Photo Credit: Danny Worsnop
Asking Alexandria’s James Cassells and Sam Bettley took some time out at Slam Dunk to answer some pressing questions that fans were desperate to know the answers to. As the band are currently touring their 2023 album, Where Do We Go From Here?, the question on many lips was what the future looks like after guitarist Ben Bruce’s departure and we found out exactly what is in store for the band.
How’s the band feeling about Ben’s departure?
Sam: Um, it’s a good question. It’s been about a year of touring without Ben, hasn’t it? So, it was a huge adjustment, but it’s like the same. Everyone sees he isn’t with us, but we speak to him daily. I don’t know, it’s it sucks because we, you know, we’ve been a band for so long and it’s very, very different on stage without him. But, we understand. I think the reasons for his decision are something we can all relate to more than we ever could. He’s got four kids. We’ve all got kids or got kids on the way. So if there’s ever a reason to not tour anymore, that’s probably it. That’s the only one I could see it as. Yeah so, you know nothing but love and and total understanding there. He’s our boy he always will be, and it’s been good though. This last year has been crazy.
James: the support’s been really good.
S: Yeah, yeah.
J: Like, for the reasons that he is leaving. You know, we’re still like a big family. And the fans like took it well. It wasn’t like ‘Oh my God’.
S: We’ve just doubled down and were like ‘All right we’re gonna come harder than we’ve ever come.’ Now Ben’s gone, we’re gonna bring it. So this past year of playing has just been throwing ourselves at it. It’s been received well at shows, and they have been really good. We’ve been all over the world this year already, and shows have just been unreal. So, it’s kind of a bit of a moment of like, ‘oh damn’. Like, as much as it’s hard and different, that’s something we’ve done in the past. We’ve also shown that it’s a lot bigger than just one person. Me, Cam, James, Ben and Danny, we’ve been doing this for so long. We’re all a family. It’s also like that with the fans too, and we’ve even called our fans family.
J: Because of the support over the years of being a band, we’ve had ups and downs, but we persevered through it. I think this one has been pleasant in a weird way. Even though he’s not here, he had his reasons and we get it, so yeah, it’s all good.
How does the band manage to make new music that is reminiscent of your older tracks? And how do you see that trajectory going?
S: Did you just say, how do we make music that makes us sound old? Haha, just our old sound?
J: I don’t think we try to do it, it’s just how it sounds.
S: I see it as everyone’s inspired by what they’re listening to at the time. I think we take a lot of inspiration from what’s around us and what we’re listening to. And that’s what we did in the beginning. It’s as simple as that, really. Just think less and it comes out naturally. I think that we’re such a melting pot as a band, like, we all love different stuff. I think that’s what keeps it like that. That’s what the Asking sound is; it’s the collaboration of all the inspirations around us. So yeah, Think less about it, I think. That’s the short answer, you know? Just enjoy it.
The music scene has changed since the band’s debut album, Stand Up and Scream (2009). Where do you see the genre going in the next five years?
S: I think we’ll see more collaborations with different genres, just like I’m seeing in other genres. Like, you’ve got country, rap, and hip-hop, and all these different genres that are collaborating. I think that it’d be cool to see some outside-the-box collaborations within the metal world. And I think even within our community as well, just more people working together. I see a lot of melding of sounds in the next ten years.
J: Yeah, definitely.
S: I think more people are open to that.
J: We’ll definitely see more collaborations. Singers jumping on the same genres. The same with bands, like similar genre bands. I think that’s super cool to see. I think it excites the fans too because if you’re like fans of both bands, it’s super cool. Pop artists do it all the time. So why can’t we do it? You know?
Danny took some time out from the band (albeit a while ago). How would you describe the dynamics of the band since his return?
S: So, he’s been back so long, haha. It’s longer than he was in it before he left. Uh, but I think that everything happens for a reason. I think back then, when he did that, at the time it was like, ‘Oh my God.’ Looking back, it’s exactly what needed to happen. We’re all human, and being in a band is not easy. It’s not easy, and it’s hard to explain that to people who don’t do it. But it’s what needed to happen, at the time. And when he came back, it was awesome. And he just recharged. He took a bit of time.
J: I think you need that. It’s okay to do that.
What’s it like to tour with Memphis May Fire, The World Alive and Nerv?
S: Those are our boys [Memphis May Fire and The World Alive]. Like, we called All My Friends tour. So, it’s been so long since we’ve toured with any of those guys. We did it a long time ago and it was amazing. We’ve known them forever. It just felt a bit like a reunion. Didn’t it? Like a high school reunion?
J: Yeah. It was super cool and fun.
S: Yeah, definitely. We had a really good time. Nerv, they’re really new on the scene. So, we had never toured with those guys, but they were super. They were lovely and yeah, it was just a really cool, chill vibe. And their shows are really kick-ass. Our and their fans got to enjoy the show. It was a bunch of bands that they like. It was a good one.
What does the future of Asking Alexandria look like?
S: Look like?
J: Oh, um, the future?
S: The future? Busy.
J: Very, very busy. We’re gonna stay busy. So, no one needs to worry, haha. We’re not taking any time off.
S: Just a bit of time in summer.
J: Yeah, just a little bit of time in summer, because we’ve been going hard this whole year. But yeah, we’re gonna stay busy. New music will be coming. We don’t have a set time for it, yet. Yeah, it’s all positive things. We don’t want to be looking back in hindsight to 2020 and I think, looking at how we’ve toured, especially doing as much as we’ve done this year, we’ve neglected certain territories or gone to places. I think that I’d like to maintain relationships with some places like South America. We hadn’t been there for like 10 years! I’m like, what? 10 years?! Whoever sees us, wherever they are, it’s not going to be another ten years. They’ll see us again. For sure, it’s busy and a lot of travelling for us but it’s worth it, you know, it’s so worth it.
Can you tell us one interesting fact about Asking Alexandria that you would love to share with fans?
S: An interesting fact about the band? We’re really, really, really good at paintballing. We went paintballing, and our merch guy at the time went all out. He was on a paintball team.
J: The whole day, he was prepared. He brought his kit, took us to his paintball spot and just came through for us. He absolutely demolished it.
S: I’m talking to you, Stevie. Yeah, paintballing.
Interview By: Jo Lisney
Where Do We Go From Here? is out now, available to stream/download HERE.
