Patron Saint Of Plagues Q&A

Band name: 
Patron Saint Of Plagues.

Where are you from? 
Ottawa, ON, Canada.

Who is in the band? 
Opi Saint (vocals, guitar, songwriter), Deadboy (guitar), Robbie Graves (bass) and Bonez (drums).

How would you describe yourselves?
PSOP is a Horror Rock group known for their spooky image, high energy stage show, and for telling "Scary Tales". Listener beware, you're in for a scare!

Who are your main influences musically? 
The Misfits, Rob Zombie, Murderdolls, Alice Cooper, Wednesday 13, Marilyn Manson, KISS.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
Success in the world-wide market including international touring and radio play. Also to have a song featured in a Tim Burton film.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
In the summer of 2012 PSOP received the MuchFACT Viral Video award, for which they were awarded with a professional music video. The music video was shot in the Hi-Jail/Hostel which is the most haunted building in Ontario.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
While touring PSOP has been locked out of campsites, kicked out of hotel rooms, slept in venues, worked with unprofessional promoters, broken equipment, and have dealt with the police on more than one occasion. Despite all of these events, even the lowest moments in the groups career could never be forgotten because they are all part of what has shaped these rock and roll fiends!

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
Betelgeuse - this song contains the erratic energy the group is known to bring on stage, as well as the story telling aspects of their songwritting. The song is aggressive and catchy, which is what the band strives for in their sound.

Where can we listen to it? 
patronsaintofplagues.bandcamp.com (Betelgeuse is included on the Scary Tales EP)

Where can we find out more about your music?

patronsaintofplagues.com
patronsaintofplagues.bandcamp.com
facebook.com/patronsaintofplagues
youtube.com/user/xpsopx
twitter.com/xpsopx
reverbnation.com/patronsaintofplagues
https://itunes.apple.com/album/things-arnt-what-they-seem/id555089085?v0=9989&ign-mpt=uo%3D1

The Gifted Q&A

Your name: 
Izzy.

Where are you from? 
Sheffield, England.

Name of band: 
The Gifted.

Who else is in your band? 
Andy and Gen.

How would you describe yourselves? 
Really pissed off.

Who are your main influences musically? 
Bit of a mix really, Nine Inch Nails, Ministry, Marilyn Manson, Bowie, Manics, Smashing Pumpkins, Big Black.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
I think we just want to be able to live from doing what we love while giving other pissed off people someone to be pissed off with.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
For me it's little things like seeing your name in a magazine or walking past a poster in a shop window or when somebody asks to sign a CD after a gig.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
All the times the drum machine has cut out at gigs.

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
This Makes Me Feel Alive. It's very angry and in your face yet full of energy and passion. Much like us.

Where can we listen to it? 
http://soundcloud.com/the-gifted/this-makes-me-feel-alive

 

Where can we find out more about your music? 

the-gifted.co.uk

www.facebook.com/thegiftedband

twitter.com/TheGiftedBand

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask? 
We are available for children’s parties. 

Where next for Lostprohets?

IT’S hard to see how things can ever be the same for Lostprophets.

Frontman Ian Watkins, 35, will appear in court in the UK on December 31 facing chargesincluding conspiracy to engage in sexual activity with a child under 13 andfour offences relating to possession and distribution of indecent images ofchildren.

The remaining members – Jamie Oliver, Lee Gaze, Luke Johnson, Mike Lewis and Stuart Richardson – issued a statement this week speaking of their ‘state of shock’.

Understandably so.

“It is a difficult time for us and our families, and we want to thank our fans for their support as we seek answers,” they said.

If Ian Watkins is found guilty – and let’s be clear, there is no proven guilt at this time – Lostprophets are no more. Bands have, of course, lost their singer in the past and carried on.

Alice In Chains and Drowning Pool are the examples that leap to mind straight away. But, sadly, those guys passed on and left a legacy.

If a person goes to jail for the type of crimes Ian Watkins has been charged with, surely you can’t carry on under the same banner with a new guy singing the old songs.

Crime and music are, of course, regular bedfellows. Gangsta rap wouldn’t be that without it’s tales of guns and drugs.

And of course there are current examples, like Randy Blythe of Lamb Of God, who is facing manslaughter charges after a fan died following one of the band’s gigs in Prague in May 2010. He has consistently protested his innocence, but faces five to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

Where do his bandmates go from there?

Perhaps that’s too current an example to speculate on the future of the band. Ian Watkins will have his day in court before Randy Blythe.

There are plenty of others from history though.

JamesBrown and Chuck Berry are two examples of musicians who have been found guilty of crimes and who have continued to perform and maintain their audience.

Brown – like his younger, more current namesake Chris – was arrested over domestic abuse, but his penchant for hitting women never did anything to dampen his fans love for him and indeed performed to a crowd of 80,000 at the Oxegen festival in Ireland a short while before his death in 2006.

Berry – like Ian Watkins – found himself facing child abuse charges after a police raid found on his home found video tapes of females using the restroom at his Southern Air restaurant in Missouri, including a minor.

Drugs were also found and Berry was able to avoid the child abuse charges by pleading guilty to possession of marijuana. He got a six-month suspended sentence.

But these charges did little to curtail his career either and, at the age of 86, he’s still performing, albeit less and less due to health reasons. And, of course, the guilt there was never proven.

There is a British artist who – having sold more than 40million records – finds it almost impossible to have a public image after being sentenced to seven years in prison in 2001 for the sexual assault of five boys dating back to the late 1980s.

JonathanKing was something of a big deal in music in the second half of the 1960s and into the 70s, before moving more into television in the 1980s.

He ended up serving three-and-a-half years but has always protested his innocence, insisting the boys he was accused of abusing were 16 or 17 and not 14 or 15 as had been claimed.

In aninterview with the Independent newspaper in November 2011 he said: “Until I was in my twenties, any kind of gay contact was illegal. It's wrong to judge the morality of then by the morality of now.”

His career has continued of sorts. That interview with the Independent laments how he has not been allowed to return to the public eye, although his publishing company – which owns the rights to Abba and Genesis’ music – still brings him in a healthy salary. Around £10,000 a month from iTunes sales, he claims.

And so to the most obvious offender of them all – Gary Glitter.

In the age of glam rock, Glitter was one of the masters as he fought the likes of Slade and T-Rex for chart domination. Although his career dipped, he had enjoyed something of a comeback until his arrest for possession of indecent images of children in 1997 and jailing in 1999.

He went on to commit much worse crimes while in exile in Cambodia and Vietnam.

Quite rightly, he is now seen as a figure of disgust and although several compilations of his songs are still being released – the most recent in 2011 – it seems there is justly no way back for him in popular culture.

And so it seems where the guilt of offences against children are proven, there is little or no way back into the public eye for the offender.

The members of Lostprophets not currently being held in custody said they are seeking answers. No doubt one of the questions will be ‘where do we go from here?’

Suburban Dirts Q&A

Your name:
John Wheatley.

Where are you from? 
Hertfordshire, England.

Name of band: 
Suburban Dirts.

Who else is in your band? 
David Austin (drums), Chris Varley (bass), Joolz Heath (violin), Jay Seymour (piano) and Dave Moyes (lead guitar).

How would you describe yourselves? 
Trailer trash country folk blues.

Who are your main influences musically? 
Dylan, Lennon, Presley, Cash and more recent acts such as Ryan Adams, Justin Townes Earle and Bright Eyes.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
Our main goal is to record great albums.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
Recording our upcoming second album at Metropolis Studios was quite special.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
It's been such a good year for us that I honestly can't think of one. Not getting to play Latitude alongside some of our favourite artists was a bit of a bummer.

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
Seeing as album two isn't ready to hear yet I reckon ‘Someday, Baby’ from our self-titled debut gives a good idea of the direction we're heading.

Where can we listen to it?

http://www.soundcloud.com/suburbandirts/someday-baby-suburban-dirts

Where can we find out more about your music?

http://www.suburbandirts.com and our self-titled debut album is available from iTunes, Amazon and so on.

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?

e made a Christmas video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV-8b3H4lrI 

The Divers Q&A

Your name: 
My name is Pete Hickman and I sing and play guitar in 'The Divers'.

Where are you from? 
Well I'm somewhat of a nomad. I grew up all over the place but I have lived in London for the past 6 years, so London to cut a long story short.

Name of band: 
The Divers.

Who else is in your band? 
Diego Belmonte plays lead guitar, Michael Elliott plays bass and also sings backing vocals and last but not least James Bourne is our drummer.

How would you describe yourselves? 
Well people tend to say we have a 90's sound as we play alternative indie rock which has been inspired by bands of that era like Pearl Jam, Wilco etc. Although we have a familiar sound and one that has a slight American feel we do add a distinctly British touch to what we do.

Who are your main influences musically? 
We would most likely all tell you something completely different, but for 'The Divers' we draw on bands like Wilco, Pearl Jam, Band of Horses, Elliott Smith. But first and most importantly we are influenced by good songs.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
We just want to continue writing better songs and get our music out to as many people as possible.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why?
I would say releasing our debut single 'A Little Better' on 26th Nov 2012 and playing to a packed out crowd at the single launch.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
All the stressing out over getting the single done, and putting money into something you know you won't get back when you have no money to start with. You really have to love what you’re doing to make it worth while so although there plenty of times of hardship, it's worth it....just.

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why?
 I think what we do is quite commercially accessible, although that was not necessarily ever intended, but I would probably choose our single 'A Little Better'. 

Where can we listen to it? 

https://soundcloud.com/laissez-faire-club/the-divers-a-little-better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJW4jVVu4BM

Where can we find out more about your music?

https://www.thediversmusic.com

https://www.facebook.com/thediversmusic

https://www.twitter.com/thediversmusic 

https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/a-little-better-single/id572227111

The Midwinters Q&A

Your name: 
Paul Donovan (vocals, guitar).

Where are you from?
San Diego area, California, USA.

 

Name of band: 
The Midwinters.

 

Who else is in your band? 
Chris Hobson (piano, keyboards, vocals), Jeff Hoyer (guitars), Matt Cliff (bass), Erik Ekdahl (drums).

 

How would you describe yourselves? 
Power pop, Americana.

 

Who are your main influences musically? 
For me, I think Nada Surf has found a great place to reside. They're reminiscent of bands from the past without being cliche. They sound perfectly nostalgic and modern at the same time. Wilco is another that has struck that balance of paying homage while creating their own sound; they're a great guidepost. I like Matt Pond PA and he definitely creeps into my writing. The other guys have a wide range of tastes, and it blends together pretty well.

 

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
We all (mostly) have day jobs, so we don't need to make a living at this, which has freed us up to simply enjoy the process. For myself, in my twenties in a former band, life was on hold as we toured and sacrificed in hopes of making it. We nearly killed each other in the process. Now, I make music for all the right reasons. I wake up with an idea, get it out on the voice recorder with my kids fighting in the background and hammer it out with the guys at the next practice. The Midwinters guys get together as a brotherhood or something, not as a means to some end. We're like the Sons of Anarchy without the gun-running.  

 

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
While in my former band, we got picked up at the Anchorage, AK, airport by a bunch of kids in a church van and they asked us what we sounded like as they fired up the van. The local radio station was playing our song as they turned the ignition, and we all answered in unison: "Like that”.

 

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
The Midwinters play it pretty close to the vest and there haven't been too many mishaps, thankfully. With my former band, it was most certainly breaking a succession of strings on stage at the Casbah [an iconic club in San Diego], reaching for the backup guitar mid-song, only to knock it over.  All the while, "Aunt Betty's Ford" made fun of us from the crowd. 

 

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
All There Is, from our second EP of the same name (coming out Jan. 7, 2013), because I'm working more and more on telling stories and that one does a good job of it.   

 

Where can we listen to it? 
themidwinters.bandcamp.com

Where can we find out more about your music?

themidwinters.bandcamp.com

facebook.com/midwintersband

twitter.com/midwintersband

reverbnation.com/themidwinters

soundcloud.com/midwintersband

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask? 
Between us in this band, we have nine kids. I know that's not necessarily rock ‘n’ roll but I'm trying to harness this season in life honestly in my songwriting; it's rich and fertile ground. Matt turned me on to a great new band from Nashville called Wild Cub. For a moment, I found myself gazing longingly into the YouTube screen lamenting my twenties. That's because they were doing such a good job of conveying where they're at that it hit me emotionally. I want to do that better with where I'm at now.

The Love Hate Q&A

Your name: 
Paul Tefft (guitar & vocals).

Where are you from? 
Michigan, US.

Name of band: 
The Love Hate.

Who else is in your band? 
Mr. Matthew Alberts (drums & percussion).

How would you describe yourselves? 
Two-piece rock and roll with no gimmicks.

Who are your main influences musically? 
Led Zeppelin, Jack White, Middle Class Rut.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
We'd like to make it okay to rock again. We want to see kids having fun at shows. Somewhere along the way, it became cool to rock less by simply standing and watching, arms crossed, while the band is on. We don't favor that. We want to see some action, some fun. 

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
Our last show. We get better, tighter, and more confident together, every time we take the stage. We like to think we're only as good as our last show. (This Q&A may be the highlight, though. Particularly, if some of you rock and roll enthusiasts are reading from across the pond. We think that's pretty cool.)

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
I can't think of any moments that awful. You always hear about how disappointed bands get after they play to a crowd that consisted of the ‘other bands and their girlfriends’. But even a bad turnout makes you better. So we try to value everything - even the small crowds. Sometimes a guitar amp takes a dump mid-set, and you find yourself rifling through cables in a mad dash to get your volume back. It sucks, but at least it's always interesting and educational. 

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why?

Broke. It's got a great, driving tempo. That and there's no foul language. 

Where can we listen to it? 
http://www.reverbnation.com/thelovehate

Learn how to get a song on itunes at ReverbNation.com

Where can we find out more about your music?

www.facebook.com/thelovehaterules
https://twitter.com/The_Love_Hate

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?

If anyone gives us a listen and likes what they hear, be sure to check up on us once in a while; we hope to someday visit a town near you. And please, tell your friends about us. Cheers.

Tonight We Live Q&A

Your name: 
Mikey Aldridge. I play drums for Tonight We Live.

Where are you from? 
County.Kildare, Ireland.

Name of band: 
Tonight We Live.

Who else is in your band? 
Stephen Youster (guitar/vocals), Conor Fenlon (guitar/backing vocals) and David Youster (bass).

How would you describe yourselves? 
We are a rock band.

Who are your main influences musically? 
We take influences from all genres of music from the lightest to heaviest. We think its important to not be tied down to a specific genre because we can explore our song writing to its full potential .

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
To play to more people in bigger venues across the world. Spreading our music to as many people as possible.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
Seeing people's reaction to our songs and the impact it has on them has been incredible. We only launched in June of this year (2012) and we have already had thousands of downloads of our EP. It is a great feeling to know something you worked hard on has an impact on people in such a positive way.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
We take some much inspiration from life experiences so we wouldn't want to forget anything. Although our guitarist Conor blended a McDonalds meal. It ended up looking like porridge and he ate it in front of us. Maybe that image is something we would like to forget, Haha.

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
Forget The Last Year as it's represents us as a band right now perfectly.

Where can we listen to it? 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4i7GdThl8tI

Where can we find out more about your music? 

www.tonightwelive.com 

www.facebook.com/tonightwelive 

www.twitter.com/tonightwelive 

www.youtube.com/tonightwelive

The Frequency Q&A

Your name: 
Aus.

Where are you from? 
Bournemouth, England.

Name of band: 
The Frequency.

Who else is in your band? 
Dan, Phil and our new bassist, who will be announced in the new year.

How would you describe yourselves? 
People who make the sort of music you want to listen to, not coz it's popular or your best mate likes it. It’s real music. Good music.

Who are your main influences musically? 
Difficult really. The minute you start asking that, people pigeon hole you. We have lots of different influences really from old blues, to the Beatles and Zep, to The Phonics and the Foos. Best check it out and make up your own mind.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
To make enough money to buy a 24 carat gold helicopter pad... And write a few belters. 

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
Erm... Highlight ...well, probably making the last album 'fall to the floor'. Go check it out, buy a copy and bring me one step closer to that helicopter pad. 

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
None. All memories are there to learn from. 

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
New York Symphony.

Where can we listen to it?  

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/fall-to-the-floor/id530468029             http://soundcloud.com/thefrequencyuk

Where can we find out more about your music?

http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/fall-to-the-floor/id530468029

www.thefrequencyuk.com 

www.facebook.com/thefrequencyuk

www.twitter.com/thefrequencyuk

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheFrequencyUK

http://soundcloud.com/thefrequencyuk

Attackhead Q&A

Your name: 
Mark Chapman.

Where are you from? 
Southern California, USA.

Name of band:
Attackhead.

Who is in your band? 
The band is Mark Chapman (lead vocals/lead guitar), George Portoulas (lead guitar/backing vocals), Eddie “Munster” Ellis (bass/backing vocals) and Steve Cordero (drums).

How would you describe yourselves? 
Old school thrash metal.

Who are your main influences musically? 
Testament, Slayer, Megadeth, Death Angel, Iron Maiden, Anthrax, etc.

What do you hope to achieve in music? 
Play some great shows and put out some good records. Also spend a lot of time connecting with the people who make this all possible – the fans.

What has been the highlight of your career so far, and why? 
I think we have had a couple highlights. First was putting out our latest CD. It was a long time coming and because we pretty much had to do it all ourselves there was a lot of satisfaction when it was finally done. The second was landing a festival slot on the Hell and Heaven fest this last October and performing in Guadalajara, Mexico. The fans in Mexico are amazing and so generous. We are headed back to Mexico in May to perform in the Hell and Heaven fest 2013 with Motorhead, Anthrax, Suicidal Tendencies, and many other incredible bands.

And what’s the moment you want to forget? 
I really don’t want to forget any of it. Mainly because if you forget your mistakes you will probably make them again. I tend to learn from our mistakes and work to correct the problem. We have not had many things that we wanted to forget but if there had to be one I would say putting out a CD when you were not 100% happy with it. We have done this and had to go back later and remix and master it to make it better. We should have done it right the first time but we were in a hurry to get it out.

If you could choose one of your songs as an advert for your music, what would it be and why? 
I think “Rebirth” pretty much sums us up. The actual song is kind of a horror story about a murderer that gets the electric chair and comes back from the dead to kill again. We have this same mentality as we are plowing this road by ourselves there are many more disappointments that you have to come back from and live to fight another day.

Where can we listen to it?  
You can go to our website at www.attackhead.com  You will find photos, videos, music, merch and everything else.

Where can we find out more about your music? 
We have our official site listed above plus our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/attackhead  Twitter, www.twitter.com/attackhead  Reverbnation www.reverbnation.com/attackhead and we have our own app available in the Apple store and on the Droid marketplace.

Anything else you’d like to say about your band that I forgot to ask?  
Thank you for taking the time to put this all together. We are planning a European tour for the summer of 2013 and hope to hit a couple venues in the UK. We appreciate your support. Cheers.

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