Mercyful Fate’s Michael Denner Wasn’t Even Told The Band Was Reuniting: “It’s Heartbreaking”
Last month, black metal progenitors Mercyful Fate played their first show in over two decades, thus kicking off a massive reunion tour. But one person who’s not as delighted about this as many metalheads are is formative Fate guitarist Michael Denner, who played on such massive albums as 1983’s Melissa and 1984’s Don’t Break The Oath — because apparently, the band never even told him they were getting back together.
Speaking to Chaoszine, as transcribed by Blabbermouth, Denner revealed that he wasn’t even invited to the Fate’s reunion, and is crushed by their use of his music none the less:
“I [feel like] this is not my band anymore. I’m not part of it, because they didn’t tell me; they didn’t invite me. We didn’t even have a discussion about it. So, of course, it took some time for me to digest it. It was quite painful, because I miss my friends from the ’80s — I miss them. But not the people who [are] in the band today. I wish them the best. I mean, the better they play, the more records we can sell and the more money I will get in the end. Of course it’s heartbreaking. And also to see and hear — they play my signature stuff. Most of the songs they play now is things I’ve done — I mean, my signature solos, my themes, my arrangements, my stuff. And it’s another guy who plays. But then again, Mike Wead is a great guitarist, and he’s still a good friend of mine. So if anyone should do the job, I’m glad it’s him who did it, really. He can do the shit. That’s some sort of comfort in all this agony and disappointment — that it’s Mike Wead who plays. And that makes me feel good.”
When asked whether or not he’d ever play with Fate guitarist Hank Sherman again, Denner is unequivocal:
“Not in a million years. That will never happen — never. It’s just the end of it, because I could never trust this guy again. He broke my heart and he stabbed me in the back. But still, I miss my old friend; I miss my guitar partner. But I will never take a chance again, trusting this guy, when he could do the thing he did. I will never be safe. So I feel sorry for me and I feel sorry for him. It’s a loss. That’s the way life goes. You have to carry on.”
Check out the interview below. Fans can catch Mercyful Fate sans-Denner at one of the dates below:
Jul. 22 – Hills Of Rock – Plovdiv, Bulgaria
Jul. 24 – Artmania Festival – Sibiu, Romania
Jul. 28 – Fezen Festival – Székesfehérvár, Hungary
Jul. 29 – Metaldays – Tolmin, Slovenia
Aug. 04 – Wacken Open Air – Wacken, Germany
Aug. 06 – Beyond The Gates – Bergen, Norway
Aug. 11 – Brutal Assault – Jaromer, Czech Republic
Aug. 13 – Bloodstock Open Air – Derbyshire, UK
Aug. 21 – Psycho Las Vegas – Las Vegas, NV
