Interviews: Villainous

In this new occassion we have had the opportunity to interview  the  Rock/Metal/Progressive band Villainous from UK. Check out the interview and this band on their FACEBOOK PAGE.

1.Where did you get the idea for the band name, you planned it or came out just like that? 

When Neil and Callum's previous band split, our old singer’s partner and friends painted us in a very negative light, because we were willing to confront him rather than coddle him. Being painted as Villains for being truthful or confrontational, came up in one of Sean’s lyric ideas for one of our earliest songs, and I think the phrase “Villainous band of miscreants” came up in the pub as a joke, and that word just stuck with me, when we were ploughing through the big sheet of name ideas, and it stuck with the rest of the guys, so not entirely planned, but it works on a few levels, more so than the hundred ideas we rejected.

2.Why did you want to play this genre? 

Neil: It's our collective favourite to listen to, and I don't think any other style fully expresses what each of us wants to say.

3. Did you know each other before the band was formed? 

Neil: Myself and Callum were in a band previously as in the above question, that was for about 4 years, and we'd ran into each other at parties around town before. He knew Sean's partner Em for about the same time I think, but had never met Sean. Nick is the hired gun I'd guess you'd say, although maybe not as mercenaries are probably better paid.

4. Each band member favourite band? 

Callum: Mastodon

Nick: Alice in Chains 

Sean: Meshuggah

Neil: TOOL

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs? 

Neil: For me I just get music that doesn't exist yet stuck in my head, little hooks here, or a riff there, one of the worst places it happens is in the shower, as by the time you get to an instrument, the idea has changed, or you get a later part of the song figured out but that changes the earlier part, although I've now just started humming tunes into my phone so I can work on them later.

Sean: I base most of my vocals on anything that sticks with me, whether it's a person like the aged hooker I met in off strip Vegas, or even things I see on TV or the internet, usually really harrowing stories, but instead of bad dreams, I make them into stories, and from there into songs.

6. Where was your last gig? 

Sean: Birmingham, at an absolutely amazing little place called Scruffy Murphy's, just the ideal gig when you're a new band that's travelled halfway up the country, friendly people, packed place, great show.

7. Where would you like to play? 

Germany, Belgium, Netherlands, all of their festivals look amazing, especially Rock AM Ring, and we all love visiting their cities. 

8. Who would you like to support? 

Mastodon, or TOOL. TOOL to just see them in Europe for once, and Mastodon are just mind blowing in an arena.

9. Who not? 

Lostprophets, no more needed to be said.

10. Any of you has ever suffered from stage fright? Any tip for beginners on

how to beat that? 

Just practice, practice, and don't care if you mess up, there's always the next gig.

11. What bands have inspired you the most? 

Directly in our sound now, Mastodon, Deftones, Alice in Chains, TOOL, APC, Red Fang, Baroness. They seem to be the core of the sum of our favourite bands, if that makes sense. Where we all meet on what we draw from is around there.

12. What's the weirdest thing a fan has ever asked you for? 

Sean: I was asked to perform at a fans house, acapella, alone, just a private singing show. Didn't go for that one.

13. What do you think of your fans? 

We're just so grateful for everyone who comes to shows, buys merch, or even just shows some love on social media, we've put a lot of effort into our music, and just want to get it to as many people as we can, and hopefully keep getting the positive reaction we have so far.

14. What do you think of our site?

It's great that you support so much new music, and have multiple options to find something you like, something new, or a random surprise, great when not sure what you want to listen to.

15. Something to add?

Thanks very much for having us, hope everyone enjoys the EP.