March 2003 - DanceMetalRock, interview
Thanks to Andy from Honey For Christ for taking to answer my questions...
· For those who don’t know, tell us who you are and where your from.
Answer: ok, we’re Honey For Christ, and we’re a Belfast based band I gues, although at the moment I live in Dromore, and Chris lives in Lisburn, but Jase and Paul both live in Belfast – so that’s where we’re from!
· What do you listen to yourselves or who are your main influences.
Answer: Fuck! Very difficult question, and we get asked that aot. I can tell you that at the minute I’m listening to a lot of doomy kinda stuff, Celestial Season, Lacuna Coil, All About Eve, Solstice, Solitude Aternus, not to mention My Dying Bride as always!! I’d say MDB are my biggest influence as they are my fav band, but also bands like Motley Crue, Skid Row, Iron Maiden, Slayer have a huge influence on my playing as a guitarist. The rest of the boys are a mixed bag! Chris is a big Dream Theatre fan, Slayer and the RHCP, which baffles me! Paul loves his Slayer, Msifits and Venom, and other crazy punky stuff. He’s a big Rollins fan too, he has very varied taste, and is very much into music. Then there’s Jason….he listens to absolutely everything, from death metal of early Decide, Entombed, to 70’s Janis Joplin, Free, Ramones ….the list goes on. I’d say his biggest “metal” influence would be WASP and Twisted Sister though.
· How long have HFC been together?
Answer: 4 years in November past there. So that makes it 4 years and 4 months. Actually the newry gig was the anniversary of our first ever gig back in March 99! Bonkers!
· Many people who are reading this have probably never heard of Honey for Christ, could you tell them what motives you have for forming the band?
Answer: To play metal music that we want to hear. That was decided from the start, we all love different styles and variations of metal music. So we decided not to hold back on any of them and incorporate anything we want. It’s not bonkers crazy jazz or anything, just real heavy metal, and that includes everything we listen to! That’s why we have had so many weird comparisons over the years, from Whitesnake to Cathedral to Metallica to black metal!
· From listening to your music, its apparent that its not just pure thrashiness like so many bands nowadays appear to be, do you write your songs around one instrument i.e. Guitars or Drums? Or is it just what sounds the best with the lyrics your write?
Answer: Nothing is really written around anything to be honest. Paul or myself will bring a riff or bass line to practice then we respectively write something to fit with it. Jase then gets ideas for melodies and we change the riff if need be, and play it enough so he has time to sing, or change to fit drum speeds or whatever. It’s a complicated process when you try and think about it like this! I guess you’d have to come along and watch to know for sure!
· So far, what has been your best experience from being in Honey For Christ?
Answer: God, there have been so many! For me supporting My Dying Bride was a great experience as they are my favourite band, but that was pretty unique to me. I reckon holding our fist CD in my hands! That was mad, and obviously our first gig, and playing outside Ireland for the first time too, and getting our first review, and getting paid once! To name a few anyway.
· So to the future, honey for Christ have been getting loads of good comments from both press and the public- I know this because after you played in my local town all my mates said HFC where one of the best bands they have ever saw. Would you like to do world tours? And have multi-million selling albums? Or is it all in the name of fun so far?
Answer: Fucking right! I’d love to do a world tour and sell as many albums as possible, I love the thought of so many people liking their music the way we do, if any other bands say otherwise they’re lying! What would be the point of all the hard work in a band if no-one bought the music? Comments are good, it’s cool to know sometimes that people get your music, if they don’t – fuck them, they just don’t get it, and I don’t care about them, it’s about those who do. Fun is a massive part of the band too, I love playing live, it’s the best bit, if you don’t enjoy your metal why bother? Even doom bands love what they do!
· Plans, from playing the magnet (your last gig)*, what have you got planned for the rest of the year? Do you all have day jobs still which is prohibiting further big tours?
Answer: Not too much at the moment, a couple of Irish dates so far, Belfast and Co. Lois or somewhere, I can’t remember! We also have a date in Leeds, and we are currently negotiating for a tine little European tour, probably only a couple of dates in Belgium and maybe France. I like that idea, we have to start small though!
· AT this point I would like to thank Honey for Christ for taking time to answer these questions and my annoying emails over the past few weeks
Answer:
Well, all mail comes to me, so I’ll take that apology personally! Cheers! Thanks
for the help and support, and sorry it was only me, but the rest aren’t here
right now, and you would never have had this interview in time otherwise!
Thanks again, and keep it FUCKNG METAL!!!!!!!!!! - Andy HFC
*altered, due to gig has already taken place!