Interviews: Braindrag

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Alternative Metal band Braindrag from Spain. Check out the interview and follow the band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

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

ENRIC: Well, naming a band can be very complicated if you want it to be an attractive name, sound good, have a meaning related to your reality, and also not be taken already. During that search, I came across a wordplay based on “arm drag.” “Armdrag” meaning arm pull, made me associate “braindrag” with brain pull. I thought our music was capable of causing an attraction effect on the listener's brain.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

GON: Well, what we do is a fusion of several genres. It could be described as alternative metal, sometimes progressive among other influences. Each musician adds their touch and style, which creates BRAINDRAG. We don't believe it fits into just one genre, but we understand the need to label it for platforms and to give a general overview.

MIREIA: It's not that we sought to play a specific genre; the genre found us. I suppose because of what each band member listens to, the way we understand the world, what makes us feel and accelerates our pulse when we compose, and what allows us to express infinite emotions with the fusion of instruments, which turns past sounds into the present and the present compositions long to reminisce about distant times.

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

MIREIA: We didn’t know each other. Enric is the former member, and Llorenç, Gon, and I joined later through an audition where both the instrumental level and the ability to understand the essence of the project and the band's philosophy were valued. Sometimes I think the stars aligned to bring us together. Each one is a very important piece of a whole, like a Gestalt.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

MIREIA: I have many, but one of them might be Guano Apes.

GON: Black Sabbath.

LLORENÇ: I suppose Cynic.

ENRIC: For me, this is a very difficult question to answer because it has always depended on many variables. I can name some from my childhood, adolescence, and youth, but right now I don't have a favourite band. My favourites have been, from the age of 8 onwards, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Metallica, Suicidal Tendencies, RKL, Victims Family, 24-7 Spyz, Living Colour, Faith No More... At this moment in my life, I don’t have a favourite band. 

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

ENRIC: I am inspired by the act of composing itself, seeing how an idea takes shape and develops. I am inspired by thinking about the band, the live performances, and the project as a whole.

MIREIA: The reality around us, the experiences we live and that make us feel. Since childhood, I have read and written poetry, and I suppose that influences the way I write songs.

6. Where was your last gig?

ENRIC: It was at a new edition festival held last month in Sallent, near Barcelona. "Sallent Rock & Metal Fest."

7. Where would you like to act?

ENRIC: We are a band that likes to play at short distances, but as an emerging band, we are also interested in playing at festivals and reaching more people. I would like to play at "Rock Fest" in Barcelona.

GON: Hellfest, Wacken, and tour the rest of Spain.

MIREIA: In all the capitals and festivals of Europe.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

ENRIC: Well, I don’t have specific artists in mind, but I would love to collaborate with other musicians, such as a string quartet or a technology whiz.

MIREIA: With Kris Vega from Born In Exile.

9. Whom not?

ENRIC: I can tell you that I wouldn’t collaborate with someone purely out of interest. The motivation should always be artistic.

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

GON: In the beginning with my first bands, the panic was very intense, and I went on stage very tense, which generally made the shows turn out badly. Little by little, I gained courage. Most importantly, you need to be very sure of what you have to do up there and know how to perform your parts on the instrument. If you have that well-controlled, you can be ok. Other external aspects, audio problems, audience reactions, or various discomforts, can influence, but if you have your parts well-studied and are well-prepared to play, that fear will decrease, and you will feel more comfortable.

MIREIA: I don’t know if I would elevate it to the category of stage fright, but I have felt very nervous before a concert. My advice is to tell yourself that the stage belongs to you, that you’ve come to give your best, and what you’re doing isn’t easy nor something everyone can do, so step firmly and soar.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

ENRIC: When composing, I don’t recognise a direct inspiration. However, I often think about other bands in terms of their concept and how they create and manage their equipment and sound. “Mike Kerr” from “Royal Blood” impressed and inspired me when creating my equipment setup. Also “Muse,” in their heavier songs, in their management of instruments and sound. The boldness of “Red Fang” in their playing style and their raw sound seems very authentic to me, as well as the sonic personality of “Queens of the Stone Age,” who don’t care if they follow the technical rules of good sound.

MIREIA: It depends on the moment. To compose melodies, I try to be open to the experience of singers from many styles. The good thing about BRAINDRAG is precisely that, as we do not aim to sound like anyone in particular, you can use many resources, to make it sound like us.

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

ENRIC: To come to a family meal at their house.

GON: Well, not much so far. The most common are autographs, but we have received emails asking us to send signed records by mail to other European countries.

13. What do you think of your fans?

MIREIA: Without someone stopping to listen to what you do, what you do remains an echo in the void. The people who listen to BRAINDRAG are people with open minds, who value the details of each song and are capable of abstracting from the established. They are fans of the senses.

ENRIC: Right now, they are special people to me.

14. What do you think of our site?

ENRIC: I was really surprised. There is a lot of information and very well organised. You can search and refine the search to your liking. I think it’s a good site to discover new bands or get to know artists you like in more depth. The “countries” and “genres” sections are interesting. It seems like a site to keep in mind. Congratulations!

15. Something to add?

ENRIC: Yes, I would just like to mention our recent incorporation into the WormholeDeath Records family, of which we are very happy and satisfied. Our new album “Coure Roent” will be released this July and distributed physically worldwide, which greatly motivates us to continue working