As ever, we’re going to try and cover every single Jäger, New Blood and SOPHIE stage band before Bloodstock kicks off on August 9th. Your chance to check them out and start planning which bands to get there early for!
Trust us when we tell you that this is bound to result in some frustrating clashes because, as ever, there are some great bands on these three stages.
Our thanks to all the bands for taking the time out to answer our questions!
A Forest Of Stars – Sophie Lancaster Stage, Saturday
Questions answered by: The Gentleman
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
The deepest, darkest depths of Yorkshire; where the rolling mist of the moor meets the acrid smokestacks from the mill. Just around the corner from there, a little off the path, among the weeds, you’ll find us.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
As it happens, this year is our tenth anniversary. So at least that long, probably longer? Certainly not less than that. It’s very handy to finally be granted a decimal marker to aid recall in these matters, I have to admit.
Where does the name of the band come from?
Once, long ago, I had a little book I kept with me at all times, full of scribblings, doodles, observations, that sort of thing. Quite, quite tedious. Anyway, when we were looking for a name, Curse was idly perusing the aforementioned book, and plucked the phrase out from among the dregs; it’s as simple as that. We probably should have given it more thought, but we didn’t really expect it to go anywhere or do anything. Oops.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
We would never, ever, ever, claim to be unique – we just absorb a lot of influences and regurgitate them into something vaguely unpalatable. The sum of our absorption being lesser than the whole (hole?) I suppose… We’re black metal at heart, but with a lot of space/psychedelia, folk and various other bits as and when we wish. Musical magpies, only considerably less charming. I think my favourite description (by Kettleburner) is: “Post Good”.
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
We usually have a lot of smoke, lights and mirrors, plus a projection screen with unique animations tailored to the show. But that doesn’t really work in a tent in the middle of the day at the height of summer in a heatwave, so I guess we’ll just have to pull up our trousers and actually work hard for a change to make the music sound passable. If people are more interested in seeing a band on a different stage instead, that’s fine by us, we won’t hold it against you, we promise.
Have you played Bloodstock before? If so, when?
This will be our first time, though some of the band have been regularly coming to the festival since its inception. Not sure if that counts in some way – several band members going numerous times over multiple years might add up to the equivalent of One Band Playing? Probably not.
How/when did you find out that you’d be playing the SOPHIE stage?
That’s an oddly specific question! Boring answer: when our booker sent through the details. Exciting answer: A mythical Pegasus-like creature descended from the sky with the words SOPHIE STAGE carved onto a replica (at least I assume it was a replica) of Excalibur set elegantly betwixt its teeth and delivered it to me on my doorstep. I nearly spilt my tea when that happened, but well, being British, priorities were retained and the tea (you’ll be glad to know) was saved.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
I confidently predict it will be barely a few minutes short of the amount of time we’ve been allotted, and we’ll play some songs from our previous albums. In truth, we haven’t even thought far ahead yet! Some new-ish stuff and some old-ish stuff will most likely be the order of the day. All the hit(s).
Which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
Emperor, and they’re on a different day so it won’t clash unless something goes very, very wrong. Which, as I’m not able to attend the Friday, means it has. Grr.
What are you working on at the moment?
Our new album is coming out later this year, so we’re hard at work on everything to do with that, while simultaneously swashbuckling those dastardly deadlines. The process is like a glacier -unstoppable, monolithic and crushes you under its weight without even noticing you’re there…
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
It depends on the definition of “wild”. I mean, sadly, we don’t tend to spot many live animals from the stage; there might have been a crocodile wrestling a lioness over a gnu one time. That was pretty wild – in every sense – save the fact that no one else seemed to notice it. I really should stop inhaling the smoke machine fluid.
Jager, Hobgoblin Ale, Red Bull, Kingstone Press Cider, Kaltenberg Beer or Bulleit Bourbon? And, yes, we’ll be counting all the votes!
I have to pick one of the above? Well, Hobgoblin it is then. I wouldn’t touch any of the others with a ten-foot pole, so that will have to win by default. But, I’d prefer something far paler if it was offered. Or tea. Tea is always good.
