Page 18 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 99

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BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 18

Hope
Hope

hen Canadian rockers Three
WDays Grace made a tour stop in
Birmingham, Black Velvet had the op-
portunity to sit down and have a chat
with the band, which consists of Matt
Walst (lead vocals), Brad Walst (bass gui-
tar), Neil Sanderson (drums/piano), and
Barry Stock (lead guitar). We spoke

about how they plan on doing some-
thing good in the world following a re-
cent trip to Kenya; Neil tells us why he
no longer considers hope to be a weird
word, while Matt opens up about how
spending time alone is not good for him.
Barry reveals how the band measures
their success and Brad discusses what
they have done new on this tour to keep
things interesting. We also discover that,
while Neil is perhaps the chattiest mem-
ber of the band, there is another who fits
that description, but not until 3am!

hortly before Three Days Grace made songs for them and they played songs for ing experience,” says Neil earnestly. “I feel
Stheir way over to the UK to begin us.” very fortunate to live where I do and have all
their European tour, Matt and Neil went on an Did seeing the way of life these children the opportunities that I have. Like I said, see-
inspirational trip to Kenya. Matt explains that live make you reminisce about your own ing people, the people were smiling and full
the purpose of the visit was to see what was childhood and perhaps serve as a reminder of spirit; there was no lack of spirit and that
happening there and to witness the daily of how lucky we are? “Oh yeah, most defi- was really humbling for me.”
challenges faced by some of its inhabitants. nitely,” answers Neil. “I think the one thing It certainly was a reality check for them
“I think we’re going to get involved in an or- that is maybe unfortunate for my two chil- both, especially when seeing that things like
ganisation very soon to raise some funds to dren, is that when I came home and they having drinkable water coming out of a tap -
make a change over there and help some complained about anything, I basically just something that we all take for granted - was
people that we might not have ever met; do laughed at them. If they were complaining not the norm in the areas they visited.
some good in the world,” Matt tells us. about, you know, they can’t find their phone When Neil wrote a status about the trip
“There is a lot of water problems, people charger, or they lost a video game, or what- on the band’s social media page, he noted
can’t get clean water; a lot of schools don’t ever, I would just kind of laugh because... that they saw ‘hope and bravery around
have the proper books, pens, all that kind of You can see it all you want on TV, but I did every corner’. As someone who has the op-
stuff, even facilities to operate. It’s a different see it. There’s a cliché involved with any sort portunity to travel the world, Black Velvet
world over there. It’s really beautiful and it’s of philanthropy or charity work, but when asks Neil whether he notices a big contrast
also very sad, there’s a lot of poverty. But, you’re there on the ground and you get the in the way different communities deal with
you know, we went around the schools and dirt on you, you smell the air and you’re in adversity. “I think at the very bottom level,
they were so happy to see us. We played amongst the people, I think it is an eye-open- base level of all of us, it’s in human nature to

THREE DAYS GRACE