Today's
guest is part of a band who burst onto the Stoner/Doom Rock scene
back in 2012 with their critically acclaimed début album – The
Killing Jar. It's great style of Doom, Stoner Rock, Hard Rock and
Occult Rock won then a huge fanbase within the Doom/Stoner Metal
scene. And with a string of acclaimed live performances behind them
most recently on Uncle Acid And The Deadbeats European Tour which I
witnessed first hand the blistering power of this great band.
They
are about to release their eagerly awaited 2nd album – Condemned To
Hope – in September 2014 which no doubt we will be reviewing very
shortly.
But
before then it's time to find more about rising UK Hard
Rock/Doomsters – Black Moth. I have been given the chance to speak
to Lead Vocalist – Harriet Bevan.
Q1
– Hi Harriet. Thanks for doing this. How are things with you today.
Excellent
thanks! Getting closer and closer to album release so it’s exciting
times.
Q2
– Can you tell our readers a brief history of how the band came
about and where it is today.
We
met in Leeds, donkeys ago, and we’ve been like a dysfunctional
riff-worshipping family ever since. Our rehearsals have always been
pretty organic, whereby we each come with a very different set of
nterests/influences yet somehow they all come together to make
something that kinda works. We’ve been playing together for years
in various amalgamations, originally dabbling in retro 60-70s garage
punk/proto metal but eventually we settled on a more modern take on
all our vast and varying influences, which is the bizarre winged
beast you see today.
Q3
– How would yourselves describe your music as you have a lot of
different sounds going on.
Good
question. We try to refrain from answering that as we actually relish
our genre promiscuity and hate to be defined, but I can say we like
to explore the meaning of “heavy” from a number of different
angles, be it through monster riffs, disturbing rhythms or unnerving
lyrics. Genres that have been flung at us include stoner rock, occult
rock, hard rock, doom metal and even glam rock so take your pick!
Q4
– Why did you choose the name Black Moth.
There
are many and multifarious reasons the moth imagery appealed to us.
They are fascinating creatures and have often been used as a poetic
motif to represent the struggle of the artist (See Tennessee
Williams’ Lament For the Moths) but overall, it just seemed to suit
us.
Q5
– Your début album – The Killing Jar – was released back in
2012 to some critical acclaim. Did the responses from fans and
critics surprise you.
Actually
we were bowled over by the response. We had a sense that what we were
doing was good and different, but the positive press response and
rapidity with which it spread worldwide really blew our minds.
Q6
– Looking back on The Killing Jar. Would you change anything about
it. Or is it perfect the way it is.
Never
look back! Nothing and everything is perfect.
Q7
– I saw you guys recently in Glasgow on the Uncle Acid and The
Deadbeats European Tour. You impressed the hell out of me. That was
an awesome gig by everyone involved. How did you get on the Uncle
Acid Tour. And how did the fans treat you overall.
Thanks
dude! I loved that show also, the Glaswegians are always a killer
crowd. The whole tour was amazing though to be honest. Couldn’t
have been more perfect for us as Uncle Acid had just been touring
with fucking SABBATH so the fans they picked up were an ideal
audience for us to be meeting. We played in some incredible places
like Warsaw and Prague… and of course we finally reached the
powerful Scandinavian metal contingent in Sweden and Denmark which
was truly awesome. They know how to mosh on the mainland that’s for
sure.
Q8
– We have to talk about your new album. Condemned To Hope. WOW.
That is one one bleak title. Can you tell our readers what they can
expect from the album.
It’s
a weirdo. It’s even heavier than the last one… but twice as
weird. It was written during a time of considerable turmoil in our
lives, and under a lot more pressure than our debut, but somehow it
came together as if by magic in the end. Like all good things.
Q9
– What's different to this album compared to your début album.
Our
songwriting has improved a lot, and the lyrics are more grounded in
the present than the gothic horror of The Killing Jar. It was also
written in perhaps a quarter of the time! The first album is a band
finding their feet. We pretty much know who/what we are now.
Q10
– Was Condemned To Hope a hard album to write and record for.
Yes
and no. Like I said, it came out of a heavy time but as a result of
those circumstances, we resolved to drop everything and get in the
rehearsal room for a solid month, and it was quite a luxury to give
it that kind of intense focus.
Q11
– What influenced you when recording the album as the cover gives a
very dark and haunting experience. Was that the case when recording
it.
No
actually! We spent much of the recording experience laughing our
asses off and fooling around. Our producer Jim Sclavunos and studio
engineer Andy Hawkins proved to be quite the comedy double act. I
went in to record my vocals to find a gold jacket they were insisting
I wore, and a stack of porno on my lyrics stand. I think the humour
always cuts through with us!
Q12
– What is the song-writing dynamic in the band. Is it a group
collective or down to one individual.
Group
collective entirely.
Q13
– Which bands and artists influenced you as musicians. Any
particular band or album stand out that influenced you to become a
musician.
That’s
really difficult. I am a true music fanatic so my taste is
ridiculously broad. The others are largely the same but have their
leanings… Nico [Carew, guitar] loves his rock & roll, punk,
black metal, roots, anything but disco (which I love), Dom [McCready,
drummer] is the biggest metalhead. Dave [Vachon, bassist] loves his
70s rock and prog and Jimmy is a former grunge kid who recently
rediscovered his love for UK garage. Iggy and the Stooges and Black
Sabbath are probably our ultimates, but as a vocalist, I particularly
adore Grace Slick.
Q14
- What is your musical set-up when playing live or recording your
music. Any hints and tips would you like to give to the budding
musicians out there.
I
have no idea how to answer this. I’m just the vocalist! Tips….
Experiment! Have no prejudices, keep and open mind and explore the
glorious world of sound. All the advice a young musician needs comes
from John Frusciante’s interviews (though the rest of the band will
kill me for being such a fucking hippy).
Q15
– If you could change anything within the Hard Rock/Metal scene.
What would it be and why.
I’d
say a large chunk of it needs to open its mind and be a bit less
purist. Sorry. More interesting music comes from experimentation and
freedom and metal fans can have a curiously conformist attitude at
times. It’s nice to be a part of a tribe, sure, but do we really
need all these rules!?
Q16
– The UK Doom/Hard Rock/Stoner Rock scene is thriving at the
moment. Tons of great bands to check out. What are your own personal
views of the UK Hard Rock scene. Can you see it growing even bigger
or do you see it flat-lining at some point.
Bigger,
definitely. Riffs are a basic human right, and they’re spreading.
Q17
– Your new album will be released on vinyl. Did you have much input
into the design of that or have you left it to the record company to
decide.
I
am very much involved in the visual decisions yes. The vinyl package
will be extremely special. I still have to pinch myself that we have
an original artwork from Roger Dean, and it will be a gatefold
American-style tip on sleeve in heavy duty card. It comes on
heavyweight 180g black and cream vinyl with lyric insert and free
download of the album. This is limited to just 500 copies.
Q18
– If you could give any advice to someone wanting to start a band.
What would it be.
Do
it for the love of music, only.
Q19
– What are your thoughts of the entire crowd-funding scene. It
seems to have it's defenders and people think it's a waste of time.
Would yourselves ever participate in a crowd-funding project.
I
don’t know enough about it to comment I’m afraid. We’re
ridiculously old school in our approach, for better or for worse. I’m
all about DIY initiatives though and it seems very empowering so
yeah, why not?
Q20
– Will you be doing an extensive Tour to promote the album. If so,
when will you be touring and will it be other parts of the world.
Abso-freakin-lutely.
UK dates already booked and Euro dates in the pipeline. We would love
to play further afield, very much, so fingers crossed the second
album gives us the kind of exposure we need for that!
Q21
– The last thing before you go, Do you have anything else to say to
your fans.
Luv
u xx
Well
thanks for doing this. All the best with the new album. Can't wait to
hear it.
Thanks to Harriet for talking to us at Sludgelord HQ. Thanks to Claire at Purple Sage PR for arranging this interview.
Black Moth's new album Condemned To Hope will be available to buy on CD/DD/Vinyl from 15th September 2014 on New Heavy Sounds
Check The Band From Links below
Written by Steve Howe
