Hi, how’s it going? Could you tell us a bit about the band, your story?
Andy – the three of us are all really old friends and have written and played in bands together for longer than I’d like to say!
We came off the back of a punk-folk band, Voice of the Black Knife and formed Metatone, via an experimental band we put together in about 2011 or so.
It was a big change when we went to a 3 piece, I’d played the guitar for years in bands but it was my first time singing or fronting a band so took a bit of time learning the ropes!
John – additionally, this band was a bit of a departure for me as in previous bands, including VOTBK, I had played rhythm and lead guitars. For Metatone though, we decided to focus on creating music with just the three of us, so to fill the gaping hole, I picked up the bass. That has been a great experience for me as it has prompted me to pay much more attention to other musicians on bass and figure out what I really like and don’t like about how they play. It has probably helped me appreciate some bands more than I used to.
Rod – Luckily for me, I didn’t have to learn anything except maybe a bit more singing. This is my 4th band with Andy, 2nd with John. I have honestly forgotten how many other bands I’ve been in. As Andy mentioned we started off much more experimental, though we are refining a bit of a heavier style with more emphasis on the songwriting I think we are all still trying to push the sound into unique territory.
Your song Apocalypse is quite timely, how have you been coping with this past year and all the lockdowns?
Andy – we’re doing ok. It’s hard, you know? All gigs cancelled, rehearsals cancelled… however, we managed to record an EP and release two singles and played a few online “live” sessions.
Personally speaking, I also kicked off a project with a drummer/producer friend in Seattle by the name of Greg Gilmore (formerly of Ten Minute Warning with Duff Mckagan, and Mother Love Bone) …a project we’re calling Dog Watch.
John – it has not been easy these last few months. We had booked the studio time to record the EP a week or two before the first lockdown, but we were locked down by the time the booked time came around and so it wasn’t possible. All three of us have the gear to record ourselves at home independently so we found a way to collaborate on that, and still used the engineer we had booked with, Michael Brennan Jr, to mix and produce the music for us.
Not long into lockdown, I bought a cheap electronic drum kit to add to my collection of instruments at home. It helps keep one’s mind away from the crap to learn a new instrument and is very rewarding.
Rod – I still find it a surreal situation. The song says it pretty much as it feels to me, we’re in a long drawn out time of collapse and things are pretty much as they’ve always been before. I found lockdown in summer definitely preferable to lockdown in winter, I try not to think about the amount of socializing I would have otherwise have been doing, though I haven’t been more productive for ages…
Who inspired you to get on stage and perform?
Andy – from my point of view, it was actually people around me at the time. A couple of friends – Roger Tweedle and Craig Dickie – were a couple of years ahead of me in terms of playing, and totally inspired me. They are both no longer with us… I still think of them when I play.
John – ego, quite honestly. I’m normally very much an introvert, but getting up on stage releases some kind of hidden animal in me that doesn’t exist anywhere else. The adrenaline rush, even after 30 years of performing never leaves you.
Rod – I was in my orchestra at school, so much faff, rehearsal and tedium though I loved doing the shows. It felt the natural progression to do something a bit more immediate and fun on an instrument I was actually good at.
Are there any particular artists or albums that have stuck with you over the years?
Andy – I’m a huge fan of Chris Poland from the early Megadeth line-up. No-one has his tone or feel. So I’d say the first two records that he plays on are definitely up there (as well as everything else he’s done since!). Plus a lot of the music coming out of Seattle in the late 80s and early 90s. Oh and I’m a massive Faith No More fan.
John – too many over the years to list, but I’ll try to pick out some highlights. I have always loved listening to Seattle sound bands like Pearl Jam and Alice in Chains, but outside of these, also things as diverse as Machine Head and Dire Straits. Like Andy, I am also a massive Faith No More fan!
Rod – My life wouldn’t be complete without the occasional Soundgarden tune and I think Radiohead grew with me so closely I don’t even need to listen to them anymore. Public Enemy(Fear of a Black Planet), Muse(The Resistance) and Nick Cave (Murder Ballads) are albums I’ll still listen to.
Your music is quite anthemic I guess that being Scottish you get quite a lot of comparisons to Biffy Clyro?
Andy – Ha! Thanks! I love Biffy. They’re like an institution here. Seen them many times and I actually bumped into Jim in an airport a couple of years ago. He was very kind and keen to chat for ages!
John – Weirdly, one of my previous bands was also compared to Biffy back when we would tour the Highlands and Western Isles – “You’re the only band that ever came to play here apart from Biffy Clyro!” Biffy put in the hard yards back in the day and deserve their success. Who else goes to Stornoway to play?
Rod – Honestly, nobody has ever compared us to Biffy. Not enough tattoos…
How do you usually write songs do you start with the lyrics, melody or something completely different?
Andy – I don’t have one way or the other. It used to be more music first but I think what I used to write was a bit too dense and didn’t leave a lot of space! These days it’s definitely more lyrics and melody first.
John – Usually Andy brings us an idea and we jam on that and tear it apart and rebuild it. We can be quite brutal, so apologies Andy, haha! Sometimes, though, a riff in the practice room when we are warming up or jamming turns into an idea that turns into a song. Songs like Ring of Deceit and Mr Average were born this way.
Rod – Yeah, jamming on a riff or an idea, you can get a groove going pretty quick.
Could you tell us a bit about the writing/recording of the ReverbNation winning track ‘Apocalypse’?
Andy – we’re so chuffed with that award! Thank you, Artistic Echoes! I came up with the chorus first and had that music floating around. The whole thing came together pretty quickly. It’s not changed much since we originally put it together. It’s a purposefully long song, with room in it to let the music out. I’m sure we could make it a 3-minute punchy wee song but didn’t want to. Recording was weird but fun. We did it in lockdown, in separate houses. Michael Brennan Jr at Substation did a stunning job mixing and producing the song. He’s a local unsung hero – Michael is the front of house guy for Faith No More, The Twilight Sad and Jesus and Mary Chain.
John – it was an intense few days recording the EP at home with the backdrop of lockdown. So happy with how it turned out. Our attention is turning to what we can do next!
Rod – This was actually one pretty much complete tune Andy presented us with though we have been playing it for ages now and it’s morphed a little. I recorded my drums out in my shed, it wasn’t ideal but Micheal at Substation did an excellent job layering it together again. Was an excellent learning experience for getting a decent DIY sound
What have been some of your favourite venues to perform at?
Andy – we’ve only done a handful of gigs together, but I’ve fallen in love with Bannermans in Edinburgh all over again. It’s a great wee Rock bar and venue. The people that run it, sound guys and Booker are all great folk.
John – I love Bannermans too. I’ve played there many times with many bands over the years and it has evolved the backroom tremendously. Also, the Market Bar in Inverness, although I haven’t played there in many years so it may be different now, was always a hoot. Tiny room with a tiny bar but everyone is always so invested in the band performing. Great fun to play.
Rod – The Reading Rooms in Dundee was one of my favourite’s, 2nd to the Edinburgh Venue before it died of redevelopment, no point mentioning the others that have gone by the same way, except the Bongo club, also gone but worth a mention, especially the jam nights.
Here at Artistic Echoes, we are always on the lookout for new artists do you have anyone to recommend?
Andy – I’m going to point you towards S0S Records. We’re part of their collective… it’s a bit under the radar but If you can imagine it, there’s a new wave of alt Rock / Grunge across Scotland. Bands that are exciting is are GodsZoo, The Last Believer, 4Below, Battalion of Flies, the Corvus Experiment… amongst others. We’re all on a charity album for Diabetes UK called Road to Grungefest.
John – Also, check out Andy’s other project, Dog Watch.
Rod – Do check out the SOS records compilation and the Substation album from last summer. If John ever releases any of his techno stuff you should give that a listen. I’ve got a bunch of electronic stuff too. Of other folk I know Jake Cogan has a fantastic voice and if you like folk you should give another old bandmate Donald Lyndsey a listen.
What plans do you have for the rest of the year?
Andy – hopefully, Grungefest in Glasgow in August with the S0S Records bands I mentioned before. A wee festival called Sprinkell live and a few other support gigs. We’re hoping to get our EP, videos and next single out shortly!
Rod – I expect I’ll be mostly staying in till the summer, hopefully, we’ll be allowed out to play at Sprinkell.
Thanks to you at Artistic Echoes and Reverbnation for taking the time to chat with us! We really appreciate it!
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