Category Archives: Interviews & Features

Interviews & Features

Baby Lasagna: ‘That’s like a songwriter’s disease!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to Mr Baby Lasagna himself, Marko Purišić, about their brand new album, their upcoming European tour, and his future plans! Check it all out below!

I think a lot of people will still probably be most familiar with you from Eurovision. How would you describe your current sound to people who are only really familiar with that one track?

Goofy-ass metal, I would say. I think we definitely got back to our roots, which is like metal and rock music definitely. And I think our attitude is maybe what can give us some kind of a window to maybe separate ourselves from other artists, and that is maybe our kind of lightheartedness or goofiness or whatever. I think that’s kind of the best way to describe what we’re doing. I think there’s moments of like seriousness in those kind of moments, but I think I’m way too biased to be the one judging that kind of thing, so maybe people other people should take a lesson and see what we’re all about!

What made you transition back to metal? Obviously you mentioned it’s where you started out!

Yeah, definitely, maybe like 15 years ago. I would say that Eurovision phase would mostly would be considered from myself a transition because everything kind of just happened and I didn’t have an album, I just had songs on my computer laying down. Those are the songs that I wrote for other artists and they just didn’t go through. So I was like, this is now hot, I gotta have an album. I’m not 100% satisfied with it, but you know you gotta put something out and I think it’s the right thing. But then now that we have time, we are going back, although we never left, to the things that we truly love, which is mostly metal and rock music with subgenres of like hard style techno and stuff like that.

I didn’t realize you were a songwriter as well. I feel like it’s a little rare these days in kind of rock and metal to find people who do still songwriter for the people.

Yeah, I think it’s also rare. So when I actually got the award for the best selling album in Germany, not for me but for the band that I wrote for, a Gothic metal band. So that was kind of weird. But I can understand and I appreciate when people even from rock music, they’re now older and they’re tired and they feel like they’ve already written all that they can write, so they’re looking for help. They’re still really involved in songwriting, it’s just that they need that kind of first idea, the first brick on which they will build their own kind of approach. It’s not the usual kind that you are used to, to maybe, I don’t know, Sabrina Carpenter or whatever. Like pop music where they just come to the studio, here’s your new song and go with it.

Speaking on the album, it seems to have gone down really well. I’ve read a few reviews outside of my own and everyone seems to be loving it!

Yeah, I was kind of surprised with it. Not that I didn’t expect it or… you never know when you release it. As I said again, I’m way too deep into it to know what it’s like objectively, like what’s the response going to be. I was hoping for it, but I think it’s good. The only objection I would make to myself is that I don’t have the moment in album, like everything is good, but nothing jumps up, jumps out. I think in the third one we’ll have that better maybe something. I don’t know, that’s what I feel like!

Yeah. I feel like maybe a couple of again, just because I wasn’t familiar with your stuff pre-Eurovision, I feel like a couple of the the screams and stuff like that stood out. But, yeah, I suppose if you’re more familiar with your stuff…

Yeah, I think it kind of lacks a good moment, like a good part in the song that really stands out. All of the songs are like, yeah, good, nice, but none of them is like, oh, this is the one. I feel like I’m sounding like the guys from NoFX right now. I remember them releasing an album and journalist asking them, well, tell us about your new album, and they were like “it’s okay, the last one was better, but this one will do”!

No, I know what you mean though. I suppose as well if you’ve been sitting on the songs for quite a while, and I’ve spoken to a few artists where they’re like, the amount they played it in the studio and then rehearsing for it for a live setting, you kind of just get a bit desensitized to it almost.

Yeah, man. And it was kind of a tense situation for us because, you know, now all of a sudden you have kind of expectations, you have people listening, which you didn’t have so far, that can bring some pressure. Although it’s pretty under the surface, I think we did a good job with what we had and I think we can stand behind that album!

Is there a theme or story running through it or is it more kind of, you know, separate tracks?

Yeah, as a songwriter, I never got used to writing an album as a whole, I was always writing song by song by song. But I can see now looking back on the album and listening to it, there’s a lot of stuff. So the first album was really commenting a lot on society and blah blah blah. The second one now is really self-involved more. I think it’s just because of Eurovision and everything that happened, our lives turned one day to the next, we’re totally different. Everything is now different and there’s a whole lot of attention hear in Croatia on us, and it kind of brings a lot of feelings, a lot of emotions, it changes you as a person. And I think the whole theme running throughout the album is kind of that; like wrestling with something new within yourself. The best thing I can hope a listener could get from that album is hope. And I know I was writing a lot of songs, for example, “Face On Your Phone” as a fuck you. So it gives them hope, give them strength to oppose everything that’s bothering them in life, so that’s that’s what I hope!

What’s the writing process like for you? Is it mainly you? Or do you guys all just kind of get together in a room and hash it out?

Yeah, we when we started writing this album, we rented a really nice villa and we were like, “now we’re going to write an album and it’s going to be so cool. That’s like what the big bands do!” We go we got there expecting to write, I don’t know, it would be great if we write five songs, six, seven, oh my god, maybe 10. We ended up writing one song, ‘End the Party’. And yeah, I got to tell you, I even told my boys that I kind of hate writing in a group. For 10 years I was writing alone and now it’s so weird. Crossing off each other’s energy… I need to learn that and I’m willing to learn that, but I just locked myself in the room and started to play with instruments as I usually do. The only thing that’s different is that guys themselves also write song without me and then we collaborate more later and so we did it like that. I literally have anxiety, like they would say hey, let’s have a writing session, I would be like, oh my god, it’s so stressful for me. I don’t know why, even though I’m best friends with those people, but it’s just weird. When you get used to it writing alone for 10 years, it’s weird just canceling it all of a sudden!

You’ve kind of touched on it already, but there’s more writing going on I assume, right?

Yeah, I mean there’s nothing else that I can imagine myself doing right now. And I want to do this for as long as I can. The life that we’re now living is basically what I dreamed of since I was nine years old. So, of course, I remember thinking about the third album and writing it in my diary, what I wanted it to be, on the day when we released this one. So everybody was excited and listening to the new songs and you’re so detached from what’s going on in the general reality of the fans, because with with my own head I’m already in the third one. And that’s like a songwriter’s disease, I would say, because I’m trying to write as many songs as I did before. I remember in 2021 I wrote 200 songs in one year, 240, something like that, so it eas a few songs a week. So, you know, my mind is already what’s next!

The tour starts soon, right?

Yeah, next week! By the end of next week we have a first date in Milan. I think it’s worth mentioning here that we’re coming to UK again, which is amazing, because we love UK and we still have some UK dates to announce. I think we’re coming 20th or 21st or 19th, I don’t know, to Manchester and London in November. Both shows are going really well, which I’m super excited about because having a good audience in UK feels like a privilege. UK is a big market so I’m really happy about that. And I can say if you liked our concert last year when we were last there on tour, I promise you’re going to absolutely love this one. We did everything differently, it’s going to be perfect!

Is there any kind of comparisons you can make between the scene out here compared to back home?

Oh, definitely. First of all, I love playing outside of Croatia just because of hear in Croatia… now it’s getting better and it’s going to get better with time, but the ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ hype grew bigger than Baby Lasagna, than everything, it was just big of a song. And when you play here, people visiting your concert were not necessarily a fan of yours, they were fan of ‘Rim Tim Tagi Dim’ and they were just waiting for an hour to play that songs. As I said, it’s been now two years, so I think it’s it’s kind of getting in the right direction where we are doing solo gigs and people are are actually listening to our songs.

But yeah, playing in the UK is different. It’s where people know your songs, and last year or the year before that we played 2000 Trees festival, which was so perfect for us because a lot of people didn’t know us there and it ended up being packed. We were on some forest stage and by the end of it a few thousand people were singing to us, which was like the biggest honor because we are new here. They were singing like, “Oh, Baby Lasagna”. That’s cool. And that was one of my favorite moments ever in music that I’ve been to, and it brought tears to my eyes. So yeah, I would say we have a special bond with the UK, and last year London was sold out, I think this year Manchester will be and maybe London too, so we’re excited!

You seem pretty active and up on the whole social media game. Is there any advice you could give for a band or artist just starting out on that side of things?

Post and run! I’m talking to you right now on my main phone and I’ve got another phone that’s turned off where I have all my social media. And I just record a video, post and just close it and stay away. I can’t do it for me and it eats me alive. I can see myself like going down spiritually and emotionally at some point, just draining myself, so I’m definitely careful with it. I’m trying my best to stay active on it because I think it’s a cool way to, you know, work on your relationship with the fans, but at the same time it’s not good for you. I would be definitely careful with it.

I’m glad that you you said that I seem to be on it because I feel like, “Ah, you’re not doing enough, ah, you haven’t posted in three days” and oh my god, because I see people having teams, social media managers and blah blah on my level. Maybe it could work, but I don’t know. At the same time it’s just why would I hire somebody. But I don’t know, it’s all confusing a bit!

Interviews & Features

When Rivers Meet: ‘The response from the Rapids has been incredible!’

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We had the pleasure of sitting and chatting with the wonderful Aaron of the blues-rock power couple When Rivers Meet the other week. Check out as we chat about their latest album, upcoming tour and much more!

Your latest album dropped a few weeks ago, it seems to have gone down really well! Have you managed to see much of the fan and critical response?

We really have, and honestly, it’s been quite overwhelming in the best possible way. We always put so much of ourselves into making a record, so once it’s out there, you never quite know how people are going to connect with it.

The response from the Rapids has been incredible. We’ve had so many lovely messages, comments and conversations with people telling us which songs have connected with them and what the album means to them. 

We’ve also been really pleased with the critical response. It’s lovely to see the album getting recognised, but ultimately, we’re just grateful that people are listening to real music. 

Is there a certain theme running through the album, or is it more on a track-by-track basis? 

I think there’s definitely a thread running through the album, but it wasn’t something we set out to create as a concept album. A lot of the songs came from different experiences and emotions, so each track has its own story and its own place on the record.

There are definitely themes of love, relationships, resilience, letting go and finding your own strength running through it. There’s also a sense of independence and standing our ground, which is something that’s really important to us, both personally and as a band.

You recently welcomed a child together. How has that changed things in terms of the music? I know at least the closing track of the release seems to be about it, and as a future father certainly touched me!

Becoming parents has definitely changed things for us, but in a really positive way! Music has always been such a huge part of our lives, and now we have Bobby, it’s about finding that balance between being musicians and being Mum and Dad.

And yes, the closing track ‘Bring Life’ is very much connected to that! It’s quite special knowing that something so personal to us can resonate with other people, particularly those who are about to become parents themselves.

Has your sound changed or evolved much from your early EPs to now?

Yes, definitely. I think our sound has naturally evolved as we’ve grown as musicians and songwriters. Our early EPs were very much rooted in traditional blues, with quite a raw, stripped back sound. Over the last 3 albums, we’ve explored more of our rock influences, and our music has become, heavier introducing dual guitars, Keys and extra harmonies into the mix.

We’ve also become much more confident in our songwriting and production. We’ve also opened up to co-writing with our producer and drummer on the last two albums, and I think that’s allowed us to experiment more without losing what makes us sound like When Rivers Meet.

We’ve never really wanted to put ourselves in a particular box. We love blues, rock, Americana and all sorts of music, and those influences have gradually found their way into what we do. But at the heart of it.

Have you got much of a tour planned for the rest of the year to support the albums release?

Absolutely! We’ve just finished our September and October Rhythm Rust & Static trio tour, which was our first tour back since having Bobby, and it was brilliant to get out playing live again.

We’ve now got our biggest tour of the year coming up in November and December, the Backbone Tour, where we’ll be heading out across the UK with our full six-piece band.

You’re rather involved on the social media side of things, do you have any advice you could give to a band or artist just starting out, in that regard?

I think the biggest piece of advice we’d give is to be consistent and be yourself. Social media is such a powerful tool for independent artists, but it’s important to remember that it’s not just about promoting your music, it’s about building a connection with people.

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support still or friends you’d want to bring along?

There are so many bands we’d love to share a stage with! We’ve been really fortunate to support Blue Öyster Cult at the London Palladium last year, and we’ve been invited back to support them in Glasgow next April, which is fantastic.

We’d absolutely love to tour with someone like The Black Crowes, Rival Sons,Thunder, G’N’R to name but a few. They are all incredible live bands, and we think our music would sit really well alongside theirs.

As for bringing people along, we’ve met so many brilliant musicians and made some great friends over the years. One of the best things about touring is getting to share those experiences with other artists, so putting together a tour with some of our favourite people would be pretty special!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why? 

That’s such a difficult question because there are so many incredible songs out there! But I think we’d have to go with The Chain’ by Fleetwood Mac. It’s such a brilliantly written song, the way it builds, the emotion behind it, and that iconic bass line. It’s one of those songs that manages to be quite simple in places but incredibly powerful. We love music that takes you on a journey, and that song does exactly that. It’s timeless!

Pick up tickets to the Backbone tour here while you still can!

Interviews & Features

Liam Price: ‘I’ve got some really good fans, some really good friends!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the rising UK country star Liam Price at The Long Road the other week about him playing the main stage there, getting to support Larry Fleet and much more! Check it all out below!

How’s this weekend been for you? Been pretty busy by the look of things!

Well, as you’ve seen, it was pretty wet yesterday. But everyone’s in the same boat, so to speak. And today the sun came out for our set on main stage, which is incredible for everybody! So, yeah, crazy weekend, but it seems to be my life at the moment!

Yeah! I suppose the rain packed out the VIP tent yesterday for you, too!

Yeah. I thought I was a big deal, but then I realized it was absolutely chucking it down out there and everyone was in there!

Is it a similar sort of set for the VIP one?

Yeah, just a stripped back, very intimate set. I’ll probably chuck a couple of covers in there as well.

You won the competition here last year. How is it to come back and do the big stage this year?

Yeah, I mean it’s just crazy. To do the little stage last year, little stage yesterday, and then all of a sudden you’re on the Rhinestone stage with a few thousand people! It was great turnout. So happy with everyone coming out and seeing me. That was really kind!

I saw you had quite the queue of people wanting to take photos and all this, which was pretty cool!

I’ve got some really good fans, some really good friends that support me all over the country, and I appreciate them greatly!

You say you’ve had a pretty full-on year so far. I saw you around the US, and you’re there again next month, right?

Yeah, I’m going to go and open for Larry Fleet! It’s going to be really cool. And he’s actually a massive inspiration for me. I tell the story; when I went in the studio to record ‘The Grass Ain’t Green’, I had to give a reference track about like how I wanted it to sound and mix, and I gave ‘Where I Find God’ by Larry Fleet. So, to get the call to go and play with him, like it’s crazy!

You’ve come from more of a tribute background. How is it kind of transitioning into a more originals kind of sound?

I mean, tribute background in terms of the country scene, but I’ve been writing songs since I was 16 years old! I was in like a pop-punk band back in the day.

But, yeah, I mean the transition’s been pretty simple, pretty easy. The main thing about this genre is people are so supportive for roots music, like, you know, grassroots. So, they want to hear anyone’s new songs, and that’s why it’s a pleasure to be part of this genre!

Yeah, definitely. I feel like because it’s still such a newish thing in the UK as well for this country music boom, anyone that’s kind of picking up some steam is so readily like is kind of let in!

Bang on the money. Long may it continue!

And then you obviously put out a single May, right? Are we expecting some more music to follow?

Priority this this year, just to keep writing and get some tracks together and and get them out. Maybe another EP! Potentially an album. But you know, writing and recording, it really is a huge cost. Easily upwards of, you know, fifteen K.

Yeah. I’ve spoken to a few people this weekend about what goes into the decision to put stuff out, and it’s so hard I feel, especially with streaming and all this nowadays.

Yeah, and nine times out of ten you’ll find the reason EPs are released is just because it’s all the budget allows at the time. For four tracks, you know. And I feel like they’re easier enough to get in a studio and do in a couple of days as well.

Have you got a busy rest of the year planned after September then? Have we got some more shows coming in?

yeah, I’ve got some shows. So I’m going to do the Larry Fleet thing, and then I’ll be doing just some individual shows. I’ll be playing at like Rodeos Barbecue, Wolverhampton, doing some stuff there, and Birmingham. I’ve just got little splinter shows all over the country. I’ll be playing the Ulster Hall in Belfast as well in December, which is like a bucket-list venue.

And obviously I’m busy with the tribute thing, some things have rolled over my head. But yeah, just doing a load of that. The the joy is you never know what’s going to happen, so we’ll see we’ll see what what opportunities come, you know!

I imagine the Larry Fleet thing was a little last minute, was it?

Yeah, I had a call and they just said we’d love you to come and to the open. I was like, when is it? Eight weeks?! I was like, all right, we’ll get we’ll get it together! And I’ve ended up getting another show on the back of that in North Carolina, so I’m going to go do a couple of shows out there, and then come back. At least it kind of covers the cost a little bit more, we’ll break even, a couple of days out of them!

My budget mainly goes on great food out there! I like barbecue and I’ll do all that stuff, no problem!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone still on the bucket list?

It’s a bit of a crazy one, but I’m an absolute… like Chris Stapleton for me, is like God. So I’d love to be on that lineup. But then also I think why would I ever want to be on a lineup with him? He’s like totally going to wipe the floor. He’d outclass any singer in the world. Yeah, the guy’s unbelievable. He could sing the phone book, couldn’t he? Like, yeah, that’d be amazing. A tour with Chris Stapleton or maybe on a little bit of a lower level like Marcus King. But King’s blowing up now too! So, yeah, but anyone who wants to take me on tour, I’m available, I play anywhere!

If you could have written one song from history, do any spring to mind?

One of my favorite songs of all time is ‘Always on My Mind’ by Billy Joel!

Interviews & Features

Revenant: ‘You’d be silly not to play this stuff live!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to our good friends Revenant at KKs Steelmill the other weekend at NWOCR Fest, about their set, upcoming album and their plans for 2027! Check it out below!

How was the Set?

Oh, it’s good, yeah. Fantastic! Yeah, sounds great out there. The sound is really good!

Is this the first time you guys have been to KK’s?

Yeah! It’s a cool club!

It seems like it’s becoming a bit of a bucket list venue for bands these days!

Yeah! For me personally, being a guitar player, yeah, this is it! And it’s always nice when a venue and the staff know what they’re doing. They’ve been great to us, they made everything sound great.

You guys snuck in a couple of new tracks as well! How are they going live so far?

Yeah, they’ve been pretty well received so far! A couple of people, hopefully, are starting to learn the words. It’s sort of like the ones that we’ve been working on for our new album and stuff like that. We just want to road test them a little bit, you know? We’ve played them all year this year, haven’t. But yeah, they’re probably some of the first tracks that we wrote for the album, so it’s like, why would we not play them?

This is it. I feel like people are almost a little bit hesitant these days, and at least in rock world, to play songs that aren’t put out yet, so it is quite nice to see bands try out new things!

I think, you would… you’d be silly not to play this stuff live because also you kind of… people hear it and they go, “Oh, that one sounds great,” and then they buy it and they go, “Oh, great, it’s on the album!”

So I last spoke with you back in February when you were with Preacher Stone. How’s the last 7 months been?

Yeah, and we’re trying to write, we’re trying to finish the album and we go, “Yeah, so we’re not going to do anything, we’re just going to finish the album,” and then someone calls and goes, “Do you want to do this?” And we go, “Oh yeah, we do. We really want to.” So yeah, we’ve just been trying to get the album finished, and then pick up a couple of support slots, stuff like that. And then the summer holidays, everyone’s busy. Matt got married and took some time off! It’s just busy, life is busy. Being in a band is busy. It’s hard to set time aside.

You guys seem pretty busy for the rest of the year really as well, right? I saw there’s a few more gigs lined up!

Picking up from there, yeah. We’ve got the Valknut tour with Soul Revival and We Three Kings. that’ll be good fun. Get your tickets! We’ve got… we’re playing Cornwall Rocks next weekend. Newark. Yeah, we’re all over the place! Planet Rockstock. We’re going to Scotland. First time there, so that’ll be cool. That’s going to be a long drive. But yeah, it’s going to be great. And then we can take some time off over Christmas!

No Christmas gig planned this year, then?

No no, absolutely not. We did one last year! Our last gig’s with Brave Rival in Portsmouth. December 17th!

Then you’ve only put out the one track this year, which was the cover. Has it been weird not putting as much out after a full on couple of years?

Yeah, I’d say it was a bit weird, we’ve had to take a bit of time off to write the new stuff. So we’ve got quite a lot now under our belts. We could do EPs, right? But we’ve put an album together, and it’s brilliant! So I think it’s nice to keep a really good body of work, but I’m sure we’ll say, after 3 months of it being out, we’ll be like, “Oh, we want some new music.” You’re always trying to feed everyone’s kind of, “Oh, we want some more music? we want some more music!” a bit.

Yeah, I feel like the music industry runs so fast these days, like everyone just listens to it and goes, “Cool, what’s next?”

I think you have to be. Having done this for a while now, you have to be confident enough to say, “Stop,” and then write the new stuff. And then because the people are always going to want you to play somewhere! But yeah, we’ll probably go, “Right, okay, what’s next?”

I feel like once you’ve got a full collection and it feels like an album as well, it’s hard to try and separate it up if you did want to do more EPs. Like, if it’s all written and it sounds right, then it’s the right thing to do, I think.

I just look at it like this way: If you’re an artist, you’re just going to do what you do. And the “Oh, we’ve got to do this and we’ve got to do that” side of it, to me, doesn’t really come into it. I’m just going to turn up and play with my friends and we’re going to make some music and it’ll come out when it’s ready. That’s how I look at it.

How’s the Kickstarter going for the album?

Yeah, all good. Fully funded at 100… 60% or something? Something like that. Yeah, which is fantastic! 26 backers, which is great considering that we said about it in July. My dad did half of it. I’m joking! I mean, there’s nothing coming out until like springtime, so March, April time, and there’s 126 people straight away going, “Yeah, yeah, cool, right, we want it.” So that’s really nice, actually. That feels, that’s really comforting!

I assume it’s all written then. Is it getting close to all being recorded?

Yeah, there’s a few more bits to do. Then it’ll probably be good. By the end of the year, 95% I’d say. 95% finished. Sweeping the dust, stuff for cutting. Sam’s got to do his bits. He’s got to put his like parsley, this parsley on the side of the steak that we’ve got ready now. I mean, it’s almost ringing the bell to say it’s ready, it’s ready to go. Fly, my pretty!

Then you’ve got to work out what singles to put out, from when, and all that kind of thing. All that fun stuff!

Oh man, don’t remind me!

Then, have you guys got some stuff rolling into next year? I’ve seen a couple of bits in January. I imagine you can’t probably talk about it but is stuff coming in for after that?

Yeah, actually to be fair, the year is looking fairly busy already! Especially for the first six months. And then, you know, back end of the year, we don’t know what’s going to happen, but that’s the music industry. But yeah, it’s looking pretty busy. It’ll be revealed soon enough! 

Interviews & Features

Flowers for Jayne: ‘It’s quite bizarre when that happens!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to Australia’s own Jayne Murphy, formerly of Lime Spiders, about her current solo work, tour and latest single! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

I would say my sound is a blend of pop, rock and punk delivered in an Aussie pub rock fashion. Raw. Unfiltered. Honest.

You’re currently in the middle of a tour, how’s it going so far?

Having a bunch of fun! Punters have really taken to the new single and the new line-up in a positive way. We’re sizzling right now performance wise.. There was even conga-line dancing at one gig! A lot of people are also interested in seeing me play being a former member and lead guitarist of the Lime Spiders.

You’ve put out a new single ready for the shows, what can you tell me about it? 

‘Pocket Superman’ is about denouncing violence – denouncing domestic and family violence. In Australia, it’s a curse. It’s on the rise. Metaphorically, a Pocket Superman is a “personal safety plan”. It could be a preloaded text message calling for help, a whistle to gain attention or even a siren type device to attract the attention of others, to deter a stalker. I was careful to ensure the lyrics weren’t gendered, because domestic violence affects everyone.

Had another single this year, are they both standalone or are we building to another album or EP?

Yes, ‘Greedy Rich Boys’ was released in April 2026. It is on the drawing board that ‘Pocket Superman’ and other recent singles will appear on a physical album format in the future. Like a best of the singles since 2019. I’m hoping to have it released on vinyl through my distributor MGM Distribution (Australia) sometime in 2027!

What is the writing process like for the band?

I’m the principal songwriter for the band project. I write 100% of the lyrics and titles, and come up with the main ideas for the compositions. I don’t have a particular “formula” for writing songs. It might be a title, a melody line or a rhyming couplet that might come to my mind and underpins the structure of the song. Sometimes a song will just spill out of my mind completely finished. It’s quite bizarre when that happens. The quickest fully written song I crafted was in 9mins. During recording pre-production I’ll send a “skat track” (my term for a loosely recorded acoustic version of the song) to the bass player and drummer. They’ll usually write their own parts and then as producer I’ll make suggestions to them about their parts and how it applies to my vision for the arrangement of the song. 

Do you have a busy rest of the year and into 2027 with gigs and studio stuff?

Gigs in September and October. Sometimes I do solo gigs in record stores and small bars. Heading into the studio late November/early December to record a new single. Another tour is slated to run from 12th to 28th February 2027. Then another recording session to probably lay down the beds for another three singles. And as I mentioned earlier, I am looking to put together a single compilation in physical form, as a lot of the singles are only available in digital/streaming  format!

You’re pretty up on the whole social media game, any advice you could give for a band just starting out?

Hmmm, social media can be quite a “hit and miss’ affair when you want to ride that algorithm, haha! I guess the best advice for bands starting out on socials is to be “strategic”. Research “best times” to post content. Collaborate with like minded bands. And even if you’re not getting the volume of likes and interaction you were expecting, persistence is the key. Don’t be shy to get family and friends involved. Quality content is important. Brush up on those Canva and Adobe Express skills!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Any bands you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring along with you?

Good question. Big question. I think my dream tour lineup would be Foo Fighters, The Runaways, Green Day, Placebo, Blur and Flowers For Jayne. There’s quite a few bands I’d like to invite to tag along. So many talented younger bands out there as well. Might have to “draw straws” for that decision, haha!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it have been and why?

Ahhhh! Wow! Just one song?? Tricky! I guess it would have to be, “I Am Woman’ by Helen Reddy!

Interviews & Features

Fireflame: ‘We can’t wait to push our sound even further!’

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We chatted to the rising stars of Japanese heavy metal, Fireflame, about their debut full-length and future plans. Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

We define our sound as Modern Heavy Metal, which strives for a seamless fusion of classic 80s heavy metal and modern metalcore. We dislike being boxed into a single specific subgenre. Rather than simply mimicking the past or sounding overly modern, we pursue a style where both worlds are perfectly balanced and blended.

The album’s been out a couple of months now, it seems to have gone down really well! Is there a particular theme or story behind the album, or is it more that each track is its own story? 

The album is actually built as a cohesive concept! Excluding the bonus tracks, all 12 main songs are interconnected, telling one continuous story from start to finish. Central to this narrative is the overarching theme of “the persistent inner fire within those who continue to fight for something they cannot give up.”  Through this story, we wanted to convey a powerful message about facing adversity and refusing to bend, no matter what obstacles stand in your way!

What is your songwriting process like?

The main process usually begins with Connie Flames (Ba) and myself (FireRay, Gt) putting together rough demos. Once we have those initial demos, we bring them straight into the rehearsal studio. 

We jam and play through the songs together as a full band, shaping and refining the arrangements and details on the spot. It’s through this hands-on studio session work that everyone’s ideas and energy come together to give the final song its full form.

Is there more writing going on already?

Yes, absolutely! We’ve actually already completed 3 brand new tracks, and we have several more demos in the works! 

Even though our 1st album Force Against The End was just released, we’re already focused on and excited about the next album. We can’t wait to push our sound even further!

Do you have a busy rest of the year and start of 207 planned with live stuff?

Now that our debut album is finally out, we’re currently planning a tour and getting ready to hit the road. It’s definitely going to be a very busy and exciting time for us!

What is the heavy metal scene like in Japan? I feel like I’m starting to see more and more bands from the country!

Compared to its peak, heavy metal definitely isn’t in the mainstream spotlight here anymore, and honestly, our hometown scene in Osaka has declined quite a bit. 

However, we have amazing bandmates of our generation who share the same passion, as well as inspiring seniors who support us. Because of that, I truly believe we can rebuild and reignite the scene from here and we want to be the band leading that charge!

You’re quite active on social media, do you have any advice you could give bands just starting out, in that regard?

Honestly, we don’t really have advice to give because we’re still just a starting-out band ourselves! Haha. 

But if there’s one thing, it’s simply to keep doing it over and over again. Just put content out there constantly, stay active, and keep pushing without overthinking it!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or friends you’d want to bring with you?

Supporting heavy metal legends like Loudness, Judas Priest, or Bullet For My Valentine would be an absolute dream come true and it’s something we are determined to make happen! 

As for who we’d bring with us, we want to bring everyone who has supported us on this journey. It sounds like a big dream, but we’re going to make it reality!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?

That’s a tough one! But the first song that came to my mind is “Painkiller” by Judas Priest. To me, it’s the ultimate heavy metal anthem from the legendary drum intro to the relentless riffs and twin guitars, it completely defines what heavy metal is.

Interviews & Features

Ryan & Rory: ‘It felt like they were listening with arms wide open!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing country duo’s Ryan and Rory at the Long Road the other week! Check out as we chat about the UK scene and their new album plans!

We chatted about a year ago now so, essentially, how’s the last year gone?

Ryan: Man, it’s crazy. It’s been pretty crazy. We’ve recorded an album!

Yes. I remember you kind of teasing it when we chatted!

Rory: Yeah, may or, maybe not be coming out next year. May, maybe not be early next year. I mean, I don’t know what we can say, but…Yeah, we’ve been playing a lot of shows. We’ve been, like we said, working on new music. We put the single out this past Friday, ‘Beer Wants Me’.

Yes, of course. Yeah!

Rory: We knew we were coming over here and we were like, this is the best way to celebrate this, to give it a turn and push that boat off the dock here in the UK for ‘Beer Wants Me’. Exciting!

Is that going to be on the album then? Is that the first single from that?

Ryan: Yeah, it’ll be on the album. It’s the beginning of our new chapter!

You’ve got two sets today as well, right? You’re on there and then the afterparty!

Ryan: Yeah, Main stage at 11 O’clock.

Long day.

Rory: It is what we’re here for. Long days.
Exactly. Long Road, long day!

Check out our last interview with them here!

What can we expect from either? Is there going to be some differences between the sets? I feel like tonight’s is a bit shorter, right?

Rory: It’s shorter. It’s going to be like probably a little more high energy for the second set, but the first set is going to be all gas, no breaks. First set’s just, a good mix of you know, our songs that are out and then we have some new tunes coming out, a lot of new ones, which is nice!

I was talking to Zandi Holup yesterday about how country seems a lot more accepting of playing unreleased stuff than a lot of the other genres I’ve noticed. Like it’s really cool that people will dry run a new song live!

Ryan: We noticed that! So our first trip over here like six months ago or whatever, I mean, almost all that music is new to the people we’re playing for and it didn’t feel that way! It felt like they were listening with arms wide open.

Rory: Yeah, it was wild by the third set I was like, man, they know the words to some of this!

What can you kind of make comparison-wise from the scene back home compared to out here? Are there any similarities or differences?

Yeah, I mean there’s definitely some similarities and differences. The difference I’ve noticed is like here, we mistook the very first time for the attentive listening. We thought like maybe the energy wasn’t high energy. Because it was such attentive listening, and then by the next song everyone loves it. They don’t hate us. They were just really listening. So, that difference is pretty key, I’ve noticed!

Yeah, I have had a few people say that, actually. I feel like I need to head out to you guys and catch a country show now just to see the differences!

Oh, definitely. Have you been to Nashville?

No, I really want to!

It’s, it’s worth it. It’s rowdy dude!

It’d definitely be cool. I’ve done a few shows in the US, but not country, so that’d be cool.

Gotcha. Okay. The country ones are the most fun!

Check out our review of them live here!

You’ve kind of touched a little bit on the album. Is there anything more we can expect? Are there any interesting twists and turns on it compared to the stuff you’ve put out so far?

Rory: Yeah, so the record we feel like is the most complete picture of music we’ve been able to put together. We shot the video for ‘Beer Wants Me’ here on this trip, so we’re still filming it!

Oh wow, you’re getting some clips today? That’ll be cool.

Yeah! You guys are going to be in it today and tonight! It’s going to be a UK exclusive ‘Beer Wants Me’ video, which is very cool. But the record is… it almost picked itself. We’re so proud of all the songs and there wasn’t a disagreement about which one should be on there!

Have you guys got quite a busy year after you get home then? Are there any shows coming up?

Yeah, we do, for sure. We’re going to be putting out some new music, one more before the new year and then a lot of new stuff next year. We’re going to be going to radio, so the full, the whole nine yards.

Nice busy year, then!

Ryan: Yeah, it’s going to be busy as it gets!

Is there anyone you’d want to collaborate with in a writing room?

Yeah, for sure! Our dream collab is Lainey Wilson, for sure.

That’d be cool!

I think she’s like triple threat artist. Definitely one of our dream collabs. We already had a dream come true with Jamie Johnson, we have a song out with him. That was, that was pretty damn cool.

Thomas Rhett at the board. And we might want a song with Kenny one day.

And we’ll just say it, we’re Ella Fellas! She’s cool!

I guess that probably leads quite nicely to our next question of if you had a dream tour you’d want to be a part of. I imagine at least like Ella, Lainey maybe?

Yeah, I think either one of those, I’d be like, I don’t know if I’d believe it’s real. But that, I mean, man, the thing about country is we love so many artists, like there’s a lot of dream tours, like there’s a lot of them. Whoever we can have a good time with, honestly, who we’d enjoy to hang out with. We love, you know, getting to hang out after the show, going golfing before soundcheck, and you know, going and exploring a new town, meeting new people, that kind of thing, so wherever it gets us out and about! The hang is everything!

Then are there at least tentative plans to come back out next year, I imagine?

So, just like last time, we immediately started working on this trip the last time we were here, so we’re already talking about it. We’ve been kind of checking around for what would we be able to do show-wise and what cities and what not. But no, the plan is always to come back, because we’ve just had such a great time!

Ryan: And yeah, the move would be maybe putting out a new record and then come back over here! You know, one after the other.

Interviews & Features

Hippie Death Cult: ‘We’re just picking up that thread and trying to keep it moving!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing metallers Hippie Death Cult between tours about said adventures, their potential upcoming new music, and much more! Check it all out below!

How would you describe your sound?

Rock n’ Roll. Not as a static genre, but as a living, evolving entity. It’s a synthesis and celebration of everything we love about music. Bridging the gap from the birth of rock ’n’ roll, through early R&B, soul, and funk, into 60s psychedelia, 70s heavy blues, 80s thrash, and 90s metal and grunge. There is a common thread that tied those eras together, regardless of how broad the expression became. I feel like the tether to that thread got lost somewhere in the late 90s personally, and a lot of music that came after was either lacking deep roots or just copying an already played out formula. We aren’t trying to “revive” anything; we’re just picking up that thread and trying to keep it moving. We’d rather be a band that’s hard to define than one that’s easy to categorize but lacks soul and vitality.

Recently signed with Blacklight Media, what’s that been like?

It’s been a great experience so far, everyone we are working with over there and at Metal Blade Records have been great partners and I feel there’s a strong trust between us that goes both ways. It feels like a great match so far, and I’m excited to see how the rollout of the new record pans out!

I saw you’re teasing some new music coming next year too, right? How does it compare to your previous stuff?

We’re always digging for something deeper, and this new material is a reflection of that. We took the foundation we’ve built, and just made it nastier. It’s got more of everything. Groove, soul, passion and fury, but it’s focused. Laura’s hitting notes and intensities that we haven’t heard from her before and it’s really cool. It’s the sound of us getting out of our own way.

Just finished touring the US, how was it?

The real highlight was the connection with the people who showed up, honestly. It feels like we have family everywhere we go, and it’s amazing feeling that energy exchange while we perform every night. It was also a grind, but in the best way possible. Dealing with daily chaos, long van rides and lack of sleep and then stepping on stage mustering everything you’ve got night after night to deliver the same level of intensity and passion is really a thing. There’s a magic on a soul level that sustains you. We just did about 25 shows in a row, and we are about to go play about 60 more here in October and November.

Back over to Europe next month too. How would you compare the scene out here compared to back home?

It’s tough to compare, because the vibe really changes city to city rather than country to country. You find places in both the US and Europe where people are incredibly appreciative that you’re there, and then you hit other spots that just don’t seem as supportive of the arts. We’ve encountered both extremes, and everything in between, every time we’ve been out on the road. We’ve stopped trying to generalize it; we’re just grateful that our music is the reason we get to travel and experience all those different places firsthand!

You’re quite well-versed on social media, do you have any advice for bands just starting out, in that regard?

I don’t know if I’m any kind of authority on this, but my advice would be simple: whatever you put out there, make sure it actually aligns with who you are. Don’t do things just to chase attention, that stuff is so cringe to me. Once you find a way to present your music that feels authentic, just be consistent. Post quality content and actually engage with the people who are listening. If you’re genuine with your community, they’ll stick with you.

Do you have much planned for 2027 already?

Yes, there’s a lot of plans for 2027. We have a new record coming and a lot of tour dates piling up. This is shaping up to be probably the busiest year we’ve ever had. And we’ve always been pretty busy!

Do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you’d want to support or any friends you’d want to bring along?

Honestly, we are taking part in a dream lineup tour this coming November with The Sword and Corrosion of Conformity. Stoked for that! Let’s go Pantera and Metallica next. All of our friends are invited!

If you could have written one song from history, what would it be and why?

‘Black Sabbath’ by Black Sabbath maybe? Something like that, something that just changed the game. Changed music as we know it. For the (way) better. 

Interviews & Features

Jason Scott & the High Heat: ‘I don’t know, I like making records!’

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We had the pleasure of chatting to the amazing Jason Scott & the High Heat ahead of their set at The Long Road the other weekend, not long before their amazing new album dropped! Check it all out below!

You guys are right slap-bang in the middle of the tour now in the UK. How’s it been so far?

So far so good, man! It’s great to be back. Away from home for a little bit!

Is it your first time in the UK or have we done a couple of visits before?

Yeah, that’s our first time. It’s pretty crazy!

How are you finding it compared to back home?

Much nicer!

Apart from the rain, obviously, yeah.

Yeah, I don’t mind it! It’s cool. Maybe after a couple of weeks it’ll go?

Yeah, true. At least apparently we’re not going to get any rain after Monday now, so it’s isolated to just this weekend!

Yeah, yeah. We’ll enjoy it. At least it hasn’t deterred anybody?

No, true. It’s been pretty busy still!

Are there any comparisons you can make from the scene out here compared to back home?

The roads don’t compare at all. You guys drive on little tiny roads!

Very true. It’s rather thin, yeah!

But there’s an appreciation for the countryside and you know, it’s pristine, just some of the way… it’s just older here too, you know what I mean?

Very true, yeah. Someone was telling me, I think it was last year, that the house here is like six, seven hundred years old, or something like that!

Yeah, we don’t have that back home.

No, exactly. But I feel like the rest of the setting has been picked out quite well. They look at least vaguely like something you’d have back home, I imagine?

We passed that church. Yeah, I mean, maybe up in the Northeast of America there’s some old, a church on every corner!

We’ve heard a fair bit of the album so far through singles. I assume we’re getting a lot of that tonight?

Yeah, absolutely. Not all of it, but we’ll play as many as we know!

Can we expect anything else from the set? I assume some old favorites?

Yeah, we’ve got some surprises. A choice cover tune in there that you may know!

In terms of the album, what can we expect from the rest of it? Is there some different stuff compared to the singles in there?

Yeah, I think there is actually! There’s some there’s some kind of more group-sing-along kind of vibes on it that I’m really excited about, and also a couple of real just slow kind of intimate songs that didn’t feel like they had enough room to be a single, but are some of my favorites.

What went into the decision to do another album? I know the algorithm and all this nowadays is singles or EPs. Like, I feel like it’s quite a big undertaking these days to do a full release!

I don’t know why we would do it any other way. You know, maybe there might be some EPs in the future or something, but to me a body of work is space and time and era. The sound is what it is because we’ve been out on the road playing, and and you know it’s just an expansion on that. I don’t know, I like making records! And now with Leo’s help, previously it’d take three years because I’d have to go work for a month to pay off to go record, so we’re moving through that process quicker. But yeah, I love to do it!

You guys have got quite a busy rest of the year planned after you get home, right?

We do. We do get to go home…I don’t think we get to go home. Yeah, it’s like three or four days off and then back on the road, so yeah!

That’s intense. But I imagine it’s good fun!

There’s no AC in the van, guys…

What! Still? I feel like this is a prank. You can’t hurt me.

Yeah, you’re stuck now!

Hey, but this is getting us used to being over here with no AC!

Yeah, true. The last three months have been pretty killer with the heat over here and no AC, so the rain is at least a little bit nicer than that.

It’s between 30 and 40 degrees Celsius at home. We haven’t decided what the degree is yet!

You guys are pretty kind of well-versed on the whole social media kind of aspect of it all. Have you got any advice you could give artists just starting up in that regard? I feel like it’s quite a daunting thing to jump into!

Yeah, I don’t know. Just put shit out. See what sticks. I thought you were going to stop that sentence after you said “we were pretty-“

Oh, you are! Yeah, that was it. It’s just a nice compliment!

Nice.

I don’t know. What do you think? Like, try to find something that you don’t hate doing, because you have to do something, so find a niche that that works, but you also enjoy doing it because it’s got to be done.

Yeah, it’s like 80/20.

Be born with rich parents, which we weren’t.

That would be nice, pump it all into marketing!

Do you guys have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? I imagine you’ve probably supported some awesome bands, but if there’s anyone else..?

Yeah, of course! They’re not really country bands. I would love to play with Medium Build. I think that would be sick. I mean Tyler Childers would be awesome as well!

Yeah, pretty much just support, right? Stones?
Ronnie Wood, love to play with Ronnie.

I feel like any of them you’d probably fit in really well with.

Yeah, well our music has a little bit of that—we’ve kind of straddled the fence with country and rock and roll. I’m probably leaning more on the rock and roll side of things nowadays, but, I don’t know, it it gets us—we opened for Morgan Wallen the other day. I think we could fit not world and we could open for Ruby Wolf, or Phoebe Bridgers, and Ben Bill would be so sick!

Then if you could have written one song from history, do any immediately spring to mind?

Anything Dolly wrote.

That’s fair. Very good choice!

ABCs. That shit slaps. Get the alphabet LMNOP’s going!

See, I get “Happy Birthday” quite a lot as well, you know, get some royalties going in.

I like it!

Interviews & Features

Zandi Holup: ‘It’s a vulnerable thing, to release music!’

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We had the pleasure of having a quick chat with the wonderful Zandi Holup ahead of her set at The Long Road the other weekend. Check it all out below!

Firstly how was it coming out with Steve Earle yesterday?

It was incredible. I love Steve, and I love the festival, I love the humans, I love the UK. It was fabulous!

Have you done many collaborations with him before, or was it more of a spur of the moment thing?

So Steve and I actually wrote that song about a year ago, and we’ve been performing it on tour and stuff, but we’re going to be recording it soon. Super excited about it!

It’s the first time you’ve been over here in a couple of years, right? Black Deer was the last time?

Yeah, I was at Black Deer Festival, yes.

How would you compare the the scene over here compared to back home? Is there any differences or similarities around it?

I would say one of the biggest differences is people’s attention span and how people don’t really speak during the performances. Where as in America, it’s pretty normal to kind of speak and party during a musical performance, here, if somebody talks, people look at them with like daggers in their eyes! And I kind of loved how people were like riding for me in that sense. I was like, ‘thank you so much for caring so much!’

I’ve had that a few times now, yeah. People have been like, I was really nerve-wracking the first song, because no one made a noise, and then after you finished playing everyone clapped, and it was like, yeah, that’s fine. Everyone enjoyed it!

That was the first thing that did happen to me coming over here! I thought everyone hated the music, but then afterwards they embraced me and made me feel like I was good. So I was like, thank the Lord!

You’ve got quite a busy month or two when you go home as well, right?

I do, yes. I’m fixing to fly straight from here to another tour in the states. I’m opening up for Waylon Wyatt!

Oh wow. Yes, I saw that. That’ll be very cool as well!

Yes, I’m excited!

It’s been a couple of years now since the album, right?

Yes, it’s been…I released it about a year ago.

Yes! It seemed quite a meteoric rise from the single straight to that. I imagine it was quite a whirlwind for a year or two!

Oh, absolutely! And I think, you know, anytime you’re recording music and putting it out, you’re getting into your own little whirlwind of a sort. I think it’s a vulnerable thing to release music, you’re afraid, are people going to listen to it, are people going to like this, are people going to still want me? It’s many, existential, emotional questions you start to ask yourself. But I’m just proud that I was able to put something out that people can relate to and like!

It was quite a bold move these days as well, going pretty much straight into an album. Was that your decision or a label thing?

I think it was a collaborative decision. But I mean, I can be pretty hard-headed, so I think even if I don’t think it’s my decision, it probably was, because I can sway people with my intense nature! So yeah!

And are we expecting new music soon? Have we been working on some stuff?

Yes, I’m going to be releasing multiple singles in the coming months, and I am working towards another album!

You’re pretty active on social media and stuff like that. Have you got any advice for a new artist just starting out in that regard? I know it’s quite a daunting task to first take on!

Gosh, I need someone to give me advice! I think if I could give anyone advice, including myself, honestly, I think you have to not get discouraged and keep posting. Anytime I’ve had a lull in my engagement, I think you have to keep powering through, and sometimes I’m even guilty of getting kind of depressed, like nobody wants to listen to this, but in reality, you just need to keep going, keep persevering, and being yourself. Being honest, don’t pull some fake shit, just be yourself!

You’ve had a crazy couple of years touring, but do you have a dream tour lineup you’d want to be a part of? Anyone you want to support still?

Oh, my gosh, there’s so many people I’d like to support. I mean, I would love to support Stevie Nicks one day. She’s a dream of mine. I obviously would have said Dolly, that was… she’s like my number one girl.

Yeah, that would be a really good fit as well!

Yes. I mean, there’s plenty of people that I would love… I’d love to support Bob Dylan, massive fan.

That’d be cool as well!

Yes, so I could go on and on, but those are some of my greats.

Yeah, that’d be cool. Just a big old tour with everyone, then.

Yes, please, with all the greats!

If you could have written one song from history, do any immediately spring to mind?

Oh, my gosh, it is so difficult. I don’t even know what to say to that! Oh, lord, uh, that’s a difficult question. That’s a really hard one. Maybe I’m going to go ‘Don’t Think Twice, it’s All Right’, Bob Dylan.

And then what can we expect from the set later?

You can expect new songs from the set. I love to perform all of my new songs and not tell anybody I’m doing it. So yeah, I’m going to be performing new songs and songs off the record. But yeah, songs that are coming off my next record, too!

That’s very cool. I feel like that’s a bit more of a country thing than anything else, as well. I feel like a lot of like rock and pop artists seem a bit more hesitant to play new music that’s not released, as opposed to like, coming here the last few years, everyone’s more than happy to just throw out a song that no one’s really heard of, which is very cool!

I think it’s cool because I’d like to get feedback from the people that are listening to my music. I want to know if they like it, you know? I ask them, I’m like, if you don’t like something, tell me!