EMQ’s with CHASING GHOSTS
EMQ’s with CHASING GHOSTS
Hi everyone! Welcome to our new EMQ’s interview with Milton Keynes, UK based Dark Rock/Metal band Chasing Ghosts. Huge thanks to guitarist Ashley Clark 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?
I am Ashley and I play Guitar (mainly rhythm) in Chasing Ghosts. The band formed in 2015 and I joined in April 2016. Over the past 4 years we have released our debut album “These Hollow Gods”, released 3 videos and played various prestigious venues and festivals including, headlining at 02 Academy 2 in Liverpool and Nocturnefest in Denmark and we now have our just released EP that has already had incredible feedback!
How did you come up with your band name?
It was taken from a song, which Lee (Bass and songwriter) in Chasing Ghosts wrote back in 2005 in one of his previous bands. At the time it was quite a unique name, but today everyone seems to be using this for books, songs and album titles. We have invested heavily in this name over the years, so too late to change it now, I guess.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
I am from Luton, North of London, it has a fairly strong rock/metal scene, with Castlefest , Luton/Live Promotions, and various other venues in the area putting on live music every weekend.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
Bring Me Suffering EP – Three tracks totalling 17 some minutes, released on 12th June 2020.
Who have been your greatest influences?
As a guitarist it would be Jerry Cantrell from Alice In Chains, Adam Jones from Tool, Andy Cairns from Therapy? And Billy Duffy from The Cult. All the previous bands plus A Perfect Circle, Anathema and Metallica.
What first got you into music?
My parents always had music on in the house, either radio or their own collection. I remember many journeys in the car where we had on Status Quo as my dad loved them, we would also see them live every year at Wembley Arena, which made me want to play guitar.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I think for us to collaborate with Nick from Paradise Lost would be incredible, or Lee Douglas from Anathema. Our current sound would suit their vocal styles perfectly and would be amazing to hear.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Wacken Festival would be amazing, I think because the respect for the type of music we play is very high at this festival. A real diverse mix of different types of metal/hard rock.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
I was in a band that had a fan make us samosas once, I think food is an odd one really as you really don’t know what has gone into it!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We, like so many other unsigned bands, really appreciate every single review, comment, share, like, radio play and all other acts of support . It is so hard these days for an upcoming unsigned band to establish themselves without the support of new and old fans.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Selfishly it would have be Pete Steele as he seemed larger than life, plus it would be great to hear new Type O Negative!
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Getting lost in the performance and letting the creative parts take over, and being loud! I hate guitar strings breaking! It’s always happening to me!
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
It would be for the industry to provide bigger platforms for those unsigned bands that are trying so hard to be original and do everything themselves and that don’t fit within the popular metal/rock genres.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
A Perfect Circle – “Mer de Noms”
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
I’m happy with all of them really, I would love to have more vinyl, but as long as I get the music in my ears, I am happy!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
I would say the 02 Academy 2 gig in Liverpool as the sound was out of this world and it was a real privilege to play such a prestigious venue, it was incredible!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Eating a lot. Music is such a part of me that I don’t really know anything else. I think it would be something creative like painting or writing.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
The band Therapy? so I can ask all the questions about my favourite band, so that’s three, and then James Hetfield from Metallica so I can steal his technique, finally I would have to say Billy Connolly as you need a comedian!
What’s next for the band?
After COVID-19 we want to get out and play as many venues and festivals across the UK and Europe, continue to collaborate with other musicians and hopefully return to the studio and work with Jaime Gomez Arellano once again, as we are always working on new material.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
www.facebook.com/chasingghostsuk/
www.youtube.com/chasingghostsuk
www.open.spotify.com/artist/1vKRNt6i78mYclDrF3BlWo
www.chasingghostsuk.bandcamp.com
www.instagram.com/chasingghosts_uk/
www.twitter.com/ChasingGhosts_
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Cake. It’s in the name. If it is left out it goes soft. Cake.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Just to say a big thank you to everyone who has listened to our music and supports us, it doesn’t go unnoticed and it really makes us move forward!
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