Upset, August 2019

** Plus ** Enter Shikari / The Regrettes / Roam / Hot Milk / Crown The Empire / Bleached + loads more

46

August 2019 upsetmagazine.com

Sum 41 Alexisonfire Lights

IT’S THE MARK & ALEX SHOW

SIMPLE

C R E AT U R E S “This is not just a one-time thing”

W E

A R E

N O T

Y O U R

K I N D

9 A U G U S T 2 0 1 9 P R E - O R D E R N O W C D • C D / T E E B OX • D I G I TA L • 2 L P LIMITED EDITION 2LP RED VINYL AVA I L A B L E F R O M H M V A N D I N D E P E N D E N T R E C O R D S T O R E S

SLIPKNOT1.COM ROADRUNNERRECORDS.CO.UK

AUGUST 2019 Issue 46

HELLO. Supergroups, eh? How often do we come across supergroups that, actually, if we’re honest, aren’t so super at all? That one from that band that you can’t remember the name of, someone else who once was a touring guitarist for that lot who had two hits eight years ago. The music still needs to write the cheques, and rightly so.

But then you’ve got this month’s cover stars. And yes, I do mean stars. If you’re looking for iconic figures of the past 25 years, rock music could do far worse than simply to offer up Mark Hoppus and Alex Gaskarth and be done with it. Now joining forces for a new project that allows them to write outside the lines of their clearly defined day jobs, Simple Creatures is a project with a genuine sense of something exciting about it. That they describe it as something for keeps, rather than simply a oneoff experiment, is even better. In their case, super doesn’t really seem strong enough.

S tephen

Editor / @stephenackroyd

Upset Editor Stephen Ackroyd Deputy Editor Victoria Sinden Associate Editor Ali Shutler Scribblers Alex Bradley, Beth Casteel, Dan Harrison, Jack Press, Jamie MacMillan, Linsey Teggert, Paris Fawcett, Rob Mair, Sam Taylor, Steven Loftin Snappers Ashley Osborn, Claire Marie Vogel, Frances Beach, Lindsey Blane, Nicky Giraffe, Sarah Louise Bennett P U B L I S H E D F RO M

W E LCO M E TOT H E B U N K E R.CO M U N I T 10, 23 G RA N G E RO A D, H A S T I N G S, T N34 2R L

All material copyright (c). All rights reserved.

RIOT 4. ALEXISONFIRE 10. DOWNLOAD 2019 17. ACRES 18. TORCHE 20. CROWN THE EMPIRE 22. MUSE 24. ALL POINTS EAST 26. HOT MILK 27. CASE STUDY FEATURES 30. SIMPLE CREATURES

40. THE REGRETTES 44. SUM 41 48. BLEACHED 50. LIGHTS REVIEWS 54. SUM 41 55. CHASE ATLANTIC 56. NORTHLANE TEENAGE KICKS 58. PLAGUE VENDOR

Upset 3

Riot_

THIS MONTH IN ROCK

EVERYTHING HAPPENING IN ROCK

Festival season is well and truly underway, with Download bringing some of the biggest bands in the genre to Donington. p.10

RELIGHT MY FIRE Interview.

Returning earlier this year with ‘Familiar Drugs’ and ‘Complicit’, their first new music in almost ten years, plus a host of buzzy live shows, Alexisonfire are looking to the future.

Words: Alex Bradley. Photos: Sarah Louise Bennett.

4 Upset

Crown the Empire are taking a confident step forward with their new album, ‘Sudden Sky’. p.11

Back in 2015, at Toronto’s Riot Fest, Wade MacNeil triumphantly declared that “Alexisonfire is officially back”.

Rightly so, everyone excitedly took that as fact but what the guitarist actually meant was the most literal interpretation of “back” - they were physically all in one place for a couple of shows together.

Wade’s proclamation and the subsequent online frenzy actually prompted Alexisonfire to collectively issue a statement to clarify that actually... well, erm, they were kinda just all friends again and playing a couple of shows. Alexisonfire were back, kind of.

Flash forward four years and those few shows have become many shows around the world at infrequent, short, bursts, but as they dropped ‘Familiar Drugs’, their first new music in nine years, it felt like Alexisonfire were back; for real this time.

And now, just a few months later, they’re back again with ‘Complicit’. Where ‘Familiar Drugs’ is rock anthem with a stoner twist, ‘Complicit’ is

It’s Bring Me The Horizon!

Headlining a festival! p.24

a different beast altogether.

This single is the more driving, menacing, side to Alexisonfire with vocalist George Pettit at his snarling best as he shares a message of inclusiveness and continuing the fight against racism, misogyny and heterosexual supremacy.

“It’s hard to write a song like that,’ George begins. ‘Writing an anti-racist song or antihomophobic song, it’s hard to tread those waters because a lot of songs have been written like that. And if I felt that everything had been said and everything was done, then I wouldn’t have done it, but I think it’s really important right now. Racism, homophobia, misogyny are all on the rise in some regards - maybe not “on the rise” - but a lot of people who feel that sort of thing are feeling very empowered to talk about it publicly.”

While Alexis are no strangers to politically focused tracks like ‘Sons of Privilege’ or ‘We Are The Sound’ and anthems for empowerment like ‘Accept Crime’, the inspiration for ‘Complicit’ came from a pretty unlikely source.

George explains: “The motivation for the song was the Childish Gambino music video came out for ‘This Is America’. I was really moved by it...” Wade enthusiastically seconds it adding: “Punkest shit that has happened in 10 years!”

He continues: “This is so punk. It’s so amazingly punk.

It’s punker than punk. It’s so fucking visceral. How do I get behind the things he is speaking about in the song, and how do I be an ally to this cause?’

Upset 5

Riot_

“After thinking about it for a while, I think the first step for everyone is to realise compliance in that. Maybe it’s not active, but I have benefitted from the privileges I have as a white heterosexual male, and that is what the song is about.

“I have people in my life who don’t fall in that category - people who identify as something other than a white, heterosexual male - who have to navigate a world that is very different to the world I navigate at times.

“It’s a tough thing for people to swallow, but it’s the first step in recognising and changing. Just because you’re not marching with the fucking proud boys doesn’t mean you’ve not benefitted from the same world that has allowed those people to exist.”

‘Complicit’ is a view of oppression from those who aren’t oppressed, which sounds ludicrous, but it seems like a needed view to inspire more change. And, as George and Wade talk more about the track, it’s clear that, for them, its not

6 Upset

about just making music as a Propagandhi record and it result of their influences - a lot saying ‘gay positive’ on it. It of which stems from punk and almost awoke me to the idea of ‘protest’ music - but also using homophobia as an evil, and I the platform they have to make wanna do that same thing for sure those views are heard on someone else too. I’ve been behalf of people who can’t be inspired by that kind of music heard. my whole life.”

George “I think it’s grew up in music like that Grimsby, is the reason Ontario, we are friends,” which he adds Wade. “I describes think, when we as “very met, George was small, very the only other white” where kid around “homophobia town who knew was an open what Crass thing that was. It was a GEORGE PETTIT was shared very important widely thing in our people couldn’t be out and gay at lives, and those records largely school without drawing the ire shaped more of my opinion of of a lot of people”. But, thanks to the world than probably a lot of albums like Propagandhi’s ‘Less my teachers.

Talk More Rock’, which had the “There is a lot of important words “Pro-Feminist / Animalstuff in those records that made Friendly / Anti-Fascist / Gayme realise some things for the Positive” as its artwork, George first time. I lived in a town over began to see the bigger picture. from George, and my experience “I remember that being a was not dealing with people young person and getting this of colour as we lived in a small

“HERE IS WHERE WE STAND. NOW IS THE TIME TO FUCKING DO IT”

Ontario town, and that was not my day to day. Hearing bands talk about what is going on in the world, and specifically things that are problematic in the world, and most importantly what are we going to do to challenge that and what are we going to do to fix that?”

It’s easy to see from their upbringing, and the way music has shaped them how frustrated George and Wade are by the way the world is at the moment, and that frustration is palpable in ‘Complicit’. “We are drawing a line in the sand,” George announces. “Here is where we stand. Now is the time to fucking do it. I mean here in England, in Canada - the political climatethe people are getting quite regressive. And we are standing and saying, ‘No. We are not going back’.”

It’s easy to buy into the reasoning behind ‘Complicit’ but measuring the reaction to the new single is based more on how it sounds both comparative to ‘Familiar Drugs’ and the “traditional” Alexisonfire sound.

As George referred to ‘Complicit’ like a “sophomore” release, the term carried a semi-conscious undertone that this song - with its more intense, direct, approach - was always going to polarise against the more straightforward

rock single that was ‘Familiar Drugs’.

“A lot of people like Alexisonfire for completely different reasons. So I will read a comment online that is ‘Yeah, ‘Complicit’ is great, it sounds like ‘Crisis’-era Alexisonfire’, and then the next comment will be ‘Complicit is shit, it doesn’t sound like ‘Crisis’-era Alexisonfire!’

I think it’s overwhelmingly positive, but I do notice that everyone wants a little something different from Alexis and so we are always upsetting someone at that same time as making someone elated.

Wade laughs: “Isn’t that being a band right there? Making someone happy and on the other hand, ruining someone else’s day.”

It would seem natural that after releasing two singles over a few months, there would be a plan - an album, EP, something - but without the constraints of a label, Alexis seem to be revelling in the freedom to do whatever they want. It’s the “back to basics” approach that seems so appealing to all 5 members of band and ultimately making Alexisonfire work.

“We started the band again,” explains Wade. “And, what do we like doing? Playing shows and writing music.” And that is

BURY TOMORROW ARE GOING TO PLAY ‘BLACK FLAME’ IN FULL Bury Tomorrow are going to play their album ‘Black Flame’ in full on their winter tour. The band will play a massive run this December, which kicks off in Portsmouth on the 13th and culminates at London’s Roundhouse.

BLACK PEAKS HAVE CONFIRMED A NEW TOUR Black Peaks have announced a headline tour that kicks off on 3rd October. The band are playing in support of their second album ‘All That Divides’, with support from Black Futures and Bitch Falcon.

GRAYSCALE’S NEW ALBUM ‘NELLA VITA’ IS COMING Grayscale’s new record ‘Nella Vita’ is due on 6th September, preceded by their new single ‘In Violet’. Vocalist Collin Walsh says of the track: “When I go, I want everyone to celebrate, sing, laugh, and dress in violet.”

Upset 7 7 UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

Riot_

exactly what they are doing. it isn’t there”.

Wade is keen to point out But, for “album people”, there that they have “a lot” of songs lies an issue when currently that they they are only have been working on working on singles and and that will not a cohesive be back into selection the studio of songs. after they’ve Thankfully, wrapped they seem up touring. to have that Again, that covered too. only works in “There are their favour songs that WADE MACNEIL as working on we would one song at write where a time seems to be throwing up we would be like ‘as a single different results to what they’ve it might be difficult, and this experienced previously from might need to be coupled with working solely on an album.

He adds: “Now we are trying to approach things a little bit differently and hopefully that leads us to some new territory that we wouldn’t have done if we had we been making records in a similar fashion.”

Despite having no plans for an album, George concedes that both him and Wade are “album people” and while the songs they have are not an album yet, there could be in the future.

Wade maintains that while they have songs written, they don’t yet “feel” like an album and says he “can’t quite see it yet,” before George teases “That’s not to say

“WE ARE ESSENTIALLY DOING WHATEVER THE FUCK WE WANT”

8 Upset

something else to give it more context’. At some point, we will probably write something that will need to come out in a different form than a single.

But we will cross that bridge when we get to it,” says George “We are essentially doing whatever the fuck we want,” Wade continues. “So if we want to release the ambient fucking song where we play toothbrushes on a keyboard next, we could do it.”

It could easily be considered a nonchalant approach, but the opposite is true where Alexisonfire are doing everything on their own terms now. It may be at a slower pace than what fans want in an age of demand and instant gratification, but it’s important to remember that a few years ago it seemed almost impossible that you’d ever see Dallas, George, Wade, Chris and Jordan in the same room again.

Alexisonfire are officially back, and this time they mean it. P

THE NEW ALB

UM

TH AU G U S T 9 T OU

U’ LE ‘I DARE YO G IN S E H T G FEATURIN – LP CD – DIGITAL

P R E- O R D E R N

OW

ON TOUR 4 NOV SOUTHAMPTON, THE LOFT 5 NOV BRISTOL, THEKLA 8 NOV LONDON, O2 ACADEMY ISLINGTON 9 NOV BIRMINGHAM, O2 ACADEMY 3 11 NOV GLASGOW, KING TUTS 12 NOV LEEDS, THE KEY CLUB 13 NOV MANCHESTER, THE DEAF INSTITUTE 14 NOV LIVERPOOL, ARTS CLUB THEREGRETTES.COM

Riot_

DOWN -LOAD TWENTY NINE -TEEN Festival.

Festival season is well and truly underway, with this year’s rock behemoth Download once again bringing some of the biggest bands in the genre to Donington.

Words: Steven Loftin.

10 Upset

Upset 11

Riot_

While this year’s Download might seem to err a bit on the ‘more mature’ side, there are enough young sparks on the bill to confirm that rock is in safe hands indeed.

Dolores O’Riordan with their cover of ‘Zombie’. The crowd carry the song with a unified singing that reaches deep into the emotions of the hordes of onlookers that have gathered.

Die Antwoord are a palate cleansing, or rather, palate defying, act for this year’s Download. With their mask-clad DJ ‘god’ taking centre stage raised above, Ninja and Yolanda Visser blow the minds of everyone in attendance. Back in the realms of expectation, The

Friday’s highlights include Japanese band Man

are the kind of band who can unite a crowd with heartfelt, introspective emo-jams.

Beneath the tented Avalanche stage, the five-piece, making a trip over to the UK especially for Download, seamlessly blend their more recent fully-loaded sad-fury with their singalongbearing older material to create a moment Download won’t soon forget.

Simple Creatures’ Mark Hoppus (blink 182) and Alex Gaskarth (All Time Low) have been having a whale of a time of late.

Heading out on smaller tours than both of their respective bands are used to, and Download is seemingly

With A Mission,

wolf masks and all, stirring up the muddy ground with their frenetic energy which has gained them cult-status back home.

Eager to make waves overseas, their set is a no holds barred ride through what sets this band apart from the rest. Rob Zombie meanwhile is ferocious in all the right ways. Prowling and dominating the Zippo with the same power and might that he first rose with decades ago.

But it’s Saturday which truly kicks Download into gear. First up, Aussies Yours Truly - another of the pop-punk contingency making their way out of their homeland - ignite that sheer melodic fire that rages deep inside of all of us. Over on the Zippo stage, Bad Wolves find their crowning moment coming from a poignant dedication to The Cranberries’ late singer

12 Upset

Wonder Years

not only a continuation of this on-going celebration but a focal point for their growth.

Using their set to fully explore the realms of their darknessladen, poppy sound, given the duo have not long ago released their debut EP ‘Strange Love’, tonight’s debut of new single ‘Special’ (with four crowd-picked unicorns to boot) goes to show that there’s no slowing them down.

While this party is popping off over on the Avalanche stage, it’s time for the return of the behemoths Slipknot on

Rou: It’s quite scary because you’re literally dropping everything and facing just this road that’s empty and you have to populate it with ideas.

And where do those ideas come from?

Upset faves Enter Shikari are back at Download, raring to take things to the next level. Touring non-stop since the release of ‘The Spark’, singer Rou Reynolds and bassist Chris Batten stop by for a catch up on site.

Hiya Enter Shikari - you must be Download regulars by now?

Chris: [I think we’ve done] four or five? I’d probably say five.

Once in 2006, headlined the second stage twice, did a secret show… so maybe this is the fifth?

How do you keep the live show feeling fresh, especially with such a busy schedule all the time?

Rou: It’s by doing the changes, keeping the set fresh. It’s a lot of work - mainly for Chris here who does all the live programming, which is awesome. It keeps the shows honest because if we’re excited about the set, then it’s going to come across. Whereas if we’re playing the same songs

with the same structure, they’ve always been, even though it’s the best job in the world it’s still going to grate after the two hundredth time.

Chris: I remember noticing it when we were touring the states for eight weeks, and it was just the same thing every night.

Since that huge tour we did, we’ve made an effort to keep it fresher for ourselves because when we enjoy it, more people feed off of that.

Is there any plan in place for new stuff yet?

Chris: It’s still in the early stages - but there is a plan. We know when we want to be going in the studio, and what we want to be focusing on. It’s a bit too early to have a ‘this is what the record is going to sound like’ because we’re working through that.

Rou: It’s that weird no man’s land purgatory between one album and what will be the next when you have to shed the skin of the previous format, or makeup of what enter Shikari

Down lo ad Q+ A

Making everything tie in together.

ENTER SHIKARI

was and find this new one.

Rou: I find with the inspiration you just have to fucking work, the whole thing of ‘inspiration hitting you’ - it can sometimes happen in expected places, but a lot of the time you have to knuckle down and search for musical routes you haven’t tried before, and it’ll come.

It’s more likely not to come if you’re just not writing.

And the grander ideas, like colours? Is it just a ‘that’s a nice colour’ situation?

Rou: There’s always something behind it, like the aqua ‘Spark’ blue or whatever, was that was about coming out of a period of adversity, and the freshness and re-birth, so aqua, water. There’s something very fresh about that colour, so that felt right. We’re nowhere near a visual idea yet, but it will come. P

Upset 13

Riot_

Dow nloa d Q + A

ROAM Returning to Download to continue their pop-punk adventure, Roam are gearing up to enter their third chapter. Singer Alex Costello chats about life, what’s ahead, and more importantly, their new friendship with Nickelback.

Hi Alex! So, the new album - how are things there?

We started writing back in November 2018, and we started writing for three or four months before we went into the studio.

We went in with a guy called Machine who did Lamb of God’s first stuff, and it was interesting. I feel that when there’s something interesting about it, it’s going to turn out well, it’s going to be unique. So, we went in the studio with him doing that in Texas, and it was the best experience of recording I’ve ever done in my life, and it’s all done now.

How was the growth from your debut ‘Backbone’ to this moment?

It’s not always straight up. You feel like there’s a lot of times where, you’re emotionally up and down, up and down, all the time, but there are times when you see your growth as a band, and you’re like ‘sick!’ You don’t really expect it, but, you’re kind of taken away by it.

What’ve been some notable moments for you?

There are notable moments in the absolutely amazing things that happen, and there are notable moments in the terrible. Both

14 Upset

do inspire; the bad moments inspired our latest album that was out, with all the emotions of that and stuff, us getting robbed and all that. Then you’ve just got the sick things that you realise, that this is actually sick what I’m able to do given the opportunity, and actually, be blessed with doing something so cool. One of the coolest things was playing Las Vegas, next to a swimming pool while the crowd was in the pool and we were on stage - that was probably the coolest thing on Warped Tour 2016.

Those moments must give you clarity, but also take their toll?

Yeah. We’ve never been robbed before, so we never knew what it felt like, but it felt like… you’ve been robbed! We’d never felt that before so it was that intrusion.

Someone’s intruded on your personal space and taken stuff, but positive stuff had to come from it.

Does some of that ‘bigger picture stuff’ feed into the new album?

I wouldn’t say as much. It’s changed since then, what we’ve started writing about. We wanted to create this album, starting with a theme and then writing about the theme and different areas to then make a collective album that made sense.

So, yeah, we started with a theme.

We were able to write so much more and faster when we had this overall theme planned instead of just going ‘oh I’m gonna write a song about clouds today’, and just random stuff. You know where you’re aiming for, so it had momentum.

That must feel good, especially as you’ve grown as a band and found this new way to deal with things and open creativity?

Basically, all of you share this one emotion that is ‘The Band’. You’re an entity. I feel like we’re as close as we can be, you hit that point where you’re ‘close’.

And now you’re also best pals with Nickleback!

Yeah, we tweeted them asking if they wanted to listen and they were like - ‘yeah, we do. So we sent it to them and they messaged us saying one of their favourite songs, and we were like ‘okay, this is sick’. Then they tweeted us yesterday like in-depth just being supportive and it’s cool because they’re a band that you grow up with, grow up seeing in arenas and stuff and they’ve listened to your album, which is nuts to think about. P

the main stage. Having been through the mill over the last year with tragedy and line up changes, the nine-piece are here to make sure the world knows that nothing will get in the way of them doing what they do best - setting the world to rights through chaos and noise.

All fan-favourites take their place on the setlist; opener ‘People=Shit’ dries out any dampened spirits, while the

barrage of pyro takes care of the rest. It’s a set that delves into old and new, including recent single ‘Unsainted’ which is already a singalong starter.

More importantly, the new, unnamed member brings abundant energy that’s reminiscent of the Slipknot of two decades ago - and still the masked nine are certainly a force to be reckoned with even after all these years.

Dinosaur Pile-Up are more

confident than ever on the Zippo stage, the trio (and recent Upset cover stars) are here to celebrate and give

the early-Sunday-doors crowd a reason to remember their name. It’s much the same for Black Futures, a band who are simply growing from strength to strength, round the corner on the Avalanche stage. They turn their midday set into an altchurch session for anyone who’ll listen - and given the reaction, that’s just about everyone.

Coming out to Queen’s ‘We Will Rock You’ tends to put you in a position of needing to prove if you can talk the talk and walk the walk, and Beartooth waste no time in proving both. Raging into life with ‘Bad Listener’, frontman Caleb Shomo spends his time on stage stoking the crowd into a frenzy all the way up until a cracking rendition of ‘In Between’ that sees them off.

It’s hard to pass up a chance to see Smashing Pumpkins, especially when three mammoth stage props appear - looking like toys designed straight from the twisted alt mind of Billy Corgan.

You never know what you’re going to get from a Pumpkins show, and today is a pleasant surprise.

Favourites such as ‘Bullet With Butterfly Wings’ and ‘Disarm’ make an appearance, while they also bust out a cover of Black Sabbath’s ‘Snowblind’ with the addition of Myrkur. Certainly, the slower moments do wane, but it’s hard not to get lost in the regalia of it all.

If there’s any band that can put on a live show worthy of closing a festival, it’s Enter Shikari. Under the darkness of the Avalanche stage, Rou

Upset 15

Riot_

Dow nloa d Q + A

YOURS TRULY Australia is currently exporting some of the most promising pop-punk sounds around. More members of this bright contingency, Yours Truly are at Donington to play their first ever international show - talk about making an entrance. We had a chat with singer Mikaila Delgado and guitarist Lachlan Cronin to get the low down on the upcoming band.

Is this your first time over here in the UK?

Lachlan: This is our first time in the UK and Download.

Mikaila: This is our first ever international set, the first set that we’ve played somewhere outside of Australia.

Pop-punk seems to be having a bit of a moment in Australia - does it feel like that on the inside?

Lachlan: I definitely think so. A lot of our friends’ bands are doing things similar to us, like getting picked up, going overseas. Our friends in Between You & Me were just here for Slam Dunk; it’s cool!

Mikaila: I feel like we have a close community. It’s a big country, but in terms of people and bands, not so big, so you know what everyone’s doing, and everyone’s supportive of each other because there’s not many of us, so we want to see everyone succeed. There’s

16 Upset

barely any competitiveness, and that allowed bands to thrive.

Is it after ‘High Hopes’ all this traction started happening?

Lachlan: Yeah, It’s crazy, just a dream come true for all of us to be playing music outside of Australia.

Mikaila: It’s one of those things that we’ve spoken about since we started the band and being ‘imagine if we get to play overseas?!’ And I think when we landed, we all looked at each other and were like ‘oh shit!

We’re in a different country now; we actually get to play Download!’ It’s crazy.

How did the success of it feel?

Lachlan: It was unbelievable.

None of us thought it would go how it did.

Mikaila: It was unexpected. We have this joke that everything we do is very last minute. We put the song up on Dreambound like a week before it was even supposed to come out, so it was kind of just, well, we’ll just chuck it up online and see if people like it, maybe we can get some shows… and within ten days it had one-hundredthousand views!

What about the future?

Lachlan: After Download, and this UK run, we’ll go back home.

We’ve got our own headline tour in August around Australia, and straight after that in September we go to the US with Sense Fail.

It’s just tour, tour, tour! P

Reynolds and co., clad in sharp, black suits, are here to celebrate, the past, present and future with a vitality that feasibly crowns them kings of the young bands.

Highlighting the current political strife with the occasional call-to-arms, ultimately Enter Shikari have always been using their platform for positivity - and a good time. Fire and confetti make the perfect backdrop for this welcomed onslaught, while the energy is palpable throughout the darkened tent, and by the last ringing note of ‘Live Outside’, it’s a moment of reflection for all. Mostly in that Enter Shikari are a band that everyone should experience live at least once.

On the subject of bands everyone should experience live, Tool are certainly up there. It’s an understated show that sees frontman Maynard James Keenan tucked away at the rear of the stage, and all screens surrounding the site showing animated visuals as opposed to the band, leaving the sight of the group to those fortunate enough to be near the front. It’s a twisted world that Tool inhabit and it’s a set that brings it all to life with minimal fanfare, but a colossal impact.

An iconic way to end things, and leaving Download 2019 hypnotised in the wake of a weekend filled with the push and pull of sun and rain, mud and concrete and more importantly old vs new.

It’s not been a battle, but instead all things working as one to remind us just why rock music is so fucking cool. P

Hey Ben, congrats on reaching your debut album, has it been a long time in the works?

Yeah, I guess it has. I know fans have been asking for a long time for a full length, so it feels good to finally be able to deliver! I feel like we waited a while until as a band we felt we were ready, you only get one debut, and we didn’t want to disappoint!

Did you have a clear idea of what you wanted the record to be from the outset?

Yeah, we did for sure. We had a lot more time to write and demo this time around, and that’s something we’ve never had before, we knew going into this record we wanted to branch out and really cement a sound for Acres.

The lyrical themes sound super personal, were there any topics you were unsure about broaching?

Yeah they are all super personal,

I try to write honest lyrics that I feel people will relate to and understand, every song on ‘Lonely World’ has a true story behind it, either from personal experience or someone close to me. I don’t think there was anything I didn’t feel too uncomfortable writing about. For me, it’s pretty much a nice therapy to get these things off your chest and in this day and age it’s important that people speak to each other and ask for help if they need it and this is my way of speaking.

Have you played the record to friends and family yet? What do they make of it?

I think we all have! We’re all super proud of the record, and we all have supportive friends and family. I always show my friends new demos and songs to see if they like them and luckily they did!

Did you come up against any unexpected challenges while putting the album together?

Weirdly no, everything fell into

place nicely, and the whole process was pretty great! The only challenge was that we started writing this album as an unsigned band and had absolutely no idea how we were going to fund it, luckily we signed to A Wolf At Your Door Records, and they’ve helped and supported us in making ‘Lonely World’ happen.

What do you hope listeners will take away from the record?

For me, the whole album is just a message to people that if they are dealing with shit and have problems then they are not alone and other people have the same feelings, don’t be afraid to talk and ask for help.

What else have you got coming up over the summer?

We’ll be playing some festivals: Wacken on 1st August, Burn It Down Festival on the 31st and also a cool headline tour in September with some killer bands! P

Acres’ album ‘Lonely World’ is out 9th August.

Interview.

Post-hardcore band Acres weave personal tales through their heavy, emotionallycharged debut album, ‘Lonely World’. Singer Ben Lumber tells us more. Words: Sam Taylor Upset 17

Riot_

CHANGES COME Interview.

15 years into their career, and Floridian heavy metal band Torche are still finding ways to level up. Jonathan Nuñez tells us about their new album. Words: Sam Taylor Hey Jonathan, how long has ‘Admission’ been in the works for?

We wrote it rather spread out over the last two to three years between tours and time where we could get everything in the same state. We’re used to being spread out, typically on both coasts here in the US, which we have been used to since after our third record or so. The record was written in about four weeks, consisting of us doing a couple to a few days here and there after heavy touring for our last record.

18 Upset

A couple of us started a business, like Rick [Smith] with a print shop called Print Smith 305, and me starting an independent gear company called Nuñez Amps, so between those companies starting and generally taking some time off ourselves, we became more excited with the idea of doing another record.

What was your headspace like going into it?

I feel the biggest push was the line-up change that took place in a nine-day gap between a European

tour and a month-long US tour.

The energy and excitement that quickly took hold of the band really reflected in our live shows, and in how we felt not only playing but in how we wanted to continue doing what we’ve been doing since 2004. There was a drive to capture what we had been feeling while playing. I wanted to accomplish something that not only represented the band’s live sound, but also something that felt like a full record experience.

Did you start writing this one

with any set goals in mind?

I was set to capture the live sound of the band and do each song justice in creating how each song deserved to be represented.

To me, if someone were to pick up this record after seeing us live, I want them to say “Hey, this is exactly what I heard”, transporting them to the same headspace and triggering the feeling they had when watching us. It needed to sound and feel real. It could be harsh, and everything needed to be in the right space, while allowing things to move around like they would in a real space. The sound I was getting through the different demos were really speaking to us; we wanted to have the connection and sonic chemistry we projected live on this one, it was a priority.

How was your time in the studio?

It had its moments. To me, there were some challenges. The room we tracked in for starters had its acoustical issue... but we pushed forward, and I did some extra work in the mix process. Mostly it was nonstop full days; we had enough time to get things done if we remained efficient and focused. We put together a couple of songs in the studio, which made tightened the schedule a bit, but we accomplished all the basic tracking. The rest of the tracking was done at my studio, which was being completed at the time. There was a good amount of experimenting with guitar sounds, and passing drums through some of the Nunez pedals which tied in the drums with the guitar/bass sounds in a great way.

The title-track is a real standout moment; how did that one come together?

The title-track materialised from an idea I had which was to compose a track based off a beat on a drum machine app I found appealing, which was not a

typical Torche beat, and writing played it the song went on for the chords last which is not about 16 to 12 minutes. About a usually how we write our songs. week later Rick and I received Leading up to writing this song, one of Steve [Brooks]’ usual late we had just completed an Eastern night texts with a vocal demo European tour, and most of us that immediately solidified this had gotten sick, a type of flu that needed to be on the record. would not stop getting worse. I How did you approach curating was in-between moving from FL the album’s running order? to CA and was feeling a bit lost It almost works itself out. My without my studio, instruments, approach is running with what or friends really. Due to whatever you’d like a live set’s pace to it is I caught, I was very much in be like, while creating a sonic a drained and delirious state in journey spanning all the 100-degree weather which makes emotions and you feel a directions the bit more record has rot bizarre. offer. From With all this the first track going on, I to the final needed to be moments, a productive record should and wanted be telling a to have great story material that should ready for our feel complete upcoming JONATHAN NUNEZ as well as full, writing leaving you sessions. I wanting to re-experience as soon started to gather essentials. Some as the first listen is done. cheap second-hand equipment off Craigslist, a local music chain, Does releasing music into and a $90 guitar. These limited 2019’s socio-political climate tools were great; just having feel any different from previous the ability to write was what I years? needed. After demoing certain The artwork for ‘Admission’ can ideas, I was really out of it and mean a lot of different things to honestly unsatisfied. That’s all types of people, and I look when the drum app came into forward to getting all sorts of play, alongside not proceeding perspectives, but to me one of the how I’ve been used to putting things it projects can be seen as down ideas for as long as I could a feeling on certain things going remember. Once the drums were on in our country as well as the playing the lead just started to world we live in today. materialise, mainly due to the stress and not wanting to stop Can we expect to see you in the unless I had something I liked UK anytime soon? What’s next after rounding up the batch of for you guys? “this’ll work” gear.

We’re currently working on Not too long after the beat getting over to the UK as soon and leads were all done, the as possible, and it’s looking like rhythm guitar’s notes just fell December might be doable. We’re into place like they’d always definitely excited to get back over been there waiting. Once the and play our new record live. P song was shown to the guys (I had no idea what to expect, but Torche’s album ‘Admission’ is I liked it) everyone was excited out now. to try it. The first few times we

“THIS RECORD PROPERLY SHOWCASES EVERYONE IN THE BAND’S PERSONALITY”

Upset 19

Riot_

Everything you need to know about...

Crown The Empire’s

new album

‘Sudden Sky’

Announced mere weeks before release, Crown the Empire are taking a confident step forward with their new album, ‘Sudden Sky’. Brandon Hoover tells us all we need to know.

The album was written and recorded over a year and a half in between tours around the world. We wrote in the desert

out in Joshua Tree, on the bus while touring the United States, AirBnB’s, hotels, apartments, and multiple studios in Hollywood.

For the album artwork, we 3D-scanned our bodies and put them into a digital environment to create our own version of an art piece. All of our individual

facial expressions, body positions and clothing, represent the emotions we felt during the album process.

The song ‘BLURRY (outofplace)’ went through four different 20 Upset

versions of vocals before we gave up on it. During our last

that matter.

month in the studio, we decided to give it one more shot and brought in Micah Premnath who co-wrote ‘Back To You’ by Selena Gomez.

Once it was finished, it turned out being our favourite song off the new album.

The last song we finished on the album was actually the intro ‘(X)’, which means unknown.

The chorus for the song ‘MZRY’ was originally in 4/4 but was changed to 3/4 at the last second to give it the vibe of the Johnny Trilogy from our old records. Once we did that the

WZRDBLD, who produced the new record, came up with the album title ‘Sudden Sky’ before any of the music was even created. It means that you could

song morphed into a hybrid of the old and new CROWN sound. If it wasn’t for that decision, I don’t know if the song would have made the album, or been finished for

We wanted Andy’s monologue to have the vibe of Mr. Robot and Fight Club. Musically we took inspiration from Run the Jewels.

be here one moment and gone the next. That title helped set the tone for the recording process. P

Crown The Empire’s album ‘Sudden Sky’ is out 19th July.

the new album

www.fangclubofficial.com UM_FANGCLUB_UPSET_HALF_PAGE_HORZ_2MM_BLEED_ALBUM.indd 1

OUT NOW

02/07/2019 08:41

Riot_

THE THEORY OF EVERYTH Live report.

22 Upset

Just when you think Muse can’t get any more ridiculous they, well, they get more ridiculous.

Muse are at their stupid, playful best at the absolutely bloody (super)massive London Stadium.

HING Words: Ali Shutler. Photo: Frances Beach.

Fresh from releasing ‘Simulation Theory’, their best album since 2006’s ‘Black Holes and Revelations’, the band return to their now second home of London stadiums to bring it to artificial life.

There’s a pencil drawn story about algorithms evolving until we’re all enslaved by artificial intelligence, but it’s nothing more than a launch pad for their over-the-top blockbuster of a live show.

Don’t tell their fans, but Muse are a silly, silly band who should absolutely not be taken too seriously. Ever.

From the opening hammer and reach of ‘Algorithm’ Muse, surrounded by neon-lit stormtrooper trumpet players, are the ringleaders of a weird and wacky funfair romp. ‘Pressure’, all shimmering glam and dad-dancing funk quickly follows before the camp rage of ‘Psycho’ sees fists in the air in a burst of playground rebellion.

Muse swerve into the hits, ‘Supermassive Black Hole’, ‘Plug In Baby’ and ‘Bliss’ as exciting as they’ve ever been while a mammoth “metal medley” sees them do battle with a giant inflatable alien/robot hybrid that dwarfs the band and threatens to take them into Spinal Tap territory. It is fun, though.

It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve seen them play ‘Knights Of Cydonia’, it’s still a moment of infectious joy (though the sooner they lose the harmonica, the better). It’s been ending their shows for almost thirteen years now, but still, there’s no rush for the exits until its space cowboy epic has galloped to a triumphant close. Wearing sunglasses and talking about the end of the world and the dangers of technology, Muse might pretend they’re a serious rock band with a real message to share, but we all know they’re at their best when they’re the bombastic menaces seeing just how far they can push their live show.

Entertainment before enlightenment, tonight sees Muse at their stupid, playful best. They might not be saving the world, but they are making it a bit more colourful. P

Upset 23

POINT BREAK

Riot_

It’s Bring Me The Horizon! Headlining a festival! Oli and co. topped the bill this year’s All Points East, and they brought a bunch of their pals with them.

Words: Steven Loftin.

Photo: Sarah Louise Bennett.

24 Upset

With the release of their sixth album ‘Amo’, Bring Me The Horizon found themselves leaning right into a brighter future filled with cross-over potential that continued down an exciting path for rock music. Going by the veritable spread of artists, both expected and unexpected, they’ve laid on for their day out at All Points East, Bring Me are quite happy to be front runners in this new-age rock space-race. Admittedly, the names that you’d expect to see fall a bit flatter in terms of expectations of a band living on the edge of a knife, but it’s undoubtedly a line-up that’s got something for everyone who faces against the establishment.

Come early doors, the fields two choices of newcomers Tillie and Lotus Eater both provide a sense of what’s to come with the latter bringing sprightly brutality to the early Friday afternoon, while the former encompasses what the future is high-tailing toward; pop elements wrapped in rock roots. But more importantly, neither pitted against the other since the world today inhabits is one of inclusivity.

As the day progresses, the shoots of each facet of rock and alternative music that Bring Me have chosen truly make sense. Fusing metal with trip-hop and trap elements, Scarlxrd wastes no time in getting the early crowd emitting a tangible energy that could quite feasibly be a scene imported from a headline set later in the evening. Black Futures, on their mid-afternoon slot on the Firestone stage, make easy work of drawing a crowd with their exuberantly chaotic performance. The electronic-laden elements of their snarling jams are an easy win, with none of the communitydriven message getting lost amongst the ensuing pandemonium.

Back over on the main stage and Idles are a band seemingly more and more comfortable in increasingly more significant settings. Always using their platform to promote feminist equality (‘Mother’) or to toxic masculinity (‘Samaritans’), there’s no doubt they’re a force for good, but they’re also a one to be reckoned.

Not long after, the other billed act who feel like a push away from the edges of expectations take to the stage.

Run The Jewels, may be but once

those first few thunderous beats hit the reality of the matter kicks in; it’s not about what instruments are playing, or how many band members, it’s about the energy. Today is a day about being fuelled by something real inside, that can’t be rationed down to a physical element.

Architects, admittedly on a mildly smaller stage than they’re somewhat used to now, as made evident by the smaller pyro show, still make good work of what they have. The sound feels a bit weaker than the guttural punch you’d expect of an Architects show, but nonetheless, it’s a vicious effort that reinforces just why the Brighton fivepiece have swiftly become juggernauts in the game.

Intending to take every second the East Stage as theirs, the steam from Bring Me The Horizon’s train might’ve waned slightly since the release of ‘amo.’ back in January, but they’re here to reignite it with an abrasive act of staking their flag in the sun-beaten, dusty ground.

The opening rolls of ‘Mantra’ flick a switch in every physical presence at Victoria Park, and rarely does it wane except during the three ‘look’ changes the band undertake. It would seem that Bring Me have set up every second to be a moment, but none really fall that much bigger than the appearance of Cradle of Filth’s Dani Filth - with a shopping trolley no less - to tag in for his part on ‘Wonderful Life.

That’s not to discount the appearance of Architects’ Sam Carter popping up to help out on ‘The Sadness Will Never End’ for the first time since 2016 - an emotional moment that feels like a moment for both bands, indeed.

Ultimately, tonight is a celebration of everything - of alternative music, of feeling united in a moment, and no band seems more unified at the moment than Bring Me The Horizon. They’ve fared their share of controversy, and evolutionary attack, but here they are, a festival headlining band with thousands of people ready to start a cult with ‘em. P

Upset 25

Riot_

Buzzy newcomers Hot Milk have been causing absolute scenes wherever they go. We stepped inside the whirlwind to find out how the ride’s been so far, and where it’s heading next.

Hey Hot Milk, it’s festival season! You’ve just released your very good debut EP ‘Are You Feeling Alive?’. How’s that changed things for the band?

Hannah: You only really figure it out when you play it in front of people. You’re at home, and you’re feeding the cat, or you’re in bed and watching Netflix, and you only discover how things are going when you come and do something like this. It’s a litmus test.

James: Two and a half weeks ago, our EP dropped, and people in the front row today knew every word.

Hannah: How can you not be happy at that? It’s sick.

After the runaway reaction to ‘Awful Ever After’, did it feel

like you had something to prove?

“WE’LL DO A FULL-LENGTH NEXT YEAR, WHICH IS ALREADY HALF WRITTEN”

tour with Foo Fighters, Leeds, Reading and James: then writing.

Yes. The Hannah: We’re whole thing going to go behind that back out to release was, LA to write we’d been some things. writing music We like going together for somewhere like, two different to HANNAH MEE years. We write. At home, took our there are so names off, took our faces off, and many distractions. We’ll play sent the music out anonymously with the cat; we’ll start playing because we didn’t want people Xbox, we’ll start fighting with to know it was us sending the each other because we still live music out. together. He’s my best friend, so I Hannah: That first single did go want to live with him, but we end really well, so when it comes to up getting distracted a lot. having something to prove, we James: It’s good to have a focus, felt like ok, we’ve got to put on a and it’s good to take yourself out live show that’s going to match of your natural comfort zone. that hype. We are so live show Hannah: We work well under orientated. My whole life has pressure. We’ve already got 25 been spent at shows, and I want songs, so yeah. to be the best live band in the world.

25 songs? That feels like you’re

And what about the rest of the year?

James: Hopefully, loads of touring.

Truck, that mini-

planning an album next.

Hannah: We’ll do a full-length next year, which is already half written.

James: We’ve got a concept, an idea for it.

Hannah: I could tell you the concept, but that might be spoilers. It’s my ‘American Idiot’, put it that way. P

GOT MILK?

26 Upset

YONAKA HAVE ANNOUNCED A LENGTHY TOUR Yonaka have confirmed a new winter live run. Upset’s recent cover stars will hit the road in support of their debut album ‘Don’t Wait ‘Til Tomorrow’, kicking off in their hometown of Brighton on 8th November.

Ever had to pack for a tour?

You’re gonna be spending weeks in a small, intimate space with several other smelly people and - for hours a day, not a lot to do.

You’re gonna need to be prepared.

That’s why we’ve asked our fave musicians for tips. This month, Dinosaur Pile-Up frontman Matt Bigland lets us inside his tour suitcase.

FIND OUT WHAT YOUR FAVE BANDS TAKE ON THE ROAD. THIS MONTH...

DINOSAUR PILE-UP

IDLES ARE HITTING THE ROAD LATER THIS YEAR Idles are set to head out on tour this December for a short run of dates which climaxes with a massive show at London’s Alexandra Palace. They’ll play the venue on 7th December, after Glasgow, Manchester and Leeds.

FIELD MOUSE HAVE A NEW ALBUM ON THE WAY Field Mouse have announced their new album, ‘Meaning’. Their third full-length is due 16th August via Topshelf Records, preceded by lead single ‘Heart of Gold’. Check it out 27 at upsetmagazine.com.

UPSETMAGAZINE. COM

35mm Camera.

I take this bad boy on everything we do. Usually, on a tour, I try to take one picture a day, and this camera has a date stamp on it so when we look back on photo’s we can actually know where we were. £10 from eBay. Not bad.

Headphones.

I’m talking ANY headphones.

These are your last line of defence from that screaming baby on that 12-hour flight or your only route to getting ten minutes of mental space when you’re on that 19hour drive.

Portable phone charger. The amount of times this little guy has literally saved my life is probably in the hundreds now.

Late for that interview in NYC and you’re totally in the wrong part of town and your phones on 1%. Who you gonna call??

“PHONE - CHARGER”.

Sleeping pills!!

Yayyyyyy all that jet lag and four different time zones in three different days has FUCKED your body clock, but you have a festival appearance at 11am tomorrow morning, what you gonna do??? You’re gonna shut it down with these lil’ puppies, that’s what! Not that I wanna be pushing sleeping pills on anyone, but when you’re one month into a two-month tour you better believe sleep becomes pretty much the only thing I give an F about.

Dinosaur Pile-Up tour the UK this December.

Upset 27

THE BEST NEW BANDS. THE HOTTEST NEW MUSIC.

WANT A NEW BAND CRUSH? CHECK OUT THIS LOT! >>>

GLITTERER

Ned Russin from Title Fight has teamed up with (Sandy) Alex G for his debut album under the Glitterer moniker, ‘Looking Through the Shades’.

28 Upset

YOUTH SECTOR Brighton post-punks Youth Sector’s new single ‘Renting Spaces In My World’ is a tongue-in-cheek take on selfimportance, and, well, renting.

WHOHURTYOU Recognise those faces?

WhoHurtYou is the new project from All Time Low’s Jack Barakat and singer/songwriter Kevin Fisher, aka Sweet Talker.

Do you think of Glitterer as a solo project, or a new band?

Glitterer is a band. I don’t really like the connotation of a solo project. To me, that means something that is supposed to be this kind of perfect, intimate representation of a person. Like the music captures their essence and being entirely. I don’t really think that’s possible and also am not trying for that.

Was the intention always for this to be a full-blown project, with album releases and stuff?

Doing Glitterer happened without much planning. The first batch of songs were the result of just getting some new gear and messing around with it. The first EP was released in August 2017, and I played a show the same week, and then after that, I just continued playing shows and working on new music. I finished up school last August and around the same time was starting to work on another batch of songs and just decided to take the leap with it. So I’d like to think that the answer was no, this wasn’t a premeditated move, but I think the idea

MANEKA Former Speedy Ortiz guitarist Devin McKnight has just announced his debut LP as Maneka, look out for ‘Devin’ from 26th July.

“THE HARDEST PART ABOUT DOING A NEW BAND IS JUST LETTING PEOPLE KNOW YOU EXIST”

and punk. I think that has a big influence on Glitterer - short, simple songs with blown out guitars. That style of playing How did and music you hook up has always with (Sandy) important to me Alex G? The because it feels partnership human. It’s like NED RUSSIN really suits the music you you. hear elsewhere Thank you. Title Fight went on the radio, in the grocery store, on tour with Alex in 2015, and at the dentist - is too perfect. It’s we’ve been friends since. When too good; you need a person with I started doing Glitterer, I an extraordinary ability to make wasn’t used to doing something it. But punk feels so attainable. completely on my own. I like the It’s almost like anyone can do it. comfort of bouncing an idea of Those sounds and that mentality someone else and not having that inspired the way that I write. with Glitterer was a little nerveDoes Glitterer have much of racking, so when I was working a fanbase overlap with Title on [EP] ‘Not Glitterer’ I asked Alex Fight? if he’d be down to help produce I’d imagine so. So far, I’ve the record. We didn’t discuss discovered the hardest part about what the role meant; I mainly just doing a new band is just letting wanted some feedback. So I sent people know you exist. The initial him the songs all finished, and he push has been because of what sent back edits that he just did on I’ve done before, which is fine but GarageBand. It was a really easy not something I push myself, but process. When I started planning just getting people to check out on how I wanted to do the LP, I a new band is difficult because thought it would be a good idea to of the way the world operates work with Alex again but have it now. The reason why Title Fight be more hands-on. We ended up was as successful as we were at my parents’ house in Kingston, was because we played a lot. I PA for a week with Arthur Rizk, think that’s still the best way to who also co-produced and the get people aware of who you are, three of us just worked on the going directly to them. Every songs for a week. show I play people still come up Have you always been into more to me and say they didn’t know shoegaze-y lo-fi sounds?

Glitterer was a band before. P I guess I’ve been drawn towards a Glitterer’s debut album more simple, loud sound for most ‘Looking Through The Shades’ of my musical life, but for me, is out now. that interest came from hardcore

of playing music is something that I want to do and something I gravitate towards.

Upset 29

CREA COMF 30 Upset

ATURE FORTS Supergroup? You call *that* a supergroup?

Nah, mate. Simple Creatures are a supergroup. We pinned down Mark Hoppus and Alex Gaskarth to find out why this is more than just a side-project for two of rock’s true icons.

Words: Ali Shutler.

Photos: Matty Vogel.

Upset 31

Alex Gaskarth is currently in the desert, scratching out the beginnings of the eighth All Time Low record. In the past three weeks, All Time Low have headlined Slam Dunk, and Alex has played Download with Simple Creatures.

His bandmate Mark Hoppus has released new music from the imminent blink 182 record, and they’ve played the first show of their mammoth 20th-anniversary tour for ‘Enema of The State’ that’ll keep them on the road until September.

It’d be easy for Alex and Mark to focus on their day jobs, but Simple Creatures was always going to be a persistent, ongoing concern. It’s too much fun to put on the backburner.

“All Time Low’s been a band for over 15 years at this point,” starts Alex. “We have it dialled in. We know what the general idea and concept of the band is and we know how to do what we do. It’s just redefining it and finding new ways to keep it interesting, that’s sort of the process that we’re in right now. But switching gears is not hard. Simple Creatures is such a different and experimental thing; it’s two different hats.”

“It’s been way easier than I thought it would be,” adds Mark.

From the songs, the name and the identity of the band to the look and feel of Simple Creature, it’s all just fallen into place. “It’s been harder to educate people as

32 Upset

to what Simple Creatures is and to people. It was a priority to get it let them know that’s it’s not just a into rooms and play it for people one-time, one EP thing we put out live. Otherwise, we ran the risk of people just assuming it was and forget about. We really want two guys in bands that had a lazy to pursue this as a full-time band Sunday and made some songs but still keep our day jobs and not together.” step on the toes of All Time Low It also helped bring the world or blink 182 and weave Simple of Simple Creatures into focus.

Creatures between them. This is Their debut EP is an eclectic an ongoing thing that we want to blitz of anything-goes freedom do for years and years.” and creative flexing but face to “Initially, I was surprised by face, that grimy house party feels how much, not backlash, but just whole. how much resistance there was to “Once we started playing the us doing something different than either of our normal bands,” offers songs live, it made a lot more sense to people,” starts Mark.

Mark. “I guess it’s to be expected “When we first announced and there’s a learning curve with that I was doing a band with what people expect from you and what I do outside of blink 182.” But Alex, people thought that the combination of a member of blink Simple Creatures aren’t turning 182 and a member of All Time Low down their big, neon vision for would probably anyone. sound a lot more “I mostly like Diet Blink just ignore or All Time Lite. it. In blink, And it doesn’t.

Simple We specifically Creatures didn’t make and in life, I it sound like find that if I either of our just put my other bands, head down and that was and do work confusing for that I like, MARK HOPPUS people because and believe it was different in myself from what they and believe in the people around expected. But now that we have me, then it serves me well. When toured it and played it live people I try and cater to what I think people would expect from blink or are wrapping their heads around whatever, it doesn’t serve me well, it a lot more.”

“People expected one thing, and those songs never see the maybe they thought it was going light of day.” to something more in the vein Simple Creatures were playing of what we what we typically live shows as soon as they do,” adds Alex. “And some of the released their debut EP. It was initial reaction was surprise: a big leap for the group which ‘What is this? I hate it. It’s not started as a studio project, and pop-punk. It’s not punk.’” But whose two members live in a it’s 2019, and the idea of people world of the classic band set up. making music in different genres “We wanted to establish that it isn’t as revolutionary as it might wasn’t just something we were have been a decade ago. “There doing in our spare time. Mark was also a lot of, ‘wow, this is new and I had very much talked and fresh and different and cool. about if we’re going to give this I didn’t know I wanted this, but project a name and put it out, now I have it, I’m in love.’ And then we should establish that it’s that was my favourite reaction a real thing and that we want to to it because we didn’t know we build a following and take it to

“ S I M P L E CREATURES IS NOT JUST A ONE-TIME, ONE EP THING; WE WANT TO PURSUE THIS AS A FULLTIME BAND”

Upset 33

wanted it either.” Now, Mark and Alex are head over heels.

The pair have known each other for years. They’ve toured together, worked together on songs for All Time Low as well as TV theme tunes and talked about becoming a production duo for other bands. When Mark knew he wanted to make music with other people, Alex was the first person he called. After a few songs, he didn’t need to call anyone else to make a record. Simple Creatures belongs to both of them.

Mark needs someone to work with. “If I’m left to my own devices, just me in a studio with a session open, I tend to overthink things and beat a song to death to the point where it becomes too plain. I like having someone to bounce ideas off of and say ‘that’s cool’ or ‘that’s not’. That’s that give and take that makes the song better than the sum of its parts.

It’s that way in blink, and it’s that way in Simple Creatures as well. If I have someone there who I trust then I can push myself.

I like to take things as close to the edges as I can. I don’t know necessarily know where the edge

34 Upset

Simple Creatures want to is unless there’s somebody there sound like a Skins house party. to say ‘you’re not even close to They want it to feel like anything the edge yet, you’ve got plenty could happen, and it probably to go’, or ‘that’s way too weird, will. There’s a touch of danger but let’s bring it back a little bit’. a lot more chaotic fun.

Working with Alex, I’ve learnt to “We’ve been trying to throw just keep pushing, to do weirder everything at it,” says Alex, “and and weirder stuff and to really bring the embrace sensibilities the happy of what we accidents.” know from our “Things other projects clicked into what we right away do in Simple between Creatures.

Alex and I. We also want I know that to redefine Alex grew ourselves and up loving ALEX GASKARTH not play by the blink 182, rules that we but he is not typically have to play by.” deferential in the studio at Alex and Mark wanted to all.” The pair come from a shock, but instead of simply similar place musically, “our going for the element of surprise, ideas mesh well together, but the pair have made sure that the they’re not identical.” In the songs mean something long after studio, they finish each other’s that initial hit. “We are trying musical sentences and take them someplace new. “We support each to create something really cool that people can fall in love with.” other, and it seems really easy.

When the party’s over, Simple When we walk into the studio, Creatures still want to offer we’re laughing about stuff and something. songs just fall together.”

“WE WANT TO REDEFINE OURSELVES AND NOT PLAY BY THE RULES THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE TO PLAY BY”

G E T E V E RY I S S U E D E L I V E R E D D I R E CT TO YO U R D O O R WO R L DW I D E

F R O M

£ 3 0

/

UPSETMAGAZINE.COM

Y E A R Upset 35

“A lot of the time with songs, I don’t know’. Travis looked I don’t really understand what at me like I was an idiot.” But they’re about until months later,” that doesn’t mean the songs admits Mark. “In the studio, I try are meaningless. “A song like and adhere to the Jack Kerouac ‘Strange Love’, that’s really about ethos of first thought, best my friends and people going out thought. I come up with a melody, and acting like they’re having I come up with words, and I like a good time, but really, you’re what they kind of empty say, I like inside.” the vibe it “The project inspires,” and was born out it’s onto the of being in a next thing. dark place,” “It’s not until explains Alex.

MARK HOPPUS months later “Dealing with that I look that, figuring back and realise the headspace I it out and coming to terms with was in.” sadness, anger, fear, insecurity Take blink 182’s ‘Bored To and all these carnal feelings that Death’. It was the lead single to drive your behaviour. Whenever 2016’s ‘California’ and to launch music comes from those the record, the band set up an circumstances, there’s a chance event at a big LA venue and that it’s going to resonate with invited loads of press. The first people who are going through interviewer asks them what that same thing.”

‘Bored To Death’ is about, and “I know how I feel about Simple Mark replied: “’You know what, Creatures,” Alex continues.

“IF I HAVE SOMEONE THERE WHO I TRUST THEN I CAN PUSH MYSELF”

36 Upset

“I know what it means to me.

Live, we just wanted to throw these weird parties and have our friends come and dance with us.

We wanted to get in a room with a bunch of fellow weirdos and dance our cares away. There’s also that feeling of, it’s okay to look at your demons in the eyes and realise that we all have them and have to deal with them in our own way.”

That message really comes into the spotlight with ‘Special’, but the driving fact behind its release as the first new music since that debut EP is because “really, it just felt like a banger,” grins Alex.

“There wasn’t a whole lot more thought that went into releasing it next.”

Recorded during one of their four-hour sessions a few weeks before Download, ‘Special’ is still super fresh. “The ability to record, mix, master and release songs in a short amount of time is something that I really want to do

with Simple Creatures. And that’s something we’re going to do with blink 182 as well,” promises Mark.

“Alex And I approach that song from different angles. I think that for Alex, the song is more about that almost fake it till you make it attitude. For me, it’s a lot more celebratory. I approached it more like a party song. What’s awesome about music is a person can listen to a song and it can mean nothing, but another person can listen to it, and it’s a song that defines this moment in their life.”

“After saying it without saying it on ‘Strange Love’, I think ‘Special’ is the nail on the head of what we’re talking about,” continues Alex. “These two EPs aren’t in order, but they’re certainly telling this whole story of where we were at when we started this project. These songs are just how we were dealing with it.

“This song was a deep dive into the ups and downs of being in music, and how it feels to be on this roller coaster. One minute the highs are high and then

‘Nevermind’ and ‘Thanks, I Hate the next, the lows are very low.

When a lot of your validity comes It’ “which is about the reaction from standing on a stage and to the first EP,” explains Mark. being applauded by people, and “It’s about how, like I was saying then that goes away, it becomes a earlier, you have to put your head struggle sometimes.” down and do your thing.

Between “You can Alex and work hard to Mark, do something they’ve as different as both been special and as there. “It’s cool as you can. something Every artist that we can works hard to bond over ALEX GASKARTH put themselves and be there out there, you for each lean out over that abyss and bare other. We don’t have Mark lay your soul. Then people listen to down on the couch, and me there it, and some couldn’t care less. with a pen and paper writing That’s to be expected, but at down his feelings, but writing the same time, as an artist, you these songs and exploring these always are a little bummed when themes helps us both get these people are like, ‘man that doesn’t emotions out there and realise do anything for me.” what we’re looking at.”

The other two songs are still Elsewhere on the upcoming to be decided. There are plenty EP, for now called ‘Everything to choose from, and the band Opposite’ (but that could change) are constantly writing, though and due for release Friday 13th with deadlines looming they’ll September (but that could change) there’s live favourite probably just focus on mixing to get the EP ready in time. Alex will and ‘Special’’s sister work from his desert song ‘One Little Lie’, as well as

“IT’S OKAY TO LOOK AT YOUR DEMONS IN THE EYES AND REALISE THAT WE ALL HAVE THEM”

M A R K O N B L I N K

How is the new blink Record?

It’s great. I’m so proud of the new blink record. We just turned in the sequence the other day. I was sitting in the studio with all the tracks, laid out in the Pro Tools session, arranging the songs and trying to come up with a sequence.

Just listening to the whole thing is really exciting, and I really am proud of this album.

People will be blown away.

This, to me, feels like blink back in 2003 when we released the untitled record. The future is open to anything, and we can take blink anywhere we want.

Of the songs you’ve released so far, do ‘Blame It On My Youth’ and ‘Generational Divide’ feel reflective?

I don’t feel like the album is 38 Upset

reflective. We released ‘Blame It On My Youth’ which to me, is the quintessential blink-182 song in the year 2019. Some people were saying it sounds like Imagine Dragons or asking, ‘why are you trying to be The Chainsmokers?’ because it has some synth parts in it. That’s weird, but whatever. Then we released ‘Generational Divide’, which was written a long time before. ‘Generational Divide’ is literally about an argument that I had with my son one day when I was taking him to school. I dropped him off at the bus stop, and I went straight to the studio. I brought this really long song that was like The Beatles’ ‘She’s Leaving Home’ and then went into the super fast part at the end for just like a minute. We ended up losing the first part of the song and

just keeping the ‘Generational Divide’ part of the end. Then people were like, ‘Oh, so this is a reaction against the people who didn’t like ‘Blame It On My Youth’, but the song was written eight months before.

Has Simple Creatures changed how you approached this blink record?

A little bit. There’s more embracing of the electronics and starting songs totally different, then just picking up an acoustic guitar, trying to come up with an interesting chord progression, then writing lyrics over that and then translating it to an electric guitar. Simple Creatures has taught me that songs can start from anywhere. P

compound and Mark from the up to be this stompy, grimy, ratty road. house party on tour but I want to “Really though, we wanted do some more ballady stuff there to have enough songs for a on there as well.” headlining set,” grins Alex.

Mark’s done bands outside “That’s been the biggest of blink 182 before, but already challenge. We’re going to play it feels like Simple Creatures is these shows and we’re billed as allowed more of a free reign than the headliner but we’ve only got +44 ever was. That band never 35 minutes of music. It doesn’t seemed to really get its moment. add up.”

“I totally feel the same way,” “The second EP is a little more admits Mark. “I feel like +44 was cohesive,” offers Mark. “The such a great band. I love that songs feel more like they’re all album. I love the lyrics. I love the written at the same time. The first sound of it. I love where we took EP is very eclectic intentionally that band. But I feel like it never because we want people to know got its chance from the label or that we’re not one specific idea from the world. A great injustice or sound or thing. But the second was done to us on that album.”

EP definitely has more really “But I’m not approaching shitty sounding electronic guitars Simple Creatures the same way and grimy at all,” he beats which continues. “+44 is the core was me and that Simple Travis [Barker] Creatures is post-blink 182 developing.” the first time, “What I figuring out love about what each of that first EP us could do, is that it’s a what each of MARK HOPPUS very realised us brought vision of to blink and what this band can be and what where we can bring that into the it can grow into, and what it can next iteration of what we were at, become,” beams Alex. “But at at that time. +44 felt more soul the same time, it’s in its infantile searching and introspective. stages. It’s experimental, and it’s “But when I go into the studio trying a bunch of different things. with Simple Creatures, it feels It doesn’t stay in one lane for too fun. There’s no expectation; long.” there’s no history with this After EP2, Simple Creatures band. It’s something completely are hitting the road as soon as different from blink 182, and we blink are back from tour, and then can just go nuts and have a great it’ll be time for their full-length. time.”

There’s just no slowing down.

They don’t keep Simple “I imagine we’ll probably start Creatures away from their other some of it this year just to get bands. “When I was working on ahead of it,” promises Alex, “and Simple Creatures before EP 1 because we’re having fun with was out, Jack [Barakat, All Time it. But I wouldn’t be surprised if, Low] was just starting to write three or four months from now, songs with Kevin [Fisher, for their you’ll be talking to me again and WhoHurtYou project]. We would it’ll be done.” drive around, play each other our “I was thinking this morning new music and bounce ideas back about different directions that I and forth. want to take Simple Creatures,” “Whenever it’s a new project, teases Mark. “And I feel like the you go to the people you trust the core of Simple Creature is shaping most to get their honest take. I

“I WAS SURPRISED

BY HOW MUCH RESISTANCE THERE WAS TO US DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT”

know who the people are in my life that are going to shoot me straight and not bullshit me.

Getting to do that with Jack and feel our way through these new projects, that was really cool.”

Elsewhere, over in blink, Travis has a remix of ‘Drugs’ that will “hopefully come out in the near future. We have all these remixes we’ve been meaning to put out but have concentrated on putting out new music instead,” admits Mark.

“I share all the music I’m making with them. I’m very fortunate that blink has always been very supportive of people stepping outside, doing different things and then taking that accumulated knowledge back to blink.”

From the very start, Simple Creatures have dreamt big. From the moment they released ‘Drug’, they were talking about multiple EPs, albums and tours. The harsh reality hasn’t dampened their resolve, and the pair are as determined as they’ve ever been to make this last forever.

“Rock is really still playing catch up,” starts Alex.

“Alternative music, in general, is still playing catch up with what hip hop and pop have been doing for years now, which is being agile. Things don’t have to be beholden to these big, grandiose pre-order packages and record rollouts. Three music videos and a year of touring, I just don’t think that’s where we are anymore.

We wanted to lean into that. The M.O. of this project is to be fluid, strange and to do things as we feel them. If we want to put out a song next week, we can. It doesn’t have to conform to the rules that a more established project might.”

“We want to take this to the stars and the moon. We want to take it as far as it’ll go,” he offers.

“We just want to continue to put out music that we love, are having fun making and that feels freeing. If people are down for the ride, then we will go for as long and as far as we can.” P Simple

Creatures’ new EP is due later this year.

Upset 39

40 Upset

With their new album ‘How Do You Love?’, The Regrettes ruminate on butterflies and break-ups.

Words: Linsey Teggert.

Photos: Claire Marie Vogel, Sarah Louise Bennett.

Upset 41

If you’re looking for a record to soundtrack your summer, hit the repeat button on The Regrettes’ second album, ‘How Do You Love?’

Though this won’t be just a summer crush: get ready to commit.

Though the surf-punk An utterly infectious powerscrappiness of their debut album pop romp that fizzes with feisty ‘Feel Your Feelings, Fool!’ is still punk energy, ‘How Do You Love?’ present, the rough edges have tracks a relationship from start been softened out to produce a to finish, from the electrifying much poppier sound, something rush of falling in love, through to Lydia is proud of, and rightly so. a destructive break-up. There’s “There’s an immediate no moping about here though; reaction to this record the word ‘pop’ ends with that isn’t fair! strength, Poppier isn’t closure and bad at all; I confidence. wanted it to It was upon be poppier, so reflection that makes me LYDIA NIGHT of the first happy to hear recording people say that. session that It’s less punk sounding, but punk frontwoman Lydia Night noticed to me is an attitude, and I think the romantic direction of the that attitude exists maybe even songs she’d written, and decided more so than on our first album, to take the listener on that because it tells a story where rollercoaster journey with her. the outcome is this empowered “We recorded the album in woman standing up for herself. three sections, and after the first I think that’s the punkest thing session, we listened back and there is.” realised there were a shit ton Much like the giddy heights of love songs,” explains Lydia. chronicled on ‘How Do You “We pieced them into order Love?’, the last few years have and tried to fill in the blanks to been rather dizzying for the tell the story, and it became an LA quartet. From dominating intentional thing. festival stages and appearing on “Once we realised those the likes of Conan and Jimmy were love songs, we needed Kimmel Live to recently touring to ride with that and not have Europe with Twenty One Pilots, them thrown casually onto a it’s been a wild ride. themeless album. If we’re going “We’ve been doing this for to release a bunch of love songs, a while, so it’s been a gradual we want to fully dive into it!” process, and I feel like luckily

“PUNK IS AN ATTITUDE”

42 Upset

we’ve never been thrown into a situation that was too shocking, although there have been moments where we’ve been like ‘holy shit, this is real’. Overall, I feel like we’ve been quite prepared.

“To maintain a sense of normality, you learn who to have around and who the people are that you choose to come home to and spend your limited time with. Those people who don’t support you and guilt-trip you about leaving again, that’s not the type of person you can have any sort of relationship with. It’s fair, I can understand not wanting to be friends with someone who’s constantly gone, but that’s just how it goes.

“I think it’s a constant struggle and learning process.

Now I’m in a place in my life where I do have a routine at home, and it’s hard to leave it, but I’ve found my way with that.

I have a pretty tight friend group that I stick to at home. It helps to have people you can rely on and know they’re still going to be there after you’ve been gone for six weeks.”

Speaking to Lydia, it’s easy to forget that this whip-smart, achingly cool woman is only 18 years old. It’s the type of confidence that comes from being able to smash people’s negative expectations, whether

that’s a judgement on age, gender or musical ability. No strangers to winning people over, The Regrettes have recently gained a bunch of new fans through the Twenty One Pilots tour.

“Standing on a stage in front of that many people is just crazy and trippy, but then playing music I’ve written for them, knowing we’re trying to convert them into being our fans is this weird, challenging experience like no other that I’ve ever had.

“I was shocked by how amazing the reception was. I think the reason why is because

a huge portion of Twenty One Pilots’ fans are young women, and it’s easy for young women to see us on a stage and relate.”

Of course, being a young female in a rock band comes with the responsibility of the ‘rolemodel’ tag. It tends to be thrust upon people whether they like it or not, and though it may hang heavy on the shoulders of others, Lydia takes it in her stride.

“I’ve learnt to embrace it and be super down with it. I know that I’m a good person, and knowing that I can set an example, yes, it’s a huge

responsibility. I’m not saying I’m perfect in any way, shape or form, but there are things I’ve been able to learn in my life that I know some women haven’t had the tools or opportunity to learn, like self-love and confidence.

“I’ve learned specific things that I’ve been so lucky to have people show me in my childhood and growing up, and knowing that information and being able to spread that through the thing I love the most, is so important and so cool to me.” P The

Regrettes’ album ‘How Do You Love?’ is out 9th August.

HEA

ADS WILL

Sum 41’s D eryck Whibley lays himself bare across an album that hones in on both the personal and the political.

ROLL WORDS: JAMIE MACMI L L AN . P HOTO S : AS HL E Y O S B O R N .

May 2014. Shocking images of Deryck Whibley are in the news, the Sum 41 frontman looking close to death following kidney and liver failure. Admitting to hitting the bottle too hard, and for too long, Whibley was hospitalised for a month.

Flash forward to 2016. Against all the odds, he and his band are celebrating the success of ‘13 Voices’, a triumphant return to form. But one thing became

apparent on the mammoth threeyear tour that followed. Just as Whibley had got better, the world itself had seemed to get sick. It wasn’t just in the United States, where the shadow of the 45th President loomed large, but across Europe too. Everywhere Sum 41 ventured, they found chaos and discord. Out of this mayhem, however, ideas began to form for album number seven.

Today, Deryck is keen to clarify that ‘Order In Decline’ was never meant to be a political protest record. Instead, though, world

Upset 45

events soon forced his hand. established (founding guitarist “I set out not to do it, and in Dave Baksh returned to the fact, I did everything I could band midway through the ‘13 not to make it political,” he Voices’ sessions), there was a begins, “It kinda just came new dynamic for the band to out that way. To me, I just explore. “It was great,” Deryck felt it was a personal record. raves. “We really became the I’m not speaking about band that we are on stage. specific policies, or topics, or Because that whole last tour referencing exact things. It’s cycle, we were learning each about my feelings, and there’s other and becoming a different some anger and frustration in band. We’d never been a fivethere.” piece before, we had a different Touring the world at such a drummer, and we were fragmented time couldn’t help figuring out how to have three but affect his state of mind, guitar players. So every night the singer having a unique we were kinda getting a little perspective to see the bigger bit better.” picture. “Every time we went ‘Order In Decline’ is to a new country, it’s like there potentially Sum 41’s heaviest was chaos. All over the world, album yet, as befits some of wherever we went. It’s such a the subject matters. “I would divided world, and there’s a never say that we are a metal lot of hatred and racism out band now, or that it’s even there.” a metal album,” he offers.

Though “We’ve always anger and had influences, frustration and that there’s at the state of a heavier side the world run that’s always through all been there, and of ‘Order In we probably Decline’, one lean on that particular heavier side on focus for this record.”

Whibley’s In some DERYCK WHIBLEY ire comes to ways, it’s no the fore in ‘45 surprise that (A Matter Of the anger and Time)’. Refusing to mention frustration that Whibley felt him by name, lyrics like at times spilled over. “I don’t “You’re something to the few think it was intentional; it but nothing to me, someone was just because I was writing as twisted and sick as can on the road, and I was in that be… You proved that a real mindset of playing. When man is something you’re not,” I’m writing something, I just leave no doubt as to Whibley’s play guitar, and if it excites feelings. me, then I feel like I’ve got Though he later sings something.” that he is losing faith in What came out slams hard humankind, today he strikes a at times. ‘A Death In The more optimistic tone. “It’s hard Family’ is a rampaging beast to find hope sometimes, but I of a track, while ‘Out For Blood’ think it’s there. For me, history seems to visibly seethe at the repeats itself, everything goes world. But some of the tracks in cycles, and that’s where we are heavy in a completely are at right now. So this too different manner. will pass, like everything.”

‘Never There’, a hugely With the new line-up fully powerful song about Deryck’s

“IT’S HARD TO FIND HOPE SOMETIMES, BUT I THINK IT’S THERE”

46 Upset

absent father, is Sum 41 like you’ve never heard, piano-led and deeply personal. “It wasn’t going to make the record!” he admits. “It was one of those weird songs where, when I started writing it, I didn’t really want to go there. Not because I was afraid of it, but it just seemed boring to me.

I don’t really think about not having met my father, mostly because my mum was such a strong single mother and we had a great relationship. I never felt like I needed to think about him.”

Perhaps it was the health issues or just the passing of years, but it felt like a song that needed to come.

“Obviously it was coming out in a natural way, so I felt that there’s something there in my subconscious. I owed it to myself to see this song through and write it.”

Still not intending to publish it under his own name, the original intention was to give it away. “My manager told me he thought I was crazy after hearing it; he said it was one of the heaviest things I’d ever written. Just in a completely different way.”

Never afraid to add emotional depth to a record that at times feels like pages torn from a diary, ‘Turning Away’ and ‘Catching Fire’ act as poignant, emotional bookends to the thunder and fury within ‘Order In Decline’.

While the former deals with the end of a toxic relationship of sorts, the latter delves into several different elements. “‘Catching Fire’ is wrapped up in a bunch of different things. I originally wrote it as a love song for my wife, and the thought of not knowing what to do if I lost in her any kind of way. And at the same time, it just seemed like there was such a rise in suicides, so that was on my mind as well. It seemed like there was

one after another, whether it was Anthony Bourdain, Robin Williams, Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell. So you know, that was also on my mind. And I just wrote it in the way of being from the perspective of the person who’s lost.”

After such a major health scare, there’s a feeling of catharsis around some of the writing, a sense that Deryck’s new sobriety is forcing things out in a different way. “It must be cathartic, but I never thought about that. Somebody else brought that up to me, and said ‘If you didn’t write all this stuff, it would probably have come out in your life in a different way, a negative way’. I was like wow, I never thought about it like that.”

Admitting that he now feels better than he did in the band’s very earliest of days, his lifestyle change is paying dividends. “I feel good, better than ever, really.

Mentally I definitely feel way better, but even physically I have way more energy than I used to back then. I used to come off stage and feel lots more beatenup when I was 19 than I do now.”

With excitement about the band reaching that point in a career where the back catalogue has enough depth to mix things up on a nightly basis, Deryck is clearly stoked about Sum 41’s upcoming tour and new lease of life. “It feels really cool, by having these different styles in our music now, we go on a ride during the show. There are dynamics now, different vibes, different sounds.”

Despite initially considering taking a breather from writing, he admits ideas are starting to creep in. With a tour planned for 2020, one thing is for sure. There will be no shortage of inspiration in a world that is showing no signs just yet of slowing down the chaos. The order may remain in decline, but it’s going to be rich pickings for Deryck Whibley.

P Sum 41’s album ‘Order in

Decline’ is out 19th July.

Upset 47

had

enough?

W i t h a n e w - f o u n d s o b r i e t y, ‘ D o n ’ t Yo u T h i n k Yo u ’ v e Had Enough?’ sees Bleache d’s Jennifer Clavin rediscovering herself.

WORDS: JAMIE MACMILLAN. PHOTO: NICKY GIRAFFE.

Bleached plainly just don’t do things by half.

Finding herself at rock bottom shortly after 2016’s ‘Welcome The Worms’ release, singer/guitarist/ lyricist Jennifer Clavin entered sobriety just before the album tour, perhaps the hardest point imaginable in an industry packed with temptation and opportunity.

Having successfully navigated those perils, Bleached entered the studio for this summer’s storming follow-up ‘Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough?’ like a band reborn with elder sister Jessica having followed the same path a year later.

Still with their love of ear-worm melodies and fuzzy guitars, this time they have leaned more into pop, disco and New Wave like never before. Hell, there’s even whistling on one track. New paths and new beginnings then for a band who are still unafraid and unashamed of their past, keeping it in sight at all times but now with one eye on a brighter future.

Catching up with Jennifer while she walks her dog in LA, there is no dancing around the issue as she picks up the story immediately-post ‘Welcome The Worms’. “It wasn’t a conscious decision [to get sober], I just didn’t realise how deep into drinking and drugs I was. I was in denial, so when I eventually hit rock bottom right after that came out, I realised I just had to do it.”

Straight-edge may be a fairly common punk concept these days, but that doesn’t make touring as a freshly clean person any easier - though doing their first tour with a similarly sober band helped. However, following tours brought with them more temptation.

Comparing it to a “weird sober

boot camp,” Jennifer describes entire record, telling the story a situation that repeatedly of someone who has survived, transpired. “The second you turn who has made it through the fire. up at a venue, they’re like ‘what Someone who is not just moving alcohol do you want?’ At the end past addictions, but is letting of the night, people are asking ‘do go of the past and of self-doubts you guys need a coke hook-up?’ altogether. In short, it’s a record It’s so crazy.” about accepting who you are As with all recovering addicts, today as much as who you were she is open and honest about yesterday. what the future will bring and “It’s not about shunning the the ongoing daily battles. “When past and thinking ‘oh you’ve you’re sober, they make it such fucked up, you’re a bad person’, a big deal to take it one day at a but just being… that happened. It time and live in the now, which is was part of my journey, and now I a struggle for everyone obviously. can learn, and be a better person.”

But I don’t miss that life at all, and Hard as it must be to put pen to I don’t worry that I’ll go back to it paper on songs like these, it must because it was just so much work be infinitely harder to publicly to even keep living that lifestyle. open up on a nightly basis. “I And I felt so sick all the time, so know, I thought about it and was it’s just not worth it. If I could like, is this gonna be a problem?” have done it short-term and be ponders Jennifer. “Remember able to take breaks, then I’d still that big pop star [Demi Lovato] be partying some nights. But for who put out ‘Sober’ when she was me, once it started, it didn’t end!”

Taking that new mentality into really newly sober? I remember seeing her and the recording thinking; this studio, she is bad. That’s immediately noticed a how you relapse difference because all of in her a sudden all songwriting. of your press “I was more is around this locked in really fragile focus. Weirdly thing that you JENNIFER CLAVIN though, I felt have to protect.” like I had Spinning it more pressure, maybe because the other way, she sees it as an I was really awake for the whole opportunity. “I’m looking at it as time. Because before, if I was to a way of keeping me accountable, try and write a song, I’d need to and also that someone could see have a bottle of wine next to me me talking about this, and if it while I wrote. In my mind, I felt could help even one person, then like I was channelling this inner that’s worth it.” musical genius that I could only With the record that she access with alcohol or drugs!” admits she has been trying to Fresh in her mind, it is no write her whole life under her surprise that much of the record belt, Bleached are now striding reflects her recent journey. confidently down their own path ‘Heartbeat Away’ in particular and showing that there is most “is based on a life of someone definitely another way. Not just who is empty inside, versus now where I feel that I’m full of lessons surviving, but flourishing in the bright light of a new dawn. P that have been learned as a sober Bleached’s album ‘Don’t You person.”

There is a fine balance of before Think You’ve Had Enough?’ is and after that carries through the out now.

“I DIDN’T REALISE HOW DEEP INTO DRINKING AND DRUGS I WAS”

Upset 49

IT’ LIT One of music’s most ambitious artists, Lights has spun her ever-expanding world of music, comics and stories into stripped-back full-length, ‘Skin&Earth Acoustic’.

Words: Ali Shutler.

Photos: Lindsey Blane, Sarah Louise Bennett.

50 Upset

’S T Upset 51

Lights is a creative heavyweight. Recently signing to scene-rulers Fueled By Ramen, she’s releasing a brand new acoustic coda to 2017’s ‘Skin&Earth’ album, featuring seven new, stripped-back takes on tracks from the record.

Self-produced and mixed, it’s the latest instalment in one of the most fascinating artistic endeavours in ages.

We caught up with her to find out more.

‘Skin&Earth’ wasn’t just a record; it was a comic and a whole world. It feels like you put a lot into it.

It was so much work to create. The coolest thing about it is being able to feel like I’ve branched out into these areas of art that I never thought I could, and find success there.

I was at London Comicon, my first UK con, with my comic, and it was exciting to be able to do that. I grew up going to cons as a fan, and in the last few years, I’ve been going as a creator.

That’s such a cool thing.

Why did you decide to do an acoustic reworking of the record?

“CREATIVITY IS NOT FORMULATED

BY GENRE; IT’S FORMULATED BY FUCKING MOOD SWINGS”

And what’s next?

I’m doing an acoustic tour, and I’m bringing Tillie out for it cos she’s a badass. I’m working on the next arc of the comic and then, September through February, I’m touring

LIGHTS

That’s always been something I do, but I do like to make it different than the expected

52 Upset

thing. With this one, I had to ask ‘how do I tie this into the comic world?’ For ‘Skin&Earth’, each chapter is a song. There’s a very specific colour pallet and location for each song, so I took that, found a location like that in real life and tracked within that location.

It was really challenging and fun.

with Deadmau5. We have a song together called ‘Drama Free’. I’ve been doing a lot of EDM collabs, so I’ll be back in the UK for Creamfields. I’m proud of this career that I have, where I can be at different places. It’s fucking cool.

Do you ever worry that, because you play in all these worlds, people won’t get you?

It’s always a thing. And there’s always people that won’t. But there are always people that will. The one thing I’ve really learnt is that you can’t go in expecting everyone to like you, it’s impossible. It’s impossible in life. I’ve been trying to teach my daughter that it’s fine if someone doesn’t like you.

Most of us are raised to believe that we want everyone to like us, and if they don’t, they’re wrong. But that’s not true. It’s art; it’s up for debate.

Have you always felt like that or was there a crystallising moment where that belief came into focus?

It’s more general feedback, especially when I first came out. When you come out, and you’re a new artist, everyone wants to weigh in. Now people know who I am and they know if they like me or not. The ones who stick with me know they’re in for this ride and it can be anything. In the beginning, I was young and a lot more

fragile and insecure. People would say ‘Lights is shit, Lights sucks’, and you’d want to know why. Why don’t they like me?

You get upset about it. Seeing negativity like that, you have to decide how that affects you.

And I decided, it doesn’t.

It feels like you could go anywhere next, musically or artistically.

I’ve been lucky. I don’t identify with the genre, so if I wanted to make a country record tomorrow, I could, and my fans would be like, ‘sweet’.

You go where creativity takes you because creativity is not formulated by genre; it’s formulated by fucking mood swings.

I’ve been writing a bunch.

Since the comic, I’ve been so creatively inspired; I’m flowing. I think anything goes.

I’ve been writing lots on my own and having fun with really minimalist production and letting the vocals shine. I’ve been writing a no bras kinda thing, you know? I don’t give a fuck, fuck bras, it’s going to be that kinda record.

What’s inspiring you at the moment, what are you drawing from?

Listening to stuff, watching stuff, seeing stuff, digesting stuff you like. You can’t be a prose writer if you don’t read.

You can’t be a musician if you don’t listen to music. You can’t be a comic creator if you don’t read comics. I’m just taking in art in all its forms. There are so many different things out there, so just take it in, then you’ll help refine the things you like, and it’ll help you decide the things you want to create.

It’s like movies, don’t watch shit you don’t like. Only watch shit you like. Life is so short. P

Lights’ album ‘Skin&Earth Acoustic’ is out now.

Upset 53

Rated_ THE OFFICIAL VERDICT ON EVERYTHING

SUM 41 ORDER IN DECLINE e eeee

F

ollowing the mammoth threeyear tour in support of ‘13 Voices’, you could have forgiven Deryck Whibley for having a bit of a breather. But the Sum 41 frontman had other ideas instead, and in the space of a frenzied few weeks,

54 Upset

the foundations for the Canadian’s seventh record were laid firmly in place.

Written almost as a stream of consciousness, ‘Order In Decline’ is most definitely a ‘state of the nation’, a sense of pessimism and disbelief pervasive everywhere - with one bloated orange-coloured individual, in particular, casting the largest shadow of all.

Holding nothing back emotionally, ‘Order In Decline’ is like reading scattered pages torn from an intimate diary, jumbled though still forming a thread overall. Opener ‘Turning Away’ deals with moving on from the end of a relationship, while ‘A Death In The Family’ and ’45 (A Matter Of Time)’, the latter most definitely about you-knowwho, tremble and shake with a barely-controlled rage, both eventually crashing in a tidal wave of anger. ‘Eat You Alive’ and ‘The People Vs…’ expand

and explore in a similar fashion, depressingly familiar sentiments of these most turbulent times.

Unafraid to switch things up stylistically too, there are new shapes and forms for Sum 41 to try out - though, in truth, not all of it lands.

‘Never There’ wastes its heartfelt message to Whibley’s absent father by drowning in a sea of saccharine, it’s power lost in overly safe and polished production.

‘The New Sensation’ and its call for resistance gives far more than just a nod to ‘The Resistance’-era Muse, but the likes of Dave Baksh and Tom Thacker ensure that respects are still laid at the altars of Iron Maiden and their ilk with some suitably hair-swinging breakdowns at points. At its best, there is plenty here to show that any decline is being kept largely at bay. P Jamie

MacMillan

BLEACHED

DON’T YOU THINK YOU’VE HAD ENOUGH? e eeee Putting down the bottle never sounded so good.

‘Don’t You Think You’ve Had Enough?’, the third record from Californian sisters Jennifer and Jessie Clavin, sees the duo scale up their ambition handin-hand with a scaling down of their drinking. Strictly sober during the recording sessions for the first time, it is as if a fog has lifted. The importance of letting go of the past, while still learning from and owning their mistakes, runs through this release. With a sense of a group that have truly come to terms with themselves and have found self-acceptance, it is a huge leap forward in both style and substance. No longer tethered to their distinctive scuzzy garage rock sound, Bleached appear here like a band reborn and are all the better for it. More, please. P Jamie

MacMillan

CHASE ATLANTIC PHASES e eee

What is genre anymore? It’s something we find ourselves contemplating with increasing regularity, as those traditional boundaries bleed and break down for the better. Chase Atlantic, clearly, understand which way the tide is flowing. Their new album ‘PHASES’ is leaps and bounds ahead of their peers in realising that drawing influence from wide and far makes a much more interesting palette. Sounding like a band from the same sonic universe as The 1975 and their label-mate and current muse No Rome, there are few higher compliments that can be paid. ‘ANGELS’ sounds huge, ‘STUCKINMYBRAIN’ rides the zeitgeist like a fabled unicorn and ‘HER’ is modern pop

perfection. As the dinosaurs stay stuck to their same old templates, Chase Atlantic are offering up something far more exciting and relevant. This is what now sounds like. P Stephen Ackroyd

CROWN THE EMPIRE SUDDEN SKY eeee

Described by the band as “a digital representation of who we are at this moment in time”, Crown The Empire’s latest full-length lands slap bang in the middle of a world where everything is about the current. With a few billion people on constant broadcast, if the loudest, most direct voice will be heard the loudest, they’re already on to a winner. ‘Sudden Sky’ is an all caps tweet demanding an audience - urgent, immediate and unwilling to go quietly into the night. Even the song titles tell a story - ‘20/20’, ‘Red Pills’ and ‘March of the Ignorant’ all show a band determined to rip down their reality to reveal the truth.

There’s little more gloriously righteous than that. P Stephen

Ackroyd

DUDE YORK FALLING eeee

Nostalgia’s great, isn’t it? Dude York certainly agree, and with ‘Falling’, the Seattle trio have served up a prime slice of wistful indie-rock that could’ve been transported straight from the late 90s or early 00s college rock heyday.

This sense of nostalgia even translates to the lyrics, which sees Claire England, Peter Richards and Andrew Hall dissecting their youth and past relationships with a critical, sometimes amusing, eye.

It makes for the perfect combination, mixing easy-onthe-ear pop-punk tinged indierock with universal themes of growing up.

It’s also a stellar follow-up to 2017’s ‘Sincerely’, a low-key breakout that married breezy and contagious pop-rock and some seriously off-kilter hooks.

Here, Dude York have taken this blueprint and projected it in widescreen, enhancing every choice and emotion.

Overall, ‘Falling’ is a stylistic triumph and a timeless take on nostalgia. P Rob Mair

Upset 55

Rated_ start to finish, the album paints an interesting picture of the band’s status-quo while also taking you on an unexpected journey of lo-fi pop ballads to gritty and darkgrunge jams. P Beth Casteel

METZ

AUTOMAT eeee

GAUCHE

A PEOPLE’S HISTORY OF GAUCHE eeee Everything about Gauche’s riot grrrl presence seems to be poised perfectly as a deterrent to unwanted visitors, yet it’s paired with an irresistible funk backbone just begging to be heard.

There’s an excitement within Gauche for making music and a desire to chuck everything into their songs.

‘Flash’ sounds like ‘Celebrity Skin’ era Hole, whereas ‘Running’ meshes a bizarre smorgasbord of sounds into an odd, innovative power-pop demon. Unfortunately, they continue to throw the kitchen sink in until it doesn’t feel so fresh any more. Some of these songs could have made one hell of a statement had they not been surrounded by a host of imitations. P

Paris Fawcett

GLITTERER

LOOKING THROUGH THE SHADES eee e You know how glitter just gets everywhere?

That’s precisely what every chorus from Ned Russin’s Glitterer (see what we did there) does. Enlisting the help

56 Upset

of (Sandy) Alex G on production, along with his brothers Ben and Alex, there’s a life to the project that’s impossible to not get on board with. The rackety underlay that brings a composure of humble beginnings to Glitterer - that of bedroom jams created for the fun of it - offers up a charm in which you can lose yourself, the overlaying synths bringing a vivacious character to proceedings.

The future for Glitterer seems as shimmering as their namesake. P

Steven Loftin

GOON

HEAVEN IS HUMMING eeee During the making of ‘Heaven Is Humming’, Goon vocalist Kenny Becker, had to go under the knife in order to fix (temporarily) a sinus condition that affected his senses.

One would think it would have had a negative impact on the overall feel of the record, but interestingly enough, the exact opposite has come to be; thus, leaving Goon with an album filled with eleven songs that capture the last couple of years in a unique, yet totally impactful, way. From

‘AUTOMAT’ features twelve rarities, demos and other songs METZ haven’t released since their debut back in 2012. It’s no surprise, with such a collection of songs from years past, that the group’s signature frantic and highenergy sound shines through.

From start to finish, the record captures the chaotic and dizzying energy that they bring forward in every release. Between its aggressive riffs, combative lyrics and rambunctious vibe overall, each song has something fresh to offer. It’s a trip back in time, no DeLorean needed, for both longtime and new fans alike. P Beth

Casteel

NORTHLANE ALIEN eeee

Self-produced and recorded - in the most part - in the same studio where they recorded their debut EP, in many ways, Northlane’s fifth full-length could be described as quite literally going back to their roots. Beefier than the band have sounded for a good while; it’s an album which takes no prisoners. ‘Talking Heads’, in particular, gives no inch building to a breakdown that genuinely shakes the walls.

Concerned with the alienation frontman Marcus Bridge felt as a child, it’s also a record which takes a giant leap forward. One thing’s for sure, Northlane aren’t doing anything by half measures here. P

Dan Harrison

THE REGRETTES HOW DO YOU LOVE? e eee

Some bands have the ability to change the weather. A few, cherished souls can lift or switch moods - not through the nuts and bolts of the music they make, but the indefinable something that surrounds it. That’s The Regrettes. Whatever the fourpiece have going on, they should bottle it. Essential sunny day vitamin C vibes flow from every corner of ‘How Do You Love?’, from the infectious stomp of ‘California Friends’ to the building charge of ‘The Game’. Even at their slower moments, their darkest moods still give the impression that, actually, it’ll all work out okay in the end. A rainbow of emotion, there are no regrets to be found here. P Dan

Harrison

SLAUGHTER BEACH, DOG

SAFE AND ALSO NO FEAR e ee e Storytelling and nuanced intricacy has always been Jake Ewald’s strong suit. Sounding like a soft Alkaline Trio for mellowed out lovers, Slaughter Beach, Dog navigate the pain of being awkward and enamoured by a girl on ‘Heart Attack’, and make a trip down the street sound like pure bliss on ‘Dogs’; packing the record so full with stories that you become lost in its world. Slaughter Beach, Dog has always been a foray into songwriting experimentation for Ewald and ‘Safe and Also No Fear’ sees him adopt an almost Nick Cave-esque spoken word style.

Standout ‘Black Oak’ straddles the line between poetry and music throughout its 6.42-minute duration, and by allowing it time to breathe and expand, Jake crafts one of the best songs of his career.

Despite this, they never manage to hit the sonic variety that was the

strength on previous album ‘Birdie’. SB, D have shown before that the band know how to pack a punch, reel it back and always maintain their signature sombre tone, however ‘Safe and Also No Fear’ suffers from a lack of more unique instrumentations. Gripes aside, there are always treasures to be found within the words of Jake Ewald, and this album is no exception. P Paris Fawcett

STRANGER RANGER

REMEMBERING THE ROCKETS eeee If Strange Rangers’ ‘Rot Forever’ (recorded under the name Sioux Falls) was a dizzying explosion of anger and frustration, and follow-up ‘Daymoon’ an intimate dawn spent reflecting, then ‘Remembering the Rockets’ is the breezy antithesis; an album of reconciliation and acceptance after the debris has been sifted through. It sounds gorgeous too, and is a long way removed from the protracted freakouts of ‘Rot Forever’. Instead, it’s all sepia shades cast through a soft focus lens, indebted more to the lilting power-pop of the Lemonheads than the twisted indie of Built To Spill. Just like their nebulous sound, Strange Ranger’s sonic evolution continues to meander and develop in fascinating and intangible ways. ‘Remembering The Rockets’ is a further push of an ever-restless envelope, and a startling pointer for what could come next. P Rob Mair

TORCHE ADMISSION e e ee

15 years and five albums in, and Torche have carved themselves out a commanding position in the heavy rock ruling class - not

something achieved by taking half measures. In a genre that prides itself on craftsmanship, ‘Admission’ is a record from the very highest tier. Built upon guitar work that feels to hold a palpable weight of its own, even at its most pummelling moments there’s space for the lightness of touch that lifts Torche above the crowd.

A full and hearty meal indeed. P

Dan Harrison

VOLBEAT

REWIND, REPLAY, REBOUND eeee With their punktinged outlawdriven rockabilly, Volbeat have built themselves a reputation of delivering their shtick on all fronts. On their seventh album, they’ve stuck to their guns, for another fourteen rounds of their chorus-chanting, hook-heavy punk-n-roll. Opener ‘Last Day Under The Sun’ welcomes the return of long-time collaborator and backing vocalist Mia Maja, driving home jangly alt-rock riffs with a teatime festival-ready chorus delivered with precision by frontman Michael Poulsen’s distinguishable vocal. Follow-up ‘Pelvis On Fire’ dials the punk elements up a touch, allowing guitarist Rob Caggiano to bring his Anthrax-laden past to the fore once more. Repeating these onetwo punches throughout the album, Volbeat sound like a band soundtracking their ability to play live; they’re only writing records to give them a reason to keep the tour bus engine running. On an album inspired once more by the life and lyrics of Johnny Cash and conceptually crafted around the ideas of immortality and innocence, and the hollowness of the pursuit of perfection; Volbeat sound as if they’re having the musical time of their lives, and yet it’s not quite enough to separate the songs from sounding like their predecessors, which holds it back somewhat. P Jack Press

Upset 57

EVERYONE HAS THOSE FORMATIVE BANDS AND TRACKS THAT FIRST GOT THEM INTO MUSIC AND HELPED SHAPE THEIR VERY BEING. THIS MONTH, MICHAEL PEREZ FROM PLAGUE VENDOR TAKES US THROUGH SOME THE SONGS THAT MEANT THE MOST TO HIM DURING HIS TEENAGE YEARS. WITH... PLAGUE VENDOR’S MICHAEL PEREZ BLONDE REDHEAD Melody of Certain Three

I first heard this song when I was about 16; I think Jay had a Blonde Redhead T-shirt in high school. I love the tension thrown around on this track. We all listened to Blonde Redhead heavily during that period of our lives.

ANIMAL COLLECTIVE Sweet Road

I remember we were all out at a house party somewhere in the hills of Whittier and one of our friends, who was always very secretive about music, brought Animal Collective’s “Sung Tongs” to the party. I remember him walking around hiding it in his jacket like it was drugs or some secret thing. I just saw this red CD case and later found out who it was. This album is a classic.

It sounds like friends living in a house together, making music with a tape recorder and having fun.

RADIOHEAD Myxomatosis

Radiohead is god. They’re on a whole different level to us. I love the drums and bass synth sound on this track, it sounds like it’s ripping something in a digital world.

THE WARRIORS Slings and Arrows

We would blast this song at full volume driving around Whittier.

Seven of us crammed in our friend Izzy’s little beat up car.

Good times.

THE LOCUST Live From The Russian Compound

I’ve loved The Locust since high school. It’s incredibly complicated music and full of

58 Upset

aggression. I saw them when I was about 17 at Chain Reaction, and they blew my mind. Their energy and stage presence was unmatched by anything I’d ever seen.

APHEX TWIN Windowlicker

Directors Label came out in 2003.

It’s a collection of our favourite music video directors working with some of our favourite artists. I can’t count the times we watched all these videos; we devoured them. This song and video, in particular, was always a particular favourite. Check it out, and you’ll see why.

THE MARS VOLTA Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of)

The first time I heard this album, I was about 15 and driving home from a show with my older sister and her boyfriend at the time.

He put this on, and I probably asked about ten times what the name of this band was. It gave me the chills; I never heard anyone singing like that or use words like Cedric does. On top

of that, Omar’s guitar, and John Theodore’s drumming is just the best out there.

THE WALKMEN The Rat

I remember listening to this song with headphones in history class in high school and getting too pumped up. I had to look around to make sure people weren’t noticing my face and the air drumming.

THE BLOOD BROTHERS Fucking’s Greatest Hits

Love the guitar and big sound on this track. We got to see them at FYF a few years back and they fuckin killed it.

DANCE DISASTER MOVEMENT I Want Your Sass

Jay actually showed me this band in high school. This track sounds like a train on fire barrelling thru town, but it’s a party. We actually got to see these guys play at Alex’s bar in Long Beach years ago and it was a lot of fun. P

Plague Vendor’s album ‘By Night’ is out now.