Interviews: Spookshow Inc

In this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Industrial Metal/Rock band Spookshow Inc. from the  UK. Check out the interview and follow the 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 we first started in 2003, the band was called Planet Dogbone. Around 2005 I came up with the idea to change the name to Spookshow inc. Back then, I listened to Rob Zombie a lot, so the band name surely originated from Rob Zombie song Spookshow Baby. 

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Spookshow inc. sound the way we do, because of the endless possibilities of modern sound shaping technologies. I mean samples, virtual instruments and such. Our songs still are guitar riff based compositions, only they are dressed up with a variety of sounds like fx effects, samples (both instruments and real-life sounds), clips of spoken radio stuff and so on. We like to blend and mix everything up, be it modern beats, classical motives, etc. I am not into genres as such, I am more into concepts like movies, theatre, books, and stories. If I need to put a label on our sound, I would call our genre as cinematic industrial metal-rock. These are dominating ingredients in Spookshow inc kitchen.

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

No, we met and came to knew each other when we started the band.

4. Each band member favorite band?

I will take advantage of naming several. Paradise Lost, early Tricky and I need to include Pink Floyd here, who got me into music in the first place because before I heard Pink Floyd album The Final Cut, I wasn’t interested in music much, it was all football in teenage years for me. Soltex's (vocals) favorite band is Tool and Sharaz (drums, keys) listens to Alice In Chains a lot.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Life experiences, dreams, books, movies, society topics of the day are inspirations in my case. On the spiritual level, I use to joke that I have good spiritual-mental tutors on the other side, who plant ideas in my head, ha, ha.

6. Where was your last gig?

The last gig we played was in Vilnius, capital of Lithuania.

7. Where would you like to play?

We would like to play live more, of course. The biggest challenge is logistics, because band members, we reside in different countries. We would like to tour Europe, playing clubs, festivals. I would really like to get a gig in Underworld or Koko in Camden Town in London. I have lived in London for 1,5 year a decade ago and getting a gig in Camden Town would be a blast, I adore the place.

8. Who would you like to support?

Dreaming wild I see Spookshow inc. opening for Faith No More, Gojira, KMFDM. The UK based Tribazik is another great band.

9. Who not?

The tricky question here. I am not into cover bands, basically, Spookshow inc. wouldn’t fit well with bands playing blues or funk, I guess.

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

It’s always going to be a degree of nervousness before taking up a stage, I reckon. In my case, it comes down to worrying about equipment, stage monitoring, video projections, that kind of things, not so much about an audience. We have not played huge crowds either, so can't say how that feels like. As a rule, worries disappear when we start playing and all works great. Well, the most important thing a band can do is to rehearse and prepare for a live show. Look, even bands like Metallica use to rehearse before taking up a stage, regardless that they have been playing some songs for decades, there are many YouTube videos showcasing that.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Pink Floyd, Paradise Lost, The Prodigy, Tricky, early Marilyn Mason and Rob Zombie, Nick Cave, Jeff Beck, when it comes to guitar playing, he is phenomenal.

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

Spookshow inc. is an emerging band, relatively unknown, difficult to come up with something interesting and weird in regards to fan reaction, we simply have not come across weird stuff yet.

13. What do you think of your fans?

I think that people who are into Spookshow inc. are open to exploring a broad display of sounds and lyrical ideas regardless of music genre. The audience, who might share our views on social topics, people who are interested in the mystic and spiritual stuff, maybe. I will use an opportunity to say thanks for all the support, it means a lot for any band to get feedback and especially a positive one, ha, ha. I can jam on guitar as much as I like to, but when writing, I am quite audience conscious, working hard to make a material that other people could relate to.

14. What do you think of our site?

You have a nice website going- lovely layout, tons of fresh metal. Stay core and keep the Sabbath dream alive!

15. Something to add?

Thanks for featuring Spookshow inc. wish you and the bands you cover all the best