Page 16 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 107

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“For me, it needed to be a little dirtier, a littler simpler, and I think
that stuff is already leaking out with us now, but, in another way, I do
feel we are for the people. In our attitude, our presence; it’s for every-
one.”

his Is For You’ includes a mention of ‘My deepest darkest
‘Tfears’, so Black Velvet asks if Derek has any fears, both with
regard to the band and in life in general.
“Man, that’s a deep question”, he responds with his trademark grin,
as he ponders his answer. “You know, no. I’m pretty easy actually! I’m
pretty happy because I understand that life gets pretty tough, so I just
wish to spend time wisely. Time with my family, time with my dog, with
my loved ones. I just want to make sure time is being used correctly.”
That said, we ask if, as this journey continues and the progress the
band makes grows, do these concerns grow accordingly? Is there any
concern that everything they have worked for could potentially slip away
or does the concern ease because they feel they are achieving their
dreams?
“It’s funny because I think it is actually both”, he tells Black Velvet.
“In one way, I’m so excited because all my fears are dissipating but, at
the same time, oh my god, I’m getting away from home, I’m travelling a
lot and, on the road, you go into a survival mode. You just gotta try and
stay alive while remaining respectful and kind still and make sure you’re
not in a weird place. So, somehow, it’s both.”

ime To Bleed’ is a song which is a prime example of the
‘Tthought-provoking lyrics which the album boasts in spades,
which can easily go under the radar without giving the songs careful at-
tention. “And even though the earth's on fire. Waiting for the next Mes-
siah” and “When the world is so broken, it will not mend” are shining
examples of this. We ask Derek to tell us more on his opinions of the
way our world is broken and on fire and how he believes it can be ad-
dressed.
“People say like four, five years, maybe the last decade, it has been
going down a slow slope. Socially, I don’t think we are listening to cer-
tain groups and, as humans, we have to listen to people. I won’t go into
detail, it’s too charged, but there were some political and social deci-
sions which were made for different races, different genders and differ-
ent identities that just went wrong and off the rails.
“I don’t have the answer, I can only speculate. Nina Simone said
that you’re not doing your job as an artist if you’re not commenting on
the current state of the world with your art and that is all I’m trying to
do. Trying to comment on it and observe and state it. I don’t know how
to fix it. I don’t even know if it is fixable actually!
“I don’t mean to sound bleak, but I mean, at the end of the day, I
don’t want to press the reset button, but how do you fix a broken sys-
tem? I don’t know, I’ve no idea.”
The song also sees Derek sing ‘Woke ain't a word, I think you mean
awakened. If you call that an action, I suggest you're mistaken’.
He tells Black Velvet, “Yeah, that’s a commentary on life really.
Things like TikTok users and influencers and everyone who uses the
word ‘woke’. There is a comedian who has a great line about being
woke and people who use the word being so far from being woke them-
selves and they actually stole that word and it’s so funny.
“People stay woke and say woke as a form of action and people
will post about it all day on Instagram and say this is wrong and you’re
wrong but they are not actually doing anything about it, you’re not mov-
ing anything, you’re not donating anything to a charity and it’s like, come
on man!”
With his voice becoming a little more cautious, he continues, “So,
it’s commenting on, maybe Gen-Z people, maybe a little of a millennial-
type thing, like just new age influencer types who think they are making
a difference, but they’re not. Boom!”

he song ‘Give It To Me’ includes the lyric ‘Just missing one thing
Tthat I need’. When we ask if there is anything Derek still needs
in life, he quips, “I need a bigger van”.
“We have a Sprinter van at the moment and it is nice, we can even
stand in it, but it has to fit seven of us in it; the band and two tour man-
agers and we’re all pretty squished in there with everything, travelling
through.
“But I love how everything is right now. I like the travel, the space
from home, so I don’t really think I am missing anything, but a little more
space in the van so I can sleep would be great. Maybe sleep should be
my answer! I do need more sleep.”
The band have been having a great time travelling America, playing
stadiums alongside Motley Crue, Def Leppard, Poison and Joan Jett.
Derek says it’s been “Euphoric! I can only give an answer that is

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