Metal Nightmare 'zine started out in April 1998, dedicated to the true old-style metal that made the 80s great. In addition to several interviews with modern old-school bands, editor Tom Wren scored interviews with three classics from the good old days - Omen, Nasty Savage, and POSSESSED. For more info on Metal Nightmare 'zine, e-mail Tom at deadmetal@aol.com. Here is Tom's interview with Jeff Becerra, in its entirety:

Until the early 1980s, almost all metal bands had a kind of 'clean' sound to them. The vocalist could actually sing and hit high notes, and the guitars were very clear. The one exception to these rules was MOTORHEAD, who it seemed had one purpose, and that was to break all the rules. But then thrash metal began to emerge. Kind of like a bastard child of heavy metal and punk, it breathed fire. It was dirty and greasy, and refused to come clean. It had more energy to it, and the music was more violent. One of the earliest bands from this new style was POSSESSED. Although their heyday has long since passed, they are still remembered by fans, and are still a favorite amongst many. Recently there has been a renewed interest in the band, and I thought it would be a good idea to feature a kind of retrospective on them. Here is former frontman and bassist Jeff Becerra.

MN: Were you in a lot of bands before Possessed? How did you guys end up getting together?
JEFF: Me and Larry Lalonde (now in PRIMUS) were in a band together when we were around twelve or thirteen years old. I guess the answer to that would be yes, as I was in many rock and roll and metal bands before I joined Possessed. I started playing classical guitar when I was 8 years old, and when I really decided that I wanted to be in a band was when I bought my first electric guitar. I was really impressed with the amount of noise I could make. [laughs]

MN: How successful were your albums when they were originally released?
JEFF: Extremely successful, considering that we were one of the only other bands to play this type of music then, one of the others being VENOM. We had the all time biggest sales in Combat Record history. We were voted the fastest rising band in Hit Parader magazine. It really was quite a fantastic thing. People all over the world were listening to hard, fast, satanic music, and I thought that was pretty damn cool! [laughs]

MN: You were all very young when you were in POSSESSED. What did your parents think when you started playing in the band, and what did they say when you left for your first tour of Europe?
JEFF: My parents have always been cool. They were kind of rebels themselves.

MN: How much touring did the band do, and who did you go out on the road with?
JEFF: We toured with bands like DARK ANGEL, DEATH ANGEL, SLAYER, VOIVOD, MEGADETH, SUICIDAL TENDENCIES in assorted gigs, and DRI who were one of my personal favorites. Also, there were shows with AGNOSTIC FRONT, DESTRUCTION, NASTY SAVAGE, VENOM, and many, many more.

MN: Any interesting stories from those tours?
JEFF: There are many stories, most of which would most definitely not be politically correct by today's standards. I think that a lot of today's bands take the moral high ground and have resorted to conforming with a society which more than ever needs to be repulsed. Until our social condition improves, we must always live in anarchy!

MN: Well, I don't try to do a 'politically correct' mag. Couldn't we hear just one sordid tale of drunken debauchery?
JEFF: Well, I can remember Mike Torrao pissing next to one of his passed out groupies' heads. He had three that night, and he was gently telling her it was all her own fault for passing out with her head in the toilet. [laughs]

MN: Moving on to the music now, "Swing of the Axe" was one of your best known demo songs. Why wasn't it part of SEVEN CHURCHES, and not released until THE EYES OF HORROR?
JEFF: I have always thought of "Swing of the Axe" as a primitive song that did not effectively portray what was yet to come from our band. Sadly enough, our band disbanded long before we could progress into what we wanted to. POSSESSED was an organic thing that needed time to grow, although we did make a statement of rebellion that was effective enough for all times alike.

MN: What did you want POSSESSED to progress into? What was the 'ultimate vision'?
JEFF: Well, this is not something I could possibly know. We really grew from one another, and without all the members, who can say what would have happened?

MN: BEYOND THE GATES saw a shift away from the blatantly satanic topics. Any particular reason for that?
JEFF: Actually, BEYOND THE GATES has my most provocative and satanic lyrics. One just has to listen to realize that I was still quite fanatical. Because I had so blatantly and repetitively use the word "Satan" so many times on SEVEN CHURCHES, I tried not to use it so much in the later albums.

MN: What led to the band's breakup? Are you still in contact with the other guys?
JEFF: Me and Larry Lalonde and Mike Torrao are still great friends. I only speak for myself in saying that I was at a point in my life when I felt it necessary to move on.

MN: It seems like Larry has totally rejected his past with POSSESSED. He doesn't talk about it much anymore. What do you think about that, and just out of curiosity, do you listen to PRIMUS?
JEFF: I think that Larry is a great guitarist, although I don't listen to PRIMUS much. I have always thought that Les Claypool was an innovator of the bass. I think Larry probably is too involved with his new material, as his music is very demanding, so he doesn't have much time to think of his POSSESSED days. Although I do believe we were operating on a much higher level of technicality then.

MN: What was the deal with all these rumors about what happened to you after the accident? There's talk that you were dead, or that you had become a born-again Christian (such as the August 1997 issue of Metal Maniacs).
JEFF: Well, those are all lies. I am not dead, but if I were 'born again' I would definitely wish I were! I think that these magazines are just looking for a new twist on POSSESSED. But I've always said, bad press is better than no press!

MN: Where do you think people come up with these kinds of rumors?
JEFF: Well, I think that our "old" manager Debbie Abono had a lot to do with spreading those rumors. She was starting to manage some new POSSESSED clones, and seemed to hold a grudge against me and some of the other guys in the band. Larry used to date her daughter, and she wasn't really happy that we left her as a manager when we broke up.

MN: A lot of bands are getting back together for reunions. Would you be into doing that, if the opportunity arose?
JEFF: No, I think it would be best to let sleeping dogs lie. I must admit it would be fun, but I am just happy to have been part of the best scene in music. When a band breaks up, it is always a little sad, but time and life change, and sometimes we just have to move on to bigger and better things.

MN: Sadly, all your albums are out of print. Do you know who has the rights to them, and would you like to see your stuff reissued?
JEFF: I have heard many rumors that Sony has bought all the rights. I think that if the public still has an interest in my music that it should be made readily accessible. Whether through corporate cocksuckers, or by the easiest and my most favorite method . . . BOOTLEG IT!

MN: Have you ever considered suing for the rights?
JEFF: Well, it probably would not be worth the money, as there is, and never has been much money in the underground metal scene.

MN: Are you still into the metal scene?
JEFF: Yes. Metal is still my favorite music. I love bands such as MAYHEM, VADER, EMPEROR, SUMMON, DEMOLITION HAMMER, ANACRUSIS, DISSECTION, SWORDMASTER, ATHEIST, ORDER FROM CHAOS, CANNIBAL CORPSE, ANGELCORPSE, and I also must add in my two favorites who are now mainstream, MORBID ANGEL and SEPULTURA.

MN: There have also been at least three bands that have covered POSSESSED songs on albums. Poland's VADER did "Death Metal," Florida's CANNIBAL CORPSE did "The Exorcist," and Kansas City's ANGELCORPSE did "Burning in Hell." Have you heard any of these?
JEFF: Yes, I have acquired two of these. VADER's "Death Metal" is fucking fantastic!! They did a great job. ANGELCORPSE's "Burning in Hell" is faster than shit! I really fucking loved hearing their version of that song, which was one of my favorites. I haven't heard the CANNIBAL CORPSE one yet. I am dying to though!

Of course, I sent Jeff a copy of CANNIBAL CORPSE's version of "The Exorcist," about which he had this to say:
JEFF: Again, I am extremely honored that one of my songs is still being played today, and I think that they did a great job in doing it!

MN: What do you think it is about POSSESSED's music that seems to have made it so "classic," and still in demand today?
JEFF: I believe that POSSESSED was an innovator by accident. We were just playing as loud and as fast as we felt, and people appreciated our conviction and sincerity.

MN: Do you have anything you'd like to say to all the people out there who still remember POSSESSED?
JEFF: Well, these are people who were probably alive when the microwave was invented, when we had a world free from A.I.D.S., when sex, drugs, and rock and roll were king, when we had an oil shortage, and when we were trying not to conform, instead of playing alternative and trying to fit in. I just want to thank all the sluts and groupies, who are all probably all grandmas by now, and all the die hard fans that really were, and still are, the core and reason for POSSESSED.

- by Tom Wren