The Red Tears - Interview
After having a listen to The Red Tears, I was keen to catch up with the chaps to have a quiet word about life, the band, and why the hell the music scene in Wales is looking so good - so read on below to find out what they had to say!
1). Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us guys, first off – introduce yourselves.
Yo, we’re The Red Tears. Luke, Arkle & Chocky are our names and South Wales is our stomping ground. We play loud, fast punk rock til your ears smoke.
2). When did you all get together?
In June 2012, but Luke joined us in April of this year after our original drummer left the band. Luke’s the final piece of the jigsaw we’ve been needing, so now there’s nothing to stop us!
3). How did you all meet?
Let’s just say that good music, beer and a few mutual friends brought us all together. Wherever you find those three things, you’ll find TRT.
4). How would you describe your music?
We keep it simple and honest, with balls. It’s all about getting up on stage and having a damn good time telling our stories. We give it our all. We jump, we chant and we lift spirits. That’s the aim anyway.
5). Who are your major influences?
As always, there are so many, but to name a few – The Clash, Descendents, Blink-182, Motley Crue, The Bouncing Souls, Rancid, Simple Plan, Rise Against, Don Broco, The Offspring, My Chemical Romance.
6). Complete the sentence: One day as a band we hope to…
get a stadium full of people pumping their fists in the air and shouting our lyrics back at us. And repeat.
7). Why should people listen to your music?
To relate, to smile and to paaaarty!!
8). What are your plans for the upcoming year?
This year is going to be exciting as hell for us. We’re gonna gig like animals over the Summer and into Autumn, both locally and further afield. Then later in the year we are talking about recording our second EP, but it’s top secret at the moment so we can’t say too much. Otherwise we’d have to go all kick-ass on ya ;).
9). What albums/EP’s have you released so far and where can people get hold of them?
Our debut EP ‘Embers Ignite’ came out on March 4th this year. We self-released it and it’s available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and all the other usual online stores. CD copies are up for grabs at all our shows too.
10). There seems to be a lot of solid music coming out of Wales at the moment ranging from hard rock, to metal, to punk – how has the reception been to you guys on home turf?
Mostly, it’s fair to say that people have been surprised. Don’t think anyone expected us to come flying out the gates with such determination. We’re super passionate. We haven’t heard anything negative about our stuff so far and our family and friends have been mega supportive, so we’re grateful.
11). Have you got any plans to get out on tour coming up?
It’s definitely high on the agenda. We’re at the point where we’re itching to get out on the road and play a range of different venues across the country. We’re looking out for a suitable band to support on tour this year.
12). Finally – say something profound that will make everyone think.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left. So go nuts!
Check out what we thought of The Red Tears below!
Questions - Dave Nicholls
1). Thanks for taking the time to answer some questions for us guys, first off – introduce yourselves.
Yo, we’re The Red Tears. Luke, Arkle & Chocky are our names and South Wales is our stomping ground. We play loud, fast punk rock til your ears smoke.
2). When did you all get together?
In June 2012, but Luke joined us in April of this year after our original drummer left the band. Luke’s the final piece of the jigsaw we’ve been needing, so now there’s nothing to stop us!
3). How did you all meet?
Let’s just say that good music, beer and a few mutual friends brought us all together. Wherever you find those three things, you’ll find TRT.
4). How would you describe your music?
We keep it simple and honest, with balls. It’s all about getting up on stage and having a damn good time telling our stories. We give it our all. We jump, we chant and we lift spirits. That’s the aim anyway.
5). Who are your major influences?
As always, there are so many, but to name a few – The Clash, Descendents, Blink-182, Motley Crue, The Bouncing Souls, Rancid, Simple Plan, Rise Against, Don Broco, The Offspring, My Chemical Romance.
6). Complete the sentence: One day as a band we hope to…
get a stadium full of people pumping their fists in the air and shouting our lyrics back at us. And repeat.
7). Why should people listen to your music?
To relate, to smile and to paaaarty!!
8). What are your plans for the upcoming year?
This year is going to be exciting as hell for us. We’re gonna gig like animals over the Summer and into Autumn, both locally and further afield. Then later in the year we are talking about recording our second EP, but it’s top secret at the moment so we can’t say too much. Otherwise we’d have to go all kick-ass on ya ;).
9). What albums/EP’s have you released so far and where can people get hold of them?
Our debut EP ‘Embers Ignite’ came out on March 4th this year. We self-released it and it’s available on iTunes, Amazon, Spotify and all the other usual online stores. CD copies are up for grabs at all our shows too.
10). There seems to be a lot of solid music coming out of Wales at the moment ranging from hard rock, to metal, to punk – how has the reception been to you guys on home turf?
Mostly, it’s fair to say that people have been surprised. Don’t think anyone expected us to come flying out the gates with such determination. We’re super passionate. We haven’t heard anything negative about our stuff so far and our family and friends have been mega supportive, so we’re grateful.
11). Have you got any plans to get out on tour coming up?
It’s definitely high on the agenda. We’re at the point where we’re itching to get out on the road and play a range of different venues across the country. We’re looking out for a suitable band to support on tour this year.
12). Finally – say something profound that will make everyone think.
Two wrongs don’t make a right, but three rights make a left. So go nuts!
Check out what we thought of The Red Tears below!
Questions - Dave Nicholls
The Red Tears
Let me start with a question first – what the hell is it with Wales and music at the moment! I mean, for years we had Lost Prophets and Bullet For My Valentine as pretty much the stand alone bands coming out, yet now here we are with the likes of Revoker, Hangfire and Lifer – and now The Red Tears. Formed in 2012, the guys have already built a reputation up for a live show packed with energy, and have started getting some attention from press sites such as RoomThirteen magazine who compared them to The Offspring and Orange – which is pretty good going is it not?! Seeing as we were put onto their EP Embers Ignite, I figured I’d best check things out for myself to see what I thought of it all!
Kicking things off with The Phoenix we’re launched into an upbeat melee of punk infused elements, the bass heavy rhythms driving the roaring guitar line before completing the mix with the vocals. Immediately sounding akin to the likes of The Offspring, this is punk goodness designed for live venues, beer drinking, and damned good times! Fallen matches the same sorts of conventions, once again using the bass to firmly underline the upbeat mix generated by the solid guitar work and offering up a track which is jumpy, fast and catchy from the word go. What’s really striking here is how the guys have taken the punk approach but produced tracks which are orientated around the classic punk sound, but with an upbeat and accessible edge to it – the sort of thing that has the potential to appeal to a mass audience as well as the die hard fans of ‘proper’ punk – definitely standing them in good stead moving forwards.
Shifting to an almost Rancid style sound for Time & Tide we’re led once again into a classically orientated punk track, fusing the sounds of classic underground punk with the pop-punk edge to keep you singing along. There’s something about this track which stands it out as a real live classic in the waiting, the sort of thing that’s going to get venues pumping, people singing and jumping, and everyone loving what they’re hearing – definitely a high point to check out. Hitting even harder with the in your face Warrior before shifting onto the upbeat and straight up catchy Sonic, each track seems to ooze out of the speakers presenting the listener with reason after reason to keep listening. All too often punk bands end up sounding the same on all of their tracks because of their desire to stick to their idea of real punk, but that doesn’t happen here, and each track stands out as a unique offering, keeping things interesting throughout and ensuring you’re listening right up until the close.
Closing with The Egos & The Alcohol we’re left on another catchy and jumpy track, the bass laden rhythms working with the soaring vocal line and hammering guitar work to keep things moving, interesting, and catchy throughout. Hook after hook is thrown out, resulting in a sound that’s sure to have you coming back for more, have you telling others about The Red Tears, and get you wanting to get down to a show.
I really quite like the sound of The Red Tears as quite simply, their music is inoffensive damned good fun punk – and it’s been done well. It’s easy to see why they’re starting to get the press and support slots they are, and based on the tracks here I’m thinking there could be good things in store. Definitely a band to check out!
To find out more about The Red Tears, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Kicking things off with The Phoenix we’re launched into an upbeat melee of punk infused elements, the bass heavy rhythms driving the roaring guitar line before completing the mix with the vocals. Immediately sounding akin to the likes of The Offspring, this is punk goodness designed for live venues, beer drinking, and damned good times! Fallen matches the same sorts of conventions, once again using the bass to firmly underline the upbeat mix generated by the solid guitar work and offering up a track which is jumpy, fast and catchy from the word go. What’s really striking here is how the guys have taken the punk approach but produced tracks which are orientated around the classic punk sound, but with an upbeat and accessible edge to it – the sort of thing that has the potential to appeal to a mass audience as well as the die hard fans of ‘proper’ punk – definitely standing them in good stead moving forwards.
Shifting to an almost Rancid style sound for Time & Tide we’re led once again into a classically orientated punk track, fusing the sounds of classic underground punk with the pop-punk edge to keep you singing along. There’s something about this track which stands it out as a real live classic in the waiting, the sort of thing that’s going to get venues pumping, people singing and jumping, and everyone loving what they’re hearing – definitely a high point to check out. Hitting even harder with the in your face Warrior before shifting onto the upbeat and straight up catchy Sonic, each track seems to ooze out of the speakers presenting the listener with reason after reason to keep listening. All too often punk bands end up sounding the same on all of their tracks because of their desire to stick to their idea of real punk, but that doesn’t happen here, and each track stands out as a unique offering, keeping things interesting throughout and ensuring you’re listening right up until the close.
Closing with The Egos & The Alcohol we’re left on another catchy and jumpy track, the bass laden rhythms working with the soaring vocal line and hammering guitar work to keep things moving, interesting, and catchy throughout. Hook after hook is thrown out, resulting in a sound that’s sure to have you coming back for more, have you telling others about The Red Tears, and get you wanting to get down to a show.
I really quite like the sound of The Red Tears as quite simply, their music is inoffensive damned good fun punk – and it’s been done well. It’s easy to see why they’re starting to get the press and support slots they are, and based on the tracks here I’m thinking there could be good things in store. Definitely a band to check out!
To find out more about The Red Tears, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls