Interviews

Henry Rollins on UK tour and the future

Rock Reviews 24/7 caught up with Henry Rollins ahead of his UK tour next month to ask him what could be expected as well as what he’s up to this Christmas.

You’re coming back to the UK again next month – what can be expected?

I have a lot of new material as I have been traveling all over the world since I was last in the UK for a tour. So, there will be some travel stories, America is in an interesting place as usual, so there will be some things on that as well as other stories. My tours are always about those things, what’s been happening in the world, what I have been up to, what I saw, etc.

You turned 50 this year – how much longer do you reckon you can carry on performing, be it musically or spoken word?

I don’t do music any more. I would like to think I could be doing the talking shows for a few more years. It more depends on the audience than me. I am good to go for a long time but if there’s no audience, then there’s nothing for me to do on that front. In my line of work, quite often the audience is done with you before you are done with them.

You seem to tour a hell of a lot – do you feel like the entire world is your home?

That’s the basic idea. I would like to be as at home on the bus or in a hotel in Tokyo as I am in my own room. It’s an ease you earn by repetition and determination. I like to be able to live almost anywhere because you never know what life might throw at you.

It’s now less than a year until the 2012 US Presidential elections – will you be voting?

Of course.

Have you ever thought about going into politics yourself?

Never. I enjoy my life in the private sector.

The world seems to have gone to shit over the last 10 years – would you agree or has it always been shit?

I do think that the chickens of capitalism have come home to roost. What is happening now is probably of little surprise to many economists and bankers. Push is coming to shove and you are getting what is coming to you. Your government’s foreign policy, my government’s foreign policy, they have pushed a lot of rocks around as they say. Neither can be startled at what has been happening. Will the world economy recover? Perhaps but it will take a longer time than many might think. As bad as the reports are, you can bet that it’s much worse.

As a musician and as a person, you’ve been an inspiration to thousands. How does that make you feel?

I feel a duty to be as clear as possible. It makes me try to be as present, on time and all there as I can possibly be. It makes me very careful in interactions with others. Not in an effort to censor myself but in an effort to pay respect to the respect that is being paid to me.

Do you still keep an eye on the punk scene? Do you think today’s bands live up to those of the 80s/90s?

I don’t. I listen to the music I am interested in and I don’t know if they call themselves punk rock. At this point, I really have no interest in the labels. I am in no way trying to dismiss the genre but I don’t really know what bands define themselves as punk at this point. I am listening to a lot of very chaotic noise jams from the American Midwest like Wolf Eyes.

Your career has spanned over 30 years. Music, acting and spoken word. Is there anything you wish you’d done differently?

I wish I had kept a journal of things when I was younger so I would have a better recall on some of the early shows I went to. Also, there were a few shows I missed that I am very sorry to have missed.

And finally, it’s nearing Christmas. Given your track record – going anywhere different/exotic/insane?

No. I was going to try to get to Palestine and spend some time there but I couldn’t find anyone to get me in and keep me in, so I decided that I will stay off the road for a little while and work on a book that I want to put out next year. Thanks.

This is Freedom: “It’s a great time for pop rock!”

Riding high on the release of their debut EP, Welcome Home and having all ready had their music featured in “Fresh Meat”, pop rockers This Is Freedom look to the future with high hopes!

First things first, for those who don’t know you – who are you and what do you do?

We are 4 19 year old guys from Bucks, who play rock pop music.

Has having your music in Fresh Meat helped you gain more attention?

It definitely has in the sense of establishing ourselves as a band that is doing things other than just playing gigs. To say our new single has been played in Fresh Meat made us able to create a lot of excitement about our band at the time which definitely helped us gain fans!

What’s the reaction been like for the release of your debut EP?

We have had an amazing response from sales of physical copies at shows and online from Big Cartel, we have only just released it digitally but from what we’ve seen it’s doing really well!

Where did the inspiration for the EP draw from?

At the time the EP took a lot of inspiration from bands that were just breaking through like Deaf Havana, Young Guns, and more rock bands like that. It also was obviously just created from us developing our sound that we have been working on since we started playing together and mixing up different aspects.

With the industry being heavily pop based, does this affect bands like yours in any way?

I think it’s a great time for pop rock music. We like to think our music is also commercially appealing as well as ‘rocky’. The new stuff we’ve been writing definitely has more of this sort of vibe, but obviously is still sticking to our rock roots so it will be exciting to see how it all comes out!

Since 2011 is now almost over, what’s your biggest aim for 2012?

We would love to just tour as much as possible now. It’s got to the point where we need to just get out and play our music to as many people as possible, so hopefully we will be somewhere near you very soon!

Now that the EP is out, what does the future hold?

The future holds a lot of touring and a new single and music video very soon!

And finally, why should people check out This Is Freedom?

If you are in to your rock pop music and you want to hear a band doing it with a fresh approach make sure you check us out, and come to a live show!

To purchase the band’s EP, visit their online store!

Elvis Jackson: “We live and breathe the music!”

Elvis Jackson are clearly not shy when it comes to answering questions, so it’s best that the talking is left to them! Here’s Rock Reviews 24/7′s interview with the Slovenians!

1. For those who don’t know who you are, could you give a background on who you are and what you do?

The whole thing started in 1997. After the decay of several local bands, we started to think of something new and fresh. Reggae/ska/punk/metal combination was definitely interesting in that time. In a search for our own sound, inspired by bands from the early eigh ties,like Bad Brains, Sublime, Victim’s family, Megadeth, Slayer, we came together as Elvis Jackson. The sound, we were developing through these years, with four albums and hundreds of shows all over the Europe is now more straight and powerful than ever. We have had the honour to share the stage with bands like Faith No More, Anthrax, The Offspring, Murphy’s Law, Propagandhi, Fishbone, Asian Dub Foundation, Sick Of It All, Pennywise and many others. We also played on many huge festivals like Exit, Sziget, Devil Side Festival. Against The Gravity is our latest creation which was mixed and mastered in the in USA, under the supervision of producer Mr. Billy Gould (bass player of Faith No More), Rich Veltrop (RHCP, System of a down) and John Cuniberti (Aerosmith, Joe Satriani) and we think it’s about time to represent it also to the UK audience.

2. You released your album in the UK last year, Against the Gravity. What was the UK’s response?

It was just great. Right after releasing the album, the material was sent to many promoters, agencies, labels and some individuals around the world. But we must say that we were especially amazed about the response of the UK media and critics. That really gave us a bit of hope, to finally get a chance to play some shows and represent our music [in the UK]. We hope that the good critics will indirectly bring us some good shows in UK clubs and festivals.

3. Where did the inspiration for the album draw from?

Every album is a kind of note of a certain period, an expression of our feelings about the world we live in and people around us. We like to let some things happen spontaneously, maybe it takes a little bit longer but it comes out way more human and organic at the end. We try not to complicate too much and we simply listen to our hearts. It could be the fish flying in the sky, or a band on the beach dressed in the ski clothes. Who cares? We just like to improvise and what ever comes out it just needs to be Elvis Jackson and all the rest it’s easy to learn. Hehehe.

4. With the album under your belts, what will the future now have instore for you?

Releasing the album is like being born again. Making songs and spending time in the recording studio has, of course, own charm, but we definitely prefer playing live shows because this is our mission. The mission of good music, good will and positive thinking. We want to stay in touch with people which are faithfully visiting our shows and keep on spreading the good vibes everywhere we go. So we’re probably going to be touring and playing as many shows as possible. We’re especially looking forward to coming back in UK in March, next year, so we can meet new friends, visit new places and of course rock your place.

5. With the kind of music you play, is it hard to find a niche audience?

At first, it’s very important that the band uncompromisingly stands behind their work, believes and stays optimistic even in the hardest times. Second is the persistence and resignation, which is also very important. All these things together are forming the integrity which can be simply accepted or refused by the audience. If people don’t know us, it normally takes approximately thirty minutes, so they find out who we are and what we do and then the party just goes on. But even harder than finding the audience is keeping the audience.

Still going strong - Elvis Jackson.

6. You’ve been around for almost 15 years now, do you still have the same passion you did back in the earlier days?

That means fifteen years of rock ‘n’ roll experiences, which are, from the aspect of understanding the music scene and all the other elements of music industry very important for us. Otherwise we’re staying young at heart, a bit thicker and gross but the passion is growing stronger every day.

7. Having been around for a while, what’s your biggest aim for the future now?

Right now we’re working on new songs for our upcoming album, which we’re planning to release next year. In that time we’re still searching for the best solution to re-establish new collaborations and find new partners in countries where people don’t know our music yet. For example we wish to go touring Europe with some well known band and getting a label that could take care of us and help us on the way to our aim.

8. You recently undertook a short UK tour, how did that go?

It was definitely a great experience for us, considering that we visited UK for the first time. We heard stories before, how pretentious UK audiences are and how hard it is to play a show there, but we needed to go there and make sure to see if it’s really so tough. All we can say now, when the first trial is passed, is that we can’t wait to get back. We like the way people follow the happening on the stage and the way they respond to our show. The shows always depend on the band, crowd and the organization. If there’s a good chemistry between those, all you need is a cold beer and the show is perfect.

9. Coming from Slovenia, do you find it hard for people outside of the country to discover your music?

I don’t see a problem for the people who are interested in discovering new bands and people that usually go to concerts and listen to the music. This is why we’re not the type of band which is waiting at home for someone to find us and pick us up. Life is just not that easy. We are on the road all the time and people can find all the information about the band also our web page, Facebook, MySpace. So it’s just the matter of good will.

10. And finally, why should people check you out?

Because they won’t be disappointed. We live and breathe for the music and we are always very satisfied if somebody likes what we’re doing. The choice is yours!

City Of Glass – A Q&A with the Canadian up and comers!

CITY OF GLASS ON MYSPACE

You recently released your new EP, The Diving Bell, what are you hoping to achieve with it?

DAVID: The release was intended to give people a taste of the upcoming full length that’s scheduled for Spring 2012. We’re also looking for feedback and responses from these songs we’ve worked so hard on.

Where did the inspiration for the EP draw from?

D: We are really drawn to the darker side of pop writing. Lyrically, we pull from our our own life’s challenges and struggles. Musically, we aim to draw the emotions out of people that certain Radiohead, Foals and The Knife songs are able to do. Actually, the production on the latest Kanye was also really inspiring to Michael.

What has the response for the EP been like so far and how does it feel to have it out?

D: The response has been very positive. We’ve been getting a lot of great feedback from very unexpected sources; it seems the EP has something for everyone. We are really proud to have the EP out right now.

Apart from the EP, what else does the future hold for City of Glass?

D: We’ve been working very hard on doing one more European stint before the end of the year. In the longer term, we are aiming to perform at SXSW, tour the USA and release a full length in the Spring of 2012. Beyond that, we are all looking very much forward to getting home to Vancouver and eating sushi–it’s the best in the world (maybe not better than Japan’s–maybe).

What is the biggest aim for the end of the year?

D: We want to play as many shows as we can and make as many friends as possible. To us, that’s the key to getting better as musicians and engaging new listeners.

What’s the story behind your video for Tourist?

D: The video deals with me (David) helping Michael test out his newfound superpowers. The expressionless faces should imply the lack of affect these events are having on us as people, as friends. On another note, the video just made it on to Canada’s MuchMusic station, so we’re pretty pleased.

Finally, why should people check out City of Glass?

D: Because we are Canadian! Ha, kidding. They should check us out because our songs are like a friend who understands you at the end of your horrible day at the office.

Q&A with The Musgraves

You recently released your debut EP, Lost In Familarity, what are you hoping to achieve with it?

We are hoping that people buy it instead of Pringles and Coke (cola), but if that doesn’t happen then we are just hoping to get our name out there, raise awareness and increase our fan base.

Where did the inspiration for the EP draw from?

Mainly from late 1950’s and early 60’s pop like The Crystals, The Ronettes and The Beach Boys, but played with banjos, mandolins and fiddles which stem from our other big inspiration English and American folk and blues music.

What has the response for the EP been like so far and how does it feel to have it out?

The response has been really encouraging. It feels great to have it out, to get the sound we had in our heads out in to the big round world.

How would you describe your music for those who don’t know you?

I would describe it as music that makes you move, music you can feel tugging at your bones saying go on life’s to short, enjoy yourself and have a dance. Lyrically most of the songs are far from ‘happy’ and are mostly involved with the turmoil of relationships. A big goal for us to merge great ‘feel’ songs with intimate, intricate lyrics.

Apart from the EP, what else does the future hold for The Musgraves?

We are very busy writing and recording are first album which should be out soon.

What is your biggest aim for the end of the year?

To have a great album finished and released, to be touring and to out sell Pringles of course.

Was it your aim to make So Sofia so ridiculously catchy!?

We just write songs, there is no study to it. It’s a natural process. Some songs come out more instant than others.

Finally why should people check out your music?

Because they get a ‘feel’ cupcake in the post if they do, well at least a cupcake!

Lost in Familiarity is out now.
The Musgraves on MySpace
The Musgraves on Facebook
The Musgraves Official Site
The Musgraves on Twitter

Captain Dangerous: “We play pop music with punk spirit!”

Captain Dangerous are a band hard to pin down in the genre department. Is it pop? Is it indie? “Alt rock”? Well, according to them it’s pop with punk spirit! So before the release of their forthcoming single Forgive Us We’re British, the band took time out to answer a few questions!

You’re releasing a new single, Forgive Us We’re British, in July. What are you hoping to achieve with it?

Adam: I’m hoping the single will draw more people towards us and start to drum up some excitement. We’re an ambitious band and the more coverage and interest it gets the better because it means bigger stages and bigger crowds.

Where did the inspiration for the single draw from?

Adam: I think the message is pretty clear lyrically speaking music wise we wanted to create a big sounding pop song which I think we’ve achieved.

You recently signed to I’m Not From London records, how’s that been?

Adam: It’s been great, and we’ve had absolutely no bullshit thrown in our direction so far which is very very refreshing. It’s a D.I.Y label that’s used to throwing parties and that ethic has translated seamlessly. They’re essentially music fans and not focused on solely making money. It’s a friendly set up but at the same time they’re ambitious.
Miles: I think INFL have the balance right and have built up their stance as an important part of the Nottingham music scene putting on hundreds of events over the past few years and now have a string of records ready for release. Its that homegrown element that made the deal so attractive.
Rob: INFL have done a lot for the local scene, there is more emphasis on getting bands out there without trying to make money off the back of them.

How would you describe your music for those who don’t know you?

Adam – I’d say it’s slightly wonky pop music which some big string arrangements.
Mark – Pop music that has a punk spirit running through it with lots of lyrics.
Miles – Yeah its definitely pop music at heart.
Jamie – Off kilter pop.

Apart from the single, what else does the future hold for Captain Dangerous?

Adam: The plan is to release one more single after this one probably in November and then the album early next year so we’ve got a busy summer of recording coming up. I think the single after this one will be a new song called “Tommy and Heather”.

What is the biggest aim for Captain Dangerous at the end of the year?

Miles: I would personally like to do more shows abroad.
Mark: To have a successful single release and get an album that we’re happy with in the can.
Rob: Get the next album done and getting more attention on the national scene.

Having already toured with Dirty Pretty Things and Lightspeed Champion, to name a couple, who would you like to tour with the most?

Adam: Not bothered really as long as they’re nice people.
Mark: We have played with so many great bands and there are so many out there that it is very hard to pick any out. Having said that, a tour of We Show Up on Radar, then us, then Cee Lo Green would be pretty cool.

Can we expect an album anytime soon from you?

Adam: Plan is to release one more single after this one probably in November and then the album early next year. We’ve got a busy summer of recording coming up.
Mark – Also hoping to have tour dates around the single release announced soon.

Finally why should people check out Captain Dangerous’ music?

Miles: Because it’s good quality pop and I’m not afraid to say it!
Rob: We play simple, catchy melodic tunes with rich harmonies.

Forgive Us We’re British will be released on July 4th! To keep up to date with Captain Dangerous and for more news on upcoming releases and tours, visit their official site!

Johnny Foreigner: Comics, Banquet Records and THAT EP title.

Guitarist and lead singer for Johnny Foreigner, Alexei Burrow took time out to answer some questions regarding the recent months, the future months as well as why you should buy from indie record stores…

Q1. You recently toured America with Los Campesinos!. Being a British band, have you found it hard to attract an American audience?

Nah not at all, its more like, they attracted us. We’ve never had a profile over there or any kind of press campaign, so our albums have filtered down over the last three years, word of mouth and college DJs with no set agenda. So we have a totally devoted organically grown fanbase. we didn’t really expect so many people to know us or our songs so it was an awesome surprise to have all the internet love translated into meeting actual people and making them dance. I guess though, our influences are way more US than UK so maybe we’re an easier band to digest than…I don’t know, The Maccabees or Everything Everything, who are more “English” sounding.

Q2. You also recently finished a UK tour including playing at New Slang in Kingston, how well did the new material will go down with fans?

Really well. Each night I’d go to start singing and there’d be people who already knew the words start singing too, was totally ego-fulfilling. It’s always a bit of a worry; obviously we’re more excited to be playing fresh songs but noone goes to a show thinking, “God I hope they play a load of stuff I haven’t heard before.” We’ve always played a greatest-hits set, its one of the many old school msp rules we stick to, but to be able to fit new stuff into that and not lose momentum is a pretty righteous feeling. The New Slang [Kingston] night at the end was rad, probably the smoothest show we’ve done all year.

Q3. What can people expect if they’re going to a Johnny Foreigner show?

Some songs played too fast. Someone calling someone else over tuning. Idle chatter and exciting heckler put downs. Lots of sweat. Dan running on stage to fix things. I’m not really selling it too well am I? I think you have to be there.

Q4. You took Stagecoach out on tour with you, how did that go?

It was awesome fun. Tours are pretty much made on how well we get on with whoever we’re out with, and the best tours end up feeling like the last night of a school play, only repeated for X amount of weeks in different cities. This was totally one of them, we had such a sick show together, playing on each others songs and generally leaving rooms with dazed grins affixed; we’re all gutted when Scotland got engulfed and we had to cancel the last leg [due to snow]. What was kind of annoying, since I have a soapbox to moan about it, was the struggle with promotors to let us take them out as tour support; as far as we’re concerned, they have amazing songs and they’re sweet kids and the indie press is starting to pick up on them, they’re an ideal band to have support us; but the amount of hassles and threats and moans from promotors who wanted to put a local band on before, or even cancel them altogether, made us want to go punch walls. They were getting more radio play than us, everyone was excited about it, and then there’d be this weird level of politics where they’d suggest that The Locals should be on between us. But that was the minority, most places were packed each night full of happy kids and promotors. I don’t know, its a bleak time for indie promotors, everyone’s kinda poor and desperate.

Q5. What are the best and the worst things about spending so much time with each other?

Seeing Kelly drunk and eeing Kelly drunk. We’re a pretty tight ship, the three of us and our friend dan, whose worked his way up from lugging our stuff to fixing our stuff to being a proper TM. We all know when not to push each other. I love the D’arcy Wretzky [original bass player for The Smashing Pumpkins] quote about how being in a band is like being married to 3 people you never fancied, but it doesn’t ring true for us, we get on well, there’s no egos and we have a whole lifetimes worth of happy memories.

Q6. Why should people come to a Johnny Foreigner show?

Because we’re awesome! Next question!

Q7. With the closure of around 60 HMV stores imminent, do you think more people will be buying records from indie stores, like Banquet (who have recently been promoting the hell out of the new album!)?

I hope so. I have an irrational hatred of HMV based on them sacking me 5 years ago and sacking everyone from our old record label in a faceless corporate merger last year. So, with the exception of HMV Tokyo ‘cos we’ve met them all and they seem nice, fuck those guys. If in 2011 people are still going to pay money for music at all, then they should understand that the extra quid or so that comes from buying from Banquet [Banquet Records - independent music store in Kingston] means you’re buying into the music scene instead of paying for some greedy cunt you’ll never meet to supersize his BMW. I can’t emphasise how much I want a permanent incandescent halo hovering over that store so people can see it from space, we’ve been around the country a million times and nowhere has such a friendly unpretentious punk community like that. Hardly anywhere has actual physical indie record stores anymore, (all but two in birmingham have had to close down) let alone the environment where they can put on household bands, or take risks on local acts, or actually make records themselves. If music means something more to you than some fashionable audio wallpaper, and you want to be a part of something glorious and righteous, then buy stuff from Banquet and feel warm in the knowledge that you haven’t just brought a piece of media, you’ve invested in the last surviving punk community in the country and you’re now part of it.

Q8. As well as the countless tours, mini-album and a 7″ (to name a few), you’re releasing a comic..can you give us an insight?

Oh wow, I didn’t think anyone knew about that. Not that we’ve been that secretive but it got a bit lost in the winter chaos. Um, I wrote it and my friend Anja drew it. I say drew, she wrote me a massive mail about everything that was wrong with my storyboard so i was like “OK WHATEVER, YOU DO IT”. and she did and it’s like, 8 pages of stunning. I don’t know, it’s even harder to divorce myself from this than it is from our songs, ‘cos the story is essentially, the history of our band, and I look hotter than in real life, but yeah, I think its amazing and people are going to cream over Anjas drawing. I’m always comparing her to the Hernandez brothers [authors of Love and Rockets], but this is bolder and more “RAH!”, there’s so much detail and clever montageness. This one starts in our first rehearsal and ends with Kelly joining, and the next one will go up to signing to Best Before. Comic books get delayed all the time, so it’s nice feel obliged to be super organised about it ‘cos we’re both generally always busy, but yeah. Part one is called “Oh My God” and will be out in the first quarter 2011.

Q9. Having being kept busy with these tours and releases…what does 2011 hold for the band? Any more tours or festivals?

Yeh fo’sure, inevitably. But at the moment all we want to do is write. I have like, 30 odd songs in my head and we’re slowy scooping them out and into the real world, recording in batches to make an album by summer. We’ve pretty much been hardcore on tour since October, we’ve been offered some stuff but haven’t said yes to anything yet. We made the EP without any real deadlines or recording restrictions, simply by doing as much stuff as possible by ourselves. It felt awesome and made for a better end product, so if we can get it all out of our system, by the middle of the year we’ll be ready to jump on tour and have something to promote for it too.

Q10. And finally (I feel it should be asked..), who came up with the ridiculously long title for the new mini-album and what was the inspiration behind it?!

There isn’t really a story apart from the sentence itself. The EP was called “There When You Need It” for ages and it was nice but a bit too “meh”. I was writing to our label boss really late one night, I was high and sidetracked by something and i spewed it out onto the keyboard. Then I wrote “I think this is what the EP should be called:” before it and clicked send. What a story! It only clicked that it would be a bad idea when we started to make them and I had to handwrite each one. Still proud though. More than The fucking Enemy ever do their loyal fans.

Johnny Foreigner Official Site
Johnny Foreigner Official MySpace
Banquet Records
Johnny Foreigner merch on Banquet Records
“>Johnny Foreigner album/EP review on RockReviews24/7

TrueBeat: “As long as we have a dedicated fanbase, that’s enough for us.”

UK ska punks TrueBeat recently took time to answer some questions on the future of the group, as well as giving advice to others looking to form a band and why you should check them out!

Q1. For those who don’t know who you are, could you give a background on who you are and what you do?

We are TrueBeat an eight legged skanking machine! Formed of Tom, Ian, Devon and Jack we produce Ska Rock to be reckoned with!

Q2. How did the band first start?

Tom and Ian had been in bands together for years and late in 2008 they decided to start a ska rock band. They soon auditioned for a drummer and another guitarist and found Devon and a drummer called Toby. After over 100 gigs, probably pushing 30,000 miles and 4 drummers, we are as you see us now!
Q3. You released your debut album “Back To Square One” last year. What was the response like for that?

Awesome, we have some great fans who just lapped it up and the press were nice about us too, Kevin Flowerdew, owner of Do The Dog Records (and their zine Do the Dog Skazine) said it was a ‘strong contender for debut album of the year’.

Q4. As a ska-punk band, do you find it harder to gather a fanbase when genres like pop and hip-hop seem to dominate the charts?

It’s a different game really, in our field you gain the most fans by playing lots and lots of gigs whereas in the case of a band like Snow Patrol 99% of their ‘fans’ won’t have seen them live, it’s all about radio, press, TV, etc. So we might not have as big a fanbase as Snow Patrol but as long as we have a dedicated fanbase, that’s enough for us.

Q5. Where do you see the band being in 5 years time?

Headlining Glastonbury with Snow Patrol licking our boots!

Q6. And what about the near future? Do you have any new material planned for 2011?

Well, we’re releasing two more singles off the ‘Back to Square One’ album then having a break from releasing anything whilst we work on the new album. Maybe you’ll see part of it before the end of 2011.

Q7. What advice would you give for anyone who may want to start a reggae or ska punk band themselves?

Persistence is the key, if someone doesn’t want to give you a gig, pester them until they do, of course, it’s then your job to make sure they were wrong when they said no in the 1st place. It’s no good finally getting a gig then buggering it up by playing bad, is there? So, persistance and of course a good rhythm section.

Q8. Finally, why should people check out TrueBeat?!

If you want to have a good time but also to be encouraged to think about things whilst dancing your asses off then come to one of our shows and see just how good we really are!

Thanks for your time!

Social Consent: Passion, Paramore and Dinosaurs.

Up and coming pop-rockers from Bristol, Social Consent, took the time out to collectively answer my questions on who they are, the future and why you should check them out!

Also be sure to check out my “Artist Of The Week” feature with them here!

Q1. So for those who don’t know – Who are you and what do you do?

We are Social Consent. A fresh pop-rock band in our second year at the Bristol Access to Music college. Having no bigger love than that for music, which is essentially what brought us all together in a music college, we started to write together and the spark seemed to ignite a fire that’s guiding all our inspirations toward our goal to share that side of the band…

Our style is a mix of current and older bands that we hope takes on as we love writing, performing and sharing it to others.

Q2. How did the band first start?

We were all born with this mark you see, kind of like the Pick of Destiny ass mark, so you could call it fate but other than that, we all met attending ATM [Access To Music]. The course is based on being a performing musician so it involved live playing as an artist or in bands. We all got talking around the campus and eventually ended up at a local pub sharing our influences and likes.

I [Simon] was in a band ‘Segue’ with Ashlee so we had a vibe going on already but knew we wanted to try other sides to music other than grunge. We both knew Kwai and had an idea for his style and feel as a bassist so asked if he wanted to jump on board. He did! Then it was down to the never ending search many bands struggle with to find a singer, so going back to ending up at the pub, whether it was down to Dutch courage or not, we eventually approached Shelley and asked if she was interested in joining the three of us, that’s pretty much it, first few rehearsals, we wrote “Personal Headache” and her voice was perfect, she was perfect, IT was perfect. “Nameless band” was ready to start writing.

Q3. What bands are you influenced by the most?

We all have different personal influences but as a group we fall into a mutual style quite naturally when we write, so it’s interesting to hear the different elements that fall into place, though sometimes there are a lot of drumsticks and guitar picks being thrown at each other when it doesn’t work out haha.

- but between Ash, Kwai and Si, we bring some older or heavier styles into the riffs and Rhythms, such as Guns N’ Roses, A Day To Remember, Pearl Jam, Queens Of The Stone Age and Dream Theater.

Q5. From what I understand you’re releasing an EP soon, how is the recording coming along?

We’re looking to spend the next few months on writing and perfecting new material plus bringing in the second guitarist into the family, but we have an idea on a date when it will be released so keep an eye out on the SC Networking sites for more details.

The Recording we have done so far has been fun, our ‘Producer’ Ross Davies is a great guy, a hell of a lot of fun and very talented, plus he manages to stay cool when we get a bit crazy, which can be quite regular! We hope to have about 6-10 tracks on the EP.

Q5. What is your biggest aim for the end of the year?

Honestly, we think it would be cool to have prominent fan base in our home city Bristol, or ultimately around the UK, though anyone from anywhere that digs our music is seriously appreciated. We hope to start getting regular slots for gigs, have our new material as loud and energetic as ever and become the band we strive to be, with the EP out it should help things move along, we just want to sweat on stage and hope our music is loved by others as much as we do.

Q6. Apart from the upcoming EP, what else does the future hold for Social Consent?

Ashlee: Ear plug endorsements.

Yeah we have a problem with breaking earplugs somehow, and need them when things get loud. We really aren’t sure at the moment, we’re kind of a “see what happens” band at this stage in Social Consents life, though there are plans or ideas for working out mini-tours around the UK once we know who would like to see us and where, that’s the only biggy so far. Other than that, keep pushing ourselves to write music that we hope is original.

Q7. How would you describe your music?

Hmmm well, would Sweat/Smiles/Frowns and fun do it?

We aren’t sure, I guess our influence section might give you some idea, but essentially it’s a mix of Hard Rock with Pop vocal melodies and chants that would definitely keep the grandmother up all night, she might even like it, but we definitely wouldn’t be heard playing over the radio streams in your local library or Kebab Shop.

Q8. Where do you see the band in 5 years time?

Scary…Scary. [Band laugh]

Honestly we haven’t thought that far ahead, let alone how to get to our next gig. As any band we ultimately would like to have some form of success, depending on your definition of the word, and would love to be able to play venues across the world to make connections with as many people as possible.

Q9. Finally why should people check out your music?

We don’t want to force that on anyone, it’s all choice and preference right? But from our perspective, we’re all fun, genuine people who love music as much as the next listener and have been given the chance to pull together a band and put our preferences into our own music, trying to express what others may be feeling and talk to the hearts of the world as much as the bands that made us want to form our own.

Shelley: …because we love dinosaurs.

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Final Round… FIGHT! on The Past, Future and Present.

Hailing from Portsmouth a band by the name of Final Round… FIGHT! can be found making loud noise and putting on energetic live shows. Guitarist Howard John and vocalist Daniel Callis took the time out to answer my questions regarding the past, present and the future.

Q1. For those who don’t know who you are, could you give a background on who you are and what you do?

Callis: We’re a 4-piece band from Portsmouth called Final Round… FIGHT!. We make loud noise and throw our bodies around a fair old bit all in the name of fun. We have an aggressive side to our music as much as we do a melodic side, but all in all we’re just up for a laugh and meeting cool people. Sounds cliché but it’s the truth.

Q2. How did the band first start?

Callis: From the ashes of a few local bands back in 2007. My band split up the year before and I really wanted to start a band that I personally wanted to do rather than just join another one and not have much creative input in our sound. I asked Howard as I liked his pretty voice, but he was busy with his current band, so when they split up in the summer we finally joined forces.

Callis: We’re a perfection Machine!

Q3. You released an EP entitled “The Party Bag EP” last year which came with…a party bag. What was the response like for that?

Howard: We bribed people with sweets, I think getting a CD was just an added bonus to most people. It was an excellent gimmick and one which I don’t think we will be able to top.

Callis: We only did 100 copies and they were all put together and burned by us personally, so making any more was just effort. Plus we’re pretty bored of those songs now. They sound dated compared to the newer stuff.

Q4. How would you describe your music and who do you draw inspiration from?

Howard: Well, its music that my Mum doesn’t like… so I would say it’s a Hardcore, Screamo, Metal, Punk hybrid. It’s brutal but with big chorus’s and quirky interludes. I personally have the least ‘heavy’ taste in music. My favourite bands include Radiohead and The Fall Of Troy. I try and make the guitar have some vague nod to originality.

Callis: We all have quite different influences with a few bands we all share in common here and there, but we also get along quite well so it just gels. It’s so easy to sound like every other band within genres and we wanted to avoid that. In fact we try and incorporate as many genres in our songs as possible.

Q5. You recently mentioned on your Facebook page you wanted to do a Nu-Metal covers EP, have you got any other projects lined up?

Howard: This was Callis idea but one which we have discussed. We are going to concentrate on our own EP first before plans are made for this one. Watch this space.

Callis: We all grew up listening to Nu-Metal as our main gateway to what we listen to now. It’s mostly bad and really dated music so we think it might be fun to give all the songs we loved when we were 14-15 years old a revamp. As Howard said it’s just an idea at the minute, we have our own EP to finish!

Q6. Do you think with the music industry being heavily pop and hip-hop dominated, it’s harder for a band like yours to “make it big”?

Howard: I don’t think so. The idea was never to get big, just to make music that we all enjoy listening too. I just wanted to be my own favourite band. Not in an egotistical way, just music that I can put on and nod my head too.

Callis: No Howard, that would mean I’d have to leave the band as I’m a talentless fool!

Q7. Where do you think the band will be in 5 years time?

Callis: I’ll be more old and bitter than I already am. By then I’ll be so out the loop of what’s cool I’ll just give up, and lock myself in a massive room surrounded by old game consoles.

Callis: And as for the band? Who knows? We never know what we’ll be doing next month. We just go one step at a time and aim for low expectations, so if something good does happen it feels even better.

Q8. What else does the future hold for Final Round…FIGHT!?

Howard: Well, the new EP will be out hopefully by mid this year! Really looking forward to seeing how that goes down given that it’s been a work in progress for almost a year. Other then that, gigs and drinking Capri Sun.

Callis: We’ve been playing some of the songs live a few months now and they seem to be going down well, so hopefully the new EP will get us a few more listeners and bring us some nice gigs out and about. There’s a few awesome bands we want to hook up with more for gigs and getting hammered too, so that’s a bonus.

Q9. Why should people check out your music?

Howard: Because I have low self esteem and would appreciate the support right now… Seriously though, in my opinion we sound different to a lot of bands in our genre and aren’t scared to try and mix it up a bit. Some of our stuff has influences ranging from indie, Dance, heavy metal right through to thrash. We have quite a limited attention span!

Callis: That and to see some awesome human pyramids. If you’re lucky I may dress up as a taco!

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Final Round… FIGHT! Free Party Bag EP Download