7 Questions with Napalm Raid
Halifax crust punk band, Napalm Raid, recently finished a tour of Europe in support of their new EP, Storm 7". Scratches and Needles got to ask Clancy, guitar player and vocalist, a few questions about the record and the tour, and we got a pile of new bands to listen to out of it.
S&N - I heard two ruthless tracks from the Storm EP on your bandcamp page, Living Breathing Dead, and Drowning, and it's my favorite sounding stuff so far. Can you tell us a little more about the new 7"?
Clancy - Well It's our 3rd 7" and definitely the one we are most happy with sound wise. We actually had a hard time trying to name this record. "STORM" just summed up the whole feeling of the the album art, the lyrics and the process of struggling to get it done on time. We recorded with Mitch Kelly from TRIUMPH AUDIO again. He knows our sound and we have worked with him before. We just pile our gear into a really small room and do everything live off the floor. It works best for us and he knows his shit.
S&N - Both Rust and Machine and Imminent Destruction are constantly releasing amazing heavy records. What is it like to work with these two labels?
Clancy - Rust and Machine we have been with from the beginning. Nothing but good things to say, he gets our records done when we need them and he does a high quality job every time. Nick (Rust and Machine) is one of our really good friends
and has joined us on both the Euro tours we have done. He's good to have around if you need to take your frustration out on someone. Imminent Destruction is putting out our record in Europe, the first time we have had a label release our music there. Paul (Imminent Destruction) is on the ball and distributes all over the place, so we are very happy he wanted to put out our music.
S&N - You just finished a tour of Europe that started in Germany and took the band through seven other countries. Do you do your own show bookings, and how hard is it for you to plan a tour on another continent?
Clancy - We have always booked our own tours in North America, but for Europe It would have been hell trying to book the tour ourselves I think, especially the first time. We had no contacts really at all. But we found a driver/booker recommended by our friends ISKRA that books our tours for us. We just show up at the airport and Arne (Black Dawn Records) picks us up and baby sits us for the duration of the tour haha
S&N - This isn't the first time through Erurope for Napalm Raid. What were some highlights from the last tours?
Clancy - Zoro Fest is the biggest highlight for sure. There were tons of really good shows and fests, but the atmosphere and craziness of Zoro in Leipzig Germany was something we will never forget. I love it there. September to Dismember fest in Italy was amazing too, people were taking boogie boards on stage and trying to surf the crowd with them while we played. Its always hard to remember specific funny stories from tours. They usually come out and are easier to remember when im drunk haha Some bands we were really stoked to play with were Bloody Phoenix, Hellshock, Speed Wolf, Extinction of Mankind, Disorder, Belgrado, Bellicose Minds, Inferno, Segregated, EU's Arse. S&N - Which cities were you most looking forward to playing in this time around and who were you most excited to be playing with?
Clancy - We are really looking forward to going to Scandinavia. Its quite out of the way, and lots of bands say its really expensive to tour and play there, but we want to see it and make the effort, even if it will be screwing us financially. There are a few bands we are playing with again from last tour. Segregated from Ghent are awesome, Crimen, our friends from Mexico are playing a few shows with us! Stoked to play with them again. Horrendous from Malmoe Sweden is Pancho's (Inferno) new band, we are playing with them at there jam space and also cant wait for ScumFest, ending the tour in London at that fest is the best idea we have had i think haha, its going to fucking rule and we will be destroyed after it.
S&N - What else are you working on in 2014 that we can look forward to?
Clancy - I think things are going to be pretty quite for the rest of the year unfortunately. We are going to start writing for our full length now which will be out later next year we hope. We have no plans for shows right now, so I guess keep an eye open for ones that may come up. Other then that we are touring Brazil in Jan.2015!
S&N - Scratches & Needles promotes sharing music to new listeners, what are some of Napalm Raid's biggest influences and favorite bands to listen to on tour?
Clancy - Favorite bands to listen to on tour, Divlje Jagode, Roky Erickson, Last Legion Alive, Sanctum, Guns n Roses, Axe Grinder, Sect, Midnight, bolt thrower, Effigy, Dischange, Discharge, Doom, I dont know we listen to fucking everything, you spend 4-9 hours a day in a van you need a wide variety or music to keep you from talking to each other about feelings.
http://napalmraid.blogspot.com
