How do you feel your set went tonight?
We played ok, but not one of our best sets by a long way. This was the
first gig we've played with the new line up and we still feel there's
a lot of work to be done. The potential is certainly great but we just
need to get back to the hard work of practice, practice, practice!
Hopefully tonight people got an idea of what we can do if not the whole
shazam!
How did you guys (and girls) get together?
John, Greg and Will all know each other from school. I actually knew
John at work but actually got to be in the band when I met Greg and
found out the band needed a singer. Katie joined up later. I think we
met her in Rios, but it all seems so long ago!
You have had a lot of line-up changes recently, has the band adapted to
Will changing to bass and Katie returning?
Yes, I think we have, but we are still undergoing changes to some
extent. This year is going to be a year out (in the live sense). The last
couple of years have really been manic with preparing and organising the
Doomination tours and so on. This year is definitely going to be a
writing year. The new album is our first priority. We are working hard
to get it ready for release. Our next priority is to write the next
album. Over that time I think we'll become a lot more comfortable as a band
How did your last gigs with My Dying Bride go? What has been your
favourite gig ever?
London Astoria with the Bride has to be everyone’s’ best gig ever I think.
Everything went right that night, after everything going wrong trying
to get to the venue. The gigs, of course, were excellent and we look
forward to playing gigs like that ourselves one day (we hope).
How is the Ashes album doing at the moment - sales, feedback?
Ashes is still doing well. We are still getting distribution for it so
most sales come over the Internet at the moment. All the reviews we have
had so far have been favourable with 7/10 in Power Play 8/10 in Metal
Hammer. The sales of Ashes really depend upon Blackdoom [record company] at the moment. The more distribution they get, then the more we sell.
Which bands do you rate - who have you been influenced by? and who do
you like that’s new on the scene?
Me personally - Established bands - Opeth, My Dying Bride, Anathema.
Up and coming - Shape of despair, Jack Frost, Desire, Insanity Reigns
Supreme.
We all have pretty eclectic tastes from classical music, classic rock,
death black metal, to hip hop and drum and bass.
The last that I read on the internet was that the new album was still in
pre-production, have things moved on?
Yes we are now in the final recording stages. I think at the rate of
progress we should be ready to release it some time this decade. Haha!
What do you hope to achieve by the end of 2005? And in the future?
To have the new album out, to have the next album ready for release and
to have the next tour planned for 2006!