The Deadly Winters

Hi, how are you?
Perfectly well thanks.

Would you mind introducing yourselves and telling us what instruments you play?
We are The Deadly Winters. Our members include Mike Edie (bass/vocals/percussion and cheeky lovability), Graeme Chyla (drums/percussion/tambo/claves and fags), Greg Jones (acoustic guitar/electric guitar/vocals, piano and tech stuff) and myself, Chris Blair (vocals/acoustic guitar/egg shakers and writing).

How long has the current band line up been together?
Well, the line up has been the same for a while, but this is a new project now, and although it features the same people, we are all out of our comfort zones, playing and singing parts we wouldn't normally be playing.

How would you describe your music to someone who hasn’t yet heard you?
Pleasantly pleasing pieces of punchy powerful performances perforated by pretty pain-filled poetry…Perfect!

What have you been up to recently?
Recording our arses off! Im not joking either. We are doing our first album as The Deadly Winters and kinda want it to be as spot-on as we can make it. But, we have chosen to record it ourselves, so, with that decision comes all the problems and niggles that is normally sorted out for you by someone else.

What can your fans look forward to in the next 12 months?
A plethora of live appearances, hopefully a few folk/acoustic style festivals, the debut album being released (hopefully to some, if not great, acclaim), then probably headlining the Hogmany gig in Princes Street at the end of the year. (you never know…)

How did you meet each other?
I met the guitarist Greg behind the cooked chicken counter at safeways, the drummer Chico, was poached from another band, and the bassist Mike was the only person to answer our 'bassist wanted' ad we had placed, so we just had to have him.
literally, we had to have him, no-one else was interested.

How did you come up with your name for the band?
Many frustrating hours compiling lists of nonsense-but-still-trying-to-sound-cool gibberish. I actually dug out the original sheets where all the names are scribbled for this interview, so lets see…
rRght, we have; The Smugglers, The Vintage, Craven, The Wastrels, and thats the better ones! I seem to recall that a favourite was Autumnfall for a while, but it lacked the bite, I think, that The Deadly Winters possess'.

Did you always want to be in a band?
Yes. Still do. Have no other ambition whatsoever other than writing and creating music.

What music did you listen to while growing up?
Myself, I mainly had my dads influence thrust upon me very early on and grew up with Deep Purple, Tull, Kate Bush, The Hollies, Wishbone Ash and then moved on to GNR, Nirvana etc…
The rest of the guys are similar, but vary a bit with Red Hot Chilli Peppers (which I happen to think a fucking awful band name thinking back to question 8), Oasis and Slipnot.

How long have you played your instruments?
Really!?? Thats too boring a question man, I dunno, 14 years each? something like that. Regarding the new percussion though, shakers/claves et al, probably about 2 months, and it is a complete shock to the system to be out of your depth with a new instrument so perhaps this question holds water after all. Sorry.

What were your first music making experiences?
Making a home made radio show on a 'Make Your Own Radio' childs kit, and trying to create the whole soundtrack to Bugsy Malone.

Are you self-taught or did you have lessons?
All self taught, although I don't believe the rest of the guys when they say that, as they are all way too good to have learnt by themselves.

What is your current equipment?
Mainly acoustics (Takamine), a half drum kit set-up ( kick,snare and floor tom), and shit-loads of shakers and bottles of rice that sound nice when wielded.

If you had an unlimited equipment budget what would be on your shopping list?
A bus!!!! Last year we did the whole 'lets tour and live in a van' and my god, 6 men, in a van for 1 week with no washing was hellish!

Do you use the same equipment live as you do when in a studio?
Yeah, pretty much. We don't have enough money to be able to choose really. We keep our live stuff pretty much as close as possible to any studio work anyway. The album is all recorded live, no click tracks or any trickery like that.

Do you have a set routine when writing and recording or does it depend on each track and the inspiration?
I generally write and write anyway so there are always songs available, but now that Greg is writing a lot too, its more interesting throwing all our ideas together and making it more of a 'collective' project, if you know what I mean.

Which software/recording process do you use?
This debut album has all been done in Greg's flat, just using the rooms natural reverb and his laptop with good old Pro Tools.

Would you sign with a major record company?
Of course. Wouldn't you kill to get paid big bucks for doing something you love? - Somojo Magazine