Interviews: Little Villains

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Metal/Rock band, Little Villains from the USA. 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?

I was at Philthy’s place (Phil Taylor, Motörhead – LV’s original drummer) in LA and we were discussing possible names for the project and he said, “How about Little Villains?” I laughed – I liked it. It reminded me of those early Madness videos. 

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

I went to my first AC/DC show when I was 13 and even then I sensed the camaraderie that the music brought to the fans. A belonging, I guess. Ever since then, I’ve played in bands. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do.

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

I met Philthy in 2004 at a goods return line in LA and we formed the band a few days later when Philthy turned up at my place to jam and record. So the band started due to a chance meeting. I met Owen Street (LV’s original bassist) on the road in the UK during a tour in 2005 and invited him to California. I’ve known Christopher (LV’s current drummer) since we were kids and he’s the foundation of our other group, Airbus. Owen Childs (LV’s current guitarist) is my nephew.

4. Each band member's favorite band?

We all have a mix of tastes and influences. The main ones are AC/DC, Iron Maiden, Thin Lizzy, Black Sabbath, The Stranglers, Sex Pistols… Oh, and of course, Motörhead. You can probably hear all those influences – and more – in the songs we write.

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Usually, an event will inspire lyrics. The mood of the event determines the tone of the song musically. I prefer to write about real things, so the lyrics reflect real-life experiences, often stuff we have seen on the road. Because the band members are located on opposite sides of the Atlantic, we work in a variety of different ways. Sometimes I work on ideas in the US and send them to Chris and Owen in the UK. They’ll work on them – do their thing with them – and send them back to me to finish off. Sometimes Chris and Owen come up with ideas and we reverse the process. When we’re all together, we jam and bounce ideas off each other. The variety works well for us. It keeps things fresh, so we’re constantly writing new material.

6. Where was your last gig?

We played Easter Sunday at this rock ‘n’ roll bar in Bristol (UK) called the Red Lion. It’s a great venue – a proper rock den.

7. Where would you like to act?

The Greek Theatre in LA. It’s a great outdoor venue, near where I live. I’ve seen a few shows there and it’s got a good atmosphere.

8. Whom would you like to feature with?

Iron Maiden, maybe Foos. Chris would say AC/DC, I’m sure. Any of that great rock and metal bands from that era.

9. Whom not?

Anything doom.

10. Have any of you ever suffered from stage fright? Any tips for beginners on how to beat that?

I prefer to call it nerves – stage fright sounds like a phobia LOL. It’s normal to experience a bit of nervousness. It gets the adrenaline going. The best way to deal with it is to jump in at the deep end and just do it. Before you know it, you’re paddling, and then swimming. The best practice is in front of an audience and sometimes a few nerves are good. They keep things real.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

AC/DC, Motörhead, Sabbath, Maiden, Hawkwind, Stranglers. The list could be much, much longer…

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

“Do you play any Slayer?” We got asked this at an Airbus gig in Wales, way back in the 90s. We were playing rock tunes back then, not metal – original songs along with covers by The Stones, Fleetwood Mac, The Beatles, and bands like that. Slayer wasn’t on the menu at that time. Nowadays though, with Villains? Yeah, why not!

13. What do you think of your fans?

We’re grateful to anyone who decides to spend their precious time at one of our shows or buys one of our records. We’re lucky really. We’ve made a lot of friends on the road. Many of them are more than fans to us. They’re family. They put us up in their homes, feed us, and treat us like brothers. We love them.

14. What do you think of our site?

The site is great. It’s informative and gives a fantastic insight into new music and the people that create it. You feature a wide variety of bands, including underground, unknown, and up-and-coming artists. It’s fantastic. Keep up the good work.

15. Something to add?

Sliptrick Records are re-releasing our album, Battle of Britain, in January 2023. We’re recording a new album in February and hope to have that out sometime next year. And we’re planning to tour in March 2023, and maybe December too. Big thanks for interviewing us and spreading the word – you are legends \m/