Interview Mark Broomhead, Thrash Metal Band; DETRITUS

Hello Mark Broomhead, how are you doing?
Not bad thank you, surviving the house arrest.

You and the other Detritus guys would probably like to play live again like all the bands worldwide, especially when you guys have a new record to show the world of Metal…?
Yes totally, everything we had booked got cancelled, and nobody is booking at the moment so our diary is empty which is not what we had planned for a new album.

COVID19/Corona is hitting or striking hard on/to our planet. What are your thoughts about the whole thing?
My generation has been privileged to live in the golden age of health, historically speaking, so when something like this comes along it really knocks you. I feel deeply for those who have been affected, through ill health and loss also those who have been affected financially and mentally. I am so thankful for all those who have worked to hard to keep things running and to keep us safe. Have been glad to have my vaccine this week!

Please tell us about the new album, it took you guys 27 years to release a new album?
Yeah most of us hadn’t seen each other for 25. When the old albums got released I had to track the guys down, we got talking and one thing led to another. We got some gig offers but when we stared playing together we just knew we had to do something new!

How the writing proces and time in the studio went?
Well covid messed it up a bit, the studio sessions got cancelled, so we recorded guitars and vocals at home before we did the drums during lockdown, and when lockdown eased we went into the studio and recorded drums, reamped the guitars and mixed the album. Bit weird but it turned out Okay!

Please tell us about Embryo Industries?
Embryo Industries is a label I set up in the noughties to release Fire Fly albums. When we got back together as it was all set up it seemed like a good idea to start it up again to release Detritus and more stuff in the future, assuming we sell some records and get out of debt lol.

Did you guys where interested/searching to be signed by Pure Steel, Massacre, Revolver, Peaceville etc..?
I don’t think any label would have believed getting Detritus back together would be a good idea without hearing the final product. We are quite happy with the creative freedom of having our own label, it would need to be a pretty big thing to make us change our minds. 

The new album: “Myths”will be released on 19 February 2021. You guys released 2 video-youtube clips before the release of the album; how are the reactions so far?
Everyone is being very kind so far. There is some initial disappointment that we are not a nineties thrash band, but then people seem to come around to the idea of what we are doing. Its nice if people like it, but it is not the motivation for what we do, we are too old to care now, so we just do what makes us happy musically and its cool if people like it too.

The two albums: “Perpetual Defiance” (1990/Under One Flag) and If But For one(1993) where just remastered and digitally available via Embryo Industries, please tell us about it? and via Boone’s overstock/Scott Waters in the USA there was a special edition vinyls and cd’s released from Perpetual Defiance and If But For One?
Yeah as I said the reissues played a part in getting us back together. There had been a lot of interest in getting them onto streaming services so we got them remastered again optimised for digital so there are 3 different versions floating about.

There will be also new merchendise available soon? Where the fans can find all the info about Detritus?
Yes everything will be available at www.detritusofficial.com. We have had some delays due to the plague but bare with us!

I just found some old photo’s from me visiting Greenbelt Festival in 1991 where we had some party going on; we as the visitors from The Netherlands who traveled specially for Seventh Angel, Detritus, Rez Band and Stryper to the UK. Do you remember anything about these old days…?
Its where I met my wife, so yes, her brother was/is in seventh angel. It’s all a bit vague now though, getting old lol.

Stryper did not play that year and they had to find quickly a new metal band to play at Greenbelt in 1991 and they could not find a better replacement then the Mighty Galactic Coweboys from Texas, USA. Really this band was live on the same level as on their debuut album, that just saw the light of day then.Iam happy to tell that i saw them live. D you remember this remarkable night concert from the Galactics..?
Yeah it was great to share a stage with them. Monty (bass GC) came to stay with us a few years later, he didn’t remember lol.

Do you have any nice stories or things you do remember from the old days? you where traveling quite often to The Netherlands to play with Seventh Angel and Detritus with Decision D and God’s Pleasure?
The Netherlands will always be a special place, ever since I went to Almelo on a school exchange. Had lots of fun but they were strange times with some strange people too.

In the UK you guys played with Galactic Coweboys, Acid Reign, Slammer etc…Still have some thoughts about these shows?
It was a good time to be a young band in the UK the scene was strong and the crowds were always great.

Is there anything you want to tell us with the new album: Myths; I mean Lyrically? Ha yes, its in the lyrics! It’s loosely based on 1 Corinthians 13 as made obvious in the album art. I hope there is room for people to find their own story within it.

The first album Perpetual Defiance was illustrated/painted by Rodney Matthews: please tell us how you came in contact with him and i have to say he did a wonderfull job at this great frontcover!
I think Seventh Angel set it up and then the record company set up a deal with him. I was great to see him recently to celebrate 50 years of record covers. Always loved his stuff!

Do you have a last word, or something that’s on your heart you want to share with us? Be excellent to one another.