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CONTENTS: THIS MONTH: 03 INTRODUCING: UNFORSEEN PROPHECY, TRANSCENDING THE FLESH, VIVID NATION, PROMISE ME TOMORROW, ZEBEDY, WOLVES
05 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE! REVIEW
06 ALT GIRL: DOLL FACEE 12 INTERVIWEW: MISS MAY I 17 INTERVIEW: BLEED FROM WITHIN
20 ALT GIRL: ACKLEY SUICIDE 24 INTERVIEW: THE ANSWER
27 INTERVIEW: THE UNION
31 REVIEW: ARCHTIECTS & MORE AT SUB 89, READING 33 REVIEW: PARKWAY DRIVE & MORE AT INDIGO2
35 REVIEW: TEENAGE CANCER TRUST AT lEO’S RED LION 38 EVENTS
[W! #16] Welcome back, glad to see you’ve got your eye balls on issue 17 of W! Starting over on PAGE 3 we introduce you to the likes of ‘UNFORSEEN PROPHECY’, ‘TRANSCENDING THE FLESH’, ‘VIVID NATION’, ‘PROMISE ME TOMORROW’, ‘ZEBEDY’ & ‘WOLVES’. There’s an exclusive review of ‘THE AVENGERS’ over on PAGE 5. We have two lovely ladies for you this month; DOLL FACEE over on PAGE 6 & Ackley Suicide on PAGE 20. We have interviewed the likes of ‘MISS MAY I’, (PAGE 12) ‘BLEED FROM WITHIN’, (PAGE 17) ‘THE ANSWER’, (PAGE 24) & ‘THE UNION’ (PAGE 27) We’ve also got live reviews of such bands as ‘ARCHITECTS’, ‘PARKWAY DRIVE’ & more! Next month you can expect to find an exclusive interview with ‘ARCHITECTS’ from man SAM CARTER. We’ll also be featuring another two lush ladies, more interviews, reviews & events. STAY WASTED! Lots of love, Zoe Blush xo
INTRODUCING:
UNFORSEEN PROPHECY WHO ARE YOU & WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Unforeseen Prophecy, from Gravesend/Dartford, Kent WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE? Metalcore - taking inspirations from bands such as All That Remains, Machine Head, As I Lay Dying, DevilDriver and Malefice WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? We merge a lot of different styles together, with songs that spark pure aggression, emotion and intensity, it’s difficult to place us in one specific genre. We have crushing riffs, shred-tastic solos, punishing drums, heavy basslines and a mixture of both intense and melodic vocal styles. We create heavy-arse metal with lots of different hooks that will get stuck in your head for
days, with breakdowns which are guaranteed to make your head move! UP COMING SHOWS Sunday 1st April: Nambucca, Islington (London), supporting Seethe, with 221 and Shatter the Sun. Tickets are £5 in advance (tickets available from Ticketweb) or £7 on the door, and doors open at 7pm Currently unconfirmed date in April for heat two (already won their first heat) of Band Quest, competing for a chance to play at Bloodstock. CONTACT INFO http://www.unsigned.com/ unforeseenprophecy
WHO ARE YOU & WHERE ARE YOU FROM? We are Transcending The Flesh, we are from Thanet. WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE? I guess you can slot us in the Deathcore Pigeon hole. We would like to think fans of Carnifex, Suicide Silence, Martyr Defiled and Annotations of an Autopsy would like to check us out. WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? We’ve just played a show Opening for Chimaira at the Westcoast bar in Margate and received a really kind comment from their drummer (Austin D’Amond) That of all the bands that Chimaira had played with in the UK so far we had the
most current sound. We can’t speak to kindly of ourselves as we’re always trying to better ourselves and we hope that reflects in our music. We just want to make heavy music that people can get into easily and kick off a pit. UP COMING SHOWS We’ve a few shows dotted around but nothing major. Our next notable show is Ecuafest on the 14th of April. We’re looking for shows quite desperately atm as we’re trying to build a good reputation. CONTACT INFO transcendingtheflesh@gmail. com
the boxes with songs that will stand the test of time” UP COMING SHOWS - 26th April – Command House CHATHAM from 8pm 29TH April- The Ivy SHEERNESS (All dayer) 4TH May – Bar Below FOLKESTONE from 8pm
WHO ARE YOU & WHERE ARE YOU FROM? VIVID NATION (East Kent)
3
WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE?
Alternative Rock
VIVID NATION
WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? We prefer to let others do the talking about Vivid
Nation !
Here’s what RockKent. com said of us –“best live performance I’ve seen in a long time…they tick all
Extensive gig dates – check band page (FB) for full gig listings! (Dates, venues, prices, times etc) CONTACT INFO:
WHO ARE YOU & WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Promise Me Tomorrow, South East Kent WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE? Pop/rock- punk we mix up pop punk with rock we like to incorporate heavy drum lines with melodic and ballsy riffs with infectious
WHO ARE YOU & WHERE ARE YOU FROM? We are Zebedy from Conwy, North Wales. WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE? We sound like a fantastic mix of Biffy Clyro, Fightstar, Tool, Reuben and Muse. WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? You should listen to us because 3 of us have beard’s and we sound like no else out there, we have our own sound it’s heavy, melodic and dynamic with 3 part harmonies and a bit of prog thrown in. UP COMING SHOWS 3rd May 2012 – The Eddie, Holyhead, North Wales 5th May 2012 – The Railway Institue, Bangor, North Wales
vocals . We have been said to sound like Kids In Glass Houses, Mayday Parade, The Maine and You Me At Six. WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? We are very hard working and very much a D.I.Y band which can be reflected in our achievements. We
2nd June 2012 – Out Of The Ashes Festival, Vauxhall Sports Club, Ellesmere Port 9th June 2012 – The Dublin Packet, Holyhead, North Wales 16th June 2012 – Pencore Festival, Penmaenmawr, North Wales
CONTACT INFO
Manager: Dan Read thecoremusic@hotmail.co.uk http://www.facebook.com/ zebedymusic http://www.myspace.com/ zebedymusic http://youtu.be/mqRbbEyv5wg Please fill out these questions & get them back to us two weeks before the release of the issue you’re featuring in. If you haven’t already been told the
have only been gigging for 2 years and are already hitting up tour number 4 and video number 4. There are so many bands out there, and yes we arent planning on changing the world but we believe that taking from all of our individual influences we create something not completely original but something very english, very rocky and very poppy which is hard to get right, you cant beat a good honest hard working dedicated guitar based band.
27th The Croft, Bristol £4 30th Portland Arms, Cambridge £5 1st The Pickett, Liverpool, £5 2nd Dry Bar, Manchester £4 6th The Riverside, Newcastle £4 7th The Underground, Swansea £4
UP COMING SHOWS MAY/JUNE TOUR
9th The Joiners, Southampton £4
20th Nambucca, London, £6
CONTACT INFO
25th Square, Harlow , £4
WOLVES WHO ARE YOU & WHERE ARE YOU FROM? Wolves - North Wales WHAT DO YOU SOUND LIKE? Noise, shouting, distorted mess and drums. We think they call it “hardcore” these days. WHY SHOULD WE LISTEN TO YOU? Because we do our best to not be lame and do synchronised stage moves, and are pretty nice guys. Seriously though, cos we’re heavy and noisy. UP COMING SHOWS Currently in the process of writing and recording a new
EP which will be ready for launch in time for our UK tour in July/August. In the mean time we have: 19th May 2012 – New Brighton Community Hall, New Brighton, North Wales 2nd June 2012 – Out Of The Ashes Festival, Vauxhall Sports Club, Ellesmere Port 23rd June 2012 – Koopas, Swansea Tour starts 20th July 2012 TBA CONTACT INFO Manager: Dan Read thecoremusic@hotmail.co.uk http://wolvesuk.bandcamp. com
VENGERS ASSEMBLE! WARNING: May contain slight spoilers. After many Marvel fans waited for what seemed like lightyears, the 26th of April finally brought us the eagerly anticipated, ‘The Avengers’. The 142 minute, action packed, joy-ride of a film brings you everything you could passibly ask of a superhero movie, six times the amount infact.
Photos: MARVEL Words: Zoe Blush
The basic plot presents Loki of Asgard threatening earth with an ambush in attempt to quench his thirst for power. Nick Fury, Directer of S.H.I.E.L.D seeks to bring together a team of super humans titled, ‘The Avengers’ in order to save Earth and all those who inhabit it. After quables and failing attempts to defeat Loki individually, the superheros learn that they must work as a team to be successful in their mission. The Avengers pulled in the films of each individual character and tied them into a neat little package. The characters were also kept true to that of the comics. Saying all this after all the hype and the wait, I was sort of left feeling like I’d only watched half the film. Whether this was because I was left wanting more or because I felt something was missing, I’m not entirely sure, all I am sure is that is does exactly what it says on the tin; capes, explosions, guns, violence, gadgets, a hot girl, an alien race, a big green guy and a few laughs thrown in for good measure, not bad for a night out in front of the big screen. 8/10
so, what did you guys think? PATRICK, 24, MAIDSTONE
“I had huge expectations and I feel it went beyond even that. It was funny, encapsulating and action-packed. What more could you want! The plot was entertaining and kept you gripped, whilst still maintaining a level of humour and wit which is becoming of Joss Whedon's work.”
Doll Facee, 21, Brighton
Tell us three interesting facts about yourself? I can fire breathe, pole dance and angle grind ;) What made you want to get into alternative modeling & how did you go about it? It started off me just posing for friends photography assignments, I realised how much I loved being in front of the camera and got asked to do more work from there!
Photo: Zest Photography
What do you do in your spare time? In my spare time I manage and perform in my Alternative group called the Cyanide Girls
What is your current favourite band OR style of music? This is a tough one! I love going to gigs and rock’n’roll, but I also love my drum and bass and dupstep nights. Oh, and there’s always time for cheesey 90’s pop. What was the best live show you've been to & why? I think it was Download ‘09, Limp Bizkit. I met Fred Durst after and got to hug him and try on his red cap, I did happy wee a bit in my pants. Tell us a bit about your ink? I’m getting more and more covered as time goes on! My favourite piece is the one going up my side. My friend designed it for me and its based on flowers, leaves and lace. I plan ALOT more! We find you passed out in your town centre, drunk out of your trolley on a Saturday night. Where have you been & what have you been drinking? Most weekends then! I would have been into the Pav Tav in Brighton filling up on cider and jager bombs! Tell us about your
funniest drunken moment? There are so many it’s really hard! The one I can think of most reciently is loosing one of my friends in Brighton and trying to train seagulls with chips to go find him...
Do you have any unusual habits or hobbies? I have to pick off all the chocolate off a mars bar and eat it then eat the goo and caramel inside. Thinking about it, that is kinda weird!
who is the hottest male/female alive? Johnny Depp. End of.
Give us your best chat up line? Do you have the RSCPA’s number? Because these swans are SIKKKK *flex your guns*
What has been your funniest/most embarrassing sexual/romantic experience?
Photo: Rachael-Emily
Oh god. Trying to be sexy in the shower by rubbing my body with bubbles, ended up flicking shower gel in my eye when I tried to close the lid, then screaming in pain, leaning out to grab a towel only to be headbutting the shower door. Sexxxyyyy...
Travelling the world with my Cyanide Girls :) WANT TO SEE MORE OF DOLL FACEE? Visit https://www. facebook.com/pages/DollFacee-Model
Photo: Zest Photography
Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?
NEW ALBUM 'AT HEART' DROPS EARLY JUNe!
The last time metal core up and comers Miss May I played in London, it was in the rather small Underworld, a venue under a pub which embodies the spirit of an underground scene. This time round the guys are playing a sold out 2500 capacity venue snuggled into the world’s most recognisable indoor arena, surrounded by cinemas, the X-Factor open auditions and most importantly, Nando’s. We were lucky enough to be able to hang out with the guys backstage for an hour or two while they went about their band duties, and spent some quality time just chilling in the green room. While we had a few minutes we asked the guys a few questions about life on
the road, working with a man called Machine, and of course, their new album! SO CAN YOU START BY TELLING US A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR NEW RECORD “AT HEART”? It’s different… I guess it’s a little bit more commercial in some respects, but we also brought back some songs from Apologies Are For The Weak, that sort of feel; a lot faster and heavier, so it’s a really good mixture. It’s also a LOT more personal, the lyrics are pretty hard hitting, the vocals on this album are good! WAS THE WAY YOU WROTE THIS ALBUM DIFFERENT TO PREVIOUS WORK? This album was done 100%
different, it was like we used to write together and then we’d go in and record whatever we had. This time round we actually did some writing in the studio and did some pre-production there, and then go back and do even more tweaking to the songs… Most of them we did at least 3 times so they’re all much tighter. There’s even songs we wrote that didn’t make the CD so we actually had more songs than we needed. There’s still 12 on this record though, which is more than we’ve ever done, which we’re stoked on.
"we don't want to be like 'LOOK AT US HARD ASSES IN A METAL BAND"'
IN TERMS OF LYRICS IS THERE A SET THEME TO THE ALBUM? Oh yeah, it’s cool! We wrote about stuff that no metal bands really write about, so we’re really pumped on it. A lot of it is like, real stuff we went through, we don’t want to be like ‘LOOK AT US HARD ASSES IN A METAL BAND’ haha, it’s been cool to write real stuff! That’s actually why we called it ‘At Heart’, because it’s straight from us. YOU RECORDED WITH THE MACHINE, HOW WAS THAT FOR YOU GUYS? It WAS an experience haha! He’s the man! Crazy, crazy man! He’s so… I don’t know… Everyday he’d kind of like… read you? Like if you were having a bad day he’s be this funny guy to cheer you up, or if it was a serious day he’d let you get on with doing your thing. He was really good with that, but he also really helped us with understanding what the full capability of our band really is. We wrote everything as a band, on our instruments, which is really helpful because you know, if you write something on a computer, sometimes it won’t work as a band. It’s really cool because all the songs live will be 100% as they are on the record! ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR A MUSIC VIDEO TO GO WITH THE RELEASE? Yeah, we have 2 music videos coming out before the album
actually. One should be dropping within the next few weeks, called Ballad Of A Broken Man! DO YOU HAVE ANY FAVOURITE TRACKS OFF THE RECORD? Err this one called Bleeding Out is a COOL song! Haha SO THIS TOUR WITH PARKWAY, HOW’RE YOU FINDING IT? CRAZY! Hahaha! It’s our second time with them, they’re always awesome! Amsterdam last night was fucking awesome, the kids were nuts! It’s really cool doing actual European that’s this big, it’s a lot of fun! IS IT WEIRD TO PLAY SUCH BIG VENUES, LIKE TONIGHT’S? It is pretty crazy actually, I never thought we’d play such big venues over seas! It’s like ‘Oh yeah, we’ll go overseas and play shows and do cool stuff like you do when you’re in a band, but you never think like, it’d get like this’. We just did our headliner, which was good, it was little 500 caps and small clubs, all hot and sweaty haha! This is like a WHOOOOLLLLEEEE new level haha! We must have skipped a load of levels to be up here now. It’s cool too because this venue is 4 times the size of the last one we played in London! AND European kids actually seem to appreciate metal that much more than US kids, so everybody’s stoked!
SO YOU MAY HAVE SEEN THAT WARPED TOUR IS COMING OVER THIS YEAR, ANY THOUGHTS ON THAT? Oh that got released? Haha! I knew about that but we we’re meant to keep it on the DL! I know we’re on the American one this summer, we’ll have to see if we get the Europe one haha, that’d be sick! That’d be so cool to be on the 1st one over here, like so sick!
DAMN, that’d be so cool haha! DO YOU GUYS HAVE ANY GOALS FOR THIS COMING YEAR? Yeah! We always have goals, they really help to drive us to make our band better and more successful, which is always our main goal really! We also want to keep our fans happy and give them what they want, while doing what we want to do as well. I guess our main goal is to take the music that we like to write and make it the best we can for our fans. Hopefully everyone will like the new album and that it goes down really well! You never know, we could do this again in 2 years and talk about how cool it is to be playing Wembley Stadium haha! Oh look, 18,000 people today guys! I guess we just want to keep levelling up, if you can put stuff like this into video game terms. After chatting to the guys, we went along with them as they went for some photoshoots with other magazines, got a cribs style tour of the guys bus, got to spectate the bands game of Ninja (we’ll stick the video up soon) and managed to convince guitarist Justin to try to knock a seagull out for a reward of Nando’s. All in a day’s work here at Wasted! Magazine. Finally, we’d like to add our grateful thanks to Miss May I, and the team at Little Press for a great afternoon! Be sure to pick up At Heart when it drops in early June!
Images: Jake Owens Words: Jake Owens
HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE SUCH A FAST RISING BAND IN THE METAL SCENE? We’re really proud of that actually, although we never really see it like that! We’re on the inside of it, we just spend every day hanging out and stuff so we never really get to see the outside perspective. It’s weird because 2 winters ago we played our 1st shows over here, they were with Asking Alexandria in the smaller rooms in the Academy venues, and even then we thought like, this is as big as we’re going to be! It was like we’d achieved everything a band of our style COULD achieve you know? But here we are, 2 years on and in this venue! This place is at least double the size of the venues we play at home! You guys just love music way more than fans anywhere else, you all REALLY like you’re music haha!
With a brand new album in the pipeline, plans for a lot of shows soon and appearances at summer festivals all over Europe, Bleed From Within are one of the UK’s most exciting bands. We caught up with them last month in Southampton for a chat about how things were going.
WHAT HAVE YOU GUYS BEEN UP TO RECENTLY? “Writing! Haha, writing our new album! All the time, just writing!” ANY CLUES ABOUT IT THEN? “We don’t really know too much… IT’S GOT MUSIC ON IT! AND INSTRUMENTS! It’s heavy! It’ll have a name and
everything before too long too haha. We’re kinda at the stage where we can’t really say anything, or do anything without being fucked, but sometime soon! It’s frustrating coz it’s all written but we can’t record it or release it yet. There’ll be updates soon though, Bleedfromwithin.com haha!” AND HOW’S IT BEEN WRITING WITH MARTYN?
BLEED FROM WITHIN
“He’s actually got some quite good ideas too! Weird.”
ANY LYRICAL THEMES FOR THIS RECORD? “There’s a lot about stuff we can’t really talk about, which is part of why this albums delayed and stuff. That does mean it’s angry as fuck though!” ANY PLANS TO TOUR? “We’re touring the UK later in the year, but we can’t say who with haha! We’re literally at that point where we’re waiting. We’ve got things lined up, so stay tuned!” DO YOU HAVE ANY GOALS FOR THIS YEAR?
Well we wanna get the album out haha! We’ve got a fairly major one too, we really wanna break into the States and tour over there, although that’ll probably be next year. We just wanna get this new album out and assure everyone that we’re working hard and not just sitting around doing nothing! We’re excited about the songs, so hopefully the fans are excited too! After this interview the band performed a blistering set at Takedown 2012 (review in issue 16), and have confirmed to perform at Pukklepop, Crashburn, Ghostfest and Hevy Festival this summer. Their new album promises to be a blinder. Awesome.
Images: Jake Owens Words: Jake Owens
He hasn’t made any difference at all. Actually alright, surprisingly haha! It was a bit tricky, mostly because he’s English, so he lives in England, so we’ve had to record riffs and send them to eachother, then he has to fly up every time we want to go into the studio. ON MY PRIVATE JET. Called easy. Easyjet.”
Tell us three interesting facts about yourself? I’m a raw foodist: Rawkbaby. com I have my own Jewelry line: Feathernouveau.com I love dogs way too much: Bella and Donna What made you want to get into alternative modeling & how did you go about it? I was always pushing the limits when I was growing up. I’m not sure if I rebelled for feeling suppressed by my friends and family, or I was just born this way. I thought I was just always going to be the outcast, or
I’d have to conform to standards I didn’t want to conform to. However, when I found the alternative world of modeling, where they want you cause your you, I finally realized I could do anything I wanted to do. I’ve been 5’0” since 3rd grade, and I used to get called fat all the time… If I would have told those bullies in school one day I’d be a model, they’d probably laughed and beat me up. Anyways, so as soon as I got an opportunity to model I took it. I worked on myself and I created my own style that works for me, and I ran with it. What do you do in your spare time? I like to skate everywhere. I also enjoy making raw chocolate and meals for my friends. My dogs are like my kids, so I spend a lot of time walking them around showing off their cutest outfits. I like to hang out with my girl friends too... We go on mini trips for photo shoots, and work at comic book conventions, and just get together whenever people visit. What is your current favorite band/style of music? I’m digging Pierce the Veil right now… Oh and I’d really have to say right this minute I have the all Pop Goes Punk albums along with the entire series on my iPod playlist. For some reason I get really excited when screamo and emo bands remake pop songs. I especially like to see the reactions on peoples faces on the street when I blast metal core Taylor Swift remakes. I know all the words, and things sound better when you scream. What was the best live show you’ve been to & why? Chiodos/Silverstein Head to Head Tour at the Wiltern in 2008. Not only was it all of my favorite bands including: A Skylit Drive, Alesana, Escape the Fate, but Chiodos did a breathtaking performance. It was sooo loud that my heart beat started matching the bass line and I felt like I could melt into the songs. It was such an amazing show. I ended up buying a shirt off some guy on the street and smelled like lighter fluid.... After carefully washing it, it became one of my favorite T-shirts. Tell us a bit about your ink? My first was a fairy on my hip. I was a fresh 18.
My favorite is my Ganesh (The Remover of Obstacles) My next will be a thigh piece of a massive peacock. All of my work, besides my fairy, was done by Steve Cikos of The House Of Ink in Venice, CA. He’s like my pal. It’s funny how I have to explain to my mom how not scary tattoos are. She pictures a dark studio with some big bearded “Hell’s Angel” type, or even worse some kind of prison setting. I’m just kidding, but not about my mom being scared of tattoos. We find you passed out in your town centre, drunk out of your trolley on a Saturday night. Where have you been & what have you been drinking? I actually don’t drink that much: ) But you might find me on the couch with a bag a kale chips laughing my arse off. I go out, but I’m the sober girl and I’m usually antagonizing the drunks: ) Tell us about your funniest drunken moment? Long story short… I puked inside the leather boots of Buckcherry bass player Jimmy Ashhurst. It was the night before they played their Lincoln show for the “Bad Boys of Rock” tour in 2007. He’ll probably never let me forget it. Do you have any unusual habits or hobbies? I eat mostly raw foods, and I have an obsession with making raw chocolate. It’s sooo good! And it’s good for you. Seriously, I make it with like four ingredients and it’s organic and totally unprocessed. I make tons of raw food and treats. I have my own project started called RAWK BABY! I’m trying to inform the masses about the benefits of living a more healthy unprocessed life style. I promote holistic and natural health and beauty. I’ve just never looked or felt this good since I discovered raw foods. Raw food is super super sexy, and what’s that saying? “You are what you eat?”. Celeb crush/hottest man/woman in music? Pete Wentz. He’s been my celebrity crush since the days I went to the Ranch Bowl. The Ranch Bowl was this little gem of a venue/bowling ally in Omaha Nebraska where I used to go to shows as a kid. It shut down, but to this date had some of the coolest bands before they were cool play there. But back to Pete Wentz, he is by far the sexiest bass player. He inspired me to play bass
What is your claim to fame? Being a Suicide Girl. What has been your funniest/ most embarrassing sexual/ romantic experience? I usually get told I’m kind of crazy in relationships. I just feel like I’m always right when it comes to everything… but only cause I am usually right about everything. I’m not high maintenance when it comes to material things… but I want my man to give me attention. Lots of it. So, I guess it’s kind of embarrassing when I think about what some of my exes probably think of me. Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? In five years I’ll probably be in full force RAWK BABY mode. I’ll have a
full function raw foods tour bus and I’ll go around to different shows making sure all the bands and fans have access to good food and water and information. I want to share my experience of my own transformation. Our minds get clouded with all the junk that’s forced into our minds and bodies. It’s easy to minimize the crap if you know how and what to avoid. Websites Ackleynation.com Rawkbaby.com Feathernouveau.com Social Networking: Suicide Girls: http://suicidegirls.com/join/ Ackley/ Instagram: @ackleysuicide
Images: Jessie Lee Cederblom
myself.
Founded in Co. Down N. Ireland in 2000, the band have been steadily increasing their profile over the past decade, finally emerging from local support slots and headline gigs in small venues to a wider audience with their debut single in 2005, “Keep Believin’” which earned the band several awards including “Best New Band” in that years Classic Rock Awards.
firmly both onto the stages of some of the world’s biggest venues and in front of a massive brand new audience
Their first album released the following year “Rise”, scored rave reviews and sold 125,000 copies worldwide.
It was during gaps in the tour that The Answer recorded their latest album “Revival” laying down the tracks in both El Paso and Austin, Texas. With the answer back at the top of the bill and with a brand new album added to their reportage, I had a chat with Paul (guitar) and Micky (bass) from the band ahead of their co-headlining Belfast date with English blues/rock outfit The Union.
By 2008 when their second album “Everyday Demons” was released, The Answer had honed their performance and song writing skills, becoming a world class act and, on the strength of their rapidly growing success earned a prestigious 2 year support slot on AC/ DC’s world tour. This placed the band
HI GUYS, WELCOME HOME. YOU’VE TOURED ALL OVER THE WORLD IN THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND PLAYED WITH SOME OF YOUR MUSICAL HEROES. WHAT HAVE BEEN SOME OF ‘THE HIGHLIGHTS’? Micky: “Hmm I guess one of the first big ones, that one we did with the Stones
a few years ago in Belgrade. That was very special”. DID YOU GET TO MEET THEM? “Yes we got to meet them. They were very good to us. They were pretty cool, came and hung out with us and said hello, gave us beer etc. That was probably one of the coolest things to first happen to us and of course getting the AC/DC gig, touring across the States on the Black Ice tour. It was a dream come true. WAS THERE ANY INTERACTION WITH AC/DC? Paul: “Oh yeah, eve from the first night, Brian Johnston came into the dressing room to wish us luck, cliff came in and as the tour went on we got to hang out with Mal and Angus. Micky “Phil Rudd was a bit of an enigma, we didn’t see him much. But the young brothers were
always ready to talk”. HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT YOUR LATEST RELEASE “REVIVAL” DIFFERS FROM THE BANDS PREVIOUS RELEASES, OR IS IT JUST A NATURAL PROGRESSION? “I guess it is a progression but, I think at the third album it was time to step out a bit, try things we wouldn’t normally have done. Stuff like the debut, even the way we approached the guitar sound, drum sounds, how we write the songs- it was all a little bit different. We were in good hands with Chris FrenchySmith, he recognised when we needed to do that as well, and pushed us, style wise in a different direction”. WHICH TRACKS ON THE NEW ALBUM DO YOU THINK BEST SUMS UP WHAT THE ANSWER ARE ALL ABOUT? “Trouble I suppose, its got a bit of blues, heavy riff and good topline is a good example and it and maybe “Caught in the Riverbed” as well, has real thumpy motor rhythm, that we like to play”
Images by: Lili Forber
Words: Mark Dean
HOW DOES YOUR SONG WRITING PROCESS START, IS IT WITH A LYRIC OR A RIFF OR DO YOU JUST GET A TUNE IN YOUR HEAD AND HAVE TO WRITE IT DOWN? OR DOES IT VARY? Micky: “There’s I suppose a couple of different approaches, nothing set in stone. If a good idea comes, it comeswe all have equal input, and that’s what takes us so long sometimes. It can start with a riff and arrangement or from a jam, and then Cormac will work on that, and we all work together and hammer away. I mean we could all come in with songs ready to go, and it would be a Michael Waters song or a Neeson song or a Mahon song but it wouldn’t be The Answer. Paul “Obviously if it was my one it would be much better”. Micky- “He’s the Ringo Star of the group.” WITH THE EVER RISING REPUTATION OF THE ANSWER, ARE THERE ANY SONGS THAT YOU ARE PARTICULARLY PROUD OF OR ARE THERE ANY SONGS THAT YOU’VE WISHED YOU HAD WRITTEN? Micky “Plenty we wish that we had of written, of our own I think “Under the Sky” was one of the first real good ones for that, and from the second album “Too Far Gone”, the new album “Waste Your Tears”. Paul “We got “Rise” done and that was the first one, “Every Demons” probably not so much. Once you are doing a new record you always tend to go back and listen to what you’ve done before back to back to see where the journey has gone. With “Revival” I actually do put it on and enjoy it”. Micky “There’s a good energy about it”. IF YOU COULD GIVE JUST 1 PIECE OF
ADVICE TO BUDDING SONG WRITERS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? Micky “Just work hard and keep chasing inspiration all the time”. Paul “Find out what is unique to you, find out what that is and push that”. How do you compose your set lists? Do all band members have equal input? Is it flexible on a long tour? Micky “It kind of does itself; a lot of the songs are pretty much to be an opener or a closer.” A LOT OF THE ALBUM TRACKS NOT FEATURED WOULD ALSO INTEGRATE WELL LIVE? Micky “Yeah I agree we could have put the work in, to a lot of them and they could have become at any point part of the set. Maybe we all know if that tuning doesn’t work for that or it that tempo didn’t work for another. We all just do it together. After a few shows yeah we like to shake it around. It’s always flexible, we always have the sound checks and can jam through the songs, keeps its fresh. We have a lot of fans who travel to our show and go to maybe 4 or 5 shows on the tour and we want to give them something new as well”. WHAT DO YOU THINK THE MAJOR CHANGES IN THE MUSIC BUSINESS SINCE YOU STARTED? IS THE MOVE FROM ALBUMS AND RECORD SHOPS TO INTERNET AND DOWNLOADS A GOOD ONE? Paul “I guess we kind of caught the tail end of CDs. Itunes was just taking off around the time of “Rise” so it didn’t have such a strangle hold on the industry as it does now. People were still buying CDs. I think even record companies.” WHAT ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIUMS E.G. FACEBOOK ENCOURAGING INTERACTION BETWEEN FANS AND BANDS AND REMOVING THAT BARRIER? Paul “I think the communication aspect of it is very good as you say as fans can get close to the bands. You can talk to your heroes”. WHAT DOES THE REST OF 2012 HOLD FOR THE ANSWER AS A BAND? “We’ve been touring since September, we’ve got this tour and then a little bit of time to start working on the next album; (maybe a month or so) then we are going to do some festivals, a lot around Europe, and hopefully get to the States as well for a few weeks to promote the album release out there. THANKS FOR TAKING THE TIME TO CHAT TO US GUYS.
THE UNION The Union was formed by guitarist Luke Morley and vocalist/guitarist Pete Shoulder after Luke’s 20 year career with Thunder came to an end when the band split in 2009. Peter Shoulder was the vocalist, songwriter,and musical rudder of Winterville. He is one of only 3 British artists (the other 2 being Eric Clapton and Peter Green) to win a WC Handy Blues Foundation award presented in Memphis 2006,for co-writing the American Blues Song of the Year. Their debut album released in August 2010 had critics and fans alike spouting superlatives. Later in 2010 The Union were voted”best new band”at the Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards. After tours with a reformed Thin Lizzy and Whitesnake in 2011,their second album ‘Siren’s Song’ was released in October 2011. At the start of 2012 they embarked on a joint UK headlining tour with The Answer. I had a chat with Luke, and Pete prior to their Belfast show, second date into that tour. HOW DID THE DUBLIN SHOW GO LAST NIGHT(FIRST OF THE TOUR)? Luke: ”Really good, great. First gig of the tour is always finding your feet, and getting used to a new set”. Pete: ”The crowd were great, and seemed to be there for a good time. The venue was smaller than tonight, but for a first night it was really good.” INTRODUCE YOURSELVES TO OUR READERS,AS A BAND HOW DID YOU BOTH TEAM UP,AND HOW DID YOU GET TO WHERE THE BAND ARE NOW? Luke: “I first met Pete probably about 10 years ago when a demo tape that he had made reached my hands via a friend and I thought that he sounded great, so I met him. At the time he was just about to sign with Sony in New York. We stayed in touch and started writing together. We wrote a song that was on a Thunder album and we basically just stayed in touch after that. He went on to form Winterville and do various other things as well. We kept in touch, wrote a lot together. I helped Pete out with a bit of recording here and there where we could and he helped Thunder out (got up and played at the Thunder Christmas shows)then when Thunder stopped it was like ‘what am I going to do now?’ We literally bumped into each other in the pub and I said ‘shall we do something?’ and that was it .” Pete: “The work relationship was already there so it was easy.” HOW DO YOU FEEL THAT ‘SIREN’S SONG’ DIFFERS FROM YOUR FIRST RELEASE AS THE UNION? Luke: “It’s got a different cover.”(laughs) Pete: “It’s got more of a live band feel, that’s probably it.” Luke: “[There’s a] different drummer on this release.” Pete: “We made it, wrote it and recorded it while we were on tour and it was written quite quickly as well. Whereas with the first one, there was already a lot of songs [completed]. I think Luke said that it sounds like two fellas writing individually. Even though I think that the first one is a really strong album.
The second one feels and sounds more like a band” DO YOU SEE THE UNION AS A COMPLETE DEPARTURE FROM YOUR PREVIOUS BANDS OR A NATURAL PROGRESSION? Luke: “Thats a question that I dont think either of us would ask ourselves. We just do it really. Maybe thats your job, to tell us. It all feels very natural and we slipped into [it] very naturally. We enjoy working together - so yes, it’s natural [progression].” DO YOU FEEL THAT THE UNION HAVE A MUSICAL STYLE? Luke: “Hopefully not but hopefully yes as well. It’s the sort of thing where we want to be able to cover a wide-ish range of genres and hopefully touch on a few different things. There’s a hint of Americana in what we do and rock obviously, a little bit of blues - all those things. Get all of those things into it but still have -” Pete: “A cohesive.” Luke: “Our own style which is stamped on it. It’s like the Beatles or Queen, or any great band. They can do different styles but you still know that it’s them.” HOW DID YOU HANDLE PRODUCTION FOR THE LATEST ALBUM? WHAT KIND OF SOUND DID YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE AND ARE YOU 100% SATISFIED WITH THE RESULT? Pete: “You are never 100% satisfied, well I’m not, you can only do the best that you can.” Luke-”For me it differs everyday,an album is a snapshot,its like a photograph,its where you are at that moment,at that time.What always happens is when you make a record,and you go out and you play it live,the songs develop more. Thats more or less what happens.A year and half after making a record you go back,and listen to the studio versions,and the songs have changed quite a bit” DO YOU THINK THAT THERE IS 1 SONG THAT STANDS OUT FOR YOU PERSONALLY AS A FAVOURITE-EITHER TO HAVE RECORDED OR TO PLAY LIVE? Pete: “Again that differs, I like playing the quiet songs but it’s when the band play. I think ‘Siren’s Song’ seems to be popular. People seem to like that one and sing along. It’s always fun to play, Black Monday as well.” Luke: “Theres’ a few - the nice thing is they are all enjoyable and good to play. It’s a pleasure doing them really.” HOW DID THE TOUR WITH THE ANSWER COME ABOUT? Luke: “It was actually suggested by our agent. Both bands share the same agency although we have different agents.They chatted about it and it seemed like a good thing for both bands to do. There’s a benefit in it for them and for us to. Hopefully we will play to more people than if we both went out individually. There’s a mutual help thing going on which I think is really good. I think it’s a really good value package for the fans, a good ticket price also. These days there isnt a lot of money around. I think it’s a good idea, it’s like the 60’s, people get better value for money. It’s also good also for the bands too because they get to play to bigger audiences.” WHAT’S ON THE AGENDA FOR THE REST OF 2012? Pete: “We have made a start on writing the next album.” Luke: “We write all the time and I am going to learn Scottish, as our drummer can’t understand a word I say.” WELL THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TALK TO US AND WE WISH YOU GUYS ALL THE BEST WITH THE TOUR!
Architects, Rolo Toma Stray From The Path @ Sub89 Reading With what has been billed as one of Readings biggest shows to date, tonight starts with the air of expectancy hanging in the air outside the venue. Most of the crowd look young, no more than 18 years old, and their excitement to see such a big band on their doorstep is clear. Opening band Stray From The Path are an incredibly energetic mob, and Architects frontman Sam has them down as his favourite heavy band. Big claim that, but one which may well be justified, as for an opening band they really go for it with everything they’ve got, and give an impressive performance which stirs the crowd up nicely. With guest vocals on the new Architects record, expect to see these boys grow into something pretty big (7/10) Main support on the tour are mathcore/mindfuck band Rolo Tomassi, who remain a
band who split opinion on a big scale. Certainly it’s worth the giggle looking at the faces of the young girls who have no idea what’s going on, but other than that it’s really nothing amazingly special unfortunately. While everyone in the band can certainly play, and Eva Spence certainly has some pretty damn dynamic vocals on her, it’s all just a bit higgledepiggledy, if you know what I mean… Not bad, not great either… Just a bit too different for tonight and the crowd who the music is lost on. Get RT on tour with Iwrestledabearonce and some other similar bands and they’d shine. Potential? Yepp. (7/10) After what seems like an age, Architects take to the stage with last years hit Devils Island. The boys from Brighton sound big tonight, there’s no way around that, everything is tight and the crowd are nuts. The band seem to have learnt
from any of their mistakes of previous tours where the set would slow down towards the end and then seem to just fade out. None of that today, just good song after good song. Mostly from Hollow Crown which is a good thing too, AND what’s more the tracks from The Here And Now sound massive and really get the crowd going. Highlights of the set have to be crowd favourites Hollow Crown and Learn to Live, and of course Early Grave is absolutely beltingly good. A great performance from one of the UK’s best bands overall, and one that Architects should be very proud of. What’s more, there’s a new album out next month to boot, so go buy that and support great music! (9/10) Jake Owens
Images: Jake Owens Words: Jake Owens
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Parkway Drive with The Ghost Inside, Miss May I & Confessions @ Indigo2 The evening starts with a somewhat strange feeling; queuing up at the O2 is always odd, and even more so when a woman with a clip board invites us over to have an open audition for X Factor. No thanks love. We’re here for something a bit louder. Openers Confessions are a pretty tasty Australian HArdcore/Metal act, with vocals provided by none other than I Killed The Prom Queens Michael Crafter. The man is an absolute machine by the way, what a performance! In short, they sound like a more sinister Parkway. Wicked! (8/10) Miss May I are an odd choice on this line up, playing metalcore which is way faster than all of the other bands on the bill. This doesn’t stop the band trying their hardest though, as they plough their way through a great collection of tracks, finishing with the mighty Masses Of A Dying Breed. A fantastic, energetic set from some real up and comers on the scene. Be sure to check them out! (8/10) The Ghost Inside are a great band, there’s no way around that. Their
rather fantastic sound is now so familiar on these shores that they pull in a big crowd themselves and have no problems at all in getting them to move around. With splatterings of new material thrown in, some crowd favourites and a general mix up of the previous setlist, the band are on form and can hold their own on this lineup. They’d even be appropriate headliners in all honesty. Absolutely brilliant. When the new album hits, it’s gunna be BIG. (9/10) How to follow such a great set of bands? Parkway Drive of course! Australia’s favourite sons are on killer form tonight, as they always are, and seem delighted to be playing to such a big and enthusiastic crowd. They play pretty much all of their hits from all the albums, with favourites such as Boneyards, Romance Is Dead, Deliver Me and Carrion, and the new addition of Breaking Point and a brand new track, there’s something for everyone. Add to that the live power of the band and how much the audience love them, tonight can go down as a resounding success. Parkway Drive remain one of the best bands in the world. Fact. (10/10)
Images: Jake Owens Words: Jake Owens
TEENAGE CANCER CHARITY ALL DAY GIG @ LEO'S RED LION Music lover Harry Heffernan threw together a successful day full of indie, metal, punk and pole dancing during last months madness. The all day gig was held at Gravesend’s Red Lion venue, in support of Patrick O’Neil’s marathon run for Teenage Cancer Trust. My Third Leg, a four piece band heavily fused with ska- punk warmed up the crowd for a day complete with burlesque dancing. As stated on their Facebook page, “We won’t pretend to be the best musicians in the world, but we have a good fucking time and hope you do too”, summarising exactly the set they offered at the Red Lion. With their reggae rock and roll, the boys joked on stage before they performed tracks including Sublime Date Rape and Balls Deep, a song which guitarist and lead vocalist Will tells his audience
is about a female rapist. Bringing together a crowd of thirty people, MTL got the crowd pumped for heavily instrumental group Ivy League Murder Scene. With chilling rhythms from the guitarists Dann and Erim this hardcore punk band brought in a crowd of fifty people. Although Drew provides a thumping beat on the drums, the four piece London band were a little stalemate, with small if any movement from the band while on stage. The lack of energy didn’t disturb the atmosphere, as the quartet received a positive response from the crowd. Benzokayn, formally known as Crunk City, took advantage of the event to use as their come back gig, playing their explosive tracks under a new name. Loosing their way during their
opening number, the five piece brought back the sound which pleased their listeners immensely. Packed with passionate melodies, thriving drum beats, with toxic punk rock lyrics, the general sound is slightly messy, yet powerfully refreshing. Finishing their show with a cover of Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo by the Blood Hound Gang, front man ???? admitted he wanted to do a cover of Rhianna to close the show. Essex lads Concave were asked to fill in an empty slot on the bill at the last minute. The boys from Harlow brought with them a larger audience, making up for the lack of energy form the previous bands, jumping into the crowd messing things up. Giving away free copies of their new EP, the sweaty seven
Having taken a year off the scene, BearTrap made their highly anticipated debut performance. With a crowd largely made up of friends and fans, the faultless music went down a treat for the Red Lion audience, despite the band lacking in stage presence. With nerves and uncertainty clearly noticeable, it took a while for the quartet to warm up before Kealey Goodwill amazed crowds with her chair dance routine. They may not have danced around a chair in provocative clothing, but trio
lads from Burgundy held the crowd together with their punching Seetheresque tunes. Enthusiastic members of the audience shouted out tracks that wanted to hear most, with the guys more than happy to perform. Stepping up onto the stage to Florence and the Machine, Burlesque dancer Snow Wilde teased her spectators by stripping off, biting her hands seductively as she then threw glitter in the air. With the guys in the audience feeling steamy, Death Punch Dave heightened the climax with her vigorous pole dance routine, performing to Come On by Busta Rhymes flaunting her strength to an admiring audience. Vocalist Ryan Syrett from Tonight, We Ride laughed, ‘How are we going to top that?!’ to their listeners, choosing Before Life Fails, a brutal and heavy number to open the set. Lined with monstrous guitar riffs along with the swarve bass line, the metal hardcore
band sound tight with the animated sound of the drums. Covering the classic Beastie Boys track Fight For Your Right, front man Ryan ran to the crowd sharing his mic with BearTrap’s vocalist Chaz, proving this track to be a crowd pleaser eighteen years after the original release. Despite Silent Descent headlining the charity event, the audience appeared either tired from the day’s events or simply put off by the trance metal sound by the Dartford band. Belting out tracks including their acclaimed Duplicity along with Minds Games, the few people left in the crowd appeared pleased with the half hour set. With their Slipknot and Pendulum influences, the last few members of the audience enjoyed raving and moshing with a beer in their hand to this refreshing and lively group. Harry and Patrick managed to raise an incredible £366 for their charity, making this a successful day for Teenage Cancer Trust and for the local music scene.
Images: Frances Sales Words: Charlotte Bones
members bounced around the venue as if they were tripping, performing tracks including Downhills, a song sung for their fellow skate boarders. Despite being a short tune, the pounding track is full of zest leaving the crowd roaring for more. Closing their fleeting visit with Brunk, a track about their lifestyle, being broke and drunk, vocalist Garcon shouted across the room how this song is ‘about getting shit faced every night!’