Therapy? give me ‘Woe’ AI video

Therapy? give me ‘Woe’ AI video

TAKEN FROM THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED NEW ALBUM ‘HARD COLD FIRE’

The band kick off their tour this weekend with all dates and ticket details at the link Here

pic: Tom Hoad

As Therapy?’s fourth decade finally gets underway in earnest, sixteenth album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, is hefty, compact, and accessible, a distillation of everything that has made them what they are – hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing.

Working once more with renowned producer Chris Sheldon (Feeder, Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters), a consistent good-luck charm for Therapy? dating back to 1994’s breakout album Troublegum, the band decamped to the newly opened Marshall Studios in Milton Keynes toward the end of 2021, working furiously to put the album down in its final form.

‘Hard Cold Fire’ will be released 5th May 2023 via Marshall Records. Be sure to catch Therapy? live on their in-store run this may. Tickets and more information can be found – pre-order limited edition bundles of ‘Hard Cold Fire’ HERE.

Be sure to catch the band’s explosive live show at one of the following dates:

TOUR DATES

* w/support from Gallus

NOVEMBER 2023
03 Galway, IE – Róisín Dubh*
04 Limerick, IE – Dolans Warehouse *
05 Cork, IE – Cyprus Avenue *

DECEMBER
01 Portsmouth, UK – Wedgewood Rooms
02 Sheffield, UK – O2 Academy 2
03 Northampton, UK – Roadmender
07 Bristol, UK – The Fleece
08 Manchester, UK – Academy 2
09 Sunderland, UK – Pop Recs
10 Glasgow, UK – King Tut’s
14 London, UK – Electric Ballroom
15 Bradford, UK – Nightrain
16 Birmingham, UK – O2 Institute2
17 Cardiff, UK – Globe

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Therapy? – ‘Hard Cold Fire’ (Marshall Records)

Therapy? – ‘Hard Cold Fire’ (Marshall Records)

 Therapy?’s sixteenth album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, was written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, but one the band insists isn’t a lockdown album but was rather done after lockdown and with a determination of not being another lockdown record. What it is is a hefty, yet accessible record, a concise distillation of everything that has made them what they are – hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing.

a spiralling, hypnotic grinding, pulverising cocktail of grunge-rock meets Hard Rock meets indie full of towering melody that sees the trio focussed and reinvigorated after their layoff. A fully charged Therapy? 

This ten track offering kicks off with the twisted energetic thrust of ‘They Shoot The Terrible Master’ that distills what Therapy? do so well wrapping melody in a thunderous rhythmic blast with a filthy guitar riff stomping over the insane rhythm section. The therapy? fans will love this openermade of pure adrenalin.

And so it begins, the record twists and turns those melodies from ‘Woe’ through ‘Joy’ which sits like a barking alsatian straining on its leash building to a lush chorus of dreamlike quality before dropping back into the rhythm. Cairns’s vocals are also in top form here. Neil Cooper is in top form it has to be said as he weaves some awesome patterns on ‘Two Wounded Animals’ as the band lays back for the first time on the album letting the song breath.

‘To Disappear’ is as heavy as Therapy? get with a monumental riff then follow it up with a Cairns whispered vocal on ‘Mongrel’ that opens up into a lush melody one of the albums most accessable songs on the album. As we head into the homestraight the bands single plays out as ‘Poundland Of Hope And Glory’ is unleashed telling the story of how a lie is told so many times it becomes ones truth and the myth telling becomes normalised. Classic Therapy? lyrics you’ll invest in when digging deep into this album.

‘Ugly’ enjoys a wonderful solo whilst a twisted melody scratches away in the background of what is quickly becoming one of my favourite songs on the album. Saying that the albums closer is a brooding beast of post Grunge and for me is the standout song from the whole record the melody is a real earworm, ‘Days Kollaps’ is as stronger song the band has ever finished with. Restrained in a sea of noise and chaos dark and wonderous showing that the band are still at the top of their game and the rich tapestry of ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is a beautiful thing offeing variety and style as well as ten top tunes. Buy it!

Buy Here

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Author: Dom Daley

THERAPY? ANNOUNCE ALBUM ‘HARD COLD FIRE’ – SET FOR RELEASE 5TH MAY 2023 VIA MARSHALL RECORDS

THERAPY? ANNOUNCE ALBUM ‘HARD COLD FIRE’ – <strong>SET FOR RELEASE 5TH MAY 2023 VIA MARSHALL RECORDS</strong>

UK IN-STORE DATES REVEALED FOR MAY 2023

TICKETS – HERE

PRE-ORDER / PRE-SAVE – HERE

Northern Irish rock outfit, THERAPY? announce their colossal new studio album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, a spiralling, hypnotic melange of grunge-rock and towering melody that sees the trio steadfast and reinvigorated. ‘Hard Cold Fire’ is set for release 5th May 2023 via Marshall Records.

Accompanying the announcement, the band also shares their first offering in the form the riotous new single ‘Joy,’ and details on a run of intimate UK in-store dates coinciding with the album’s release. Fans can find more information for in-store tickets HERE, pre-order limited edition bundles of ‘Hard Cold Fire’ and pre-save HERE.

Resilience and survival have become vital watchwords for Therapy?. Enduring over three decades as the musical, cultural and social landscapes have shifted around them, the trio have forged and retained a powerful and lasting connection with a dedicated fan base around the world, doing so by putting their emphasis on the music, solidifying a hard-won reputation as forward-thinking writers and a fierce live proposition in the process.

As Therapy?’s fourth decade finally gets underway in earnest, sixteenth album ‘Hard Cold Fire’, written and pre-produced during an unprecedented time for music, is hefty, compact, and accessible, a distillation of everything that has made them what they are – hewn from County Antrim basalt, still possessed of their stoicism, but casting a renewed focus on catharsis and healing.

“One thing we did decide when we were eventually able to rehearse, was that we didn’t want to make a lockdown record,” says vocalist and guitarist Andy Cairns,“because people have been through enough.

“When we began to rehearse the songs, we realised there was an empathetic quality to them. We wanted to make something that was a bit more relatable, and less standoffish and claustrophobic – which we have a history of, and it stands in places – but we wanted to make something more approachable and open.”

“We wanted this album to be one that felt good to play live, almost a release after this period of stasis, but then also not dwelling on the whole situation – we’re moving forward, and we wanted that energy to be there,” adds bassist Michael McKeegan.

The serrated, chugging riffage, churning low-end and propulsive rhythms that are hallmarks of the band’s sound are all present and correct, but met with a new-found sense of resolution and release, as most readily displayed on the one-two punch of their first single, ‘Joy’.

“Well, ‘Joy’ started with a term from ‘Waiting for Godot’, by Samuel Beckett,” confesses Cairns“this wonderful line: ‘habit is a great deadener’. I just love that word, ‘dead-en-er’. It’s an amazing word. People get themselves into these habits, and the next thing you know, their life is over and they’ve only lived in a very small circle of experience, often through choice, which is scary.”

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Therapy? – Sin City, Swansea 20.11.22

Therapy? – Sin City, Swansea 20.11.22

After announcing that this tour was going to be a trip back in time for both venues they’ve not played in a while (Crooked Timber Tour for Sin City) and playing songs from right back in the early days of Therapy? This was going to be a deep dive for the loyal hardcore and a wander through some tracks they’ve not visited for many a year. Excited? you should be.

Opening the set with 1990s debut self-financed single ‘Meat Abstract‘ was indeed taking this shit right back to birth. Therapy? live are a wall of sound and a bundle of energy. They play their fucked-up hybrid of alternative punk rock n metal with as much energy and drive as they’ve always had – theirs is an energy an enthusiasm for what they love and live they always have passion and play the classics with the same energy as new material and songs they’ve played a million times or more.

They’ve done the greatest hits tour and they’ve been out and played new material from new albums but this one seemed to fly by as the band smiled and smirked throughout the ninety plus minutes they were on stage for. ‘Wreck It Like Beckett‘ made way for ‘The Ten Year Plan‘ and an epic ‘Tides‘. The band could never be accused of going through the motions because ‘Safe‘ had two false starts mainly due to Andy having guitar problems. The banter was kept to a minimum but when there was interaction it was amusing and heartfelt. Therapy? have always been grounded and speak sense, and in tough times like now we need bands like Therapy? to offer hope and positivity when all around is turning to shit.

‘Crooked Timber‘ was brutal, and it was on their ‘Crooked Timber‘ tour they last played in this very venue. When Andy announced how humbled they were that so many people turned up on a Sunday night during a cost of living crisis and pre-Christmas post pandemic I get the feeling those words are heartfelt and well-intended and it’s fair to say that those in attendance loved what they’d just see and heard and ‘Stop It Your Killing Me‘ ended the main set to rapturous applause. Call it the fake encore or false encore, whatever it is you call it these days. Signing off with an epic, thumping bass rumbling ‘Teethgrinder‘ and crowd enthused ‘Potatoe Junkie‘ left big smiles all around on stage and off until Andy played the riff of the Manics ‘La Tristesse Durera (Scream to a Sigh)’, a killing joke cover, ‘Breaking The Law‘ for Michael and a few bars of Rush for Birthday boy Neil. Therapy? were on fire.

Finishing the set with the triple threat of the quite brilliant ‘Knives‘, ‘Nowhere‘ and closer ‘Screamarger‘. It felt funny leaving so soon but over ninty minutes flew by – The came they saw, and they turned in another brilliant performance – Therapy? are on fire and if you get the chance to cross their path on this current run then do so – you won’t regret it.

Author: Dom Daley

Therapy? announce live online global concert for October 29

Therapy? announce live online global concert for October 29

Therapy? have announced their first ever live online global concert in collaboration with online platform Stabal. The livestream due to take place on October 29th will be a celebration of the bands music over their 31 years as a group. The stream will follow on from a fast-paced festival season that saw the band conquer the likes of Steelhouse Festival and Bloodstock Open Air both of which proved greatly successful for the trio.

Talking about the live experience, vocalist Andy Cairns said “Come and join us in a void-black barn as we run through material spanning 30 years together. This will be intense and will feature a go of tunes as well as interviews and talking head snippets. For those of you who don’t get a chance to catch us often because of your location this is a perfect way to experience the Therapy? maelstrom live. For those of you needing your T? live fix please come and join us”

Fans will be able to access the show in a multitude of ways. The live concert ticket will allow viewers access to the evening only with deluxe-on demand and gift passes giving fans 30 days access to watch the stream back. The deluxe and gifting tickets will also allow viewers to access a mini-documentary, interview, encore and more with added merch/CDs also being available to add to the ticketing option.

 

Tickets go on sale Wednesday 25 August on Stabal.com

The Almighty – ‘Welcome to Defiance: The Complete Recordings (1994 – 2001)’ (Cherry Red Records)

The Almighty – ‘Welcome to Defiance: The Complete Recordings (1994 – 2001)’ (Cherry Red Records)

While the Almighty’s ‘Soul Destruction’ (the final album released with original guitarist Tantrum) ensured them some regular airtime on MTV, it was the grungier direction of ‘Powertrippin’’, with new guitarist Pete Friesen, which showed that the band had more routes to take. After leaving Polydor records in 1993, the band would release a run of hard and fast, punk-inspired material that would make them one of the most beloved bands of the new golden era of British rock music. It is this part of the Almighty’s output that will be available in ‘Welcome to Defiance: The Complete Recordings (1994 – 2001)’, released in March through Cherry Red Records.

I recently watched an old interview with Lemmy where he was asked about Motorhead’s influence on others. Whilst dismissive of bands that had taken only the fast aspects of it, he specifically mentioned the Almighty for having taken the best parts of it. It reminded me of the story I once heard Ricky Warwick tell at an acoustic gig in Brighton several years ago, about the first time he met Lemmy. A funny story which I won’t re-tell here but surely you can find on YouTube.

At that time, Ricky was playing mostly as a solo acoustic artist and when asked about reforming the Almighty he quickly dismissed the idea. The Almighty, evidently, was part of the past and not the future. Fast forward to now, and not only is he continuing to head an ever more successful solo career (the new album ‘When Life was Hard and Fast’ is released this month), but he is also fronting the hugely popular Black Star Riders, which evolved from the reformed Thin Lizzy.

What does remain of the Almighty, though, is a wild and wonderful back catalogue, much of which is included in this 7-disc collection.

In 1994, the same year that Therapy? released ‘Troublegum’, and a year after ‘Earth Vs the Wildhearts’ was born, the Almighty released the hard-hitting album ‘Crank’, ripping a hole in the universe and adding to what was a glorious time for British and Irish rock music. Songs such as ‘Jonestown Mind’ and ‘Wrench’ would register among some of the greatest material the band would ever produce. Notably, the artwork on the album was provided by Jamie Reid, most famous for his ‘Never Mind the Bollocks’ cover. ‘Crank’ was followed up in 1996 by the excellent ‘Just Add Life’ and the popular singles ‘All Sussed Out’ and ‘Do You Understand’. The album would ultimately signal the end of the most creative and stable period for the band.

The Almighty went on to release two more strong albums, though. First was the self-titled offering in 2000, Floyd London having left the band before release and Friesen having already been replaced by Nick Parsons on guitar. ‘Psycho-Narco’, the bands final album to date, was released a year later. Both albums certainly have their moments, and it’s interesting listening back to them now alongside their other releases, hearing the way that the Almighty developed from album to album.

Also in this new collection is the live album Crank and Deceit, recorded in 1995 in Japan, a collection of B-sides and remixes, and a series of live B-sides and sessions, all recorded between 1994 and 1996. All this in addition to a booklet with the details for each disc, making for one excellent collection of the Almighty’s later period.

For Ricky Warwick the Almighty may well be the past (and who could blame him with his current activities) but, as this collection shows, it is certainly one hell of a legacy.

Buy Here

Author: Craggy Collyde

Therapy? – The Greatest Hits (Marshall Records)

Therapy? – The Greatest Hits (Marshall Records)

Enduring and endearing that’s the threesome that makeup Therapy? they’ve have never been ones to follow convention even when they do something quite conventional like releasing a greatest hits album.

‘The Greatest Hits’ takes tracks from throughout their career of highs and maybe not so highs. This their 30th-anniversary run sees this new album breathing a fresh breath of brutality into already fiery songs.  I’ve always seen Therapy? as an iron fist in a velvet glove kinda band.  they can write some right out and out abrasive in your face slabs of noise but they can also be touching and heartfelt whilst delivering that punch (if you know what I mean?)  Oh and before I forget it also comes with a bonus live album.  Always offering value for money. I always thought the old adage about Motorhead applied to Therapy? because they will survive after any holocaust along with the cockroaches then probably put on a show before feasting on the mites such is their dogged determination to push on and never stand still even when looking back at themselves and what they’ve achieved they twist it and push the boundaries rather than offering up some cut and pasted best of and that’s because they give a shit about their legacy, their fans and the future.

‘Teethgrinder’ is first up and with a sparkling production, it has to be said. The band worked with producer Chris Sheldon, who produced the original ‘Troublegum’ album as well as working on ‘Semi-Detached’, ‘High Anxiety’ and ‘Cleave’ so a safe pair of hands – someone who knew the band and what they were/are about and was able to give them that extra piece of x-factor needed on this project.  No cost spared as they headed for Abbey Road none the less and its paid off in spades.

The 12-track album includes all their UK hits including ‘Screamager’ and a reworking of ‘Diane’; Featuring James Dean Bradfield of the Manics.  I forgot how fuckin’ menacing ‘Turn’ sounds with that grinding bassline twisting the listener’s inner ear throughout.  The one thing that stands out is how damn fresh these songs sound.  They never suffered from a shit production but this is another level as 2020 sees songs reborn.  ‘Nowhere’ still sounds epic and a real rush of adrenaline.  I can’t help but feel there’s a little chuckle being made having James Dean Bradfield singing on ‘Die Laughing’  maybe they should have renamed it ‘Dai Laughing’.

‘Diane’ is one of my favourite song from the band and this new take is brilliant.  Welcome to the church of noise one and all and those old-timers this is a great celebration happening here and those new to this band you’re most welcome but where the fuck have you been you maniacs? Heres to the next milestone and something else from Therapy? Oh, I guess I should mention the bonus disc, well, that’s fifteen songs one from each album live as a bonus with the CD version. It’s a great time to be a fan of the band then with so much going on as they head out the door to promote their 30-year plan so you can see them after you’ve played this greatest hits package to death.

As far as greatest hits go this one is up there with the best in the noisy bastard genre. Still on fire – Still not compromising – Still doin’ the biz. Therapy? I love em

Greatest Hits (2020 Versions) here

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Author: Dom Daley

 

Therapy? Tour Dates and New Album News and Ticket links

Therapy? Tour Dates and New Album News and Ticket links

Therapy? – So much for the 30 year plan
Ahead of their April shows in Manchester and London, the Northern Irish rockers Therapy? have extended their So Much For The 30 Year Plan tour, with another thirteen dates just added for October.

To coincide with the tour the band re-recorded 12 of their UK Top 40 hits, many of which have become standout anthems, in Abbey Road to bring the tracks into the present as part of their new album Greatest Hits, set for release on March 13th, 2020.

Tickets  / Greatest Hits Packages

 

To coincide with the bands So Much for the 30 Year Plan Tour the band re-recorded 12 of their UK Top 40 hits, many of which have become standout anthems, in Abbey Road to bring the tracks into the present. The band worked with producer Chris Sheldon, who produced the original Troublegum album as well as working on Semi-Detached, High Anxiety and the band’s latest record Cleave, to record the 12-track album that includes all their UK hits including Screamager and a reworking of Diane; Featuring James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers on one track, the band reflect on their great time touring and growing as a band over the past thirty years.

 

Vocalist Andy Cairns comments on the release:

 

Distilling the essence of what makes Therapy? what we are isn’t easy. Anyone familiar with the 30 years of the band’s history and numerous releases will be aware we have a broad range of musical taste and we’ve never been a band easily pigeon-holed. Putting together a representative package would be a nightmare and would likely involve a box set. In the end we decided to go for a take on the Greatest Hits format only and instead of compiling the tracks from previous releases we thought it would make things more current if we went into the famous Abbey Road studios and worked with the legendary producer, Chris Sheldon, a friend who has collaborated with us successfully over the decades. The Greatest Hits are just that. Our twelve most successful top 40 UK singles.

 

We’re proud of these songs and are excited by how fresh they still sound today.

We hope these tracks will comfort those already familiar with them, remind estranged friends that it’s time they got back in touch and show younger listeners how a bunch of misfits use chaos and melody to get through life and its toughest challenges. Timeless rock songs recorded in a magical studio by an icon of music production. What more do you want?

 

Therapy? has never stopped moving in our 30 years and are always writing and ready for the next phase but in 2020 we’d love everyone to join in our celebrations of three decades of noise and adversity. This album is your invitation. Love, Therapy? January 2020.

Alongside the 12 tracks, the CD edition comes with a second disc. This 15-track (containing 1 song from each of the bands 15 studio albums) ‘official’ bootleg is culled from the band’s personal archives and features a selection of previously unheard live recordings spanning 1990 to 2020.

 

Other available pre-order products include a signed limited coloured vinyl, 30 limited edition test pressings, signed CD (including official bootleg), limited t-shirt and 30 handwritten lyric sheets of Die Laughing, Nowhere and Turn. Amongst the Pre-Orders, the band will be hiding three Golden Laminates for lucky fans to find. The laminate allows the holder plus one to attend any of the bands headline shows between March 2020 and March 2021. A great experience for any fan, for more info please see the bands pre-order page.

Therapy? will be touring the UK and Europe in March and then returning later in the year for a second run of dates. Tickets for October/November on Sale Feb 28th at 10am.

 

‘So Much For The 30 Year Plan’ Tour 2020
Mar 19th – Grunspan, Hamburg
Mar 20th – Gebaude 9, Cologne
Mar 21st – Backstage, Munich
Mar 22nd – Colos-Saal, Aschaffenburg
Mar 24th – Rockhal, Luxembourg
Mar 25th – AB, Brussels

Mar 26th – Gebouw-T, Bergen op Zoom
Mar 27th – Tivoli, Utrecht
Apr 3rd – O2 Ritz, Manchester
Apr 4th – Electric Ballroom, London

—–

Sep 25th – The Olympia, Dublin

Sept 26th – The Limelight, Belfast

 

 

Therapy? Autumn Tour 2020

 

Oct 4th – Phoenix, Exeter

Oct 5th – Wedgewood, Portsmouth

Oct 6th – Concorde 2, Brighton

Oct 8th – SWX, Bristol

Oct 9th – Waterfront, Norwich

Oct 10th – Rock City, Nottingham

Oct 12th – Garage, Glasgow

Oct 13th – Riverside, Newcastle

Oct 15th – Picturedrome, Holmfirth

Oct 16th – Welly, Hull

Oct 17th – KK’s Steel Mill, Wolverhampton

Oct 19th – Tramshed, Cardiff

Oct 20th – Junction, Cambridge

 

Oct 28th – Die Pumpe, Kiel

Oct 29th – Tower, Bremen

Oct 30th – Lido, Berlin

Nov 1st – WUK, Vienna

Nov 2nd – A38, Budapest

Nov 4th – Kulturladen, Konstanz

Nov 5th – Universum, Stuttgart

Nov 6th – JUZ Foerster, Saarbrucken

Nov 7th – Turcok, Essen

Nov 9th – Spuknikhalle, Munster

Nov 10th – De Posthoorn, Hamont

Nov 12th – Alter Schlachthof, Eupen

Nov 13th – CC Rene Magritte, Lessines

Nov 14th – Metropool, Enschede

Nov 15th – Patronaat, Haarlem

Nov 17th – Hedon, Zwolle

Nov 18th – Willem Twee Poppodium, Den Bosch

Nov 19th – Paard van troie, Den Haag

Nov 20th – Luxor Live, Arnhem

Nov 21st – De oosterpoort, Groningen

 

Therapy? – The Rock Café Prague 01.02.19

Therapy? – The Rock Café Prague 01.02.19

With it being 25 years since Therapy? unleashed the ferociously on-point Troublegum, the rock trio are on the lips of many: of those who follow them continuously, and those who fondly remember how much that seminal record spoke to them in 1994. The thing about Troublegum, and indeed Therapy? in general, is that it is as relevant today as it was then. Above and beyond that record, Therapy? have a wealth of material spanning their glorious career which is delivered with such intense energy live on stage.

With Prague being the only Czech date on their European tour I quickly snapped up the tickets and jumped on the train for the country’s capital. Having seen them in the UK various times over the last number of years I was confident enough to expect a lively and hardworking performance – Therapy? are a band who always give their all.

Frustratingly, due to a late arrival in Prague and an out of town hotel, I missed local support band Hell Paso. The heavy and grungy sound of the Prague-based noisemakers would be a perfect starter for the main act and judging by the positive response given to Andy Cairns’ shout-out, that seems to be the case. I urge anyone who enjoys Therapy? to give them a listen, and I’ll try to catch them next time I’m there.

I also managed to miss the beginning of the headliner and walked into the Rock Café at the same time Therapy? were crushing through their opener, Wreck it Like Beckett, although finding a place where I could see the stage proved a tiring prospect. The Rock Café was absolutely teeming with people, and the best view I could find managed to provide a view of Cairns’ hair, which he’d conveniently spiked up so I could at least see where he was. Although claustrophobic, the atmosphere was also electric, with the Prague crowd in full embrace of the headliner.

Therapy? offered up an extensive set list that included a wealth of fan favourites, some sideswipes at Trump, the British Government and the fiasco of Brexit. It’s good to see that Therapy? have lost none of their bite. Songs such as ‘Trigger Inside’, ‘Teethgrinder’ and ‘Screamager’ were obvious delights, while long-standing covers of the Joy Division’s ‘Isolation’ and, particularly, Husker Du’s ‘Diane’ had the venue shaking.

Paying homage to heroes past and present, the band offered enjoyable moments of the Priest’s ‘Breaking the Law’ and The Buzzcocks’ ‘Ever Fallen in Love’ in amongst their own vast array of hits. With an encore lasting around eight songs, they tore into the roundly loved ‘Going Nowhere’, ‘Knives’, and the ‘Church of Noise’, before ending on Success? Success is Survival.

The Rock Café was packed to breaking point, but the sound was loud and relentless. Even though I could barely see them, I can honestly say this is the best time I’ve ever seen them. Therapy? truly at their best.

Author: Craggy Collyde

Rich Jones Interview (Michael Monroe Band, Black Halos etc)

Rich Jones Interview (Michael Monroe Band, Black Halos etc)

You’re currently on tour with Michael Monroe and are about to hit the UK with MC50.  Must be cool gig to get playing in a band with Michael, Sami, Steve and Karl and then getting to play as guests with the likes of Wayne Kramer must be a dream job?

Oh yeah, I mean I grew up with the Hanoi Rocks stuff and I loved it, and these guys are some of my best friends in the world. It’s a rare situation being in a band where there isn’t one arsehole who makes it a nightmare being on the bus, haha. We all get along so great and I think you can see that onstage as well. And those guys are total badasses at what they do so it makes it so easy every night onstage when you know you can rely on everyone else to be killing it. 

The MC50 thing is great for us as well, hopefully, it’ll get us out in front of some people who might not know us and may be surprised by what this band is all about. I think it’s a great fit. Hopefully, we don’t get bottled off! 

You’ve also just finished recording the new album.  When can we all get to hear the new songs?

Hopefully soon, but I’d guess sometime in the spring. We’ve taken our time with it, making sure the mix is right and that that the record is the best it can possibly be. So we’re just going into mastering now, we haven’t really even thought about release dates yet.

How does the writing work within the band?  What with you guys spread out all over the globe?

It really depends. For ‘Blackout States’ I went to NYC with Steve and Karl and we spent a week working out ideas and then finished them up at home. This time we couldn’t really manage to find the time when we could do something like that so everyone did a lot of work at home and then sent demos around. Steve and I will find hotel time when we can and bash around ideas – we wrote one of the new ones in Tokyo last year – but mostly it’s been a case of sending finished songs to each other.

You’ve also gotten together with a few Black Halos to record a new record with those guys as well? Do you get bored easily? 

Ha! I just try to keep busy, I don’t like having a lot of down time. The Black Halos thing has just been rolling along slowly, I try to work on stuff when I have gaps in my schedule. We’ve got enough songs for a record now but we don’t really have a complete band line-up. Jay Millette from the original Halos lineup just played on some stuff but I don’t think he really wants to tour these days. John Kerns has been playing bass and I’d love it if he’d come along for the live shows as well. We’ll see. Karl Rockfist played drums on some stuff and so did TV from Radio Dead Ones. There’s not a lot of pressure on this stuff yet, we’ll probably make some real plans once we’ve recorded a full album. Right now it’s just a bunch of demos and a few finished-sounding songs.

Do you have to get into a different mindset when writing for The Monroes perspective compared to the Black Halos or with Rags?  is there a different pressure involved?

I wouldn’t call it pressure, although I suppose it was at first with Monroe. There’s such a high standard of writing with that band that I was worried that my songs weren’t going to be up to scratch. But now it’s pretty relaxed for me, I kind of know what works and what doesn’t which makes things a lot easier. So I wrote a lot more for this new record than I did for Blackout States. As with anything though, you need to get into a certain mindset for what suits the band and the people that you’re working with. So I know what’ll work for the Halos, and what’ll work for Michael. 

With Rags it’s usually just me and him having a bunch of drinks and a laugh and if something comes out of it, cool. He’s such a great, prolific writer that my involvement in his stuff is usually pretty minimal – I’ll maybe say ‘change a chord here’ or ‘try this bridge’ etc. The bulk of the work is always coming from him.

I don’t suppose you’re going to give away any of the titles of the songs or give us any idea as to what to expect?  

For the Monroe record? Well, I don’t want to give too much away right now. It’s a much more broad record than Blackout States. There’s still some raging punk rock but there’s a lot more diversity in the stuff. I mean we’re not going funk or anything but I think it sounds like a band that’s getting comfortable enough to stretch out more than in the past. We’ve got some great guests on it as well – Nasty Suicide plays some guitar and it’s the first time he’s recorded with Michael and Sami in something like 25 years. So that was cool to be a part of. There’s a couple of other people on there as well. Some surprises 😉 

The artwork and merch also involve yourself and you’ve certainly been responsible for some amazing pieces.  Do you have a particular favourite sleeve you’ve come up with? does it get inspired by the music or are you always coming up with new ideas?

No, I tend to look for inspiration once I get a job. Normally I ask if someone’s looking for a certain vibe and then work from there. It depends on how much free reign I get as well – some bands that I’ve worked with in the past want to let every member have their say in things and it ends up as a sort of ‘design by committee’ situation and that pretty much always turns out awful. As far as favourite stuff that I’ve done… it’s hard to pick one. Feel free to go check ‘em out at my website though *cough* turningrebellion.com. haha

It must be inspiring working with such talented and creative people. You’ve always surrounded yourself with people who work really hard at their passion.  Are there some projects that really stand out that you’ve been involved in?

Honestly, it’s this band. Everyone’s got such a great work ethic and we all complement each other really well. Making records with these guys is such a blast – it’s an amazing feeling hearing my home demos get taken to the next level and turned into these fully-realised songs. I love working with Ginger and Jon Poole as well – two absolutely insanely talented guys who push me to work harder and be better at what I do when I’m around them. When we’re not in the pub, that is.

Taking a look at what you’ve done so far take us back to where it all began.  what or who were the main reason you got into playing the guitar and wanted to be in a band?

Oh that’s an easy one. My parents took me to see Queen when I was 8 and that was it. Brian May ripping into the Bohemian Rhapsody guitar solo COMPLETELY sold me on playing music! So by the time I was 12 or 13 I had bands with my school friends playing Black Sabbath and Judas Priest covers (because that’s all I could really manage to learn how to play – Paranoid and Breaking The Law!) and then I never really stopped. Early records I loved were things like Adam & The Ants and The Pretenders. David Bowie. Then I took a little turn into metal for a while – I’ve seen Iron Maiden so many times dude, hahaha! But funnily it was those Hanoi records that made me look back to stuff like the New York Dolls and Johnny Thunders. Seeing the Ramones when I was 18 or 19. Discovering Stiv Bators catalogue of stuff. You know, you keep looking and finding new music and it leads you down these little paths of discovery. I still love it to this day. There’s so much great new music out there that makes me want to keep playing and writing.

You’ve played on plenty of records over the years are there any that people might be surprised to find you had a hand in?

Probably the weirdest one is a single that I recorded a few years ago for Andy Cairns’ birthday. It’s me, Michael McKeegan & Neil Cooper from Therapy?, Tim Wheeler from Ash, Ricky Warwick, Diamond Dave (beloved radio host) and we were called The Gemils. We covered Another Girl, Another Planet and also did one original song called Purveyor Of Quackery. Only 10 vinyl copies of the single were pressed and they were given out to the band members and Andy for his 50th birthday. Possibly the rarest single ever! 

When you’re writing songs how do you go about it?  Is it a guitar part like a riff or a melody that comes first and do you come up with lyrics as well and hows your drumming?

It can be anything. Sometimes it’s a riff or a melody but usually I get a spark for a lyric and start working it into a chorus. I often get ideas while I’m out walking my dogs so I end up quietly singing them into my phone while pretending I’m on a phone call so people don’t think I’m an absolute lunatic. From there it’s a case of working out melodies and writing lyrics that fit. So generally speaking when I’m writing for Michael I’ll try to inhabit his headspace a bit and then write the lyrics from that point of view. Then I’ll demo it all up at home and send the guys a complete song. As for my drumming, well that’s what drum machines are for my friend!

What’s the best thing about your job? Live? Studio?  the creative aspect of writing?  and on the flip side what do (if anything) you least look forward to.  (Travel) (hanging around) making a video or waiting for the records to come out once they’ve been finished?

Touring is fun for sure. Being on the bus, playing the shows – I love those parts of it. I like making records and designing merch, doing the album artwork. That’s all a lot of fun. The airports and soundchecks, missing my family and the endless hours of waiting around I could live without. I’m not a fan of photoshoots and making videos either but they’re a necessary evil, haha. Honestly though, I really can’t complain about anything – this is my day job and it’s the best job in the world. 

A few quick questions.

Do you have a favourite song to play with Michael?

You know, it’s a blast playing pretty much everything in the set. It’s nice to be able to change things up and play some new stuff but I’m not sure I have a favourite. Right now we’re doing an acoustic set in the middle of the show and that’s a lot of fun because it’s something different and refreshing. But then I also like bashing people over the head with the punk rock hammer as well

How does it work when picking a set list?  

There’s just some stuff that we have to play. It’s expected that we’ll play some Hanoi and we’ll play some of the bigger solo songs. So there’s stuff that’s just always there and then we try to mix up the rest of the set as much as we can. I try to stay out of it for the most part because having 5 guys try to pick 20 songs over email is an endless and frustrating experience, haha!

Are all the Hanoi songs fair game and what would you like to play that hasn’t been in the set list yet?

Yeah I guess so. I haven’t really thought about it too much. We’re not gonna play any of the Hanoi ‘reunion’ stuff but we’ll dig into the original band’s material a lot. Right now we’re playing ‘Lost In The City’ and ‘Lightnin’ Bar Blues’ which we’ve never done before. As for stuff I’d like to play – I just want this new record out so we can play some new songs!

When the Monroe album comes out can we in the UK expect a headline tour?  what about some summer dates and a return to Rebellion after this years show-stealing performance easily the best set played at the festival by anyone.

I’m sure we’ll be back to the UK sometime next year. We’d love to do Rebellion again if they’ll have us – it was a blast! I really wasn’t sure how we’d go over but the crowd was fantastic. So we’re looking at summer festival offers now and we’ll see what happens. We’ve got a few in Spain already and hopefully, we’ll get back over to see you guys as well. I think things will become a little more clear once we’ve got the album ready to go!

Thanks for your time Rich hopefully I’ll catch you on a show somewhere sometime in the near future and I look forward to hearing all this new music you’ve been recording.  Exciting times.

Thank you, Dom, always a pleasure! Hope to see you soon