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This is 'Liberation through Amplification.'
With
their music seemingly forged from grit and steel, Headless
Kross have been plying their trade since 2011; certainly the band’s compositions
are the perfect soundtrack to the impending winter. Releasing their debut album
“Bear” in 2011, a self released
split with War
Iron and a split with Lazarus Blackstar would follow. “Volumes”
the band’s second full length was released in April 2015 and recorded at Skyhammer
Studio.Comprising of 3
tracks their compositions had enough breathing space to ensnare and hypnotise
the listener, but retain the thickness of their sound and would see the band
continue as Glasgow’s
No.1 volume dealers.
It
is true to say that Headless Kross
have evolved as a band, and whilst “Volumes”
would see the band shedding some of their sludge doom roots, their new album “Projections 1”released on November
18th, via At War With False Noiseis an album of Long songs, deep groovesand tortured
vocals”. Today we
invite guitarist/vocalist Tommy Duffin to choose his top 5 albums according to
the genre their own band is known for. That genre is loosely speaking
psychedelia, sludge and doom, so it is time to turn it up to 11 and checkout
some classic picks from Glasgow’s
finest riff dealers.
Black Flag - "My War" (1984)
I'm sure there are people who will disagree with me
but I reckon side B of this record is ground zero for sludge. Up until this
point Black Flag were known for
short, fast and chaotic hardcore punk. This however, sounds like they've drank
a load of Benylin and recorded an all night jam. The band sound like they're
sinking into a tarpit and Rollins definitely hates himself and everyone else. I
love the guitar leads on this album. Atonal jazz noise that perfectly backs up
the overall misanthropy. Half the time it sounds like the vocals were
recorded in the toilet bowl. Classic.
Eyehategod - "Dopesick"
(1996)
The band's third album and arguably my favourite,
this is like Black Flag crossed with Black Sabbath in a pharmaceutical warehouse.
Negative energy never sounded so good. Absolutely pummeling drums, totally
wretched vocals and then there's the feedback drenched riffs lurching from
doom, hardcore and somehow a kind of heavily-sedated southern boogie!
Om
– “Conference of the Birds” (2006)
Sleep, as you would imagine, are an obvious influence on
our sound but I love how the band split into two quite different bands and Om's approach, long meditations on bass and
drums, really drew me in and made me want to explore the long song format. I'm
into all their records but this is probably the one I reach for most often.
High On Fire – “The Art of Self Defense”
(2000)
On the other side of the Sleep
divide you have High On Fire and
their first album is a stoner metal classic. I don't like my heavy metal to be
shiny and new. I like it murky and covered in mould. This record definitely
fits the bill. “Blood from Zion” is
probably my favourite HOF song. I'm into
all their stuff and the way they've progressed with each album is an
inspiration too. Not prepared to stand still.
Hawkwind – “Space Ritual” (1973)
The daddy of the space rock genre and possibly the
best live album of all time. I can only imagine what it would have been like to
see that tour. The record is pretty head-melting even without the visuals of
the original show. Time seems to stretch and contract when you listen to this
and that is what we aim for in Headless Kross.
This is music that takes you to another place and time completely.
You
know the drill, each month; you the reader are unwittingly compiling a
list of the top 16 records that we featured in October, covering all genres of
metal. Is it not a chart, in which reviewers or contributors extol their
opinion about their favourite music. The ‘Sour
16’ are the records that have been trending the most at Sludgelord Headquarters.
The
results are compiled based on page views alone and calibrated into
the list below. All reviews can be viewed by clicking the artwork and we
have included album streams wherever possible. (Total views since their publication
is highlighted in red).
16). Headless Kross - "Projection I” (377)
15). Holy Serpent - "Temples" (404)
All in all, “Temples” is a great record.Holy Serpent nailed it.The songs are well crafted, well-structured,
the vocals are right on and the music is perfect parts psych, doom, sludge and
out right heaviness.Don’t hesitate, buy
“Temples”
immediately.
14) Truckfighters - "V" (406)
All in all, a solid offering; a sound that is current;
one that rocks effortlessly and one that proves regardless of line-up changes
Truckfighters continue to be strong.
13) Zaum – “Eidolon (423)
“What makes
Zaum’s music so intoxicating is the sheer density of their sound. Layers of
synths, sitars, flutes and who knows what else, build up to create a foundation
of all-encompassing drone for the bands epic compositions.Prepare to be transported to a higher realm.”
12). Various Artists - “Meantime (Redux)” (442)
Meantime
(Redux)” is a face-melting reinterpretation of what many consider Helmet’s
finest hour, itpulls off the tricky
balance of paying respectful tribute to a classic album while being an
excellent listen in its own right. Hopefully it will introduce long-term Helmet
fans to some exciting new bands and make any other people with their ears stuck
in the underground realise that Helmet were great all along.
11). Charred Wall of the Damned - "Creatures
Watching Over The Dead" (460)
Richard Christy
& Co have created something special with “Creatures Watching over the Dead.” It needs to be heard and talked about.This is metal with heart.Metal with soul.And most of all?Metal that’s larger than life.
10). Vermin Womb -"Decline"(541)
Vermin Womb
succinctly distill the essence of their sound into one word: “Violence”.
It is a grimly exhilarating ride, but an oppressive racket that is hard to resist.
09). Yawning Man - "Historical Graffiti" (563)
“Historical Graffiti” is a
drug that calms the soul of the listener”
08).ObsidianKingdom – “A Year
of No Summer” (578)
“This record is well
constructed and the instrumentation is very impressive. But for those looking
for similar fare to their previous work, they’d best keep looking.”
07). Black Tomb - "Black Tomb" (585)
06). Fistula - "The Shape of Doom to Cumm)))"
(612)
The Shape of
Doom to Cumm)))” is dripping with sardonic hatred for scenesters and fad chasers,
scrapping rusty barbed wire across the speakers as if to wound those who
listen. They bring the noise, the hate, and will tell you to your face if
there’s even a hint at being a douchebag.
05). Witchthroat Serpent - "Sang-Dragon"(640)
This is a
dominating record and something which the band can be sure will appeal to all
kinds of fans of stoner doom and sludge. Witchthroat Serpent have
left a deep scar in the genre and it will take a long time to heal with a
record so devastatingly heavy.
04). Watchtower - "Concepts
of Math: Book One"(781)
The guitars crunch, the vocals bite, and the
band chemistry shines through on each song, almost as if they know what each
other’s gonna do before they do it. A near perfect record, which for
Watchtower, is pretty much par for the course.
03). 40 Watt Sun – “Wider Than The Sky” (827)
Although the record may find itself on the
fringes of metal, the empathetic feelings Walker
shares over soaring ten minute tracks should cause anyone who has felt anything
before to reflect in some meaningful way. “Wider than the Sky” challenges its
listeners to reflect for themselves, because after all it’s important to
remember where one stands. 40 Watt Sun’s latest record is likely to find itself
among the best records released this year.
02). Asteroid - "III" (1716)
It is a hugely
diverse record and shows the advanced musicianship between the band, blending
all kinds of stoner rock and fuzz. This is a band who are firmly on the rise to
the top and know exactly how to get there. One of the best releases of 2016
without a doubt.
1).AlterBridge - "The
Last Hero" (20494)
If you have any
interest in the more commercial end of the rock and metal spectrum i.e.
Metallica, Maiden, Soundgarden and so on then this album could be a fine intro
to the band. If you are a fan already you will enjoy this one immensely. AlterBridge
are leading lights in modern rock and may well be the last of a dying breed.
A
big thank you as always to our amazing writers, your dedication knows no
boundaries and for that I am truly grateful.September’s “Sour 16” features reviews by: Richard Maw, Theron
Moore, Charlie Butler, Victor Van Ommen,
TJ Kliebhan, Jake Wallace, Hunter Young, Kat Hilton, Stiq & Jay Hampshire
Album Type: Full Length Date
Released:
18/11/2016 Label: At War With False Noise
“Projections
I” track listing
1)…Does
Not Equal time
2).
Practical Mental Effects
3).
Church of the Fifth Season
4).
The Map is Not the Territory
The Review:
Headless
Kross
play psych doom and hail from Glasgow Scotland. It's bleak enough up there for
this storming four track record to be wholly convincing. Long songs, deep
grooves, tortured vocals... all present and correct. I can only hope that they
took their name from the underrated and hard to find Tony Martin-era Black Sabbath album,
which I have been playing a lot recently.
The
eight minutes plus of “Does Not Equal
Time” takes in doom, sludge, stoner and psych to brew a heady mixture of
those four genres. The rest of the album does not disappoint and shows that the
band come fully formed and ready to go; the slow burn of “Practical Mental Effects”, the centrepiece of “Church of The Fifth Season” sprawls out over ten minutes- albeit with
several of those minutes filled with samples and not riffs.“TheMap is Not the Territory” is a
lengthy crawl through the combined genres darker areas and hits home hard.
It's
easy to sum up: if you are a fan of sludge/doom/psych/stoner or think that you
might love to hear a record that combines all those together effectively, this
record is certainly for you. Dark.
“Projections I” will be availableherefrom 18/11/2016 and digitally here
With their music seemingly forged from grit and steel, dare I say “girders”?Headless Kross have been plying their trade since 2011. Releasing their latest sonic mass in 2015 and perhaps appropriately titled “Volumes” (review here),Headless Kross have evolved as a band, shedding some of their sludge doom roots, in favour of a more psychedelic, perhaps free form style. Today, Headless Kross retain the girth of their riffs, but also take an improvisational approach, comparable in some ways to Ufomammut or Earthless
Whilst in many ways, when you look back at their debut release “Bear” from 2011 you could be forgiven for thinking, it was composed by a different band, than the one we know today, however Headless Kross and specifically guitarist Tommy Duffin, are keen to give their compositions enough breathing space to ensnare and hypnotise the listener, but retain the thickness of their sound and continue as Glasgow’s No.1 volume dealers.
Today, at The Sludgelord, we get the low down about the roots of Headless Kross from guitarist, Tommy Duffin, he talks about some of his favourite records, why he sold his Gibson SG to his Father and why the importance of a good drummer cannot be understated. So without further ado, let’s get Amped & Doomed with Tommy Duffin
SL). Welcome, to the Sludgelord Tommy. Can you give us a brief history of your playing career? You were initially a drummer, right?
Tommy Duffin). Aye, it's a bit convoluted but I started playing drums simply to get things moving and get a gigging band together. I taught myself drums in my early teens by jumping on kits whenever I got the opportunity and eventually I was better than anyone who was likely to join a band with me. It's much easier to find competent guitarists and bass players so the original line-up of Los Destructos, my first “proper” band had me on drums. When there was a reshuffling of the members I switched to guitar. During this time I played drums for punk bands Machine Gun Etiquette and Scunnered.
I then went on to play guitar in The Process for 5 years and played on the first album. During that time I also played drums in Nation of Finks and started Atomgevitter, also on drums. All these bands toured extensively around Europe and Atomgevitter ended a 7 year run in July 2011 in South East Asia. Headless Kross played their first gig the next month.
SL). Can you remember who or what inspired you to pick up the guitar? Are there any bands or guitarists currently on the scene that continue to inspire you and push you to try new things? TD). I was into music from a very early age but the first overtly rock band I got into was probably Iron Maiden. They would definitely have been a catalyst for wanting to play guitar but I think it was probably a lot to do with watching and listening to my Dad play guitar at home. He's got an old 50's Levin acoustic that he got when he was 11 or something. It's the only guitar he ever owned until I sold him a practically new Gibson SG Special in 1996 so I could pay my rent. He won't sell me it back.
Once I started playing I didn't really follow much of a metal route. I definitely listened to a pretty wide spectrum of alternative music when I was in my teens so influences were all over the place. J Mascis, Steve Jones, Greg Ginn, Alex Newport, John Squire, Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Marr, Bob Mould, Neil Young, Billy Gibbons... they've all had an influence on my primitive twang. As for right now, Isiah Mitchell from Earthless blows my mind every time I see them live.
He can go way out there and jam for ages and it never gets boring. He's definitely inspired me to practice more and learn new techniques. SL). Whilst we’re on the subject of inspiration or heroes for example, do you have 5 records that stand out as favourites, what influence did they have upon you and what is it about those record that particular resonates amongst others?
TD). I'll keep it to “5 records I love the guitar on” otherwise I'll be here for days trying to work this out...
1). Sex Pistols – “Never Mind The Bollocks...” : I was nine when I first heard this and it's one of the few records that gets me as excited now as it did the first time. Steve Jones's guitar is one of the greatest sounds ever captured by man. It is rock'n'roll perfection. He out-Thundered Johnny Thunders by a country mile. 2). The Byrds - “Untitled”: I nicked this tape off my old man one day when I was looking for something to stick in the Walkman. I stuck on the live side first because it had some tunes I recognised and got my mind blown by Clarence White and a 20 minute version of “8 Miles High” containing only one verse. I consider White to be up there with Hendrix. Better Byrds live recordings are around but I love the guitar tone on this one. It's really dirty and he's just stomping all over all these Byrds classics with this weird, spaced out chicken pickin' stuff. He was probably half asleep as well. 3). Dinosaur Jr - “Bug”: J Mascis knows how to wield an axe. What else can I say? I love all aspects of his playing. His rhythm, leads, improvised noise, the VOLUME... I love most of their albums but this was the first one I got. 4). The Jesus Lizard - “Liar” - Duane Denison's such an inventive guitarist, I wish I could write those riffs. This is one of the few records I've ever spent any time trying to play along to. I had side 1 pretty much down about 15 years ago. Sad to say, I've forgotten it all but I listen to this regularly. 5). Black Sabbath - “Master Of Reality”: The reason we're all here. It's like coming home.
So there you have it. I didn't even get onto AC/DC, ZZ Top or Husker Du.
SL). A pretty eclectic there for sure. Your playing background, seems to have been rooted in hardcore, yet your playing style is much more experimental and harks back to a more progressive era. How did you end up developing that style?
TD). Well, punk and hardcore is an easy way of expressing yourself and gives you an opportunity to operate as a band, the way you would want to operate even though you're doing it on no money. I didn't really practice or learn guitar any more than I had to. It was more important to form a band, start playing, get involved in the scene, go on tour and meet like-minded people that shared your enthusiasm and ideals. Then you find out that all these punks secretly like Rush. Listen to The Subhumans and try and tell me they don't love Rush. So with Headless Kross I decided that anything I can come up with is fair game as far as riffs, techniques or whatever. The music is slow and repetitive so I'm keen to make sure it holds the listeners interest. I suppose that's what takes me down that road... SL). Can you remember your first electric guitar? TD). Of course! A 1987 Squier No.1 Bullet, built in Korea. Black with white scratchplate. Rosewood fretboard. Cost £127.00 and I sold it for £20. Recently replaced with the exact same model off ebay for £127 including the postage.
SL). What guitars are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar you currently use?
TD). My number 1 guitar for Headless Kross is a 1978 Guild S60-D. I love the neck on it and it doesn't weigh too much so it doesn't kill my back. I recently bought a Yamaha SG700 which is beautiful but it's really haevy and I keep coming back to the Guild. The Yamaha has really just been my backup for most gigs. I also bought a Gordon Smith GS1 off ebay really cheap and I love it. I've only rehearsed with it a couple of times but I reckon it'll see some action. There are loads of other guitars kicking around because I run a recording studio and like to have guitars ready for clients to use. With the exception of my first guitar which I replaced, I still have every guitar I've ever owned.
SL). What do you like about the guitar you currently use and has there been any specific modifications to it?
TD). The Guild had been quite heavily modified before I found it about four years ago. The single coil pickups have been replaced with a Kent Armstrong humbucker in the bridge and a SeymourDuncan mini-humbucker in the neck position. The tuners have been swapped for Shallers. It's a really solid guitar and never goes out of tune or breaks strings. All my other guitars are pretty much stock. SL). What amps and pedals do you currently use? Do you use a combination of amps, or a full/ half stack? Talk us through your set up both in the studio and in the live environment – do these vary for you?
TD). For gigs I use my Matamp GT120. It's one of the last of the original Matamps (apparently it was built in 1983). There's an attack to the sound that I really like. It's like a thump or something. Very forceful. Before I got that I used a 1978 Marshall JMP non master volume. I've since had that converted to a master volume so I can crank it for recording. In the studio I'll use whatever I feel I need at the time. I've got an old Fender Twin Reverb that see's some action when we record at my place. On “Volumes” I used various heads, Matamps, a Marshall JCM800, a Sunn Model T.
I'll try as many amps as I can get my hands on basically. My pedal board hasn't changed much in the last couple of years. Currently I use a Dope FX Ramshead clone into a Moose “Grouch” for my heavy tone. My wah is just a bog standard Crybaby from Cash Convertors and then it's a Gaunt FX tremelo based on a Vox “Repeat Percussion”, an MXR Phase 90 and an Echobase delay again built by Moose. It's always tempting to add more pedals but I feel like I've got too much already. You end up trying to tapdance on the bloody pedalboard instead of just rocking out. Again, for recording I'll use whatever it takes to get the sounds I want. I'm not too worried about exactly recreating things live. No-one's going to notice anyway. I have a Marshall JCM “Slash Edition” slanted 4x12 with Vintage 30's. I've had it for years and years and use it whenever I'm required to supply my own cab. A lot of the time I'm using borrowed cabs. I'd like to treat myself to something really nice but I'd probably never get to use it.
SL). What one piece of equipment could not live without and why?
TD). I'd like to think there isn't anything that I couldn't do without as long as I had a guitar and an amp with enough gain. Maybe the wah. I use it more and more now. Once I played a gig in a field and I was too drunk to set up any of my pedals. I just plugged straight in and turned this Marshall valvestate head up full. Seemed to work fine. My guitar ended up going headstock first into the ground and I had to clean a load of mud and grass out of the tuners.
No one complained so I guess I got away with it.
SL). Has being a drummer impacted on your playing/ songwriting?
TD). Yeah, I think so. I'm really conscious of the drums on records. I regard it as the most important element of a heavy rock band. If the drums suck, the band sucks. There's no getting away from it. It doesn't need to be flashy, in fact it's probably better if it's really simple but it needs to be solid. Then the riffs need to lock in with the different elements of the kit and then you can start weaving stuff in and out of the rhythm. I'm getting quite interested in tempos and how they affect the human body. I'm always keen to strike a balance between tightness of tempo and looseness of playing. You don't want it to be machine-like. It needs to have a swing to it somehow but it also needs to be consistent enough that the listener can lose themselves in the music and not be dragged out of it by a dodgy tempo change. SL)Headless Kross songs tend to be very long. Was this always an intentional thing, and does it create a challenge recreating this live?
TD). It was never our intention to write really long songs. I don't think we ever said “let's write a song and make it last the whole of side A” or anything. In fact, we've tried to keep the length of a song down on occasion and failed miserably. It just doesn't work for our type of music. You need to allow a riff time to hypnotise the listener but then you need to know when to change too. We don't want to bore people to death. The idea is to make time irrelevant. To make 20 minutes seem like 5 or the other way round. It's not a challenge to do live, in fact I'm totally used to it now. I'd like to do longer sets than what we get most of the time. If we have a half hour slot we usually play 2 or 3 songs. We play the odd headlining gig now so we can stretch out a bit. An hour is pretty good. I'm not sure audiences are interested in hearing any more than that though.
SL). Do you have any advice for up and coming guitar players, bands?
TD). Play as much as you possibly can. I really wish I'd practiced more. Now I try and make sure I play the guitar for at least an hour a day. It allows me to enjoy gigs more now that I'm starting to be able to let my mind wander and just go with it. Also, train your picking hand. Guitarists have a tendency to focus on the fretting hand but both are crucial. I have a telecaster in my living room which I'm not allowed to play with a pick. I practice finger-style stuff on it every day. I'm still not great but I'll get there.
SL). Do feel there are deeply held misconceptions about being in a band?
TD). I don't know. Most people I know have been in a band at some point or are really into music and know musicians. There's no money in playing your own songs live, that's for sure. I'm just compelled to do this now. I'd be lost if I wasn't in a band. I need it for my state of mind.
SL). Moving on a little then, what can you tell us about any of your current projects, tours, cds, etc you’re currently promoting, completed and anything else band related we should know about? TD). Well, our album “Volumes” has been out for about 5-6 months now and has had really positive reviews. We'll be out promoting it some more in 2016 and finally getting down south to play some shows in England. We'll also be back in Ireland in summer. We have half the next album written so we'll spend the rest of the winter writing and demoing the rest of it and probably record in the summer. SL). You also work in a studio. How does that affect your approach to recording, and did it influence your decision to use Skyhammer for ‘Volumes’? TD). Up until “Volumes” we had recorded everything ourselves in my studio, 16 Ohm, in Glasgow. By the time we had completed the writing for “Volumes” and got it studio ready, I wasn't really feeling like I could separate myself enough from the songs to have an objective view on the recording process. In fact, I wasn't sure that what we'd come up with was going to make any sense to anyone. So we discussed going to Skyhammer because Chris Fielding was there and had done great work with Conan. We had recorded a demo of the album and sent it to Jon at Black Bow and he was keen to release the record and for us to record it at Skyhammer so it all fell into place. We had a great, creative experience there and Chris is a pleasure to work with.
SL). What are your favourite songs to play live? What is it about them that makes them so good to play live, crowd reaction, etc? Anything from your catalogue that you wouldn’t play and why?
TD).I really enjoy playing “Who Is This Who Is Coming” from “Volumes”. Probably because there's loads of wah in it! Also, “Anatomy Lesson” from “Bear” is a favourite of mine to do live. I'm usually kind of lost in the music when we play so I tend not to notice how the audience are reacting. I need to remind myself to look up sometimes! But we usually get some really nice feedback after gigs which is appreciated and encourages us to keep going. We've played all our songs live at some point but it's quite difficult to play some of the songs from the first album now for some reason. We've kind of developed a style now that maybe doesn't fit those old tunes so they feel awkward. “Plague Stone” would be one for certain. We tried it in rehearsal a couple of months ago and we were terrible at it. SL). Who are some your favourite bands you have toured with and what has been your proudest moment and/or performance of your playing career?
TD). We've been lucky to play with some great bands in our time. Slomatics are like our twin band or something. I think we've done about 15 shows with them over the last 3 years. We always enjoy watching them play and they're great bunch of lads. In fact, they are “The Lads”. Also, Drunk In Hell, Ufomammut, Conan and Wild Rocket have been favourites of mine. There has been loads of others too. Not sure what my proudest moment would be, there has been some great gigs. I feel proud when we go back to places and there are more people showing up and getting into it. All you want is for people to share the buzz with you. If you can get that going, you carry on doing it. SL). What can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule shaping up?
TD). We're about to sit down and figure out the master plan for 2016. Recording a new album is definitely on the cards. Getting time off to play gigs further afield can be awkward but we're really keen to make a few road trips in 2016. We've got a couple of gigs booked so far which I'm excited about.
SL). Finally, do you have any final comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?
TD). Thanks for taking an interest in my guitar playing, it really is flattering. I'm completely obsessed with music so it's an honour to be asked about what I do. Hopefully it's of interest to some people. Other than that... Listen to ZZ Top all the time.
The End
I’d like to extend special thanks to David Majury (Slomatics) for helping compose this interview.
During my tenure with The
Sludgelord, what continues to surprise me to this day, is just the
sheer volume of music the world of heavy music has to offer, I am referring to
mass here rather than the degree of sound in this instance and the reason this
is important, is because I, like many other fans of “heavy” music tended to limit myself in terms of what music I was exposed too or I was just unaware
that there is an untapped “heavy” scene out there, that co exists with that
which is fed to us through mainstream media.
Like many fans of heavy music, I picked up a copy of
metal hammer regularly and there is nothing wrong with that, but like many
genres of music, there is a polarizing opinion about what is cool and what is
not, what is metal what is not, what is underground what is not and perhaps
more importantly what type of music your mags, blog, website should feature and
what you should not.
What is clear, is that today’s featured band, Slomatics, is an example of a band that would
have likely passed me by if I hadn’t been a writer at The Sludgelord, indeed their ‘A Hocht’
album would never have reached my in box back in 2012 and for that reason, I am
eternally thankful to The Sludgelord
for enabling me to tap into a scene that I had largely ignored, not through
ignorance, but simply because I was unaware that the sludge stoner doom scene
even existed.
For me, the subjective view of heavy metal music
should be, as a consumer, do I like it or do I not and indeed, The Sludgelord albeit a different beast now
than what it was from its original conception and covers perceived “popular
bands”, retains a core principle. If we
like it, we review it, if don’t, we won’t.
We will not please everyone, but what we feel we do is to present the
best of what heavy music has to offer and with it, we attempt to try new things
too, so today I present, this new feature “Amped & Doomed”.
Formed back in 2004 in Belfast, Slomatics
are a band that immediately stuck a chord with me, indeed “The aftershocks of their monolithic Moby
Dick sized riffs” still affects me to this day. Slomatics
are a band that I much admire, they have created some of the heaviest music out
there, based upon a passion to play music, not necessarily to be populist, but
because they have a creative itch to scratch and that they are making music for
themselves for fun and that which makes them happy, indeed this is the mindset
of many of the bands on the scene.
Much like someone who goes to the gym after a hard
day at work for fun, Slomatics create
compelling and blisteringly heavy music and who’s passion is pedals, amps,
guitars and finding the perfect tone, if such a thing exists. So why not give the band the opportunity to
talk about their passion, without the discourse of having to rigorously plug a
new record. A band without guitars is like an artist without a brush and like
an artist, give a band the platform to discuss their passion will hopefully
result in an awesome body of work. “Amped
& Doomed” is about influences, guitars, amps and everything else that
makes our favourite bands sound great.
Today, David Majury of Slomatics
is the first to be “Amped & Doomed”.
So enjoy
SL).
Thanks for agreeing to do this David, could you give us a brief history of your
playing career to date?
David
Majury) I was a very late starter and didn’t start to play guitar until I was
nearly 30. I got a three piece together with our drummer Marty and knocked out
some two riff caveman stuff. Luckily for us, we rehearsed in the local DIY spot
and we were offered a gig by one of the guys who worked there – if that hadn’t
happened I doubt I’d ever have organised one myself. That band was called Cosmonaut and we played loads of shows during
the year or so that we were together, including an English tour, and recorded
an EP, so it was a real baptism into being in a band. From there I played in a
garage band called The Favourites, a
studio project called Holy Riff, a
sludgy/stoner band called The Naut
and a side project thing called Colossus.
The Naut was the busiest, we recorded
two EPs and played quite a lot of shows. Once that band split I formed Slomatics with Chris and our now ex-drummer
Joe. It’s just been Slomatics for me
since then, over ten years now.
SL). Can you remember who or what inspired you to pick up the guitar? Are
there any bands, guitarists, currently on the scene that continue to inspire
you and push you to try new things?
DM)Without doubt, King Buzzo
from the Melvins. I got into them in
the early 90s, and was obsessed by “Bullhead”. Even though I already loved
a lot of “non-muso” bands like the Stooges, it
was really through reading endless interviews with Buzz that I first began to
think that maybe I could do it too. He’s actually an amazing player, but at the
time he seemed to be very much about the guitar as a tool, so no top string,
all the riffs in drop-D tuning etc. Once I understood how dropped tunings
worked it really opened up a whole new world, in terms of being able to get the
sounds I liked out of a guitar.
I’m always really inspired by bands that we
play with, but I wouldn’t say I ever really think ‘I should try that scale’ or
whatever after watching other guitarists. I’m well aware of my limitations and
I’ve no real desire to try and rip people off. That said, I’ve certainly been
really impressed with people like Tommy from Headless
Kross or Paul from Like a Kind of
Matador, and gone away thinking about their use of dynamics or light
and shade, and tried to incorporate some of that into what I write.
Definitely the first time I saw Like a Kind of Matador really was a lightbulb
moment. I quit playing in the band I was with fairly soon after. I’d never
heard anything as heavy yet melodic in my life. Seeing Part Chimp was a similar experience, just the
sheer volume and intensity of those guys, but without any of the baggage of
heavy metal.
SL). Whilst we’re on the subject of inspirations or
heroes for example, do you have 5
records that stand out as favourites, what influence did they have upon you and
what is it about those record that particular resonates amongst others?
DM) 1). The Stooges – “Funhouse”. The sheer
simplicity of the songs, and the freedom to use repetition as a tool. Ron
Ashton really was so far out there and the album sounds absolutely wild even
now. I can’t imagine what guitar players must have made of it when it was
released!!
2). Like a Kind of Matador – “Halfway
to Dangerous”. It’s one of my most played albums, and was a real game
changer for me. The sheer weight of the record and the guitar tone, along with
the total disregard for conventional song structure opened my eyes to doing
things differently.
3). Floor – “S/T”. This
record is all about the melody for me. It’s totally unlike anything else and
the way the vocals lifted the entire thing up really floored me, pardon the
pun. Add to that the brevity of the songs, and Steve Brooks ability to cram the
most jaw dropping riffs and hooks into two minute long songs, along with loads
of cool guitar playing. No wasted space at all, an absolute classic.
4). My Bloody Valentine – “Loveless”.
This record is all about texture, the way the songs flow into each other and
have that really woozy feeling is just amazing. It got me hooked on using
effects, but not overdoing it – using sounds to create certain feelings. It
also combines being super heavy with a real spacious calming effect too, sort
of the opposite of a lot of stuff I’d listened to previously.
5). Black Flag – “My War”.
Specifically, side two of this record. A lot of Black
Flag is lost on me, but this record was like proto-doom, it’s just
such a huge downer. The longer songs are incessant and driving, albeit at a
very slow pace, and I loved that they let those songs just plough on without
needing to add pointless extra sections. It’s a master class in restraint and
bludgeon.
SL).
Can remember your first electric guitar?
DM)Yeah it was a Kay
electric that I bought off a mate for £15. I was about 13. I didn’t
know how to play it, but was able to paint it black and then gouge “Metallica” into the paint! That was about as
far as it went.
SL).
What guitar(s) are you using today and how did you gravitate towards the guitar
you currently use?
DM)I
only have two guitars, a Gibson SG Special and a Les Paul Studio. Both are early
90’s, but were the cheapo end of the Gibson range. I’d always loved SGs,
just the look of them and the fact that Tony Iommi and Tony McPhee both used
them. It’s my number one, totally reliable and not too heavy to strap on. I’m
not getting any younger!! The Les Paul is really nice too, lots of people
look down on Studios as a cheap LP, but this one feels great to me. I like
ebony fretboards and both guitars are real workhorses. I suppose playing heavier stuff I naturally
went for the industry standards, loads of bands I like use them. Both were
cheap too – as much as I’d like an aluminium EGC or whatever, I’m not about
to spend thousands on a guitar. They’re just tools of the trade really. Wood
and wires.
SL).
What do you like about the guitars you currently use and has there been any
specific modifications to it?
DM) Both my guitars are
basically rebuilt – the only original parts are the wood. That’s another plus
to buying less expensive guitars, there’s no issues with modding them. I’ve
changed the pickups, wiring and all the hardware on them, all to stuff that
suits my needs. Both Chris and I are really nerdy about the minutiae of tone,
to the point where we imported specific capacitors. I use Zombie Dust pickups right now, they sound
great. They’re built by a one-man company in England and are warm but still
thick and heavy. I changed all the tuners to Gotoh
ones with a high gear ratio to help with tuning stability on the low notes.
SL).
What amps and pedals do you currently use?
Do you use a combination of amps, or a full half stack? Talk us through
your set up both in the studio and in the live environment?
DM) I’ve used the same
amp for years, a Matamp-built Orange 120. Prior to that I used an old ‘70s Marshall which was great, but the Matamp is louder and has more grunt. I use one
4x12. In an ideal world I might run more, but to be honest it’s a pain getting
gear to gigs (we don’t have a van) and we have to borrow gear for fly-in shows,
so a wall of cabs doesn’t make sense. Plus, although I’ve seen bands use it to
great effect – Conan being the best
example – I’ve also seen bands sound huge without all the cabs. I saw Uncle Acid recently and they were incredible,
with a massive sound. They were using two very small combo amps. I’ve seen Mudhoney level venues with just a Fender Twin. The Matamp
is super loud, and we’ve never had anyone complain that we we’re too quiet so
I’ll stick with that. That said, when we record in Skyhammer
I’ll use more than one, to blend tones and get a bigger sound. It’d be mad to
resist the amps in that studio; it’s like an Aladdin’s cave for tone freaks!!
With pedals I keep it quite simple. I use fuzz into a couple of delays
(one analogue, and a Boss Space Echo re-issue),
along with a MXR Phase 90. I’ve a flanger and an octaver
on the board, but they’re really only used sparingly. We’ve been really
fortunate over the years to have had some super talented builders design fuzz
pedals for us – D*A*M, Dunwich, Eldritch,
OXFuzz and Mooses Custom Electronics. Really, we’re spoilt for choice.
I’m forever watching YouTube demos of amazing pedals, but I’d rather try and
use a few well than just cover everything with effects.
SL)
What one pedal could not live without and why?
DM) I’d have to say the D*A*M Meathead, as I’ve used it consistently
since day one with Slomatics. At this
stage it really is the sound in my head. It’s not like other fuzzes aren’t up
to the job of course, but that one is just ingrained in me! Actually, I really
couldn’t do without my Boss Tuner, the cheapest pedal on my board, and also
there from day one!
SL) What are your amp/ pedal
settings?
DM)I run the Matamp pretty much flat out with bass on full
and the remaining EQ dialed in to give a little more clarity. Those amps only
really sound right at full whack. I like to have to try and tame all that
volume a bit, it allows me to try and use feedback as part of what I’m playing.
I read a Part Chimp interview where
they said they felt they played their amps, and I get that idea. I love simple
fuzz pedals – none of that multi band EQ stuff, so with the D*A*M/ Dunwich stuff I just dial the only
control up to the level where I can just about still make out the notes. All
that combined with the high output pickups seems to work well for me.
SL)
What tunings do you use and why, and as
a result is there a specific brand / gauge of string you prefer ?
DM) Our tuning has sort
of gradually evolved over time – it was never our intention to tune really low
but we don’t have a bass player so there’s always a degree of trying to cover
all frequencies. I think we’re probably settled on the one tuning we currently
use, as we’ve used it on the last four recordings and will again on the new
record. I think of it as the Neil Young
gone doom tuning, we’re down about a step and a half with the lowest strings
tuned in unison and the high E dropped to B. The unison tuning allows for some
nice octave sounds which thicken up the lows a bit. We use flatwound jazz strings as they’re nice and
warm. We use 13 gauge strings but replace the low E with a .75 gauge, essentially a bass string. We
actually had to drill out the tuners to fit them through! SL). Do you have any advice for up and coming
guitars players, bands?
DM) I’m literally the
worst person to ask for advice – if Jon Davis had listened to me the first
Conan album would have been
a CDr burn distributed free at tiny gigs in pub cellars!!
Also, the plan with Slomatics has never been anything other than
to play music for fun, so
we’ve never thought
about career moves or whatever. I suppose it’s about trying to do
something original,
and not just copying whatever specific band you’re into. I think guitar
players fall into two categories, those who are into the technical aspect
of playing, and those
who are ham-fisted cavemen who do it for fun. I’m the latter no question
– but I don’t think
either is necessarily
better. I guess just play whatever you enjoy.
I’ve never felt
intimidated playing with other bands even though they’re all much more
technically capable,
as I’m happy enough I can get the sounds I want out of the amp. That’s
all that counts.
SL). Do feel
there are deeply help misconceptions about being in a band?
DM) Yeah definitely. From knowing the Conan
guys well I’ve been able to see just how hard it is to make a go of music as a
job – the sheer hours involved and the time away from home. I think life on the
road can be pretty repetitive and a little dull. There’s certainly a huge
sacrifice required, in terms of family and income. Loads of the “big” touring
bands we’ve played with – Torche, Baroness,
Khanate, all have regular jobs between tours. At our level I think we’ve been lucky enough
to get the best of both worlds to an extent.
We still organise all our own shows, carry our own gear, pay for our own
studio time. That said, it’s always fun.
SL).
Moving on a little then, what can you tell
us about any of your current projects, tours, cds, etc you’re currently
promoting, completed and anything else band related we should know about?
DM) We’ve just signed to Black Bow Records, so right now our first two
albums are being digitally re-issued, and we’re about a week away from entering
the studio to record our next album. That’s due in spring 2016 so we’re in the
process of looking at gig plans for next year. We’ve one pretty big show tied
down already which we’re stoked about, and a few more things happening that
should be fun. I like recording, it’s a cool challenge putting a record
together and the studio is always a good experience. We’re splitting the
recording between Skyhammer (the
massive drums/riffs bit) and Start Together
(the weird synths bits) which will make for a change.
SL). What things springs to mind when you think about the completion of
your new/current record and how is the mood in the camp at present?
DM) It’s always exciting
doing new stuff. “Estron” was pretty successful so we played songs off
it live quite a lot, so it feels about time for some new music. I really like
writing and piecing together a new record but it’s only really in the studio
that the songs take on their full form. We’re all really pleased with how this
one is sounding so far, as it pretty much takes all the aspects of “Estron”
and pushes them a bit further.
At the same time there’s always that tiny voice in
your head wondering is the new stuff actually any good – although the only
record I ever felt uncertain about was “Estron” and it went well. Songs
can sound different in the studio but more often than not that’s a good thing. I
think we’re all just itching to get started now to be honest. Recording the
last record we did at Skyhammer was such a buzz, so I’m sure this one will be
exactly the same.
SL). What are your favourite songs to play live? What is
it about them that makes them so good to play live, crowd reaction, etc? Anything from your catalogue that you
wouldn’t play and why?
DM) Sometimes songs surprise me live. I didn’t think we’d
play “Lost Punisher” live, but it
goes down really well and has pretty much been in the set for the last year. Its
fun as it’s so simple and I think folk get into that. We tend to play our set
as one continuous piece so it’s not like we wait for applause at the end of
each song – maybe we subconsciously do that to avoid the silence!! I like
playing “And Yet it Moves” live,
it’s got a couple of different sections and allows for a bit of improvisation
too. There are a few songs we don’t do live, like “Red Dawn” or “Blackwood”,
as they’re quieter and need a good balance with synths which can be hard to get
onstage. Also a lot of our older stuff, most of the songs from before Marty
joined, are in a different tuning so we don’t play them either.
Our sets are usually short, so we don’t want to waste any time mucking
about with pedal settings etc. Certainly the aim is that we don’t write songs
we can’t pull off though – there’s not much studio magic!
SL) Who are some your favourite bands you have toured with and what has been
your proudest
moment
and/or performance of your playing career?
DM) I like playing with
friends, as it’s always cool to catch up with people. In Belfast I love to
play with Hornets and Zlatanera, as those guys are mates as well as
being amazing bands.
We’ve played quite a lot of shows with Headless
Kross which has been brilliant, they’re very
likeminded folk and an incredible live band, really mindblowing.
Goes without saying that playing with Conan
is a very special thing for us, those guys are old
friends and we definitely have a cool bond. I always look forward to
spending time with them.
We’ve played with loads of ‘big’ bands too, and honestly we’ve never met
anyone who isn’t
just totally down to earth – High on Fire,
Ufomammut, Baroness, Torche, Church of Misery,
Kylesa, etc etc. All nice
people.
The proudest moment, I’m really not sure. I think every gig since Marty
joined has felt good, but
maybe the time Jon from Conan
joined us on stage for an old song would top the list. We
hadn’t rehearsed it beyond sound check, and it was just a very natural
way to share
something. He’s been an enormous supporter of the band always and it felt
really good to
have him up there.
SL). What can fans look forward to from you over the next 12 months? How is your schedule
shaping
up?
DM) It’s shaping up
nicely, but we can’t give too much away I’m afraid. We’ve plans for gigs
further afield, and will get to play some new places which will be great.
Obviously the new
album will be out around May which we’re stoked about. It’s always good
to play new songs
live and given that this is the
third full album with Marty on board we’ll be able to mix sets up
quite a bit. There’s a possibility of further recording too. We’ve sort
of fallen into a pattern of
interspersing each album with a shorter release and that’s something we’d
like to continue.
SL).Finally, do you have any final
comments/word of wisdom you’d like to bestow upon us?
DM) Thanks for taking the
time to chat! Words of wisdom? Turn everything up, and keep that
