Ghost Cult caught up with Thrash Metal legend Bobby Gustafson recently for an interview. You know the name and the riffs of the man from his time in Overkill, but also Spudmonsters, and Cycle Sluts from Hell among others. Booby’s new band Satan’s Taint released their Thrashy new album Destruction Ritual earlier this year and it has many of the hallmarks of his classic songwriting style. We chatted about many topics with Bobby, including some metal history lessons you don’t want to miss!
I wish I could say I knew Jonny Zazula back in the day, but I wasn’t quite old enough. Sure, I had heard all the stories. As a major Metallica and Anthrax fan, Jon and his wife Marsha’s life stories are Metal history as much as any riff, album or chorus. I bumped into Jon about twelve years ago at Starland Ballroom in New Jersey. I was there to see a Testament headline show. Jon and Eddie Trunk, who owes his career to Jon and Marsha to an extent, walked right by and I totally fanboyed out. I’m pretty sure I blurted out something lame like “Holy shit, Jonny Z! Thanks for everything!”, since that what was in my heart. He gave me like a half-pat on the arm, half a “hey dude I need to get by you” move and slipped past me on his way backstage. Trunk just smiled. That was my in-person brush with him, until a recent phone interview (coming soon) for this book release. The book is a memoir about an enterprising music lover who put a genre or two on his back and raised up everyone around him toward greatness.
Following the pre-cruise party last night with UFO, Raven, and Armored Saint, the Megacruise tales off today from Los Angeles for its maiden voyage! The cruise features members of Megadeth, and performances from Lamb of God, Anthrax, Testament, Dragonforce, Overkill, Corrosion Of Conformity, Queensryche, Suicidal Tendencies, Death Angel, Sacred Reich, Phil Campbell And The Bastard Sons, Doro, Armored Saint, John 5, Metal Church, Danko Jones, Beastö Blancö, Metalachi, and Toothgrinder. Megadeth tribute band Mechanix will also take part in the cruise, hand-selected by Dave Mustaine himself. In addition, Official Cruise Hosts Eddie Trunk (VH1, SiriusXM, Axs), Luc Carl (SiriusXM) and Jose Mangin (SiriusXM) will be moderating Q&As and events. Departing out of Los Angeles aboard the Norwegian Jewel, the five-day/five-night full ship charter cruise will set sail toniht, October 13-18, 2019, visiting two ports of call (Ensenada, Mexico and San Diego, California) and host two heavy metal-filled days of music and events. The cruise will also feature an optional pre-cruise party in Los Angeles (details to be announced), Megadeth wine and beer tastings and a ton of metal fan frivolity! Stay tuned for our review coming in a few weeks!