The End Of An Era With SIMON & RASHID From MASSIC

Interview by Kris PetersMinds End have always been a fan favourite amongst anyone that has been a part of their musical journey over the last five years or so.They are the quintessential Australian underdog, toughing it out from a more remote region of New South Wales and making an almighty splash every time they have ventured into the larger areas to ply their trade.With a new member, new single and upcoming appearance at The Other Festival on January 28, drummer Simon Benham sat down with HEAVY to bring us up to speed."To be on the list again is a real honour," he smiled. "We're proud to get that spot so we won't be taking any short cuts with it."Once again headlined by COG and Osaka Punch, The Other Festival also features a collection of current and rising stars in the local scene including The Wrath, The Stranger, Mass Sky Raid and more. We press Benham on which acts he is most looking forward to sharing the stage with and his response was typical of the working ethos of Minds End."All of them," he enthused. "In my opinion in the line-up everyone has the potential to be a headlining act. Rhino we have played with before. They're a great bunch of lads and there's some new bands we will be playing with that we're looking forward to meeting and seeing how well it all mixes together."In the full interview, Simon discusses what something like this means to Minds End, what they take out of the experience, what to expect from their set, their upcoming new song, future music plans, their new guitarist, entering a new phase of music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Jan 20238min

Interview by Kris PetersGold Coast rock/punk outfit The Wrath have been on a rollercoaster ride since the release of their track Wrong Side in August of last year.The band completed a residency late last year at Movie World World Fright Nights, opening their music up to a whole new fan base, and were then announced on the bill for The Other Festival which is set for The Tivoli in Brisbane on January 28.The Other Festival is headlined by COG and Osaka Punch, with a host of local bands including The Wrath, Minds End, Rhino, The Stranger, Mass Sky Raid and plenty more ready to blow the roof off one of Brisbane's most iconic music venues.HEAVY caught up with vocalist Tommy Creeper to chat about the show and more."It's a bit of a mixed bill with all sorts of different things on there," he pointed out, "so we're looking forward to it."With a line-up consisting of progressive metal through to all out aggression, The Other Festival definitely caters to a large cross section of music lovers, with Creeper nodding in agreement."I always believe a mixed bill is for the better," he agreed. "It just makes for a better day, a better gig, and brings more people out."When asked what playing at a festival like this means to The Wrath the smile on Creepers face widens."It means that... it's great to be playing with some of those bands," he beamed. "I guess it makes us feel like we're doing the right thing and doing well to have people ask us to play alongside bands like that. We've never played at The Tivoli before after all these years and we're pretty excited about that."In the full interview, Tommy talks about the response to Wrong Side, if it's part of a bigger album picture, the band's 20th anniversary this year, the early days of The Wrath and their initial vision, changing with the times and trends of music, the many genres that go into The Wrath's music and how they come together, the residency at Movie World and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Jan 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersGlam Fest 2023 is less than seven sleeps away.The festival, making its Australian debut, features some of the best and most influential glam/rock/hard rock bands of the last three decades and is spearheaded by Faster Pussycat, Wednesday 13, Enuff Z Nuff, Eclipse, Pretty Boy Floyd and Tuff.Originating in 1985, Tuff are one of the original Sunset Strip bands out of L.A, playing in and around the same time as legends of the Strip including Motley Crue and Guns N Roses.Despite not reaching quite the same heights as those two bands the importance of Tuff on the metal scene cannot be understated, with frontman Stevie Rachelle joining HEAVY recently to chat about the band and their appearance at Glam Fest 2023."It will be my second time coming to Australia," he offered. "I previously played Melbourne and Sydney but are thrilled to add Brisbane and Adelaide to the itinerary. Soon we will be landing in Brisbane and then it's off to the races for all of us."Talk turns to the diversity of the lineup, with Rachelle admitting to having toured and played with most of the bands in the past."I've known Steve from Pretty Boy Floyd and his band since day one," he smiled, "since before their first gig we were all hanging out on the Sunset Strip. Same applies for Taime and Faster Pussycat. I moved to L.A in June of 1987 and joined Tuff a couple of weeks later. Faster Pussycat was already a band and had been signed, but I don't think their record had come out yet and then Enuff Z Nuff came out in 1989 and when they were on tour and played Southern California Tuff did open up for them a couple of times during their debut tour. I have known Chip since the beginning, or at least until their record came out."In the full interview, Stevie talks more about the run of shows, what to expect from Tuff, the tour schedule which sees each band play four shows in four days, the original Sunset Strip and some of his memories of it, the early days of Tuff, his joining of the band after two years and what he brought to the existing sound, the changing world of music and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Jan 202324min

Interview by Kris PetersSwedish rock outfit Eclipse are just one of a myriad of international rock/sleaze/glam metal bands about to descend on Australian shores for Glam Fest 2023.Eclipse will be hitting the stage in Brisbane at The Zoo on January 25 alongside Faster Pussycat, Enuff Z Nuff, Wednesday 13, Tuff and Pretty Boy Floyd plus local supports before travelling through Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide for a run of shows highlighting the best purveyors of rock music the world has seen over the last three decades.After the massive worldwide appeal of their most recent album Wired in 2021, Eclipse are riding a renewed wave of success, with frontman Erik Mattensson joining HEAVY to chat about the tour."I haven't seen any of those bands live," he almost apologised when asked about the rest of the lineup. "I've seen so many bands throughout the years and we have played so many festivals but we have never played the same festivals as these guys, so it's going to be the first time for every band for me. I've never even met anyone! Usually all bands know each other because they always meet at festivals and chat back stage, but none of these guys we have met before so it's gonna be super exciting. It's fun that it's Glam Fest as well, because we don't consider ourselves glam. Have a look at me. I'm not glam at all (laughs). That's gonna be exciting too."In the full interview we talk more on the diversity of the lineup and how important that is in a festival such as this, what Eclipse has in store for Australian fans, how much time goes into their live set, the reception to Wired, the early days of Eclipse and where they fit in, his early vision for the band and how it has changed since and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

19 Jan 202310min

Interview by Kris PetersAussie prog rock legends COG don't just spend their time promoting their own music, they also give back to the Australian music scene by regularly taking local bands with them on the road, and now helping run their own music festival to help highlight some of this countries hardest working and quickest rising outfits.The Other Festival is set down for January 28 at The Tivoli in Brisbane, with COG being joined by Osaka Punch, The Stranger, Bare Bones, The Wrath, Rhino, Mass Sky Raid, Minds End and more in a one day extravaganza that made its debut in 2021.COG drummer Lucius Borich joined HEAVY earlier this week to chat about The Other Festival and... whatever else he felt like really."We're very pumped," he enthused. "Getting the fuel in the tank, getting the cogs all greased up, getting rid of the cogwebs..."COG have never been a band to over-saturate the market with singles and/or live shows, and as such don't necessarily get the chance to be match fit so to speak when it comes to performing."We just did that bunch of five shows with Karnivool on the Monolith Festival," he said, "and went to all of the different states of Australia and we hadn't played - because of COVID and all that stuff - we hadn't played for almost two years. That was a real adjustment. All of a sudden BOOM, you're up in front of 3000, 4000 people, whatever it was, and it was somewhat intimidating. I think we did well, but to try and get in that frame of mind and that environment and feel comfortable after two years of not playing was definitely a challenge, that's for sure. I think we pulled it off and we've got a bit of that still remaining in the tank from doing those shows which was only about four months ago. It definitely requires you to be playing quite a lot to feel confident and comfortable but we just don't seem to have that luxury to some degree. Just given the circumstances of everyone's lives and where we're at in our career but we try to rehearse and get things dialled in and then just get up there and do what we need to do. But to be a well fitted out, oiled up outfit you do need to have regular gigs and it does make it harder when you don't, so it's challenging - which is good in some respects. You could say it adds a lot more dynamic to the performance because you're not playing all the time or jaded. So there's a little bit of that double edged sword there. It's kind of one of those situations."In the full interview, Lucius talks more about The Other Festival and what to expect, the other bands on the line-up, what sort of criteria is used to select bands on a festival bill, moving from Fortitude Music Hall to The Tivoli, current writing progress and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Jan 202314min

Interview by Kris PetersThe music industry is very much about reward for effort.No matter how good your music is, if you don't put it out there and have it heard by as many ears as possible then the likelihood of your band progressing up the universal ladder reduce significantly.But even that is more of a prerequisite to the possibility of success. Nothing is a given.Not by a long shot.Norwegian rock outfit Wig Wam are classic examples of this, with one of their songs, Do Ya Wanna Taste It, being chosen as the theme song for HBO television series Peacemaker last year and in the process turning the band effectively into overnight sensations.Overnight to some, but definitely not for the band themselves who have been spreading the voice of rock since 2001. Sure, as many bands, they have had their ups and downs, but, as vocalist Age Sten Nilsen explains in the interview below, Wig Wam have always had at least one eye on the prize and made sure individually and collectively that they were giving themselves the best opportunity to be in the position they currently find themselves in.Nilsen sat down with HEAVY to discuss this months first ever tour of Australia and plenty more."There are places we haven't played," he laughed when quizzed about neglecting Australia for so long. "We have played Japan several times, but never Australia. Never New Zealand. Never America, actually. We only focussed on Europe and Japan and then we broke up so when we got back together it was like one part of the deal that we made was to go out and do places we haven't played before, so here we go!"We press Age on what the band are expecting from Australian crowds and if the band has done their homework but he just shook his head."I like being surprised," he laughed. "I know a couple of Aussies and I find you people... you're not too far away from the Norwegian people. We're pretty much the same kind of people. In Japan it's a different thing. They have their special things with the shows. They'll be totally crazy and then suddenly they will go very quiet. They have this very... different style of behaviour - in a cool manner. In Australia I reckon you guys are just like in Norway. A little bit stiff sometimes but then you have a couple of beers... (laughs)."In the full interview Age talks more about the run of shows, Wig Wams new album Out Of The Dark which will be released February 10, the success of do Ya Wanna Taste it and how it has changed things for the band, how the song was chosen to be the theme song for Peacemaker, the early days of the band, early fake cover stories perpetuated by the band themselves and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Jan 202317min

Interview by Kris PetersBoston metal outfit Unearth return to Australia for the first time in over eight years next week for a run of shows in support of their new album which will be out this May.After having to postpone due to COVID in 2020, Unearth finally get to deliver on their promise to be back with a series of headline and festival shows starting in Adelaide on January 20.They will be supported by The Ascended and Complexant in Adelaide, Canberra and Newcastle as well as headlining the borderline Destruction festival with those same two bands plus King Parrot and local supports in Brisbane (Jan 21), Sydney (Jan 27) and Melbourne (Jan 28).Vocalist Trevor Phipps joined HEAVY earlier today to discuss the shows and new music."We were scheduled for May 2020," he began, "and it couldn't happen for obvious reasons. Matt (The Ascended) stuck with us the whole time. Every three or four months during the pandemic he would reach out to us, saying that he wanted to keep the tour going, and sure enough here we are ready to come back. So he's a true legend for seeing this thing through and we're very excited to be coming back. This will be our eighth time. We front loaded it with a bunch of tours early in our career and haven't been back since 2015."In the full interview Trevor talks more about the tour and what to expect, the festival shows with King Parrot, the new album including the exclusive release of its title, playing new music at the Australian shows, the early days of the band and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

14 Jan 202310min

Interview by Kris PetersMelbourne rock outfit Torrential Thrill have always conveyed the sound and image of life.While undoubtedly deep in terms of lyrics, the band has never proclaimed to have an agenda despite the fact their subject matter has roots in events that affect each and every one of us on a daily basis.After teasing their potential with two previous albums, Torrential Thrill have taken their first major steps on the road to the holy rock kingdom by going all out on album number three in terms of EVERYTHING.Cited as the band's "most prolific and ambitious album yet", Torrential Thrill's new album, State Of Disaster - which is due out on April 1 - is an opus more than five years in the making and one which promises greater production, greater songs and more substance.They will launch new single High Society on January 30, a song which reflects the bands new found outlook and paves the way for a collection of tracks that looks set to introduce the Melbourne rockers to a much larger demographic.Guitarist Steven Morrell sat down with HEAVY to go into more details."We haven't really strayed too far away from the ethos that the band has always gone with," he offered when asked about the musical direction of State Of Disaster. "And that is... TT is kind of a blue collar working class band. A lot of the context of our songs are around hardship, corruption, the relentless pursuit of power, but also loss as well. It's not all dark, there is light in there as well. There's plenty of up-beat, happy songs celebrating the good times as well, but when we started this thing we were never gonna be one of those bands who sing about drinks, chicks and rock and roll all night. We've always wanted to have something that had a little more substance. This band was never geared to be a roll of the dice to be the next main thing coming out of Vegas. It was always going to be an on the ground, local, working class band that hopefully connects with a couple of punters from more of a realistic point of view. This album's pretty much the same. The album is called State Of Disaster, and I don't know if you remember when we were going through the lockdowns we had a State Of Emergency and a State Of Disaster and the politicians had a catch phrase for everything to describe the next thing that we were going through. It's not a political album. It's not having a crack at COVID, or having a crack at anybody about that. It's a reflection on where we are in the world and where the world is at."In the full interview, Steven talks more about the make-up of State Of Disaster, why it took so long to get out, how it is an improvement on previous albums, the next single High Society, its awesome film clip, touring plans and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

12 Jan 202318min