Polish Heavy Metal band KAT are celebrating their 40th anniversary. That’s quite the accomplishment for any band. In honor of this occasion, KAT are set to release The Last Convoy on September 25, 2020 though Pure Steel Records. The Last Convoy is a collection of reworked KAT classics as well as three cover songs. In their 40 year career KAT has never released a cover song. Guitarist Piotr Luczyk has been with KAT since their very first album, 1986’s Metal and Hell. Metal Express Radio had the chance to speak with Piotr about the new release, the early days of the group, and what lies ahead. A good read for sure.
Metal Express Radio: If I knew absolutely nothing about KAT, how would you describe the band’s music to me?
Piotr Luczyk: Describing Kat’s music is quite a complicated matter. I can vividly say it’s a combination of Accept, Judas Priest, Metallica, and Black Sabbath. If you make a cocktail, KAT will come out.
MER: In honor of KAT’s 40th Anniversary the band is releasing The Last Convoy; a collection of reworked classics and cover songs. With such a vast catalog of songs over 40 years, how did you decide which KAT songs to include?
PL: We decided to put out the most important songs for the band, not the most popular ones. Our fans comprise several generations which grew up at different times. Some like Metal and Hell and others like Bastard. Still others prefer Without Looking Back. You can’t please everyone. That’s why The Last Convoy is an album that shows breakthrough moments in the band’s history and our route to the present day.
We have various vocalists on the album, which has never happened before on Kat’s albums. You can see the team’s evolution. What is most important is that we show where and what we drew inspiration from. We’ve never made any covers, and yet here you are. Three covers of very different bands at once. I think that pictures says more than than 1000 words.
MER: Why not release a comprehensive greatest hits album to commemorate KAT’s 40th Anniversary instead?
PL: It would be too easy. Collect some old songs, add “40th anniversary” and without any work, put out an album that could be called “The Best” or “The Very Best”. It is more difficult and interesting to show a different face of your own work. For me, as a musician, the concert versions are the most interesting. For example, Made In Japan, Deep Purple. Seems the same but different.
Regarding the covers, I think the original makers have already worked so hard on the compositions that they cannot be improved, but still appreciated.
MER: “Flying Fire 2020” features Tim “Ripper” Owens as a guest vocalist. How did his involvement come about?
PL: It so happened that our last album Without Looking Back was liked by K.K. Downing (ex Judas Priest). I have been in contact with K.K. for some time, and I knew that Tim (ex Judas Priest) would be singing in his band KK. Tim Owens also rated our album well. So I simply asked if Tim would sing on our anniversary album. Tim agreed and chose a song. This is how we recorded “Flying Fire 2020.”
MER: Are you ready to reveal why track 9 is a mystery “hidden track?”
PL: 9 track is not hidden. It’s an echo of track No. 8. I don’t know how it happened, but I like it. It’s a departure into yet more musical regions.
MER: What would you consider KAT’s greatest accomplishment in a career that has spanned 40 years?
PL: We’ve been around for so long and with so much adversity and yet we’re constantly recording new albums. KAT has a complicated history but, in the words of the poet Tadeusz Miciński, “Our ship sails on.”
MER: KAT has had some provocative album covers over the years. Did they ever cause any problems?
PL: Our covers are a bit provocative, but I don’t care if people like them or not. We have our own view. The covers have a simple message and that is enough. There were no problems. As for the graphic technique, it is a typical classic in Heavy Metal. We do not succumb to new trends, but we draw our own story.
MER: What do you remember about recording your 1986 debut album Metal and Hell?
PL: It’s typical Heavy Metal of its time, in a classic version with deep Accept influences. Very melodic and optimistic in major harmony. This is the album that changed eastern Europe. Apparently, it had a big influence on many groups from communist countries. What is very strange to me is that Metal and Hell is classified as Black Metal. Recently, even Metal Hammer placed it among the 10 most important albums of this genre.
I don’t think KAT has ever played Black Metal, but maybe I don’t know much about it! After the release of Metal and Hell, we quickly wanted to change this sweetness and recorded the album Breath of the Exterminated Worlds. Years later, it turned out that the Metal and Hell album is best received by orthodox fans. It’s a strange paradox, but that’s how it is.
MER: What do you consider to be your best album of the last 40 years?
PL: Without Looking Back is surely our best album. This is a new album and not yet fully known, but it matures like fine wine.
MER: Was there an album you put out that you wish you hadn’t?
PL: Yes, Szydercze Zwierciadlo. If we hadn’t put out that album, KAT would never have lost anything.
MER: The 80’s rock scene was known for its excess and debauchery. What’s the craziest thing any member of KAT has done that lives up to the standard of that era?
PL: This is true. Of course, we also had our excesses. In my case, before one of the festivals I set fire to the police station.
After one concert, Qbek (voc) climbed a power pole and was struck by 12,000 Volts. Later he was paralyzed. At another festival, Harris (Bass) was insulted and attacked by the lead singer of another band. Harris hit him once and the singer was taken to hospital with a concussion. And Mariusz Prętkiewicz (Drum) is so mysterious that I don’t even know what he’s thinking about.
MER: In 1987 you opened twice for Metallica in Poland. What do you remember about those shows?
PL: I remember a lot. Before the show, I met the stage manager who showed me everything Metallica uses. He asked what we needed and I drove with the Metallica team to the hotel. It was the Master of Puppets Tour and we were playing material from the first 2 albums. Metal and Hell and Breath of the Dead Worlds. Metallica techs did not let us get on stage. They set up the equipment themselves and showed us where we were to go. We only heard the first sound when we stood on the stage. It was brilliant. Everything sounded great. We played our material and I couldn’t believe it was over.
We found out we liked the Metallica crew. I watched the Metallica concert on stage standing behind Lars and saw up close how to play 200%. It was like a private lesson. In the evening I went to a party at the hotel with Metallica again and my band mates went home. We were playing in our hometown so we weren’t staying in a hotel. The next day we played a second concert. I guess it was OK because James, Lars and Jason were standing at the side of the stage. After the concert, they congratulated us and James asked why the singer was singing in Japanese. Which was a very significant professional suggestion!
MER: Of all the bands you have ever played with over 40 years, who was the coolest and who were the biggest jerks?
PL: Metallica was the best, and the worst is yet to come!
MER: Has KAT ever toured or wanted to tour the US?
PL: We haven’t toured in the US, but we’re happy to go and play there.
MER: KAT’s last album of new material was 2019’s Without Looking Back (great album by the way). Are you currently writing or planning on writing another album of new material?
PL: Yes. We already have new songs. We always have something to work on. Maybe we’ll release something in 2021.
MER: In a career of 40 years, is there anything left that you feel you haven’t accomplished?
PL: Of course. I would like to play concerts in the US, China, and Brazil
MER: Is there anything else you wanted to talk about that I didn’t get to?
PL: I think music says more than words.
Thank you for the interview, and visit our website.
I’d argue that Black Sabbath with Dio was acceptable….
Real Kat is only with Roman Kostrzewski – without him is like Black Sabbath without Ozzy
The only one true Kat is with Kostrzewski on vocal and the band still exists under the name Kat & Roman Kostrzewski. Interviewed above has only the old name and nothing in common with original band.
Check out thier latest lp Popiór and new live cd.