Page 16 - Black Velvet Issue 94

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band is, and I 100% support it. I’m really much been active, and I’ve been getting mas- coming over next year. I’m not sure when it’s
proud of her.” sages and stretching. When we’re not active, going to be yet, February/March time period,
that’s when I think the arthritis really locks and we’re going to strip it down. We hate
aria has said that she learned to up. I’m not doing anything. I’m not out. We doing it, and Maria really, really hates to strip
Mmanifest herself and her success were working on the album for six months, it down, as she wants to give everyone the
and changed her mindset to become em- sitting around all day. That kind of stuff really same show. It’s going to essentially be the
powered. Chris says he’s also a big believer makes it stiffen and get worse and worse, same show, but we’re gonna maybe not have
of manifestation. whereas being out on tour, I’m feeling better as much of the risers and the things that we
“Absolutely. Maria and I, when we started than I have in a long time, so I’m excited to have on stage for us to stand on. She’ll bring
this band, we were always… I have ‘manifest keep it going.” the props that we can either make over there
destiny’ tattooed on my knuckles… we al- We ask him if he’s tried turmeric, but he or have sent over there. I think most of the
ways thought you have to believe and see in says he hasn’t. Turmeric is an anti-inflamma- songs are still going to have a lot of props.
your mind what you want. It’s almost like the tory spice, which is said to help relieve There’s no way we could ever do a show with
law of attraction; you have to think about it arthritis pain. He says he’ll check it out. If nothing. I don’t see that happening.”
and believe it can happen at all times for it to anyone else reading has arthritis or knows While Maria is dressed in certain outfits
happen. And then we started seeing, ‘well, anyone that does, we recommend sprinkling to project various characters or characteris-
this is happening’. We got a record deal, we some in food or smoothies/juice. tics, Chris himself is just happy to connect
put out an album, we went with fans and doesn’t really
on tour with Ozzy Os- “Everyone in life has ups and downs, it’s not always great, you play a particular character.
bourne, and all these great get the low times. Whenever something bad happens, it’s not a “Some of the fans say
things were happening in I’m the beast ‘cause I’m big,
the beginning. We really door closing, it’s a door closing, but another door opening for I’ve got all this hair. I don’t
did attest that to our mani- something else to happen,” - Chris Howorth, In This Moment really try and play that too
festation and belief that it much, I just try and go up
could happen. Everyone in on stage and connect with
life has ups and downs, it’s not always great, t is the band’s stageshow that backs up the fans. Sometimes I wear a mask, some-
you get the low times. Whenever something Itheir recorded work, and is exceedingly times I don’t. I’m pretty much like, some
bad happens, it’s not a door closing, it’s a impressive. The band are going above and nights, whatever I feel like. I don’t really have
beyond and really moving into the next
door closing, but another door opening for a set thing.”
something else to happen, and we’ve seen, realm. Through Maria’s vision, they have
time and again, whenever something bad made their live concerts exciting experi- n ‘Oh Lord’, Maria sings, ‘Am I Lilith or
happens, something better takes its place. ences, and very theatrical, using props that Iam I Eve?’ While Chris says he doesn’t
So we try and look at everything positively, were a part of their videos. There are cos- play a character on stage, we wonder what
tume changes and scenes set up on stage
and it’s served us very well. I feel like a lot of sort of character he is offstage. Has he
our success is due to the fact that we believe between songs. It is something that we’d like changed over the years?
in it, believe that it can happen and keep try- more bands to do and always wonder why “I think my patience has grown,” he
ing and never give up. We get frustrated, but they don’t. We ask if the live show has any says. “With music, the band, touring and
we never give up.” sort of storyline running through it, like a writing songs, dealing with personalities; as
theatrical play, or are they just bringing their
Before a show, Maria does meditation to we’ve grown we’ve got a lot of people work-
get into the correct mindset. Chris says his videos to life? ing with us. I feel like I’ve grown more patient
meditation is quite different. “My meditation “We try to put it together in a way that and try to listen as much as I can to what
is listening to heavy metal and stuff. Hers is makes sense, like an ebb and a flow of the people are saying, and try to be the voice of
more like listening to chanting and rainfall. set, but it’s not really much of a story visu- reason. I can’t always do that, but I’ve defi-
ally, but it does have a feel that goes through
She’s always kind of got a burning fire and nitely grown as a person over the years. Like
she’s pretty hot blooded, so she’s always it,” replies Chris. “And some of the songs everybody else, I have my struggles too.”
trying to calm herself or pull herself into the don’t have videos, so in that case, it’s bring- The band have a song called ‘Twin
calmness.” ing the feelings of the songs to life.” Flames’ on ‘Ritual’ and it’s interesting to note
In early 2016, In This Moment were If you haven’t yet been to an In This Mo- that Maria and Chris are both fire signs –
ment show, then definitely head to YouTube
forced to cancel a tour due to Chris suffering Chris was born on December 16th, and Maria
a neck injury. Chris later revealed that he’d to watch some live videos from their tour. on December 18th (we’re also a Sagittarian,
been diagnosed with acute arthritis. He had You will be impressed by its excellence. We born on Dec 20th, but that’s by the by). Like
used opiates, which suppressed pain. ask if they’ve ever had any issues with the a true Sagittarian, they are both fiery. Chris
He tells Black Velvet that it was so bad “I stage props. says the song isn’t about Maria and him, but
“Oh my gosh, it’s always something
couldn’t even turn my head. I could literally something else personal to Maria. “But it’s
barely turn my head to the right or left, or crazy,” laughs Chris. “And you know why true, we’re both fire signs, and we definitely
lean it back. Even now, compared to a nor- most bands don’t do it? It’s because it’s can both create a big bonfire if we focus on
mal person, I can barely move my head, but hard! It’s really hard to have all this happen- the same thing.”
it was a gradual process, because it was ing, changing for each song, and our whole They also have a song called ‘River Of
crew has to help with it. The guitar guy
something that I had mastered with the opi- Fire’, where Maria sings about being ‘bap-
ates for probably 2-3 years, where I was still comes over and grabs the spider stretchers tized in a river of fire’. He thinks they share
going out there every night, headbanging as from the dancers, from both sides, every- many of the same traits. “And sometimes in
hard as I could, to move the dreads around. one’s pitching in to make it work. And it is the past, she’d tell me all the time, “You set
I would take a dose before I went on stage different and exciting to have something dif- me on fire. You ignite me!” I don’t calm her
ferent happening for each song, and a lot of
and a dose after. Then, as we all know, with down when she gets fired up. I’m kind of
opiates, that becomes not enough. You have bands don’t do it. We have the big cage that adding fuel to the fire. But I’ve kind of
to keep taking more to get that same kind of Maria dances around in and that thing has learned how to work together with her and
feeling of relief or whatever, and at the end fallen on people and is so heavy. When we not fire her up when she’s fired up.” He
of the day, you don’t even need it for the pain decided not to bring the cage on this tour laughs. “Sometimes when we come to-
our crew was so happy, because they don’t
anymore, you’re physically ill if you don’t gether, when we’re both fired up on a partic-
have it. I had all that happen to me and it have to deal with it. And Maria’s constantly ular topic, you can’t stop us. It’s too much.”
came to the point where I couldn’t continue thinking of new props too. Every time we get Well, we don’t want to stop In This Mo-
going forward like that. I had to kick it. Luck- ready to go on tour, she says, “I have an idea ment, as they are doing such a great, great,
ily, I was able to do it without going to rehab. for doing this and this”, or “this and this.” amazing thing. So, let the flames get higher
It’s definitely an ever-changing, exciting
It was very, very hard.” and fire burn brighter.
Things are much better now. “I’m feeling thing.”
better than I have in a long time right now,” When the band go overseas, they will Visit www.inthismomentofficial.com for
Chris says. “My range of motion is limited, have to tone down their stageshow – but more info.
but it’s better than it’s been in a year, almost. they promise to still bring as much as possi- Words By Shari Black Velvet
ble.
I think it’s because we’ve been touring for
the last six/seven months. Now we’ve pretty “We are bringing this overseas. We’re Photos By Jeremy Saffer and Jason Blake
IN THIS MOMENT