Interviews: Veins

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Alternative Rock band Veins 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? Did you plan it, or did it just come out like that?

There was no plan or deep meaning behind it, to be honest. It came from an in-joke within the band, but the reasons behind that joke are unprintable, ha.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

There wasn’t a decision to go down a specific route. We didn’t set out to sound a certain way. It was just a coming together of our influences and styles. The atmospheric guitars, gritty melodic bass, and powerful drums, and then all the orchestral and synth elements, etc. just came together to make our sound. I’m not 100% sure what genre we are, so we always just say alt-rock as that’s a bit of a catch-all.

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

Scott (bass) and Stevie first met about 15 years before Veins when Stevie’s old band, The Junket (alt/indie rock), and Scott’s old band Defenestration (Nu-Metal/Sludge) had the same manager. They were also in another band together for a few years. Scott and Dan (drums) had been in a screamo band together previously and had known each other for around 10 years. When Stevie and Scott started talking about starting a new band, and Stevie asked if Scott knew any good drummers, Scott introduced him to Dan.

4. Each band member's favourite band?

Stevie - Sigor Ros

Dan - Misery Signals

Scott - Cave In

5. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Lyrically, the majority of the albums’ themes come from Stevie’s lived experiences, and usually they are not the happier ones, unfortunately, but then happy themes wouldn’t really match our moody sound. Most of the lyrics deal with family illness, depression, and the breakdown of his marriage.

6. Where was your last gig?

We went out to Germany to play a few shows at a festival in Marburg. It is the first time we’ve played outside of the UK with Veins, so it was a great experience and a lot of fun.

7. Where would you like to play?

More festivals. It would be good to play some more dedicated rock/metal festivals, but we wouldn’t mind playing some random stage in a dark corner of Glastonbury in the early hours of the morning. We’ve had a lot of fun watching other bands do that, ha.

8. Who would you like to support?

We come from quite different musical backgrounds and influences, but one band we all like is Deftones, and occasionally they get referenced when people are describing our sound, I guess because of some of the dark, atmospheric bits and the dynamics, so we’ll go with them.

9. Who not?

I’m sure there are a few, but we wouldn’t name them, haha.

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

Scott: I play in a few bands, and weirdly, Veins is the only one where I still get quite anxious. I start to overthink the songs. When we were in Germany, we played this big, cool venue and were on quite late, and a mixture of being a bit hungover and waiting around started my anxiety. I went and found a quiet corner and just had a little play on my bass to reassure myself I did know how to play the songs, haha. It put my mind at rest, and the gig went great.

11. What bands have inspired you the most?

Sigor Ros have inspired the atmospherics, where bands like Smashing Pumpkins have inspired the songwriting. Dan takes influence from heavier bands like Misery Signals and Scott from bands like The Cure and Joy Division, with gritty melodic basslines. We don’t really sound like any of them, though.

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

Probably just an autograph. We’re not well known; if anything, our signatures have just devalued your scrap of paper, haha, but it is nice to be asked.

13. What do you think of your fans?

There aren’t enough of them, haha, seriously though, it’s always really cool when someone likes what we do, and we do really appreciate it when someone takes the time to let us know they like the band.

14. What do you think of our site?

It’s great, lots of cool features and interviews and lots of new bands to discover, but most importantly, the fact that it makes your cursor throw the horns!

15. Something to add?

Just check us out - if you go to https://www.linktr.ee/veinsbanduk there are links to our music, videos, socials, and upcoming gigs.

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