Interviews About Albums: Thunderstick - Lockdown (2023)

In this new interview, we sat down with the UK Heavy Metal band Thunderstick to ask some questions about their album "Lockdown". 

1. What can you say about this new EP/CD?

Well …. the new album has been a long time in the making, I recorded my drum tracks in 2019 hoping to start track laying in earnest in early 2020. It didn’t happen due to Covid restrictions and enforced self-isolation. To allow continuity of my proposed timeline I took the decision to record all guitars digitally using music software programs that the various musicians had at their homes. It was a long drawn-out process. There were plenty of songs that I had to choose from, recent compositions that were collaborations with friends, and solo material that I had penned in the past that had ‘sat in the vaults’. Something I feel that has given this album considerable variation.

2. What is the meaning of the EP/CD name?

Due to the entire album being recorded during the imposed seclusion, I felt that there was only one title that had relevant meaning… ’Lockdown’. However, I am providing an inter-changeable front cover that includes the original artwork for the working title which was ’Beware The Dark Cabaret Hooligans’. That way anyone that purchases the CD or vinyl can choose as to what they would like the title and subsequent artwork to be.

3. Which one is the composer of the CD/EP? 

Around 80% of the songs are my own and the rest are collaborations with musician friends of mine. Thunderstick the band has always been ‘my baby’ as it were. I have written most of the material, and all the lyrics arranged and produced all of the albums. I regard myself far more as a musician than just a drummer with his own band.

4. If you had to pick one song, which one would you pick?

That is a hard question to answer. I like all of the songs for different reasons. If I were truly forced into choosing only one it would probably be ‘Dawn of the Crystal Night’. This one I feel demonstrates my love of arrangement and texturing of sound. When assembling it for orchestration (although there is no orchestra on it) I wanted to try to achieve a Bowie-esque feel for it. The finished article has no semblance to Bowie but it helped put me in the right mindset to create something different and quirky.

5. Is there a special message in this EP/CD?

If there is what it is? Answer: Not so much as a special message as it doesn’t have any kind of concept behind it, However, it is an album that has been realized, created, and recorded singularly because of a global pandemic. All performances were done remotely without a band ever being in the same place at the same time due to self-isolation.

6. Are there some lyrics that you'd love to share? 

Taken from the song ‘Warhead’…. “There’s a blood-stained child with flag in hand, his Mother’s gone, he can hardly stand ‘Where’s my Mummy, could you tell me please’ the wind blows cold as his teardrops freeze. Torn is the ground he once played upon, the sunshine memories now all gone. There once was a purpose to all he knew, there once was warmth when the blizzard blew. She’d always said that it would be alright, she’d always been there with her love. She’d always vanquished all the fears at night, and he was her only son. Alone he stands in a field of hate, by another man’s hand to eliminate. Frozen rigid a child so pure, ripped from his life by the hand of war. He sobs from the heart as if to speak, another lost angel who’ll be dead in a week. What if his cries were heard miles away, how many children must die this way?....”

7. Which inspirations have been important for this album? Like musically or friends, family, someone you'd love to thank especially? 

Raven of course is in my opinion a vocalist of exceptional talent. Her performances on this album have so much variation and color to them. However, there are many to thank for helping to get this album completed. The performances on it are from friends who just happen to be amazing musicians. They gave their time and musical abilities out of friendship and a high regard for what it was that I was trying to achieve. I find it hard to put into words the gratitude I have for each and every one of them. Something quite unusual for a Lyricist... Laughs.

8. Something to add?

I would just like to say thank you to all of our fans/supporters and really hope that it lives up to their expectations of it. May we continue to engage with you. BGP Thunderstick.