Interview with Pete Devine of Pete’s Rock News and Views (https://petesrocknewsandviews.com)
PD: How would you describe yourself or your band as an artist?
Traitor: Old School Thrash Metal with new spices! We admire the old style, but also put some new influences in our music!
PD: Can you tell us briefly about your background – i.e. where you’re from, how you came to make music, etc.
Traitor: we all grew up with bands like Judas Priest, Cannibal Corpse, Megadeth, Metallica, Slayer, Sodom, Kreator and so on. At the age of 12-14 we all started to learn instruments and to make music. At some point we met by chance and Traitor was born.
We all come from Southern Germany, but now we are all more or less spread out in Baden-Württemberg. One lives in Balingen, the other in Stuttgart, one near Offenburg, etc. The individual cities are now not incredibly far apart, but one is still longer than 5 minutes to the rehearsal room on the road!
PD: Who and what inspires you to make music, both in terms of musical and other influences? What do you like to write about in your songs?
Traitor: Of course, our old heroes, as already mentioned above. But if you were at a live show for the first time and saw a live performance – that was impressive and I personally wanted to experience that. Our songs are about historical and fictional events. We often write songs about old video games, movies, series and books. Actually everything that interests us and makes us fun!
PD: What are your aspirations as an artist?
Traitor: To create music that we and possibly other people like. To give people time out and create an environment that is fun and where you can forget your everyday worries – even if it’s only for an hour.
PD: What is the proudest moment in your music career so far?
Traitor: uhhh that is difficult. But we found it already great with our last album “Exiled To The Surface” in the German album charts on number 44 and also in the Swiss hit parade the number 76. Furthermore, it is a great feeling that the music documentary “Total Thrash – The Teutonic Story” was broadcast on July 30, 2023 in Hollywood and the film has also been uploaded on www.Thunderflix.com to stream – we find that quite cool, especially we had written with Traitor the soundtrack to the film!
PD: Promoting one’s music is such a challenge these days, especially with so many new
artists emerging from bedrooms in the day of the home studio. How is that going?
Traitor: hahaha, I would say quite good. After all, we are doing this interview right now! No, joking aside – it’s work, of course, and not easy either. But diligence and perseverance + the right partners make it all possible and it usually works out great!
PD: And how do you book and promote your live shows and tours? Any performances coming up?
Traitor: We do everything ourselves. The reason is simple: all the money goes into our pockets that way. It is of course more work, but in the end it pays off and we can also go into conversation with organizers quite differently, because we have no percentage levies to company XY!
26.08.2023 / Infernum Meets Porkcore Fistevil, Bochold (D) with Fleshgod Apocalypse, Graveworm, Milking The Goatmachine etc.
23.09.2023 / Upper Saw Festival, Festhalle Dotternhausen (D) with Brainstorm, Defender etc.
29.09.2023 / Coast Rock Festival, Live Music Center Hinte (D) with Infest, Schizophrenia etc.
14.10.2023 / Altes Wasserwerk, Lörrach (D) with Bad Butler, Mind Patrol and Ophelias Eye.
10.11.2023 / Trompete, Bochum (D) with Devastruction.
25.11.2023 / BunneFest, Zaal Elysée Oostende (BE) with Cobracide, Scarificator, Axident, DeathnFury.
02.12.2023 / Adventsingen, Balingen (D) with TBA
PD: What do you think about downloading music online? What about streaming sites like Spotify?
Traitor: I think streaming and downloads are a great thing. I discover so many cool new bands via Spotify and co, many more people can have access to appropriate music or artists. Nevertheless, the big sticking point here is the remuneration of the music creators. The system doesn’t work at all. I always compare it with the fact that it’s like if you were to pay 10 bucks a month and thereby pay a flat rate for every restaurant that is in your city and you could eat everywhere. Sure, you get more customers at first, but in the long run all will go broke, because that is in no relation to each other!
PD: What song do you wish you’d written and why?
Traitor: Black Sabbath with Black Sabbath! It’s just super evil and if you’re having in mind it’s released in 1970 – even more impressive!
PD: Is there anything you don’t like about the music industry, which you would change if you could?
Traitor: Everyone should be compensated according to performance and effort. So no venue should be allowed to charge merch-fee – it’s something completely different when the venue takes over the whole evening sale and regulates everything. Of course, the person should then be involved accordingly in percentage. But we as a band don’t get a 
percentage of the drink sales and the band normally makes the venue fuller than if there was no band there!
PD: So, what are you working on at the moment?
Traitor: Now the new live album “Teutonic Slaughter” will be released on September 22nd 2023. Furthermore we have been on the road a lot this year and are planning new tours for 2024. Also, the new studio album is in the works and we have more or less all demos ready and can work on the fine details accordingly. So be curious about when the album will be recorded and we will release it! In addition, there will soon be a new format of us: TRAITOR TV! Here you will find everything from vlogs, behind the scenes, random bullshit, and more!
PD: Where can we learn more about you and buy your music/merch online?
Traitor: You can visit us here:
www.facebook.com/traitorthrash
www.instagram.com/traitorthrash
TRAITOR links:
Band/Artist location – Germany
Website – Facebook – You Tube – Bandcamp – Merch –
Twitter – Instagram – Apple – Spotify – Amazon – Deezer – Last Fm –
Check our page for TRAITOR
