Home / Music / Interview / Seattle Scene Report: 10 Questions with Ronny Munroe from Metal Church

Seattle Scene Report: 10 Questions with Ronny Munroe from Metal Church

Heavy Metal vocalist Ronny Munroe has quite an impressive resume of vocal talent, lending to such bands as Rottweiller, Presto Ballet, Lillian Axe, Transiberian Orchestra and of course, Metal Church. I performed in the Seattle area Top 40/Cover Scene of the 90s in the same pool of talent that Ronny was part of. Ronny always had the most impressive male vocals of the time.  Many of us knew he was destined for much greater things.  Despite challenges and changes, Ronny has come out on top, recently releasing his third solo CD on Rat Pack Records featuring legendary guitarist, George Lynch and Seattle’s favorite female Metal Songstress: Pamela Moore. Ronny is still rocking vocals in one of the local longest-running, Metal, cult-followed “Metal Church”. Ronny and RatPack Records were generous with time to devote to Carpe Nocturne readers for an exclusive interview.

(Carpe Nocturne) Ronny, how long have you been with Metal Church and how did you come to join with them?
(Ronny) “I’ve been with Metal Church since 2002 and originally I was contacted by Kurt Vanderhoof to join his original project, Vanderhoof, and after a couple weeks of hounding him about ‘why not Metal Church’, he got made a few phone calls, then contacted me asking if I wanted to join Metal Church. I said ‘hell yeah’ and that’s how it happened. ”

(Carpe Nocturne) So was there an audition process?
(Ronny) “Nah, we just got together. He actually had heard my stufff before.  We actually got together and jammed for like 10-15 minutes and that was it. He knew and asked if I wanted to join and I was like: ‘yeah, let’s do it’.”

Metal_Church


(Carpe Nocturne)
Do you have plans to go on tour again soon with your solo CD and/or Metal Church?
(Ronny) “Both. I am planning on doing a few shows in October on the East Coast for the Ronny Munroe band, supporting the album Wake and Metal Church has a few dates on the West Coast opening for Accept, which we are all really excited about. That will wrap up the dates supporting Generating Nothing and then we are already doing something that is a surprise.  I can’t really talk about it.”

(Carpe Nocturne) So, just how many projects are you in currently?
(Ronny) “I have the solo project and Metal Church, but also…recently I hooked up with a few guys out of the UK and hopefully soon, I will be able to let the cat out of the bag. They are some decently known guys over there. I’m going to do more of a rock project.  More of an ARfm kind of thing.  It is more melodic stuff like I did back in the 90’s with FarCry.”

(Carpe Nocturne) On your new solo CD entitled Electric Wak, you have Seattle Songstress Pamela Moore lending her beautiful talents. Carpe Nocturne interviewed her in 2012.  I remember one of her things to do on her bucket list was sing with Transiberian Orchestra, whom you performed with. How did you come to work with Transiberian Orchestra and then Pamela?
(Ronny) “First and foremost, my experience with Transiberian Orchestra has been a great experience for me. It really afforded me the chance to do a little bit of acting and sing some things I never thought I would be singing. It was also a dream of mine. I went and saw the show for a few years.  Every time I looked up there, I was like: ‘wow, I would really like to do this. I have friends in TSLO and one day I got  phone call with the opportunity to audition and I did and got the part of Old City Bar. After that I got the part of Mephistopheles. It was a great gig. Great people. Huge show that gets better every year. It is playing coliseums every night. With that said, with Pamela, basically, she is on RatPack Records, as I am, of course. I was asked if I would like to do a duet with her and I have known her for years. She has a great voice and is a good person too. I also was offered the opportunity to do a song with George Lynch.”

(Carpe Nocturne) Have you considered lending your vocals to a project other than Metal inspired?
(Ronny) “Well I have done that with TSLO and also with this new rock project, but yeah, I have some things in the works. I might release a Christmas song this year, for the first time. I have always wanted to do something like that. To me, singing is singing. I know I am known as the Metal guy but there is a lot more to me than just that. I really don’t want to be known as JUST a Metal singer. I would consider a lot of different things.”

(Carpe Nocturne) Ronny, you worked with amazing vocal coach Maestro Kyle and you and I worked together in the Seattle Top 40/Cover Scene in the 90s.  How do you feel this has assisted and/or challenged you in your originals career?
(Ronny) “Well the Top 40 thing helped and I only went to David Kyle for 6 months, but it was a great experience. I went to him for breathing, basically. Both avenues did help me, especially Top 40. Singing the versatility of singing, say, White Zombie and then singing Journey really helps you to progress.”

(Carpe Nocturne) What is your favorite song ever to perform live?
(Ronny) “Ever. Well….I really gotta say ‘God’s of Wrath’ off of the first Metal Church record. I love singing that. It is really the first song that got me into Meta Church when it first came out. ‘Badlands from the Mike Howe era, then of course all the stuff I’ve done with them.”

(Carpe Nocturne) Favorite city to perform live?
(Ronny) “City. Ah, wherever there is a good crowd and even sometimes when there is not a good crowd. Let’s see if I can narrow it down. Um, well home town is always cool, but ah, Virginia, we always have a good crowd there.”

(Carpe Nocturne) Richmond?
(Ronny) “Yeah. Richmond. Yeah. I just like to get up and sing and wherever there are people at. I get up and put on the best show that I can. People pay their money to come out and see us, so I try and make every city special.”

(Carpe Nocturne) Tell us a little known story about shenanigans about Ronny?
(Ronny) “Well aside from music, I like nature a lot.  I like to have peace. I like to take photos and I actually spend quite a bit of time doing that. I really get into it, is what I am saying. So, when I am not up there screaming Metal and looking angry, I am off taking pictures of little birds.” (laughs)

(Carpe Nocturne) That is awesome! Anything else you would like to promote?
(Ronny) “Well, Electric Wake of course. Generating Nothing has been out since last October and I would really like to promote that as much as possible.”
Carpe Nocturne readers can also check out:

Ronny’s Photos by Mike Savoia: www.facebook.com/SavoiaPhotographyLive/photos
Metal Church: http://www.metalchurchmusic.com/
Rat Pack Records: http://www.ratpakrecordsamerica.com/metal-church
http://www.ratpakrecordsamerica.com/ronny-munroe
Facebook: www.facebook.com/ronnymunroefb
Twitter: ronnymunroe
Ratpack Records on Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUPtvV65HMegsuBFTnpQzYA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpZev8UrM1Y

Ronny in Transiberia Orchestra on Youtube:

About Dawn Wood

Check Also

Seattle Sounds: Interview with Pamela Moore

Pamela Moore is best known as Seattle Heavy Metal Goddess “Sister Mary” for Queensryche’s Operation …

Seattle Scene Report: My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult- Philadelphia PA and Seattle, WA 2014

My Life with the Thrill Kill Kult’s long-awaited new release was unleashed in May 2014, …

Leave a Reply