EMQ’s With Webb
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK Progressive Metal band, Webb. Huge thanks to them all 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?
RYAN: Ryan Webb, Guitars/Vocals, WEBB started off with just me making music and hiring session musicians for tracking drums and for live performances. Luca Massidda (Bass) started as a session bassist and after a year or so decided to become a permanent member. Nigel (Drums) started as a session drummer as well and after the first gig we got chatting and he decided to be a permanent member. Currently WEBB is a 3-piece band.
LUCA: I play bass.
What Country/Region are you from and what is the Metal/Rock scene like there?
RYAN: I’m from London UK and moved to the Southwest of England (Swindon) in 2019. Sadly, there’s not much of a Metal / Rock scene here in Swindon, but there seems to be a lot going on in surrounding cities – at least it doesn’t take us long to get to the cities that really do appreciate great metal!
LUCA: I come from Carbonia, a small town in the south of Sardinia. Although is a small town, the music and art scene has always been rich. I haven’t lived there for many years, but I have a fond memory of hanging out with many talented musicians with all sorts of different music taste, rock and metal included.
What is your latest release?
RYAN: “Deadly Sins And Virtues” is our latest album that’s coming out on 30th June 2023. ‘Hope’ was the first single to be released from the album also, ‘You’re Going Down’, the second single is due for release on 31st May. We released a video for ‘Hope’ on our YouTube channel, and the video for ‘You’re Going Down’ has already been scheduled for release on 31st May.
Who have been your greatest influences?
RYAN: Where do I start? Here we go: Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Yngwie Malmsteen, Metallica, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani etc. As the years went by, I got more into Dream Theater and similar bands. John Petrucci has also been a massive influence. Right now, the only band that gets me hyped is the one and only Gojira.
LUCA: My greatest music influences are Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Tool and The Mars Volta
NIGEL: In heavy music, Faith No More and Iron Maiden (first 3 albums). In everything else, too many to mention. Genesis, PJ Harvey, Miles Davis, Arkells, The Streets, Mogwai, Rueben and on and on.
What first got you into music?
RYAN: Growing up there was always music being blasted at home. I remember AC/DC’s “Highway To Hell” album being pretty much left on the record player spinning for God knows how many hours. I would have to say that the sound of overdriven guitars is what got me excited and got me into music.
LUCA: My Dad
NIGEL: When I was eleven my elder brother needed a drummer, so he convinced our mum to buy me a drumkit. It has worked out reasonably well for me.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
RYAN: Gojira, Gojira, Gojira. I like to dream big.
NIGEL: De Staat
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
RYAN: Wacken without a doubt. Just performing on the main stage in that environment and being among great musicians, and that enormous crowd, would be a dream come true.
LUCA: Duna Jam. It’s a summer festival in a wild, miles long beach in the south-east of Sardinia. Because who wouldn’t like to hear the sea waves while setting up your gear on stage?
NIGEL: Having done a lot of them, I’m a bit of an old grinch because festivals are often amazing to go to as a punter, and a shocking uphill battle to do well as an artist. But I haven’t done Bloodstock yet, so I’d like to give that one a try!
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
RYAN: I’m yet to receive a weird gift from a fan. Hopefully someday soon!
LUCA: Do bass players get any gifts from the fans?
NIGEL: There was a US fan of a band I was in who used to relentlessly bake us cakes. Not an unusual present, but the amount of cake would have given diabetes to a grizzly bear.
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
RYAN: Stay true to yourselves and make the most out of your time on this planet. I really hope you love the album as much as we do…and come and say hi after any gigs you come to!
LUCA: We cannot wait to share great moments with you on the upcoming gigs.
NIGEL: It’ll be alright in the end. And if it’s not alright, it’s not the end.
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
RYAN: Freddie Mercury. I’m rather jealous that my wife, not only got to see him perform in Queen, but she also got to meet him as well!
LUCA: Selfishly I would say Jimi Hendrix as I would love to see one of his gigs. However, the idea of someone being catapulted from 1970 to 2023 is terrifying.
NIGEL: I’m afraid of zombies, so honestly, I think I’ll leave them all un-ressurected.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
RYAN: Being a musician in today’s world has its own challenges, just like most other professions. The joy of making a record with the band from scratch to finish, and the way it makes me feel gives me great joy. I’ve always said this, making music is the easiest part but getting the right person, or audience to listen to it can be quite frustrating.
LUCA: Playing live, sharing these moments and that energy with the band mates and the crowd.
NIGEL: Touring can be tough on the personal life. But that all melts away when you can see the joy and escapism on peoples’ faces as they react to the music.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
RYAN: It would be great if the main steam music industry started focusing more on other genres of music, rather than the same stuff we keep hearing over and over again.
LUCA: When you stream music online, a fair amount of the proceeds should go to the artist.
NIGEL: A way to pay artists reasonably for streaming.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
RYAN: This is a difficult one, I’m going to keep it current and say “Fortitude” by Gojira
LUCA: Song For The Deaf – Queens Of The Stone Age
NIGEL: High Noon, Arkells
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
RYAN: Vinyl all the way. I love the look of an album, how it feels, and the sound is just incredible. We have loads of vinyl at home, and we haven’t stopped buying it.
LUCA: Vinyl when you want listen to a whole album at home, Cassette when you feel nostalgic, CD when you fancy a crisp sound and downloads when you are on the go.
NIGEL: It’s never made any difference to me. Songs are the best, and how they make you feel. The medium is pretty much irrelevant.
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
RYAN: Lechlade festival 2022
LUCA: The last gig we played at the Jericho Tavern in Oxford.
NIGEL: With WEBB, I think we’re getting better all the time. So, the answer will always be, whatever the last gig was!
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
RYAN: I’m passionate about producing and mixing records.
LUCA: I currently work with mechanical watches. Although I am not involved in making them, if I had more time, I would have loved to be trained as watchmaker, restoring and building watch movements.
NIGEL: I’ve got a degree in computer science, so my days would probably be spent watching AI making me rapidly irrelevant.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
RYAN: My wife Sonya and our son Will. I don’t think anyone else would be able to cope with my weirdness.
LUCA: I would invite my family
NIGEL: Just my family. Nothing better.
What’s next for the band?
RYAN: Promoting the new album and building a great fanbase, as well as getting some fantastic blow-your-mind gigs!
LUCA: We have some exciting gigs in the diary and the new album “Deadly Sins And Virtues” is coming out on the 30th June.
NIGEL: The album Deadly Sins And Virtues comes out 30th June, so there’ll be all the usual interviews and touring and all sorts. We’ve also got a few song ideas for the next record to start developing.
What Social Media/Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
RYAN: You can head straight to www.webbofficial.com WEBB can also be found on all major streaming platforms. You can also follow us on facebook.com/WebbOfficial
LUCA: I mainly use Facebook and Gmail.
NIGEL: MySpace. AOL. Friends Reunited.
Jaffa Cakes! Are they a cake or a biscuit?
RYAN: Cake covered with biscuit and they are freakin’ addictive.
LUCA: Is a cake in a biscuit shape
NIGEL: Cakes get harder when they get stale. Biscuits get softer. Ergo they are a cake.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
RYAN: Thank you so much to Ever Metal for having us onboard!
NIGEL: I’d like to add two zeroes to my bank account balance please.
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