The band Metal Allegiance began in 2014 playing at music clinics. When the band was ready to release their first album Mike Portnoy happened to be sitting down with me to discuss how at the time he would also be joining Twisted Sister. Mike announced with me that the first MA album was coming. You can watch what Mike had to say about the first Metal Allegiance album in a clip from that interview below. It’s hard to believe that so many years have passed since then. But Friday September 6th, 2024, Metal Allegiance will play their 10th Anniversary show at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey. Three of the band’s Core Four, Mark Menghi, Mike Portnoy and Alex Skolnick joined me via Zoom to discuss the anniversary show and more.
After we got used to the idea that it was four guys on a Brady Bunch looking call all trying to speak at once we got down to business. Asked about how it felt to be a decade into the band Mike joked that it felt like 40 years. Alex said it felt like five and that with the pandemic, it really sort of was. Mike asked, “You don’t want a real answer, right?” I assured him I did want a real answer at the same time that Mark admitted he wasn’t going to give a real answer, he was going to start busting chops. Everybody seemed to expect that. Mike said that in reality it did seem a shorter period of time. He ventured that was because the band plays so infrequently.
We took some time to discuss the band’s very beginning. From playing clinics to when the change began that would make them a band that recorded original material. Mark took the lead at this part of the conversation. He mentioned so much of what was happening in the metal world at that point in time. Mike pointed out that this was around 2011. This originally started out under the name “Metal Masters.” Mark spoke about the first clinic happening around the first “Big Four” shows and the Golden God Awards. It grew from there until it stopped being clinics and started being concerts. The list of musicians who were a part of this is mind blowing. Kerry King, Phil Anselmo, Steve Vai, Geezer Butler, Billy Sheehan and on and on.
Mark shared that the band started at what was a dark time in his life. At the time he actually thought he had quit the music industry for good. He even spoke about coming up with the name a few margaritas in at a taco bar. That’s when we got down to discussing the strong Long Island roots the band has despite the original show taking place in California. Mark and Mike are both Long Island natives and I even was able to recall my band being on a bill for a show at Mr. Beery’s that included Alex Skolnick playing with a band led by the current violin player in Kansas. Mark said California is their second home, but MA’s home really is Long Island. Including recording the album on the Island at Sabella Studios and they did a record release signing at Looney Tunes as well as playing Stereo Garden in Patchogue.
As the conversation veered off to speaking about the live shows, they made it clear, they are not free for all jams. They take time to craft a set list. They spoke about how it depends on who is singing and who is playing. They need to make sure they can perform whatever the song is as it should be done. Speaking of singers, I asked if there was anybody they wanted to get who they hadn’t gotten yet. Alex said, “There is always somebody.” Mike expressed how lucky they are to have gotten the singers they have so far because “It’s a who’s who.” That’s when it came around to Metallica being the one band they wanted to get someone from. But they did seem to settle on wanting to get James Hetfield specifically.
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