Interview with No Assembly Required guitarist System

Toronto, Ontario’s Metal Heavyweights are back! No Assembly Required are currently in the studio working on their new album that will be titled “The Great Tribulation.” With all the success of their last CD, I had to speak with System, the band’s guitarist, to find out what we can expect from their new album. He assured me that the new album will break all the records that the last CD set for the band.

Who are you, what band are you in, and what do you do in the band?
System: I am System. I am the guitarist in No Assembly Required.

I understand you guys are working on a new album right now, how will this album be different from the last?
System: Well, our last album was really rushed and was done on a really low budget and we just did a bunch of things wrong. It was a great album for us where we were at that point in time, but in all honesty, that album was released in 2003 and we started recording it in 2002; it’s really outdated for us. Our new CD is a huge breath of fresh air and it shows a new NAR
that we know many people won’t be expecting. But I’m sure many people will be surprised in a positive way.

Where did you guys come up with the name “The Great Tribulation” for the new album?
System: We’ve been a band for 7 years. Anyone who reads up on the meaning of “The Great Tribulation” will get it, if they don’t know about it, I suggest going on google and reading about it. There are many aspects to the album, the music, the lyrics, the name of it, the band, the 7 years we’ve been around, that make this album what it is. We feel “The Great Tribulation” is the name that perfectly describes what we’re about to put out there.

How do you guys plan on promoting this new album? Will there be any labels backing you? and what can we expect in the way of touring?
System: We have had some label interest with the new album, which is great considering we’re not even done it at this point, but we think we found a label that already seems like home, so we’re most likely gonna release the album on that label, you’ll have to check our web page for details on that though over the coming weeks. We are also planning on touring across Canada, and all over the USA for sure… we’re hoping to be able to go to Europe, but we’ll have to wait and see how that goes.

I heard some rumors of possibly Ill Nino and NAR doing a mini Canadian tour, are these rumors true?
System: It’s possible, nothing is set in stone, but it’s been talked about. I would very much love to show the guys in Ill Nino around Canada. They’re good guys… it would be a very fun tour.

You guys have played with some pretty major bands, which band was your favorite to play with?
System: Well, playing with Machine Head was awesome. It was in our home town and I’ve loved Machine Head since they first came out. They’ve been one of my top favorite bands since then so that was unreal. Playing with Damageplan right after they came off their tour with Slayer was also really cool, meeting the band and getting to talk to Dimebag who was a big idol of mine, that was a very cool show also, it was in our home town too, and it was sold out, so it was lots of fun.

When can we expect the album in stores?
System: We’re pushing to have it out April 2006.

I hear you’ve got Shane from Silverstein appearing on your record, what song is he going to be on and how did that come about?
System: Well, me and Shane have known each other since we were 12 years old or something like that, and I really like his band Silverstein. So in June 2004 we released a demo song called “Pictures of You” which was a really mellow song, that we were not to sure of. We put it up online, and got a huge positive response to the song. The positive feedback made us consider putting it on the new album. So, then one day I gave Shane a copy of the song, he checked it out and liked it, so I just asked him to come do guest vocals, we thought it would be cool because both our bands are so different, it was a cool twist to things, and it turned out awesome. He came in the studio to do his part mid September 2005. It will be on the new album.

What is your prediction for the first video off the new album?
System: A song called “A Day in February.”

Your video for “Shove” off your last CD had a lot of success. Do you think the new video will live up to that?
System: I think it will be much more successful then “Shove” was. “Shove” did great! Especially since we had a budget of $0 for that video, it made it onto every major video music station world wide. I’m positive the new videos will do the same. We plan on releasing at least 3 videos off this new album, possibly 4… some might not make TV, but we’ll release them online, a lot of stations won’t play really heavy stuff, but we’ll still keep shit online for the fans to check out… as well as on a DVD when we release it….

Can you run down your set up and let other guitar players know what you’re using?
System: I play ESP Guitars, going into a 5150 II, which goes into a mesa road king 4×12 cab, with a 3/4 back. And my strings go from .060 to .014.

You’re a man with a lot of projects, what can we expect from you personally in 2006?
System: Well, after the release of “The Great Tribulation” I might release to the public a solo project of mine I’ve been working on, and I recently opened up a recording studio, so I’ve been recording and producing bands, I can also see us starting to record a new album by the end of the year also, we’re already writing even more material, so I’ll be busy for a long time.

Any last words?
System: “The Great Tribulation” look out for it, pick it up when it comes out. [END]

* Note: Be sure to check out NAR’s site (www.narmusic.com) for updates of the band in the studio working on their new album!