INTERVIEW WITH ENVY FOUR.
With Bedford Alternative Music, (FEBRUARY 2010).
My first experience with up and coming band Envy Four was a couple of snowy winters ago when then drummer Charlie Moss of Radiating Eyes recommended his friends band that had a gig at the Ent Shed in Castle Rd. Bedford, saying I should check them out and maybe get them some gigs.
They have now done some Lev 1 showcase nights and supported Goldblade
on last years Spooky Weekend Halloween gig among other gigs in Bedford, Luton and Stevenage along the way. Here then is what they have to say about things in and around the band.
1 HOW DID YOU COME BY THE NAME FOR THE BAND?
Ha, Basically. For quite a while we couldnt decide on a decent band name and what we all liked, when we used to do band practices at Karls, we used to have music playing loudly and wed play along to songs off youtube to learn them as a cover and an advert popped up for makeup. It was titled Envy 13 and we simply saw it and changed it ;)
2 WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO START A BAND?
Karl Just found an interest in music and bands and kept going to Wednesday jam nights at the Paddington and made me want to start a band. After a few craps bands, along came Envy Four.
3 HAS IT ALWAYS BEEN THE CURRENT LINE UP?
Karl Nah. Originally the band had a different line up, Karl, Joel & Liam. We had a different drummer who was an old friend who later got kicked out. Then one day Liam found Daniel who had just left his old band at the exact same time and we took it from there. Fate or what ;)
4 WHAT OTHER INTERESTS DO MEMBERS HAVE OUTSIDE THE BAND?
Karl Mechanics, motorbikes and all that stuff, Body modification; Piercings, tattoos etc.
Joel Body mods, Reading harry potter on the toilet and having baths ;D
Liam Emma Watson!, Beating Joel at quidditch world cup.
Daniel Music, Mischa Barton, Frankie Sandford, Rhianna and blueberry muffins!!!!
5 WHERE DO YOU GET YOUR INFLUENCES FROM FOR YOUR SONGS AND WHAT THEMES ARE THEY MOSTLY ABOUT?
Our influences have changed over the year cause we have gone through a change ourselves. Now were all settled on the style right now. Our main influences are Lostprophets, Taking Back Sunday, NEW Deaf Havana, Kids In Glass Houses, Red Jumpsuit Apparatus.
To be honest, our song themes are mostly about bad relationships weve experienced or bad situations in them... ;D
6 WHAT OTHER BANDS ARE THE MEMBERS IN TO?
Ha, We range in our music tastes.
Joel Escape The Fate, Young Guns, Eyes Set To Kill, Blink 182, Cancer Bats.
Karl Pappa Roach, Lamb Of God, Plus 44, A Day To Remember, Parkway Drive.
Daniel Lostprophets, Deaf Havana, Asking Alexandria, Taking Back Sunday, Circa Survive.
Liam Funeral For A Friend, Destine, Sum 41, Kids In Glass Houses, Francesqa.
7 WHAT WERE YOUR MEMORIES OF YOUR VERY FIRST GIG?
Karl Our first gig was up sandy upper school, the school me, Joel and Liam went to at the time. I was scared of embarrassing myself in front of everyone on stage in front of school mates. Oh and smoking a load of fags beforehand by the back of the bike shed.
Joel Err, Being filmed by a girl in the year above me, Hiding whilst having fags beforehand and shaking so much because I was so scared and nervous!
Daniel Meeting a hot blonde that I later got together with ;D. Also being unbelievably nervous and being afraid of messing everything up somehow.
Liam All of the above ;)
8 WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR FAVOURITE GIGS PLAYED SO FAR AND WHY. ALSO ANY OTHER GIG STORY MOMENTS?
Either Battle of the student bands (Civic Theatre). Supporting Kids Cant Fly at Esquires or Daxtonbury. All were a laugh!
9 WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE LIVE BEDFORD SCENE AT THE MOMENT?
NEEDS MORE HARDCORE!
10 HOW DO YOU FEEL THE BAND HAS DEVELOPED SINCE YOU FIRST STARTED?
Weve changed quite a lot since we first formed. Our song writing skills have developed quite a lot. Weve all become much more confident due to performing on stage.
11 WHAT HAS THE BAND GOT IN THE PIPELINE GIGS, C.DS ETC?
We aim to have a new 7 track C.D. by the end of 2011, New Tees at some point. Hopefully well start getting out of Bedfordshire even more than we are at the moment and get some much bigger and better gigs!
12 WHAT THINGS REALLY ANOY THE BAND?
Cocky & Rude band members... and Stephen Hinds.
Joel is pretty annoying to be honest...
13 WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE THINKING OF FORMING A BAND?
Defiantly do it! Got nothing to lose, its really fun. It does involve a lot of hard work and commitment. Some of the best times we had though! Its worth it.
Oh and, dont have Joel as a bassist...
14 HOW WOULD YOU DESCRICE YOUR BANDS SOUND AND HOW DO YOUR SONGS COME ABOUT WHO DOES THE WRITING ETC?
We sound like angels farting?
Our songs come about when one of us dates a lousy person then write about it... Haha.
When it comes to writing songs, we all chip in when we can.
15 HAVE YOU ANYTHING YOU WOULD LIKE TO SAY TO SUM UP THE INTERVIEW?
NEED A NEW BASSIST, Joel is rough around the edges... Jokeeā„
Check out our myspace and facebook page,
www.myspace.com/EnvyFourNV4, NV4 Facebook.
Listen to the new tracks, tell us what you think!
I WOULD VERY MUCH LIKE TO THANK ENVY FOUR FOR THEIR TIME FOR THIS INTERVIEW.
FOR BEDFORD ALTERNATIVE MUSIC www.bedfordalternativemusic.co.uk)