Gobby Blog #4

My name is Harry. I am the vocalist for UK Metal band Collapse

Pic courtesy of Adrian Erlandsson & Murder Mile Studios


Therapy - Live shows - Video 

Are you in a band? Do sing (scream) or play an instrument? Do you get to play live often?

If you have answered yes to any of the above, I would sincerely like to hear your thoughts on what the experience is like, because for me it has become a form of therapy.

Shit happens at work? Stick it in the box. Arguments/dramas? Straight in the box. General public winding you up? Pack it away!

But when you hit the stage...

All of that anger, resentment, frustration and doubt, all the times you've wanted to put your hands round someone's throat and squeeze till you can feel their fucking spine, every time you've swallowed back putting your fist through someone's fucking head - that's when it manifests.

You open that box and pour out all the acidic vitriol that's been eating away at you.

Your eyes burn with the sweat, your throat burns from the masochistic grind you impose upon it, you struggle to get as much oxygen into your battered lungs as possible between great gouts of hysterical howling. By the end, you feel used, physically hammered and drained, EVERYTHING hurts from the frenzied punishment you have extolled on yourself.

You feel fucking amazing.

I struggle everyday with my temper, patience and tolerance. I don't know how everyone else deals with it, my therapy is standing on a stage or in a studio and channeling the resentment into as vicious a sound as possible.

And with that in mind....

COLLAPSE ARE COMING TO A VENUE NEAR YOU!

We have aimed for as wide a spread as possible and hope to be getting to places we've never made it to before. Its exciting but nerve wracking at the same time, we have to make a big impression and there is some KILLER talent on the line up!

If you want some ideas on what you can expect, check out our most recent music video for  

'The Great Divide' 

From the recently released '...In The Shadow Of Man'

Filmed once again with the fantastic Incline Creative Media, its a stripped down neck wrecker that we want to see people get in the pit for!

BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!

NEW VIDEO INCOMING

Hit the link above and get the info on our new video thats dropping (today/tomorrow) courtesy of Andy Pilkington at Very Metal Art! Its an absoloute masterpiece, really psyched to see what people think!



Its going to be a messy few weeks as we rip up and down the UK - I hope to make lots of new friends and scream/sweat at as many of you as possible!

STAY METAL!


P.S

Some tragic things have come to pass in Brussels in the last week. My sympathy goes to all the families effected by the horrific acts that have been carried out.

Gobby Blog #3

My name is Harry. I am the vocalist for UK Metal band Collapse

Pic courtesy of Adrian Erlandsson & Murder Mile Studios

Video - Image - Ownership

On Monday the 23rd November we dropped a video for the debut track 'I, MISERY' from our new album '...In The Shadow Of Man'. If you have yet to give that a spin you can do so below!

'I, MISERY'

Produced and Directed by Incline Creative Media

Not bad eh! Making the video was a pretty greulling experience but also highly entertaining! I think we all learned a lot from the experience that we'll be able to make use of down the line.

Now we know what to do with Christian when he's been naughty


I Spy a cheeky Steve...


'An almighty buggering'

There's a basic theme to the video and a 'story' being told but thats for you to work out and for me to make up as is required. Safe to say, the video taught all of us a lot about performing and positioning, Adam was an absoloute legend to work with and I look forward to working with him again in the future. All that being said, there was some difficulties to overcome. 

I dont know about the other guys but it has been an immense struggle for me to even BE in a video. Image is very important in music these days, which is a shame really. Should appearences effect how you interpret music? Would you enjoy your favourite bands if they all looked like Oompa Loompa's? Would that make it better!?

New Millenium Chocolate Milk Christ

Let's not beat about the bush here, I am a fat chap. That is primarily where my issues stem from with regards to being in a music video. I have zero self confidence and every time I see mysef in a video its like someone jamming a fork in my eyes, but I have to own that. Its not like its someone else's fault that I am the size that I am. This is all me and all my responsibility. It is who I am. What I have made.

You dont see a lot of tubby folks fronting metal bands these days and ultimately thats where I found some peace of mind. I may be uncomfortable with what I see on camera, I may feel uncomfortable being at the front of the stage throwing my considerable gut about, I may be the punchline to a lot of jokes and an eye sore in photo's - but I still get up and do it. 

I hope that somehow and somewhere, someone who is a little on the larger side see's me doing my thing and thinks 'fuck it, if that guy can do it, so can I'.

I will continue to write, record and scream my bollocks off because it is what I love doing. If you cant be happy doing what you love, what can you be happy doing? 

Fuck the nay sayers. Buy our album. Wreck your necks!

COLLAPSE ARE TOURING THE UK!!!

Check out our Facebook for more info!

Pic courtesy of Adrian Erlandsson & Murder Mile Studios

Gobby Blog #2

My name is Harry. I am the vocalist for UK Metal band Collapse.

Copyright Julie Cottrell Photography

The Weekend - Community - Reaction 

On Friday night, Collapse played a show in Leicester hosted by Resin Events. The show was pretty dang awesome, an amazing line up made up of some incredibly inventive and eclectic bands (please check them out below!)

Conjurer - Gehtika - Morgue Orgy

We did ok, all things considered, it was a short notice show for us, standing in for the excellent Cambion. I think we're still blowing off the cobwebs from the studio, so perhaps not us at our best. The night was run very smoothly, we were very well looked after and the crowd at the Firebug were exceedingly accommodating.

Of course, thats not all that happened on Friday night.

There's a million opinions floating around already, ranging from calm and measured to maniacal revenge, a vast spectrum of emotional response.

A unique element of this tragedy is that it took place, in part, at a Rock Concert.

Music can be both divisive and uniting. People are attracted to Metal in part because it is a lifestyle, its a shelter away from the overproduced, shiny popular culture that seems to be plastered every where we look. It is a strong community, made up of people who are intellectual, creative, passionate and accepting. Elements of that fake, photoshopped, over produced and shallow culture have made their way into Rock and Metal, sure, but its a minor influence. The integrity of our culture is pretty solid. 

Friday showed me that the community we share is also a shelter, away from the politics, war, famine, prejudice and general human suffering that seems so prevalent today. We gather together to celebrate our shared passion for music and forget the trials of everyday life. Maybe thats why the events in Paris were so shocking to so many? These kind of attacks are depressingly common. Paris was not the only city in the world suffering at the hands of misguided violence and yet the reaction in the media has been enormous.

I have written a fair few songs in my time, lyrics ranging from psychological issues and self loathing to the various negative facets of human kind. I have stood on a number of stages with sweat burning my eyes, screaming about the horror of terrorism and the injustice of violence for profit, but those are just words. Thats all I have. I cant pick up a gun and go on the warpath, nor should I. I cant change the way money or governments work, I am just one person.

What I can do is educate myself.

Step out side the shelter of my music and its culture.

Look at whats going on in the world, and try to find a democratic way to affect a positive change.

To everyone effected by the horrific events that have taken place in the last week, I am sorry. Try to not let hate or resentment take root as this will only spread the negativity further. My sympathy for your loss is limitless.

Stay safe friends.

H

Friday Round Up - 13.11.15

Heres a pic of Christian sleeping in a drum bag. Altogether now...'Daaaawwwww'

It got sweaty as hell in that bag

So its Friday, that means its time to strap one on and get ready to intimately assualt the weekend! Are you out partying? Are you one of the legendary people thats gonna be out supporting the UK Metal scene? I hope so! Heres a run down of some of your options!


Collapse, Morgue Orgy, Gethika, Conjurer @ Firebug, Leicester - Friday 13th Nov
https://www.facebook.com/events/1614453172165305/

Wahey! Me and the chaps from Collapse are taking a long trip up to Leicester filling in for the fantastic Cambion! Sadly Cambion's bassist took a tumble through a cieling leaving him unable to play this show, we were more then happy and very excited to step up! I mean, what a fucking line up! If you're anywhere near Leicester, come down and whisper the code word 'Parsnip Arse Lips' seductively into my ear and il buy you a drink!



Wretched Soul and King Leviathan @ The 12 Bar, London - Saturday 14th Nov
https://www.facebook.com/events/403660723161800/

You can catch these guys at a number of great venues on their Tyranny of Faith tour. Having played with Wretched Soul I can confidently assure you that should you make your way to the 12 bar, you will be in for a fucking blinder of a show! Amazing band who dominate the stage like seasoned pro's! I have heard amazing things about King Leviathan, yet to see them though so if you do witness this show I'd love to hear what they were like.

Megadeth, Lamb Of God, Children of Bodom and Syslosis at the SSE Wembley - Saturday 14th Nov
https://www.facebook.com/events/1617151398532990/

A very heavyweight line up of guitar wrangling masters! The big names here need no introduction. They are masters of their craft. I would especially recommend seeing Sylosis. They fit this bill perfectly with a great blend of extremely proficient guitar work, aggressive vocals and intelligent song writing that is finally getting the attention and respect it deserves. They've been local heroes around Berkshire and London for many years and its great to see them playing a show that for me would be a fucking dream come true!


Collapse Video Shoot/Album Release/Stuff

Got a few pics from last weeks video shoot, cant post too much, dont want to give the game away! Was a brilliant experience although utterly draining. Working with Adam Fitch and Incline Creative Media was a breeze and I can't wait to see the finished product! We have a great premise for the video, Adam really helped us put the ideas together and capture them. I am really looking forward to hearing people's ideas and feedback!

We might have something to share around the end of November to coincide with the Album Release. Its been pretty chaotic getting everything sorted and synched up but we're getting there!

New Blog post coming on Monday, keep those peepers peeled, hope everyone has a blinder of a weekend!

 Chritian was a great Tea Wench

 When he wasn't dying on the sofa

 'Horrific Buggery'

 Steamy!

 Bloody!

Ready to rock!

Gobby Blog #1

Hi! 

My name is Harry. I am the vocalist for UK Metal band Collapse.

There we are, looking all sweaty and shit!

Collapse have an album due out in the next month (30th November - http://tinyurl.com/ozcr7o9) and it got me thinking about album releases and the industry in general. How strong is the UK metal scene? Where have our venues gone? How does a new band succeed in todays market? I wanted to hear what other people thought and share my own experiences and hopefully learn a thing or two so I made like a hipster and started a blog.

Releasing 30th November

Album Release - Nerves - Critics

An album is many things to many people. It can be a chapter in your life, an event that shaped you, a destination to escape to, a force that motivates you to greater things, a scything assault, a desperate plea or a proud, defiant statement. It can be a cautionary tale, a warning to the future, a summary of the present and a reminder of the past.

It is also a product, an item to be sold and marketed, an investment, an artistic expression and an intensely personal creation. 

It is with some trepidation that I face the release of my debut album with Collapse. What will our album be? Will it mean anything to someone? There is so much content available now that most albums have a tragically short spin life. Your album will be grabbed, chewed up and spat out again like a toddlers toy in a very short space of time and unless there is something special there that transcends the generic and the predictable it will fade into the obscurity from whence it came. 

Making an album is a long process, and it can be very different from band to band. I look at the big boys and the bands that influenced me to become a musician and wonder how much of the music they are releasing is genuine expression and how much is based on sales figures, demographics, current trends and whats selling well. I have nothing but respect for those musicians who brave the turbulent world of the music industry and make it their sole career and income, especially in the metal genre where money is as rare as people attending your shows.

Safe to say, I am exceedingly nervous. I have faith in the thing we have created. I can hear the passion in it, I was there for the discussions and the debates. The agonizing over this riff or that fill, this lyric or that palm mute, and being there means that each song has its own special identity to me. I wonder whether critics understand this? I wonder whether, when sitting down with an album, they take into account where the band has come from, how the album was made, the time taken and the effort extolled. I wonder if they should? Should those things matter or should the album be judged purely on its stand alone merits?

Critics play an important role in music, I am looking forward to feedback and constructive criticism, I want to get better at what I do and one of the best ways of doing that is to take heed of the opinions given by those that have given their time to listen and review what you have created. There will be some who dismiss it out of hand, there will be some to whom it is just an annoyance, but I hope there are some out there who will listen to what we have made and hear the effort and honesty that was put into it and out of respect, offer us their honest critical opinion.

Regardless of how our album performs, writing, recording, organizing and preparing it has been an epic experience. Sometimes hard, often times stressful, ultimately satisfying, it is something I recommend anyone with a musical bone has a go at doing.