Photo Credit: Ross Halfin
Download is the bad boy rock ‘n roll festival of the UK, but this year there has been an injection of blues rock bands to funk it up. We caught up with the biggest band on the blues rock scene at the moment – LA cool cats Rival Sons – post-performance with drummer Mike Miley to chat about festivals, future plans and stealing the Prom Queen.
So we just saw your set, it was pretty incredible! Did it all go smoothly your end?
Yeah! We got to play 5 new songs and new people to bounce them off of. That’s what we do, we keep people on their toes which is really fun. We’ve been playing off our last album for a year and our new material is really exciting and in Rival Sons style, we barely know these songs but we’re gonna play them infront of thousands of people [laughs].
Your new album Hollow Bones drops tomorrow (June 10th- out now) and after what we heard we can’t wait, but how did you feel the crowd responded?
I think they received it, I think you can tell we attracted a lot of bodies, but the main thing for me is that no one left you know! [laughs]
How many do you think we’re there to genuinely see you?
I mean we’ve all done it at a festival, like, “hey I’ve never checked this band out, think I’m gonna check out a couple of songs before the band I wanna see,” and then stayed for the whole set.
Having been in the crowd, we’d second that! It surprised us how well the new material went down, lots of dancing and it was pretty brave of you guys to test it here! The first time we ever saw you was at Ramblin’ Man Fair 2015 and you smashed it there and you smashed it today! You guys have come a long way, speaking of we heard that you found frontman Jay on the internet!?
Well I knew Jay but Scott didn’t, Scott found him on MySpace. He called me and was like “this guy is from Long Beach, do you know him?” And I was like “yeah but he will never join our band give up on the idea now he’s a singer/songwriter and one of the most amazing singers on the planet!” But they met up and bonded over their knowledge of the blues and how rock and roll lost the roll. There’s hard rock and metal but rock and roll has the blues in it you know? People like Aretha Franklin, Otis Reading. Even the Beatles, Queen, The Who, had a mixture of R’n’B.
Well you certainly brought that to today’s bill! Obviously you are blues rock but our favourite description of your sound is like ‘a knife fight‘ – how would you describe your sound to our readers?
Maximum R’n’B.
You’re moving on to Hellfest and Ramblin’ Man 2016, what festival overall have you most been excited for?
Download for sure. It’s a special festival. People are here, they’re off work, they’re camping they’re invested, they’ve got beer and they’re in for 72 hours. There’s a different vibe to someone who got off work, hopped on a train, go to a show and has to work the next morning. Festivals are all about the atmosphere and that’s why we love them.
What’s your favourite song to play live at a festival?
Me? Pressure and Time always gets everyone’s arse shaking. Hollow Bones from our new album, check it out! It’s 39 minutes, it’s not a big investment, turn it on, have a glass of wine or whatever and just get into it. It’s a really great album we’re proud of it!
It sounds amazing and we can’t wait to get our hands on it! Speaking of hands it’s time to get yours in our fun box! Fun box question time! [Both laugh]
For sure, okay [takes one and reads aloud]: “Would you you rather slap Kim Kardashian or Justin Beiber?” [Hysterically laughs] I would never hit a woman ever, but maybe the booty? I’d slap her on her big booty! [Laughs] If it’s in the face its Justin!
One more?
Sure! [Takes another]: “Worst date story?” Oh man that’s putting me in the spot, I’ve been on many! [Both laugh] It’s not the worst as she’s still one of my best friends, but in high school I went to the prom with more of a best girlfriend, my high school sweetheart and I was broken up at the time, and erm, my date came out that night as a lesbian. Turned out I made out with the Prom Queen though! My best mate, it was his date and he passed out!
You stole the prom Queen wow! [Both laugh] Well we don’t think we could end it on a better note! Thanks for catching up with us and we can’t wait to listen to the new record!
Thanks it’s been real!
Rival Son’s Hollow Bones is out now, get a drink poured and get ready to have your minds blown.
Interview by: Charly Phillips
