We want to learn about today’s Band of the Day, but immediately forget everything about Vlad. It’ll make sense shortly…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Tobie: We are from all over the place, two of us are northern, we have a southerner, a chap who’s lived for years in the Middle East and Vlad, who has I think four passports? Is that right Vlad?
Vlad: I can’t disclose that information ‘cause they will Brexit the shit out of me.
Dave: I live in Somerset but I haven’t told Vlad yet…
How did you meet?
Tobie: Myself and Dave have known each other since we were teenagers and went to college together, and Vlad and Dave have been pals for years, the rest of us all met in Brighton whilst starting Small Pond.
Vlad: I slept on Dave´s floor in Leeds after a show, I tried to buy us some cans but my card bounced. A couple of years later we started a label, studio and a band. Not sure what the moral of that story was…
Dave: Offer to pick up the tab and you might start a business together…
How long have you been playing as a band?
Dave: Tobie and I started writing tunes together in 2012 and then we properly became a band in 2015 when Vlad joined. Since then the three of us have outlasted the spinal tap curse.
Vlad: Do you measure this in time or band members? In the process of turning this project into a band we went through four drummers, three guitarists, and countless attempts to get the formula right – it’s pretty new since we got it right.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Dave: The name actually came from our old friend Ed Spear, we used to live in an old run-down house near The Brudenell in Leeds circa 2008. In the basement we had a practice room and we’d jam out a bunch of tunes together. One night we were watching some old school films from the 50s and the credits at the end always mention ‘Filmed Intechnicolor’ – Ed clocked it and that was that!
What are your influences?
Tobie: Our influences as a band are really far ranging, we have the common interest bands we all love like Deftones and Queens of The Stone Age, then we have individual influences ranging from death metal and grindcore to Americana and Country and Western, and ending with Hall and Oates!
Vlad: What Tobie said plus cheap hash and lager beers. I often find myself writing riffs under those influences…
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Tobie: We are a band who care about our sound, sonically, lyrically, structurally, nothing is half-arsed, we just want to write and perform huge riffs at high volumes with catchy choruses! In a world of mumble rap and over-compressed digital metal music, that feels like a good enough USP.
Vlad: I don’t remember off the top of my head, but Grandma said we definitely were, so lemme double check with her and hit you guys back up asap.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Tobie: Mental health is really important to me. I have lost a disproportionate number of friends and acquaintances from my hometown for it not to play a big part in my daily thought patterns. I was also a confirmed insomniac for a number of years in my early twenties, so sleep is a big lyrical theme of mine.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Tobie: It’s loud, it’s fun, there is always lots of hair being flung around…
Vlad: Not sure how many, but it’s the kind of show when you nod your head to a heavy riff slightly too much and spill some of your pint on your sneakers, but don’t care ‘cause it’s a good time, ya know?
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Tobie: Well, I just played a show in Southampton where I got a bit carried away during our closing song, Gallon Man, and after a round of windmilling, stomped my foot down onto a cable and broke my own heel. Luckily it was on the very last breakdown so I clung onto the kick drum for dear life and then hopped off the front of the stage and dragged myself to the green room…
Vlad: Not broken anything.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Tobie: I personally have had too many bad experiences with ‘in house’ sound engineers, I’m not bad mouthing any of those hard working folk, but they don’t necessarily know how to treat my vocal, so I use a TC Helicon PerformV effects unit and apply all my own delays and reverbs myself from the stage. It just avoids a local engineer accidentally making me sound like I’m in a cathedral when actually I’m in a basement under a pub.
Vlad: Lee from Ashdown sorted me a dreamy rig on a shoestring budget, British Airways paid for my Fender bass, and my girlfriend bought me some pedals. Sorted.
Dave: I have an old red guitar with “Gibson” written at the top and I borrowed a tuner pedal from my mate. Amp wise I have an old Soundcity cab which, if you turn the bass/middle/treble up to full, rattles and sounds fantastic.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
Tobie: Big Sleeper, dude! Our new album which came out about a week ago! Go buy a copy from Big Scary Monsters’ online store or download from our Bandcamp! We have Ltd Edition Orange vinyl, but you’ll have to be fast as they are going quickly!
Dave: We’re playing 2000trees as well, big riffs in the sun!
Upcoming live dates:
- 26.03.2020 – Worthing, Bar 42 (w/ Operation Kino)
- 27.03.2020 – Tunbridge Wells, Forum Basement (w/ Operation Kino)
- 28.03.2020 – Hastings, Crawley’s (w/ Operation Kino)
- 23.04.2020 – Cheltenham, Frog And Fiddle (w/ Operation Kino)
