Past the Fall is a band which have a nice sound
between thrashmetal and hardcore I think, Will
from the group was really fast and answered my
questions in a few days in the end of october
2019.
Please tell me a little bit history of the
group?
-We
formed circa 2012, me and Thomas had known each
other since we were kids, and we’d played
together in projects before, Sam came in later
when we started touring more heavily to replace
one of our first drummers, then we all really
clicked.
Please tell me a little about every member in
the group right now, age, family, work,
interests and something bad about everyone?
Earlier bands? Other bands on the side?
Will- fuzzy haired player of bass and screams,
terrible sense of direction.
Thomas- Culinary talented guitar virtuoso, awful
handwriting.
Sam Mclean- Poker shark drum smasher,
questionable stage wear.
I can hear much different influences but mostly
thrashmetal but also some hardcore music?
Favorites from the past?
-For
me, thrash favorites for me are probably all old
school- Sepultura, Slayer, Metallica, Megadeth,
Death, COC. Hardcore favs are Black flag,
hatebreed, ETID.
Past the Fall are you satisfied with the name?
How did it came up? You weren’t afraid that some
other band would be named like this? Which is
the best bandname you know?
-Yeah
really like it! Nope wasn’t aware of anyone
having anything similar at the time… Sepultura
is one of my fav band names!
What´s the best thing with playing live?
-Losing
yourself, and getting the energy back from the
crowd!
And where is best to play? And the worst place?
-Campeche
in Mexico
was one of the best places we played The worst
place? Probably a battle of the bands we played
years ago when we started- when did playing
music become a competition? I think the vibe of
those suck!
How is to play this sort of music in England
right now? Which types of bands do you have
concerts together with?
-Pretty
good in the south of England, Especially Wales
and Scotland are good. In the past we’ve toured
with Thrash bands like Hirax, Lich King, but
with our style we like to play with more modern
sounding metal now.
How would you describe your music in three words?
-Dark,
Epic, Hopeful.
What does punk mean to you, is it only a word or
is it a lifestyle? I know you don´t play punk
but you have a little of punkattitude I think?
-I
think its an attitude, a way of approaching
life, a freedom- I definitely feel influenced by
the punk attitude, music without it whether its
blues to death is pretty stale.
Which song/album or group was it who took you
into music and then you wanted to play yourself?
-It
was probably Nirvana when I was 10/11 years old
What shall a young guy do today to shock their
parents as the way we did when we were young?
They have already seen everything ;-)?
-Thats
tough! As a member of the analog/pre internet
generation when I was a little kid from a small
town- it seemed pretty easy haha, I don’t know-
perhaps do the opposite, become a right wing
xenophobic populist banker? That would shock me
if my kid did that! Haha
How is it to live in England right now?
Politically? Fascists? Brexit?
-Its
a
difficult time with a lot of unknowns, I think
many people on both sides of political ideology
are losing faith in the government and are
becoming fatigued, but one positive is that
young voter apathy has been shaken up and I
think engaged more people in politics than
before. I hope that people realise that issues
are not simple and cannot be labelled, and that
populism is inherently dehumanising. Over all I
like to think that there are more positive
stories than negative, than the media would have
you believe.
Is there any good bands from England right now?
Is the punkscene/metalscene/hardcorescene big?
How is it in your hometown?
-Probably
for
me what springs to mind are ‘IDLES’ a punk band
form the UK, the honesty and savagery of the
music about uk life has felt like a breath of
fresh air.
I feel there was more small venues when I was a
kid and we’d walk up to more local metal shows
without hearing the bands first, but a lot have
closed down. But there is a still a lot of
underground bands out there but its a lot
tougher for new bands to start out. My home town
has always been dead, its little place, maybe
that’s why I rebelled so much and left!
What do you know about Sweden? Have you been
here sometime?
-I
know a little! I’ve been to Stockholm 3-4 times
for work and visit friends, the Wasa museum was
incredible and I remember drinking a lot (of
expensive haha) beer in rock/blues bars!
Have you heard any good bands from Sweden?
-Really
like
Opeth and Ghost at the moment, and ABBA!
Your lyrics, who does them and what influences
you?
-Me
and Tom
write all the lyrics and music, we often look to
our own personal experiences for inspiration,
and our feelings about the state of the times.
Is there any subject that you never will write
anything about?
-Nothing
is
really taboo, but there’s stuff we wouldn’t sing
about usually because we don’t connect with the
emotion or idea, we need to believe in what with
spitting down the mic!
Politic and music, does it goes hand in hand?
Which is your most political song? Is it
important to get out your opinions in music?
-I
think so, although its not always necessary I
feel its important to use your platform to
communicate something you believe in. Aternative
music I think has a lot of power through its
message and can shape peoples view of the world.
Our most political song is probably ‘Poison
Mirror’
Best political band/artist?
-Idles/Clash
Do you think that music(lyrics and so on) can
change anyones life, I mean people who listens
to music?
-Definitely! I know it certainly did with me.
Your favorite recordcover alltime? Who does your
recordcovers? And do you have any good
recordstores in your hometown?
-Maybe
‘Chaos
AD’, Costin Chioreanu at Twilight 13 media has
done our last 2 covers. No great record stores
in my hometown, in fact none at all!
Is it important to get out physical records of
your stuff? Why or why not? Vinyl, CD, cassette,
what do you prefer if you could choose whatever
?
-For me it´s less important on a world-wide
scale, I think digital is the way we mostly
consume music now, but I like to offer physical
CD’s for the fans and especially at live shows.
Vinyl is something we haven’t done yet- a think
a limited edition press would be very cool!
Please tell me a funny thing which have happened
during your career and under some gig?
-We
played a show in Mexico once that got stopped by
armed police during the show! That was pretty
wild!
How does your audience look like? Which people
do you miss on your concerts? Which is the
biggest band you ever have played together with?
-It´s
a mix of
genders, but predominately Teen/20’s/30’s Male I
would say, but we’ve had little kids up to
Pensioners at shows!
Please rank your five favoriterecords, five
favoriteconcerts and five most important things
in life?
-Reinventing
the
steel, All sabbath, Bleach, Live and dangerous,
Dirt.
Ozzfest (Black Sabbath and Tool) 2001 Milton
Keynes, Megadeth 2003 Nottingham, Alice in
Chains 2009 Brixton, Nile/at the gates Graspop
2008, Metallica Reading 2003
Music, Friendship, Love, Laughter, Clean
underwear.
First, last and most expensive record ever
bought?
-First-
Kula Shaker
Last- Tool 10 000 days
Most expensive- Diamond Head- Am I Evil (Vinyl
Comp)
Is it boring with interviews? Is it much
interviews?
-Depends
on the
interview! Each one offers something a bit
different Right now we have a lot of interviews
because of the new album.
Do you care about reviews? Which is the most
peculiar you ever had, with this band or any
other band you have been to?
-I
appreciate the feedback but I don’t really take
them to heart, we are probably our own most
severe critics! I think we got compared to an
obscure 90’s death metal band once that was
strange!
Which bands do people compare you to, is it
boring that people compare you to other bands or
is it understandable?
-To
be
honest I think it can be the other way around,
that people struggle to find bands to compare us
to, which has positives and negatives, I don’t
mind really, I respect that everybody is
entitled to an opinion- I just try to let the
music do the talking!
If you could choose five bands from the past and
the history and nowadays and both dead and
living bands to have a concert together with
your band. Which five have you been chosen?
-Pantera,
Black
Sabbath, Mastodon, Alice in chains, Sepultura
Is music a good way to get out frustration and
become a nicer person outside the music??
-Definitely!
I
think music has an incredible power of catharsis
and empowerment- probably why metalheads are
some of the coolest cats around!
Which is the most odd question you ever have got
in an interview?
-Probably
in this
one asking if we like our Band name!
Which is the question you want to have but you
never get. Please ask it and answer it?
-Do
you
want to open for Mastodon? YES!
Futureplans for the band?
-Touring
and festivals next year, and also hopefully play
some countries we haven’t been to before!
For yourself?
-I’m
learning French and Spanish so hopefully be way
more fluent next year! Into sport climbing too,
so hopefully a few more trips if time allows.
Wisdomword?
-Philosophy
Something to add?
-Thanks
for the interview its been a blast!
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