Page 40 - Black Velvet Rock Music Magazine Issue 92

BV92 pg38-40 As Lions_BV92 pg40 13/03/2017 00:55 Page 3

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give new music to people, a full album, was everyone actually is. and interact in society is changing hugely,
just the most elating, wonderful feeling.” “I don’t think that is the case for a lot of and I do think that can yield a lot of selfish-
As with the EP, the album sees the band people. I think that a lot of people recognize ness because there is a very clear distance
looking out at what’s been going on in the it and downright refuse to be. But I do think between you and the person you’re talking
world over the last couple of years. Austin that we’re very much herded to buy in yet to and there’s very little consequence behind
sings ‘save the world and be the change’. switch off. Bury ourselves under all of these saying something absolutely horrific.
Does he think he or the band can do any- strange kind of layers of how we present There’s so much misinformation out there as
thing to change the world? ourselves, whether it’s an Instagram page or well, again it’s designed to suck you in to be-
“I think that we all, as individuals, can, to a Facebook page, whether it’s the cherry- lieving that things are a lot different to the
be honest. However we rationalize our effect picked parts of what you reveal to people on way that they are, so I think that all of those
on the world, whether we think, ‘oh, it’s the a daily basis. I do feel like we’re kind of things lead to a lot of selfish, angry, scared
butterfly effect’, however we rationalize it, driven to kind of allude to that, and that does people. I think we were all very surprised by
however we accomplish it, I do firmly believe make people a lot more callous, and I find Brexit and by Trump. I honestly didn’t think
in the power of people and individuals all myself paying less and less attention to a lot that there were so many people like that.
over the world. So, for us, we’re very lucky of stuff mostly online because it’s little Also, I’m not saying that people that voted
to have a platform to be able to spread a clique-based bullshit that makes you want to Leave are bad at all, but I certainly saw a rise
message and to be able to be on the road believe that the world is coming to an end in people being horrifically racist, homopho-
touring and bringing peo- bic and downright selfish in
ple together. I see that the wake of that and that
every day in straight up was upsetting.”
members of society. The
world would have you be- ooking to the future,
lieve that it’s burning to the Lthe band now have
ground but I am seeing a an American tour with
lot of unity and that just Shinedown lined up. “I ab-
makes my heart beam with solutely love the band, I
pride, so… y’know, that’s love Shinedown so much,
very, very cool.” both as musicians and peo-
In ‘Pieces’, Austin ple,” Austin says. “They’re
sings, ‘We watch the world really, really cool. The
and nothing changed’. The whole camaraderie, to be
frontman tells Black Vel- honest, on that tour that we
vet, “The world has taken a did with them and Five Fin-
turn to a lot more of a cal- ger was second to none,
lous place, and I think it’s everyone was really busting
made us, especially me in ass on that and really get-
my social groups, and us ting along, it was so cool.
as a team, a lot tighter and So I’m really hoping that
a lot more devoted to continues into this tour. I’m
spreading the message really looking forward to
that we spread, and just seeing them and I’m really
enrich what we do with looking forward to meeting
passion and truth. I think new people as well.”
there’s an awful lot of gag- Austin says that the af-
ging orders trying to be put termath of an As Lions
in place. People speaking show, is “For us, it’s an
out, that only makes more awful lot of sweaty dudes
people speak out. That’s with neck ache.” And for
what we’re trying to do, fans, “hopefully they’re
and that’s how it’s kind of also really fucking sweaty,
changed us. The song their necks ache, their
‘Pieces’, we actually wrote beers are drained and they
a few days after the Bata- feel like they just were part
clan. One of the people of something. That would
that I used to talk to quite a be pretty cool.”
lot, Nick, actually lost his
life that night, and the song
was very reactive to that. I n ‘The Fall’, Austin
think the thing that scared Isings, ‘I will survive
me after the fact was the another day’. How do As
fear of people just forgetting it and moving and you’re either responsible or this per- Lions plan on surviving in the music indus-
on and being numb because of it. It still son’s responsible and it becomes an us vs try, and what are their plans for conquering
shocks me to this day, not just because of its them mentality and I do feel that that is one it?
cultural proximity to me, but just because it’s of the core ideas behind ‘Selfish Age’; the “Well you know what? Good music al-
such an abhorrent thing to have happen. We idea of rampant consumerism that we are re- ways triumphs in the end, so my whole thing
should never forget things like that. I think ally, really fed but so undernourished. We’re is I want my favourite song I’ve ever written
that’s the point of the song.” kind of overfed but undernourished in a lot to be the last song I wrote, always,” Austin
Austin sees the band as almost a mes- of areas.” laughs. “We’re going to keep writing, keep
senger to pass on positivity and inspiration. Who is making us selfish? We ask. trying to better ourselves, keep trying to
“The reason that we write music is to Austin replies, “I think quite often it’s make the live shows as spectacular as we
unite people and to help ourselves as people branding. I think a lot of it is also the way that can possibly make it. And just try to get
and whoever chooses comes to the show to we are encouraged to express ourselves. It some feet tapping and some beers draining
be a lot more free and a lot more open. I think amazes me how a comedian, someone like and some people raging. At least that’s our
that music is a great communicator and a Amy Schumer, is encouraged to say some- strategy.”
great way to unite people, so we thought that thing online and people are encouraged to
it was contextually very relevant.” go back at her and so many people use that Visit www.aslionsband.com for more
as some formulated attack method, you info.
ith the album being titled ‘Selfish know, to go and spit vitriol or horrific things
WAge’, Austin says we as humans at people. I do think that the age of the inter- Words & Live Photo By Shari Black Velvet
are encouraged to be selfish – although not net and the way in which we communicate
Band Photo By John McMurtrie
AS LIONS