quote:
Originally posted by nia:
i must be getting old because the typeface of that scan is way too small for me to read. what does it say??
Voivod-inspired Worshippers of the Riff: End of Level Boss
“I don’t know if it’s just because I’m getting older, but life is a lot darker than it used to be. The planet seems to be going the wrong way and it pisses me off,” muses Harry Armstrong, vocalist/guitarist of London-based End of Level Boss.
Harry and fellow guitarist, Jim Ogawa were both in the now-defunct stoner-rock outfit Hangnail, but their latest musical incarnation is a rather astonishing about-face of style and substance. Their debut album, “Prologue” released on the German indie Exile On Mainstream, reveals a much moodier and challenging beast. Instead of their previous get-your-kicks-and-shake-your-booty groove, End of Level Boss thread their way through a decidedly bleaker musical terrain, traversing a technical and edgy expanse with sudden time changes, jazzy syncopated beats, flamboyant flourishes of prog sensibility and intricate chord layering.
“There are no ‘yeahs’ or ‘babys’ on this record,” answers bassist Elenajane, referring to Harry’s former bombastic lyrical style. “We’re a bit experimental, we want to do different things rather than the usual 4/4 average rock.”
Harry, who writes much of the band’s music and lyrics, seized the ongoing hiatus of his previous outfit as an opportunity to probe beyond stylistic confines of the stoner canon, and what first germinated as a side-project has now morphed into a serious full-time entity. Initially recruiting Elenajane after some prolific jamming sessions, he then worked on securing former bandmate Jim.
“Jim’s the icing on the cake in this band. I had to twist Jim’s arm until he heard the demos and then he was convinced,” Harry explains with a grin.
“But I actually wanted to play the bass and she beat me to it,” Jim responds in jest.
There’s a genuine sense of good-natured camaraderie between the three, as they enthusiastically drain the Guinness supply of the pub they’re sitting in, while discussing the essential essence of the riff. Even the fact that their drummer has recently amicably departed doesn’t faze their optimistic spirit. Since forming two years ago, EOLB have developed a strong reputation as a live act, supporting a diverse selection of bands such as The Hidden Hand and Budgie. With an ambitious European tour lined up in November, they’re confident they’ll move quickly past this temporary personnel obstacle in time to hit the road.
End of Level Boss are the fourth London band Harry and Jim have played in together, while Elenajane is a relative newcomer to the city’s band scene. She grew up in Newfoundland, an isolated province in Canada, more famous for moose and the only authenticated North American Viking archaeological find, than for innovative, exploratory metal bands. And although her dextrous riffage belies the fact, she began playing bass guitar only a few years ago.
“I trained sixteen-years-plus in classical piano at music school and it really put me off playing because it was so strict,” she explains. “So when I picked up the bass, there was much more freedom, it was fun. The technical aspect of what we are doing in End of Level Boss kinda reminds me of my classical training.”
All of them share a strong bond that converges on a few reference points. One needs only mention experimental thrashers Voivod or 70s-style guitar destroyers The Atomic Bitchwax, a band they opened for on their second ever live outing, and conversation effortlessly flows.
“Bitchwax, for all three of us, are one of our favorite bands,” enthuses Elenajane. “We only wish we could have had more practice when we played that gig.”
“When I heard their first record, I knew that there was nothing more that stoner rock could do. That is the ultimate stoner rock album,” says Harry.
“The best band of the last two decades,” Jim agrees. “But I always used to listen to Voivod as a teenager.”
“Voivod are such an underrated band, it is criminal,” Harry says indignantly. “Especially Piggy as a guitar player. He played those guitar structures differently than anybody else I’ve heard on the planet, except for people trying to rip him off, like me.” He breaks into a smile. “Before I die, I’d like to make an album that sounds somewhere between the first Atomic Bitchwax album and ‘Dimension Hatross,’ these two albums are so flawless.
“But there’s nothing we’ll shy away from in this band,” Harry concludes. “We just want to play riffs and make a noise. That – and to one day have our own action figures.”
Terrorizer Magazine
Interview by Marion Garden
(I know I probably shouldn't post the full article like that...oh well)
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ummm.....I got nothin' today :-(
posted October 14, 2005 13:20
posted October 15, 2005 09:00
