Just before Dear Superstar played the London Forum for the Kerrang! Week of Rock, we caught up with lead singer Micky for a bit if a chat.
R13: To someone who has never heard of Dear Superstar, how would you describe your music?
Micky: We’re just a balls-out rock n roll band. We drag the blood, sweat and sleaze of the 80’s glam scene into the 21st century by throwing in some of the bile and power of modern metal.
R13: When growing up, what sort of music was inspiring you?
Micky: I’m a huge Def Leppard fan, they were the first band I discovered for myself and the first record I ever bought. They opened me up to bands like Motley Crue, Ratt, Guns ‘n’ Roses and Hanoi Rocks. But also a lot of more modern bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Papa Roach, Atreyu and Buckcherry are a huge influence.
R13: What sort of music are you listening to at the minute?
Micky: Dear Superstar of course!! Right now, I’m loving the new record by Sebastian Bach. We’re actually signed to the same label (DR2 Records), so I scored a free copy! Also, the latest Papa Roach album is killer and I’ve really got back into Jet! They’re touring again soon, so will be cool to finally catch them live!
R13 :You have released two albums over the last four years. Where did the inspiration for the songs on ‘Heartless’ and 'Confessions of a Twisted Mind' come from?
Micky: ‘Confessions of a Twisted Mind’ was all about life on the road and a graphic confession of our lifestyle. We wanted that same kind of feel for the second record ‘Heartless’, but this time we had producer Romesh Dodangada onboard so we knew we could really get our point across this time. We see some messed up thing on tour, horrific lows and euphoric highs and that life experience is what inspires me to write songs. ‘Heartless’ simply articulates that we are devoid of compassion or care for others over our own greatness! I know it sounds bad, but at least we’re honest!
R13: What is the most personal song you have written and what was it about?
Micky: ‘Live Love Lie’ is without a doubt the most personal song to me. It was my way of saying “I understand and I’m sorry”. Dear Superstar work really hard and are always on tour, as a result of our constant absence our family and friends back home suffer. I miss everyone to death, but that’s the way it’s got to be right now. I make the most of my time at home and then slay like a motherfucker when I’m away.
R13: Do you ever come across a few musical differences when creating music? How are these resolved?
Micky: Sure we do! We’re like 5 brothers and we argue like hell but it’s that grit and passion that makes us make the best songs we can. We write every track together, so we all have that same invested interest. When we play live, you can really see that shine through.
R13: You have toured with the likes of Papa Roach, Buckcherry, Bullet For My Valentine and Hanoi Rocks, to name but a few. Who has been the best band you have toured with and why was the experience so memorable?
Micky: We hit the road with Papa Roach back in April and we had a fucking blast. Their personalities were just like ours and we kicked it every night. After those dates, Papa Roach invited us out to tour Europe with them and Buckcherry, that tour was amazing. We saw some great cities and partied harder than ever! I can’t wait to get out to places like Prague and Copenhagen again, the kids out there are fucking insane!
R13: If you could play any venue in the UK where would it be and why would you like to play there?
Micky: 6 months ago, I would have said Knebworth or Donington, but now we have done that! I still have to pinch myself so I know it’s real! It has been a crazy year and we have achieved a lot of these kind of dreams... I guess the next aim is The Royal Albert Hall!... Then who knows, Wembley!
R13: What has been your best musical experience so far?
Micky: Sitting side-stage during Motley Crue at CRUE FEST in Belgium. Motley epitomize Drug, Sex and Rock N Roll, so to party with Tommy Lee and then watch him destroy the stage was a dream come true!
R13: You must be looking forward to playing the HMV Forum soon as part of the Kerrang week of rock?
Micky: Yeah totally. Kerrang is a great magazine, which I pick up every week so to be a part of their week of rock is an honour. Also we get to hook up with our friends Buckcherry and The 69 Eyes, so the after show party will be eventful! Also, we played HMV Forum on our last tour with Papa Roach and the venue is stunning! I can’t wait to rip it apart!
R13: What do you see for Dear Superstar 5 years down the line?
Micky: Right now we are hard at work touring and working on the next album when we are not on the road. But in 5 years, as long as I’m still standing I intend to be playing Rock ‘n’ Roll forever. If I can still make a living out of making music in 5 years time, I’m happy!! Guitar shaped swimming pools and Lamborghini’s don’t drive me as a person but would be kind of cool though eh!?
R13: Lastly, Twitter, Myspace or Facebook? Which are you addicted to?
Micky: Our main point of contact for the band is always MySpace, as we manage it ourselves. However I’ve really got addicted to Twitter recently! For some reason, I now feel compelled to tell the world my every move... Love it!
To find out more about the bands set at the Kerrang! Week of Rock, you can here