Page 17 - Black Velvet Issue 101

BV101 pg14-17 AT THE SUN_BV101 pg17 10/06/2019 23:22 Page 4

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end of the day." joined, I think Kieron heard him and just went are feeling depression or feeling a bit under the
Alex says, "Meeting the right people, playing the ‘I've already made the decision! It was just for weather and for some people in that situation, it
right gigs, making sure it is feasible to be travel- me to agree with him!’ Chet brought this different can be quite tough to put themselves out there
ling up and down the country, having our music edge to the band with his blues sound, and and we'd encourage people as much as we can
played to people who we know will enjoy it, all again, Kieron just said, ‘This guy is it’. He was to do those basic things and try and drive that
of these things are obstacles, but they are the so confident in him and again, it was instanta- positive message home. Go and do it. Just take
same for any band who want to push them- neous and if you can get that click straight away a chance. The worst that can happen is you'll be
selves. But again, having time to put what you you know they are the right members. So, while no better off for it. You won't be any worse off for
want into it is the big thing. As a band we'd be we do say it was frustrating, it was worth it be- trying."
happy if we could do this full time. Not so we can cause we weren't going to rush it because if you With time being an issue, we ask if there is
drive Maseratis or buy mansions, that's not re- get the wrong set up, you are going to fall apart any urgency for the success they dream for or,
alistic in this day and age, you have to earn your down the line. It might work for a short fix, but it if instead, 'Leave Before The Light' is part one
crust by gigging and recording and getting your will never have the longevity you are comfort- of a long-term plan towards rock stardom.
music out there. You can't rest on your laurels, able with and which we have now. Patience is "I think to have everything we would ever
it's always about what's next… another album, an important virtue." want right now would be unrealistic and greedy,"
more music, the next show, you have to keep Alex replies. "The best bands are the ones who
rolling forward." aise Your Glass' is perhaps one of the cut their teeth on the circuit. For us, it would just
'Rmore obviously upbeat and positive be nice to have the time where everything isn't
efore they tackled the obstacles faced tracks on 'Leave Before The Light’, calling on just a rush all the time, being in our jeans and
Bwith releasing an album, they faced a people to celebrate life. Rather interestingly it in- jumpers when the first band is going to be on in
very different issue which was simply putting the cludes the lyric ‘I'm taking a chance on feeling 15 minutes, that kind of stuff. Everything does
band together, a process described on their alright’. We ask Alex and Craig whether this is feel rushed sometimes with us so it would be
Facebook page as ‘a long (and often frustrating) something they believe we as a society don't do great to get to a point where time isn't of the
search for the right musicians’. Alex, alongside enough of. Are we celebrating the positives and essence all the time and if it was something we
rhythm guitarist Kieron Heavens, is one of the good things in life enough or are we only taking were in control of rather than time controlling us
founding members of AT THE SUN. He tells us, notice of the negative elements because there would be amazing. But in terms of making it, if
"We started this over in Kentish Town. Originally are certainly plenty of them? Alex replies, "Ab- we did this second it would be wonderful but
there was three of us and again, time was a bat- solutely. It's the fear of failure. You learn more we're realistic and we know it takes time and we
tle for people to find, and then when me and from failure but people are scared to put them- will be patient and we hope it will one day pay
Kieron needed to find more members, trying to selves in an uncomfortable position in case they off, but in the meantime we enjoy what we do."
find people of the same ilk as you, they are ei- fail and look stupid or it might ruin whatever Craig adds, “We're lucky to be able to do some-
ther in a band or at the time they just didn't exist. they've got, but you learn more from failure than thing which we really want to do because not
You couldn't find that person who clicked. We you do from success, so take the plunge, make everyone is lucky enough to do that. As we've
had different people audition but it wasn't just a mistake sometimes, but don't give up on it, try said, it's a struggle to find the time and it's a lot
about how they played, it was about them as a again and you'll make it even better. Plus, when of work, it's not all sitting in the back of limou-
person and are we going to be able to get on things go well you'll appreciate them more. Take sines, doing interviews and then playing for 20
with them because if you don't and you have to us, we've played gigs where we have played to minutes, that's not the reality, it's hard work but
sit with them in a van to a gig for four hours it's ourselves and it's been like a rehearsal but then we are so lucky to be able to do it."
not going to work. It was kinda bit by bit and with you have nights like selling out The Black Heart And we are to have them, as with AT THE SUN,
patience, a lot of patience, for Kieron and my- in London and it's those nights where things did- the British rock scene has yet another reason to
self. n't go so well which make you appreciate and be excited about both the present and the ever-
“When Harry came in, his vocals just blew value the good nights more." increasingly exciting future, so make sure you
us away. I knew him through my housemate's Continuing the conversation, Craig says, catch them while you have the chance to see
brother who introduced us and when Craig "There are some people who just feel like they them in the smaller venues they currently call
came on board it was instantaneous. Some- are stuck in a rut and it is hard for some people home as soon they’ll be ‘Leaving Before The
times when you meet people for a session you to just go ‘Sod it, I'm just going to go for it and Light’ at significantly larger ones.
have to think about it, but with these two it was push myself through this,’ but that is the whole
straight away, there was no discussion at all. taking a chance thing. It's a bit of a British and Words by Michael Coventry
"And when (lead guitarist) Chet (Jogia) fashionable thing to not talk about people who

AT THE SUN