Hi Pete, how are you? It's been almost two years since your previous album AnAkA "Rust & Jade". Have you already started to work for the next one?

WOW lol has it really been that long. It's funny how it works, you spend so much time focusing on getting the music to the people, the gigs, the radio promotion, the radio interviews, writing new stuff, and before you know it two years just fly by. It's been a great two years to say the least, the AnAkA Nation has been growing and growing, and each day we hear from brand new AnAkA friends who are digging our music.

As for the new stuff it's really coming along. We have a ton of new music, and we have even started playing a lot of it live. You wanna hear it? Come check out a show! There is always something new going on, we are always working on a new song, and we can't wait to record this stuff.

In fact we were all set on walking back into the studio at the end of this year to record the follow up to Rust t& Jade, but we were voted into Bodog Entertainments "Bodog Battle of the Bands" and that has pushed back the recording of the next AnAkA album. On August 1st we won 1st place in the 1'st round of the Bodog Battle of the Bands and things are looking promising to say the least. It was a great show and we are really psyched about this battle. Basically there are four rounds and each round brings you closer to winning the grand prize which is a million dollars and a record deal. We are feeling really good about this thing and we have all the confidence, miles travelled, and band unity, we need to make some big waves in these battles. It's also going to be turned into a TV show so we really have nothing to lose, its great exposure any way you look at it.

A lot of people said that the third album for every band is really important, this is the step that help you go further in the music business, or to stop, do you agree with that?

Humm… I don't know that I ever really though of it in those terms. To us they are all important, and the next one is just the next step on the road to what we believe is there for us at the end of the tunnel. I think that too often people try to find way to define success and how to get it. I don't see it as well if the third one doesn't make us a household name then we might as well stop. That's just silly. AnAkA to us is just life. Being a band that isn't signed to a major label and having the success we have had has been a great life lesson for anyone who wants to listen.

I mean we have literally done this all by ourselves, for ourselves. We have radio play all over the US and in Europe. I mean radio stations like 89.5 FM WSOU, have really helped us get our music to the people. They really believe in us as do a number of other radio stations around the world. They have this awesome featured which airs every Tuesday night at 11:00pm called "Absolute AnAkA" were they double show two AnAkA songs every week, and just last week they aired our entire live set of our last show at the Continental from August the 26th 2006. How often does that happen, a band getting an entire live performance of radio? Manny the Greek, Emohead, and Malibu Kelly over at WSOU are great people and we can't thank them enough.

Aside from all the great radio play, we have sold thousand of albums and we have developed a great following of people who love our music and we have made some great new friends along the way. Make sure to check out www.myspace.com/anaka if you want to check out the growing number of AnAkA heads! The emails there have been great and our friends list is almost at 40,000! Keep'em coming guys we really appreciate all the support.

As for the label stuff we got a lot of major record label interest from our last record "Rust & Jade" and there seems to be so much going on right now as far as the future of AnAkA is concerned. I am always reaching and trying to learn more about the music business. I remember reading an interview with Jason Jordan the Vice President of A&R over the Hollywood Records that made quit an impression on me.

He said "You only go to a record company or get signed to a record company when it's totally necessary to take that step because, to be quite honest, you could have a successful career without having a record deal, by doing it yourself. And there have been plenty of artists who have proven that fact. It's a harder road to go, but I can tell you it's probably more satisfying in the end."

He hits the nail right on the head there. I mean in the end what is true success measured by anyway? Sure we are out to sign with a major label but it's not the be all, or end all. It's about the love for the music, in the end that's all we really care about. That's what keeps us honest.

In the past two years, there were also some changes in the line up of AnAkA, now you have another guitar player. Why did you make the decision to add another guitarist?

Actually Kirill is no longer a member of AnAkA. It just seemed that Kirill had other ideas about what his place was in the band and that's ok. I mean before we let him in, we had a long chat about what his role was going to be in the band, and how all he needed to do was play hard and work hard on all band related issues, and be a team player, and understand that AnAkA was AnAkA way before he came into the equation. I think he agreed with a whole bunch of ideas at the beginning just because he really wanted to get into AnAkA so badly, I guess I can understand that. AnAkA was already more then established when he came in. We asked him to fill the spot, pay it justice, and deliver on all counts, from stage performance, to fitting in with the band to, learning each song perfectly, and to live up to what AnAkA is all about. I guess that just didn't happen in the end. There were digger issues that forced us to fire Kirill and those issues made our decision even easier to make, but that's not something I want to go into.

Kirill told me he tried, and to him that was enough, and I can understand that, but with us you don't just try, you do! I guess we were all just different people. At times I though we might be a bit too driven, dedicated and focussed for him, at the end I mentioned it to him and he didn't deny it, in fact he said I was right. We had different goals all along, we were dedicated to the success of AnAkA and he lacked that hunger and drive.

We wish Kirill the best of luck; we had some good times begun on that stage as one force. Today that force is stronger then ever because it has returned to its truest form. There are no more distractions, and that's not a knock against Kirill, but when people who are supposed to be working together have different goals, it just creates chaos. We as a band besided long ago to start looking elsewhere, yet we kept giving Kirill his chance at redemption along the way. Why? Because we really liked the guy as a person. But redemption never came and after our last show together after a late band meeting during a dinner that ironically Kirill was asked to attend but failed to, it was all finalized. Kirill called us the next morning not knowing what had transpired the night before, and when it was all said and done Kirill was no longer in AnAkA.

As for the open second guitarist slot, we are now holding auditions. It's kinda weird because AnAkA for the most part, was really a four piece band. We recorded "Down Devil's Road" and "Rust & Jade" as a four piece. Pete, Jimmy, Karl, and Tony are pretty much what AnAkA has always been before Kirill and in truth, that's the real AnAkA. It felt pretty good returning to that. The core of this band has always been the four of us. Do we want another guitar player to join? Sure, that would be great but this time around it has to be right, it has to be perfect. It's not something we need, it's something we would like, but only if it's right. The four of us are the bones, muscles, heart, and soul of AnAkA

Tell us a little bit about how the new album will sound? Will we get the same type of "AnAkA tunes" or have you made a step forward with your compositions?

There always going to be AnAkA tunes, just newer AnAkA tunes with fresh inspirations and musical out looks behind them. We are always looking to take a step forward. The next album is going to be killer. It will still have the heartfelt yet sledge hammer feel that the AnAkA boys have always delivered. We are always learning, and finding new ways to express our music. If you look at the work we did on Rust & Jade, stylistically we went so many different directions, and so many different places in writing those songs, and yet the songs all really seemed to belong on the same album. We have a talent for that. There is no singular formula for making an AnAkA song. We have a bunch of formulas and that allows us to go to so many different places on a record. It's hard for a band to just develop that, for us it's just a natural ability, an ability we feel compelled to revel in.

A few years ago, when you started AnAkA, did you believe that you would have this type of success?

I knew that if we worked hard enough we could get our music noticed. There is no big secret to this, no easy way out, no hidden way to go. You put the work in, you work your ass off, period. You save the excuses and the denial for those who would rather sit back and merely talk a good game. You play, you practice, and you promote religiously. Too often people want success to just fall out of the sky, fall on their face and wiggle. Then when that doesn't happen, they just start pointing figures, and blaming others. They grow bitter and envious, and eventually end up wasting their god given potential drowning in a pool of their own filth. To us it's always been about putting the work in, learning how to put on a better show, even watching the tapes of our live performances, and saying «cool, wow playing the guitar over my head really got a rise out of the crowd, I gotta do that again next time. It's about understanding the performance that needs to be given, and dealing it out each and every time you step up on that stage. NO EXCUSES. Do that and at the end of the day you feel the reward, you feel the success.

So far, you have released two albums on your own. Do you think that this is the best time to sign with a record label?

Yes this would be as good a time as any. As I said earlier, we are really looking forward to the next round of the Bodog Entertainment Battle of the Bands. They seemed very artist oriented and we can't wait to hit the stage for them again for the second round. We believe in ourselves we feel that we have a great chance, and we know we have to stay focused on the task at hand.

The label thing will work itself out in due time. I mean in the last couple of years it came really close to happen more then just a few times. It just has to be right. We have heard all the horror stories about bands getting worked over by record companies. My take on that is; Weren't you there? Weren't you watching? Didn't you have your own best interests in mind? I think that when it's right it will happen. We have never been afraid going down that road when it has come to fruition in the past. The major label interest has been there for quit some time now and we have always looked forward to finding out where we can go next, and even listening to advice. You just deal with it, you have the conversations and you take it for what it is. If it doesn't work out, we can live with that. If it does, well then that's great. I believe all things happen for a reason if it in the cards for us, great we look forward to the challenge, if not, well we are already doing what we love doing anyway. We've met some jerks, but we have also met some really stand up people in this business, and we don't look at that kind of stuff in a negative light.

Have you ever thought to have some guests in your newest work?

Humm… not really, other than out producer Jerry Farley who might pitch in with some piano ideas or what not. He did some of that on "Rust & Jade" and it came out awesome. He really understands music and we where glad to have him play those parts. Other then that the AnAkA boys can play their instruments just fine. We don't need any added help when it comes to playing.

What the plan? When we will have your new album hit stores?

Not sure right now, sometime after we record it lol. No we really have to see what's going to happen with the Bodog thing right now. It doesn't make much sense to start working on an album in the middle of this compotation.

You're American born but you come from Greek descent, is it a dream of yours to come Here to Greece and play someday?

Yes it is. My brother Jimmy and I are of Greek descent. We been there a number of times although not since AnAkA formed. There has always been way to much work to do, it been difficult to get away. We have family there, it's a beautiful place, and I think about going back often.

Jimmy, Tony, and Karl, and I use to talk about it from time to time. Now as the band's success grows, and grows it looks like it's something that can happen one day. That's the great thing about life; you never know what's around the corner.

Thank you very much for your time Pete and we will talk soon.

Yes we will my friend. Antonis on behave of myself and the rest of the AnAkA boys, I would just like to say thank you for all that you have done for AnAkA. Don't think that we have forgotten the fact that you were the 1st radio DJ to ever give us air play on your radio show "The Metal Heart" back in 2002 on Crete FM. Thank you my man, it is much appreciated. It was a pleasure doing this interview. Til next time... Stay Wild Alwayz, Peter Pallis of AnAkA.