EMQs with Tempest Saint
EMQs with Tempest Saint
Hi everyone! Welcome to another EMQs interview, this time with UK Heavy Metallers, Tempest Saint. Huge thanks to their Vocalist, Joe Curtis, 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’s Joe Curtis, and I sing for Tempest Saint. We got together in 2023. James (guitarist) and I had been hanging out at our local, The Odds Music pub, after we played an Open mic together. He asked me if I’d like to jam with him and the other two remaining bandmates he had from his previous project, Vixen X. He wanted to go in a more Traditional metal route to the modern Hard-Rock they’d been doing. We played together as a 4 and wrote and recorded and released our first album from 2023 – 2025, before parting ways with Matteo, original drummer, and bringing in Lee Chitticks, a fellow Hemel local and NWOBHM guy.
How did you come up with your band name?
I was working out at the gym, long before my health issues, and I’d been given the sole task of naming the band while the others did more important musical stuff, lol, so I’d been brainstorming names for a bit, my mind was already in “Listen for cool words” mode. I heard the words “Firey Tempest” in stoicsm podcast, so I was like “great, there’s half a name”, and went about looking for another word to make it sound 70s/80s Metally, like Priest or Sabbath, and I eventually settled on Saint. The boys liked it, so voila.
What Country / Region are you from and what is the Metal / Rock scene like there?
James and I are from Hemel in Hertfordshire, both with Irish origins. Lee is also Hemel, originally Essex. Luke is a Central London lad. Hertfordshire has a decent metal scene, with venues like The Horn in St Albans, and the Famous Club 85, in Hitchin. London’s scene is even more lively, in no small part thanks to The London Metal Coalition, of which we’re members. Great bunch.
What is your latest release? (Album, EP, Single, Video)
We just released our Debut Album “Hyperbolized”, which contains 8 tracks of Trad-Metal madness. We’re very proud of it! 2 years of hard work.
Who have been your greatest influences?
For me and James, Old school rock and Metal, Priest, Maiden, Skid Row, Thin Lizzy, Living Colour, the works. For Lee, Hair Metal and NOWBHM; Stryper, Judas Priest, Whitesnake.
For Luke, Punk and Speed Metal; He likes Deftones, Megadeath and Slayer. He uses a lot of Disco and Soul basslines too, for the keen ear’d listeners.
What first got you into music?
Foghat’s Slow Ride. 4 year old me thought the bass line and guitar riff were straight fire, no joke, it started with that song for me. There’s a high scream 6 mins or so in too, so, writing was on the wall really!
If you could collaborate with a current band or musician who would it be?
Battle Born, Grave Digger or Riot City. Obviously, we could say Priest or Maiden, but that’s a given.
If you could play any festival in the world, which would you choose and why?
Wacken, because Germany + Metal = Heaven.
What’s the weirdest gift you have ever received from a fan?
Viagra
If you had one message for your fans, what would it be?
We love you, we live for you, come to our shows and never stand still! (Or do, its your show)
If you could bring one rock star back from the dead, who would it be?
Very difficult choice, probably Ronnie Dio, or Lemmy, just to have a drink and a yammer with.
What do you enjoy the most about being a musician? And what do you hate?
I enjoy the crowd and the actual act of singing the most. I hate the travelling, mainly for health reasons, but the show must go on.
If you could change one thing about the music industry, what would it be?
The fakeness of some musicians, and the lack of fair payment for musicians and crew.
Name one of your all-time favourite albums?
“Defenders of the Faith” by Judas Priest
What’s best? Vinyl, Cassettes, CD’s or Downloads?
CD’s
What’s the best gig that you have played to date?
Probably the Black Heart in Camden with Kardinal X, Cutlass and Halberd.
If you weren’t a musician, what else would you be doing?
Working in film, post production or on set, I like both
Which five people would you invite to a dinner party?
Rob Halford, Eric Adams (Manowar), Erik Gronwall, James Hetfield and Doro Pesch, that’d be a great conversation!
What’s next for the band?
“World Domination” haha! But for a less cliche answer, we’re back in the studio again this month, with brand new music, and plan to hit Europe next!
What Social Media / Website links do you use to get your music out to people? Please include any links
https://www.instagram.com/tempestsaint.official
https://www.facebook.com/tempestsaintband
http://www.tempestsaint.co.uk/
https://open.spotify.com/artist/4vUj1PovpeszkhUUOY05MQ
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?
If it’s just a bread roll, it’s a Bap! Teacakes have currants in, a muffin is a confectionery item, and don’t even get me started on what a Blaa is! lol
Thank you for your time. Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I care about bread more than a metal singer should!
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