Heading straight into the press tent after a very successful return to Slam Dunk, Mallory Knox‘s James Gillett and Dave Rawling sat down with us to discuss the return of the band and the future.
How does it feel to be back with the band?
James: Well, all of the band are back together. I’m buzzing, like, genuinely. It’s something that since the band finished, I wanted to be able to get all the boys back together.
David: It’s lovely. It’s very lovely. So going back into “normal life” in quotation marks, it always felt like a big piece of me was missing. So to return to do this with all five of us again, it just feels amazing.
J: It’s an amazing feeling.
From your perspective, what was it like going out on the stage and being greeted by fans like that?
J: It was surreal because even though it’s something we always wanted to do, you don’t know if people want it. Do you know what I mean? Like I said to the boys, if we were going to do it, it had to be this year. It’s been 10 years since Asymmetry, so that’s the angle [I tried]. That’s the “let’s celebrate” attitude of what was in my opinion, and probably most of our fans believe, our pinnacle. That was our peak.
So it’s like, “let’s go and do it.” If and when Slam Dunk gave us the offer, and they confirmed the billing on the stage, we were like “Oh, fuck. That’s massive!” We thought were there going to be a crowd? Do people want that? But to go out and it is justified that there is still a deep-rooted love for Mallory and the songs, it was just unreal. It’s an amazing feeling.
D: He’s covered it all, haha. It’s crazy really. You think to yourself, we’ve been away for so long that like people will not be enthusiastic and be like “That’s cool” and move on. So to walk out and see as many people as there were today, Oh my God. It was a crazy feeling. It was absolutely unreal.
It’s been 10 years since Mallory until today, what’s the biggest difference you’ve seen in the scene since then?
J: Ah, do you know what? It’s funny because I haven’t been around the scene since this Mallory finish. I sort of, and this is me speaking on my own behalf, I haven’t stayed in the music world and stuff, I know Mikey [Chapman] stayed in, but I sort of completely left. I didn’t deliberately detach myself from it, but I had other things going on. I thought went in another angle. I thought “Well, if I’m not doing music, I need to do something else.” It’s like a fight or flight sort of thing. I just wasn’t around it. That was until we came to Slam Dunk 2023 – me and Dave. We came as punters last year, and Mikey was here. We met up with him and I was just shy of re-lighting the fire.
I always wanted to come back and do Mallory if the offer was there, and people wanted to do it. but it wasn’t until then, I was like, “We need to do this.” I came here and I love Slam Dunk. It’s been a big part of Mallory‘s career. We’ve played it, what four or five times? It’s just so nice to see bands that you love and new bands. And it was momentous. I knew we had to, but it’s nice to be back in it. Even seeing all the people, like the press, the management and people you haven’t seen in so long. It’s nice to get on with things and to come back, and still have the same love and feeling that you had back then.
D: Literally, he answered that.
What do you most look forward to as you retour Asymmetry?
J: What can I say? Uh, we’re not doing the album in full. As much as that was our pinnacle and the success of that album signifies that. I’d like to think that Mallory fans want to come and hear all, so it’s going to be more like the best of Asymmetry plus greatest hits.
We’re doing some Signal stuff, some Wired. It’s across the board. It’s just exciting to go out and hopefully, I mean you’ll always get haters, just play, the majority of people’s favourite Mallory songs. Everyone can just relive, how they felt 10 years ago because nostalgia’s such a mad feeling, even for me. And when we got in the rehearsal room to practise songs you wrote 10+ years ago, it was a really good feeling.
D: Yeah, it’s crazy as well. Like, when we started getting back into going and practising and just making sure you remembered the songs, it’s crazy. It’s muscle memory. So we went back and then, you know, he started chatting about certain songs that we especially liked on Asymmetry, we were hand-picking loads of singles and then doing deep cuts on ones that weren’t released, but absolutely adored. So yeah, just picking the best of, pretty much.
What is your favourite song to perform and why?
J: I used to have an answer for this but I can’t remember because it’s been so long. We only had 45 minutes at Slam Dunk and I think we did nine songs. There were songs we missed out but I wanted to play. You just don’t have time. So I just savoured it and enjoyed every song. And you see how each song means something different to the crowd. You see people dipping into certain pre-choruses. But yeah it’s hard for me to say. I enjoy all nine of the songs we’ve got on the set list so far.
D: When you were doing it week in and week out on tours, and stuff like that, there are probably certain songs when looking at the sent and thinking “Yeah, wicked!” and other where you think “Why are we playing this?” But because of how long it’s been, I’d like to say the setlist is full of bangers.
J: All killer, no filler.
D: Haha, yeah I guess.
Does this reunion mean fans can expect new music in the foreseeable future?
J: It’s very early doors for us and to get to this point to do a reunion in celebration of what we did 10 years ago, is a big step. That was our main goal – to come back. Do Slam Dunk. Here we are, we’re back, and let’s celebrate Asymmetry. And everyone’s got their own opinion on what they want to do next. It’s not a conversation we’ve had to be honest. We’ll just see how it goes, we’ll see what happens.
D: We very much started this conversation with let’s take things day by day. Because when we first started talking about it, we weren’t entirely sure how everybody felt. I know that me, James and Mikey were 100% in on it anyway. People have got their own lives and stuff, and things get in the way.
J: So yeah, it’s been six years since all of us have been together, it is hard to just drop back into it and go. And when you say “Alright, let’s do something more,” you have to consider everything and make sure everyone’s on board with what we’re doing right now. We’ll just see what happens.
Can you share one fun fact about the band to share with fans?
J: One fun fact? one fun fact. We’re not a very fun band. That’s the truth of it, there’s your fun facts.
D: Um, so ages ago, when we were on tour with Pierce The Veil and Sleeping With Sirens, there was a very drunken night. They all ended up breaking into a golf course. And Mikey was involved in trying to kidnap a crocodile. It was a small one but for some reason, it gets put on me, people saying that I was the one that tried to nick it.
J: Were you there that night?
D: No, I never went.
J: That’s what I meant.
D: No, I wasn’t there!
J: It sounds bad doesn’t it? Like, Mikey involved in a crocodile’s escape? But I don’t know, it sounds sinister. But he didn’t get arrested! Yeah, there were no charges, so I’m sure it’s fine. When he told us that the next day we were like, “You did what?!” That’s wild more than anything.
See Mallory Knox on tour at one of the following dates:
October 2024
Sun 13th – GLASGOW – SWG3
Tue 15th – BRISTOL – O2 Academy
Wed 16th – BIRMINGHAM – O2 Institute
Thu 17th – MANCHESTER – O2 Ritz
Fri 18th – LONDON – Electric Ballroom SOLD OUT
Sun 20th – LONDON – Islington Assembly Hall
