Lamb of God’s Randy Blythe and Testament’s Alex Skolnick Launch New Magazine
A new biannual culture and lifestyle magazine called Unbuilt will debut this spring. It was developed by Tom Bejgrowicz, who partnered with Lamb of God frontman Randy Blythe and Testament / Metal Allegiance guitarist Alex Skolnick on the project.
“While the three of us are bonded by music, that’s just the tip of the iceberg for who we are as people,” Bejgrowicz says. “Just as Alex and Randy have inspired so many, they’re equally inspired and motivated by a unique variety of people, places and things. It’s those very inspirations that make them who they are, their music sound like it does and their words ring true for so many. Unbuilt gives the three of us a platform to share those influences with whomever will listen.”
Blythe, who has written a book and is a skilled photographer, says, “As a professional musician, I’ve traveled the world using the platform my band provides for artistic expression via my lyrics and voice. But for me, a four-and-a-half minute heavy metal song doesn’t have the space to convey some of the more complex points I wish to make, nor does it allow me to express myself visually. As a writer and photographer, Unbuilt supplies a well-designed outlet for those other (and equally important) aspects of my creative life.”
Skolnick adds, “Having spent untold hours of my youth locked away with a guitar and some favorite records, ‘writer’ wasn’t a description I imagined for myself early on. Years later, however, I found a written voice, along with the discovery that writing can be every bit as expressively satisfying as music.”
The first issue, which is available for pre-order at this location and ships beginning April 26, includes a photographic essay on surfing culture from Blythe along with a short story he wrote. There are also several interviews in the magazine, including ones with activist artist Sue Coe, documentary / video director Tom Berninger, author Kevin Powers and more. For each issue sold, the International Committee of the Red Cross and Humane Society International will each receive 50 cents.
Randy Blythe Plays 'Wikipedia: Fact or Fiction?'
Testament's Alex Skolnick: Exclusive Shred