Kosta Varvatakis, Guitarist for American Thrash Metal band Hatriot.
Hatriot Interview
1. How was it recording the new Hatriot album Heroes of Origin? It was a blast. We all spent weeks ahead of time rehearsing and making sure everything was second nature before going in. We just came in and nailed everything. Juan Orteaga made everything super comfortable. It was just a good feeling and every song that got completed we all would look at each other and go, “fuck man, I can’t wait till to hear it when it’s done!”
2. Whose concept was it for the album cover? Zetro and myself. He wanted to do something that isn’t really done too much with album covers anymore, and that is having the band on the actual cover. The post-apocalyptic idea and waving the flag was more my idea.
3. How is life in the studio for Hatriot and you as a guitarist? Life was really easy because we spent so much time preparing. We all just came in there, took care of business and went home. Kind of like a job but less miserable.
4. What do you think of promo videos nowadays with everything going on YouTube? I think it’s great. It’s every band’s dream to have the world hear them. YouTube is a perfect place to put your promo video on because you never know who will see it and that someone just might be a person who could get your foot in the door.
5. Any Hatriot tours soon in promotion of the album? We are working on that now and hope to hit the road as soon as possible.
6. Would you say the overall scene in music is getting better? Absolutely! Metal has come full circle. I remember listening to bands like Exodus, Slayer and Death back when I was in 7th grade and no one knowing who any of these bands were. Everyone was either into rap music or stuff like Limp Bizkit. A few years later some bands like Shadows Fall, Killswitch Engage, and Unearth – who were from the U.S. – started putting out heavy music again. With those bands coming out they were a gateway leading people back into the metal from before. Next thing you know the veteran bands started getting back together and touring. So right now the metal scene is definitely getting better.
7. What were your earliest influences? Back when I was a little kid my older sisters and cousins would listen to stuff like Megadeth, Slayer, and Iron Maiden. So from an early age I was hooked. I remember sneaking into my older sister’s room while she was gone and taking her Slayer and Maiden tapes so I could listen to them.
8. What could we find interesting in your music collection at home? I do also play Greek folk music from the Island of Crete, so you will find a very good amount of that within all the metal I listen to. You really can find a little bit of everything in my music collection though. I keep an open mind and love music in general.
9. Could you describe what goes on in a day in your life as a musician on tour? I actually haven’t had the chance to go on any tour surprisingly enough.
10. Where do you see Metal in 100 years from now? I see people looking back at all the metal song writers as great composers just like how we look back at Mozart and Bach. Metal isn’t a very easy style of music to play or to write, and even then it’s not what everyone likes or wants to hear, and that makes the followers of it love it more. Metal will definitely live on forever as long as people listen to music.
Extra Questions for Kosta Varvatakis Guitarist for Hatriot
Life without music would be… Pretty miserable. hahahaha Music is basically what I live for, so a living without music is really hard to fathom. It’s like asking someone to live without lungs.
Favorite movie… My favorite movie is Falling Down. That movie covers so many things that are wrong in the world, and I think all of us have been pushed to the point of just wanting to say ‘screw it’ and go on a rampage.
Favorite sport… Football. I am a die-hard Oakland Raiders fan and have been all my life. If you watch football you’ll know that I have spent many Sundays yelling at my TV. Hahahaha
Favorite food… Fillet Mignon and Lobster. I prefer my Fillet medium rare and for it to be perfect it has got to have the bacon wrapped around it and topped with blue cheese. I eat very healthy. Hahahaha
Favorite drink… That would have to be Arrogant Bastard Ale. It’s a strong beer with bold flavor and really ruins other beers. The best part is if your friends don’t like it you can say the beer’s catch phrase, “You’re Not Worthy!”
Favorite saying… “Never argue with stupid people. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.” – Mark Twain. The saying really explains itself. It is so true.
Favorite car… That would have to be a 1978 Pontiac Trans-Am. It’s a bad ass, fast, and when you think Heavy Metal, do you really think any other car?
Favorite book… Nikki Sixx “Heroin Diaries.” That book is truly amazing. I can’t even put it into words you just have to read it to understand.
Favorite band… Death. I was about 13 years old when I found this cassette tape with a crazy drawing and an eyeball on the cover. When I put it on I hear the most heavy but musical songs ever. I looked back at the album and it was Death “Symbolic.” To this day that band and especially that album never get old for me. If I were stranded on a desert island and could only take one CD that would be the one.
Star Wars or Star Trek… I was born and raised in Modesto California, the hometown of the great George Lucas, so the answer is obviously Star Wars.
PC or Mac… PC. The only Macintosh computer I ever really used for an extended amount of time was those Apple 2 computers that took floppy disks.
Check out Hatriot Online http://www.hatriotmetal.com/