The Metal Voice recently had an exclusive interview in studio with new band Terminal, consisting of former W.A.S.P. guitarist Chris Holmes, former Tesla guitarist Tommy Skeoch and Tesla bassist Brian Wheat. Watch the video below.
When asked how Chris Holmes feels about getting inducted into the Metal Hall Of Fame on January 21, 2026, he responded, “It’s good. I’m still doing it 40 something years later in the (music) business, I’m being inducted because of Chris Holmes, who I am, not the people I played with… and that’s good. That’s what I’m happy about. I’ll put the the trophy proudly on my mantel, at my house. It’ll be an achievement that I’m proud to have to show off.”
About their new band Terminal:
Chris Holmes: “In 2022 I played on the monster cruise and I ran into Brian (Wheat) the bass player of Tesla and I talked to him and we were on the boat and we became pretty close friends. You know you can tell if you’re going to like somebody in about 10 minutes, 20 minutes of meeting somebody when you’re around them. You usually can tell if they’re if they’re compatible with your personality. And then when I went to visit him, he was like, I’ve been wanting to put a band together. He has a few other projects going. He’s got a one called Violet Breed. He was talking to me about putting a project together. I go, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah.’ And um so I gave him a few ideas of songs and we’re taking the steps and putting this project together. We got the people together. When I do Mean Man and my band, I don’t create the music and stuff to be put on (Radio) air. So in this situation, Brian writes this stuff to be put on the airways, and we’re doing music for that. And um we are going to submit the songs to a guy named (original Saliva singer) Josey Scott. He’s already agreed to join the project, but we gotta get his voice on the music to see how it works. He’s the next step, And Tommy Skeoch he’s a guitar player in Tesla that had left 15 years ago and he’s done a few other projects. So, it’s kind of cool. We’ll have the drummer come in tomorrow.”
Brian Wheat: “What happened was this: we were on the (Monsters Of Rock) boat in 2022, and I had seen Chris’ documentary, the ‘Mean Man’ documentary, and a friend of mine said, ‘You gotta watch this, this dude in W.A.S.P.,’ which was Chris. I said, ‘Yeah, I met that cat a long time ago.’ So I watched it and I really connected to him and his story. So when he was on the boat, when we were on the boat, I said, ‘I wanna meet the guy.’ So I went up to him and I introduced myself to him. I said, ‘Hey, man, I’m Brian from Tesla. Nice to meet you. I saw your documentary.’ And we just kind of hit it off. He said, ‘Hey, let’s have coffee or lunch’ or whatever. We were eating at the buffet, and we were talking, and I said to Chris, ‘Chris, all those years you were in W.A.S.P. Why didn’t you join some other band after you were out of W.A.S.P.?’ And he said, ‘Well, no one wanted to play you in a band with me.’ So I said, ‘Well, fuck, I’ll play in a band with you, man.’ And that’s kind of what happened. And then what happened from there was we just started hanging out. And they live in France, and I have a house in Italy, and they came and visited me. And we were talking on the phone and stuff. And on paper, I went, ‘Oh, this would be cool.’ So I knew me and Chris could get along. So that’s that. So me and Chris said (to each other), ‘Well, I’ll be in a band with you.’ And we’re just talking. Me and Tommy, before that, had reconnected after all our years in Tesla and all the shit we went through and all the shit that people who interview us say and all kinds of shit, ’cause they like to pit us against each other, and we reconnected. So I thought to myself, I said, ‘Man, Chris Holmes…’”
On the musical direction:
Tommy Skeoch: “We just kind of come in and see what we all kind of bring to it. And that’s kind of what we’re doing and what’s happening. And it’s pretty rocking, but it’s got even more melodic elements in it and different things.”
Brian Wheat: “Whatever the sound is of me, my poppy Beatles thing, Tom’s heavy edge, Chris’ heavy metal stuff, you put it all together and then what Josey sings, that’s gonna be the sound. I can’t define what the sound’s gonna be.”
How many songs have been recorded?:
“Five. We don’t have any vocals yet (and no lyrics). We got five from the beginning to end (music). He’s (Josey Scott) is going to write the lyrics and he’s a songwriter in his own right.”
