EMQ’s with BLACK SHEETS OF RAIN
EMQ’s with BLACK SHEETS OF RAIN
Hi Everyone. Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Lancaster based NWOTHM band Black Sheets Of Rain. Huge thanks to them for taking part!
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Hello Ever Metal and your esteemed readership! This is Rich Davenport, lead vocalist and guitarist with Black Sheets Of Rain. We’re a power trio influenced by Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Metallica, Anthrax, Kings X, Accept, Iron Maiden, Saxon and Thin Lizzy. My bandmates are Dave Nuttall (drums/vocals) and Matt Lambourne (ex Solomon Groove, bass) Dave and I have been playing together in various bands since 2012. We hooked up with Matt in 2016, and everything seemed to fall into place, his bass style and songwriting was a perfect fit and helped us define our sound, which is melodic Heavy Metal with hints of doom and thrash.
Dave has previously played with the Toy Dolls, a punk band that some of you may know, and I was in a later version of Atomkraft with Tony Dolan, who’s now in Venom Inc. Tony has guested on one of the songs on our debut EP, more on that later!
How did you come up with your band name?
It’s an album title and song by Bob Mould, formerly with Husker Du.
What country are you from and what is the metal scene like there?
We’re from the UK, and there’s a thriving metal scene here, not least on the more old school/traditional metal side of things, which has been much healthier in recent years. We’ve gigged with bands like Seven Sisters, Eliminator and Conjuring Fate, all of whom are excellent twin guitar metal bands, and we’ve also shared stages with Damaj, who are thrash influenced and Dogsflesh, who are punk/metal crossover.
What is your latest release (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Our debut EP “In The Eye Of The Storm” is out on April 26th via W.A.R. Productions, available from www.blacksheetsofrain.com There are two lyric videos you can check out on the site, including one for ‘No Rest’, which features a guest appearance from Tony Dolan of Venom Inc. The EP was produced by Tony Wilson who produced the BBC Friday Rock Show with Tommy Vance for many years.
Who have been your greatest influences?
For me personally, Tony Iommi from Sabbath has been a huge influence, not only in terms of his monolithic riffs, but also with regard to his soloing. I really admire Gary Moore, Randy Rhoads and Michael Schenker when it comes to lead guitar, and from a songwriting point of view, it’d be Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy.
What first got you into music?
I listened to one of my dad’s Beatles albums when I was 7, one of their early records called “With The Beatles”. That got me interested in music, around the tail end of punk, and I started paying more attention to the radio. I got into metal through a friend at primary school when I was 8, his older brother was a metalhead. There was a kids TV show called Tiswas that had a lot of metal bands on, I saw Saxon, Motorhead and Maiden on there for the first time. I bought Run To The Hills after seeing the video on there when I was 9, and that was it, I was hooked!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
It would have to be the metal god himself, Rob Halford.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Wacken in Germany, I’ve heard so many great reports about it and I’ve never been. After we played I could hang around and watch the rest of the bill!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Thankfully I’ve never been given anything strange or disturbing!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Thank you for your support and interest in our music, it’s very much appreciated and never taken for granted.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Jimi Hendrix. He was so far ahead of the curve, and moved guitar playing so far forward in such a short time. I’d love to see what he’d come up with next, and to hear his playing through a modern-day guitar rig.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Playing music is a huge release and it’s therapeutic when times get tough. Playing live is probably what I enjoy most, seeing and hearing the audience reaction, and locking in with the other guys in the band. On the hate side, it would be the behaviour of scam artists who try to prey on bands.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I’d like to see more easily available advice for up and coming or independent bands, so that they can avoid getting ripped off. The Musician’s Union is really good for that side of things, but not everyone’s aware of it.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Judas Priest – “Screaming For Vengeance”.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
CD’s or Vinyl, purely for the sound quality. I’m old school, I prefer a physical copy of an album, so I can check out the artwork and lyrics.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Our last gig at the Bobbin in Lancaster, supporting Dogsflesh, was probably the best reaction we’ve had so far, although it’s hard to pick a favourite. Supporting Conjuring Fate and Damaj at the Venue in Carlisle was another highlight.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Stand up comedy, I’ve dabbled with it in the past and enjoyed it, and nobody threw anything at me, so that’s a good sign…!
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Stewie Griffin, Dr Evil, Stan Lee, Robin Williams and Marge Simpson.
What’s next for the band?
As many gigs as possible, and we’re writing a full-length album which we hope to release in 2020.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
www.facebook.com/blacksheetsofrain and www.blacksheetsofrain.com.
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
I’d go with biscuit. They’re addictive, and it’s hard to stop after one, so in the event of a pig out, it’s probably better to say you’ve just eaten a pile of biscuits rather than a pile of cakes, it sounds healthier.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks for your time too, and to your readers for theirs in reading this. Please check out the lyric videos on our website or Facebook page, and if you like what you hear, hopefully we’ll see you at a gig sometime soon! Cheers!
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.
