Condolences - Interview

In this new occasion we have the great opportunity to interview the Melodic Hardcore/Hardcore Punk band Condolences from UK, here we will let you their FACEBOOK PAGE to give them a like and follow them.We have nothing more to say, so enjoy this interview!

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

I think Sean (the other guy on vocals/guitar) came up with the name. I don't know if it is a good name or not, and there is a band from America who already have it. So I guess it is not original (although we may have had it first). Fairly sure it's from the Touche Amore song by the same title. So yeah, we aren't original.

2.Why did you want to play this genre?

It is the kind of music that we all agree on liking. Each of us like other genres of music that the others don't, in addition to the hardcore/post-hardcore stuff that we play and enjoy listening to. I like skate punk, Wilson (drums) likes emo stuff etc etc.

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

Sean and I have played in bands together for about 10 years and despite often having wildly differing tastes in what constitutes good music, we appear to be stuck with each other and occasionally the clash works and we write a decent song. Sean also played in a metal band with Wilson for a number of years and I met Wilson through Sean. Ally is new to the band and new to knowing us, so obviously hasn't yet discovered what massive dickholes we all are. Something the last four bass players discovered. We met Ally by playing on the same shows as his other band PanicByFlare.

4. Each band member favourite band?

A hard question to answer. Too hard. Mine would be Strung Out, Thrice arrgh, too many to mention Brand New, Bigwig, Alexis, Comeback Kid, Defeater, Touche Amore, Bouncing Souls. Sean is big on Deftones, Poison The Well and Glassjaw. Wilson likes bands like Sunny Day Real Estate, The Appleseed Cast and lashings of Thursday. Ally seems to like everything, all genres. We all like Radiohead and Oasis.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

All Condolences songs are pretty miserable, don't think we have a single even moderately happy song. That is the running theme. Songs about death, unrequited love, living in troubled relationships. Stuff like that. Just what ever I'm thinking about/feeling at the time. You can see what the songs on our new E.P. are about on the song by song breakdown to follow.

6. Where was your last gig?

Are last gig was a while ago now, a few months back in the Banshee Labryth in Edinburgh. It is a really cool venue. It is like a maze inside and is said to be haunted. It has a cinema in it that shows the classic films, Back To The Future, Terminator, Indian Jones etc. So you can watch them and have a drink at the same time. It also has a stage obviously. You can see some of the show here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJTL6XjmEqU

Since then Colin (bass) left and has been replaced by Ally. We recorded a new E.P. and Wilson had a baby, so we are taking some time off for that.

7. Where would you like to play?

We would really like to play in Europe. We have all toured in Europe in our other bands and it was cool and we are looking to going back in 2016. So if you want to book us, give me a shout.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

I think we would like to play with Defeater or Touche Amore as they would be a good fit for us. But any band that are good and we can learn from/steal parts from would be cool.

9. Whom not?

Any band that think they are better than they actually are and act like assholes for no reason.

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

Wilson does struggle a bit, despite touring the whole world and playing in front of tens of thousands of people at festivals. No idea how to fix it and neither does he. I don't struggle from it myself, so no advice I'm afraid.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

I guess just the same bands that we listed above as our favourites. Defeater, Alexisonfire, Thrice are all big influences on the song writing for this band.

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

No one asks us to do anything, except to shut up and play another song when we are talking shite. We are old and ugly (and 3/4 of us are taken), so people don't ask for anything.

13. What do you think of your fans?

Our fans that come to our shows are basically our friends, and they are obviously amazing. The two people on the front of our new EP cover are a married couple and two of our best friends. They endure every gig (poor people). The strangers that download our music from all around the world, well, it just blows our minds how they even discover us, let alone bother to download our songs. And when they write to us online and tell us they like our music, it is awesome. Keep it up guys/girls.

14. What do you think of our site?

I really like the site, it has already introduced me to some great bands from all over the world and it is amazing that you guys/girls put in so much time and effort to help out bands and share music. It is great to see.

15. Something to add?

Download our new EP! https://condolencesband.bandcamp.com/album/hope-is-a-mistake

Available on iTunes and Spotify on 05/01/16