From the home of My Dying Bride and Paradise Lost, add newcomers Stand Alone! Questions answered by guitarist/vocalist Gavin, updating our chat from the end of 2018…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Halifax, West Yorkshire.
How did you meet?
We met through mutual friends on the local music scene and then our Bass player Alex we met through playing with his other band so he joined to form the current version of Stand Alone.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Nearly 7 years.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Unbelievably it came from a very daft discussion at one of our first gigs before we even had a name. We were pointing at random objects and eventually saw a speaker stand. That then developed into Stand Alone and we have made it mean something since then.
What are your influences?
We are all really different so this is always a hard one to answer. It can range from anything like Biffy Clyro to Black Peaks to The Beatles. We tend to like heavy riffs with really melodic vocals and harmonies.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Our music is heavy and can have moments of odd time signatures and crazy sections but always with a sense of strong melody and hooks. We are very about the song. We want to have good songs and memorable singalong sections but also be able to challenge ourselves as musicians. This is something I think we are currently doing.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
I guess you would say the main ones are talking about personal feelings and life lessons. It’s always good to be emotional in your music I think. We are very much about looking forward once you have expressed how you were feeling at the time. There’s always a positive even if it doesn’t always seem that way.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Our live show is energetic. It’s in your face. I think we stand out when we play live. It’s what we have always done. The songs speak for themselves and we have a blast doing it.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
When we play I guess we aren’t always thinking about that. We are just intending to make everyone have as much fun as possible. I did once have to wrestle with a wasp attacking my mic at a festival once, maybe not wild but it was intense! It was intent on not letting me sing the next tune!
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
- Tom (Drums) uses Tama, Vater and Sabian
- Alex (Bass) uses Dingwall combustion 5 and Gallien Krueger MB410
- I play PRS guitars and currently play through an orange rocker 30.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
We are just about to release our new single “Watch You Burn”. That will be out on April 10th. We are always trying to get the band name out there and are very grateful to people like you for spreading the word!
What are your plans for 2020?
Jump on some support slots to open us up to a new audience around the UK. We are currently working on a new batch of songs that will become our debut album later this year.
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? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
I’d love to support Black Peaks. I’ve loved both their albums and they put on a killer live show! Our bass player Alex’s prog band could open, he can do double duty! They are called Scarlett Castles.
Header image by Mark Ellis of shootthegroove.com
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