DAVID ZAFFIRO professional career began as guitarist for the metal band Bloodgood.

Discography with Bloodgood:
Bloodgood (1986, Frontline Records)
Detonation (1987, Frontline)
Rock In A Hard Place (1988, Frontline)

Though he officially left the band following their third album, he did play various parts on later albums. He then began producing records independently and for others. Artists that he has worked with include Acquire the Fire, Andy Chrisman, A Worship House, Brett Williams, Broken Silence, Eli, End Time Warriors, Holy Soldier, Julie Miller, Kate Miner, Kim Hill, Little Big Town, The Passion Worship Band, Prayer Of Jabez, Paul Q-Pek, Point of Grace, Whitecross and Zion.

He quit to go solo in 1989, releasing his 'The Other Side' debut. The 1989 album 'The Other Side' was recorded with the aid of bassist Bill Hale, keyboard player Kelly Carpenter and drummer Davin McLaird. Vocals were supplied by Eric Wayne of RED REIGN and HOLY SOLDIER.

CATCHING UP WITH DAVID ZAFFIRO (Excerpts: Interview by Doug Van Pelt):

Doug: Why did you leave Bloodgood?

David: . . . the reason that I gave them (laughs)... I'm kidding... that sounds horrible! And I am kidding! Umm... the reason that we all discussed is that it was hard to tour with Silas being such a little guy. He had no crib, and, ya know, not being able to tour kinda put me out of the band, because (Bloodgood) was doing so much touring. Ironically, when I left the touring kinda stopped. Not cause I left, cause Paul Jackson was coming in, was going to do a fine job... and did do a fine job! But it just, as Les told me one day he says ''Man you leave the band, we're not touring with you anymore anyway, so what's the big deal?' But ahh... I had a desire to move on. I really did. I think it was ahh... just time for me to go, you know? As much as I love Les and ahh... and Michael. Especially... Michael's a fabulous guy, both of them are just great, it was just time to go.

Doug: . . . Ummm... ok... You are going to, you are sitting in your living room right now and you have a choice. Are you going to put on ''Rock in a Hard Place' CD or the Holy Soldier debut album... which one would you play? If you had to play one... which one would you be more inclined to play right now?

David: Well, ahh... that's a good question.... right now today, or what would I have done last week (laughs)?

Doug: Both if there's a reason why it's different.

David: I'd probably put on ... ahh... Holy Soldier.

Doug: Why?

David: Because I felt more a part of that record. Something that was a real vision that I had with Mark Maxwell and being able to encourage those guys and really tear them down and then rebuild them back up before we went into record that record for however long it was in pre-production and writing. I felt like we really accomplished what we wanted to. Now I listen to it and think ''Those guitars are real thin' and I have gripes about the record, but it's what it is. It did well, and ''Rock in a Hard Place' is a real love too, because Terry Shelton, who produced that record -- which, I don't think that record was well received -- (it) really caused me, and Les, and Michael, and Mark to really grow as players, so there's some real cool things there, but I think... Okay, well, last week I actually put the Holy Soldier record in ... now, for not hearing it for about -- it's probably been about 5 years... 6 years...

Doug: I haven't played it in about 5 years and I don't really want to.

David: Yeah... ok.

Doug: It was a favorite, but now I don't want to hear it.

David: In about 6 years I haven't heard it, but I heard something off it that I heard and wanted to snag and sample and see what it sounded like, believe it or not. So, I put it on for that reason, then I found myself listening to all the little different things and ya know... It would probably be that one ahh... You didn't say ''Detonation' or the first record...

Doug: Uh huh.

David: Because, to me, that was ahh... that's a hard choice, because Rock in a Hard Place -- I really did like that record. I liked doing it and that's a difficult choice between those two. For ''Detonation,' I would really say Holy Soldier.

Doug: I think ''Rock in a Hard Place,' I don't know if it's accurate to say this, but I feel it really defines more personality. If you back up and look at what you did after that... just the melody and the infusion of melody in that album... it's somebody's personality more... maybe it's Terry's, maybe it's yours. Maybe a little bit of both.

David: Yeah, and Mike and Les... I think we all invented, we all put aside whatever metal agendas anybody else may have had and just made a record.

Doug: Do you think the Holy Soldier album was your coming of age as a producer? How did you really become a producer?

David: Actually I believe ... ahh...well... How did I become a producer?

Doug: Yeah.

David: I think the band In Reach, or The Reach was -- that was me growing as a producer.

Doug: In Reach, then Zion...

David: Yeah, and then Holy Soldier. To me The Reach... working with Brett Williams... And I just recently did a record for Brett up in Seattle... and it's a good record. For the record, he's the worship leader at our Church in Seattle and it turned out great. He's just a gem of a person... I love him dearly... umm... but ahh... yeah, just growing with those guys... I really looked forward to doing the record, but Holy Soldier I think... somehow that first record I had such a... fire and arrogance... and I'm not saying that as a good thing, but the arrogance is probably a bad thing... but ahh...

Doug: A spiritual journey from leaving Bloodgood until now. Catch us up on the last 10 years... has it been 10 years?

David: Yeah... ahhh...

Doug: It's been more than 10 years... you left in 89 or 88 didn't you?

David: I think I'm definitely more well rounded. I hope I haven't become tolerant of things that I shouldn't have become tolerant of. Umm... but I'm more balanced... less rigid. Less judgmental. Umm... you know, if you fall on your face a few times and stumble, you're less critical of those who do as well, you know? So, I've become more of that way. Also, recently I'm more open to God's miraculous work than I've ever been. I desire to see it, and I expect to see it. Not like God's obligated, but God's great, and He does great things today. And I'm not sure that I... I mean, I believed back then, but I had a lot of doubts, and God does great things now... today. So that's awesome, going to a Church out here... I went to a Calvary for 12 years in Seattle... best Church I'd ever been to, and I still think it is. I still love it. The Church I go to now, Praise Chapel of Calvary is an incredible Church. I love it. I love the Pastor, I love the people. There's a Church out here called Newsong that when we first moved out here, for 4 years we went to Newsong... very Charismatic... Foursquare... good Church, ahh... it stretched us, kind of brought us out of our comfort zone a little bit. Some of that was good, some of that wasn't good. Some was like, ''Well, this is good for us.' So, that helped me become more well rounded and that's that... I don't know if that answered it, but that's how I feel. The last 10 years I have tried to me much more gracious, much more forgiving... you know?

Doug: . . .Any possibilities of doing a Bloodgood reunion with the original 4?

David: Not with the original 4, but they're doing one right now.

Doug: Are they?

David: Yeah... well they were going to... they're supposed to play Cornerstone. And Cornerstone wasn't going to have them on the main stage... This is all rumor, ok? I just heard this, I haven't talked to Michael about this... and I heard that Michael was like ''Eh...no.' Cause he's Pastoring a church right now. He's busy. Why does he want to go and entertain Christians? This is not a quote... but I can just understand, ya know... and make next to nothing and be on some side stage that nobody's going to see... Why? I mean is there any reason, cause if there was, he'd probably do it then; but I don't think there's much of a reason for him, so I just... I don't think he'd do it... But I think they're going to Germany... Les, Michael, Paul Jackson, and Jeff... ah, I forget his last name.

David: They are talking about a reunion tour, and I wasn't saying no... but I just didn't know exactly when I'd have the time and stuff. I think Paul Jackson could do it right then and they just went with him... so. The original four... what do you do? Paul is good, did you like Paul?

Doug: Oh, I loved him! Paul is a great friend too. We went to Russia together.

David: Did you? Oh ok.

Doug: We bonded well.

Reference: Heaven's Metal. ©©2002 HM Magazine - All Rights Reserved