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Interview: Mike Got Spiked
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Page 2 |
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The Mic: Who is the band's musical influence?
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Conall: We all have similar tastes in music but at the same time have
widely varied influences. Gavin, our singer is a huge fan of "Faith No More"
and pretty much any band with Mike Patton involved, Jonathan, our bassist is a
big fan of 80's thrash metal while Dave, our drummer loves softer bands like
"Pearl Jam" and "Paul Simon". I'm into the heavier side of music including
bands like "Pantera" but we all have some influences in common like early
"Incubus" and "System of a Down". I feel that it is because of our similar yet
vastly different influences that we keep our music interesting for us to
play - and hopefully for people to listen to!
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The Mic: How did the band get together?
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Conall: As I mentioned earlier we've all been friends for many years.
Gavin and I went to school together where we formed our first band. We used to
murder "Metallica" and "Nirvana" songs as well as beginning to learn how to
write our own material. I met Jonathan and Dave through college in Dublin and
over the years played in many bands featuring one or other or both of those
guys. In early 2002 I was playing in a three-piece ska band with Jonathan and
Dave but, fun and all as it was, we just didn't feel that it was ever going to
go anywhere so we decided to get a frontman, someone with talent, charisma
and - most importantly - someone we could get along with. Gavin was the obvious
choice and we haven't looked back since.
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The Mic: What is your musical background like?
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Conall: My mother's side of the family was always very musical. (My
Dad has no musical ability whatsoever but is a born music critic!) I grew up
in a house with a piano and an old, battered classical guitar. I took piano
lessons for a few years but grew weary of playing old songs by long-dead
composers. When I discovered rock 'n' roll as a pre-teen it lit a fire in my
soul and I took up the guitar. My parents bought me my first electric guitar
for my 14th birthday and it was love at first sight! I spent the next few
years learning how to play along with my favourite songs and trying to perfect
the art of playing... a life-long process!
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The Mic: Any other members in your family that are musicians?
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Conall: My mother plays the piano, in fact she still occasionally
plays the organ for the church choir back home. My sister tried the violin for
a while but lost interest so I guess I'm the one who has to carry on the
musical tradition!
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The Mic: What is the TOP reason why you want to play music?
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Conall: To be cool, of course! :) I was never what you might call a cool
kid, terrible at all sports and not quite computer savvy enough to hang out with
the nerds. The fact that I was a teacher's son didn't help my popularity much
either so I retreated into my own world where music nourished my soul. I'd lie
in my room with the stereo blasting and look up at the posters on my wall of
all my heroes, Slash from Guns 'n' Roses, Dimebag from Pantera, Metallica,
AC/DC and a host of others and dream of the day that I'd be just like them.
Of course as I got older I realized that the rock 'n' roll dream isn't all
glitz and glamour and groupies. This is the hardest job I've ever had but also
the most rewarding. There's nothing quite like the feeling you get from putting
your heart, soul, blood, sweat and tears into something you love.
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The Mic: What's your stance on file swapping?
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There's no point in trying to fight it, it's gonna happen whatever your
stance. Having said that I have no problem with it, It would be pretty
hypocritical of me to denounce it as - although I don't even own a computer
or MP3 player and therefore am probably the only person in the world who is
not guilty of illegal downloads - I grew up with an impressive collection of
albums on cassette tape that I had copied from my friends... it amounts to the
same thing right? Copyright theft? As a musician I would obviously like to be
paid for my work - who wouldn't? But I feel that it's important to get your
music out there. If someone gets your stuff for free and really likes it then
chances are that they'll come to see your show, buy your T-shirt, maybe even
buy you a drink at the bar! If they really like what they hear they'll go out
and buy the CD. This will never happen unless they hear you in the first place.
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