The Boss is stuck in a cottage in the middle of nowhere this week, but we made sure we had some quality posts lined up before he vanished into parts of the world where carrier pigeons are viewed as dangerously futuristic technology. Wrap your reading and listening gear around today’s Headline Act as one example…
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
What up, Moshville! We are Modern Evils, from the dark depths of Swindon Town, UK. A small town slapped between Bristol and London.
How did you meet?
Aaron (vocalist) and Sam (guitarist) go back the furthest, with both being part of the Army Cadets. Aaron and Meg (drummer) met when they were 18 in a Swindon nightclub (not what you’re thinking). Sam went to school with Joe’s (guitar and vocals) younger sister. Meg, Sam, and Toby (bass) have all known each other for around 6 years through the Swindon music scene. Aaron and Joe met working at a call centre, where Joe worked in IT and Aaron sold travel insurance. The rest is history!
How long have you been playing as a band?
We assembled in April ’21, originating as a tasty 3 piece showcasing Joe Palmer on guitar and vocals, Meg Truscott on drums and Aaron Steel on vocals. We quickly realised we needed to expand and add extra sauce, so we grabbed Toby Pollitt on bass and Sam Rose on guitar.
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Modern Evils’ name was formed as a response to the negativity people express towards any sort of ‘liberal’ movement which they perceive as ‘evil’, such as gay rights, freedom of speech, drag and so on. We are a collection of those ‘evils’, and proudly so.
What are your influences?
Musically, we could go on forever. Idles, System of a Down, Biffy Clyro, Basement, Title Fight, Turnstile, Limp Bizkit, Touché Amoré, Strange Bones, Calva Louise, The GazettE, Britney Spears, to name a few. Describe your music.
What makes you unique?
We genuinely have no idea how to describe our music, that’s what makes us unique. As a band, we’ve always been known to never stick to one genre. All of us have different backgrounds, tastes, and influences, so each song tends to shine a spotlight on a different members taste and personality. We love whacky tempo changes, sounds of insanity and anything that hasn’t really been tried before and we hope you love it!
Do you have any lyrical themes?
We mostly stick to real life situations and experiences we’ve been a part of. We feel like we’ve created a style of rhythmic storytelling which aims to relate to audiences of a variety of backgrounds (It’s a real emotional rollercoaster). After all, we all grew up on this tiny island and we like to highlight and celebrate that.
If you like what we do, consider joining us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
They’re usually wild! We always try to get the crowd involved as much as possible, which we love. It’s loud and aggressive but gives people a safe and fun place to go crazy without judgement (especially since we’re just as involved in the craziness as they are).
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Quite a few things. At our latest show, Joe, and Sam both laid on the floor in the middle of a wall of death, with Sam playing in the fetal position. Toby has played in nothing but his boxers. If Aaron’s not on stage he’s normally somewhere in the pit. We also covered ‘Look at my horse’ in the bridge of one of our songs, if you know you know.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Aaron: Whatever mic the venue provides! Mine was stolen from my car. Ha. Meg: Tama kit, symbols are Sabian and Meinyl. Toby: Dingwall NG3 5 string, Darkglass B7k preamp pedal. Joe: Fender Strat, Orange amplification, a Boss DS-1, and Cirris pedals. Sam: squier j mascis jazzmaster / fender mustang, ran through my pedal board into an orange micro terror head that’s plugged into a compact Marshall 4×12 dubbed ‘the marsh’.
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting now?
Our new single Big Decline, of course! Big Decline takes listeners on a journey into the perspective of Aaron and his experiences of becoming a young adult in the dreary town of Swindon. His story is likely to be shared by many other Swindon youths and tells a tale of fearlessness and downfall. Surrounded by gang crime, drugs, and despair, many find themselves stuck in an eternal loop of self-destruction which leads to the town continuing its Big Decline, dragging everyone else down with it.
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
We have a few shows booked, but we’re not focusing on getting the gigs flying, just making sure we’re enjoying what we do! We’re stoked to be touring with our good friends Phantom Droid in September, starting out here in Swindon and then branching out to Wales and Southwest England. We also plan on writing and recording as much as humanly possible to spread the Modern Evils sound!
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!
Love this question! Headliner must be Turnstile. That would be insane! Our mates Viduals. Also, incredible and you should listen to them.
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If you want to check out more new music, then fire up our Headline Act playlists on Spotify and YouTube!
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