These guys are Ferals! A great new group with a fresh sound that’s going to rock the music scene in 2013. Check out the interview below, as I chat with lead singer Matt Dryden!
Okay so what are your names and roles in the band?
Matt Dryden-Vocals & Guitar, Matt Porter- Drums, Rob Caddock- Guitar & Backing vocals, Corey Clough-Howard- Bass Guitar
Where are you from?
We are based in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire in the north of England, with a couple of the guys coming from nearby towns also in the north.
Do you think Ferals could have come from anywhere else or is your music inherent to the city?
I think our music definitely reflects our surroundings. Parts of Huddersfield are pretty bleak and desolate and then there are parts with beautiful scenery and landscapes. That influence is definitely evident in our music and lyrics; The dark/light contrast.
How did you learn about music? (writing, singing, playing…)
Matt D- For me it came from saving up to buy an old beat up Fender Stratocaster at the age of 16 and playing along to Nirvana records in my bedroom, trying to figure out by ear what the chords were.
In your opinion, what are the top 10 bands of all time?
Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, The Beatles, The Smiths, Radiohead, Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, Bjork, The Cure, Red Hot Chili Peppers.
If you could ask any artist, dead or alive, any question, who would it be and what would you ask?
I’d ask Jimi Hendrix how he was so handsome!
Haha! Okay and what was the first record you owned?
Matt D- It was ‘Made in Heaven’ by Queen and it was the only record I had for a while so I pretty much wore it out after a few weeks.
Rob- It was ‘What’s the Story Morning Glory?’ by Oasis.
Give me a song lyric that changed your life?
“It amazes me, the will of instinct” from the Nirvana track ‘Polly’. It’s such a great lyric and pretty powerful too!.
What makes a band good?
Respecting the song is important; too many bands want to individually prove how proficient they each are on their instrument by playing as complex parts as possible.
Beat your drums instead of your chest, and strum your guitar, not your ego!
I love that. And what are your thoughts on the music industry changing so drastically in such a short amount of time?
I think all throughout the history of music people have complained about the music industry, and yes, it’s pretty ruthless, money orientated and hard to crack but if you hate it that much then why are you still trying to crack it? That’s the question I ask those who complain about it. It’s like applying for a job where you’ll be working for someone who you hate and have no respect for!
Guitar music seems to be making a return though… Would you agree?
Definitely. It’s great to see so many guitar bands coming through in recent years and so many young people picking up instruments, but whether guitar music ever did really disappear or whether it just disappeared from the public consciousness temporarily is debatable.
What’s a musical craze that you just don’t get?
I don’t really get the musical craze thing at all, but I find it quite amusing how something can suddenly arrive in the music world, make people go crazy about it for a few weeks/months and then disappear again without a trace. It’s kind of like advertisements in a television programme, they annoy you when they come on, but ultimately they increase your anticipation and excitement for the thing they’re interrupting.
If you were a judge on a singing competition like The X Factor/The Voice, what kind of judge would you be and what would you say to the contestants?
Haha that’s a tough one. I think these kinds of shows get a pretty hard time of it especially from “musicians”. At the end of the day its more entertainment than anything else and if it makes people smile then It can’t be so bad can it!?. I’d say “pick up an instrument, write your own song, and then we’ll talk, son”
Now, tell me a secret!
I would, but then it would no longer be a secret!
Fair enough. One last question…
What’s next for Ferals?
We are hoping to get back in the studio within a month or so to record our next track ‘Prisms’. We’re also looking to get some shows booked up and maybe a festival or two over summer. We’d love to put something out on a small indie label, maybe a single or an EP possibly, preferably on vinyl.
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Really enjoyed having this interview with Matt D and the rest of this group! Definitely a band to keep an eye on in 2013! Check them out on Soundcloud and YouTube,
get involved through Facebook, and follow @feralsmusic!
I’ll be posting a review soon – and much more Ferals news to come this year on RNR in My Soul. Stay tuned!
XOR
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