VEX RED : THE PURPLE REIGN

« Start with a strong and persistant desire », their first lp whose title has nothing to attract the crowds is nevertheless filled with great songs, strong and mature, and Vex Red live on stage is something really entertaining, something like Nirvana who meets Placebo, the energy of Muse and the songwriting of Radiohead. Add to this that the album is produced par Ross « Slipknot/Machine Head/Korn /etc » Robinson, and you’ll have an idea of what Vex Red means : not the next big thing, but the real next big thing. See you then.

-Yes, I do ! I’ve always said like go and no matter what, we’re gonna do it, we’re actually get to make music for a living and some people in my life said we wouldn’t do it but we did so, yes, I kind of believe in destiny.

-So you concretized things with Kerrang Magazine : were you readers, or did you send your demo to everybody ?

-We actually sent it to a lot of people and we had no reply and one man listened to it, Casey. He helped us a lot. He's very influential and people listen to what he says.

-Talking about Ross, were you a fan of his work, and with what artists or records in particular ?

-Yes, we liked Slipknot and Korn, we’ve grown up with this in years and years and it was quiet amazing to meet the guy who had worked with so many goods bands.

-Do you consider a long term collaboration with him ?

-I think so, yes, we're very comfortable working with him. He gets good results from us.

-Your album is the first produced by Ross for « I am », for an European band : how do you feel about it ?

-It’s amazing ! We’re his first signing on his label from Britain or Europe. I think felt a bit under pressure, but it's cool, we can live with that.

-Is your next step to conquer America ?

- We signed on America, division of American recordings, I think they want us to go and play some shows there. We just want to go there and see what it's like.

-Did you work a lot with Ross on this record, or were the songs already almost ready before entering the studio, because they seems very mature and constructed ?

-In fact, all the songs had been written before entering the studio, and he kind of added chords or things like that. We worked hard in the studio overdubbing guitars, writing on the spot, but you don't actually get to do much. He actually said: you’re the first band I have worked with where I don’t have to do anything !

-Because the songs and the album seem very mature for a first try !

-Yes, thank you ! !

-What were your influences : I have heard of Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Deftones...

-Yes, different stuff, loads of them : those three are in there, we went crazy when Aphex Twin came, Dimmu Borgir, Blink 167, just everything, really !

-The second song, « Dermo », recalls me of Radiohead. Did this band définitely change things in music in England ?

-Yes, I like the way they have moved, every album they've moved on, they still have the kind of like same formula and they keep shocking people. They're one of the most creative bands ever.

(Ben, the drummer, arrives at this point)

-Do you have the feeling to be part of a new British music scene, with One hundred reasons, Lost Prophets, One minute silence... ?

-I don’t know. I suppose it's good that so many bands are coming out of Britain, because we're all different. But music's a global thing and it shouldn't matter where you're from. It's not about Britain or nu-metal, we just play music.

-Who draws the covers of your records, which are very beautiful ?

-Dave Lupton. We met him and he showed us some of his work ; right away, we were really amazed, it was a very dark and intense artwork. He's on the same wavelength as us and we asked him to do some stuff and we were blown away by it.

-He is a comic book artist ?

-He does books, which he illustrates, and paintings. He's an amazing artist.

-You choose not to be on the cover sleeve of the records ? Why ? Discretion or mystery ?

- Not really. On the back of the CD, there's a drawing and it’s kind of unique and different. It's more about the music than the people in the band.

-As for the title, which is very long, while many bands choose the facility with catchy and short title : another will of discretion ?

- Terry chose the title. He was reading a book and it was in there, sort of staring at him. It basically sums up the songs and the album, you know.

-Are you more a live or a studio band ? What is the most exciting for you ?

-They are both different. We like them in different ways. But I think playing is definitely what we're about, we're heavier and better live. Traveling around, playing in different countries…

-There are some samples and machines in « Start with a strong and persistent desire » : is it a possible future orientation ?

- Hopefully, the next album will be slightly different from this one, but I don’t know what direction it's gonna go.

-Ben, you were previously in Kill II This as the drummer, do you feel happier today ?

-Ben : Yes, I think so ! It’s just like developing myself. When I joined Kill II This, I was only seventeen and everything was crazy for me. So, when I left them, I went away for a year, took time off and develop myself on a personal level, and so, when I came back, I was more ready for understanding how it works and touring, I can deal with it more easily now, it’s more stable, but it was mad at the same time, good fun. Kill II this was good, but I certainly prefer Vex Red, it’s total change !

- Right answer! (laughs)

-How do you share the work in the band ?

-Terry writes his own lyrics himself, and Anthony writes simple structures of songs, which he brings to the rest of the band, we then remix it together and make it into a full song. We work in different ways, sometimes Keith will come up with the main idea or a sample and we'll jam. We haven't got a way of writing.

-Ben : Between everyone, it gets there, eventually.

-As a new band, what are your wishes for the future ? To be the next Linkin Park and be very successful or having a long and interesting career ?

-Yes, rather the latter ! We don’t want to be famous for just five minutes, we'd rather just keep playing and just be able to do this for a living, every day, just have a steady career.

Interview by JP Coillard and Mister X

Photos : JP Coillard (c)

official website : WWW.VEXRED.COM