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EMQ’s with CALLUS

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EMQ’s with CALLUS

Hi Everyone. Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Lancaster, UK based Doom/Thrash/Stoner Metal band and huge Ever Metal favourites Callus. We have already done loads of stuff with these guys and love them to bits. Please read on and check them out, especially as their debut album “Hogpocalypse” is one of the Metal highlights of 2019!
What is your name, what do you play and can you tell us a little bit about the history of the band?
Name’s Louis. Or if you’re close to me, Skidmark Clarke will do!
I’m the guitarist and one half of the vocals for our band CALLUS. I share vocal duties with Ben Wormwell who also plays gnarly bass for us, and we have Ryan who plays mad drums.
We formed in 2013, originally with an extra guitar player and loads of different drummers over the years… we parted ways with the guitarist though after the first gig, he got so drunk I had to take his guitar off him, retune it and hand it back… haven’t looked back since (Sorry dude!)
How did you come up with your band name?
Me and Ben had been jamming together for a while prior to this band, I had a load of potential band names written on this big sheet, Ben had a look through it one day and spotted CALLUS on there and was all like “That’s the one!”
What country are you from and what is the metal scene like there?
We are from the UK, North West really. We live in different parts of the country and come together for studio, jamming or for shows.
As far as the ins and outs of the UK scene and its current state so to speak, I really don’t claim to have a vast wealth of knowledge on it! I can think of loads of other people who could probably answer that better.
All that I think I could say Is that the UK has some immense heavy festivals (some of the best in the world) and therefore creates a lot of buzz with up and coming UK bands, and bands that come from overseas for the UK crowds and shows. The UK has also provided the world with some of the biggest and iconic heavy bands of all time… so I think we have something here on these shores… I don’t know what it is, but it’s here… somewhere!
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single or Video)
Our latest release is our debut, self – released and recorded album entitled “HOGPOCALYPSE” which we released January this year.
Who have been your greatest influences?
A lot of real riff playing monsters have probably formed the basis of my own playing as far as guitar hero’s go… such as Iommi (Sabbath), Bill Kelliher (Mastodon), Laura Pleasant’s (Kylesa) Matt Pike (Sleep / High On Fire) Hetfield (Metallica) and other players such as Dick Dale the godfather of surf rock and Jack White (White Stripes), Tom Morello (RATM, Audioslave) all certainly knew how to create some huge sounds and more experimental parts.
What first got you into music?
Probably my dad to be fair!
There was lots of music around the house when I grew up which I’m very grateful for, not really metal mind you that came later on for me. But there was loads of different sounds which was great.
My dad played (and still does!) sweet bluesy slide guitar so that was around from an early age
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Without wanting to jinx anything we MAY have something in the works with another artist from a band we admire, it’s a very exiting mini project for us we are working on and we very much hope we can share more about that in due course.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
I saw a vid of Red Fang playing this fest called Duna Jam I think it was. It’s this little festival somewhere on this beach where the bands play on pallets with the waves and sunset behind them, and the crowd were all sat down headbanging… it was amazing, I want to play there!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Their hand in marriage!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We appreciate you more than you know, thanks for your continued support!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
That’s an impossible question! How could I pick one but not another? I guess I’d bring back Cliff Burton… taken well before his time… I would have loved to hear what else he would have created!
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
The playing of shows and jamming together and the recording of music is probably what I enjoy the most. Both are a very feel good experience for myself, I’ve honestly never been having a bad time doing either in the moment… It’s just the time in-between I struggle with!
I hate waiting for the next jam session or show, I struggle with that!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
More value on downloads would always be nice. (Credit where it’s due though to Bandcamp for being as good as they are).
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Death Is This Communion” – High On Fire… They never got better than that in my opinion.
But there are so many albums that I could note here!
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
That’s a question which causes a lot of divide! But for me I think Vinyl is the best sounding at least, which you could argue that’s what it’s all about… but records are an arse to transport and are, unwieldly.
CD’s are great too, apart from jewel cases!
Downloads are fine as well, as long as the artist gets their fair share of the cost back (which is why we use Bandcamp primarily).
So… they are all great as they cover different bases I think.
It’s down to the listener… but I’m a Vinyl / CD fiend, I need physical!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Hammerfest and Bloodstock were extra special for us when we played them both in 2018, but we have had some great nights in bars and clubs as well.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Hopefully if I couldn’t play music anymore for whatever reason (touch wood!) I’d certainly still follow the bands I do and go to the shows I do, I’d probably get further into collecting and listening to music, maybe start doing reviews and sticking them online I don’t know.
Whatever it would be, I’d have to do something with myself music related!
I’d go out with bands on the road and offer really bad advice, terrible feedback and shit business ideas.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Donald Glover, Donald Glovers Mother, Donald Glovers Mothers Brother, Donald Glovers Brother and Donald Duck!
What’s next for the band?
We have a slot an Amplified Fest on July 20th which we are massively looking forward to, plus a couple of shows leading up to that.
The main focus for us at the moment is we are in the stages of writing a batch of new material for what the aim is to become the next album. We have been jamming out some new tracks and recording them down in demo format.
The new stuff is sounding great (if I may say so!) with Ben and Ryan really stepping up and contributing some killer riffs and ideas, those guys are shining right now and giving me a real big and much needed kick up the arse.
I’ve been writing too of course, but those guys are really cracking them out.
It’s quiet at the moment… but gears are turning
Big bag o riffs with the lads.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
We have all our music and merch up on Bandcamp:
https://callus117.bandcamp.com/music
We are also on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/Callus.band/
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Most definitely, absolutely, one hundred percent CAKES!
(THE CLUE IS IN THE NAME!)
Plus there was a tribunal in 1991 (yes I did just Google that) and it concluded that Jaffa Cakes are indeed… Cakes!
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Big riffs are the best riffs, be kind to your fellow man and big elephants can’t always use small exits.
Thanks for reading!
 
Promo by Beth Jones
 
Disclaimer: This interview is solely the property of Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this interview, 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.
Photo reproduced here with kind permission from Beth Jones.
 

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