And something I noticed when I was looking through the credits, you worked with Dale James on the lyrics to Infanticide A.I., How did that come about? Because I believe Del James is also the person who wrote the lyrics to November Rain, right?

Me and Del have been writing songs since 92.

He's been writing Testament songs with me on every record since then.

I don't remember the first song we ever wrote, but I think it went back to the Ritual record.

You know, we wrote a song.

That's kind of when it all started, I believe.

And so we've kept close touch and we work very well because when I go down to L.A., you know, I pretty much have all the music.

So what do you think this dual structure of the book sort of adds to the storytelling aspect?

What, in your opinion, was KISS's best work? And as a fan, do you have a favorite piece of KISS memorabilia or something that you collected from the band?

Well, I mean, my first show being so young and that experience, I don't think I still have it.

I gave it to one of my best friends because he saves everything.

But my first show, I got Gene Simmons to spit blood on me.

So I had a shirt with blood from Gene Simmons.

So that was like the thing that I held as the collector.

And it was disgusting looking after years of just being dried up.

Can you talk about trying to mentally prepare for a showcase to get signed as both you and the people coming to see you were dealing with the death of Cliff Burton? I can't imagine trying to keep it together through that.

And then, yeah, I mean, I knew that as

a teenager that that was going to be it.

And I kind of like, I don't know.

You know, kind of gave myself to that.

And, you know, talking through the story and after finishing the book, realizing the real estate agent that knocked on my door and sold my house for me.

You know, she saved my life, really, because...

If I didn't sell that house, I never would have went to the doctor.

well right kill them all in the rods and all yeah all that

What?

And just had that feeling.

And he said, "I'm here to give you a healing." And, and the thing, journey he took me on, and the things he told me once he sat me down and told me the wind was gonna be my spirit guide, and he's gonna tell me some things that don't make sense, but they'll fall into place, and I'll understand once it happens, but the wind's gonna guide me.

So after all that, going, "Yeah, yeah, yeah" again, um, he's on his way.

And, and then, you know, one night when the wind was pretty violent at home, went downstairs and basically shit out the cancer.

Tumor was there, but the illness, I believe, was gone.

And, you know, I think, uh, another few weeks later after my blood work came back, the doctor told me that the tumor was cancer-free.

Oh, my gosh.

can try to recreate it.

I mean, it's, it's tough to recreate anything, especially something special like that.

But you know, for my book, you know, I, I've never really considered wanting to write a book.

You know, I was approached about writing the book and kind of put it aside, you know, for a long time.

And it just came to a point, you know, earlier this year said, you know, I think it's maybe time I'm going to have a little bit of a window.

Before I thought about it and talked to a few people, it did make sense that it was time to maybe write it.

And it's not about writing it.

Okay.

and so I wanted to know if you would have felt compelled to write this book, if you hadn't gone through the cancer thing, or was that sort of the catalyst that got you sort of introspective about your life and therefore prompted the book?

A little of both.

I think, um, I, you know, never really thought about writing a book or considered it, you know, really kind of private and to myself.

And, um, But what it did for me and the band and especially, you know, especially doing the book, starting the book and finding my way to what, where to go with it and finding the two tales and testaments of myself.

There is because there is a different testament and Chuck before the cancer up to 2000 and especially the life of the band, right? The gathering record being ill.

and moving forward and making it through that.

But having the premonition to only survive to be 38 and then getting to that point, being diagnosed and thinking, oh man, this is it.

And this story was pretty funny, if you don't mind retelling it for the sake of our audience.

[laughs]

And, um, but you know, that's just who I was.

But I think going into writing a book, not really ever writing a book, and not thinking about what I wanted to say in a book at first, um, was a little challenging for me, being private and quiet.

But once I dove into it and we started working and talking about it, it kinda developed and it actually was very therapeutic because you kind of connected some dots in your life that kinda made sense as you talked it through, I guess.

And I guess that's what a lot of therapy's for.

But it, it was very therapeutic for me, you know, to spend about four or five months talking a few, few days a week, couple hours a day.

And, um, hardest thing is where do you start when you wanna write and talk about yourself? And I thought the biggest part of my life was, you know, holding my breath at eight months old, trying to getting my way.

Bye bye.

I mean, I know a little bit what goes into writing a book, not nearly what you've accomplished, but just congrats, first of all.

Thank you.

It was, uh, you know, it was challenging because at first of all, I wasn't really like open to it.

Cause I'm kind of private, you know, I'm in interviews.

I didn't really talk about that.

I was talking about the band and directly pointed at the band.

So this part was like trying to make sure I wasn't writing a Testament book.

You know, what would I want to be remembered for? You know, has that ever crossed your mind? like or just let the music do the talking

So tell everybody about the, the new record and, uh, what the feedback's been like now that it's been out a little bit.

The feedback's been great.

And, you know, Eric and our new drummer, which he's 27 years old.

You know, we found him at 24.

So the kid is obviously raised a different breed of metal, so I think he's bringing a new young element.

And Eric has been very inspired, and he's learning and being inspired by a lot of new younger groups out there.

Of course, we can't be them, but we can definitely take the inspiration of that and incorporate it in what we're doing.

I mean, both of you sound like you're still pretty much right where you always were, but are there some things that you've had to change or alter as you've gotten older?

[laughs]

Um, but I'd have to explain the beauty of this record, and, and st- I'd have to take it from the Titans record because we really hit, hit something and found, connected something there because in the past I would always write with Eric, and I'd always be like, "Hey, I like that riff.

Maybe I'll sing the verse there," or, you know, I'd always i- have an influence on it, and I don't, maybe that slowed down the process or I don't know, I'm a control freak, I don't know.

But this last re- Titans record, I just said, "Give me the music.

I'm just gonna go for it." And what it did is it actually pushed me into a very uncomfortable spot sometimes when I was singing because the riff wasn't comfortable to sing over.

But I found my way, and it ended up making the record really stand out, those songs stand on their own, each individually.

So I kind of took that way and took it into this writing this time.

So when you're listening to the tune, does the style of vocal come to you right away? Like, oh, this one I'm gonna sing way more molten?