Interview: Kris Gustofson from Trauma

Author’s note: if you want to read the Spanish version of this interview, go here.

Nota del autor: si quieren leer la versión en español de esta entrevista, vayan para acá.

Trauma is one of those classic Metal bands that are enjoying a sort of a second youth due to the rise of the internet. New generations are more interested in their material because of the aforementioned cause and with the reissue of their first and only album until this year, Scratch and Scream from 1.984, the band based in the Bay Area got together again after almost three decades and released their second work, Rapture and Wrath. If you’re metalheads who are looking for old school Heavy Metal with lots of NWOBHM influences, this is your band.

Of course, they are mostly known for being the band where Cliff Burton played before joining Metallica but let’s look beyond that. I have become a follower of the band and being amazed by their work, so I wanted to bring to the Blog someone from Trauma to talk about several matters of the band’s history. I tracked down their drummer, Kris Gustofson, so we could do an interview and talk about different aspects of the band and his career. I got some interesting insights from him and I hope you can all enjoy it.

KT: first of all, thank you for doing the interview, Kris. It's a pleasure. Well, let's talk about the new album, Rapture and Wrath. I listen to it a lot these days and I even wrote a review about it; it's a really good old school Heavy Metal work with lots of NWOBHM influences. Tell me a bit about the making of the album and how it came together.

KG: thank you for your interest in Trauma. We are glad that you like the record. We decided to do another record after all these years since the Scratch and Scream record was being re issued again. We just started writing some songs and eventually we had enough to do a new record.

KT: obviously, it's the band's first work since your debut back in 1.984. How you guys got together again and why you did it?

KG: me and Donnie Hillier have talked off and on over the years about the band but really never thought much about it until Shrapnel Records did a rerelease on the Scratch record. So we put a lineup together and decided to give it a go. I knew of the players since I had been in other bands with them.

KT: you have two new musicians in the band: the guitar player Kurt Fry and the bass player Marcel Eaton. How they joined the group and why the original musicians were not part of the project?

KG: actually, Kurt Fry was in the band; however we replaced him with guitarist Jeff Jones from St Elmos Fire. Kurt had other things he wanted to do instead. I knew Kurt from a band I was in with him called Mechanizm. We recorded 2 albums and opened up playing with Dio. The original members all lived too far away and it was just not going to work out. We did wish it had.

KT: the music world has changed a lot the past years. How do you guys do to make people get interested in your music, considering you have been away for so long?

KG: good question. Social media. Any internet sites. Promotion from our record company, playing live and recording new music. That’s about it.

KT: I would like to talk about your early days. You are from the Bay Area and you lived the very birth of Thrash Metal. Would you like to describe the scene back in the day? Were those bands an influence on your music?

KG: ah yes the good ol’ days... the scene was crazy. You could go out any night of the week and see a really good band. Exodus, Metallica, Testament, Laaz Rockit and many more. The venues were always packed. It was awesome. Hard to say who we were influenced by. I would think it was mostly Heavy Metal bands from England. Maiden, Priest, Sabbath, etc. 

KT: I always mention Diamond Head as one of the band's biggest influences. Would you agree with me on that one?

KG: humm Diamond Head. Interesting...

KT: the band started back in 1.980 and you published a song in the Metal Massacre II compilation in 1.982. Why you took four years to publish your debut album?

KG: well... the band had not written a full album yet.

KT: I have to make the mandatory Cliff Burton question. How was to play with him and what did he bring to the musical table?

KG: I wasn't in the band then.

KT: why the band broke up after just one album?

KG: the band parted ways because of lack of direction. The record label was clueless as to what to do back then. Metal music was not mainstream and nobody wanted to risk anything. It was sad...

KT: you didn't have offers to get back together before?

KG: not really. Not until 2011. We had talked about it over the years but everyone was doing different things.

KT: besides St. Elmos Fire, what else did you do during all those years?

KG: I joined a band called Threat based in Switzerland with guitarist Mark Kohler from Krokus. This lasted a couple years then I concentrated on working in the studios in LA. I was in a band with Frank Hannon from Tesla for a bit but I mostly did hired gun kind of work with a ton of people. I played on a lot of other albums.

KT: who were your influences as a drummer?

KG: my father, Gus Gustofson, Buddy Rich. A lot of the great Jazz guys then of course Bonham, Ian Paice, Cozy Powell, and some younger guys as well. I listen to all styles of music and drumming. African rhythms are really cool too.

KT: can you name your Top 10 favorite albums of all time?

KG: that’s a tough one. Too many to list. 

KT: do you think the band gave up too soon? The debut was quite good but you guys soon disappeared without giving it another go until now.

KG: possibly, who knows? There was just no direction to continue on. I know when I quit and moved to LA they tried different people to keep it going but it didn't work out so the whole thing just folded.

KT: let's go back to Trauma's present. Tell me about the new album's promotion and the tour itself. How is it going?

KG: the band is signed to Pure Steel records. They handle all the promotion for the record. As far as we have seen it seems to be going great. They are a good label to work with; the band is also signed to Red Lion music for touring. We did play in Germany last year and our agency is looking to secure dates in Europe for the band.

KT: do you see this comeback as a chance to turn Trauma into a consistent band that makes albums on a regular basis?

KG: yes, that is the plan. We are writing new material at the moment.

KT: have you guys thought in changing the band's sound or would you stay in the Heavy Metal track?

KG: we will stay Heavy Metal. Actually, heavier than the Rapture and Wrath record.

KT: and finally, could you give us one final message for your fans and readers?

KG: to all the Trauma fans out there, thanks for your support. We hope to see you all someday on stages, playing our music live for all of you... Keep the faith...