While a crazy guy talks to himself loudly and carries out general crazy guy antics outside of the safety of Skarlett Riot's van, we catch up with lead singer Skarlett and lead guitarist Danny from one of the UK's fastest growing, critically acclaimed, all round nice people and quite frankly a great rocking band that have hit the rock scene in the last few years. We chat to them about the monumental journey they have had since being R13's Band of the Month back in March 2012.
R13: It's been a hell of a journey from the last time we spoke 18 months ago
D: We got plenty done in the last year or two
S: Gone from playing little tiny places to doing Download, Reading, Leeds, Bloodstock and Hard Rock Hell, touring with Heavens Basement
R13: Could you have dreamt it to be any better?
S: Oh no, definitely not. You have got to aim for the top, obviously but no – we are really grateful and appreciate where we have got to now and hope it carries on.
R13: How has the tour been going?
D: It's been going great.
S: It's a proper headline tour so you get to see your own fans.
D: A lot of pressure as you have got everything to do every night. It's your show you are putting on so all the eyes are on you.
S: It's got to be right.
D: It's been great fun but hard work obviously. This week we have had 4 shows without any days off, this one tonight and another one tomorrow. It takes its toll when you play a headline set every night and driving 4 to 5 hours to the next place every day.
R13: What's your favourite venue you have played?
S: Yesterday was good.
D: Yeah, yesterday was good. Alter Ego in Manchester. It is actually a gay bar as a general rule but they turn it into a rock venue. It's a real good intimate venue.
S: Rock City Basement too.
D: That was good as well. The thing I like about Rock City is that there are loads of rooms, it's got about 8 rooms I think now. It's crazy.
R13: Your debut album Tear Me Down came out earlier this year, how did it feel to release it after all the hard work put in?
D: It was a relief to actually get it out. Sitting on new material is not something we do really well. Some of the stuff off the album we have been playing quite a while and some of it was very new. Sitting on the new material is not a strong point of ours so to get it out there and let's go tour it.
S: It was our first album.
D: Yeah, just lots of nerves and relief.
S: I think it's gone down really well, could not have been better.
R13: How did you celebrate when you did get it out?
D: We started gigging! I think that was about it.
S: I think after this tour we need some kind of Christmas celebration. We haven't had a proper celebration for everything we have done so we have got time after this tour.
R13: How has it been reading other people's reviews of your album?
D: It's been great, we haven't had a bad review, well we did get one, I honestly can't remember who but I'm pretty sure he was listening to the album through laptop speakers (laughs). But it's been great, the reception for it has been great. To read back everyone's comments, it has been good, if not brilliant, feedback.
R13: What sort of messages were you trying to send out on the album?
S: Allsorts really. Lyric wise it is written from past experiences – relationships, the band, life in the band, partying, lots of good times. There's a bit of everything in there really, lots of upbeat songs and there's a couple of ballads - something for everyone.
R13: Going way back to the beginning, what made you both decide to get into music and start a band?
D: Well.....Our parents playing got us into music to start with. We met through school basically played in and out of bands and 3 years ago said "stuff it", decided to make a proper go of it, start writing our own stuff and that's how we ended up.
R13: Were all four of you at the school or did you meet separately?
D: Three of us were, the drummer is a bit younger, he's my brother - so that's how that all came together.
R13: As we reach the end of the year, couple more dates left on the tour, will it be complete relaxation for Christmas and do absolutely nothing until 2014?
S: Yeah, pretty much.
D: We don't get a lot of a break though as we are back out in January playing a couple of festivals early in the year, so we don't get a long break.
S: We will be starting to write again, no doubt over the Christmas period when we have the time off as I don't like not doing anything.
D: Get cracked on, get writing!
R13: What festivals are you playing?
D: Eat You Alive Festival at Leeds Cockpit on 25th January
S: And in March we are doing Takedown Festival at Southampton Uni on 15th March with Heavens Basement, Glamour Of The Kill and Funeral For A Friend so that one should be really good.
R13: What is the highlight so far of 2013?
S: Oh Gosh!
D: I couldn't pick one. Our first major tour with the HB guys – that was a month straight of gig after gig after gig, real hard hitting, that was a good point. We were playing to sold out crowds every night even opening, which was fantastic. Leeds and Reading obviously, that was major for us, was just a fantastic experience.
R13: R13: And any lowlights?
D: No, I don't think so, we have had a pretty good year, as far as the band goes it has been fantastic.
S: I guess the only regret I have is not getting 2 rooms on this tour! They snore! If you don't get to sleep first then that's it you have had it, you are up all night. Next time we are paying for two hotel rooms!
R13: You played Download last year, how did that come about?
D: Yeah, we played Download in 2012, it was fucking brilliant!
R13: When did you find out you was going to play these type of festivals?
S: Two weeks before!
D: Yeah, pretty last minute.
S: Download we were added to the bill and we saw the poster before the email, we were like "Our name is on that poster, is someone having a laugh and making a fake poster with our name on it?" And then we got an email saying that we were playing Download. And then Reading, we got offered a last minute slot and that was about a week before.
R13: So now you are experts at the big stages, do you prefer them or the smaller venues?
S: Depends.
D: Yeah, the big stages are great but the small venues, the fact that it is so intimate and you can literally walk out into the crowd and meet everyone whereas the bigger stages you can't.
S: It's nice to be literally touching people, I like to high-5 people. You just have that intimacy, whereas some big venues they move the barrier right back. It's still great to play the big ones but the intimate ones are nice and sweaty.
D: Good for different reasons.
R13: Most embarrassing moment you have had in your music career to date?
D: Our drummer fell off his stool.
S: That was hilarious.
D: We were playing Nottingham Rock City, our intro was playing and he walked on, stood on the drum stool, was rock n roll, really going for it and just fell off the other side in front of nearly 2,000 people.
S: On the stage by himself.
D: Yeah, he was not impressed.
R13: How did the crowd react?
D: Oh there was laughter! We were laughing to be fair, just decided to leave him to it.
S: Only things I find embarrassing are the little things for myself, I will have a complete mind blank so when I am talking to the crowd I will just tongue twist and can't get my words out and they just look at me thinking "What are you trying to say?"
R13: You have done pretty great in the three years you have been going, what advice would you give to bands just starting up?
S: Don't give up. Make sure you have got the songs there, just write and write and write until you have songs that you are really passionate about, think a lot about and get behind it, get the press there and just let everybody know about your band. Put 100% into it otherwise it's not going to work.
D: I think getting into it for the right reasons, a lot of people kind of see bands like Metallica, the big artists and think I could be making millions doing this and that is exactly the wrong reason for getting into it. You certainly don't make millions doing it, there's no money in it at all! You got to put in the ground work, you got to do it because you enjoy it. You can only do something like this if you enjoy it and you are willing to put everything into it. If you don't there's no point starting.
R13: Any up and coming bands you recommend?
S: Glamour Of The Kill
D: Heavens Basement but they have shot off anyway, don't need us to mention them.
S: I just suggest people support smaller and unsigned bands in general, they're the bands that are gonna be the future, so support your local scene.
R13: What are your plans for 2014?
D: Hopefully we are going to hit a few more festivals.
S: Write some more.
D: Hopefully we are going to get something out next year but that is all dependant on touring schedule. We haven't got anything planned as yet but we are hoping to get back out on the road as soon as.
R13: Finally, what would you like to see in your stockings this Christmas?
S: New guitar would be nice but it might not fit in the stocking.
R13: Maybe you should name a manufacturer and they might send you a free one?
D: If you are listening Charvel!!!
S: They do brilliant guitars, I have got a red sparkly one which I am using tonight. What colour next?
D: I don't know, something surprising, something, anything!
S: Just buy me a present!
R13: A Christmas jumper then?
S: Yeah, from Primark.
R13: Thank you so much for your time.
S: Thank you.
The band then proceeded to play a stellar set, once again proving why they are getting the attention and fully deserved too. All four band members gave as much time as possible to talk to everyone that wanted to say hello and pose for photos after the gig.