Interview with Trauma Drummer Kris Gustofson
By Mick Michaels
Cosmick View: Hello, Kris! Welcome to The Cosmick View. Thanks for taking some time out of your day to
speak with us. It's greatly appreciated.
CV:
Time more often than not undoubtedly brings change; whether we are ready for it
or not…and changes big or small have affects. What's the dynamic like when one
band member leaves and a new member joins? How do things shift? Is there an
adjustment period?
Kris Gustofson: It can be hard…depending on the person
that is coming in for the position. Usually for me, I only get musicians who
have had a certain amount of time being a real musician. It really depends whom
it is.
CV:
Finding the right members for a band can be a challenging task. Finding a
replacement member, especially when the ball is rolling full steam ahead, can be
daunting to say the least. How did you come to connect with veteran bassist Michael Spencer?
KG: Yes it is…. All of us in the band have known of
Michael for years. I just called him up and asked him. He is a really cool guy
and a great bass player.
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| Photo by Frankie James Culture Rock Media |
CV:
Though Michael has stepped in for
the moment to keep things moving, is there a plan to bring in a full-time member
for the position? Could there be a chance he might find his way as a more
permanent member of Trauma?
KG: At the time being we are just weighing our options.
There is no one set in stone just yet. With Michael, we have some things that
need to be worked out. Nothing for certain. We shall see.
CV:
The band's new album, "Awakening"
releases in September. What can fans expect to hear upon first listen? Has the
sound stayed true to Trauma's
original Thrash roots in your opinion?
KG: I do think that AWAKENING has some elements of the
past in the music. If you like thrash metal with a singer that you can
understand, this may be to your liking.
CV:
What did you find most inspirational while working on the new album? And in
contrast, what did you find most challenging?
KG: Well, the music was written during the 2020-21
pandemic, so there is that. Then Donny Hillier, founding member, vocalist, died.
So it was beyond challenging. Almost didn’t happen.
CV:
So much has changed, not only in music but in the world in general since the
band first formed back in 1981 and released its debut album, "Scratch and Screech," in 1984. How
have you, as an artist, bridged the gap between the two seemingly different
eras to continue to make music?
KG: I played in many other bands. Did a lot of
recording and touring during the time TRAUMA was gone. I never stopped doing
music. I stayed busy all those years. I play different styles of music. Not
just Metal.
CV:
For many of us, the last two years have felt like being in the twilight zone;
and for some it's just a big blur. Looking from the inside out, does Trauma see itself differently as a band
now in 2022 compared to the view from the start of 2020? If so, what has
changed?
KG: Basically, with the addition of vocalist Brian
Allen, Trauma to a certain degree is a new band. As far as things around the
world moving forward out of the COVID years, we aren’t there yet…perhaps we
never will be….
KG: No, not really. If you are asking over a period of time, I would say yes…a lot has changed.
CV:
In addition to the upcoming new album in September and show dates, what more
can fans expect to see coming from Trauma
as 2022 begins to comes to a close?
KG: I guess a few other videos from the new album and
with any luck, some tour dates, I hope. That is what we all want to do is get
out there and start playing live. I’m not one for all the social media
bullshit…. You can only take it so far. I come from a different time…playing
live is my social media.
CV:
Thanks again Kris for taking the
time to share with our readers. We wish you all the best and continued success.
KG: Well. Thank you very much. Best Wishes to you and
everyone as well.
Check out Trauma at:
Facebook:www.facebook.com/TraumaThrash
Instagram:www.instagram.com/traumametal
Twitter:www.twitter.com/trauma_theband
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