An Interview with the SAVIOURS
by Wendy WWAD

WWAD: What first inspired you to pick up an instrument and play music?

Saviours: My brother was in punk bands in the late 80s/early 90s and I uses to go see him play all the time. He was my first motivation to play music, when he went to audio engineering college he sent me his p-bass cause he didn't have time to play anymore so I picked it up. He came back from college a coupla years later and took me to see neurosis on the Enemy of the Sun tour, I was 13 and it was fuckin’ on.

WWAD: What do you think makes Oakland such a hotbed for metal bands, spawning the likes of you guys, High on Fire, Watch Them Die, etc.?

Saviours: Because it's such a tough and oppressive city and you gotta be a hard ass to live here. Shit is real in Oakland, Hell’s Angels and the Black Panthers started here, fake shit doesn't last in Oakland. Of course there's some turds riding the coat tails but if you live in Oakland and don't fuckin’ bring it you will get eaten up.

WWAD: How did you guys hook up with each other and become the Saviours?

Saviours: Scott and I were buds and played some music together and we had to make a gnarly band.

WWAD: When will Earth’s Possession be released?

Saviours: Death’s Procession is out Sept. 6th.

WWAD: Starting with Crucifire, did you ever expect your albums to garner such critical acclaim?

Saviours: Yes.

WWAD: How was working with Phil Manley, and when did you guys first hook up with him?

Saviours: It was awesome. We met Phil through playing shows with the Fucking Champs 3 or 4 years ago. First off, Phil is a badass engineer and a really easy going dude to be around. Second I think it's cool to make a record where you live and support the dudes around you and who are in your scene.

WWAD: If the Saviours had a mission statement, what would it be?

Saviours: Kickin’ ass and forgettin’ names.

WWAD: How does your reception in Europe differ from in America?

Saviours: Same shit every other dude in a band says about touring Europe. They give a more of a shit about you and are very hospitable over seas. On the other hand, we've met a lot of killer folks and fans over here, too. I'll take playing in Laramie, Wyoming over Los Angeles any day of the week cause those motherfuckers are hungry for music and ain’t so spoiled.

WWAD: How have you progressed musically since your inception in 2004?

Saviours: Were better now, I hope, and we’ve been doing it so long that we figured out how to do it good.

WWAD: How do you balance your life at home and time on the road? Or is this pretty much your main thing these days?

Saviours: You get off tour and cause you can't tour every day of the year, you go home. That's what's happening and you roll with it.

WWAD: Having released 1 EP, 2 LP’s, and about to release a 3rd on Kemado Records, it would appear that you are pretty happy with these guys. How did you originally hook up with them?

Saviours: DP is our 4th record and our 3rd and final record of our contract with Kemado. They've given us a lot of opportunities that we wouldn't have been able to pull off without their support. My memory is shit but this dude (sorry dude) gave Keith at Kemado a copy of Warship and he got stoked and called us and put us on a compilation they were doing called Invaders, it's a good one.

WWAD: I read that “SAVIOURS are the end product of a ‘vision-quest’ by guitarist / vocalist Austin Barber and drummer Scott Batiste” (http://www.facebook.com/Saviours ). What were you guys looking for, or hoping to achieve with the formation of the SAVIOURS?

Saviours: I wasn't looking for anything in particular, I wanted to see what the world had for me by opening myself up to whatever it had to show me. We just want to make kick ass music and have a good time.

WWAD: You have been compared to the likes of High on Fire. Did they influence you guys and, if not, who did?

Saviours: Of course they do, those dudes are our brothers and they influence us on many levels. So many things influence us, Oakland, women, mind altering substances, open road, going to strange places, the unknown, the end or drastic change that humanity will face one day and our friends are the main ones......

WWAD: Your lyrical themes have been described as blasphemous. Is there a message you are trying to convey? Haha.

Saviours: FTW ASAP. It's a reaction to the cowardly way that people live today, fuck the squares you know!

WWAD: How do you spend your free time when you’re not writing music or touring the world?

Saviours: Riding motorcycles is all I really give a shit about so I ride as much as possible and I work at Temple Tattoo and Tattoo 13 in Oakland. Drinking a lot of bourbon and traveling around. Been making a lot of paintings again lately...

WWAD: What’s your favorite thing about playing Austin, TX?

Saviours: The hospitality in Austin for us is off the fuckin’ chain! We don’t feel as welcome in any other town in the world, hands down. We gotta a whole fuckload of good buddy's down there, it feels good to be there.

WWAD: If your house was burning down and you could only save 5 albums, what would they be?

Saviours: Paul Chain - Ash, ZZ Top’s first album, Motorhead - Iron Fist, Slayer - South of Heaven, Fleetwood Mac - English Rose

WWAD: What are your top 3 tour destinations?

Saviours: Austin, Tx, NYC, Tokyo

WWAD: What’s your definition of success in rock-n-roll?

Saviours: If your havin’ fun, gettin’ laid, makin’ friends and ya ain't starvin’ you're doin’ good.

WWAD: Parting words of wisdom to your ever-growing legions of fans?

Saviours: Whatever you do, you gotta dig it and do it well

Members:

Austin Barber – vocals, lead & rhythm guitar

Sonny Christopher Reinhardt – lead & rhythm guitar, vocals

Carson Binks – bass

Scott Batiste - drums

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