Hi, this is Steve Ramsey from SKYCLAD, Cheers for the interview and hope it’s what your looking for, any problems just drop me a line.

Markus: Hi. I’m sorry, but the first few questions have to be about the split from your singer Martin Walkyier (and I think you’re already tired of it). If you look back, when do you think were the first signs of the split recognizable?
Steve: It was a shock to all of us that Martin decided to leave.

Markus: I’ve already read two different versions from Martin about the split. What do you say to these and how do you see the split from your point of view?
Steve: He just makes it up as he goes along. He said he left cos’ he wasn’t making enough money from the band then changed his mind later. He didn’t tell the rest of us he was leaving, he sent an e-mail to Graeme our bass player, we had shows booked including a charity show here in Newcastle that I had arranged myself and he wouldn’t honour the bookings.

Markus: Do you think Martin could have handled the Sabbath-Reunion together with his job at SKYCLAD?
Steve: Well, as he has only performed a couple of concerts in almost a year, the answer is yes, easily.

Markus: What is your relationship to him now?
Steve: It has broken down completely due to comments he made in later interviews about us, his so-called friends.

Markus: With all the reunions in recent time, what do you say to the following sentence : „The split is just the first step to the reunion.„?
Steve: I think in some cases it’s true but it won’t be happening with us and Martin as he’s caused too much damage now for us to even consider it.

Markus: You have also split from your record label Nuclear Blast. What were the reason for this and what do you think about your new label?
Steve: No label will honour a contract when a leading member of the band leaves without hearing new product so we used the opportunity to change things. We have a very unique deal with our new label and have a lot more say and control and also financially are a lot better off through being able to sell the new album direct to our fans via the website weeks before it hits the shops.

Markus: Let’s go to your recent Maxi-CD Swords Of A Thousand Men. Why have you chosen this track for a single?
Steve: It was a very popular hit song in the UK where we released it to raise the bands’ profile again before the album release.

Markus: One Version of SOATM is with Ten Pole Tudor. What was the working with him like and what do you say to the result?
Steve: He’s a great guy, very eccentric and it was fun to do and also got us a bit more airplay.

Markus: Why have you chosen The Widdershins Jig as second track and not something from the more folk orientated SKYCLAD records?
Steve: The new album is re-works of old material and Widdershins we feel is very much a folk song especially in its new form.

Markus: There has been two other SKYCLAD releases in recent time: History Lessons (a best of) and Another Fine Mess (Live). What can you tell us about them?
Steve: When a singer leaves a band there is always a compilation or two that creeps out and History Lessons is one from the albums we recorded on Massacre Records. The live album is a concert performed at the Dynamo Festival in 1995 and is the only official live album featuring Martin and also contains four unreleased acoustic tracks.

Markus: You’ve already finished a tour without Martin. What was the reactions of the fans and how was the feeling to stand on the stage without him?
Steve: The reaction from the fans was very positive and it was refreshing to be able to change things a little on stage.

Markus: What has you planned for the future? Do you already know what will happen with SKYCLAD next?
Steve: The new album, No Daylights Nor Heeltaps will be available on the website at the end of February then officially released in stores in April some time. We plan to play a few long awaited shows in the UK and some festivals in the summer when we are also recording our first album with Kevin penning the lyrics which will be released later in the year followed by more touring anywhere that will have us!!

Markus: Do you think you will keep the more heavy direction like Folkemon or will you turn back to records like The Answer Machine?
Steve: It’s hard to say until it’s recorded but it will be folky.

Markus: What do you think about other Folk Metal bands like Cruachan or Waylander? Do you think there exists something like a Folk Metal scene?
Steve: I think there is an underground scene developing and it’s great to think that maybe we had some influence on it happening.

Markus: Do you have any last words?
Steve: I would like to direct people to our website where people can register with us and receive a bonus CD free with the new album and we’ll see you for a beer on tour soon, Cheers!!!