Terminal Hospitality
Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Music
Press
“Terminal Hospitality, shirts off let’s do it! TH opened the Academy 3 stage and people were listening to the trio as they had a real fluency to the set. The songs were cohesive with the crowd and the guitar parts, on “Rattlesnake” for example made a lasting impression. Terminal Hospitality have character and clearly love being out there.“ - Mark Armor, Dutsypop
The next band plays some pretty cool stoner metal. The band is Terminal Hospitality and this their EP, Terminal Illness. This is some pretty damn good stuff.
Recorded in late 2009 and early 2010, Terminal Illness, the first of a set of EPs planned for release showcase some of the groups Earlier songs, Live favourites and some of the more recent material.
- The Soda Shop
This was recommended over on The Soda Shop and I had to share with the Swamp as well.
The band is Terminal Hospitality and this is their EP, Terminal Illness. This is some killer stoner metal. The EP is free and available to download straight from the band's Bandcamp site.
"In the gritty backstreets of Manchester, a new band is carving its name.
Combining the trappings of 80s flash metal and the “in-your-face” sound of punk, Terminal Hospitality are about as far from your typical local indie band as you can get. Drawing inspiration from classic bands such as Guns n Roses and Motley Crue, the band offers a modern take on the raunchy 80s metal scene with tracks such as “Take you for a Ride” oozing sleaze and innuendo. From the harsh screams of vocalist Robin Griffin to the mesmeric drumming of Anthony Burtwhistle, this eclectic sonic assault assails the listener's eardrums with unrelenting ferocity. But that's not to say the band is one dimensional. The occasional progressive ballad such as “Anathema” incorporates elements more common to bands such as Dream Theater or Queensryche. In particular, guitarist Jamie Bradbury's solos are intricate and far removed from stereotypical punk, being closer to 80s luminaries such as Lynch and Vai than Mick Jones et al." - Sludge Swamp
Terminal Hospitality is the monkier of a young stoner metal trio from Manchester, who released their debut EP for free earlier this year.
The three-piece are carving their names into the North West’s live metal scene, and they are also hoping to release an additional set of EP’s that showcases their earliest recordings, as well as new material.
I spoke with Anthony Burtwistle (drums) and Robin Griffin (bass) to find out what makes them tick.
How did you guys meet?
Ant: Me and Jamie started the band back in 2006 with a different vocalist, who soon left and was replaced by Robin.
Rob: We were all playing in different bands in high school, a lot of which happened to include Jamie. A year or so later when we left school, we happened to be the only ones left who still wanted to do it.
Where did the name ‘Terminal Hospitality’ come from?
Rob: It’s a level from a Hitman game. Other possible name choices were: ‘Anathema’ and ‘A New Life’, also from the said game.
You were briefly signed to Violet Haze Records before parting ways. What happened?
Ant: They were a small label fronted by a pub singer with bad hair, who had no clue about promotion, recording, etc and were generally disorganised.
Every time we threatened to leave they promised us the fucking world, yet came up with fuck all basically. They shut down before we could even leave in the end! Idiots!
Rob: I think in the space of about a year they made a banner for us, which blew away the next week at an open air festival. What more can I say?
Which bands influenced your early recordings?
Rob: When we started out we were all listening to different stuff really. Jamie wanted to rip off Motley Crue and Twisted Sister, while I was listening to a lot of progressive music and Ant was listening to stoner metal, both of which have kind of leaked through to our sound today.
Ant: We’re still trying to filter out the Motley Crue shite!
Manchester is renowned for its legendary indie scene. How hard has it been to establish your own individual style of stoner metal, in a city that is dominated by the ‘indie’ tag?
Rob: It’s not been easy to say the least. Most band nights in Manchester tend to be geared towards either indie, or more recently metal. While we defiantly fall more into the latter, we’re heavy in a different way. Kids who go to these shows come to see a night of Bullet For My Valentine clones and that just ain’t what we’re about!
Ant: It’s hard to fight against all the generic bullshit we come across gig after gig after gig. But the biggest difference between us and these bands is that we can actually play our instruments, we know our shit, and we’re confident about it. A lot of people that come to our shows are quite taken aback.
Rob: There are way too many bands nowadays that stand staring at their feet for the whole show. People seem to forget what the word ‘perform’ actually means
As well as music, football is also prevalent in Manchester. Are you football fans? If so, red or blue?
Rob: No, not at all!
Ant: I’m torn as one side of my family are blues, and the other side are reds. I myself am impartial, but I follow football.
What is your favourite venue in the North West?
Rob: For playing or watching? For playing it’s got to be Academy 3 for me. Great sound on and off stage and really friendly engineers.
Watching it’s the Apollo. I saw Dream Theater play the Apollo last Autumn. Left me speechless.
Ant: Playing-wise I’m gonna plump for the Roadhouse. Nice tight stage and always receptive crowds, and of course great sound!
What is the best album that you have heard this year and why?
Rob: 2010 has been a really bad year for music in my opinion. I can’t even remember the last new record I bought! That said, 2009 was a great year for prog!
New albums from Dream Theater, Porcupine Tree, Mars Volta, and five or so releases from Omar Rodriguez Lopez. Couldn’t ask for more.
Ant: It’s a toss up between Gods & Goddesses by Brant Bjork or The Union by Elton John & Leon Russell. Two completely different worlds, but both brill!
Any plans to head back into the studio in the near future?
Rob: We’re in a bit of a rough patch at the moment with Jamie being up in Huddersfield for Uni. Things have really slowed down in terms or writing and gigging, but we’ve got more than enough material for the moment.
Hopefully, we’ll begin recording a follow up to the Terminal Illness EP sometime next year, and we are also looking at getting some gigs recorded.
Finally, describe your sound in three words.
Ant: Erm…Not Robbie Williams? Toto on crack!
Rob: Very Fucking Loud!
- Simon Hadley, Chybucca Sounds
“Being the first band on is never easy, but they receive a warm welcome from the crowd, the first part of their set was very impressive, with some catchy hooks and melodies in the songs, the 2nd part seemed a bit tired, more of the same rock n roll. However the last song had the crowd headbanging away like there was no tomorrow, so overall it was a well received set. What makes it impressive for me, is that the new guitarist has only been in the band 6 weeks. A band to look out for in the future I reckon.” - David Farrell, Manchester Rocks
Manchester’s musical landscape is forever associated with legendary indie bands such as: Joy Division and The Smiths. Terminal Hospitality is looking to change that.
Recorded in late 2009 and early 2010, this is the first of a set EP’s that the trio have planned to release in the near future.
Jamie Bradbury (guitars, keyboards and backing vocals), Robin Griffin (bass guitar and lead vocals) and Anthony Burtwistle (drums and percussion) offer a modern take on 80’s metal and punk.
Although metal and punk is where Terminal Hospitality is at their most destructive, they do occasionally bring in additional dimensions to their sound, in the form of the progressive rock ballad ‘Anathema’. Intricate licks from Bradbury and a piano-led melody, is a nod in the direction of Long Island’s Dream Theater.
Vocalist Robin Griffin’s growl is very similar to that of Metallica’s James Hetfield in the EP’s opener ‘The Meat King Party’, as is the thrash metal solo that follows.
Coupled with the mesmeric drumming of Anthony Burtwhistle, this self-titled EP indicates a substantial amount of promise.
- Chybucca Sounds
“Three quirky Manchester lads make up Terminal Hospitality, a band that banged out some classic rock for our enjoyment. Obviously buzzing off what they do, they delivered the set with confidence and clarity. Front man Robin Griffin oozed rock credential, topless and clad in tight leathers a la Iggy Pop, he gave us some cool vocals complimented by the edgy backing. Great entertainers." - Emma Burton, Surface Unsigned
Discography
Terminal Illness, 2010
Photos
Bio
Ant and Robin, from Audenshaw and Altrincham have been playing together almost three years,recently being joined by guitar virtuoso, Aaron Haslam, and in that time have played around 30 gigs in countless pubs and clubs across Greater Manchester, most recently playing at the Manchester Academy Metal Festival, and in the past have played in such big name venues as Jabez Clegg, The Roadhouse and Dry Bar, sharing the stage with bands including Our Innocence Lost, Seven Year Kismet, Cypher 16 and Nothing Sinister, and have enough shows coming up to keep them busy for a while.
What sets Terminal Hospitality out from so many of their so-called heavy contemporaries is their willingness to actually put on a show for their fans. The Manchester music scene is one which has long forgotten the meaning of 'performance', and TH are more than capable of bringing back the 'Rockstar', and in essence the spirit of 80's heavy metal, with their over-the-top stage antics. As eccentric frontman Robin has so often said; "If you're not jumping around, why the hell should the crowd?"
Terminal Hospitality's music is often described as either 'Punk-rock' or 'Stoner Metal', two genres that most would consider mutually exclusive. However, the lads have no issue bending this rule and occasionally tossing in bits of Prog, Funk and country to boot. Ask them theirselves and they will probably narrow it down to simply 'Rock'. For in their world there is no need for such stereotypes and rules, instead TH operate on a much simpler philosophy; there is good music and there is bad music. And no matter what they are creating, be it a straightforward, balls-to-the-wall metal track or a complex latin percussion interlude (which yes they have delved into!), the compass points squarely to the 'good music' side of things. The band have listed acts including; Iron Maiden, Motley Crue, Rush, Tool, Muse, Avenged Sevenfold, Toto, Dream Theater, Kyuss, Brant Bjork, Elton John, Ratt, and Whitesnake to name but a few!
At the start 2010, Terminal Hospitality finished work in the studio on a 6 track demo, which showcases some of the old classics, the fan favourites and some newer material, and has something for almost any listener. Later on in the year, they were forced to part ways with their guitarist but quickly found a renewed hope in guitar virtuoso Aaron Haslam, and since the band have got back on their feet and have taken their songwritting and live act to all new levels. The new line up has already recieved a huge welcoming from their fans, and TH are looking forward to a busy schedule of gigging over this year. And when they do eventually find time, the lads will be heading back to the studio to track their second EP, which they already have more than enough new material to fill!
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