Today I'm excited to bring my second musical Getting To Know... post with up and coming band Chaos At Dawn, their debut album, Embers, is released today!! I talk to Andrew Barlow (vocals) and Michael Walsh (guitar).
So to get us started off, could you introduce yourselves and tell me what your part in the band is?
MW - Hey, My name is Michael, and I play triangle.
AB - I'm Andrew, and I definitely do not play triangle.
MW - There's only room for one triangle player. And it is I. Nobody steps on my turf.
Today you've released your debut album, can you tell me anything about the inspiration behind the tracks and how you decided on your sound?
MW - Nope!
AB - Someone's not cooperating. Ok! Sound! I think a lot of it comes from bands that we were listening to at that time. We both have similar and also different tastes, and I like to think we bring a bit of all of that to the writing process.
MW - Yeah, obviously every band draws inspiration from the bands that they've grown up listening to, and we've both been in a LOT of bands, and all played for a very long time. You sort of learn as you go on. Learn what sounds good, and what basically sounds like dog s**t in a tin.
How did you all become interested in music and how did you come together as a band?
MW - I wasn't interested in music, I wanted to be a race car driver!
AB - Really??
MW - Noooooooo. Not really. Music for me, growing up, the first time seeing Slash play guitar on MTV back in the early 1990's. That just really made me want to pick up a guitar and play. Slash and Guns N Roses were probably my first inspiration along with the first time I saw Metallica.
AB - For me, I've listened to all sorts of different music especially being a teenager. Some really embarrassing s**t as a youngster too. But I think Dookie by Green Day was one of the first rock albums I had. Listening to them kind of opened the door for everything else that followed. I remember once getting a copy of Korn's Follow the Leader on cassette from a friend at school and being hooked straight away. As a moody teenager that album was just perfect! Getting together as a band, me, Mick and Luis met around 5 years ago when we were in a cover's band together. When our drummer left, we just decided to carry on writing. I just don't think the rest of us were ready to just give up on it all and knew that we had the ability to write some original music.
Growing up who were your favourite bands or musicians?
MW - Guns n Roses, Metallica, and pretty much the whole grunge movement from the 90's, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, Nirvana. Then again when the whole nu metal movement came in in the early 2000's, I loved all of those major nu metal bands.
AB - My dad got me into Elvis and Chuck Berry as a kid, and also Johnny Cash. So I kinda grew up listening to that, but then I'd say I really got into rock when I was in my teens, and loved listening to bands like Placebo, Metallica, Korn. Even Creed and then later Alter Bridge.
MW - Just realised I'm old as f**k!
When you're all not performing, recording, writing etc, what would we find you doing?
MW - At the minute, recovering from extensive back surgery.
AB - And he's not even kidding! He's usually on a lot of meds when we're writing which makes the process more fun. For me, working, reading, family time.
MW - Yeah family time is important. I like to spend time walking my two dogs with my better half.
What would be your absolute dream stage to perform on be?
MW - Gotta be Donington all the way.
AB - Got to agree with Mick there. Download would be amazing. Or something overseas like Red Rocks, or something cool like Shiprocked.
Other than the obvious, singing and playing instruments, do you have any other hidden talents?
MW - Other than music, I spend a lot of time working on bikes.
AB - I'm good with numbers?
MW - So to your answer your question, no we have no other talents
If you could be any superhero, who would you be and why?
MW - Deadpool! That guy has a rocking body, and he probably gets more p***y than a whiskers advert.
AB - Batman!! Bale..... not Clooney.
MW - And definitely not the one from the last movie! Jesus Christ that movie was a bag of d***s.
Are any of you gamers, whether it be console, pc, table top or maybe mobile phone? If you are, what's your favourite game?
AB - Only every now and again, difficult to find time at the minute. I do like a good game on FIFA or a shoot em up like Gears of War.
MW - Is p**n a game?
As well as loving music, I am a huge reader. Do you get any time in your busy schedules to read and can you give me any book recommendations?
AB - Oh god, I read too much. Favourite books are A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving, and the His Dark Materials trilogy by Phillip Pullman.
MW - (In the voice of Mike Myers) I..... never..... Learned.... To ........ Reeeeead.
Now that your album has come out what can we expect from you next? Will there be a tour, music videos etc?
AB - After the last few years, I feel like I need a few weeks to wind down, as we've wrote, recorded, mixed, produced and mastered the EP by ourselves, on our own terms which has been incredibly time consuming but in a good way. But we've already started writing again. Our single will be out shortly, and the EP is due at the end of this month. (at the time of answering these questions) Excited but nervous all at once. I definitely see us doing some gigs in the very near future though.
MW - I think we are just looking to keep momentum going, grow musically, and try a few different things. As far as touring goes, we will have to see what comes around once the EP has been released and once I've fully recovered.
Thank you so much to both Michael and Andrew for answering my questions in the busy run up to their release of the debut album!
To check out Chaos At Dawn and their music
Facebook - Chaos At Dawn
Twitter - @chaosatdawn
Instagram - chaosatdawnmusic
Youtube - Chaos At Dawn
