The Downbeat - Josh Middleton - Sylosis/Architects

Episode Date: December 6, 2019

My guest this week is Josh Middleton, guitarist of Architects and guitarist/vocalist/everything of Sylosis, who are back with a new album 'Cycle Of Suffering' of Feb 6th on Nuclear Blast.

absolutely fucked this intro boys and girls i recorded the whole thing and i sort of three minutes long oh it's been good i've been away and all that stuff talking about tour talking about how fucked up my head was and how i've fixed it now and talking about the guest and all that bollocks and then basically what happened was i realized i hadn't set the outputs correctly and i was recording with my macbook microphone and it sounded like a game boy game so i'm doing this again so apologies if my heart's not in this one, but I've already fucking done it. Hello. I'm just going to sound insincere now, isn't it?

I'm just going to repeat what I said. I've been away for ages, being on tour. Yeah, it was good. Yeah, I'm sleeping now. It's good. Thanks for asking. Stop messaging me about it, though, because it triggers me a little bit. Tour was good.

Thanks to everyone who was wearing a downbeat shirt on the front row. Seattle, Denver. Baltimore, spring to mind as very grustly areas of the US where there's grustlers in the front. I do actually appreciate that. I'm going to stop doing this sort of monotone callback bit. That's over now. This is the new bit. Yeah.

Josh Middleton is the guest this week. No, let's not get to that. I haven't ruined it because you can fully read on your podcast provider that Josh Middellon's the guest. However, I'm just about to go on tour. don't bother trying to get UK tickets because by the time this comes out it's Friday and the last London the last UK show London is sold out

the whole of the UK sold out very good thanks to everyone my heart's not in this but if you live in Germany or any of the other real Eurolands come to a show go to internalatomics com and pick up tickets and I'll see you there

and while you're surfing your dad's web you know sneaking into the back room pulling up getting aOL on head on gogaggaggunggaggah head on over to the downb e.at and pick up a delicious bit of merchandise and support my addiction to living which I now have as a previous addiction to dying I have an addiction to living and I need money for it so buy me t-shirts.

No, buy yourself t-shirts that will fund me. My wife is upstairs, probably listening to this thinking, you are a fucking crazy person, and why does anyone listen to you? My guest this week is Josh Middleton from the band that is back together called Silosis, and he's in Architects as well, and that means I'll get loads of listeners

because the two most listen-to episodes are Architects people. But yeah, silos are back. They're back, baby. they got a new song the video came out today December the 6th or 7th I don't fucking know

I'm doing this in the future future past they got a new song called Isever it's very good Josh sent it to me early because we're best buds and

they got an album Cycle of suffering Cycle of suffering uh sorry that comes out 7th of February on nuclear blast and I'm looking forward to it

because I miss riffs you know I miss like a bala la la li li li li li li li lio oh I'm fucking high on coffee and Josh is probably my oldest friend but I'm still in contact with that's a bit of a slight on three other people but you know he's one of my oldest friends

and he's the fucking most genius person I know he's silos is a back they never really went away but there's a big story about that which Josh sort of talks about I'll let him say that he's a very funny man which most people don't know because he's quite um What's the word? Reserved online. But we used to both live in Reading. Now I've moved away. I miss him every day.

We used to have horror movie nights. He's a fantastic man. It's Josh Minutton on the Downbeat Podcast. I mean, in my ears that sounded so tight. Well, this is the thing. Because I'm early, because of the space-time continuum, you actually sound like you are playing exact like offbeat 16 notes. Oh interesting.

So it's tight, but it's very prog to me. I might leave that in so people know. That's how I sync it up. Anyone else doing a podcast, oh, how does he do it? How does he get that excellent quality? That's how I do it, you fucking mugs. Hi, Josh. Hi, mate.

Hello. This was, it was interesting trying to ring you there because I tried to get Siri to do it, and I forgot that your name in my phone. is the supreme oppressor with a guitar symbol and a rock on sign and I wonder, does Siri work when I'm on the phone? I don't know.

No, it doesn't. He basically says, just to be sure, you want to FaceTime audio, the Supreme Oppressor, guitar, handholding the rock sign. Yeah, I mean, we could elaborate my nickname to be that. Sort of like the artist's formerly known now

That's all I call you Behind closed doors And if anyone doesn't know That's the first psilosis EP That Josh probably doesn't want people Did he even know about? Second actually There's a worse one before that

Oh, casting shadows Yeah How could I forget? No, it's a shame you didn't But yeah I'm sorry Neither didn't say mother said kill I mean I

Yeah That's a good one yet That sounded like cannibal courts If I remember correctly Yeah You still like a lot. Well, I still do like Cannibal Corps, big time. Yeah.

Now look at her. How are you? How's your child that I haven't seen yet? Because I'm a terrible friend. No, you're not a terrible friend. It's long ways of ways. Yeah, she's good, thanks. Yeah, everything's good here.

They're just off out somewhere. I don't know. I'm a bad dad because I don't know where my child is. But she's with her mother, so that's good enough. That's fine. That's what you do, isn't it? Just fob them off to them. So we're recording this in the past

But this is released in the future And there's big psilosis news Yeah there will be Yes No but pretend we're there now There's silosis news now The news came out today And the news is

Everyone who's been worried It's back They're coming to Brazil Not coming to Brazil Go on news Yeah a new album ready to roll. At this point in time,

I don't know when the release date is, but there will be a release date when people are listening to this, I guess. Which is exciting, isn't it? With that shit. With that shit, what I'm going to do is I'll add that to the intro.

All right, lovely. The silo, the new silos is out of the single and all that shit. I'll do all that shit at the beginning, so we don't have to really talk about that. Yeah, no, I can't be asked to talk about that stuff. And we don't know. Yeah.

And that as well. But, yeah, I mean, the stuff that I do want to talk about is that, you know, addressing my Instagram comments section. I'm pretty bad at sort of poking that fire a little bit, aren't I? I don't mind. It's fine. I mean, what people have to know is that I just try and avoid reading Instagram comments. It's not that, like, I just don't care. It's just, you know, it is.

people just want to say something to get a rise out of you or sometimes it's just not worth looking at. So if I see a comment from someone that I know or I follow, I get a notification, so I just put out of call me and I'll reply to them. But it probably looks to your average follower or fan that I'm just an asshole who only talks to other people in bands or everything. But I just had to, I needed a few years to genuinely figure out how I felt about psilosis.

So now I know. So even I don't know really. You, I mean, you've forgotten because you were, as far as I was where, you're the only person that really knew and was with me throughout the whole of that time. But what helps is... You were my rock and you can't fucking remember. No, no. I can remember, but I can't remember the ins and outs.

Because as far as I remember, you were going to break silos up even before the archivalers. architect thing came about. Yeah, months before, yeah. And that's what no one knows. So I think a lot of people assume that architects went, oh, do you want to be an architect? And I went, yeah, and just ditch silos. And I was like, oh, he's just joined a bigger band.

But what no one actually knows, and what you almost forgot, or maybe not, is that after the very last siloacist tour, which is March 2016, I was so unhappy with the band that I was just like, I said it to everyone, I don't think I want to do this anymore. and I felt like I'd sort of like set up so many like limitations around the sort of band that it was and like just kept making it harder and harder

for myself that I was just really unhappy with it but in what way? Musically? Yeah, I mean like me and you have very like similar taste of music and we like all kinds of stuff but when your whole life is based around being creative

and being in a band like that can be like so detrimental, like, mentally, because like, like, one month I'd be like, oh, right, I'm just obsessed with Tall and it's like, oh, I wish my band was this, like, dark and sophisticated and mysterious and stuff. And then, you know, you might

send me a video of the Sepultura drummer, which but, oh, my God, I love Sepultura, I just love playing, like, fast slash, and, like, current... That happened the other day then. Exactly, yeah, yeah, but a bit, like, that's, like, for instance, but, like, I like so many types of music, and I'm constantly being pulled apart internally of, like, what I want to do musically,

and I was trying to, like, do everything. everything within psilosis and it was just too hard. And I was just like, it was just, I don't know, just wasn't enjoying it at the time. No one needs to worry about that now because it is back, but it was a, it was a difficult period. It's a self-imposed hell though. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

You could have done it. Yeah, for sure. You would have pissed off all these people that leave comments on your Instagram anyway. It's just a solosis album. Why is a delay pedal? yeah so uh yeah exactly you fucking little maggots that are listening you worms slugs anyway sorry that's offensive isn't it that one was offensive it is offensive yeah um

but uh yeah so it was i genuinely yes so i sort of spelt you put the band on this indefinite hiatus in march i was like i was trying to get you to start a new band with me and uh i was like and then uh like months went on and i was just slowly sort of re, I had time away from silos and realized oh, do you know what, actually I think I can make it work, I just need to approach you with a fresh perspective and I wrote an album,

recorded a lot of it. I was ready, I was just about to speak to the label and like, all right, I'm going to start recording soon and then and then like Tom died and everything happened with architects. Like obviously, not instantly, but not long after that, they needed someone to fill in because they wanted to

honour the touring schedule. And I was just like, I've been because what a lot of people don't know as well is that I got asked to join architects when I was filling in in 2012 and I'd regret not joining them at the time. You had actual depression about turning that down.

Yeah, I mean, again, like just conflicted. I love those guys so much and love the music, obviously. And then, Bersa Lys is obviously my baby, so it's like, oh, I can't do that. And there's no way I could possibly do both bands. So that was like a tricky, a tricky period.

but it was just like when that came about and I started playing for architects it was like you've been wanting this to happen it's almost like obviously in the worst possible circumstances but it's almost like a synchronicity thing where it's just like a path just opens up it's like here you go this is what you wanted

and it was like okay I better just go where this takes me it was weird because I was talking to Tom throughout those months just like about synchronicity and stuff and like I keep seeing all this weird stuff And he said to me like, oh, that just means like you're on the right path or something. Just keep following it or something like some words to that effect. Like I've probably got it completely wrong.

But so yeah, I just kind of went, okay, I need to just follow this. He also said it couldn't be anyone other than you, didn't he? Something along those lines. Oh, I mean, not to me, obviously. I never spoke to him. I mean, as far as I was aware, we were both obviously aware. that like Tom was unwell but I didn't really have a doubt

in my mind that he'd get better from it and no yeah it was just going to be you were going to fill in for fucking Brixton or something wasn't it? Yeah I mean and that was only like yeah so I I didn't think the band would continue without him so like it was never like

that was never an option or an expectation of mine and especially not when obviously psilosis was on this hiatus So like that's a whole two separate occasions that aren't interlinked. But in a weird, I need to talk to Dan Picard about this sort of stuff because he knows a lot about it. But in a weird way it's like I almost was like preparing to like make a big life change and like shift gears from putting psilosis to rest so I could then be an architect. Which I didn't know was going to happen but it's just I don't know.

kind of that stuff just felt really weird. Obviously, yeah, so back in the day, we'd growing up playing shows together in like 2006 onwards and then sort of stayed in touch and they stayed on my bedroom floor when they recorded Ruin in Reading. And then when you were teching for them in 2012 and Tim left, they asked me to fill in for some summer festivals.

Oh, that was so much fun. It was so much fun. All my friends in one place. Yeah. The great thing, thing like about jumping in the van like back then and like you know like torn with tom a down would just be it was no i just don't like chip like small small talk you know so it'd be like straight to right david like's theory about the hollowed out planetoid in the moon isn't real it's

just like right let's go like just fun interesting conversations it was great um yeah and now's the tour when you uh you're you're teching for well when they asked me if i fell in so when you left Dan's drum rug, wasn't it? What's that? That was the night they asked me to fill in and the night before you left the rug.

Okay. I left the rug. Drum that. Somewhere. Yeah. Did that quite a lot, actually. Wasn't very professional, to be honest.

Early days. But you're more of all like a vibe tech as well. Like... Yes, I mean, that is on my CV, vibe tech. Yeah. Well, actually,

We, yeah, yeah, exactly. But yes, anyway. Are you on the tour when I got, when Sam had to send me home in Glasgow? No, no. That must be an Adam, I guess. So me and Adam, like, maybe it was older than that.

We sort of flip-flopped, like, a few summers, me and Adam was, like, being the filling. And then, um, I mean, after the first two shows I did filling in with them, me and Tom were at his house in his kitchen, eating hummus and bread. And he was just like, just join our band. I was like, oh.

I was like that, that was like so good to hear and at the same time, so tricky to to navigate what I was going to do. But so like, yeah, anyway, years went on and I was sort of, I'm denied if that was the right decision, like, of not joining. And like, I was genuinely worried about you at that point

because you were, you were fucking just so bummed out. Yeah, I mean, it came and went the bummed out vibes. But obviously, like, they're such good friends we get on so well and it was like, I mean, a lot less responsibility as well, Which, in hindsight, I mean, if I had joined architects with Tom writing, I don't know how... Yeah, you don't... Until recently, you haven't played nicely with others.

Yeah. I mean, that's one way of putting it, yeah. It's the only... No, just you're a fucking control freak because you're the most talented person I know. Oh, that's very kind of you. Honestly, I like that. That was a fucking slap and then a compliment. I can take the banter.

You're completely right. And it was definitely like an adjustment. period, like working with Dan on songs, like sending him a song. And I was like, that's pretty good. And then it coming back is like, oh, he's chopped out, loads of that. And like, that was like a bit of an adjustment. But yeah, who knows how it was. I think I said to both of you at the time, because it was like, you were like, shall I do this?

Can I do this? And I was talking to Sam as well about it. like Sam and Dan about like how it was going to work and I think I said to both sets of people I was like it's going to be the hardest time of your life for all of you because you've you guys have never written anything really without Tom and you've never really handed over control to someone else yeah or you know co-written to that extent and so it's going to be rough for both parties but it will work and it fucking did because you wrote a banger and now the next time it'll be loads easier.

Yeah, oh yeah, exactly. So it was like a really good, I guess, learning curve for me just like as a person like letting go of that stuff. And also like, yeah, just helpful musically. Like, you know, to get to the point. You don't need like 100 riffs in a song. Sometimes you do. I remember on that architect Straitor in America

I just remember Dan saying Josh, I need a hundred riffs by the end of the week. I feel like I made, I self-imposed that but I, there was a weird dynamic on that for sure. He was like the whipping man.

Yeah. I just hear in the back lounge like, oh, fucking massive cool riff. Oh, another one. Another one. No, no. I think I'd set myself a task of trying to do 100 riffs in a day

and I got to about 30 and not. of them were very good but that I gave down all those parts and that became Dying to Heal. There's a little bit trivia. Really? Yeah. Out of 30 riffs? Yeah, everything

He used everything well, all the usable stuff that I wrote out of those 30 riffs to make Dying to Hill yeah, I think. Interesting. Did you did Nolly produce it or did the band produce it and Nolly engineered? I think me and Dan are credited as the producers,

I guess, in the more old-school producer sense. But, yeah, it was a weird... So I recorded all the guitars first. I think that was the first thing I was recorded, and I just did them at home, like the rhythms. And then we did the drums with Nolly at Middle Farm. And then we were doing vocals in the evenings, and then Nolly recorded and engineered the bass,

and Nolly mixed it all. and Dan did a lot of vocals with Sam like in Brighton just at a rehearsal room as well just like the actual recording the final takes Such a dream team I know I'm biased because I'm friends with everyone But fuck me Oh just everyone's sick in that band

In your band It was actually like a bit of a tricky It was like cabin fever in Middle Farm So next time I think we've learned that we don't need to be in a studio for a month when we just like break it up into bite-sized chunks like I thought that at the same time when you guys said that

yeah we're going there for a month no come on no you don't need to do that especially because you just come off tour as well hadn't you or something mental oh yeah maybe it was just before a tour or something I remember thinking

fuck sake it's a lot of time to be with people yeah it was yeah I just don't need to work like that anymore like, especially scenes I'd already recorded all the guitar parts. So I didn't even do anything when I was there. Other than like trying to help, like, suggest stuff, like, vocal ideas or, I don't know what else I could. Or like, you know, go over, like, some, the wrists with Ali or whatever. I don't know.

How much did it suck being the new guy, but then having suggestions? Having to what, sorry? Having to suggest stuff. In my head, I would hate it. Like, excuse me, guys. know you've been doing this for absolutely years and you know what's best

for the band but here's an idea? Yeah, I would feel so awkward. Yeah, to a degree, obviously. And it's like, especially recording vocals, like it's always a bit,

you know, especially when you're the singer, it's always like, when other people are there, it's just like, I wish everyone would go away so I can understand, like, how it is,

like, you know, when Sam's tracking it and people are like, I know, what about this? But, music is one of the only parts of my life where I'm confident with stuff generally so I didn't mind it too much but yeah I mean

just bringing stuff to the band in general it was just a bit odd because I was like I don't know it was just an unusual feeling like writing songs but being the newest member just odd but there's no one else that could have done it on the fucking globe

there's no one else not only from like a personal connection but you I think I said this on a podcast with someone else that they just need tool just needed to hire you to fucking make a tool album that's very kind of you

your little fucking hobby I think we've talked about this before it's like some people make little chips in a bottle and what you do is you can you can just like make a song that sounds exactly like another band but isn't that song. Remember when you did a death cover and you just recorded it all?

Yep. And it was just like exactly the death song but with better production. You're a, you're a freak. I was going to say it. I was going to say a genius, but... Yeah, freak's fine. You're being too kind there, so... Freak's nice.

Give me a little bit. Well, I think I've slagged you off before so I better just hype you up. I mean, Josh, you're my oldest friend. Yeah, false show, yeah. I don't talk to anyone older than you I talk to my friend Charlotte but that's about it yeah a long time

it's a shame you're we don't live as close but oh I've got one more friend Anna as well there we go yeah girls sorry my wife knows a nice so it's fine I genuinely can't think of when we started like hanging out I know like roughly around the period

when we started hanging out like loads more but I don't know what I guess like when you joined the atrophy I guess Yeah, and I had, my parents went on holiday. No, my dad went to work away. Yeah. And they were like, do you want to look after the house?

I was like, fuck, yeah, I do. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And we just had parties all the time. And I think that's when we started hanging out more. Yeah, some great, some great times there in goring. I was so bad when I first joined Viatrophy. It was mainly because I played the drums and we partied together. But then that made me get good.

And I got fucking good in like a year. I was like, I'm just going to practice loads. And, uh, that's a lot of drinking, though. I've got a fucking thing. You know this fucking shit where I'm not sleeping and everything? Yeah, oh yeah. I got a load of test done because they were like, could be this, could be this, could be this.

And then they sent me a thing saying, probably nothing to worry about, but you might want to get an ultra-scaned on your liver because, uh, you've got some levels of stuff that are slightly out of whack. It could be nothing, give me nothing. And I'm thinking in my head, like, oh. this is 2007 to 2010 catching up with me. It could be.

What about like pre-workouts and stuff like that? I don't think there is bad. Or like loads of protein? Because like too much protein can not be good on your liver. But maybe that's like long, long, long term. I think MDMA is worse. Probably, yeah. I think the liver grows back, doesn't it?

I think it'll be fun. They said, you don't have to even come for the scan because it's not actually that out of whack. It's like a lizard's tail. It's just grow a new one. Just grow that shit. Throw that shit back. I haven't done any packing.

Do you want to say anything else about psilosis? Yeah, I mean, I guess... Not really. I mean, I guess, like, yeah, I just sort of feel bad. They probably looked like I've been ignoring people, like, or not wanting to talk about it and stuff. But I'd, like, try and write out a statement, and then it just end up being too long,

and I just, like, oh, I don't know. I don't know how I feel and I just needed a bit of time to figure out what was going to go on, what's happening with it. And then at the same time, it's like, well, when you realize that you are going to do something with it, you've got to, like, build up, like, anticipation and stuff and, like, T stuff. So I can't just be like, it's back, like, just out of the blue. You could do. I mean, you could do, yeah. Yeah.

But, yeah, I guess, you know, more of, like, a sorry that it took forever to address it. and it's not like I didn't care or like, you know, respect solaceousine or anything like that. It was just, I had to figure it out for myself, really. And then, uh... It's an odd situation as well.

Yeah. It's like my entire life. A new band that is fucking grieving and you're the new member and then still be like, hey, remember my other band? Because you might even look to the rest of the guys in your band like you're piggybacking.

Yeah, exactly. That's something. I was super conscious of as well. I didn't want the architects guys to think that I was doing that or for them to be like thinking that I wasn't committed as well. And then, yeah, it was just, and it was just like really hard for me to like, like, so this was like my entire personality. So for me to just like stop it was just really hard and weird to get used to.

And I just, it took so long to like figure out how I felt. And now since like writing with architects and stuff I just have two bands and I can pretty much cover you know like with architects I can you know we can do some like maybe tooly stuff

or like I can write some electronic stuff and it'll I get that part of my creativity satisfied and then if I want to write some really fast riffs there's psilosis so I've just figured out it's fine to do both That's literally all the good music, isn't it?

Because you could fit a radio-headed bit into architects easily. You could fit any of the more experimental stuff of bands that you and I like into architects, and then all of the fucking thrash, or even like not thrash but metal-metal. Yeah, exactly, into silos. Because, like, I feel like... I need another band. I need a band with more blast beats. Well, we can...

More stray albums happen. We can make that happen, Greg. We do actually have a thing, don't we? Yeah. I'm not at some point when I actually record it. Oh yeah, yeah. So, yeah, it's nice. I can relax.

Not relax, I'm writing musical all day or every day, but I don't need to worry about what I'm doing. Or, like, tear myself apart over it. Change your subject. I was talking to Sam the other day about this. Good night. Because I basically have therapy with Sam from about 3pm usually to 5pm when we play FIFA and we just talk.

But he was explaining, we were just talking about how coming off tour is fucking difficult. Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. I know you're a bit mental like me. So mental when I get off tour. What do you have to have like a routine? No, but to give you an example, I'm way better for it now. But I used to like behave like a really,

even like up until like my late 20s I used to behave like a really stroppy kid especially when I was living at home with my parents like if I got in my room and something was different or like they'd move something I would like have to like throw a chair at the wall or something I like just coming home and like because like it sounds more mental than it but like you just want like you've just had you haven't had your own space all tour or time to yourself and like when I'm at home I'm a hermit I just like being locking myself away and writing music and stuff

so when I come home and I just want everything to be how I left it if anything's different it throws me out of whack and like that doesn't happen or at least I'm just not like I don't behave like that anymore not unlike crazy but I'm not like super craving

but that would just like it'd be so uncomfortable coming home but yeah what have you got what if you get home oh she's going to fucking hate me for this because I'm broadcasting this to the world she's better now but because katie's so busy like she knows she looks after fucking 21 horses or something that's her job yeah um sometimes if i come home the house could just be a little bit messy not even that bad and i will be just i won't like shout at or anything i will just be depressed you'd have a sock yeah but like

A big fucking salt. Yeah, I mean, I can understand it. Yeah, it's a weird thing, isn't it? You just can't, you just, everything needs to be as it should be, and if anything isn't how you want it to be in your head, it just throws you. And I'm better at dealing with it now, but yeah, it was weird. On the flip side, Katie, when I'm away,

like, she then goes into having not really any routine, She doesn't have to be home for a certain time. She'll, like, have dinner at this time sometimes, blah, blah, blah. When I get back, it's like, I've got nothing to do. So it's like, I'll wake up, I'll go to the gym, or I'll play drums, and I have to do one of those or else I'm depressed. And then I'm like, what time do you want to have dinner? And if she doesn't reply, because she's at work,

and I'm like, hello? And it's like, I know that I'm being like that, but I haven't known that I was having something good for dinner for fucking two months. please let's have a chat. I'll cook it, just let me know what you want. Yeah. Let me know what time exactly. And me and Sam were talking about it.

It's like, because you've got a day sheet and someone else deciding all your shit for you for two months, it's when I get home, I feel like I have to have a routine. And if I don't, I feel like a fucking slob. When really, I've just been at work. I should be relaxing. Oh, yeah.

I have that as well. Like, I used to, like, watch films or, like, read graphic novels. And now I just don't, like, allow myself to, like, relax, which is annoying, because I enjoy that stuff. But I feel like I've got to be working and writing riffs and writing songs and stuff. It's weird. It's like a guilt thing. Yeah, yeah.

It's like... Everyone else is at their work, so I should be at work. It's like, we've just done fucking 20-hour days for however long. Yeah. Slipped like crap. It's not as hard as some jobs. but I just can't relax though. Yeah, no, I'm the same.

Yeah, it's like a guilt of like putting your feet up. You're like, oh well, especially, like, what I think I feel is because the music industry or like our jobs are, I don't know, like, anything could change or like be taken away from you or like hypothetically if like Dan or Sam were just like, I think we should call. all at a day. I'd be like, oh, that's my, that's my job over then. Like, I need to figure out, like, how I'm going to earn money and stuff like that. So, like, it's just, like, staying busy and staying, that's a terrible example, but I don't know what I'm trying to say, but it's just like, just working, just like, well, I've got to keep making sure that, like, I'm writing songs and

writing riffs and, like, and, you know, I'll try and send, like, Dan and you song, like, you know, at least one or two a month or something. yeah you've got to have a backup plan as well because bands do end at some point I'm the same I'm like I practice fucking three or four times a week yeah I practice stray stuff but I practice other stuff because

if stray splits up I'm fucked yeah it's more yeah exactly and it's the same with architects don't see architects splitting up any time but it's just that thing of like whereas if Naomi got told that she's a doctor so she worked in the NHS so if she was just like oh we're gonna have to let you go

it's like it wouldn't be too hard for her to then find another job whereas with us if we get it's much harder to find another band that will fortunately for us we can live off so that's super hard but i don't have it fine it's like imagine if Naomi's new job yeah she had to really like every person that she worked with. Yeah, yeah. And then it had to be a really specific style that she was doing of her,

you know, what did she do against psychology? Yeah. You know, just one section of psychology she would have to do. It's like it's not the same. Yeah, yeah. We have to like, if I had to find a new band tomorrow, there's no way

I'm finding three other people that I enjoy as much as stray. Plus the music plus, unfortunately, The money is an issue. It's not, it wouldn't be easy. Yeah, exactly, yeah. I would just direct people to HTT-P-Colon 4-S-F slash 4-splash

the downb-E.80 and pick up a t-shirt because that would be putting me and putting money in my pocket. I'm wearing one right now. It fits like a glove. Are you wearing one right now? Yeah, the grey one with the little embroidered, Penta sticker gram. Yeah, it's nice that.

Good quality. Very high quality these downbeat shirts. I recommend it to everyone. Those ones are. Very expensive to make those ones. That's why they were slightly more expensive for people that aren't you. And it took so long to get that embroidery right. Yeah. I'll have to give you

a code for this new stuff. Yes, please. I gave Sam one and he got one of everything. And I wasn't even annoyed because he genuinely, it's all I ever see him where. Yeah, yeah. Oh, he's rapping it. Honestly, if he FaceTime's me he's wearing downbeat much.

I'm just having my friends want to wear it, you know? Yeah, well, you've done well, it's good brand. I made it so I want to wear it. And then luckily, everyone I respect wants to wear it. And therefore, the GP want to wear it. Gempot, yeah, for sure. I can't do those death ones anymore, though. No? You had a cease and desist?

I didn't, but I was preempting it. So do you know what I did? I gave the money I made from them Because I only made like 50 of them I gave the money I made from them To two different charities Is this because of the like Chuck died?

Like what's the guilt of that? Oh I just don't want the manager to be like The fucking size is copyright Or whatever I'm sure I just get a season to see it And then yeah This you know the guy's dead I hadn't really thought

about that. I was actually guided. I was like, damn it. Could have done a solosis, death style. But yeah, you raise a good point. And you beat me to it anyway. And so what I did, I just gave all that money to charity. Oh, nice. That's very noble. So then if anyone does sort of get me for it, I'll be like, oh yeah, do you want me to get the money back from the two charities? You fucking, you know what I mean?

Well, I'm not going to wear mine now. I'll keep it pristine. And then in a few years it'll be like the old mosh and roll drop dead t-shirt on eBay going for like 100 quid You want to soften it up Get that shit softened Yeah No I'll wear it

That's all the rage these days Soft yeah Off off grey old Faded black shirts I might get someone to rip it again If it's a bit ripped It was actually Ben I can't say this because it was fucking

He might get sued for doing it Oh I know Norm Yeah you know I mean Yeah. Great job. But yeah, he made it for me. He made it in about 10 seconds as well.

And he was like, do you want the scythe? And I was like, yeah. And I thought about it. If I'd just had anything else, probably could have got away with it. Well, I got away with it anyway. Let's stop talking about it because people will be saying, well, hang on, what is this we're talking about? Yeah, and you can't even sell it anymore.

Yeah, I don't. Let's talk about your new merch. All the money went to the charity. I don't know by this point when this gets released. Be old by then. Probably sold out, no, me. Probably. You don't need any more of the orange ones for Halloween.

Halloween special. I mean, Halloween would have been and gone when people hear this, so who knows? No, I don't think ahead like that. I get, people messaging me like, fuck, just before payday! And I'm like, I don't know when payday is. I haven't had a job since, I haven't had like a P-A-Y job that isn't self-employed since 2012.

I don't know when payday is. What is it, last day of the month, first day of the month? and don't think that's me being like oh he's too rich to know about payday is sometimes for about seven of those years I was very very poor and I would have loved a payday yeah same

Josh you're the only other person that didn't give up out of our crew that's the thing any younger people listening just if you're confident and you enjoy what you're doing as in confident that you might have some talent

just stick at it Just stick at it. Yeah, and don't rush into doing dumb shit. Yeah, and that. Just, just, yeah. There's so many people that could have stuck at it and done it. I've got a fucking, I've got to fucking, I'm probably going to listen to this, though, I don't he?

I've got to watch myself these days because I'm just fucking slagging everyone off. I'm not slagging him off, but I got a message from Ali Richardson the other day. It was like a video and it was him and G from Viatrophy, listening to Vyatrophy. I couldn't help but think. I was just like, why did you fucking give up, mate? Oh, G's very talented, yeah.

You could have just done another metal band. And, you know, that was nine years ago that we split up, so you could have had nine years head start with a new metal band, and they would be massive. Oh, Vatchery would have done well if you'd stuck at it. It's, um... I think there was a ceiling before it. No, because you probably would have just moved past it

because you were sort of, sort of, like, in with the death corps thing, I guess, but you would have done what death thones, like, I had with new metal. They were sort of lumped in with new metal, but they were just like, it was sort of just our own thing. And you probably would have done the same. I think about that quite a lot, how much shit I've done since then. Even since the fucking heart machine, the heart machine hasn't, has played one show, since I left.

I know, like two tours and then once that gave up, one show. And I've done... I'm not fucking gloating, but just in terms of just getting out there and working, I think I've been in three different bands. I've been to every continent since then, other than like the Antarctica's. No point. A bit cold. Stop giving up.

Did Metallica do that? They did, didn't know. What? Stick out, you mean? I mean, they did. They stuck out of here. Luloo. Imagine if you'd done silo,

oh, psilosis, I really want to do like a sort of Lou Reed vibe. Yeah, it might have headed that way if I'd not like slap myself in the face a bit and had a nice little hiatus to sort myself out. Do you remember? I wouldn't have gone, Lulu, but. Do you remember when, I think it was when Viatrys split up,

or maybe not even then, when I just had a piece. period when I was like, yeah, I'm tour managing silos for this festival. And I would just come and be gobby. It was when siloises weren't big enough to have a tour manager, but were big enough to play festivals. And I'd just come and be gobby and make sure Rob could use his own kit and stuff. And then get very drunk.

Do you remember the time I stage dived at Sonosphere? Yeah, yeah. A fucking massive tent. And I broke my rib on that kid's head. Was that the time we had Sam Ward come out and sweep the stage? before we went on. Yes. Yes.

That was fucking sick, though. What was that? 2010? 20, no, that was 2009. And architects played that stage as well, I think, that same weekend. Yeah, no, that was a fun one. Yeah, we got Sam Ward to come out with a broom and sweep the stage because there was going to be a lot of sweeping going on anyway,

up there. And then, yeah, you stage five. Yeah. And it was like an eight-foot gap And I managed to get to the front row And I broke my fucking rib On a guy with a top hat A guy wearing a top hat

Classic solosus fans Waring top hats And I, in fact, I think I posted about it On the internet And Or there was like a video or something I can't remember But the guy hit me up

And was like, yeah, that was my head And I was like, oh, you're all right I'm fine I was like, okay, I broke a rib Did you ask why he's wearing a top hat? I did not, no. And also, I, the other day when I was at Physio,

they were like, have you ever broken a rib? Actually, yes, I have actually. Told him the story of that. Because that could have contributed to my whole hip thing, apparently. There was a good time with architects as well, when we both flew out to do Resurrection Festival in Spain, like 2011. And we were all there. And you were there.

You were hanging out. with those bullet guys. That will be where some of the ultrasound liver things, the anomalies on the ultrasound, that'll be where some of those came from. Just that one weekend. That one weekend.

I think that was a... Go on, so what you're going to say. I was pretty sure it was a rough one for Tom as well. I think there's a video that Dan filmed of Tom puking after that night at an airport. I'm pretty sure I puked as well. Yeah.

And I'm pretty sure I... I was wearing a white t-shirt and I just... Yeah. Spilt a pint and a coffee all the way down me and I was just on the plane on the way back. I've got a picture of that. Yeah, you had like a tray.

Yeah, you had like a tray and like you spilled coffee. Yeah, the tray. I remember that. Yeah. God. That was a nice time, wasn't it? When was that? That must have been 2011.

11, yeah. Oh, what? I should have grown out of it by then? How age was I then? 24. Fucking. 24. Is that right?

20187? Yeah. 24. Do you drink on tour now then? Very rarely. I bet I haven't drank alcohol since... It's the 19th of October. I haven't drank alcohol since August.

Sick. But not out of any kind of... I don't. don't not drink and it's not like, oh, I'm doing dry timber. I just, I just haven't felt like it. Plus, you're in a band with like, I mean, Tom's straight, isn't he? Yeah, and I just, I just, I'm fucking mental. I just want to make sure I'm the best every night so I don't drink.

And I know, in fact, if I'd actually relax a little bit and had a couple of drinks, I'd probably be even better, but I can't. I'm a neurotic bastard. My New Year's resolution is to drink more on tour, but I'm yet to do it. Yeah, you've got to wait for the right time to try it out. Five years for me, nailed to the cross. Five years, edge.

Yeah. Five years vegan as well. Seven. 2012, that was, yeah. Oh, I do remember when you used to drink. Remember when we drank that vodka at your house? and watch big train and ate cheese and it was Christmas I believe

Yeah yeah Cola toaster of love You spelt cola all over my toaster I remember And you sang roller coaster But cola toaster immediately Very sharp, very funny And also I left you a note

Because your mum and dad Your mum and dad were out And I left you a note But I said it from your mum Yeah, you drill Pentegram And it was, Dear Josh, Calculate what you will, love mum Which

Guess if you're not a tall fan, you won't Know that Calculate What You Will It's just a lyric from the grudge And it had no meaning But I enjoyed it It was just a letter from your mum to you With tall lyrics It was nice to wake up to you

You were still, I mean, we were both still there It wasn't like you'd left without me But yeah Do you remember when you used to have rules? You wrote rules down for me in your room. Did I? Oh yeah, I did.

It's a joke, yeah. I think I had to write on for damn piss. It wasn't a joke, but it was, that was like... It was sort of a joke, but it was very true. It was passive, aggressive. No spinning on... Yeah, no spinning on the chair. Because you used to spin around on my office chair

and just, like, knock stuff over. I've got, I've just ordered myself a new one. The mouse mat, got a mouse mat that's got like a nice big gel pad on it, and I've still got it, but you just started spanking it so hard. felt like a nice booty. Yeah, and all the gel started seeping out of it. And I keep getting a really sticky wrist from it. But it's gel, nothing else, coming out.

So I just ordered a new one 10 years later. Oh, man, I miss coming around to your house and just fucking pissing you off by being mental. I had to, Dan Pierce came around once. And you know those little, like footstools you have for guitar, like classical guitar. But I used to practice one of them. He came and just saw it and just went, oh, cool. and just put his foot on it and stood up as if he would support his weight.

I was like, what? Thanks for breaking that. I just got that. But yeah, you ought to have rules for your friends coming around. Oh, I miss that so much. I miss coming around at Christmas. Yeah, I like Christmas. Middletons.

Oh, such a nice time. Yeah. Still. How are your parents? All right? Yeah, they're good. Yeah, they just start around the corner. I'm actually going to text my dad in a bit,

asking for a lift to the station. Where are you going? I'm going to go see Cradle of Filth in London. Are you? Exactly. Who are they playing with? They're playing Cruelty in the Beast in full. Did that get remixed?

Yeah, Sky Atkins absolutely crushed the mix. It sounds so sick. Is it out? In November, I think. But there's a single on Spotify. My favourite track actually, lost more than Wargazm. That album fucking rips, but it sounds so fucking bad. The snare jam is so weird, like a little biscuit tin.

But yeah, the new mix is so good. There's a track on Spotify, should check it out. Did they re-record it or they just remixed it? Just remixed it. Yeah, it's all the original. It sounds really good. I'm very excited. But, see, this is like, you know, the musical bipolar.

Like, what would Maynard think? I don't think he likes Crowler. listening to Crowlerville. Yeah, that's the sort of stuff I beat myself up over. It's like... What would Maynard think of me? Yeah. You don't drink wine, Josh.

Yeah, no, and I'm vegan, and he put bacon in his wine because he said... He did a tweet that was like, we've just found out that our wine was accidentally vegan, so we're rectifying it, and he posted a picture of him, putting bacon in there. Which is funny, I don't really mind.

No, it's fucking lowest common denominator a fucking Joe Rogan humor and it annoys the fuck out of me. And then you're triggered! Well, you're the one that put bacon in your fucking wine first.

That's a shame, isn't it? That annoys me. How'd you like the new tool album? I like the Colt of Lunar album better. I haven't given that a spin yet, still. Oh, it's fucking unbelievable. Actually, I did like, I loved the new tool album,

but the new cult of Luna just blew it away for me. It's the best cult of Luna record. And I love Vertical, the one, or at least. O'i, oh, wait, oh, you know, you know how sick it is, like on Vertical, where... The Dubstep Bit. Like, on track, I mean, that's sick, but on, like, track 10, they bring back the synth line from track one. Yeah.

They bring that synth line back 10 years later on this album. What? It's just on one little bit. is a little callback to it. It's amazing. That's nice. I feel like they're joking, because as you go on through the cult of lunar albums,

it's like they started off where it was like, okay, eight minutes into this song we'll bring back that first riff. And then it was like, okay, what we're going to do, we're going to bring back the riff from the first song on like track six. And then it was like,

we're going to bring back a track from the first song on the last song. And then now it's like, we're going to bring back a song, a track a riff from 10 years ago and we're going to pop that in this song it's just a little snippet and it's fucking great I just love that band

they require a lot of patience but I mean like vicarious redemption on vertical that song's like 19 minutes and most of that's just waiting for the song to start but it's so sick that has the biggest pay off of any cult of Luna song is that song yeah yeah

and it's like 16 minutes into it yeah oh god I love that song 16 minutes of just tip and then straight in. Straight up to the uterus. Cancel myself one day. That, by the way, I just want to clarify that as a sound of shock.

Disgust. Yeah, not like, not like that sounds nice. Well, you've been spanking that mouse mat? Spanking the mouse mat. Is that it then? Did you spank it then? Yeah. Give her a spank from me. Hey

Well, it's actually a he I don't care Yeah, I don't know I'm just letting you know It's fit If it's fit I'm gonna spank it It doesn't matter Um

Brigham comes out as bisexual On the Downbeat podcast No there's a word What's the one where you're like Attracted like roller coasters and stuff Oh that's me That's what I am Was it pant now

I can't over the word I'm just like You know If I see a mouse pad That I want to spank I'm gonna spank it Yeah I don't go

Someone else's I'm sorry, do you want me to pay-po you? It was £6 for a new one. No, honestly, it's lasted. I pay-poh you that. No, no, it's fine, it's lasted well. Did that microphone come? Oh yeah, thank you for that, yeah.

This is not podcast worthy, is it now? What, any of this? No, it's not really, but I like it. Does that Mike? Craig sent me a microphone yesterday, and it came. Lovely a Senheiser 4-2. It did come, man. I sent it at 1pm yesterday

and you've already got it. Yeah, yeah, and it was addressed to the Supreme Oppressor. Naomi was like, why is it addressed to the Supreme Oppressor? I was like, that's me. I didn't come up with that either, by the way. I didn't sing all on that one, so. You didn't.

Jamie Graham did, didn't he? Remember that? Remember the backlash when you were like, I'm the vocalist now and everyone was like, oh, it's going to be shit? And then it was unbelievable. You know what? I don't really remember. I feel like we I made a stupid video

that video was incredible it was like Carl and Rob just listening to a like a really stupid demo of like a saxophone solo on it and like oh the new stuff sounds amazing who's gonna who's gonna sing and then I just like whoop off the duve from my bed and I've got shades on and I art it

and uh and then I think it got serious after that and released the music so people could actually hear me singing But I can't remember. I probably just did what I do now and just try and not look at internet comments because it's not healthy, is it?

Oh, do you know what I've got to do? I'm really sorry. Yeah? I've got to, but this has to stay on air because it's quite annoying and the person who fucking did this is probably listening. I did a voucher code today for the downbeat

and you could get a free mug, right? If you just use this code. And I've done the code wrong and some little fucking snake has put two in his basket and the code works. He's cheated the system there. He's mugged me off, literally. Much better. Yeah, double-moked you.

Mug me twice. Shame on... Those are saying they in there. I don't know. How do I do that? I've had that before. Back in the day on my web store, I can't remember why I was selling, like, prints or something. And then, not prints.

Print's artwork. And, yeah, someone, I can't remember, yeah, I did something similar and messed up. And someone got, like, some free ones. Sneaking. I'm an idiot. I'm an idiot. It says, usage, amount of usage per item. And I've put unlimited.

So somebody could have literally just put 40 fucking mugs in their basket. Right. They didn't, thankfully. Yeah, good stuff. I should probably get this back on track. Yeah. After me announcing that I'm an attractive. to mouse mad, mouse mads, mouse men, madmen,

mice men, of mice and men, that's, let me just look at my notes. Oh wait, I don't have any fucking notes at all. Zero notes. How long have we been doing this? It's not long enough to be a podcast yet. You've got to go somewhere at some point. Oh, I'm in no hurry at the moment. It's 53 minutes. What's you cut off? To wear anything. That's fine, because by the time we're wiring down and stuff, it gets to about an hour, 20, then we're good.

So, you know, we can do others. So easy. I'd like to do one in person. Yeah, that'd be good. We do some, like, spanking. We'll get an array of mouse mats together. Yeah, when we're going to... Originally, you were going to get me on

to talk about how great Lars Ulrich is. That's how the podcast started. It was going to be called And Justice for Lars and was just going to get different people on to talk about Lars. And then I realised that it would just be the first episode as me and you. And that's it.

just listen to Blackend we'll call it to tape let's talk about Lars then for a minute which is good isn't he iconic did you get to meet him at the the barbke

that Sam met him no we did Sonosphere 2013 and on the first night Metallica hosted a barbecue and only band members were allowed I think Soundwave

but V-Man was there Soundwave what did I say you said Sonnisphere No, sound wave in Australia, yeah. Do you know what? I think I hid from them. I think I felt too awkward. I was like, I hope they did. Because they were sort of like doing the rounds

and being like super sociable and stuff. And I was like, I don't want to like come across as like some super fanboy and punish them. So I was just like, I left it. And then later on the tour, I saw Moncie Ghost and James Hetfield came and stood next to me side stage. And I sort of like, like,

Couldn't hear, like couldn't talk to him because the music was so loud. I was just like made the photograph symbol of my hand, like clicky picture. I was like, can have a picture. And he gave me a picture. And then like everyone noticed him. And he ran off. You ruined his fucking day. He was like head banging to ghost and loving it.

And then I ruined it. And he ran off. Sweet. That's a shame. We're doing a festival. It's probably not going to be announced by this point. But we're playing a festival that they're playing next year. And I'm going to launch a punishment campaign

Through the downbeat To get him on the downbeat I'm going to request that Lars. Yeah, every single person Sorry, yeah, Lars, not James. Lars is... Every single person that listens to the podcast

tweets Lars To get him on the downbeat at this festival. That would be so sick if you do that. Sometimes I'll get 25,000 listeners in a month. If he gets 25,000 tweets, come on. Let's fucking go. I'll get right behind that.

I want that to happen so badly. He seems like genuinely like he's cool. He's got a super funny, almost like Jervais style of like arrogant sense of humor about himself. Like there's, I've got to show you this video. That's like him in like a newsagents in London. And it's like just a day off on tour in like 97 or something. And there's like a Japanese tourist in there. Clearly doesn't speak English.

And like Lars is just going up to him. and going, are you on the cover of any of these magazines? No, that's me on that one. Oh, here I am in this magazine. It's just like, he's obviously not that arrogant that that's how he acts. It's just like, it's got a great sense of humour. Absolute legend.

Yeah, he's in getting into the Greek as well, just playing like a blown-up version of himself. Yeah. I've got a lot of time for Lars. Great drumming. Invented the crash and the snare at the same time. You reckon? I can't, me personally, I can't remember anyone doing it before him.

And it's definitely the first time I'd heard it. And I was like, wait, what the fuck? I thought a crash had to have a kick underneath it. Oh no. And it had to be on one. Oh, no. It can be on two, baby. With a snare.

It's like reverse reggae. You know, reggae's like, boom, boom. Yeah. Do you ever lie in bed at night wondering, like, why there's not much ride symbol and, like, their early albums.

I think I was thinking the other night it's like, there's no ride symbol on injustice for all, is there? Like, just none. Is there any ride on Master of Puppets? He's all high hats. I think the thing that should not be? No, it's high hat.

The offbeat thing. Is that high hat or is that ride? I don't reckon he likes rides. I'm pulling it up now. I know he got rid of his ride. Legend. Watch Chinas. I think so does Thomas Hark and Matt from Bring Me. I think they just ditched rides.

And realistically, I play a ride sort of three times in a set. So I just got basically a ride, a mono polyphonic ride. You're all over the ride, aren't you? A ride that crashes. No, but you do like loads of tinkle stuff, Gene Hoagland. But I barely use the ride bit. so I just got a ride that has a good bell and crashes. So it's basically just like I've got a big crash.

You remember Rob Callard's big bell? The bluebell ride. It was the 24-inch paste, was it rude? Yeah. It had a big blue bell on it. I don't remember it being blue. I used to carry that thing a lot in and out of the van. You didn't have a hard case for it, did it?

It was just like in a fucking soft case. That ride from that is so. What are doing now? He did do like a, he had like a little like coffee shop, I think. In Woodley with his... I thought you were going to say a band there, but you said coffee shop.

Yeah, no, I'd check in with him now and then. I reckon he probably hasn't played drums since he left Solosis, but I also reckon that he's like, would be one of those freaks where like you sit in behind a drum kit and he hasn't lost it. He is an unbelievable drummer. Very consistent, isn't he? One of them just like,

do-da-da-da-da-da. Unbelievable feat as well. Yeah. I wonder if that's like his build or something? I don't know. Right, it's big fat carth. Hang on, hang on. Yeah.

You're pulling something up, Jamie? Because I've got my AirPods in. I can't. It's a high hat at the beginning of a thing that shouldn't it be. Yeah. Doesn't like a ride. Hates a ride. Whereas the other great, Gene Hoagland, two of them.

So, again, I'm being torn apart. Do I put this on the ride to appease Jean Hogan and my death side, or do I say put this on the hi-hats to appease Lars? I don't know. Gene Hogan has lost loads of weight. You seen that? Yeah. Yeah.

Have you heard about this? Have you seen this? Have you heard about this? Yeah. And he used to walk with a stick as well, like a cane. Yeah, now he's a slender man. Not the slender man, but he's a slender man. Good for him.

I mean, only if, I think it was detrimental to his health, not like, don't want a fat shame anyone. Yeah, he was going to die. I think there's a level when someone's about to die from it, then you're allowed to say, come on. I'm actually going to shut up now because I'm fucking treading that cancellation line. Let's talk about your, let's do a little bit about drums. See, Rob Callard was the original Tilosis drummer, very good.

you got Ali? Well, I mean, if you want to say original, Jay Collios Terry. Oh, it can't be bothered to talk about him. He just keeps DMing me Pictures of... Me, like, superimposed on the guy from Diant Ward, and then he changed it.

I was like, look, that guy's a pedo, or like, alleged pedo. Don't do that. And then he started sending me ones of, like, me on Willie Wonka and shit. I was like, okay, calm down. That's odd. I mean, why would you go there and not?

Surely the first pot of calls like Liam Neeson or... I mean, that's just... I never even twig that. That's only because, like, other people said that. That you look a bit like him. But Liam Neeson? Yeah. Yeah.

Who else was it? You've had someone else. Bono. Not at all. No, and you pull up a photo of Bono. I look like Bono. The thing is, he's always wearing those... He's got glaucoma, doesn't he?

Does he? I thought he just liked glasses. Yeah, because I was like, what an idiot is just wearing those glasses. And then, like, I think it was on like Graham Norton. And someone was like, why are you always wearing glasses? And it was like, I've actually got a clock home. I was like, oh, fine enough. Sorry, pal. Yeah, that's why they're interesting colour.

I don't think you look like him, though. No. I'd like to not look like him. No, you don't. Next. I can't be bothered to do this. Now you've got Ali Richardson. Is Ali Richardson still in the ball? band?

Yeah. You're going to kick him out. Imagine him out. Actually, we don't. By this point we won't, because I'm planning on kicking him out. No, no, he, this is his first,

well, first proper album, the Silosis debut anyway. Yeah, no. Oh shit, yeah, he didn't play on the other one. No, we did that one single

that we actually track drums at your old studio. God, that was so long ago, Josh. Yeah, I know, five years or something. But,

um, yeah, you know, Ali, he, a good drummer, isn't he? He's too big to come on my podcast, apparently. Is he?

He just makes excuses all the time. That's silly. It's bad for your band, Josh. He should come on it. Yeah, well... Turning his nose up at 25,000 people. That's... Promoting the new album, the new material.

And no one requests him, so I'm doing it out of the kindness of my art. Ali, if you're listening. He'll do it. I'll tell him to... People do request him. I just wanted to just twist the knife a little bit. Banta.

Always pretend you're better than everyone because then they will be nice to you. He actually works at the company that does the Downbeat merch. He does, yeah, with Bailey. With Bailey from Silosis. Wow. Wow. Alex Bailey.

Are you going to have practices in the warehouse there then? Yeah, apparently. They've got a set up. It's pretty cool. Yeah, I've not been. I'm so annoyed that I moved from Reading because Allie lives in Reading now Like there's a great little crew

Rob's allotment Which does the Downbeat merch Is fucking two seconds from where I used to live Yeah yeah And now I'm up here with no friends Yeah but we're You know What's up in it

It's only a lovely phone call away No no but I do like going to the pub yeah well I don't live anywhere near a pub now I mean yeah I'm not one for pubs but I used to enjoy our horror movie

popcorn sessions we used to have most nights can't do that now with dad it's a bit sort of neglecting isn't it I'm just off to Craig's to watch some weird Serbian horror film

well in a way it's quite yeah not Serbian what's the one we watched that was I mean I'm fairly sure we watched that didn't we

no I've never seen Serbian film There was another film. Baskin. That's the one. That was... That was sick film. That was good.

Yeah. Whilst the void, that was good. Hereditary... I haven't seen Midsummer either, because in my head I'm just waiting to watch it with you. Hereditary is the one, though. That's just... Have you seen Midsummer yet? I haven't seen it.

I have, yeah. I... Is it good? Yeah, yeah. I won't say anything. But really good. But hereditary is just like, whew... I mean when

You know After the first like 20 minutes when that Bloody The big thing happens Don't ruin it for anyone that hasn't seen it Just Yeah I mean I hate people spawning stuff I was about saying then yeah

Yeah just watch it if you haven't Best Oh brilliant Love it Right now we're at an hour and six minutes Which means by the time we do the top five Oh God I used to buy a switch

Because I didn't buy a switch I rang you when I was going to buy a switch I went to Tesco where you think they would have fucking switches, they did not have any switches. You, I don't know I was doing this top five. You give me anxiety now. You know who I am with my different musical taste, tearing me apart.

I can give you your top five. So just give me one of your top five. Metallica, number one. What we're doing? Bands? Yeah, bands. Doesn't that to be songs? And usually what happens is we go off on a tangent.

Yeah, I mean, yeah, Metallica. Top five Metallica albums there. then in order. Can I give you the top four? Yeah, that's correct. But five is going to be the black album anyway. Yeah, I mean... Between a rock and a hard place.

But I like the fact that you're saying it's not even in your top five. No, I do like the black album. But the four main ones are injustice for all. I always flip-flopper with rider lightning and puppets. Oh, you got the same as me. It's exactly the same. It's just a good vibe on it,

but there's a good vibe on both of them. Those are good riffs. Do you know what? In all honesty, I'll shock you. I'll probably listen to Blackout more than I would kill them all. Yeah. And also, I'll tell you this for free. Death Magnetic's got some good riffs on it.

Death Magnetic is sick. It'll be so long to listen to it. And then I thought someone was listening to some band that loves Ride the Lightning. And I was like, this is kind of sick. And someone was like, yeah, it's Death Magnetic. Yeah, I mean, there's loads of great stuff on there, and the new one. I haven't listened to that in a while, but I enjoyed it. Less squish than Death Magnetic.

Death Magnetic is the loudest album of all time. Yeah. There's a lot of high end on the new one, though, on the drums. It sounds great, though. Oh, that Death Magnetic one, the Dillen, Deadhead and Nenna, Dillin. It's like All Nightmare Long. Sick, that way. You know what?

The thing about All Nightmare Long is, I can't remember if this game I used to have with you or my friend Matthew Frame that used to work at Plastichead with me. See, that was your game with him, but I pretty sure I came up with the other game that you tweeted about the other day. Yeah, yeah, I couldn't remember who it was,

so I just made. So you did the Metallica one with your mate. You can explain that, though. The Metallica song titles, like that were never a thing. You know, they like a fucking shit pun. So some examples are like truthake and actually me and my friend came up with all nightmare long and then they actually had it as a fucking song. Truthake, why ibuprofen?

That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it? It's a good though. Yeah, and then the other game was just getting film names wrong like your grandma might do. So either just change it a little bit like Robert. like robot cop, instead of robocop. Or you just get it way too wrong, like Dinosaur Island or something,

which would be Jurassic Park. I like the ones that are like subtle, robot cop. I think my favourite one that you came up with was Wolfie Wall Street. Have you seen that Wolfie Wall Street? Lord of All the Rings. What?

Lord of All the Rings. Lord of All the Rings. Home on his own. That was one of my favourites. I'll tell you what, there was... This reminds me of like a list my friend had, I don't know if I could say it. It was just like...

The joys of a podcast. Nope, I can't say that. Actually, I can't say that. It was just a list of funny names. People had funny names that he used to work at the council. And he just, over the years, just built up this list of like... He printed it off for me.

It was about four or eight four pages. Yeah, that's like... massively illegal. Anthony Poo or something like that, like ridiculous. It's so illegal. Let's...

All right, number two band. Number two? Yeah. Honestly, off the top of my head, I don't know. Like, Death Mastodon. Toul? Yeah, tool. Yeah, good.

What do you think of the new Tull album? I didn't ask you. Yeah, I enjoyed it. I need to put more time in. When I first heard of Fear inoculum, I was like, okay. And then I listened to it, like 30 times in a row.

I was like, oh my God, it's amazing. And I really like the new album. But Enema is the first one that I got. So that's just... That's usually the thing, isn't it? The first album that you get by a band is usually, in a lot of instances, like the nostalgia thing.

So that's your favourite. But Lateralis is the most consistent, isn't it? So that's probably the best. But Enema, for me, is like, the one I love. 10,000 days. Revisited that loads recently. It's awesome. And then I prefer

Fear and Occum to Undertow, I think. What? Yeah, yeah. You fucking having a laugh. Those riffs in... The riffs in fucking undertow are unbelievable. Yeah, I know. 90s goodness.

You know, I'm like, I can appreciate old school production, but there's just the power of the sound of the riffs on new album, like the production and the guitar tone. It's just like, what's that really Mastodony riff in, track two.

I'm so bad with song titles on the new tool album. Is it Numa? It's called something, isn't it? Big boy riff on that one. Yeah. Yeah, New up. Sorry, I had to turn my dehumidifier was on. That's going to compromise the quality of the Downbeat podcast.

All right, number three. It doesn't have to be in order. What were? Bands. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. They're arms. Bands. Who is it? Death or mass?

Let's go. Death. Symbolic. Individual thought patterns. Human. Sound of perseverance. That's the correct order. Leprocy. Yeah. Spiritual healing. Mastodon, let's go. Crack the sky.

Hang on. I want to talk about death for a minute. I can't get on with sound of perseverance. Production is a little bit odd, I guess. And the drums aren't Gene Hoagland. I know it's fine. but I'm like, whatever. Symbolic is just literally one of the best albums of all time. Yeah, yeah. Okay, next, what? Mastodon?

Yeah, maybe. I mean, off the top of my head, I'm probably like missing out my favourite band or something completely. But yeah, Crack the Sky. See, that was another one. When that album came out, you'll notice also, like, a shift in Solosis Sound because of Crack the Sky. It's like, right, we're going, like, way more raw with the drum tones and way more proggy.

And that's because... Was that monolith? Yeah. Yep, yep, yep, yep. And that's just... Crack the sky was just like, oh my God. That album was like, yeah, a huge one for me. And like...

The album after Monolith, what was it called again? Dormant Heart. Dormant Heart was when you were on a hands in a tip. A little bit, yeah. The fucking Dark Night Rise's shit. I'm surprised you... Did I tell you that? Or did you...

No, I think I was around your house when you were writing that album. Yeah. And we both really like that bit. And you ripped it off. Give me your Mastodon albums. Yeah, okay. Crack the Sky, Leviathan, Blood Mountain. Maybe the new one, Emperor of Sand.

I feel like, you know what? You want to hear something crazy? Yeah. Emperor of Sand's my number two. I mean, it's good, isn't it? It's really good. I haven't put enough time in with it for it to be like up there

but it has the potential. Oh, did you see the video brand post of the other day play through of Blast-a-Words? Yeah, it's so good. Insane. Yeah. So sick. Not edited as well. So like

you see like those of like Dave Lombardo style like dolo loo-l-l-l-l-l-l-d those films. Insane. What album's that one? Uh, the Hunter. I thought it was on an old one. That's my least favorite masterline album. But I think that's only because they didn't really have a concept with it.

Yeah. Did you get the one with the DVD? And on the DVD, they're like, the DVD is five minutes long. And they basically say, we weren't going to make an album. And then we signed with Rodaner. So basically it was like, yeah, we were going to get a lot of money. So we made an album. And it is good.

But my whole thing with Master Lines, I love the concepts. Sure, yeah. I mean, me too. I guess like, I remember them saying like it got a bit heavy on crack the sky like lyrically and stuff so they probably were just like, okay, let's just have some fun.

Oh, that sounds better than what I said. Maybe I made mine one up. Oh yeah, I don't know. I'm not trying to be like naturally. No, I need that in my life. I need people to mitigate what I say because I go around saying things as if they're fact and they might not be.

You know? Like any good podcaster, I perpetuate life. guys. Go on. You've got one more band? I sort of don't... Yeah, I don't want to talk about.

Yeah, yeah, probably, yeah. Okay, okay, computer. No, no, the Ben's. So the Ben's... That's the album that I learned to play guitar when I was, like, 8 or something. Of course you were 8. Street Spirit or something.

That was, like, one of the first songs I learned to play. The Ben, like, Planet Tell. telx or whatever, the opening track is like one of the most underrated radio head songs for me. I never really hear people talking about it, but that chorus is like I'm bloody flying when I'm listening to that. It's great. But yeah, OK computer, number two, I guess. And then it all goes all over the shop after that.

I love it, but it's hard to pinpoint because there's like, you know, I don't know, I feel like if I go like hell to the thief or something. if I'm honest, I wasn't big on Kid A, one of those weirdos that's... Yeah, but that's because you liked the early stuff and you did a whole fucking... Everyone, you know, it was so different. I am weird because I got into them on Kid A. So...

There's Pyramid song like that. No, that's on Amnesiac. Pyramid song is for sure one of their best songs. Yeah. I feel like mine is, in Rainbow. Hell to the thief OK computer Kid A

Amnesiac And I put the Ben 6th That's fine Is that funny? Yeah I mean Yeah yeah And in rainbows Again I keep forgetting

I just forget about that album It's good isn't it It's just so good Unbelievable Unbelievable What are you listening to at the moment See I'm I'm going to a phase of like

Listening to stuff that I'm just listening to for the production just because I'm like nerding out on that stuff so I've been listening to like behemoth what was it Evangelion? I can't remember the name of it. Evangelion?

Yeah, because Colin Richard mix. Hoo! The exactly the same snare drum. What do you mean? Every single snare drum is exactly the same sample. They just changed the volume of it.

Yeah, well Scott Atkins engineered or assisted the mix for Colin or like did all like the pro tools for because Colin's a bit more like outboard geary type of guy I think but um they apparently they got into like a spot of bother with the drums I think like they were like accidentally recorded like mono like the overheads or like they were patch grong or they were like in an x y pattern or something and like the drums were tricky so I think uh but they're sick now yeah I mean I could have I could have be talking out my ass so maybe I've got that wrong but

That's sick, but I feel like there's not much like new metal stuff that comes out. I'm like, you know, like just metal, metal. Hang on, it's still on the mono subject. All of fucking, the guy that did Hollow Crown's got mono symbols. You know, that could just be there. It's just a really small room, like drum room. And he compresses, like, he has a room mic above the kit and he compresses that a lot. But that John Mitchell, who did that, he told me that that's what he does a lot.

But maybe that's why it's coming out a bit mono. To answer your question, what am I listened to at the moment? The new cult of Luna, because not only does it match the seasons, but it's new and it's fucking sick. Yeah. Seasonal listener as well, yeah, big time. It's OPEF time, baby. Yeah, yeah. I'm just constant OPEF, and it really annoys me because I only really like deliverance, damnation,

Blackwater Park. Watershed. Those are my four as well. Oh, Ghost Reveries are sick. Ghost Reveries. I prefer Ghost Reveries to Watershed. But they're the only ones I like, and the only ones I listen to.

I listen to those ones at the most, yeah, like Damnation or, no, deliverance. What's the one, the heavier one? Deliverance, I guess. Deliverance, yeah. And he's neat mix. But, yeah, tis the season, isn't it? If you got woods near your house,

which you do, don't you? Yeah. Go for a strike. in the woods, stick your headphones in. Oh, mate, we've got a log burner. We get a nice fucking log burn going, a bit of OPEF on. Yeah, lovely.

I love seasonal listening. Like this is the time of year for anything like enslaved, OPEth, a bit of quail of filth, maybe. Slightly blackened. Oh, always. Slightly blackened death metal. And then in the new year,

I always go on a real death metal tip. Yeah. Go back to Nile, decapitated. all the classics. What else am I listening to? I'm trying to think of something new that I'm listening to. You ever listen to a Conjura band?

Yeah, yeah, they're cool. I'm like, dived in, like, put much time in, but I've definitely aware of them and like what I've heard. And a band called Crypto Deera, who just sound like between the buried in me. Like, you know, at first between the buried me album. Or the second one,

so I'm in the circus. Yeah, yeah. The first one. The first one was the last girl. I don't remember. But yeah. Silent Circus is, but yeah, it just sounds like that. And going back through Dillinger.

Yeah? Oh, yeah. It just annoys me when I don't have an infinite amount of albums of bands that are iconic. Like, I could do with an infinite amount of Dillinger albums and an infinite amount of OPEF albums that are of the same genre. Because I don't like the Prague stuff, Josh. The Prague OPEF, I just can't do it. Yeah, I feel like. it's a different type of prog

to what, even when they were, like, did proggy stuff back in the day, it's like they've shifted a bit, I guess. Yeah, and I don't know why I don't like it, because I like 70s Prague, which they're trying to do, and I love that Stephen Wilson album, the Raven that

refused to sing, which is just like a prog throwback. Yeah. Why don't I like the OPEF shit? Um, I don't know. I can't say I've checked those albums out much either, so I, I I can't really... Apparently, sorceress.

Is that the name of one of the albums? Apparently that has some good songs on it, but I just never bothered. So maybe that's my mistake. But I didn't like the new one, and I didn't like heritage. Yeah, I go through, like, big stages of just, like, being obsessed with the band, like, Mastodon,

and I still am, and they're still one of my favourite bands, but, like, I still... I wasn't, like, in the Mastodon zone when Emperor of Sand came out, and it's sort of similar with Lopeth. I just haven't put the time in. yeah it needs to be please see it comes back around with my seasonal listening

yeah well yeah we'll go on a walk and we'll synchronise what we're listening to then no I meant artists but I mean we can do that as well but I meant just please cater to my seasonal listening do you know I also I went back to you recently what's that 6th

yeah their vocals have not aged well I mean Justin's have. I love Justins, but fucking, the Mikey shit,

I'll just, it's just rough. But, music being, I'm, I've got the, the EPs, still,

I think, with you like, the old, hold my finger and such the fool. Yeah, I've got the, let the transmit,

let the transmitting, that's it. That's it. Yeah, yeah, I've got that one. Yeah, and, uh,

that's always a trip down memory lane. That was like, because there weren't many, like, UK bands, like, doing heavy stuff around then that we're like doing much.

Do you remember that bleak period when we were kids when there was no UK bands that got big? Yeah. It was almost like we'll never be big because there are no big UK like metal bands. Yeah, that was when I was in a metal band and you were in a metal band. And in your band became one of the big ones.

Well then, yeah, but I mean like, you know, bigger, bigger bands. I mean, like there are bigger bands now but like, I remember like 2000 or something, like the year 2000 and like buying Kerang and like there were rounds like Earth time nine around but like they were just I don't think they were like really well yeah I don't feel like many bands like touring like internationally

on the same level I feel like it was more like I felt like it was harder to break through as a British band then and then sixth time in well but then you think I think they only did one US tour but when you see them in, back in the day, when you used to see a band in Coram,

you thought, that's it, they've made it, they're fucking... Oh, they must be able to, like, pay their bills. Yeah. Actually,

that takes 10 years to get to that level. Yeah. Unless you're the lucky. Yeah, I mean, yeah, that's a tricky... I remember there was a time

when bring me bring me with the only big band, big metal band. I mean, architects were as well, but then bring me just... Oh, yeah. Yeah,

Bramey started in really well, didn't they in like 2007? I can't remember, but they like, they made a big leap. Huge leap. But the internet's kicking off now, isn't it? So it doesn't really matter where you live. The internet's kicking off now.

Like it's fucking 90-97. Even trying to kick it. Yeah, mate. YouTube's, they've got all sorts. Mate, I've just been checking my sites before this. Angelfire.com forward slash Geocities.com

Yeah slash my first punk band Josh I need to go and pack because it's the day before tour and I've done nothing and now like magic we've done an hour and a half

which is the length of the podcast usually perfect well and thanks for having me on thanks for coming on it's been too fucking long I miss you and I hope to see you soon yeah and then we can do more of these do a Christmas special

To be honest This one will probably be coming out Too close to Christmas Yeah so maybe not Spread it out One next year Yeah big time Well enjoy packing

Enjoy getting your switch Well I'll enjoy it if I can fucking get one Tesco didn't have any So I'm gonna have to drive to game Like some sort of nerd Excuse me I want to play Mario You do

You really do You want to get Mario Odyssey Desperately do got a fucking 14 hour flight tomorrow I need to where are you flying to like what way do you man that's not too bad

oh LA bro I mean long flight but you met with like sunshine at least sunshine but the jet lag fucks me when I do that it's like this morning I woke up at 8 and all my friends were just about to go to bed so it's like I'm completely backwards so yeah

luckily I got fuck loads of sleeping pills and shit like that from the doctor so I'll just do some sort of self medication that's a joke everyone don't do that don't try this at home I didn't actually take any of the drugs that the doctor gave me because I'm scared of addiction and habituality

yeah go on then see you later send me as fine yeah yeah yeah give my love to the fam we'll do yeah and you too say hello to Katie for me and Luna you're the fan

God, I missed Luna. Me too. Was that you saying bye then? Yeah, let's say bye. One, two, three, bye. Bye.