Marc Storace on Early Criticism of Krokus sounding like an AC/DC clone band: “We Took It as a Compliment”

In a recent interview by Thomas S. Orwat, Jr. of the Rock Interview Series podcast, Marc Storace, the iconic vocalist of the Swiss rock band Krokus, shared his thoughts on the early criticism that Krokus was merely a clone of AC/DC. Storace reflected on the band’s reaction to such comparisons and how they navigated the fine line between admiration and originality.

“Well, the band was basically always AC/DC fans, you know, always AC/DC fans,” Storace began. “So, it was taken as a compliment. Yet, we also realized that it could be destructive in a way where people, fans, could see us as clones trying to be impostors and stuff like that.”

Storace emphasized that while his voice might coincidentally sound similar to Bon Scott’s, the band’s music had its own distinct identity. “You just have to listen to my debut album with Krokus, “Metal Rendez-vous,” to find out that there is a big difference between Krokus and AC/DC,” he explained. “That my voice happens to sound like Bon’s is a real coincidence, I think. Both Bon and I were brought up listening to the same kind of music, like the old Led Zeppelin and even earlier.”

He acknowledged that comparisons are inevitable in the music industry, where people and journalists often categorize bands into specific genres or styles. “People and journalists, record companies, they always want to put you on some kind of shelf and say, ‘That’s all the bands that sound like this,'” Storace noted. “Krokus never sounded like Genesis or Yes. Sometimes there’s a bit of Deep Purple, sometimes a bit of Status Quo, sometimes a bit of Led Zeppelin, sometimes a bit of Black Sabbath, and maybe there’s a little more percentage of AC/DC in there, but the band never tried to be a copy of AC/DC.”

Storace also highlighted the influence of other bands and producers on Krokus’s sound. “If you listen to “Headhunter,” we used the same producer as Judas Priest. There’s the sound already, the way it was produced. “Headhunter” has a touch of Judas Priest in there, and with all my screaming and stuff like that, we really went nuts with that album. Tom [the producer] encouraged us, so it was really great working with him too.”

In conclusion, Storace reiterated that the band did not feel offended by the comparisons to AC/DC. “No, I don’t feel offended. We don’t feel offended at all. It’s a compliment, but at the same time, you have to see up to what degree it goes. If you’re branded as a clone, that’s no good.”

Marc Storace released his second full-length solo record with STORACE, entitled “Crossfire,” on November 23, 2024.

For full interview see below.