Gloucestershire melodic hardcore/alternative quartet Ivory Cross recently rebranded from their 2013 incarnation of Halfway To Nowhere. The youngsters have gained a good following around the local area, playing shows with fellow Gloucestershire quartet Elessar among others. The band have recently released their first single under their new name For Your Honour which is today’s track of the day. We asked the band to take on our A-Z challenge!
A song that made you want to make music?
Make It Up As You Go by ACODA, the song has everything from riffs to huge choruses, banger.
Best rider you’ve ever had?
Being 17, free cokes was the best yet.
Craziest moment your experienced in the band?
We played a headline show recently after we’d released our first single. We played the song last and everyone sang it back to us, it was quite surreal.
Deepest lyrics one of your songs features?
Year by year the flowers settle on the stone, your cries are softly silenced by the ground below.
Easiest song you wrote?
For Your Honour, George presented the song to us without lyrics a few days before we went into the studio, we then finished vocals the day before, and had the finished product in two days. It all came together so well.
Favourite song in your set?
I Can All But Try, it’s our opener and we are hoping to release a version of it soon.
Guest you’d most like to feature on one of your records?
Sam Carter, as it would give us an excuse to write a really heavy song.
Hardest thing about being in a band?
Not having enough money for gear.
Interesting fact about one of your members?
George has a distant, but direct relation to Robbie Williams.
Jokes you have in the band?
We have an Irish super-fan who has never met us nor seen us live, and prior to us releasing music declared us as her favorite band.
Key to writing a song?
Be emotionally invested in your music. If you’re writing something that provokes an emotional response even in yourselves, then you know you are writing something that could do the same to others, which is what we value in music.
Longest distance you’ve traveled to play a show?
London, we drove down to Islington to play at the O2 Academy a year ago.
Most inspiring musician you’ve experienced?
The 1975, George and Pat went to see them last year in Cardiff. Everything about their show was phenomenal, but speaking in a musical sense, the direction they have taken with their music and the production on their records influences us to create music that’s individual and euphoric.
New band you’d recommend?
Boston Manor, they just write such easy listening songs that you can put on whenever.
Opening for this band would be ideal?
Crooks UK as they are probably our collective favorite band.
Place you’d most like to tour?
Europe, as our music would hopefully be well received.
Quote you’d like to pass on to our readers?
It’s not bait unless you make it bait.
Reason for the title of your forthcoming/recent release?
It’s about someone who treated us very poorly, and it coincides with a metaphor we play with in the song which is a courtroom, so ‘For Your Honour’ is referring to the that, it needs to be contextual to explain it properly.
See us live at?
2Pigs Cheltenham, 25th March.
The old days of music were better than the current, do you agree?
Yes and no, music has advanced so much and is so much more polished nowadays, however the impact musicians could have on crowds and people in the older days was much more powerful.
Unusual merchandise?
We don’t have an merch as of yet, however our favorite unusual merch is Don Broco’s line of tea and mugs is brilliant.
Variations you’d like to do on any of your songs?
We are working on a variation of our single, ‘Holding Back’ (which we released under our previous name) for our live show now.
What do your fans mean to you?
They are what motivates us to play, aside from our love of music. It’s the best feeling when you can get such a positive reaction out of someone just by the music you create.
X-rays or any other treatments needed for band related injuries?
George cuts his fingers on his strings from time to time, so nothing more than plasters.
You’re late for a show, whose fault is it?
George, he’s always in the shower before we have to leave.
Zoo animal that best describes the personality of your band?
Polar Bear, as its our favorite animal and Joe looks like Bernard the Polar Bear, from the cartoon.