Interviews: Downturn

On this new occasion, we have had the opportunity to interview the Melodic Hardcore band Downturn 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?

We changed from the previous name (Ephemera) because the band had evolved into a newer, more well-rounded and consistent sound with new members and direction. Downturn, ironically, the opposite definition of where we find ourselves, feels like the result of many years of trial and error, as well as a realisation of what directions we don’t want to go in.

2. Why did you want to play this genre?

Downturn feels, to us, like a new sub-genre of hardcore. Each member of the band brings a fresh inspiration deriving from metal, post hardcore and punk influences. There is no standard formula for our songwriting, and even we are surprised by the final versions of new tracks, each one sounding more unpredictable than the last.

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

Cris (Guitar) and Jenko's (drums) friendship goes way back to school days in Barnsley. Mason (vocals) has run The Drop Of Ink tattoo shop with Cris for the past 10 years, and the newest member, Jonni (bass), started out as the photographer until we needed fresh blood and realised his talent.

4. Who or what inspires you to write songs?

Songs come from different influences for us; the anger and heaviness mainly come from frustration with the human condition and everything that surrounds it. Most songs usually start from a feeling, a riff, a drum pattern, or even a one-liner. Then each member expands on that through their own role in the band to shape the track’s direction. We’ve developed a solid working process because we all share a clear vision of what we want to create. We’re also not precious with ideas - we move through them quickly and don’t get overly attached. At the moment, we’ve got over 120 demos, two songs online and a full album ready for release.

5. Where was your last gig?

Our last show was at the Devonshire Arms in Camden, supporting Spitting Teeth and Dead Harts - one of our favourite venues to visit and play.

The venue always draws a lively crowd and atmosphere.

6. Where would you like to act?

We’d love to play the Underworld in Camden, Rescue Rooms in Nottingham, and The Exchange in Bristol, to name a few that are hopefully coming up on a future tour run. We enjoy travelling to new places to play new venues and can’t wait to get overseas.

7. Whom would you like to feature with?

There’s awesome new talent we’ve been following from the States, who we would be excited to work with. Hopefully, we can get Funeral Language on a future track; his new release is a band favourite!

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

I (Mason) was so nervous for our first ever show, I’d never been on stage before, and I was afraid of my voice blowing out or forgetting the lyrics. My advice is to practise often until songs become muscle memory, you’ll rarely forget lyrics that way, and to not take it all too seriously, be yourself and have a laugh with the band as well as the crows when you play live. It doesn’t matter if you make mistakes as long as the crowd sees you having a blast while doing it.

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