Devilskin: Interview with Paul Martin

 

By Robin Ervolina

Devilskin hails from New Zealand and is comprised of father/son Paul Martin (bass and backing vocals) and Nic Martin (drums), Nic’s Aunt (and Paul’s sister-in-law) Jennie Skulander (lead vocals), and Paul’s “evil twin” Nail (guitar). Don’t worry that you haven’t heard of them. You will soon. When Halestorm is providing tour support for you, then Disturbed taps you to support them, you are just THIS close to being a household name in the U.S. too. Oh, did I mention they are a household name in New Zealand? Their debut album We Rise (2014) debuted at #1 on the Official New Zealand Music Chart, chilled there for four weeks, and eventually went Platinum. Paul took time to answer a few questions that give you all the background you need to get on board with Devilskin. 

 

Shockwave Magazine: Usually I like to start out asking bands how they came together, but you're all related! So, what inspired you to start a band?

 

Paul Martin: Jennie, Nail and myself were all playing in different bands and were good friends and big fans of each others' music. When Jennie's band split, I really didn't want her talent to go to waste. We approached her and we decided to have a jam. It felt great that night and we wrote "Fade," "Little Pills," and "Until You Bleed" on the spot. Our original drummer couldn't keep up so I 'press ganged' my son Nic (who was 15 at the time) into joining. We've never looked back!

 

You've had a successful career in New Zealand. U.S headliner Halestorm opened for you, and then you opened for Disturbed. How were those experiences?

 

Both were incredible experiences. The day we opened for Disturbed we heard Be Like The River had made its debut on the NZ charts at number one, before we played to a really enthusiastic crowd of 11,000 people. Halestorm are the nicest bunch of people you could hope to meet. We did 11 dates in NZ and Australia with them and we all felt like family by the end of it. Beautiful people, very humble and grounded. We had such a good time and we can't wait to meet up with them again in the US!

 

In my review I described your sound as "familiar, but unique." I attribute that to the solid rock sound with a definable signature. What are your musical influences, and what do you think shaped your sound?

 

We all have very diverse influences from Sabbath and Led Zep to Slayer, Pantera, Faith No More and Periphery. While there's no way I would say we sound like any of those bands, I think any musician worth their salt can take a myriad of influences and ideas and shape them into their own. I think it's all a process of being able to get your feelings out and into the songs, appreciating great songwriters, and learning as you go.

 

What was the recording process for Be Like The River?

 

For this album we had set aside time specifically to write songs early. We demoed around 30 songs and narrowed it down to 13. We spent a lot of time in preproduction getting the songs just how we wanted them before we went on a six-week tour of Europe/UK to promote our first album. Then we went straight into the studio in Gloustershire England to spend two weeks recording Be Like The River. By then we had a really good idea of exactly what we wanted.

 

Do you have a favorite song, or a song that you're more attached to, is perhaps the most personal to you, on Be Like The River? Any particular song that is your favorite to pay live?  

 

My favorites change daily but at the moment "Closer" is the most personal track to me. I wrote it for my wife and it means a lot to me. Jennie's delivery is just sublime and the string arrangements give it a really epic yet sparse feel. I'm particularly proud of that song. Live, I'm really enjoying playing "Limbs" and "House 13." So much power and grandeur!"

 

What do we have to look forward to from Devilskin this year? Any tour plans for the U.S?

 

We are just finishing up our NZ tour and will be heading to Europe and the UK in March. We dearly want to get to the US this year. We can't wait!"

 

Anything else you'd like to say or share to close out the interview?

 

We are truly stoked to be able to create music that means so much to us and be able to take it around the world and make so many new friends. Thanks so much for the support Shockwave! 

 

Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions. I really loved the CD and I'm looking forward to following you!

 

Thank you very much, glad you're enjoying the album and hopefully we will get to catch up before too long!

As I said in my review, Devilskin is familiar but unique; it is comforting, yet calls you from your comfort zone. The safe place Devilskin has constructed will feel at home to any rock fan, and undoubtedly bring a few more into the fold. This is a don’t miss for 2016. Keep your eye out for Devilskin because they WILL be blowing up the U.S. soon and you'll get to tell all your friends, "I TOLD you so." Start sharing this video now and don't forget to get your copy of Be Like The River instantly at iTunes so you're ready to sing along from the front row.

The Fast Feeling: Pulses

By Robin Ervolina
If three members of ska band Five Iron Frenzy form a second band, what would you expect to hear? Now, take Reese Roper out of the equation and replace the lead vocals with Leanor Ortega Till. Still with me? Add on Matt Langston from pop-punk group Eleventyseven. Are you getting a feel for The Fast Feeling, a synth-driven pop group with new-wave styling? Didn’t see that coming did you? That’s okay; you’re not alone. 
According to Till, The Fast Feeling evolved from a song writing session when FIF guitarist Scott Kerr “discovered" Leanor “could actually sing and had a voice.” Songs originally being written for FIF sparked a second band. FIF drummer Andy Verdecchio joined after listening to a few sample tracks and when Langston caught wind of the project he eagerly jumped on board. 
The Fast Feeling released their ten-song EP, Pulses, on January 13th, and I’ve been spinning it for just about a week. Each of the ten songs on Pulses has a driving rhythm and an 80’s Euro-pop feel. Till has a sweet voice. There’s no better way to say it. She scales each tune with ease, delivering carefully crafted lyrics that fall into the melody like sunshine on a cloud. She just makes everything brighter. 
The general mood of Pulses is light, creating a serotonin burst with its sugary-synth goodness. It’s pure ear candy. Till has said, “It’s just fun music. It’s music that you get to relax to. Sometimes you want to be shaken up and stirred to change things in society, but what I wanted to do with The Fast Feeling is make songs that mattered, but not so much that it distracted from the music. So the music and lyrics are very balanced out in that they’re enjoyable and they’re not so heavy handed.”
I’ve heard a lot of CDs lately that harken the 80’s Euro-pop movement, and it occured to me we may be seeing a resurgence of the genre. If so, the people that put Christian ska on the map could very well be leading the way once more with The Fast Feeling.
Get your copy of the aptly titled Pulses here. 

Countdown to Shiprocked 2017: GET ON BOARD with Monster Truck

Written by Robin Ervolina
We're going to talk about Monster Truck and you're just going to have to trust me. On a previous Shiprocked Cruise, Monster Truck was initially a part of the lineup. In doing my due diligence, I researched each band unknown to me. When I got to Monster Truck, I sat down, regrouped, then immediately text my music twin.
 "Tim, go to iTunes, download 'The Lion.' It's time to go to church, Brother."

I downloaded their 2011 EP The Brown as well as 2013's full-length Furiosity. I memorized every single word of this seriously bluesy rocking soul food. Then they had to cancel their cruise slot. The space in my heart now occupied by Monster Truck died a thousand deaths, but my love for them persisted. I pre-ordered 2016's Sittin' Heavy and listened to it relentlessly. Am I a fan? You bet. So take this with a grain if you must, but listen up. This is southern Sundays. This is hooch made in the cellar. This is god-blessed soulfulness with an extra helping of oh-sweet-Jesus. This is Monster Truck.

Go on and tell me that you listened to that and all your clothes are still on. Yeah, okay, you're at work. Whatever. You know there's a you in an alternate reality that's just naked as a jaybird and dancing in a field of daisies with a bottle of Boone's Farm.


I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, Shiprockers. Keep your clothes on. Just helps me stand out a little quicker on the rail. It's all good.

Countdown to Shiprocked 2017: GET ON BOARD with ... Them Guns

"Music and reptiles have always been side by side, one in each hand." - Navarone Garibaldi
Rock royalty. That's a thing, and it's not even something Shiprockers are strangers to. I stood next to Wolfgang VanHalen at the omelet station. Sure it phased me, but I figured once I got over that fear of saying hi to rock royalty, I would be good to go.

Never let your guard down. The world is full of surprises and Them Guns is no exception.
Meet Navarone Garibaldi, son of Priscilla Presley and lead singer of Them Guns.

He only grew up with The King's only child. No big, right? Michael Jackson's brother-in-law. Priscilla's son. No legacy pressure, right? Any reasonable kid would have steered clear of the rockstar bit, but listen to Garibaldi and Them Guns. Legacy and expectations said, they have tapped into that laid back LA vibe and put out some really chill rock tunes. The phrase "too cool for school" keeps popping into my head, and I haven't felt anyone was THAT cool in a long time. But Them Guns brings the cool, which is why they're easily able to pack the Whiskey and The Viper Room. I would SO go to Hollywood to see that, but thankfully I don't have to (well, I mean I still want to, but I digress) because they're bringing the OC attitude to Shiprocked.
I'll leave you with some of my favorite YouTube samples and I'll see you right up front for their first set. Navarone, I'll see you at the buffet.



And 12 minutes of Garibaldi's snakes. But of course!