From the wilds of deepest, darkest Staffordshire – a landlocked county – we have the therefore oddly-named Black Coast…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Hello folks, we are from Stoke-On-Trent, Staffordshire.
How did you meet?
Well, Joe, Jack, Matty and Chaz was in a previous band called Bet It All and Scott was in a band called Dead City Souls. Bet It All disbanded around 2015 but Joe and Matty carried on jamming together. Then Scott left his band and spoke to Joe about starting a heavier band. So joe, Matty and Scott started writing. Then Jack came back and slotted into the band on bass. Chaz was in a band, but they weren’t really doing anything, so he came for a practice with us and that was it, Black Coast was born.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Since 2016.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
It was actually an ex-member of another band who came up with the name, and then when it wasn’t used Joe said “why don’t we use Black Coast?” and we just said, “yeah that’s a well good name” and that was that.
What are your influences?
It’s kinda hard to say, each member has different tastes in music, but for us as a whole it’s probably Pantera, Rage Against The Machine, Limp Bizkit, Ocean Grove, Deftones, Metallica, Stray From The Path and Landscapes.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
I would say it’s groovy melodic hardcore. We try not to be the same as other hardcore bands. We try to experiment more with melody ideas, groovy riffs and different time signatures. We want that heavy stomp but with them big melodies. Joe and Scott are really great riff writers. They come up with some crazy things between them.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
This is Chaz’s part. He has a mind full of lyrics. A lot of our lyrics are based on stuff that’s gone on in our lives: depression, family situations, anxiety and day to day stuff that can get you down. And the odd song about the music industry.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Our live shows are just us having a good time. We don’t synchronise stuff or have a set planned, we just get on stage and what happens, happens. Each member does their own thing, but we do always make sure the crowd enjoy it. Erm… a fair few, probably not as many as Metallica, but the highlights were supporting Stray From The Path and also doing a Japanese tour with our Japanese brothers F.P.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Chaz putting his foot through a dry wall during “Ill Minds” and getting it stuck, then Jack having to pull it out.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Both Joe and Scott are endorsed by Blackstar amps and pedals so they are using them, they’re really great amps. Guitar-wise Joe uses Gibson les Paul loaded with EMG’s and Scott uses a Fender Telecaster loaded with EMGs. Jack uses an Orange bass amp and cab With Tech21 pedals and a Fender Jazz bass. We are endorsed by Ernieball strings as well, so we are all rocking them. Matty uses DW drums with Dream cymbals and he is endorsed by Low Cabo’s sticks so he rocks them. Chaz drinks Budweiser.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We are currently plugging our new release Ill Minds Vol.II which we are extremely proud of. This release has been a long time in the making and we had a lot of fun writing and recording these songs, we feel this reflects in the raw power and energy on the record. We also have some really cool stuff happening over the next few months, so if you wanna keep an eye on what’s coming up be sure to check our social media platforms blackcoastuk for any updates.
What are your plans for 2019?
These are the plans. Release Ill Minds Vol.II then tour relentlessly. Then start recording our debut album as well at some point.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be supporting and which band would you choose to open for you?
Easy, Pantera headline and Ocean Grove to open.
A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
Gonna plug some mates now. These guys are all mint bands and great lads! Grains, Cove, wars, The Temple, 99% Cobra, Devil Sold His Soul, F.P., Pale Dusk, Griever, Bad Sign, Chapter and Verse, Moralslip, Death Remains, Overthrone, Sharkteeth Grinder, MSRY and a massive shout-out to our roadie Sam Ogden.
Black Coast: official | facebook | twitter | instagram
