EMQ’s With Kilmore
EMQ’s With Kilmore
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with Canadian Stoner/ Groove/ Psychedelic Rock band, Kilmore. Huge thanks to their Vocalist/ Guitarist, Heather Harris, 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?
Heather Harris and I’m the vocalist and guitar player for Kilmore. Dan and I are siblings and have played together in past projects. We formed Kilmore in 2013 as a new project together. We moved to Halifax in the 90s and grew up listening to all types of music including grunge, rock, rap, country and metal but heavy music really stood out as our favourite.
Shortly after forming the band and beginning to write songs Neil Spence (bass) and Lor Sangster (drums) joined our musical journey. Neil and Lor grew up in Nova Scotia and also played in the local music scene. Later in 2019, Lor moved on to new projects and Jon MacIsaac joined the band on drums to complete our current line-up.
How did you come up with your band name?
The band name came from Dan and I (Heather) looking at a map of Ireland, close to where we were born (Armagh) and saw the name Kilmore, a small village within Armagh City, Northern Ireland. We thought it had a good sound to it and it meant “the great church” which we thought was appropriate for a hard rock/metal band.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
We are from Halifax, Nova Scotia in Canada and the metal/rock scene here is always changing and new bands are always coming out. Back when I was just getting started as a musician in Halifax, there was an amazing rock, hard rock and metal scene. Bars were always packed and people really enjoyed getting into the music, you could easily find a moshpit on any given weekend. Things have changed a bit and the scene has evolved with the times and different trends in music. Halifax always has a rich number of musicians and loads of different genres of bands to suit your fancy.
What is your latest release?
“From the Inside” is our latest EP which was released back in March. We are planning a new video for the song “Omitted” which will be coming in the near future. This is our 3rd release and we really enjoyed writing and recording this EP.
Who have been your greatest influences?
To name a few, my favourite artists are Soundgarden, Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Alice in Chains, Tool, Queens of the Stone Age, Windhand, Mastodon, Stone Temple Pilots, Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Led Zeppelin, Jeff Buckley, Radiohead, and Slayer. Listening to these artists growing up really inspired me to write and think outside the box when writing different types of songs and vocal melodies.
What first got you into music?
I would have to say my brothers growing up, especially Dan (Kilmore guitarist). He is a huge metal and rock fan and listens to a lot of music. He would always be suggesting new music to me.
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
I would love to collaborate with PJ Harvey. She is not a metal artist, but she has put out some really great rock songs. I feel she would be interesting to work with and we could create some unique sounds.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Download Festival would be a time! It has featured so many legendary metal/rock acts (Black Sabbath, Soundgarden, Metallica, Motorhead) that it is hard to compete with.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
We haven’t received much in terms of gifts but one time at a show, a fan liked our music so much he started to hand us straight-up cash. Can’t argue with that!
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
Your support means more than you know!
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Chris Cornell was gone too soon and he had so much more music to write and perform. I remember learning about his death, and it really struck me hard.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I enjoy the creativity of writing a song and putting it all together into a recording. Creating and finalizing the finished album is a really satisfying thing. The feeling of playing live is also something to look forward to, I love the energy and adrenaline of being on stage.
I hate the amount of work you have to do behind the scenes. It takes a lot of hard work to release an album, not a lot of people are aware and appreciate it. Oh and loading gear is not my favourite.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The barrier to creating new fans and getting the exposure you need to take your music to the next level is a challenge all musician’s face. The music industry is very saturated, and it is hard to stand out in a sea of bands with new music coming out constantly. You also only have a short window to promote your new album before it is old news.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Badmotorfinger”, Soundgarden. It is just so good and brings me back to an amazing time in music.
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
See above!
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
We played a unique Nova Scotian festival called The Black Top Ball. It had a ton of great people, music and a great atmosphere.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Probably a painter or working on a farm somewhere in Europe.
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Kurt Cobain, Chris Cornell, Janis Joplin, Lemmy and Patty Smith.
What’s next for the band?
We are planning on playing shows and festivals and continuing to write new music. We just released our latest EP and we are eager to start writing new music.
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people?
Website: https://kilmore.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kilmoreband
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kilmoremusic/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kilmoremusic
TikTok: https://twitter.com/kilmoremusic
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/kilmoreband
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/59mFAkBEj9G9prNlANnWBv
Bandcamp: https://kilmore.bandcamp.com/
Time for a very British question now. As an alternative to the humble sandwich, is the correct name for a round piece of bread common in the UK either a Bap, a Barm (or Barm Cake), a Batch, a Bun a Cob, a Muffin, a Roll or a Tea Cake?
I would call it a crumpet or a muffin.
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
Thanks for having us and keep spreading the good word.
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.
