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MM - Would you like to start by giving us a brief
history on the band, how it all came about, where you call home etc? |
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Mikey - Yeah, Dan (original guitarist) and
myself (Mikey, Vocals) were at school, we had one or two others that
played a couple of shows with us at school. Then we all went off to
uni but me and Dan kept writing (primarily me, but Dan still doing some
lyrics). I'd always wanted to get a real band together, so I put out
adverts on the internet and first I found Jonny to play drums, which was
crucial cos it meant that we had a drummer, normally the hardest person to
find. |
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Then Iain joined on bass very soon afterwards, again found off
the internet. This made us a four piece, but I ideally wanted to be
5, so I could just sing on stage. A couple of Jonny's friends came
in on guitar, but after a few shows around Xmas 05, Dan decided to leave
and concentrate on university.
In the mean time we found Steve to
play lead guitar off myspace and kept looking for a permanent second
guitar. Another one of Johnny's friends, Joe, is 'on trial' at the
moment and it's all going well so far, so hopefully we can get a solid 5
piece sorted soon!
We're all from around Edinburgh - I live in town,
Iain and Steve are out Dalkeith way, with Jonny and Joe out in the
Haddington direction. So that's pretty useful, cos we're all within about
30 mins of the city, so practising isn't a big problem. Music wise after
those first gigs in late 05, we kept building through 06 doing gigs when
we could until I finished uni, building up to recording the EP in the
summer. Since then it's been hard graft gigging, myspacing and doing
out own PR, agent and manager stuff! |
MM - How would you describe your music and who do you
see as your target audience?
Mikey - Hmm, it's hard to describe concisely! we don't really
fall into any really neat boxes. I think that it definitely is
rooted in metal/hard rock with a big slice of punk thrown in the mixer.
We've been described in various ways by different critics and magazines
but I think that this kinda sums it up. As for our target audience
... that's quite varied too!
Obviously teenage metal-heads that read Kerrang and Metal Hammer are going to make up a large part, but we've got
lots of great fans who we found on really mainstream band's myspace pages
like All American Rejects and Hinder (if you've not heard of Hinder yet,
they're HUGE in the US and they're on their way over here) but also
thousands of proper metal fans into like Metallica, Pantera and Avenged
Sevenfold. I think we've got enough melody for older people to
understand that we're not just 'noise', we're play real music, but it's
definitely loud and rockin' enough for the miniest mosher!
MM - There are countless numbers of rock bands
trying to get names out there. How do you avoid being another band
that someone listens to one and forgets? What do you do to stay
unique and remembered?
Mikey
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Well, for a start I think we sound pretty
unique, especially in comparison to our peers coming up at the moment.
Most bands are playing emo/screamo, but we're just doing our own thing.
Hopefully it's our songs that will keep people listening. I think
they're good and from the feedback we've got so far a lot of people agree,
so hopefully that will give us an edge. we don't have the tightest
jeans, but hopefully the tightest tunes count for more!
MM - At what age did you become interested in being a
performer and what/who inspired you to join a band?
Mikey -
I've been performing all my life ... gimme an audience and I'll try to
keep 'em entertained! whether it was being in plays in school,
singing or just being a clown in class ... it's just part of my nature.
MM - Who writes the lyrics and what inspired the
lyricist to write them in the first place?
Mikey
- Well, Dan used to
write most of the lyrics but now it's me. Depends ... sometimes it's
a real event, sometimes it's just a story. Normally I'll come up
with the chorus and a title and then work out the rest from there.
So for 'Alkaline Nights' off the EP I came up with the 'acid days and
alkaline nights' and it flowed from there.
MM - Some people sit around and wish for things but nothing
happens, however, you guys are a motivated band. What do you
really think you will be doing in 5 years time?
Mikey - 5 years ... writing our thrids album? That sounds
about the right kinda timescale? Maybe nearing end of a big tour
for our second album? I'm really not sure, but I genuinely
believe in this band. As you say, we're highly motivated, we've
made this all happen for ourselves so far. No labels, no
managers, no PR. we're not gonna stop now - just gotta keep
building until we can't go any higher.
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MM - Your sound, image and lyrics have a strong identity to them. Is
this something you've strived to achieve or something more organic?
Mikey - Sonically it's totally organic. Just a product of many
years of media overexposure and limited musical training! haha ;)
Image wise again ... we're not a tight jeans, angled fringe kinda band.
Obviously, it's nice to look good, but we definitely try to keep substance
over style.
MM -
Where did the bands name come from and what does it represent to you?
Can you remember any of the other names that were considered at the time?
Mikey -
Serpico is the name of an Al Pacino film
from the 70's, his first big lead role. I just thought it sounded
pretty cool ... most young folk haven't heard of it, so tare generally
inquisitive, while it rings a bell with many older people, who might check
us out because of that when they might not if we were called 'death monkey
brains' or whatever. Also it's got that serpent-y sound to it, which
adds a cool second dimension to it. Other names we've been or
thought were under dispute, Agent Raconteur and Sinister Rouge ... make of
them what you will!
MM - How does the song writing process work within the band? Is
it down to one particular person or do you all get involved?
Mikey -
I write all the songs, but everyone gets to chip in eventually - Jonny
adds like own drum parts, Iain has bass flourishes, Steve does the solos.
I do the structure and stuff, but the guys add the finished touches.
MM - Serpico have a great stage show, but who was the first band you
saw in concert?
Mikey
- Rammstein! So that gave me pretty high standards for what a live
show should be like - I don't think we're quite at that level yet ... give
us time!
MM - Who in your opinion is the greatest genius of all time in the
music business and why?
Mikey - I'm gonna say that the most under-rated genius is our
producer, Rhys Fulber. Not many people know him, but he's done some
amazing work in his own bands (industrial pioneer with Front Line Assembly
to global number one trance DJ with Delerium) while his production work
includes one of the best metal acts of the 90's Fear Factory. And
he's only in his mid-thirties!! This guys is going to be an uber
producer, mark my words! As for the greatest genius ... I have no
idea ... probably one of the classical greats, way before music became a
business! Without them we wouldn't have music with melodies like we
have today, so you've got to hand it to them.
MM - Name your favourite 5 albums of all time and what they have meant
to you personally?
Mikey -
Waking The Fallen - Avenged Sevenfold. Just amazing ... I love this
band. Their melodies, their power, their solos ... I love this album
to bits. Vulgar Display Of Power - Pantera. The best heavy
album of all time, hand's down. Master Of Puppets - Metallica -
Kinda goes without saying! MASTER! Mutter - Rammstein. I listened to
this album non-stop for so long. My first really proper metal album
- just so many good songs on it. Sing The Sorrow - AFI. Their
career defining album ... again, just brilliant songs.
MM - How has the internet helped spread the word about the band and do
you feel downloading is harming the scene, or helping to keep it alive?
Mikey - Yeah, the internet's been crucial for everything. I
think it would be better if people bought things rather than downloaded,
but, if it spreads the word, I'm up for it!
MM -
If you were doing a gig on a desert
island and could only bring one instrument with you for the whole band,
what would it be and why?
Mikey - A
guitar!! So I could sing and play ... the rest of them would have to
improvise! ;)
MM - Being in a rock band you are bound to like a drink or two, so
who is the party animal in the band?
Mikey
- Hmm, Iain likes the odd beverage ... but new boy Joe seems to have quite
a reputation, so we'll have to keep our eyes on him!
MM - Tell us something that most people don't know, never have known, and
probably never would know about you if they don't read this interview.
Mikey - I really like smoked sausage and
mushroom pizzas. If/when we become huge, they're soooo on the rider. |
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MM - For you, what were the 3 high points of 2006?
Mikey - Recording our EP, graduating from
uni to do the band full time, getting the EP out there sounding as good as
it does!
MM - What do you hope 2007 will hold for Serpico?
Mikey - World domination, duh ...
MM - Finally are there any messages you'd like to pass on to all our
readers out there?
Mikey
- Check us out while you can still brag to your friends that you knew us
before we go big, and then you can moan about us selling out later.
You get a brag and a moan all in one ... could you ask for more??
MM - We'd like to thank Mikey for taking the time out to chat
with us today and look forward to catching the band on the road on their
forthcoming tour. Check their website for details! |
