Oppressor was a death metal band from Illinois. I got an old pen pal and founding member of the band Tim King of the band to agree to answer some questions for me about the band he formed in the early 90’s so here we go down a trip to memory lane:
Technical Death Metal Innovators: Tim King on the Legacy and Comeback of Oppressor
Hooked on Death Metal: The Origin Story
How did you get into the underground? Did you like the music right away?
TK: I was playing in a metal band in Chicago, and a drummer came to see us. He liked the fact that I was playing a white BC Rich Warlock bass, and we started talking. He told me about a new style of music called death metal and that he wanted to form a band like that, and invited me over to his house. So I came over and he introduced me to Death, Obituary, Napalm Death, and Deicide. I was hooked.
Nikki Sixx, Technical Style, and Finding the Bass
So what led you to pick up the bass? Who are some of your favourite bass players? How good a bass player do you think you were/are?
TK: I played the viola before the Bass. I had always loved the low end of the bass and wanted to play it. My hero at the time was Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, and I loved his look and attitude. So he got me into the bass. But for technical style players, I loved John Patitucci from the Chick Corea electric band, David Ellefson, Duff McKagan, and Alex Webster. I can hold my own on bass. I’m not amazing, but I can give a lot of dudes a run for their money!
Forming the Classic Oppressor Lineup
So how did the coming of Oppressor come together?
TK: We started it in 1991. And Adam and a guy named Rick, we needed a drummer, and I asked my high school friend Tom to jam. Rick didn’t like the direction we were going in and thought we were too heavy, so he left. Then we brought in Jim, and that became the classic Oppressor lineup. I just decided one day that I would sing, and then we had a singer,…lol.
How did you come up with the name and logo of the band?
TK: Tom came up with a bunch of names. One was a silent oppressor. We said, “Drop the silent and we have our band name”. Our buddy Brad drew the logo. The pointed one on the 2 demos and the Solstice of Oppression
How early on was it decided you were gonna sing? Who are some of your favourite singers? How good a singer do you think you were/are?
TK: I just said “I’m singing”, and that was that. I was influenced heavily by John Tardy of Obituary, Barney of Napalm Death and David Vincent of Morbid Angel. Along with the vocal topics and patterns of bands like My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost that were emerging from the UK at the time.
Debut Demos and Early Success
Now, how soon after you got a solid line-up together did you start working on your 1991 demo called “World Abomination”?
TK: Right away.
When it was released, I know you knew all about zines, tape trading, etc. What were the reviews like for your debut release?
TK: They were great. It was when death metal was just getting popular, so we got a lot of attention back then.
Did you get the demo pro done, or was it the tape-to-tape cassette deck way?
TK: Yes. We recorded it in a real studio and with real studio equipment.
Debut Demos and Early Success
As soon did you started to work on your 2nd demo, which was called “As Blood Flows”, Why did you record so many tunes for it as demos back then usually had 4 or 5 tunes tops?
TK: It was 6 songs, 2 intros. We wanted to do an EP.
I imagine the response to this demo was as good, if not better than your debut demo, am I right?
TK: YES. It was heavier, more technical, and of better production. We had really come into our own as a band by then.
Navigating Labels and Touring Europe
What do you remember about the 1st live show you played? Was it just local bands or a national band?
TK: It was opening for Nuclear Assault at a place called the Iron Rail in Chicago, IL. I was so nervous that my legs were shaking. I had never sung in front of an audience before.
Now, after your 2nd demo came out, was the plan to send this to record labels in the hopes of getting a deal? Which labels did you send the demo out to?
TK: We had a record deal on our first demo, “World Abomination”, with Grind Core Records, but the A&R guy got fired as we were negotiating, and the deal fell apart. Then we made “As Blood Flows” and had 2 record deals on the table. One from a label called JL AMERICA and one by RED LIGHT RECORDS. We felt more confident with Red Light and went with them.
Did you have management at all, or did you handle everything on your own as a band?
TK: We did it on our own until we got signed. Then we hired Dustin Hardman as our manager from Tampa, FL, who also managed the band Brutality.
Now I know you ended up signing with Red Light Records. Was the fact that the label was also based in the same state as you were based out of a factor in signing with them?
TK: It helped make our decision between them and JL America.
Overall, how was it working with them? In retrospect, do you guys regret signing with them, as maybe a different label would have been better? Did they give you a budget to record your debut album, “Solstice of Oppression”?
TK: They were a great label, and John Fichera and Nick Senave were very good to us. We had an awesome publicist named Jill Castellano there as well. They paid for everything and did a lot to get our careers started. Oppressor wouldn’t be where we are with them.
Maintaining Morale Through Label Changes
In 1995, you put a release out on Megalithic Records, which contained some live tunes, a Motley Crue cover (Looks That Kill), and it looks like your 2nd demo, “As Blood Flows”. Now, I did not see any releases on Red Light Records past 1994. Does that mean they went out of business, and you hooked up with a new label who were based in WI?
TK: They went out of business, and Megalithic was just a bridge to the next real studio recording to keep the band active and the name out there.
How did this release do for you at the time? Did you do any type of US tours on your debut record or your 2nd release?
TK: On “Solstice of Oppression”, we did a ton of one-off shows, a Canadian tour with Gorguts, and a full European tour that featured Cradle of Filth, Malevolent Creation, Oppressor, Vader, and Ancient Rites.
It didn’t take long for you guys to put out a 3rd release (not counting the 2 demos), as in 1996, you hooked up with Die Hard Records, released “Agony”. How was the morale of the band as this was the 3rd label you were working with?
TK: We signed with Olympic Records, who were through Century Media in North America and Diehard for the rest of the world. It was a great time for the band because we had proper labels in each territory.
Now, since the label was overseas, did you get a chance to play overseas at all?
TK: We did a European tour with Sinister for the AGONY album and a bunch of USA tours. First was Cannibal Corpse, Brutal Truth, Immolation, Oppressor, and the second was with Malevolent Creation.
Do you think by this release the band had found the “Oppressor” sound, so to speak?
TK: We were on top of our game.
Elements of Corrosion and The Death Across America Tour
You also had a 2-song 7″ (Funeral Mask Records) released in 1996, and 2 songs on an M.I.A. split with 4 other bands in 1996. Were these 4 tunes written for each release, or were they leftover tunes from the “Agony” release?
TK: There was only a 7” release of the demos “Valley of Thorns” and “I am Darkness”.
Apparently, you were on a M.I.A. comp CD with 2 songs, probably without your knowledge: (Chris)
https://www.discogs.com/release/13975057-Various-The-Wedge-Volume-One
You were back in 1998, working with a new label called Olympic Recordings, which I remember released “Elements of Corrosion”. How did the process of getting signed to this label and how about how the songs came together?
TK: We do have a very complex past, but the timeline you are working with is off a great deal. Our 3rd album was still with Olympic, who did the 2nd album as well. The 2nd and 3rd albums were on the same labels.
(Well then, this is totally wrong, as this is where I am getting my info from)
How were the reviews for this and sales? Did you manage many live shows?
TK: The reviews were great, and we toured a lot. Most notably, the tour I put together on my own called the DEATH ACROSS AMERICA TOUR, which was Gorguts, Oppressor, Cryptopsy, and Nile. (I remember this-chris)
How soon after your last release did the band break up? Was it a nasty break-up, or just that you guys all felt it was time, and you parted ways?
TK: All was cool. It was a year after the release of ELEMENTS OF CORROSION. The band had run its course at that point.
Did you ever do a final show, and if you did what was it like what was it like walking off the stage for the final time as Oppressor?
The last show in 1998 was in Minnesota. We just reunited for a reunion show in 2024 at Maryland Deathfest, which was an epic comeback. So now the band breaks up, you have been in Soil for years by now. Did many people over the years recognise you as being a member of Oppressor?
TK: Yeah. We never lost our death metal roots. In fact, it was crazy to see other death metal artists trying to follow what we had started and get into rock.
Now, in 2009, MVD Audio out of Paoli, PA, released a CD/DVD of you guys, with the DVD featuring live footage, interviews and photos. The Motley Crue cover is on the CD along with Ozzy Osbourne’s cover of “Over the Mountain”. What exactly is on the CD besides the 2 covers?
TK: It’s a GREATEST HITS album remastered by James Murphy
Earlier this year (2024), Hammerheart Records released on vinyl your 2 demos, limited to 300 copies. Would you possibly like to see a US record label release your demos on CD and not just vinyl?
TK: They released the ENTIRE catalogue. Remastered and filled with bonus tracks. In fact, SOLSTICE OF OPPRESSION is already sold out. All the reissues are available in the USA by Napalm Records. Look at the Oppressor Facebook for more info.
Looking back, what don’t you think made it bigger?
TK: We were too ahead of our time. Now Oppressor is bigger than we were back in the 90s. People finally caught up with what we were doing.
What would you like the band to be remembered by?
TK: INNOVATORS OF TECHNICAL DEATH METAL
Now you kept the same line-up throughout the band’s career. Why do you think that was when almost every band had line-up changes?
TK: We just did what we did, and we all stayed on board and dug in for the long haul.
Is there an Oppressor website, Facebook page or even any merchandise around for sale?
TK: Yes (Below are the links-chris)
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/OppressorOfficial
Hammerheart link to the re-issues: https://oppressor.lnk.to/re-issues
USA link for orders on Napalm Records for the reissues: https://www.napalmrecordsamerica.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=oppressor&fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR0IRHc4r5N2ePx95qIgrFrla_G-vS5FIZWUKP3QP89wGhe1Nhqkrk8fpTU_aem_L_6sVe2Bmp_ZlMldzrJS_w
Oppressor Bandcamp link: oppressordeathmetal.bandcamp.com/
Now I know you are in the band Soil these days, so please tell everyone what they are up to these days?
TK: Look at our Facebook or website. We have tons of stuff going on.
(Soil links-chris)
Band website: https://www.soiltheband.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/SOiLmusic
I know you also work over at Pavement Music these days. What exactly do you do there, and how did you end up working for the label? How long have you been there for?
TK: It’s called Pavement Entertainment, not music. I co-own the label with my partner Mark Nawara. We’ve been together for 12 years now.
(Pavement label link below -Chris) https://www.pavementmusic.com/
Tim, mega thanks from the bottom of my heart for taking the time to answer my questions, as we were pen pals back in your Oppressor demo days. Best of luck with all you do going forward. Any last words? The floor is yours.
TK: Cheers. Thanks to the fans for keeping Oppressor alive for over 30 years.
