Introducing...Angels of Chaos

YMC chats to Angels of Chaos from Bradford


YMC: How many are in the band, where did you all meet?

Rob Ryan, Drums: Four. I was head hunted by Paul, that's not as bad as it sounds, I've still got a slight twitch but its getting better! These 3 guys were already plodding along with a drum machine and I posted an add on Bandmix.com about 8 months earlier which I'd forgot all about, One day I got a nudge on messenger asking me if I was still interested-I lied and said yes out of curiosity and 15 months and about a grand later I'm still here.

Paul Stefan Gill, Guitar/Vocals: Yeah, There's four of us-pretty standard set up really. This actually started as another band all together, and after a full and gradual line up, sound and name change- Here we are! I approached Dougie First, and then Beanie who had been in a band with Dougie previously in college, so knew that they worked well together, and got on (always a good start, right?) Then after years of auditioning drummer after drummer, I found Rob, and haven't looked back since.

Richard “Beanie” Beanland, Bass: We're in a band? I'd probably better start learning an instrument then hadn't I.


Gareth “Dougie” Douglas, Guitar: Three, four after 6pm. Beans has issues. We all meet in a dark room in Backfeed (Rehearsal and Recording, Queensbury) and we all leave with a strange smell.

YMC: Shortly after you formed, Paul developed a vocal chord cyst and spent most of 2009 recovering - how have you managed to not lose enthusiasm for the project?

RR: I can only imagine it was a nightmare for Paul really, I mean if I lost an arm I'm not sure how long the other guy would stay around waiting for it too grow back, I reckon I could convince them it would for about 6 months until my ungrowing stump final awoke some kinda curiosity for one of them to google "do arms grow back once you've lost them". The truth of the matter is we'd have packed it in way back but Dougie's to stubborn, Beanie's to Lazy and just looked forward too much to seeing all the great photo's Paul would take of his throat, which truth be told from close up looked like a vagina....hey free porn!

B: We spent so long at the beginning without a drummer and kept going because we love doing it and had faith that things were eventually going to work out. They did then and the same is happening this time.

D: There have been times when I have been a bit frustrated with the situation but it couldn’t be helped. You just got to look to the future and hope that the problem will be overcome as soon as possible. At the end of the day no one forces us to be in the band, we do it because we love playing the music we do and its times like these you realise that. So while Paul's being battling his genital cyst we’ve had time to write and learn new material so it’s not all bad.

PSG: It was frustrating to say the least. It could have been dealt with faster had the doctors who I approached with my problem had taken me seriously. Instead I was told that I was stressed, put on steroids, then finally (after seeing me way too many times) the doctor put me on the waiting list to see a specialist who put a camera down my nose and found a cyst. I did 6 months vocal rest, where we played instrumentally, working on what we had and write some new songs. The next time they put a camera down my nose, they found the cyst had withered, and was then cleaned up surgically. I've since had to learn to crawl, before getting back on my feet, vocally. And yes, I did get photos, and I can confirm that most people who I'd show had to do a double take...perverts!

YMC: Do you consider yourselves a Metal band or a Rock band?

RR: I consider us a band that plays Metal and Rock, I've been in Metal bands and I know we're not really that, but I've been in Rock bands and we're not that either, in fact it's not that were both it's more a “retallymock” kinda thing.

B: We're a band who play loud guitars and have a hard hitting drummer, we could fall under a few tags. We're all open to new ideas so we try something and if we can make it work, we do it. Working to a blueprint can keep interesting avenues closed off and stop ideas from staying fresh.

D: I'll let someone else decide. I class my style as “Porno-funk”.

PSG: My first love was always Metal, but my horizons were broadened after 2 years at college studying music, and I've ended up with a diverse love for music. What we write now is a dynamic range of groove based heavy rock. we have elements of Metal, but nothing we consciously put in there, we just go with the flow and if it works, it's gold.

YMC: Who are your main influences?

RR: That guy who reads the weather on Calender, man that's a tough job right there, you say “No snow”, man you better be sure 'cause someone out there is gonna lynch you if you're wrong.

B: How long have you got?

D: People who play guitars reet well, there’s many of 'em. I listen to a wide range of music so have influences from many genres, I think this shows in the music we play and is why it could be hard to categorise us under one genre.

PSG: My influences? I watch a lot of bands and become influenced to do it my own way, how not to do something, or how to approach a certain angle, musically or as a performer...I try not to take influence from major band, notional or international, because I want to be “Paul” not “that guy that's like so-and-so” from “where-ever”.

YMC: Do you think its harder for metal bands to get gigs? Are there enough venues in Bradford?

RR:I think its hard to get gigs full stop, all I can say is if your putting live bands on bless you, not many people either understand the art of doing so, appreciate the hard work it takes to sort out or appreciate that they are  probably gonna make a loss on new bands until a really good one comes along..hint. As for Bradford, I don't think it's

been the same since Rio's upped roots and moved to Leeds, that place was the shit hole from the back of beyond, but it was our shit hole and it was a right of passage to play there.

B: Yeah it's just hard for new bands in general, so many venues have closed down or moved over the last few years, thank goodness some of the ones still around are willing to give everyone a chance to get their foot on the first rung of the ladder.

D: Yep, There are not many places to play at all in Bradford it’s a bit of a dive. I think things might change though when they build a park in the town centre, can’t wait!

PSG: There are a few ways to look at this: First being as a band starting out. Looking for a support slot is all about who you know. There aren't many bands who'll give you a chance, there needs to be more love between local bands- this isn't a race! I've approached SO many bands about support slots and heard nothing back at all. There need to be more love between local bands. And as far as being a new band taking the initiative and approaching venues: I think it's another variation on the catch-22 of that old job interview chest nut. “Do you have experience?” No, because I've never worked in this area before “Then you can't get the job to get experience”.

And finally, the last perspective: Audiences. Audiences tend to latch onto one band, and root for them and resent you for taking up their favourite bands stage time. There are those who love what you do after catching you on the off chance, but they tend to forget about you after a year away!

YMC: So now after a full recovery, are you going to be gigging soon?

RR: Recovery? was I ill!? Hmm...oh you must have this question directed at Paul, well I think his throat is better but he still keeps showing me porn on his phone.

B: Yeah the swelling's gone down but the emu's still not happy. We've managed to sort out a few local gigs over the coming months, so keep your eyes and ears peeled.

D: yeah watch out for us on a street corner near you.

PSG: I'm still sceptical that this is a “Full” recovery, but I'm better than I was, but just have to remember that this cyst wasn't down to poor technique, I'm just not too keen to go thorough anything like this ever again. I only hope that our audiences understand and appreciate that my voice will be shaky from time to time, and reward our tenacity with at least one chance.

Find out more on www.myspace.com/angelsofchaosmetal