In just a few years of existence, the UK’s OHHMS has been quite prolific, releasing multiple EPs in addition to two full length LPs. Their latest work, Exist, is their most focused to date, musically, serving a healthy mix of Doom, Sludge and Prog they can call their own. Lyrically, animal rights are front and center, a worthy descendant of 80’s England Punk Rock, on this concept album of sorts. Quite a good combination, if you ask me! Their new guitar player Stuart Day shares his musical world with us here.
Name five songs that you consider “perfect songs” and explain why or what they mean to you.
PERIPHERY – Marigold
This song, when I first heard it, blew me away. The intro riff is so catchy and yet so damn hard to play, it sort of makes you want to sit at home all day and practice just so you can finally pull it off. Which to be honest is most of the Periphery songs, but this in particular has such a great forward movement to the song that it’s hard to not get inspired or to feel great when you hear it.
ALEXISONFIRE – Young Cardinals
This band has and probably will always be in my top 5 favourite bands, this song in particular I always loved, like most of their songs, the contrast to sung and shouted vocals and the tone of their voices, not to mention the great musicianship and song writing really helped elevate the band above other bands who were in a similar genre in my opinion.
CITY AND COLOUR – Woman
There are songs with any band that people like which they will play first over any other, this song is that for me when regarding City and Colour. From the album Should I Go Before You, it is pretty different to previous songs by the band, especially if when you think of City and Colour you think acoustic music. It is, I guess, as close to post rock as City and Colour has come, but with incredible vocals over the top.
PAOLO NUTINI – Iron Sky
This song is perfect to me. It is soaked in emotion, it’s the sort of song that is so restrained and yet almost free. What I mean by that is, it doesn’t give everything away in the first minute like the majority of pop songs or even the commercial side of Rock and Metal. It holds out and slowly drip feeds you with this wonderful ensemble of sounds, as you think it is about to reach its peak, it drops down to make way for a sample from the Charlie Chaplin speech ‘The Great Dictator’, only after this it reaches its peak in the remaining 2 minutes.
PROTEST THE HERO – C’est la Vie
For similar reasons to PERIPHERY, this song and this band do things that sort of melt my brain regarding guitar playing. The riffs and lead lines are so impressive, mostly because they are pretty damn complex so it makes a really great listening experience. They definitely have their own unique sound as well though, unlike other technical bands out there who might play 100 notes a second just cause they can, Protest the hero do some amazing melodic lines that really compliment the overall instrumentation of the songs
What are some of your favourite song lyrics? Lyrics that have been important to you or that had an impact on you?
So as a guitarist (probably like many instrumentalists), I spend the majority of my time focusing on the music under the lyrics. It’s the first thing that I hear, as it’s the thing that I can relate to the most. An example is if I hear a cool riff or bassline or guitar solo, the first thing I think is “wow, I wonder how they came up with that”, or even sometimes from a jealous place like “I wish I had thought of that”. So for me to be grabbed by lyrics they normally have to be really heartfelt or clever. That being said there are 2 bands that stand out to me.
First is LISTENER which, if you are unfamiliar with, is sort of spoken word poetry with shoegaze style rock behind it. This band has hands down some of the best lyrics that I have ever heard. I can’t pick one in particular as there are so many, they are clever and really make you think.
Secondly is a band called FROM INDIAN LAKES who are sort of melancholic indie, with really amazingly crafted songs. Every song I have heard of theirs has a real honesty to them, which I think is what I pick up on. I believe what he says. I can almost feel what he felt when he wrote them, which to me is a sign of a great lyricist and singer.
What are your ten favourite albums of all time? Name a standout track on each of these albums.
68’ – In humour and Sadness – Track 1 R
Milo Greene – s/t – Autumn Tree
Listener – Wooden Heart – Most Roads Lead To Home
Protest The Hero – Fortress – Palms Read
City and Colour – Little Hell – Fragile Bird
Alexisonfire – Old Crows /Young Cardinals – Young Cardinals
Mogwai – Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will – Music For A Forgotten Future
Caspian – Dust And Disquiet – Arcs Of Command
Paolo Nutini – Caustic Love – Iron Sky
Black Foxxes – I’m not well – Husk
Do you remember the first time you really appreciated an album or a song?
Maybe not the very first time no, but I do remember flicking through my father’s vinyl collection, definitely before I became obsessed with music like I am now, and playing them one after another, which I guess is how people used to do it before the likes of Spotify or YouTube. There was some really great stuff in there which has definitely shaped me as a player, stuff like LED ZEPPELIN and PINK FLOYD, THE ROLLING STONES. No doubt without that particular experience I wouldn’t have taken playing as seriously as I do.
What were you listening to in elementary school? then in high school? How much of that music is still a part of your playlists today? How have your musical tastes evolved since?
When I was young, I was still heavily influenced by the things my parents had shown me, so I would listen to old tapes of QUEEN or ZEPPELIN. I was really into THIN LIZZY too, especially the Live and Dangerous album, I pretty much just stole it from my dad after I heard it. As I got older and had some influence from my peers at school, I discovered NIRVANA, METALLICA, MEGADETH and all the sort of classics regarding heavy music. It was sort of a side of music I had never really heard before, so naturally I used that as starting point and then just consumed as much new music as I could find. When the Internet became a thing, it really helped with that too, being able to find new stuff at a click of a button was amazing. Most of it I still go back to and listen too now, but it’s not always as easy to decide when you have hundreds of bands saved on your Spotify.
What beloved music do you share with your parents? Any specifics memories?
My parent’s music collection was quite varied, my dad’s collection had things like PINK FLOYD and OZZY OSBOURNE, THIN LIZZY, which was all stuff that he grew up listening to. My mum’s collection was things like ANNIE LENNOX and PAUL SIMON, ELTON JOHN, so I was surrounded by some great music growing up. I loved hearing the bands or artists that they really enjoyed and while neither of them are musicians they had great taste in quality music and it’s all stuff that I listen to now that sort of takes me back to when I was young, which I see as a real gift.
Is there any band that you’ve always wanted to see live but never had the chance to catch them? Any classic show that you wish you could have experienced?
Pretty much most of the bands I listened to when I was young that have split up now, who wouldn’t want to see LED ZEPPELIN or any of the big rock acts while they were at their biggest. But I think top of the list would be NIRVANA. They would have been so good to see at the top of their game. Also AC/DC was a big reason I first picked up a guitar, but I’ve still not had the chance to go see them, I’ve watched live DVDs but it’s not the same, they have an amazing live show that you can only really experience properly in person.
What are some up and coming artists that you would recommend?
One band that I really love are called COLDBONES, who are an instrumental Postrock style band who are local to us (Kent in England). They have been doing some really great stuff the last few years and grow and get better every time you see them, they are really going places.
This one isn’t really an up and coming artist as they have done some amazing stuff already, but I guess are still newish? SLEEP TOKEN, they are just really interesting and are creating stuff that is really unique.
Also, BOSS KELOID are super good. They are our Label mates on Holy Roar Records. We were lucky enough to have them come on tour with us recently, which really made us all try a lot harder as their live show is flawless. Really great guys too.
What are you listening to right now, while answering these questions?
Well, talking about all these bands that I love, I have been flicking between them as I am talking about certain tracks, right this second is SLEEP TOKEN.
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