in Blood isn’t even 30 minutes long! I felt that these 6 songs best represented what I set out to record. They all have a cool message about faith, taking care of the planet, children are the future, etc.

The Doom in Us All: A Tribute to Black Sabbath by Ted Kirkpatrick

– How did you record the songs? Did you meet at the studio each other?
– I recorded the drums and all the guitars at my home studio in Wisconsin. The guest musicians did all their work from wherever they live and sent the files. Would be cool to record with everyone in person, but it’s just not possible.

– Do you plan a tribute gig?
– No, but maybe a song live with Tourniquet sometime…

– You were in Trouble between 1987-1989. Why only a short time? Tell about a bit that era and the scene, please!
– I tried out for them and pretty much was already a huge fan so I knew all their tunes. We were supposed to go out on tour with Motorhead or Savatage I believe, but for whatever reason, it just didn’t materialize at the time. So I had to get back to LA to continue pursuing music. They are a fantastic band, and Bruce Franklin and I remain good friends. No one sounds like Trouble.

– Tell us about your own band, Tourniquet, please! Is it a project or a real band?
– Tourniquet is a band, not a project. It’s like the Boston Symphony Orchestra – the members may change, but it’s always the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Not everyone may agree with that, but that’s how I see it. Working on a new album – it should be epic.

– You’ve got many releases, the last was in 2014. And what about the next?
– Late 2016 or early 2017…

– What do you think about the live shows? Have any chance to European fans to see Tourniquet on stage?
– Yes – planning to do more shows in the future. Europe for sure…

– The final words is yours….
– Thanks and best wishes for Fémforgács!