Interview with the Band Radio Aftermath

By Mick Michaels

The Cosmick View: Hello, Chris and Rob and welcome to The Cosmick View/MBM Ten Pounder! Thanks for taking some time to chat with us!
Chris Dennett: Hi guys!

CV: Describe your definition of the band’s sound and style and how does that definition uniquely describe the music?
Chris: I would describe our sound as huge, catchy and interesting. We try to make the music sound as big as possible, with soaring guitar tones, loud drums, and a strong vocal delivery. The hook of the music is where my fascination lies. It sounds so simple on paper, but it’s actually very difficult to come up with a hook that will stick people’s head. It’s something I’m still trying to figure out. We have Rob Burns on bass and vocals and Sam Moran on guitar and vocals to thank for the interesting parts. They’re into all sorts of wacky subgenres of rock and metal, which makes for some interesting chords and notes getting thrown in, and then Jack Craven on drums comes in with his 10/10 drum performances and makes us sound tight.

CV: Today, everyone talks about artist and audience connection. Is such a level of connection actually achievable for an artist and if so, how have you made the connection to your fans?
Chris: I mean it sounds kind of corny doesn’t it, but yeah I think it’s important to build some connection with your audience or “fans” Music for a lot of people is escapism, if you can catch someone in the moment and help them forget all the shitty things in their lives and just have a good time then that can be nothing but good right?

Rob Burns: You can see it live. Online it’s much harder, if not outright impossible. If you just scroll down the metal hashtag on Instagram or TikTok for example, you’ll see 1000’s of bands all trying to catch your eye, and no matter how engaging the content they’re producing is, eventually it will start to wash over you. We still put a lot of time and effort into that side of the band though, as it doesn’t hurt to try. Although, when we’re onstage screaming at you it’s much harder to ignore! And we try to talk to people after the show etc. It’s a charmingly retro approach.

CV: Is fan interaction an important part of the band’s inner culture?
Chris: Absolutely, especially currently where social media is so important to a band’s interaction with fans and overall functionality. It annoys and frustrates me to no end how much we need to rely on social media, rather than just making music and playing it out on the road, that’s the interaction I seek and crave, but needs must.

CV: Can a band truly interact with its fans and still maintain a level of personal privacy without crossing the line and giving up their “personal space” in your opinion?
Chris: I don’t see why not, just depends how much you want to divulge, I guess it also depends on how well known you are too though, we are very much so a small band still, so keeping personal privacy is very easy for us!

CV: Is music, and its value, viewed differently around the world in your opinion?  If so, what do you see as the biggest difference in such multiple views among various cultures?
Chris: I think that’s a very layered question…and maybe one I’m not qualified to answer. I think that same question can be applied to even just living in one city as opposed to the whole world, there’s just so much diversity in music now.

CV: Do you feel that a band that has an international appeal, will tend to connect more so to American audiences? Would they be more enticed or intrigued to see the band over indigenous acts because of the foreign flavor?
Chris: I’m not so sure on this one (laughs) I mean, I like a lot of American bands. But I also like a lot of British and European bands too. All depends on what you liked as opposed to where they’re from, surely.

Rob: There are some bands with different cultural approaches that seem to do very well, I’m thinking specifically of acts like Babymetal or The Hu, but I think they’re the exception rather than the rule.

CV: Has modern-day digital technology made everyone an artist on some level in your opinion? Have the actual lines of what really is an artist been blurred?
Chris: Modern technology has certainly made it easier for people create art, I think longevity separates the true artists, but everyone has a right to express themselves, whether that’s through music, film, photography, design.

Rob: It’s made it easier for people to share their art, but hasn’t really changed the definition of what an artist is or isn’t. I’ve been a songwriter since I was 14, but it’s only in the past few years that the outside world has gotten to see that. Which is fortunate, as my early attempts were God awful….

CV: How would you describe the difference between an artist who follows trends and one who sets them?
Chris: Following trends will never get you far, be the change you seek.

Rob: It’s a dangerous game. I remember the trend of Punk Goes Pop a few years ago where you’d have bands like I Prevail producing ironic metalcore versions of Taylor Swift. But now if anyone mentions their name to me all I think is “Oh yeah, the Tay Tay band”.

CV: Has music overall been splintered into too many sub-genres in an effort to appease fan tastes in your opinion? And has such fan appeasements, in actuality, weakened music’s impact as a whole by dividing audiences?
Chris: There are so many sub genres now in music it’s impossible to count them all! I don’t think it’s weakened anything though, it’s basically just the younger generations of musicians taking inspiration from their peers and making it their own sound. But how far can it continue to go? I once came across a band who donned themselves Black Metal Sparkle Folk…

Rob: A lot of bands in the early 00’s would give interviews saying they defy convention and labels etc. This seems to have evolved into newer bands saying they’re the most niche genres imaginable. Seems like two sides of the same coin and in the next few years you’ll probably see it flip again, but as long as the actual music is good then it really doesn’t affect anything beyond making you sound wanky in interviews….

CV: What can fans expect to see coming next from you?
Chris: We have our self-titled debut EP due out in August, and what will follow are many, many gigs across the country! So keep an eye out for that, and we will see you in the aftermath…

CV: Thanks again Chris and Rob for taking some time and talking. It is greatly appreciated.
Chris: No problem, this certainly was an experience!

 

Check out Radio Aftermath at:

Rob: https://linktr.ee/radioaftermath

https://radioaftermath.bandcamp.com/

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6L7b2n531T1NtP9nryTv6c

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtOnl4Dsp4inhqoM9CPHbgQ/videos

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My name is Mick Michaels...I'm an artist, music fan, songwriter, producer, show host, 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.

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