The UK is vibrant with young and up and coming bands that are still being unheard by the general metal fan. Some of these bands deserve recognition for trying something different and having the ability to write songs that get you off your arse in your bedroom/venue or club and have a good mosh. One such band is four-piece Spidervayne from East Anglia who like to infuse groove into their songs and have hit the scene with a bang. They are creating a vibe much further afield than Essex and I suspect Spidervayne may be in the process of making waves further afield. The band were all too happy to answer my questions and inform us all about what lies ahead for the band in 2019.
Where are you from?
We are based in Essex and Suffolk… Harwich and Ipswich to be precise.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Erm… About a year and a bit (I think).
Describe your music, what makes you unique?
It’s hard put our music into a sub genre, which was actually our intention. We’ve got such a wide variety of influences in the band and that really shows in the sound! We usually say our sound is a grunge infused hard rock sound with metal elements ya know.
Spidervayne released their second single this month. How does it feel to put in all your blood, sweat and tears and get your music out?
Yeah it feels pretty good man, it’s been a rough few years for me personally what with losing my mother to cancer and having a lot of personal struggles and battles to contend with. It feels kind of therapeutic I guess… Seeing as my emotions and our lyrics/music are heavily intertwined so it can be a curse and blessing at the same time. It’s a very welcome and unexpected productive release/outcome to an immensely sad experience.
Although the singles were released quite close together, do you think you have found the sound you want for the band or will you keep experimenting?
This is a tricky question as the two tracks we have recorded/released we love and believe in. But we will always be searching for our ‘sound’ as it’s an unreachable horizon. We are hungry as fuck and will always be grinding to craft better songs. Our first year together was such a whirlwind, that it is only since the new year that we have had time to think and reflect upon our songs. Subsequently we are in the process of trimming the musical fat and really trying to seize control of the direction of this next part of our journey as a band. We will no longer accept anything less than a banger.
A wee birdie tells me that there may be a debut EP release this year. Where will it be recorded and where will it be mastered? Are you using the same team or trying something different with this EP?
That wee birdie is certainly correct! We have plans to release the EP later on this year (no exact release date currently set). We’ll be using the same studio and same engineer that we’ve used on our two previous singles, and that is Mr Tom Donovan based in Colchester. He is very easy to work with and just makes the whole recording process as painless as possible!
Recently you have become very active on the live front. What should we expect from a Spidervayne live show?
Promoters and other bands seem to want to book us, which is definitely a good sign! It’s hard to pull off anything big at this level, such as pyro, etc. What we can promise is that you’d have a great time and go away from the show with a big grin. We practice tirelessly to make sure our ‘live sound’ reflects our ‘studio sound’. You can also expect lots of big riffs to bang your head to and lots of crowd participation.
What are the lyrical themes behind the new single? Is there a main lyricist within the band?
Well I’ve always just delved into my own head and soul and just plucked shit out that seemed to bode well with the themes and vibes the music presented. I tend to be the “main lyricist” purely for my enthusiasm towards poetry and the love of expressing myself in whatever negative or productive light the inspiration/creativity takes me. I am fascinated with the likes of Kahlil Gibran and Jim Morrison mainly. George Orwell pops up a lot… Yeah so basically total self expression is our bag, we all have the opportunity to fulfil that thirst which is cool. The new single is Navajo themed. The Skinwalker is considered a witch in Navajo folk law. He is considered to be a malevolent entity whom is born of fury and doth possess the art of shape -shifting into both man and animal… with the intent to destroy. The native Indians are said to fear the subject/creature to the point of avoidance in fear of a malevolent conjuring.
How often is the band able to get together and rehearse in the studio? Where do you get together to record?
We get together up to 3 times a week, so 1 of those days will be a full ‘live’ rehearsal where we’ll practice the live set and stage performance in full. The other 2 days will be used as writing and vocal practice where we’ll sit down with acoustic guitars and practice vocal harmonies etc. We use a cool place in Colchester called Pioneer studios for all our practice needs.
How are the songs constructed in the studio? Are there the main songwriters of songs that take care of everything or is Spidervayne a band where all members contribute to the songs?
Well normally I bring the foundations of songs to the guys and pitch ’em the ideas I’ve constructed. I’ve always been a songwriter so it comes very natural to me. I always make sure I take the skeleton of the song to the lads to ensure their parts are always open to be written/rewritten or changed. It’s a very open process with all members firing on all cylinders solidifying an impacting unit. We’re a family of emotion and artistry, every day is a new canvas for us.
Being a 4-piece and having different influences in the band, is there sometimes a lot of negotiating in the studio or do you feel you’re writing the music you want to for the band?
To be fair we are quite lucky there, we live in the universal mind when it comes to all aspects of life and that includes our exasperated pallet of musical tastes… A song or a working progress can take any form and fly off the road into crazy avenues at any point, kind of like a joyride in a Ferrari with Keith Moon at the wheel. We have the same intent, our wavelengths are mutually guiding the sound of the band I feel. It feels spiritual I guess, as corny as it sounds. We know where we need to be going man, I don’t know how but I think we are onto a good thing!
How hard has it been to juggle the touring side of things with the everyday jobs? Do you have plans to go on bigger tours and further afield in 2019?
No problem whatsoever, well juggle metaphorical flaming swords on stilts whilst hula-hooping if that’s what it takes to get on stage!
How hard is it for a metal band like Spidervayne to survive in the current climate where bands have to tour non-stop and sell merchandise in order to bring money back in the band?
It is super hard to make money but we are still in the toddler stages with Spidervayne as we’ve not been together long so we are slowly building a fan base, who are buying and streaming our music. Ultimately it comes down to the band to make money, it’s nobody else’s fault if we don’t, we’ve got to put our best business heads on and make sure we can produce enough quality music and merch that the awesome fans spend their money and fund this project. Being in the digital age, there are other ways and means to make money online but we’re still working that out!
Being from Essex are there any other bands from your local scene that you can recommend?
The scene on the Essex/Suffolk border is really thriving at the moment. There is a good mix of established acts like Beneath the Embers, Kaine, Atorc who are really talking their craft seriously and putting out material of a professional quality. Plus there are a horde of newer/younger bands that are full of fire, such as Bribe for the Ferryman and Killerkorp.
A fan question to end this interview. If you were a DJ and were allowed to bring 5 CDs to the party, what would they be?
- La Macarena
- Cha-Cha Slide
- Scatman (Ski-Ba-Bop-Ba-Dop-Bop)
- The Loco-motion
- Butchered at Birth
Any last message here for the readers at Moshville Times?
If you want to stay apprised of our bullshit antics then follow us on all the socials (links below). We’ve got some bangers on spotify and most other streaming platforms. Our next show is March 15th at the Soundhouse in Colchester. But we have shows booked all over the country this year so keep your eyes on the socials.
Shameless plugs aside, we want to party with everyone this year, so if you see us around let’s have a beer. Be nice to your fellow humans! Peace!
Skinwalker is out now
Spidervayne: facebook | instagram | spotify | bandcamp
