Interviews: Kilonova

In this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Thrash Metal band Kilonova from the UK. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE. 

1. Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

Joe: 'When we were looking for a band name I read about a Kilonova. It's the explosion that happens when two neutron stars collide. It's so violent it distorts spacetime and forges a lot of the universe's heaviest elements. It seemed perfect for a metal band.' 

2. Why did you want to play this genre? 

Steve: ' In school, a friend of mine showed me Trivium and as soon as I heard it I was hooked. I knew Metal was for me. ' 

Joe: 'I picked up the bass because I was inspired by the bands I was listening to as a teenager. I got into heavy music through Nu Metal. I think that really deep rhythmic element in Nu Metal is why I picked bass. I just wanted to make music that made me feel the way those artists did.' 

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed? 

Ellen: ‘Jonny (guitarist) and Joe (bassist) knew each other from university, they met in the rock society at Newcastle. After a drunken night out they decided to start a band and posted adverts looking for a drummer which is where Steve came along. After that, they looked for a vocalist by posting over social media including the Newcastle Rock University society page, which is where I came in. I just started at university and decided to give it a shout and here we are.’ 

4. Each band members favorite band? 

Ellen: Alien Weaponry 

Jonny: Metallica

Joe: Mastodon

Steve: Avenged Sevenfold  

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs? 

Ellen: ‘Lyrically, my inspiration comes from personal experiences which I then convey into stories that others may be able to relate to.’

Joe: 'My inspiration can come from a lot of places, often I'll be absentmindedly playing while I'm practicing and my hands will play something that stands out to me. I always start with one idea as a seed for a song. One lyric, one riff or a little melody and then I follow that as far as it goes. Sometimes it's a song, sometimes I scrap it because it goes nowhere'. 

6. Where was your last gig? 

Ellen: 'Our last show was the final night of a mini-tour we just did with A Ritual Spirit, Turbyne and Ashen Reach. We ended the tour with a home town headline show with a full venue. Newcastle always delivers' 

7. Where would you like to play?

Ellen: ‘We would love to play Bloodstock again, and really love to play Download’

Joe: 'We'll play anywhere people want to see us really, but I'd love to get out to a lot of the European festivals, Wacken, Hellfest and Metaldays especially.' 

8. Who would you like to support?

Ellen: ‘One day I would love to support In This Moment, Maria Brink as a vocalist has really been a huge influence on me so I couldn’t think of a greater honour than to share the stage with her.’ 

Jonny: ‘I'd love to support Metallica, they were the first band I saw live and inspired me to pick up a guitar. It'd be amazing for that to come full circle’ 

9. Who not? 

Ellen: ‘Honestly I don’t think there is anyone we wouldn’t want to support, Dolly Parton might want a bit of metal one day’ 

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

Joe: 'Weirdly I'm only nervous that people won't be there. It'll be an hour before doors open and I'll be freaking myself out. As soon as the doors open and there are people to play so I'm just dying to get out on the stage'. 

Ellen: ‘I still suffer from quite bad from stage fright but more in the 10 minutes leading up to the show itself, however, once I’m on stage it all seems to fade away because I’m doing something I love. The best advice I can give is to just have fun if you’re a new band and you make a few mistakes nobody is going to know, and don’t worry about what other people think at the end of the day you’re the one on the stage, not them.’

Jonny: ‘If you’re not nervous something’s wrong!’ 

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Joe: 'For my 16th birthday I went to see Airbourne at the Hammersmith Apollo with my friends. Beer cans and riffs were flying and Joel O'Keefe was the single most rock and roll thing I had ever seen. I don't remember the ride home but my dad tells me I was so wired with adrenaline I talked for the whole journey about how great the show was. So probably them'. 

Ellen: ‘ In this Moment, and bands like Motionless in White, Slipknot and Enter Shikari. They put so much into the performance and that's what inspires me'. 

12. What’s the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for? 

Ellen: ‘So someone asked to lick my shoe once and I thought they were joking, so I turned to Jonny and asked ‘what do I say?’, Jonny replied ‘Say yes!’. So I did, and I’m not kidding this person got down on all fours and started licking my heels all over for a good few minutes! The rest of the band thought it was really funny…’ 

13. What do you think of your fans? 

Ellen: ‘They are the best part of being in a band, you can come off stage thinking the gig didn’t go so well and someone will come up to you say how great you were. All of the fans I have met have been super supportive and friendly, they really brighten my day.’

Joe: 'Yeah our fans are great when someone has watched us play and wants to grab a selfie or asks for the setlist I've been treading on all night it's really incredible. There are so many musicians I love, it's crazy to think people feel that way about music we've made as well' 

14. What do you think of our site?

Steve: 'It's awesome. Great to see so much coverage of artists all over the world. Heaviness crosses borders'. 

15. Something to add?

Jonny: 'Check out our new Single Straight to Hell on every major streaming service and stay tuned for Omnicide in July'