Interview with SCOTT OWENS ( Hirax, Subversion) another part of Hirax family tree

1)On your myspace page you wrote you created "Bombs Of death" with Gene Hoglan in 83, so it seems "Hirax family" is quite large ( Hirax, Subversion, Phantasm, Wargod, Dark Angel, Metallica ( because of Ron Mc Govney), Exodus ( because of Paul Baloff), Insecticide, Cold Blood, DRI) ?

yeah back then there was a pretty small amount of true metalheads so we all knew of each other in some way or another.i met gene in jr high school in long beach ca were we grew up and had seen him around for a long time and knew he played drums. so one day i deceided to see if he would throw a jam with me at my house i called him and we started to talk about music and he was telling me that we could jam but he did'nt play pussy metal so it would have to be heavy no bullshit and i had been trying a new style for me fast riffing and heavy slow parts mixed together so we fit right together at that time. and the rest is history.

2)Why do you think Phantasm or even Cold Blood are more famous ( or more advertised) than Subversion ?

in our area we were just as big as those bands but when it came to having backing and lots of friends in other places we just never pushed ourselfs that hard we just played our songs werever we could and wer'nt very good at promoting the band we did'nt have that type of backing.all my hirax contacts were all with katon he never really included me really i was the young imature one kind of the fourth wheel.



3) Let's talk about pre Hirax era: who or what did inspire you/influence you? What made you say one day "ok I will pick a guitar and start playing", then "ok now I will be a musician, that's what I want"?

well my sister had all the rock albums of the 70's and i just loved to sneak in and listin to them and she had a old electra guitar with a small amp and i would fool around with it commng up with my own sounds and trying to play with her old records while she was gone.one day she came home early and caught me in her room with the guitar in my hand and said for me to keep playing.she listened for a minute and said take the guitar for my own and helped me every step of the way of my career.

4) What were you listening back in the days ( I mean between 1980 and 1983, won't go too far in the past)?

in 1980 to 83 i was lisening to metal in 80 81 it was stuff like van halen scorpions iron maiden judas priest ozzy all the old standards.then in 83 i started getting turned on to bands like anvil venom slayer exciter the harder the better.

5)Were you aware ( ok I suppose you were born and raised in California) of the punk & hardcore scenes back then, acts like Crucifix, Adolescents, Dead Kennedys, Circle Jerks, Battalion Of Saints, Verbal Abuse, Wasted Youth, Suicidal Tendencies...

i was aware of the punk scene black flag,t.s.o.l., fear, dk ,but i was metal and at that time there was still a division i can remember some pretty good fights but i thought the music was raw and cool and new we just had'nt put the two together yet.

6) And what about the hard & heavy scene ( Van Halen, Cirith Ungol, Motley Crue...)? Or maybe you weren't interested in rock at all and Gene Hoglan convinced you...

I listened to all hard rock since the 70's bands like b.o.c.,sweet,led zeppelin,rush to the 80's and the beginning of metal saxon jp,maiden,ufo the harder the better i have always loved metal and alway's will till i die.

waiting for part 2....