Exclusive interview with Steve Hochheiser

1) Thrashing greets Steve. We are very happy to have this chance to ask you a few questions.

Greetings to you.

2) The best thing to ask right now is , what was it that made you want to re-issue “Recognize No Authority”?

I had been approached several times over the last couple of years by various reissue labels and just left it alone. I then went online to find the Roadracer Price Killer CD of Détente RNA and had to pay220 USD on auction? I just decided it was time to let the metal community hear and judge this recording one last time.

3)In your opinions are the songs on the CD holding up now as much has they did back in their original release given the different types of Metal these days?

The reaction has been much the same. Détente was out of the norm even 20 years ago! The Lyrics were considered punk, we had a female front person who put male counterparts to shame, used samples, played at various tempos. I am finding much the same reaction; we are called Metalcore, Death Metal, Thrash, etc. I think the only thing that dates the recording is the production! 10k only goes so far!

4) Does this emergence of older material mean there is thought of re-grouping?

A reunion show was discussed between Dennis, and Caleb and me. Ross is very busy doing the production thing and to replace Dawn is difficult; she was the core of the band. So for now I would say no but you never know.

5) Tell me about Cognitive and how you dealt with Roadrunner in getting this pressed.

Actually Roadrunner was very easy to deal with even back in the day. I went back to Monte Conner who was the AR guy for Catalepsy; he directed me to the proper people back in The Netherlands and everything moved quickly. It probably didn’t hurt that Détente was one the first dozen direct signings by Roadruuner.

6) Was there material that was never released, as in demos, which could have been added to the CD?

Yes but Roadrunner did not allow for the mixing of masters; I tried and will probably do a limited 2 CD set with extra material.

7) Thrash is seeing a comeback with its appreciation by younger fans and those who are now into it again after having switched to Death Metal and Black Metal in the late 80’s and early 90’s.

I have received great interest from this younger generation; I think they are getting bored with the cookie cutter music; even Death Metal is just so trendy now. They hear Détente, Kreator, Voivod and the likes and don’t know what hit them. Don’t get me wrong, there are many great bands today, but you cannot deny the 80’s as the defining period for the genre!

8) Détente did not tour as far as I know for RNA but, many people did enjoy the release. With what bands did you shared a stage before

the disintegration happened?

We played with Legacy (Testament), COC, DRI, Megadeth, Dark Angel, Violence, Blind Illusion, Beowulf, and many others.

9) How did you guys ended up with Dana Strum? He isn’t a particularly Metal kind of person in my opinion…

Not a metal guy but a good producer anyway. Dana’s girlfriend was a neighbor of Ross and introduced us. He had produced a few records before so we had him come down to a rehearsal and liked what he had to say.

10) Détente’s sound was more aggressive than that of most Thrash bands in California as was maybe alongside Cryptic Slaughter the

heavier of the acts coming from there in those days. What was the driving force behind the composing of these tracks?

I think Dawn was just so intense that it formed the sound. Ross and I would bring almost completed songs into rehearsal and Dawn would just start writing her lyrics; we would tweak a few riffs and rearrange and presto music to wake the dead! The RNA material was probably written within the first 3 months of the bands short history.

11) In looking at the credits, some songs are co-written by someone named Tutone. Was he an ex-member?

Jim wrote Shattered Illusions and Vultures in the Sky with Dawn and Dennis but never recorded or played live with the band.

12) Dawn Crosby was obviously an attention gatherer. Someone told me once she was like the Wendy O. Williams of Thrash

Dawn was intense but also had so much to say. While Wendy O was grabbing attention with the shaving cream Dawn was digging deep into herself and surroundings trying to expose some meaning; this is especially true later with Fear of God.

13) Did all your efforts playing live go collective or just supporting a newer thing with having a female front signer with one heck of a voice.

We all put a lot of effort into playing as many live shows as we could, and writing the material. Ross and I basically joined the band a month before the San Francisco debut of Détente. Dawn had a fall out with the previous line up and we had responded to this recycler ad.

They basically had three songs and we just started writing and went up and played Ruthie’s Inn and Mabuay Garden. The band started and ended the same way; in a rush!

14) What was the story behind the difficult recording of the debut?

I used to say it was the pressure of the limited time and Dawn would walk out of sessions and that we were doing battle with Dana not to lose the aggressive edge; while all of this is true it was also a battle of ego.

15) The political themes in the lyrics were always open and in your face. Why choosing these?

Dawn wrote all of the lyrics and wrote what she felt of the world and herself. As Ross puts it she was always trying to expose some truth about herself with such intensity.

16) When did you enter the band as its bass player?

Late 84 or early 85.

17) What bands were you in before Détente?

Believe it or not I was in Lizzy Borden! Lizzy Borden started out pretty heavy and started going weak. I was kicked out by Greg Hargas (Lizzy) for “Always Wanting to Play Like Motorhead”. I actually recorded “Rod of Iron” for Metal Massacre though my name was removed by the band. Looking back I guess he was right about my musical leanings.

18) You guys had the same management as Agent Steel at one point. Did that benefit you all in any way?

That relationship began after the RNA line-up broke-up. I was contacted by Dawn with the news of the management change and a European tour: the promoter wanted at least me and Caleb in the band. Dawn and Ross would not work together at the time so I declined.

19) Do you think things would have been different if that disastrous studio session would have been a bit for the better?

Based upon our personalities; the session could not have gone another way nor would Détente have been the same. The music was driven by the intensity.

20)Ross Robinson went to become a producer, Dawn went to Fear of God…What happened to you and the rest of the bands members

after the shit hit the fan for good?

Well first Ross and I went onto Catalepsy; I was also working on a project with Dino Cazares at the time. After Catalepsy broke-up the LA scene had completely gone the Gun’s and Rose’s route and I went on to build a career. Caleb has played continuously throughout the decades and Dennis eventually went back to his career.

21) Pornographic publications like “Oui” had offered Dawn money for photo sessions. Do you think it would have been good publicity for the band had she said yes?

The say any publicity is good but that was not Dawn.

22) You post-Détente band, Catalepsy, also had a female singer. Was this a coincidence or something that you wished to continue?

Coincidence; we were against it but she was the only one we interviewed who had any intensity.

23) Anything done past the 3 track demo you put out?

Actually a full length recording! Ross and I were still signed to Roadrunner. As noted earlier Monte Conner had just joined Roadrunner and we were his first assignment. Roadrunner executed a leaving member option after hearing the demo; the problem was we were working on a CBS deal and by the time we were allowed to leave Roadrunner everything just fell apart.

24) Will there be a band site besides the myspace page?

Yes, it is in the works right now. Check www.detenterna.com in about a month.

25) The End Records has mail-order distribution of the CD in the US. Will the CD see regular music stores carrying them?

The CD is also available through Century Media Distro and CDbaby. Most stores can order from one of the three. I am continuously working the brick and mortar front to expand distribution; this has been more successful in Europe though.

26) Anything coming up on video format like live shows and rehearsals, other merch?

You might see some live footage popping up soon on www.myspace.com/detenterna

27) any final comments?

I appreciate your interest in the band. Anyone who has not heard Dawn and Détente in action does not know what they are missing. Dawn was a great artist and a really cool person; through this reissue I found myself wanting to talk with her about old times, she is missed.