PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
zhOra are here and mean business. The Tipperary natives will be flying their blue and yellow flag in Dublin on Saturday at the Metal 2 The Masses Ireland final. PlanetMosh talks to drummer Tom Woodlock in the run up to the showcase
Congrats on getting to the final guys. Can you explain the feeling when you heard your name announced at the semi final?
It was a genuine surprise for me. I thought it was one of the worst gigs I’d played anyway. We brought a busload of merry revellers with us from the heart of the Premier which was great craic. Unfortunately, upwards of 14 people drinking cans means lot of piss stops. Into Dublin city rolls zhOra and their delegates at 8 in the jaysus PM, late for the straw pulling and first on. It was a grand aul set we did obviously but I was convinced that I blew it, so I had to go off and be on me own for a while.
Ended up going down the road for a quiet pint around Abbey Street. Turns out it was a IRA pub. Pretty sure I saw Gerry Adams in there roaring about black lads but I could be wrong.
Speaking of the final. How have preparations been going?
Pants-shittingly well. And yourself?
This year, how has the whole Metal 2 The Masses experience been?
Really, really good. Getting through the two gigs on the Judge’s vote does a lot for your confidence and all that. We’re ready to give Fibbers a firm rap on the buttocks when we return. The competition end of it hasn’t been a huge element in the proceedings to be fair, every band does their promotional stuff and gets up and plays their little moccasins off, fair play to them, lovely job, but there’s no bullshit or grandstanding at all which is good. That being said, if someone was to start some “beef” our boy from Cahir, Richie has a county-famous Atomic Headbutt that’ll make mince of anyone’s forehead.
What would you say to bands thinking about applying for next year’s competition?
Promote, Practice, Write class riffs, Drop Acid and let your drummer make all the important business decisions. It’s worked well for us so far. I’m currently waiting on all this Enron stock to mature and I’m fucking set.
Has there been a memorable moment that stands out in your mind at the shows to date?
I can’nae see fuck all with these three hairy cunts in front of me.
Personally, I feel that everyone in the final is a winner but if you were to be chosen to represent Ireland at Bloodstock, what would it mean to your band.
I know that Ian “Pancho” O’ Meara is a notorious Anti-Semite so he’d love that platform for his own reasons. The rest of us would take it as a real opportunity to turn as many people onto what we’re about. I think it’ll be great too, to be able to talk to a few bands and artists that we know and respect as peers, chat, go for a few beers, some more beers, roll around in some muck, kill a prostitute, you know; all that Rock and/or Roll stuff.
If you could pick one song from your arsenal to let the uninitiated hear what your band is all about, what would it be?
We wrote a song called Riverchrist, which is the second song on our new album, after the intro and it essentially sounds like if Dimebag was from Clonmel. Plus, lyrically it’s where the main character of the album introduces himself and he’s a pure cunt as well, like a lad who toploads a joint, then smiles as he hands the fucking thing to you so it’s appropriately heavy.
In 5 words, describe what we can expect from you at the final.
Tipp. Is. The. Premier. County.
