A song that made you want to make music?
Mike – Road to Hell – Chris Rea. One of the first songs I got obsessed with as a kid, not sure why…
Best rider you’ve had?
Mike – A venue we played in Switzerland fed us as much continental meat, cheese and wine we could handle!
Craziest moment you’ve experienced in the band?
Mike – Winning Bloodstock Metal 2 the Masses was a crazy one – one of the loudest, most amazing crowds we’ve ever had. And then we won!
Deepest lyric one of your songs features?
Mike – Anything from ‘2205‘ on the new EP – ‘Though we are convinced our security is lost, did we ever have it from the start?’
Easiest song you wrote?
Mike – I Admit the Blame, or Dead Set from the first EP. Simple as it gets but effective!
Favourite song in your set?
Mike – Guilty is still a big one for me, but Isolation might surpass that when we start playing it live!
Guest you’d most like to feature on your record?
Tom – I would love Jake Bowen to write a guest solo I could never pull off.
Hardest thing about being in a band?
Tom – Writing and recording music you’re excited about, and then having to hold in the excitement for half a year!
Interesting fact about one of your members? (Feel free to choose the best of the below haha)
Lizzie is a musical theatre queen – seriously if you can get to one of her shows, do it.
Michael is the slowest at eating, but will outlive us all.
The pitch of Hendo’s snore is always a G# (or Ab if your glass is half full).
Si uses Reaper. He also writes most songs A Capella in the shower.
Tom was born with an 11th finger. It’s naught but a wee bump on his little finger now. Left hand. Zoom in on the live pictures.
Jokes you have in the band?
Tom – My personal favourite is one that was formed in Edinburgh. The excellent venue Bannerman’s has a flat above the bar for bands to stay in. There’s a numberpad lock on the door to get in. To ensure we didn’t forget the code, we sang it to the melody of “Come On Eileen”. It has since gotten very out of hand. Two years later and I don’t think we’ve ever had a practice, gig or just been together without it happening at least once.
Key to writing a song?
Trial and error. Most of what you write will never be heard, you’ve just got to keep writing through the bad ideas to get to the good ones. Be persistent and patient. Never be afraid to cut out your favourite part of the song if it doesn’t suit the overall composition. Don’t discard an idea entirely though, it might be the perfect part for a different piece!
Longest distance you’ve travelled to play a show?
Lizzie – Over 1,000 miles to the beautiful Verona in Italy! We did have some other shows on the way to break up the journey.
Most inspiring musician you’ve experienced?
Lizzie – Ariana Grande, I am in awe of her!
New band you’d recommend?
Lizzie – I always big these guys up, a band called The Human Veil from Manchester. There’s an incredible atmosphere in their songs which they manage to replicate perfectly on stage.
Opening for this band would be ideal?
Lizzie – Polaris would be a dream!
Place you’d most like to tour?
Lizzie – I’d really love to go to South America, they love their metal there!
Quote you’d like to pass on to our readers?
Hendo – ‘Not what you want is it?’ which is Mike’s little catchphrase! Usually said when something really bad happens, but you don’t care OR someone is talking to you but you’re not really listening. Sarcasm at its finest!
Reason for the title of your recent/forthcoming release?
Hendo – Clouded Minds & Silver Lines is our outlook on having the struggle of negativity in your mind, but looking for the silver lining and pushing through and getting on with it!
See us live at?
Hendo – All being well you can catch us in Inverness on the 11th September at The Tooth & Claw. We did have quite a bit pencilled in but….yeah! We will also be appearing at RADAR Festival this October
The old days of music were better than the current, do you agree?
This is a tough question, the modern scene is a completely different beast! It’s quite hard to compare them however a lot of it is still quite the same in essence. If you’re an exceptional band that grafts then you’ll be rewarded in some way or another. I think the old days of music were great, but the actions and the lifestyles have shaped what the music industry is today.
Unusual merchandise?
Hendo – We don’t have anything quite unusual but we do have our sixth unannounced member of the band which works tirelessly at our stand. I’d like to give a big shoutout to Mick Shirtraline who models our shirts and protects our merchandise. You’d probably get a cracking interview out of him too 😀
Variations you’d like to do on any of your songs?
Si – I think we’d most like to do some acoustic variations of our latest songs, something a bit more mellow, such as a piano & vocal production of Inside Out…
What do your fans mean to you?
Si – What don’t they mean?! Their combined support not only had us playing at Bloodstock and TechFest but has also helped us smash our Kickstarter target. Their belief and everything they’ve contributed has allowed us to play some of the best shows of our lives on massive stages and means we can continue to do the things we love so much.
X-rays or any treatments needed for band related injuries?
Si – No X-rays yet, but Hendo got his nipple pierced when we reached 2k likes on Facebook.
You’re late for a show, whose fault is it?
Si – Well just like our rhythm section, we’re always early… wait, hang on, that isn’t right! If we’re ever late, it’s because of the M6. I HATE that motorway.
Zoo animal that best describes the personality of your band?
Si – Hippo. Heavy, weighty, aggressive, and just like Mike, likes to roll around in mud to keep cool in the summer months.