PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
Before hitting the stage to perform to a sold-out London crowd supporting Motionless in White at the Underworld Camden, I caught up with New Years Day’s guitarist Nikki Misery to talk Malevolence and how their current tour with Motionless In White is going.
Kris PM – Firstly a huge thank you from me and PlanetMosh for taking the time out of your day for us; we love you guys, so cheers very much.
Nikki – Absolutely Thank you!
Kris PM – So first up UK tour, quite an interesting one; lots of intimate venues, how has that been going so far?
Nikki – I’ve always loved little venues it’s so much more intimate, much crazier and the tour is going awesome as it is, it’s so cool to come out here and see kids who really appreciate and want to see and experience this music. As American bands we don’t get to come here as much as we’d like to, especially like in the States where you just drive across the way for a couple hours, so it’s cool to see kids hungry and passionate for American music.
Kris PM – Last year Malevolence came out, which was one of my favourite releases last year, I loved it! What kind of inspiration is behind it?
Nikki – Definitely the inspiration was a lot of sadness, anger and revenge; we don’t really take too much from other bands, it’s mainly pretty much the turmoil of what we have been going through. And usually I say it’s about the artist; like how I believe art to be is like emotionally messed up people, people who can’t quite cope with their feelings, so for us to make that music, that’s how I do it. If we were all emotionally stable then we would have been doctors and lawyers rather than musicians.
Kris PM – Interesting I like the way you see that. So have you got a favourite track off of Malevolence, that’s personal to you? Or fun to perform?
Nikki – My favourite track actually used to be ‘Kill or be Killed’ just how hard hitting it was and had a real punk rock riff in it; but recently it’s been becoming ‘Malevolence’ since we’ve been playing it more and more, just the passion and the heartache, it just really hits home.
Kris PM – I agree, 2 of my favourites too.
Nikki – Especially with this album, there has been no truer words to the heart from this band’s experiences. So everyday you know you find something new that’s like a trigger.
Kris PM – Any bands that you’d really love to tour with, you’ve not yet had a chance to?
Nikki – I wish, most of the bands I’d love to tour with are dead….. but Rancid would be cool and Tiger Army would be fun. I guess if I was being more selfish, Kiss or Alice Cooper would be awesome, but I don’t even care if we play I just want to see them everyday……….. and Bowie.
Kris PM – Have you got any advise for any unsigned bands out there?
Nikki – Absolutely, just don’t stop, keep playing. The life is not luxurious, don’t get into it if you think you are gonna make a lot of money, become a famous rock-star and all your dreams will come true. Just keep playing, as long as you are onstage and playing your music be it in-front of 5 or 5000 people then you are living it, the fact that you get up and do that is strength enough. Just keep playing and practise, listen to different kinds of music and study music. Just practise, practise, practise. I tell guitar players that ask ‘how do you play guitar like that?’ you know get rid of the social life, stay in your room and just play for hours on end. If you guys are still in a band then keep on practising, cover songs then that way you get ideas of different people’s styles, and as I mentioned before I don’t even really listen to new music, but you know at the same time I’m forced to just so like you know your enemy, so you know the competition. So listen to as much music as you can, don’t just get stuck in one thing, just be passionate and don’t stop, and don’t take no for an answer. If someone tells you that you suck, then keep playing.
Kris PM – When you are out on the road what do you miss the most?
Nikki – My dogs and my family.
Kris PM – That would be my exact answer!
Nikki – That’s pretty much it, well and Californian weather, or the lack thereof as its just constantly 70. But mainly dogs and family as that’s what grounds me. You know when I come out here, I go absolutely insane and that’s part of the art.
Kris PM – When you are on tour, what is the absolute essential that you can’t live without?
Nikki – I guess I could really live without anything, I guess Oxygen.?? Well the thing you depend on you know kill it and just try to survive that way.
Kris PM – I notice you have done a few signing sessions which gives you a chance to connect with the fans, have you found that connection to really help, especially in the days now of downloading music?
Nikki – I just like to meet the people that pretty much bring you out here, like if it wasn’t for the kids that come to the shows we would still be some kids in Orange County playing our tunes, so it’s really fun to meet the people that support this and brought us out here. At the same time its very humbling, when you’re on the stage after a while hearing people screaming for you, it’s so cool to get out there and meet these people and it really grounds you and makes you realise there is really no difference between me and them, just the fact that I get to do this.
Kris PM – Lastly, what are your future plans for New Years Day?
Nikki – Just keep going with what we are doing, If things get better then its a blessing, if things don’t you know I get to look back and know I got to do things that I wanted to do. Just keep on, life is a grave, dig it!
Kris PM – Thank you so much for your time Nikki, and can’t wait to see the show tonight.
Nikki – Thank you very much.
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