MetalDreams.net recently caught up with ex-SILENT RAGE vocalist/guitarist Jesse Damon. The following is a brief excerpt from the interview:

MetalDreams: Silent Rage was signed to Gene Simmons record label Simmons Records for its second record Don’t Touch Me There (1989). This must have been a dream come true for you. How did that all come about and how much was Gene involved in the making of the album?

Damon: "Yes, It was a dream come true for us! Let me start by saying some of us were huge KISS fans, so to be able to seize this opportunity was very big in our minds. Working with a high profiled rock legend such as Gene and learning from his experiences could only help us in my view. When he first contacted us he spoke to EJ. At first, EJ wasn’t sold that he was really speaking to Gene, whom EJ held in high regard as one of his big influences. But after Gene reassured him this really is Gene Simmons and that he was interested in Silent Rage, EJ’s jaw dropped open. He asked several questions and finished by saying 'Let’s have a meeting and talk because I’d like to sign you guys to my new Simmons Record label.' We were all stunned because of our history and musical journey that brought us to that point. There were several times in the past that we’d came close in meeting up with Gene and Paul, and we had acquaintances who had worked for, or knew the band KISS, one of those persons was Hank Schmell. He was KISS' Special Effects Director, in charge of all the Pyrotechnics for the band from 1976 through some of the eighties."

MetalDreams: I understand that as Silent Rage was in the middle of recording its third album with Bob Ezrin when Simmons Records was shut down by RCA/BMG. Was that a shock and was it what brought about the end of Silent Rage?

Damon: "Yes it was a motherfucking big shock, but no, that wasn’t what brought about the end of Silent Rage. You can blame the grunge movement from Seattle on that. The reason why Simmons Records ceased to exist is because of Gene turning his attention and main focus back on KISS once again, and rightly so. It also gave me the opportunity to write songs with Gene for new KISS material.

MetalDreams: Silent Rage resurfaced when England’s Z Records reissued Shattered Hearts and Don’t Touch Me There, and released a new record called Still Alive in 2001. Was working with Mark Alger from Z Records a positive experience?

Damon: "Let me just say Mark Alger’s heart is in the right place, but his ethics and royalty administration are yet to be desired. Nice guy, but not so nice businessman. Just being honest, Mark. Some of it was positive. He did bring Silent Rage over to Europe and Germany, and that was a good experience. It’s very difficult to be an American band conducting business with a record company who’s based in the UK or half way around the world. It’s just simply too far away. There are snags, delays, and missed calls in every business, but amplify that by a thousand."

To read the entire interview go to this location.