More Rock Waiter Please With GAVIN HANSEN From THE POOR

Interview by Kris PetersSince their inception in 1991 US rock outfit Incubus have defied the laws and conventions of music by shading outside the lines and creating their own brand of sonic retribution.Their music was different and experimental, while still maintaining a rock-infused underbelly that provided a meaty backbone that stood tall through a myriad of musical disparities that combined to create the perfect sonic storm.With three consecutive albums that pushed the envelope further than ever before S.C.I.E.N.C.E. (1997), Make Yourself (1999) and Morning View (2001), Incubus and their music quickly gained global attention and transformed what was once a personal odyssey into more of a worldwide phenomenon.Such is the band's enduring legacy, they have re-recorded Morning View and will release it on May 10 with the title Morning View XXIII, but first they are making a long overdue return to Australia for a run of shows with fellow rockers Live this April.As well as five national co-headlining shows with Live, Incubus will also appear at the inaugural Lookout Festival, an outdoor event on some of the country's most iconic stages alongside Live, Birds Of Tokyo, Eskimo Joe and The Superjesus.HEAVY was fortunate enough to speak with Incubus frontman Brandon Boyd on the eve of the tour."I think this is probably the most extensive tour of Australia we will have done," he smiled. "I could be wrong about that, but I don't remember having played… I think it's eight or nine shows by itself, just in Australia. I'm excited."This will be Incubus' first trip to Australia since 2018, so we cheekily ask Boyd why the band has neglected us for so long."(laughs) Something happened in the world sometime after 2019 that made it so travelling was really tough," he replied. "I don't remember exactly what it was, but something happened that kept us off aeroplanes and stuff (laughs). We're sorry it's taken us so long, but we're really excited to make our way back, and we're thrilled to be able to do these shows with the band Live as well."On the subject of Live, we ask why they were chosen to be touring partners with Incubus on this run."This is something that honestly would not have occurred to me," he measured, "to put our bands together to do this. It came through other channels to potentially pair us up to tour, but when we heard about it being a possibility, all of us were very enthusiastic about the idea because Live was one of those bands when I was growing up that just had some bangers. They've got some tracks that are just killer, and I've actually never seen them play live, so it's pretty awesome to go on tour with a band that you enjoy, but you've never had the pleasure of seeing live. So this will be my introduction to them formally."In the full interview we discuss the tour in greater detail, Lookout Festival and playing with Australian bands, what has changed in the 6 years since Incubus last toured Australia, the different excitement he gets from playing outdoor festivals compared to indoor arenas, re-recording Morning View, how well the music from that album has stood the test of time, if and how crowds respond differently to the songs from that album two decades later and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Mar 202414min

Following a recent successful tour of Australia with Northlane, metalcore legends ERRA are now readying for the release of their new album Cure, which is released on April 5.HEAVY spoke with the band just before their Brisbane show at Fortitude Music Hall.VIDEO WAS FILMED LIVE FROM SOUNDCHECK SO SOUND QUALITY MAY FLUCTUATEBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

28 Mar 202422min

Interview by Kris PetersMelbourne metalcore/deathcore/techdeath outfit Roswell DeathSquad have been making waves since the release of their debut album Welcome Home in January this year.Which isn't surprising given the pedigree of musicians within the band's ranks. Featuring past and present members of Festation, Harlott, Carthus, Mistress of Misery and Fear the Fallen, Roswell DeathSquad have not only the hunger to succeed but also the experience, which is an almost forgotten prerequisite for success in the modern age.After playing their first live show back in August last year, Roswell Deathsquad are hoping to convert even more fans on March 30 when they play a belated album launch show at the Workers Club in Melbourne.Vocalist Jarryd Rodger joined HEAVY to talk about the album and more."Pretty good," he replied when we asked how Welcome Home has been received. "A lot of feedback that we have had has been absolutely phenomenal. Whether it be old mate down the street or a few people overseas, everyone has been loving it. It hits the heavy mark, it hits the metalcore mark as well, so it gives everyone a bit of everything rather than getting stale which is what we aim for. It's been received a lot better than we anticipated, especially releasing it randomly at the start of the year. Our Spotify numbers are sitting at 2 to 3000 every month and for a new band that no-one really knows that's good."In the full interview, Jarryd talks more about Welcome Home, what they were going for musically with it, what things they focussed on going into album number one, the themes and points of interest, the members other bands and how much of each they bring to Roswell DeathSquad's sound, their blending of music and how it works, next week's album launch and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Mar 202416min

Interview by Kris PetersCVLTFEST came to Brisbane’s Eaton’s Hill Hotel recently, bringing with it a tornado of hard rock and metal performed by some of this country’s headline bands as well as some that should one day attain that status themselves.But it wasn’t just a celebration of Australian music, with organisers Alpha Wolf assembling a strong volley of international acts from Japan – Crossfaith, Paledusk – New York – Emmure – and France – ten56. It was a coming together of music, cultures and music lovers under one magnificent roof in one afternoon/ evening.Not that HEAVY got to see much of the action unfolding on stage because we were hidden away on the first floor of the hotel, lying in wait for unsuspecting musicians to enter our line of sight so we could strap them to the casting couch and ask a few questions.Today we bring to you our chat with Kynan Groundwater from local band Diamond Construct.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Mar 20247min

Interview by Kris PetersIt's hard to believe any international band could have been around long enough to earn legendary status yet not have toured this country before.Not that Australians feel entitled or big-headed and therefore expect such bands to tour here - quite the opposite. It's more because Australians generally need some form of tangible connection with a band or musician before being able to usher those words of adulation. So basically we need to have some form of sonic ownership, which, I guess, is a little entitled but let's not split hairs shall we?Because the point of this conversation is that legendary US metal/hardcore pioneers Cave In have finally locked in some dates Down Under, coming out with post metal outfit The Ocean and Danish label mates LLRR for a string of shows starting in June.A band considered by many to have been ahead of their time, Cave In were instrumental in introducing metalcore to the masses before exploring a plethora of musical avenues including psychedelic rock infused metal. With the band enjoying renewed success following the addition of Converge bassist Nate Newton to cover the tragic loss of Caleb Schofield in 2018, Cave In released Heavy Pendulum in 2022 which brought together the many and varied musical influences explored over their six previous albums and introduced the band to a fresh legion of fans that continues to grow to this day.HEAVY recently spoke with singer/guitarist Stephen Brodsky about their first ever trip to Australia, starting with why the band has neglected us for so long."That is a great question," he laughed. "It will be my second time over there. Another band that I play in called Old Man Gloom toured there with Converge about 10 years ago, but I do remember in my travels there definitely is some Cave In fans saying when are you gonna bring Cave In over, we've been waiting, and that was ten years ago (laughs). Sometimes it's just… especially with international tours for bands at our level to work out something where we're not just breaking even or eating it is hard. Those offers don't come our way very often, so we were able to work something out for this one, and we're all very stoked on all the logistics and the inner workings of the offer itself. It made sense, so we're finally doing it. The idea just had to marinate a little bit."In the full interview, Stephen talks more about their first tour and what they are expecting, what we can expect from them, coming with The Ocean and LLRR and why the three bands will work well together, the early days of Cave In and where they fit in, how they were ahead of their time, their debut album Until Your Heart Stops and if he is still happy with it, their musical tastes and how each influences the band's music, reforming after the death of Caleb and the difficulties associated with coming back, Heavy Pendulum and the way it covers the back catalogue of Cave In and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Mar 202412min

Interview by Kris PetersExperimental metal outfit Locrian are counting down the days until the release of their new album End Terrain on April 5.Officially endorsed as the proper follow-up to 2015's Infinite Dissolution, End Terrain sees Locrian return to the sounds that defined the earlier part of their music, more experimental and forthright than previous album New Catastrophism while still managing to weave a common thread of musicality that is the band's lifeblood.More complex and layered than ever before, Locrian have struck a powerful balance between metal genres, creating a sonic tapestry of epic proportions that encompasses the band's continued growth.HEAVY recently spoke with André Foisy (electric, 12-string, acoustic guitars), Terence Hannum (synthesizers, vocals, tape loops) and Steven Hess (drums, electronics) recently, reflecting on their evolution as songwriters, their experimentation with different sounds and effects, and their approach to creating new music, emphasizing their experimental and collaborative process. The band members also discussed their influences from genres like death metal and thrash, and how they incorporate these elements into their music to create a cohesive body of work that blends different styles.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

23 Mar 202421min

Interview by Kris PetersOne of the lesser known wonders of the travelling Knotfest music extravaganza is the Knotfest Museum.An extension of the music program, the Knotfest Museum is more than a distraction tacked on as an afterthought. Much more.Everything on display is 100% genuine Slipknot, with the band members offering up personal items to be showcased as well as perfectly curated extras from Slipknot Museum Global Manager Caelin Meredith.In collaboration with the band, Meredith oversees the entire production and assembling of the museum, from shipping the contents out to Australia to attending at Knotfest to make each experience as personal as possible.This year sees the Slipknot Museum celebrate next year's 25th anniversary of Slipknot, with added features such as a dedicated album display, playable instruments and much more.Meredith joined HEAVY this morning to explore the many wonders of the Slipknot Museum."Basically, for Knotfest I bring the museum, and it's the band's representation at the festival," she began. "This year we're bringing a 25-year retrospective, so we're starting from Iowa in 1999, and you will basically walk the album cycles from their beginning to now. And we've pulled key pieces that represent each of the albums, so whether it's wardrobe, or whether it's musical instruments… the fans will also have the opportunity to play some of the instruments. So Mick's guitar, Jim's guitar, V-Man's bass and all the settings are on the quad quartex to their specifications, so as you're playing you're gonna hear it how V-Man plays it. We're bringing some rad art from Clown and some secret surprises, so it's for the Slipknot fan, but it's also for the Knotfest fan. It's to celebrate their 25-year anniversary, so it's a really big deal, and I'm excited to bring it back to Australia."In the full interview, Caelin talks more about the Knotfest Museum, what to expect, more of the wonders contained within, some of the rarities, the interactive aspects, Slipknot's 25th anniversary and more.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

16 Mar 202413min

Interview by Kris PetersOn the eve of their Australian tour, Infectious Grooves pulled one final punch when they announced former Slipknot drummer Jay Weinberg into a band that already includes Mike Muir, Dean Pleasants (Suicidal Tendencies) and Rob Trujillo (Metallica).Not that Infectious Grooves rest their musical output on the pedigree of musicians from popular bands. They never have. But adding one more name to the list definitely doesn't hurt.HEAVY sat down for a chat with Weinberg who expressed his excitement about the upcoming tour with Infectious Grooves in Australia and the unique opportunity to work with his musical heroes. He discussed the challenges of balancing the mission of making rock music with the opportunity to take in the culture and life of Australia. Weinberg also discussed his experience and mindset in joining Infectious Grooves, highlighting the excitement and challenges of transitioning from his previous heavy and fast style with Slipknot to the funk and groove-oriented music of Infectious Grooves.Weinberg also provided a detailed account of his recovery from hip surgery, emphasizing his determination to return to normalcy. He discussed the injury sustained from years of running, the impact on his hip, and the decision to undergo surgery. Weinberg expressed gratitude for the support he received, including the encouragement from the Muir family.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/heavy-music-interviews--2687660/support.

15 Mar 202427min