I am interviewing DRUGANAUT – a local band from Aaron's and my own home town of Newcastle Upon Tyne. They have been on the blog before.
Druganaut are a mean as fuck Sludge/Stoner Metal bands that you should all check out. They have a superb live reputation which I have witnessed for myself. They have opened for UK Legends – Orange Goblin and US Legends – Karma To Burn – which had the excellent Desert Storm as main support who are fans of Druganaut as well.
Well I finally had to interview lead singer – Craig the leader of these low down insane gang of Sludge/Stoner Metal outlaws outlaws. Before they are too busy to talk to us. As these guys will surely be getting bigger when their long-awaited début album is finally released.
So lets get started with Craig from DRUGANAUT.
Good thanks unfortunatly the rest of the lads couldnt make its just you and me (Craig)
Q2 – For people not in the know, can you give them a brief bio on how the band came about.
I had a good ides of what i wanted to do musically and people i wanted to work with so i put some feelers out winter 2010/11 and we had the original line up togeter and jamming by early march. it really came together fast we all gelled as a unit and havent looked back since. We have all been in various bands over the years but this one feels special.
Q3 – How would you describe your sound. Sludge, Stoner or Doom. Put me straight in your own unique style.
We like to change it up a bit song to song anywhere from stoner/blues to doom/rock and every thing in between. As long as its high energy and has your head bobbing we'll play it.
Q4 – Your currently recording your début album. Can you tell us what to expect and when it will be released. As the teaser trailer floating about on the internet has just made me want more.
We have never stopped writing material so your gonna get everything from the first song we ever wrote to brand new stuff. We have finished all the music and some of the vocals so we only have a few more sessions till its done, so not long to wait now. As you mentioned we put a teaser online in the form of a music video for our song SOBER AGAIN this is the first completed track from the album check it out at youtube.com/druganutband
Craig - The Man, The Myth, and Natural Born Hellraiser
Q5 – You released two EP's for free download. Was that an easy decision to make. To release music for free. Obviously there is a lot of cost in producing these EP's
We were really lucky with both of those demo recordings that we managed to record them for free. A friend of ours Kyle had access to studios. he needed a band to record for his College projects and we had songs ready to be put down so it was mutually beneficial. We had only been a band for 5 weeks at the time of the first demo it was recorded quickly in 2 sessions we have never really had money as a band so we had borrowed a drum kit to record it, when we got to the studio we realised we had no felts so me and Scott had to fashion some from our socks and masking tape. I love working with a non exiztent or shoe string budget i dont know what we would do with money and facilities at our disposal.
Q6 – I have seen you guys live in action supporting two very legendary bands in Orange Goblin and Karma To Burn. What was that like. Any cool stories or secrets you can share with us. I know Desert Storm who were main support to Karma To Burn thought you guys were excellent.
Both those gigs were amazing for us. I have been a fan of orange goblin for a long time and when i heard they were playing newcastle i found out who was promoting the gig and started a online campaign to get us on that show. It was so successful i ended up getting a email from the promoter asking us to tell our fans to stop emailing them about it, shy bairnes get nowt my friend haha. the best bit of that show for me personally was looking to side of the stage and seeing Goblin frontman Ben furiously banging his head to our set.
Karma to burn had a different feel to it we were debuting our new guitarist who had only had 3 practises with us so every one was hyped up and ready to go, it turned out pretty good i think. we ended up getting karma's guitarist william stoned out his mind after the show so that was fun.
Q7 – You guys have an incredible presence on stage. To the point you look like a band not to fuck around with. Gives you a great hardcore based edge. Was that the plan to have a dangerous live persona.
Yeah certainly we all have the same mentality when it comes to the live performance, in that its not enough to play good music you have to engage your audience visualy. Iam an entertainer and when I go out there i give it my all, when iam on the stage i own it. The whole band have a great energy and presence live which gets the audience really hyped up. We've come along way as a live act since you saw us last us, if you thought it was hardcore before you need to get out and see us now we're tighter, heavier and more viseral than ever.
Q8 – Your music has reached a few blogspots mainly ourselves and Doommantia. Have you been happy with the response so far.
We have only been a band for 2 years now and the support we have had so far from people all around the world has been awesome. We have had amazing reviews for our demos and live performaces, featured on various blogs and earlier this year we were featured in metal hammer as on of the stoner/doom bands to watch out for which was massive for us.
Q9 – You obviously do a lot of local shows. There are not many venues in Newcastle Upon Tyne that feature the genres we love. Trillians now and again. Legends is once in a blue moon. Though I loved what you guys did at Morden Tower with a couple of other bands such as Lords Of Bastard.
Alot of the shows we do now locally are in small independant spaces such as the newbridge project, morden tower, star and shadow cinema and heartattack and vine. There are some great gigs going on around newcastle on a regular basis now. The local scene in newcastle is very strong with alot of great bands putting on interesting shows.
Q10 – Is it hard to get local gigs in the North East of England. Though I know you have a few coming up which am hoping to get along to. Need my druganaut fix.
Not really not if you have a knowledge of the venues and promoters in the area you just need to get out there and talk to people. We book the magority of our own shows. we have 2 newcastle shows in the next few months Tue April 16th at the Cluny and Sat june 1st at Heartattack and vine. All details on our facebook page facebook.com/druganautband
Q11 – There are some great North East Sludge/Doom/Stoner Rock Bands such as Sorry For Nothing, BONG, Hesper Payne, Waheela and Nately's Whore's Kid Sister. . Can you tell me some other local bands to check out.
Yeah there are some great bands out there at the moment Waheela as you mentioned are good friends and gig buddies. Corpse twitcher and transylvanian sexpest are bringing the noise and drone, you've got bands like Haikai No Ku and Tide of iron, Neolithic and Bhang from Sunderland i could go on and on.
Q12 – Have you tried in using BandCamp to promote your music. Or are you waiting to release the début album to get involved in that side of things.
We have just ordered alot of merch and once the album is done we will be selling tshirts and cd's through various online outlets including bandcamp. up till now we've tried to keep our online presence simple with facebook/youtube/soundcloud but once the album is ready we will be taking our soundcloud down and looking at other options.
Q13 – We all know that being a band can be a very expensive business. How do you cope financially and emotionally. It must take a lot out of you at times.
It amazes me that we've got this far with no money behind us, we've had a lot of luck and the support of some great people over the last 2 years. We have a passion and drive behind us that keeps it interesting we're a brotherhood and we all look after each other so i can honestly say that we dont let things get on top of us.
Q14 – When your not performing with the band, how do you relax to get away from the pressures of being with the band.
We all have our vices drugs, booze, sexual misadventure, denim and a shared love of live music. i personally have a love of martial arts, Kyle loves to produce music, Shef loves to skype fat lasses and record wrestling themes, billy loves to play bass he's currently in 4 bands, James enjoys the finer things in life such as strong white cider. we're a mixed bag of nuts.
Q7 – You guys have an incredible presence on stage. To the point you look like a band not to fuck around with. Gives you a great hardcore based edge. Was that the plan to have a dangerous live persona.
Yeah certainly we all have the same mentality when it comes to the live performance, in that its not enough to play good music you have to engage your audience visualy. Iam an entertainer and when I go out there i give it my all, when iam on the stage i own it. The whole band have a great energy and presence live which gets the audience really hyped up. We've come along way as a live act since you saw us last us, if you thought it was hardcore before you need to get out and see us now we're tighter, heavier and more viseral than ever.
Q8 – Your music has reached a few blogspots mainly ourselves and Doommantia. Have you been happy with the response so far.
We have only been a band for 2 years now and the support we have had so far from people all around the world has been awesome. We have had amazing reviews for our demos and live performaces, featured on various blogs and earlier this year we were featured in metal hammer as on of the stoner/doom bands to watch out for which was massive for us.
Q9 – You obviously do a lot of local shows. There are not many venues in Newcastle Upon Tyne that feature the genres we love. Trillians now and again. Legends is once in a blue moon. Though I loved what you guys did at Morden Tower with a couple of other bands such as Lords Of Bastard.
Alot of the shows we do now locally are in small independant spaces such as the newbridge project, morden tower, star and shadow cinema and heartattack and vine. There are some great gigs going on around newcastle on a regular basis now. The local scene in newcastle is very strong with alot of great bands putting on interesting shows.
Q10 – Is it hard to get local gigs in the North East of England. Though I know you have a few coming up which am hoping to get along to. Need my druganaut fix.
Not really not if you have a knowledge of the venues and promoters in the area you just need to get out there and talk to people. We book the magority of our own shows. we have 2 newcastle shows in the next few months Tue April 16th at the Cluny and Sat june 1st at Heartattack and vine. All details on our facebook page facebook.com/druganautband
Q11 – There are some great North East Sludge/Doom/Stoner Rock Bands such as Sorry For Nothing, BONG, Hesper Payne, Waheela and Nately's Whore's Kid Sister. . Can you tell me some other local bands to check out.
Yeah there are some great bands out there at the moment Waheela as you mentioned are good friends and gig buddies. Corpse twitcher and transylvanian sexpest are bringing the noise and drone, you've got bands like Haikai No Ku and Tide of iron, Neolithic and Bhang from Sunderland i could go on and on.
Q12 – Have you tried in using BandCamp to promote your music. Or are you waiting to release the début album to get involved in that side of things.
We have just ordered alot of merch and once the album is done we will be selling tshirts and cd's through various online outlets including bandcamp. up till now we've tried to keep our online presence simple with facebook/youtube/soundcloud but once the album is ready we will be taking our soundcloud down and looking at other options.
Q13 – We all know that being a band can be a very expensive business. How do you cope financially and emotionally. It must take a lot out of you at times.
It amazes me that we've got this far with no money behind us, we've had a lot of luck and the support of some great people over the last 2 years. We have a passion and drive behind us that keeps it interesting we're a brotherhood and we all look after each other so i can honestly say that we dont let things get on top of us.
Q14 – When your not performing with the band, how do you relax to get away from the pressures of being with the band.
We all have our vices drugs, booze, sexual misadventure, denim and a shared love of live music. i personally have a love of martial arts, Kyle loves to produce music, Shef loves to skype fat lasses and record wrestling themes, billy loves to play bass he's currently in 4 bands, James enjoys the finer things in life such as strong white cider. we're a mixed bag of nuts.
Q15 – If you could provide any advice to people wanting to start a band, what would it be.
Theres 3 things you need to do before you start a band in my opinion.
1) Get involved in your local scene. Go out to shows, check out the bands, check out the venues.
2) Talk to everyone. When your at a gig talk to the musicians, the promoters, the audience. Build contacts.
3) Love what you do. If you have no passion for your music than whats the point?
Q16 - Finally, Do you have anything to say your fans
Thanks for getting behind us, the best is yet to come x
Thanks to Craig for this great interview. Any Geordies following Sludgelord, see these ace rockers as soon as you can. As they fucking rule!!!
SoundCloud
