COSMICK BLAST: Interview with Guitarist and Lead Vocalist Kieron "K" Berry of Bang Bang Firecracker

July 17, 2020

COSMICK BLAST: Interview with Guitarist and Lead Vocalist Kieron "K" Berry of Bang Bang Firecracker

By Mick Michaels

COSMICK VIEW: Hello, Kieron! Welcome to The Cosmick View’s “Cosmick Blast”. Thank you for taking some time out of your day to chat with me, it's greatly appreciated.
Kieron “K” Berry: Hi :)

CV: What do you feel is the fine line between Hard Rock and Metal? How do you avoid one bleeding into the other when it comes to the band’s music?

KB: Hard Rock has a more Bluesy edge and Metal music is from a more Classical background. There are also tonal differences within the styles; Hard Rock tends to be thicker sounding (Crunch) and Metal tends to have a very distorted/overdriven sound (Hi Gain).... We draw influence from both genres and try to appeal to both sides of this musical spectrum.

Using our tracks as examples; The song “Non-Believers”…is slow and groovy with a solid Hard Rock Riff. It has a very Bluesy Solo too. Then we have tracks like “Devil Dolls” and “Immortalized” which are both fast paced songs with Thrash Metal inspired triplet rhythms.

Both songs have fast and technical shred style solos.

Although the influences for these songs are genres apart; within the context and sound of the band, and as presented on the album – this fusion seems to work very well for us.

CV: How does a band inject attitude into their song? What would you consider "attitude"...is it the speed at which a song is played, the chords chosen, the attack...or is it something more, something deeper like an ominous presence?

KB: I think attitude is projected through the recording process. And you should be able to feel the passion and energy of a record. I know that may seem like a crazy statement! You can certainly perceive these emotions through the lyrics on the album and through the vocalization of those lyrics. I think you can also feel and hear that to a degree with the instruments too…'attack' as you mentioned.

I'm a great believer in having a very organic recording process. We recorded old school; loud as hell, direct using real tube amplifiers and with no programming or amp modeling. Everything was very well rehearsed and we played the songs through properly with very little editing and over-dubbing. Hard as Hell, just like we do live.

CV: What do you believe separates Bang Bang Firecracker from other bands of a similar style? Where does the difference lie?

KB: Bang Bang is somewhat different. The fusion of styles certainly sets us apart, yet we do this sub-consciously. We don't set out thinking we'll do an AC/DC vs Slayer mash up. Our songs flow seamlessly with the wealth of influences that we have between us.

For a Hard Rock band we definitely have a darker edge lyrically. Whereas a lot of the Rock Bands…new and old, appear very clean cut and happy go lucky party guys. You won't see us with curly perms gleefully promoting Wornstar. We're p*ssed off about certain things and anti a few others. We're all aboard the Motorhead train, kickin' dust at Def Leppard!

CV: From a songwriting standpoint, how important is the relationship between the guitar riffs and the vocal lines? Do they have to gel to truly provide a song real meaning and connectivity, especially from a listeners perspective?

KB: Absolutely yes. To convey the message, the riffs and vocals have to gel very well. As I'm both the lead singer and lead guitarist: flexibility is not without limitation. I am very conscious of ensuring that it is physically possible for me to sing and play the songs we write live.

Vocals should certainly be well enunciated and a listener should be able to relate to the written lyrics. I'm not the biggest advocate of explaining lyrics. I like the listener to relate and interpret the words for themselves.

CV: What are three things you believe a song needs to have to become a hit with listeners?

KB: Familiarity, Quality and Groove.

All bands will strive for originality to a certain degree and an audience will generally be listening for something that is appealing to them. This is an expectation, albeit often sub conscious, of a certain degree of familiarity. People will confess to being a fan of a genre or they will have a particular favorite band. So if we can lock into several target audiences given the influences within our music, we become more marketable.

The quality of the music has to be strong. When a band releases a CD, you are reviewed and compared against bands with million dollar production/recording budgets and decades of experience. It’s an unfair occurrence, but a factual one. As a band you have to invest as much as you can and ensure that your product is as high quality as it can be. This includes the song writing, the musicianship, the recording, production and even the presentation & packaging.

And people have to be able to lock into your music. Be that by banging their heads or punching the air; the groove is king. I know certain genres buck this trend! But for us, that driving, heavy beat is an extremely important and powerful part of what we do.

CV: The world of music is a fast paced, competitive environment. Warhol said we all look for those 15 minutes of fame. Do you feel social media has cut that number down to more like five minutes of fame given the countless artist and bands at a music listener’s disposal?

KB: Absolutely! People will switch over in 30 seconds if they don't like what they see. I think a bands attraction needs to be pretty instant. We work very hard at the songs, but then we put a lot of time and effort into our social media presence with photos, artwork and music videos. Bands have to up their games & keep very active nowadays.

CV: What next for Bang Band Firecracker post COVID-19?

KB: We have a lot of shows to re-book that had been canceled due to COVID. We're playing our first HRH festival in March 2021 too.

We have a music video to record and release for a track that we recorded just before the lockdown.

And then we're into the studio to record album number 2 that is already written!

CV: Thank you again Kieron for spending some time talking and sharing with our readers. It was a pleasure. I wish you all the best and continued success.

KB: Thank youuuuuu :)

Check out Bang Bang Firecracker at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BangbangfirecrackerSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/02WE7LaNBz5d1CJRYK01er

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, dreamer and guitarist for the traditional Heavy Metal band Corners of Sanctuary. Writing has always been a creative outlet for me; what I couldn't say in speech, I was able to do with the written word. Writing has given me a voice and a way for me to create on a multitude of platforms including music and song, articles, independent screenplays, books and now, artist interviews. The Cosmick View is an opportunity to raise the bar and showcase artists in a positive and inspirational light. For me, it's another out-of-this-world adventure.