ARGH! Hear Ye readers of the fine AMR, feast yer beady eyes on this here interview with the masters of scurvy n thrash, Swashbuckle!

*ahem* Alright, I won’t embarrass myself anymore. Seriously, I got the opportunity to interview Admiral Nobeard, front man and bass player of Swashbuckle, a band that is leading the charge for the new wave of pirate heavy metal (you think it’ll catch on?), and this was probably one of the most entertaining interviews we have done here at All Metal Resource. Touching on subjects such as the first wave of pirate metal with Running Wild, wenches, cool pirate hats, GWAR, and of course, none other than beer! So if you are a chauvinist and a thrasher, please read on!

AMR: First off, thanks for agreeing to do this interview. I’m sure you guys are busy like every other active metal band seems to be these days. My first question to you is, what is it like to be Swashbuckle? A band that has one of the most interesting names in metal today!

AN: To be a part of Swashbuckle is like getting punched in the face with an iron squid on a daily basis. That iron squid being metal, and that face being even more metal. Yar, we have no fuckin’ idea what we be talking about, we love metal, and we love stealing shit. That’s how we roll!

AMR: Some would probably consider Running Wild to be the first metal bandto introduce pirate themes in metal. How big of an influence are they on you as a group?

AN: Indeed Running Wild be the first metal band to be singing about the high seas and the death and glory of riding the storms and such, and they’re a huge influence on us musically as well. We love us some Running Wild.

AMR: You guys remind me of an American version of Tankard, a band who writes kick ass music about beer and really doesn’t give a shit what the world thinks of them. Do you guys think you are finding a place in the American metal scene? Do you care what people think of you?

AN: Yar, thanks for the compliment, Tankard fucking rules. Aye, it be true, we give not a shit about much except stealing shit, drinking, thrashing hard and fast, and listening to some bitchin’ metal tunes. As far as finding our place in the American metal scene, I guess we have, we’re just in it for the metal and the fun, wenches and gold debloons are rather bitchin’ too! If we cared what scallywags thought of us, I’m sure we’d never bother to be playing music. Fuck ‘em if they can’t have some fun.

AMR: What do you think of this latest thrash revival in the States? With such bands as Fueled by Fire, Warbringer, Skeletonwitch amongst others gaining fairly large metal label support, it seems thrash is the latest trend.

AN: I think the bands coming out today playing thrash are fucking awesome. Sure, you’ve probably heard it all before, and what not, but they’re having fun doing it and making some killer fucking tunes. Thrash really never went away, this isn’t really a revival, it’s more like a resurgence and if young bands wanna play blistering fast music and pay homage to the bands that done it before them, then that’s fucking awesome, and we pirates are proud to be a part of it.

AMR: If you could pick three bands to book a tour with, alongside yourselves of course, who would they be?

AN: Yar, this be a tough one, since there’s so many bands we’d love to party and shred along side with. Aye, this be racking the brains, but this would be a piratical tour of epic proportions: Ghoul, Running Wild, Gwar. Figure that tour would turn people’s brains to shit.
AMR: What is your average weekly number buxom wenches right now that have the pleasure of sharing your bed?

AN: The wench quota at shows has been rather surprising as of late, but as far as they bunking down with said pirates, they need to step up on the game. Yar, ladies, get at me. I’m single, lets mingle.

AMR: Before we talk about your first full length album, I must mention one thing that is perhaps greater than any music that has ever been created….the Koozie. In the years that metal has been around, I have never seen a band harness the greatness that is the Koozie! How has Swashbuckle stumbled upon this genius while no one else has? Not to kiss your pirate asses or anything, but I will most definitely be purchasing a Swashbuckle koozie in the near future. Genius….

AN: Ale is meant to be kept cold and tasty, and Koozies just happen to do that! So buy ‘em up and slug down yar brews!

AMR: So, to your album Crewed by the Damned. I have to say, this is a damn entertaining record. You harness everything that is punk/thrash without catching the progressive bug, where all of a sudden your riffs become
overly complicated and pretty soon you are releasing a rehashed Anacrusis album. What has been the general feedback of this album over the last couple of years since its release?

AN: We’ve been receiving rather positive feedback over the album, which is awesome. Lots of comparisons to bands that I’ve grown up on like Exodus, SOD, Testament, Tankard, and the such and I think it’s great. If people can let loose and enjoy themselves in the stupidity of our metal high seas hijnx, then ye certainly can have some rounds of rum with we pirates three.

AMR: Do you have another album in the works, and if so, could you toss us a few hints about it?

AN: Aye indeed we do have another album slated to come out late August/early September 2008 entitled Back to the Noose. It will be released on Bald Freak Music again, and will be faster, heavier, and way more fun than the last record. It has a bit more of a concept than Crew of the Damned which should hopefully hold over those anticipating piratical tomfoolery. It’s gonna be fun, fast and metal, and we’re stoked to put it out. YAR!!!!

AMR: Before I bid you farewell, I must suggest that your next item for distribution be a tri cornered hat with the Swashbuckle logo on it. Can you imagine a moshpit full of those hats? Your marketing potential is limitless. Hehe

AN: We can do a ton of different merch with this band, it’s ridiculous the amount of crazy ideas we come up with. The hats would be rather badass, and an entire pit full of those and possibly foam hooks and swords would make for the ultimate mosh props.
AMR: Alright, that’s all I have for you. Is there anything else you’d like to add for our readers?

AN: Check out or websites at www.swashbuckle.info, www.myspace.com/swashbuckle and www.baldfreak.com. Also, we’d like to give a huge fuck yeah to our fellow pirate in training Bumblefoot. And we’d like to thank you for partaking in piracy and keeping metal awesome! AVAST SCALLYWAGS!! Buy our shit before we steal yours!

Interview by CODY