Surrey band All Forgotten has been a huge hit on Myspace and has created quite a following. In case you haven’t heard of them, we managed to catch up with bassist Tom to see what all the fuss is about.
R13: When growing up, was being part of the music scene a dream you wanted to make come true?
Tom: When I was a young kid, I wasn’t into music as much as I would be. I liked alot of other things before it, but always had a knack for performing. As we got into our early teens we all got into music around the same time, all picked up an instrument etc. For me it really hit home that this was something I could do with the rest of my life when I was watching a live DVD of one of my favourite bands and started the band a few days later at some point in 2003.
R13: How did your journey into the music industry begin?
Tom: It all began in places like church halls with terrible sound systems, charging £3 on the door to see 6 bands in one night and ending in a fight or with broken equipment almost every time. It was insane sometimes. There was this place we used to play in Guildford called Backline, which would have gigs on almost every week. It was this tiny little room and about 200+ people would cram into the room and go crazy. That place was really good for a lot of bands, You Me at Six played there a couple of times, and so did Enter Shikari. It was those kinds of places where bands like us and our friends could master our stagecraft.
R13: Who are some of your musical influences and how have they impact the music you are creating?
Tom: I was into a lot of American pop punk music, which then lead to slightly heavier stuff as I got older. I personally don’t have any specific bass idols, but I tend to look at other bands as a whole and they impact they have in what they are doing in the business. All Forgotten as a whole take influence from everything we listen to, ranging from bands like Saosin and Circa Survive to things like Incubus and Protest The Hero.
R13: What was the last album you listened to and what were your general thoughts on it?
Tom: The new Architects album, it’s fucking intense. We got it the day it came out on our tour with Escape The Fate, and sessioned it in the van. It’s a cracker of an album and definitely something for those guys to be proud of. They’ve earned everything they’ve got.
R13: What was the last gig you attended and how was it?
Tom: The last gig I attended was last night when we supported Escape The Fate at Islington Academy. It was an awesome show, definitely a good way to end a tour. The last gig I went to and didn’t play was We Are The Ocean in Glasgow after we’d finished just down the road.
R13: How would you describe your music?
Tom: Melodically powerful with hints of technicality and ambience, strong guitars and chunky balls. That’s what you can expect from our EP ‘Transitions’
R13: How does the process of creating a song come about?
Tom: It starts mainly with Steve and Chris sparking the ideas either at home or at practice, and then we all get involved in the practice room, focusing on filling out the song, re-writing and making sure we’re happy with it.
R13: If you could share the stage with any other artist/band, who would it be and why?
Tom: For me it would probably be Brand New. They are one of my favourite bands and their live show is fucking incredible. At Give It A Name they had two drummers and about 4 guitars or something like that, and it was amazing. The passion behind the music really stands out too. Their latest album ‘The Devil And God Are Raging Inside Me’ is one of my favourite albums of all time, so they are definitely a band I’d like to do something with.
R13: If you could play any venue which would it be and why?
Tom: Brixton academy. I saw my first proper gig there in 2002 when I saw Lostprophets, and it changed my life. I’ve been there countless times and it’s an aim in life to play it. I also always wanted to do the Astoria, so when we finally did we were so happy.
R13: What has been the highlight of your time in the industry so far?
Tom: There’s been a few. Our first tour experience was pretty incredible. So was playing Taste Of Chaos, Slam Dunk fest, The Astoria 2. There have been so many amazing highlights that it’s hard to choose one.
R13: What can we look forward to from you in the coming year?
Tom: Our debut EP ‘Transitions’, and more tours! We really want to get around the country this year as much as possible. I think we have a lot to prove with what we can do on stage.
R13: Where do you see the band a few years down the line?
Tom: I’ll be dead, for sure. Steve will own an art gallery in Kensington showing off his Karma Sutra paintings. Dan and Velly will be measuring their hair in the mirror and arguing about who is the most metal. Jon will be missing.
We look forward to seeing All Forgotten play Islington Academy in March alongside Deaf Havana.