Interviews: Winter Hotel

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Alternative Metal band, Winter Hotel, 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? 

WH: The name is influenced by two things; The hotel from Stephen King’s ‘The Shining’, and the poem ‘November Hotel’ by Phil Bowen. These are both influences to Liam and Warren as lyricists.

2.Why did you want to play this genre? 

WH: Each of us in Winter Hotel listen to different genres and subgenres of metal, so we find ways to meet half way with our influences, mixing hints of slam, mid-western emo, beatdown and post-hardcore. Most of us have been devoted metal fans since our early teens.

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

WH: Liam and Charlie met when they were 15/16, and have played in a couple of other bands in the past before this project. Liam and Warren pretty much started working on the band as soon as they met back in 2017.

4. Each band member favourite band? 

Warren: Putrid Pile Liam: Alesana Charlie: Smashing Pumpkins James: Bullet for my Valentine

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs? 

WH: So a lot of the songs are written from past experiences of both Warren and Liam, however certain inspirations come from poetry, horror and the scenery of North Wales.

6. Where was your last gig? 

WH: Metal To The Masses heat 1 in Petre, Deeside. That was just before the lockdown began.

7. Where would you like to perform? 

WH: I think one of our main goals is to perform at Camden Underworld. So many incredible metal bands have performed there in the past and we’d love to share that experience.

8. Whom would you like to perform with? 

WH: Probably While She Sleeps, Parkway Drive, Chelsea Grin, but we love performing with and meeting local bands on different scenes too.

9. Whom not? 

WH: Peter Andre

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

WH: I think it’s fair to say we all suffer from stage fright, but that blends with the adrenaline. I’m not sure it can ever fully go away, but I wouldn’t want it to.

11. What bands have inspired you the most? 

WH: We’re all inspired by different artists. Warren is inspired by bands such as Cannibal Corpse, Liam is a devoted fan of post-harcore bands like While She Sleeps, Charlie is keen on 90’s era grunge and post-punk and James is a big fan of thrash metal.

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

WH: No one’s ever asked us to do a strange thing, but a couple of people have just full on grabbed Warren’s ass cheeks at a gig before. Can’t blame them.

13. What do you think of your fans?

WH: We could never thank our fans enough for their support. Since the start, we’ve been closely involved with the Bangor and North Wales metal scene, and anyone involved in that community has been a huge help to us. The metal community globally is a tightly knit one with some of the most devoted and hardcore followers, and we love the interaction.

14. What do you think of our site? 

WH: The site looks so good! Have to say we haven’t come across it before but I’m glad we have now, I know for sure that Warren will find some tasty material on here.

15. Something to add?

WH: Thanks for interviewing us. The pandemic has pushed us back with the performance side of things, but we’ve not let it slow us fully down and we’ve been putting all of our focus into releasing the first three parts to our 5 part collection, ‘Vacancies’. You can hear parts I, II and III on all major streaming platforms as well as via YouTube.