Page 20 - Black Velvet Issue 86

BV86 pg18-20 wato:BV86 pg20 05/09/2015 22:52 Page 3

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While on Christopher Johnson McCandless’ There are risks within that.” and to thank him for being in the Red Hot Chili
trek he had to survive on rice, wild plants and Peppers as he’s listened to them for a long time.
animals that he killed. We Are The Ocean 015 saw Liam venture into book reading But adds, “although they say “don’t meet your
haven’t had to go that far, although Liam tells us, 2in his spare time. It is something that he heroes”.
“When we first went to tour in America I remem- is loving, with the musician posting photos of the Not all heroes are bad, we tell him!
ber we were on a budget. Our food supply was books he’s read on Instagram. “From January
two cheese singlets and bread rolls. Oh and we I’ve started reading books. Before that I hadn’t iam’s also read a book called The Little
had some mustard to add some flavouring!” really read at all,” he tells us. “It was a conscious LBook Of Mind-Ful-Ness which says
The band made a music video for ‘Holy thing to start reading.” ‘Focus – Slow Down – De-stress’ on the cover.
Fire’, which was also partly inspired by Christo- One of the first books Liam chose was An- He tells us, “I use Mindfulness quite a lot. I
pher’s journey. “Also, have you seen the film, I thony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers’ autobi- started using it a couple of years ago when I
think it’s a book as well; ‘The Road’?” asks Liam. ography, Scar Tissue. He says, “From the started getting a bit of anxiety sometimes. Mind-
The video is part inspired by ‘The Road’. “It’s beginning to the end, it was all shocking and sur- fulness can really help to calm everything down.
kind of a post-apocalyptic scenario. Again, it’s prising. There’s so much in his life that hap- Not so much stressing but worry. Worrying about
like father and son in that film where they’re ba- pened. It’s really quite hard to fathom. You can’t everything that’s going on. Most of the time it’s
sically trying to survive in this post-apocalyptic believe some of the stuff that goes on. As well just simple things. Sometimes you just need a
world, doing everything they can and they just as that it’s kind of being able to relate from being little bit of helpful guidance.”
travel. There’s one clip where they’re just trav- in a band, you kind of see the ups and downs He continues, “It’s a nice book. It’s got a lot
eling through this country.” that he goes through. That’s what I like about bi- of guidance that you might not be able to find
The ‘Into The Wild’ soundtrack was written ographies. Because it’s not fictional you know from anywhere else. I think that’s what I love
by Eddie Vedder. Liam says, “It’s a really nice it’s actually happened and it’s real.” about books as well. You can read it and from
soundtrack, really, really good. Vedder’s a leg- Liam found Anthony’s early years stagger- the characters you take what you want and
end anyway. He’s got a fantastic voice. I love his ing. “His dad was a drug dealer in LA at the time there’s always a lesson to be learned from read-
lyrics, the way he puts things sometimes. It so he’d have everyone coming over,” he says. ing a book.”
sounds like he’s reading you a story, ‘y’know.” “I guess to see someone surrounded by all this We chat about buying books off Amazon
In the film, Christopher Johnson McCand- chaos, it was like beautiful chaos at the begin- and other online stores. “If I talk to someone and
less says ‘I read somewhere how important it is ning of his life and then to see him then become we talk about books I normally find out about a
in life not to be strong but feel strong’. Black Vel- Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chili Peppers, it’s new book that I need to get. I used to buy off
vet asks Liam if We Are The Ocean are strong – quite inspirational. One thing that’s really good Amazon but I quite like going into the shops now
or feel strong. “Yeah. We are very strong. We’ve about the book is that he explains his lyrics. and kind of searching for it. And you always pick
been in the band just over eight years now and There’s a part when they’re in the studio and up something else that you want as well, which
it feels like you’ve seen a lot. I’m sure there’s still they’re writing ‘Californication’ and he starts ‘with is quite good. I like that. It’s quite addictive
so much more for us to see and experience from the bird I share this lonely view’ and I guess though, buying books.”
what it is to be in a band, but we’re very close. there’s a part where the guys were jamming it One thing we’re addicted to is We Are The
It’s a family outside our family.” and they walked outside and were standing on Ocean’s music – and they won’t need to worry
He says the biggest risk he’s taken was the balcony, looking up at the sky and saw this – as we’ll be at a show on the band’s next head-
starting the band – although his family have al- bird flying across and the lyric kind of came to line tour in November. If you haven’t got a ticket,
ways supported him. “There’s always risks him then. And because you can see where he is we suggest you do – so you can hear heir new
throughout. I guess just being in a band and in his life at the time it all kind of connects the 'ARK' songs in their full live glory. Visit
sacrificing other things in your life... being in a dots.” www.wearetheocean.co.uk for more info.
band and trying to carry it on and keep it going. Liam says he’d quite like to meet Anthony
Words By Shari Black Velvet

WE ARE THE OCEAN