Back around 2005 and ’06, I was writing for Metal Maniacs magazine, one of my all-time favorite gigs in my career.

I’d earned myself a freelancing spot with Metal Maniacs battling Metallica’s Master of Puppets vs. Megadeth’s Peace Sells…But Who’s Buying? two critical masterpieces of the genre. I had the balls to declare Megadeth the winner by an edge.

I interviewed many artists, got to cover horror including my much-loved assignment out to Blairstown, NJ to tour the film locations of the original Friday the 13th, followed by an interview with Mama Voorhees herself, the ultra-classy Betsy Palmer.

I had a portion of my interview with the late Kevin DuBrow of Quiet Riot months before he passed run at Metal Maniacs after QR drummer Frankie Banali and I ran through the footage.

Then there was this piece Metal Maniacs allowed me to pen, “Reflections of an Old School Metalhead,” planting the seeds for my bucket list novel project seeing the light of day this year, Revolution Calling.

Liz Ciavarella-Brenner and Dave Brenner, thank you for a hell of a ride back then. I won’t ever forget us closing down that Irish pub outside of Times Square until 5:30 a.m. and hanging with Team Ireland soccer team in that long night of debauchery. Love you guys, always…

–Ray Van Horn, Jr.