Mattias: Now when Bruce is back in Iron Maiden again will you continue to do the more traditional kind of metal the you have been doing on Accident of Birth and Chemical Wedding?
Roy Z: I would like to do an extension of Chemical Wedding, a next phase.

Mattias: In what way do you mean extension?
Roy Z: Just continue on that thought. To go back to Accident of birth wouldn't fit in any more. He is covering a lot of that area in Iron Maiden. Like to do stuff that he gets off on and that I get off on. It might get spacier. But also some parts might get heavier, I might use some of the lower guitar sound. Not play it safe but give the people what they want and not go too far outside.

Mattias: When we meet Bruce in August we talked a bit about this and he said that he have been having some ideas of trying some more progressive things. He is a bit of fan of progressive bands from the seventies, band like Van der Graaf generator and that kind of stuff. But he also said that you were kind of reluctant to that.
Roy Z: I like some of the progressive bands myself. The thing is to really make that happen and make it right you have to put that kind of band together. I grew up with band like Yes, Mahavishnu Orchestra and Deep Purple. I like that stuff. Basically if Bruce would tell me he wants to do that I would do that for him. But when we get together we go for the melodies. I don't know, I really like doing what we were doing on Chemical Wedding I think making another record, not like it but an extension from there. That is the first step the next step is something else. That to me is happening. Progressive stuff is cool and if we did some songs like that I'd be totally into it.

Mattias: How do you write with Bruce? Do you have a finished song that he just puts the melodies and the lyrics to. Or do you present a riff? How does it work?
Roy Z: There is no set way. Some times I have a song sometimes I have a riff.

Mattias: Give me an example. Name a song that you had more or less finished and that he just put down the words to and some other song that you built up together.
Roy Z: Let me think... Accident of Birth. All that he did was to come up with the melodies and the words and then it was done. A song like Chemical Wedding we worked on. The album was pretty much already written but Bruce felt he didn't have any key song. So he came over and we put that one together in one afternoon. I had different parts and we moved them around. Sometimes Bruce just picks up a guitar and he have an idea and we go on from there. There is never a set way it works.

Mattias: When it comes to the arrangements and the orchestrations of things do you work together with Bruce or is it more or less you stepping in to your role as an producer and try to work things out for the recording?.
Roy Z: Most of the time I am in working the band or I'm in working the ideas, to death. Until it works. I just keep on trying different things. There is pretty much standard arrangements you could try and I am always trying weird ones. Hopefully one day a nice weird one will work but most of the time they don't.

Mattias: But you are trying.
Roy Z: I am trying to come up with different arrangements but its not easy to come up with off the wall arrangements. Especially in metal. Because its pretty clear how things should go. As far as orchestration and stuff there is not a whole lot in this. On an album like chemical wedding I would sit with it in the studio and work on one song for three days. Just coming up with parts. Different guitar or keyboard or sound effects, whatever. And try out different things. Its like a big puzzle and you got to figure it out. Sometimes someone will hear something in their head "Hey what about if we had this in there?" Sometimes Bruce or even Adrian would come up with an idea "What a about a part like this?" Or Dave goes "Let me try this on this with the drums." So we all talk and work together on different things.

Mattias: So you wouldn't call yourself a very "bossy" producer that says "This is the way it should be", you consider yourself being a more "listening" producer?
Roy Z: I have different sides. I do work on what you call robotics and sometimes I like to hear what everybody thinks and work on it. I collaborate a lot with other people. I have learned over the years that there is no set ways to do it. The best way to do it is not to worry about it and just make it happen. I don't really think about it, I just do it.

Mattias: So Bruce more or less leaves you to do the actual producing work in the studio and then he just comes in a evaluates with you or is he present in the studio all the time.
Roy Z: In the beginning Bruce was there for everything but over the years I think he trusts me more. But most of the time Bruce is there. I remember when we were doing "Accident of birth he said; "I don't like the drum sound lets change the drum sound." He has been more hands on in the past. But lately I thinks he has more trust cause we have done enough things together were he just says "Go ahead and do it and I just come over and do my vocals".

Mattias: And you feel more confident in your role as a producer as you have worked with him for quite some time?
Roy Z: The thing is even though I produced Accident of Birth don't forget that we did an album together and I had known Bruce for a while now. So I am really comfortable around him, I can be myself you know.

Mattias: What is the biggest difference when you are working with, say, Rob Halford compared to working with Bruce?
Roy Z: There is not that big difference to be honest with you. Because what have helped me working with Rob was working with Bruce. Its real similar. The feeling is the same. Ok, you get over the fact that you are working with a legend and now you gonna make it happen. I think that's why Rob liked me cause I felt comfortable around him and always trying to figure out what he wants to do.

Mattias: Do you feel any kind of pressure? As you said yourself you are working with legends so do you feel pressure from the fans or the industry that you have to come up with classic metal that everybody wants or do you feel free to try different ideas with these musicians?
Roy Z: I don't feel any pressure per se. But I always feel my own pressure to do the best job that I could possibly do. But I also think as a fan, what a fan would like to hear. So I approach it as a fan. You yourself is a fan and I think if you were in the studio with Bruce you would say "Oh no, lets try it this way!" So I approach it as a fan. It's that simple.

Mattias: Do you have any role models, any producers that you, kind of, look up to?
Roy Z: There is a few guys that I like to look into and see what they are doing. But to start from the beginning I like the work of Martin Birch. I think its amazing. And after that I would say Terry Date. I think his work is amazing. I got into people like Bob Ezrin that made Pink Floyd's "The Wall". Alan Parson. I like the mixing of Andy Wallace. I am good friend with a guy called Ritchie Poddler that did Steppenwolf and bands like that. But my favourite producers are guys that always can bring it together and didn't really have a sound. Do you know what I mean?

Mattias: I think I do. Like Martin Birch. Iron Maiden does not sound like Black Sabbath or Rainbow.
Roy Z: Yeah, Terry Date can do everything from old metal to new Metal. I mean Soundgarden does not sound like Deftones. I think guys like that are happening, the more old school kind of producers. I think the new guys are more of glorified engineers.

Mattias: I think you are right.
Roy Z: Now everybody is trying to fix things on the ProTools trying to make it perfect. To me making it not as perfect is a lot better for the fans and for the listeners.

Mattias: How do you compare Balls to Picasso to the other records that you have done with Bruce?
Roy Z: Balls to Picasso is a different album cause Bruce didn't want to sound like Maiden. He didn't want to have anything to do with that. I tried to sneak things in. (Laughter) But I think it's a great album. The stand out tracks are Cyclops and Tears of the Dragon. There are other parts that are really cool. I think no one really knew what we were doing on that. Except for those songs. I think the other songs we knew what we were doing. We weren't guessing. So Balls to Picasso was lot of guessing. From all our parts we were like "What are we gonna do?"

Mattias: There was never the option of making a Balls to Picasso part II or making more traditional metal when you started working on Accident of Birth?
Roy Z: Like I said I had four or five songs that were in one direction, they were in that Accident of Birth sound. I sent them to Bruce and he said "Yeah. That's it."

Mattias: So working more in the direction of Balls to Picasso is not an option any more?
Roy Z: I don't know if it's an option. We didn't know what we were doing then to be honest with you. I don't know if we can do it again. Cause we just had no idea of what was happening.

Mattias: Well I think its an amazing album.
Roy Z: Thank you. I haven't heard it in years.

Mattias: I think you should listen to it.
Roy Z: I will check it out.

Mattias: I read an interview with Bruce were he stated that you and him had been talking about re-producing Balls to Picasso. Working with the guitar and trying to get a better drum sound for the album.
Roy Z: Well, my thing is that I never liked the sound of the album. I think the producer was kind of whacked out. (laughter)

Mattias: In what way?
Roy Z: We were all having too much fun. (laughter)

Mattias: That can never be good in the studio can it?
Roy Z: We were all in England working. My whole band was there. Everybody was crazy. We were all working hard but you had the occasional joint or too many beers or what ever it was it was you were doing. I think we all were there just going for it. Not knowing what was happening. I don't like the sound of the guitar. The drums are ok but even those are a real thin. I'm always telling Bruce "man please let me remix Tears of the dragon, please!" Cause I want to hear the lead solo. Its hard to hear the lead solo for me. The drums are real thin and the picking guitar in the beginning is to squeaky.

Mattias: I think I enjoy it actually. It sounds very natural. I like the natural a bit raw sound. Not that it should sound like a rehearsal room or any thing but the mixing could have been better.
Roy Z: I mean the sound could have been more direct on the drums. It has like a garage/room sound. I prefer either no room sound or control that a little bit. I wouldn't have like thick reverbs or things like that. I would just make it a little bit more focused.

Mattias: You prefer the more "dry" sound of Chemical Wedding for example?
Roy Z: Yeah I like that kind of sound more. I do like big natural wet sounds. I like those too. I like using reverbs on some things when its appropriate. But I like hearing every little note. When you have that big drum sound you don't get to hear that.

Mattias: What's happening in the future for you and Bruce? You are trying to make an new Bruce Dickinson solo album for next year?
Roy Z: Yeah. Right now I'm in the middle of doing Rob Halford's new album.

Mattias: What are you doing at the moment?
Roy Z: Guitar solos. So all day I'm hearing (doing a dwidelidwidely sound). (Laughter)

Mattias: It doesn't sound too thrilling. (both laughing)
Roy Z: Actually this album is pretty cool cause its different from the last album. Different in a good way.

Mattias: Different in what way?
Roy Z: It's a step up. Its not the same. An example I could give you is "Accident of Birth" to "Chemical Wedding". It does not sound like Chemical Wedding but it's a progression. I like it very much. I start vocals in about a week. And hopefully I'll be done by February so I get to work with Bruce in March.

Mattias: That's the schedule for you. So you are not producing the next Iron Maiden album?
Roy Z: Not that I know of. Doesn't mean I don't want to.

Mattias: If you got the chance to produce it what would you be focusing on? That you feel have been lacking on the latest albums?
Roy Z: Well without saying anything I think the songs are too long. The arrangements needs to be looked at. They try to have too many epics on one album, every song has to be like a grandiose movie. I think its more effective if you have maybe two on the album instead of maybe six. I did like parts of the last album but I like early Maiden. I like two or three albums with Bruce and the first two are incredible. I like more of the punkier stuff. Its heavy but it has got speed, it's fast and the songs are short.

Mattias: When I grew up I always liked the long songs like Rime of the Ancient Mariner, To tame a land or Hallowed be thy name. But when they started to make albums that were more or less all in that vein I felt that something was not right. Songs were not epics but just too long, too repetitive.
Roy Z: If I got to work with Maiden I wouldn't change anything, except I would just look at the arrangements and try out different sounds for the guitars. I wouldn't change the drum sound or the bass sound I wouldn't change Bruce but I would update the guitar sound. I would have used those three guitars. I would have turned them into an orchestra.

Mattias: I was kind of disappointed when I heard Brave new World cause I felt that they didn't actually use the third guitar when it came to texture and working out interesting arrangements. They just used Adrian's guitar to make the sound heavier and put it below the others.
Roy Z: Yeah, if you take a three guitar band like for example Radiohead everybody got a different sound and they are all doing all different counterpoints, they are doing different things and I would have done that within the Maiden sound. I would have really worked the guys. And have said " No lets work on make this guitar special" So if I ever get the opportunity that's what I would do.

Mattias: I vote for you! If you had to choose between guitar playing, song writing and producing what would you use. Where do you get your biggest creative output?
Roy Z: I'd say song writing. I love it. I could give up producing. I could give up even playing guitar which is sad to even think about. But I don't ever think I could give up writing songs. I mean, I write songs that none ever hears that I just write here at home.

Mattias: Are you working on any solo album or new Tribe of Gypsies album?
Roy Z: Yeah, I just did eight songs for Tribe of Gypsies and I'm hoping to do another eight or so and put together an album for next year. That's what I am doing, I'm just writing songs for that. So we will pick the best twelve for an album.

Mattias: What is the direction?
Roy Z: Just what ever it is. I don't know. Some people say Santana. Some say Pink Floyd. Some say they hear Allman Brothers. I don't know.

Mattias: That's interesting. You have mentioned Pink Floyd twice now in the interview. Cause I hear Pink Floyd, David Gilmour-ish things in your playing. Like in Omega.
Roy Z: Yeah dude! I love Pink Floyd. I think they are one of my top three bands. With Beatles and Led Zeppelin after that. Floyd is awesome.

Mattias: I thought I could hear a bit of David Gilmour in your guitar work.
Roy Z: I wish I could play like him. I mean the guy is unbelievable.

Mattias: I think you have a very good tone when you play, which reminds me of one of my favourite guitar players Michael Schenker.
Roy Z: Oh yeah! I grew up with Schenker and Uli Jon Roth. These are my guys. I really like them. Adrian really likes Schenker I know that. When we are working together "Schenker! Oh yeah man!" Adrian is an amazing guitarist.

Mattias: I was kind of upset really when I heard the latest Maiden album cause most of the solos are Janick's. They say he is a more natural lead player, that might be so but I don't think he is the best.
Roy Z: Adrian writes some incredible lead lines.

Mattias: He puts the solos down as they were little songs so you can remember them. That is also the case with many of your solos.
Roy Z: That's cool. My role when I was playing with Bruce was more the young speed gun guy and Adrian was more the phrasing guy. He threw in some licks too. He was picking up licks left and right. I don't know if Adrian is gonna work with us any more so maybe I'm gonna get to a bit more just big leads not to flashy. Cause we were trying to balance it. Its boring if everyone is doing the same thing. It gets boring. I hope Adrian one day does a solo album with instrumentals or whatever and gets to show people cause he is amazing. Great feel. You can't figure out his timing, but its so good. I feels so good.

Mattias: Would you like to have Adrian working with you on the next Bruce album?
Roy Z: Yeah!! I really enjoyed, especially towards the end I really got along with Adrian. If he comes in on a few songs or for the entire album like in the old days I would be totally up for it. I'm not that lead kind of player anymore, I don't care. I like doing the songs. Don't get me wrong I like playing leads. I still listen to my Uli Jon Roth collection. But I'm more into the songs and the sounds now.

Special thanks to Suzan Kverh at Playground music for making this interview happen.