EMQ’s With RIPPINGDEXD
EMQ’s With RIPPINGDEXD
Hello everyone! Welcome to another EMQs, this time with UK Alternative Death Metal project, RIPPINGDEXD. Huge thanks to Shezer 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?
My name is Shezer and I do all instruments and vocals for the Alternative Death Metal project RIPPINGDEXD. Was initially a lockdown project to help me gain recording skills, but then I fell in love with the artistic side and I really felt like I was expressing myself properly so I went all-in with it.
How did you come up with your band name?
I had initially thought of The Ripping Dead in mid-2020 as like a cheesy horror inspired thing, but then something felt dreary about it so I did the all caps and the X to basically confuse people, freak ‘em out. Death Metal bands are too good at spelling for their own good ha ha!
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
I grew up in Newbury, UK so Reading was my ‘home’ when it came to local bands etc. being very fond of Gutlocker, Kamikaze Test Pilots, End of Salvation, Denialofhumanity, Negative Thought Process, Evil Brain Taste of course, Big Drink but these days I’m based in Swindon and they’re a lot more into their Hardcore. I also go to Oxford, Bristol and London a lot. I basically consider the M4 corridor to be ‘the local scene’.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
My latest release has been the EP, “Death and Misery”. Insanely proud of it ‘cuz the whole thing was a learning curve where I was open to a lot of challenges, from recording to mixing to PR. The writing was a lot of fun, as those ideas had been bubbling for months.
Who have been your greatest influences?
Bolt Thrower, Escape The Fate, Hate Eternal, Bloodbath, Yungblud, Morrissey, to name a few.
What first got you into music?
Queen and KISS, when I was about 7. Combination of family and Guitar Hero, got heavier as I got older really.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Paul Barrow of Death Blooms has a great voice for both cleans and harsh – would be mad to hear Nu Metal vocals on some grind.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
RIPPINGDEXD is a studio project at the moment, but if I ever were to get a live line-up together it would be killer to play one of those Death Metal all-dayers, like Snuff Fest or something where everyone likes messy guitars, blast beats and gutturals and are just mates, stoked to see each other.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Putting up with my music 😉
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Never settle for less than you are, be real and although few will appreciate it, they’ll have your back for life and that’s so much more important than superficial shit. Also, BE OPEN TO LEARNING. Stubbornness is killing our society, don’t feed it.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Alexi Laiho. Geezer was absolutely dripping in charisma and talent. Gave extreme music a Rock ‘N’ Roll spirit, something his peers were too serious to do.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
Getting my ideas out there. Making new friends through that scene. Only thing I hate about it is mixing and mastering, that’s a ball ache.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
I’d get rid of all the fascist, racist, homophobic, transphobic, misogynistic, abusive, all the hateful bands. Dodgy promoters too. You can make good music without being a shithead, knock it off.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
Anaal Nathrakh – “Desideratum”. It’s brilliant, like a more melodic, fine-tuned, modern Codex Necro.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CDs, or Downloads?
CDs for the car, vinyl and cassettes for the shelf and bragging rights, downloads for the headphones.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Does tracking guitars with my dog in the room count? He did a sort of mosh-like thing when a cat walked past the window.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
I’d probably be doing a lot more programming than I do now.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
I’ll do a crazy one with Dani Filth, 2 of my mates, David Mitchell and Robert Webb. Just so I can say to David Mitchell “I’d hate to call you a racist at my dinner party…”.
What’s next for the band?
New music. Even more jarring genre collisions with Death Metal. Better merch. Live line-up if the right people are about.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
www.rippingdexd.com has it all: socials, streaming, trivia.
Jaffa Cakes? Are they a cake or a biscuit?
Cake. People who say ‘biscuit’ need to go on a register.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Cheers for reading this interview, doing press is very new to me so hopefully you all enjoy what RIPPINGDEXD has to offer.
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