Page 32 - Black Velvet Issue 91

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acktracking to ‘Onyx’, frontman Leigh and have that kind of energy rub off on you that out there and say yes to experiencing and tast-
BKakaty tells Black Velvet, “I lost my dad was Seattle. We really grew out there. It was a ing the culture, whether it’s the great food that
in 2011. I’m handling it a lot better. Everyone whole new world for us being from Michigan.” is Birmingham or Bristol last night or the UK in
deals with death differently. The loss of a par- Being that Seattle is a four-hour plane ride general. Off day in Manchester tomorrow, I can
ent… there are no words. No-one wants to think from Michigan the band had no distractions. go golf all day, I’m a huge golfer, but I’m going
about that time. If your mom and dad are in your “There were no family and friends to really throw to go and see Manchester. I want to see the
life, no-one ever wants to think about losing a us off our mojo there and once into it, it just cities and I want to understand what the fans
parent. That’s the moment, especially from a seemed like the energy kept spilling on to the like. And as a lead singer, as a frontman, the
male aspect, that “You’re the man of the house next song and the next song.” more that you can relate to your audience the
now. Your dad is gone,” and even for most fe- Producer Adam Kasper also helped keep better the performance for both sides. I think a
males, if you’re a strong woman and the leader, things positive. Leigh says, “From the beginning, good lead singer is a smart lead singer and
if your dad goes, it’s your time to be the dad and he was almost too much. It was like “What do being a smart lead singer is understanding your
the mom because you’ve got to be there for your you think of that riff?” “Oh, it’s awesome!” “Is surroundings, whether it’s a sports team that
mom who’s getting older and she’s now all anything bad?” Nothing was ever bad to Adam. everyone likes, or if I’m in Chicago today and
alone. So there are a lot of things, and a lot of But he really helped in a quiet way. He helped Chicago just won the world series last night,
things I had to deal with in my head… not being us figure out what we needed and figure out, that’s important,” he says.
there… ‘cause I was away chasing my dream “No, that’s not enough for this record,” I think this Leigh definitely sounds like a smart lead
while they were all struggling.” album, our fourth album now, we needed it. We singer. He mentions new drummer Hayley
Emotions built up inside of him, until he let needed it to build more confidence with our- Cramer, who is from England. “Hayley’s been
them out during the writing process of ‘Onyx’. selves internally.” great about that. She teaches us little nuances
“And then the album blew up for us,” Leigh says. While in Seattle, Leigh actually had the that are the UK and we’re the same when we’re
Singles ‘Trenches’, ‘Deal With The Devil’ and chance to sit down and talk to Eddie Vedder, in Chicago. But again, rock ‘n’ roll is a lifestyle,
‘Torn To Pieces’ all hit No. 1 in the mainstream which was a dream come true for him. it’s about being you, it’s about growing up and
rock charts in the US. “Loved it,” says Leigh. “He was just like me. being proud of where you’ve come from but also
“Towards the end of that album I didn’t even I think that was the biggest thing that was hum- being open-minded to where other people come
really know if I even wanted to keep doing it,” bling for me. He was like a kid in a candy store. from, because without us together, music
says Leigh, regarding the band and touring. “I’ve Talks just as much as I talk. He’s just such an doesn’t matter. And I think the link to see so
got a degree in some other things. I just wanted icon. Just unbelievable what he did. He talked many people come from different walks of life
to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. I was like, about being a vessel and letting some kind of with so many different backgrounds and so
“I’m in the wrong profession here. I want to go higher power come down almost and the people many different life experiences, to come to-
play some hoops,” but I didn’t get that growth and the energy use you as a vessel to spit out gether and sing lyrics of a band of any genre is
spurt! “I don’t know if I want to keep doing this. I that song that brings us all together. It’s not even the dream. It’s the ultimate dream and the link,
don’t want to make another dark record. I don’t about the music as much as that song is a re- it doesn’t matter what we’ve got going on in our
want to make a ‘Trenches 2’, ‘Torn To Pieces 3’. minder of who we were in our life at that mo- lives, that 3 or 4 minutes, that song, is going to
We already have that in the set. How do we ment. When you think of those great songs, you link us and we can all have a release there to-
have fun again?” I got in this band to have fun. think about graduation or your parents or your gether. It doesn’t matter your genre, your race,
Rock was our release. We live on the weekends, boyfriend or your girlfriend. You think of that life your ethnicity, or where you come from, melody
have concerts, listen to music, everyone hug- experience that made you want to listen to that is melody and a good song is a good song.”
ging and having a good time. All of a sudden, it song and cry or listen to that song and rejoice.
seemed like we were body-slamming each other It’s those songs that become a part of our his- eigh mentioned Hayley, Pop Evil’s new
and fighting and moshpits… I was like, “Wait a tory, so it’s almost like you’re looking at an old Ldrummer. Chachi Riot (AKA Joshua
minute, I don’t know, man. I’m not trying to hurt photo album when you hear those songs, but Marunde), the band’s previous drummer, de-
nobody, I want to have a good time with peo- just this peace comes over you with the melody cided to leave during the ‘Up’ touring cycle. He
ple…” where you’re just like, ‘can’t find a better man’,” gave the band time to look for a new drummer –
The band headed to Seattle to write and Leigh sings. “And you just cry. And you’re just and rather than plumping for a drummer from
record the follow-up to ‘Onyx’. Producer Adam like, “God, I love this song, I don’t even know their home state of Michigan, they chose the
Kasper, who has worked with Nirvana, what it means but I don’t even care”. “I’d rather UK’s own Hayley Cramer, previously of Mc-
Soundgarden, Foo Fighters, Queens Of The find a girl but a better man for now, fine.” That’s Queen. Leigh comments, “In a perfect world,
Stone Age and many more, was at the helm. what it is. And being able to talk to Eddie, one of everyone starts the band together and you die
Once ‘Footsteps (Go Higher)’, which turned out your icons, and have him actually listen to ‘Foot- together. But that just doesn’t exist anymore.
to be the opening song of the record, was writ- steps’ and was blown away, he was like, “Wow, People are people now.” He mentions how even
ten, it spearheaded a positive movement that in- this’ll be a big song for y’all” and to get kind of a Hillary Clinton could have been the new presi-
spired the rest of the release. Regarding blessing from one of your idols for one day… If dent of the United States (had Donald Trump not
‘Footsteps’, Leigh says, “it changed the game. I someone would have told me I’d be at Eddie won the election), pointing out women’s impor-
remembered how to have fun again. And look, I Vedder’s house… and he’d be listening to one tance in key roles nowadays. “There are such
love a good moshpit, nice crashing, but that was of my songs… it was humbling. That’s a good big strides for humanity that people aren’t
only the music we were making. It seemed like, moment. You remind yourself that you came trapped anymore. You don’t have to just stay in
“I don’t want to be angry anymore. I want to be from somewhere too, and being able to talk and a band or in a work environment that you’re not
happy and I think a lot of these fans that come ask questions to someone you respect and comfortable in. There are so many more oppor-
to shows want to be happy too”. We’re not trying someone that’s a role model who kind of influ- tunities for people, starting with their smart
to be better than anybody, we’re just trying to enced you to be where you’re at… again, I think phone. They can be bored in bed and go and be
have a good time with everybody. So once we it was part of that positive energy that sprung- anywhere around the globe, they can be in outer
started to do that, it felt like this record we’re board this album cycle.” space if they want to because all they’ve got to
starting to find out who we are off the stage, and do is click a button and learn about it, and they
collectively it’s made our live show even better n ‘Footsteps (Go Higher)’, Leigh sings ‘all can dream differently than they could 20 years
because we’re just having more fun.” Imy no’s just turn to yes’. Black Velvet asks ago. So people are coming and going different
And thus, ‘Up’ was born. An album that what things they’ve said yes to recently that they ways and we thought, “Wow, let’s not sell our-
helps the band, and fans, look up, be positive may have said no to a few years ago. selves short here, let’s look outside of the box.
and drive for good times and dreams. “A lot of things,” replies Leigh. “All the things First of all, is there a female? We have a lot of
that would have been no before. Yes to family, female fans. We thought maybe there’s a female
eattle continues to hold great impor- yes to your friends, because you were so fo- drummer. Let’s at least entertain it.” I’d hope per-
Stance to Leigh. “Obviously our favourite cused on being selfish and about you, and yes sonally myself and I’m sure the bandmembers
bands growing up, mine personally, was Pearl to the fans when it’s the VIP. Just trying to be would tell you what they hope, but as a band,
Jam… of course the Seattle sound; Alice In more aware of saying yes and doing those collectively, we thought maybe there’s a female
Chains, Soundgarden, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, things. For example, we play at 7. I went and did out there that could really shock and awe.
the list goes on. Everything that we loved, the Bullring, I did the mall there, trying to say Maybe there’s a girl that hits harder than dudes.
specifically me, was always out in Seattle. We ‘Yes, let me go see this city, let me go learn more Does she exist? It took a couple of auditions, got
had an opportunity to work out in Seattle and about the culture instead of just sitting here, I’m some tapes. Then we auditioned in person a
just to be in the same studios as the greats have tired, I’m going to sleep in until 5, get up and couple of guys from Michigan. It just didn’t feel
been, it was just kinda inspiring to be out there have catering and play the show. I want to get right, y’know. Then Hayley, we saw her audition
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