In a brand new and recently published interview by Lucem Fero's Welsh interviewer Anthony Morgan, Lizzy Borden's eponymous frontman discusses the group's latest album "Appointment With Death", late guitarist and former bandmate Alex Nelson, Starwood's second album and Lizzy Borden's twenty-fifth anniversary. A few excerpts from the interview follow:
Lucem Fero: First of all, could you give us an introduction to "Appointment With Death"?
"Appointment With Death" is a record about facing a reality; at some point in our lives, the reality is that we will all be having a conversation with the Angel of Death.
You said that death strikes "fear in the living", and infects "us in many different ways". How do you feel death has struck fear into you, and infected you in many different ways, personally at various points in your life?
At the age of fifteen, I was in a motorcycle accident. I could have died at that point, and there have been a few more brushes with death since then. Some of my best friends have died too early; some by their own hands, and some by an accident. If you know someone who's passed on, then that means death was very close to you. Instead of you though, death decided to take your friend. When you know death is in the next room, you may end up walking out still breathing. It just means that you get another day, though it doesn't mean that death won't come to visit you soon. You just never know when.
Looking back, what would you say is the best memory you have of Alex Nelson?
He had a connection to everybody. I'm usually very business like, and don't like to screw around too much when we're working. He felt it was his job to break that down, and try to have more fun. He was the only one that could break down the wall; for some reason, he had that ability with everyone. Even though I always told him he was the most talented musician I've ever worked with in every way, He never really thought he was all that talented. People would ask him who his influences are, and he would say “everything I've ever seen or heard”. I used to love that quote as it was so true of all of us.
How would you describe his style of playing as a musician, and what he bring to Lizzy Borden during the various times he was a band member?
His personality was everything; if you had met Alex, then you would've best friends inside of five minutes. Due to the fact he was a people person, he was the most likable person on the planet. He was the life of the party, and most people always wanted to be around him. As far as music goes, he took a break from playing. Alex put his guitar in the closet for five years, though we coaxed him back in the band. he took his guitar out, and rehearsed with us the next day after not touching it for five years. He played perfectly, and that's a true musician. He was a great singer, and a great keyboardist. He had it all.
Can you talk about the video shoot for 'Tomorrow Never Comes'?
The video shoot was filmed in an abandoned hospital in downtown Los Angeles. It's about a girl trying to escape the mental ward, though there are lots of unanswered questions about this girl. If we continue with the storyline in the next video, then those questions may be answered. Or again, we may leave it to your own imagination. The girl in the video represents one of the characters on the record.
Looking back, how do you view albums such as Love You to Pieces and Master of Disguise? Do you feel they're classic albums, or is that not the case?
In my mind, yes. "Love You to Pieces" was our first production, and our first release upon the world. Again, we recorded the album with almost no money at all. We did all right, I think. "Master of Disguise" was the first record where I learned a lot about myself. Finally, I learned how to sing in the studio. I learned that I could do this on my own without a band, though most people never find that out until it's too late to turn back. I took the chance, and "Master of Disguise" became our biggest selling record.
In 2008, the group will be quarter of a century old. What plans are there to celebrate that? A live concert / DVD? Live tour? A new best of release?
Right now, all of our attention is on the release of "Appointment With Death". We have a lot of great ideas on how we want to celebrate our twenty-fifth anniversary, and at some point soon we will have a meeting. We'll start to work on some of those projects, and we'll then get them out all throughout 2008.
/ my profile 
