Rival Sons Say: Don't Seat Them Your Soul

Question: Hey Dig, what's the flush behind Rival Sons? I mean, they're non precisely the commons Earache fare...Earache is predominantly an extreme music label too the exclusively thing extreme most Rival Sons is that they're extremely good; they're a 21st Century Zeppelin.

And I don't think it is a bad thing that Earache is branching out into other, perhaps to a greater extent than accessible genres, which leads me to my minute question: the music biz. I know that this has been written most many times before, too on this really blog, but has the changing aspect upwardly of the music manufacture kinda necessitated that you lot accept on bands that, maybe, simply a few years ago, would non take away keep works life a house on your roster?

I know Earache has ever had the odd "misfit" hither too there, but they could even thus live viewed every bit being, to some extent, extreme (Ultraviolence too Fudge Tunnel, for example) but Rival Sons are stadium stone giants inwards the making! They audio similar a major label act, a band that could, conceivably, sell millions.
Cheers,
Terry
from terry.carleton@googlemail.com

Answer: Cheers for the sort words most RIVAL SONS Terry- they are indeed ane of the most bright novel bands around. UK's Classic Rock magazine fifty-fifty proclaimed them every bit "America's best novel band" on concluding months cover. Err, perhaps that's taking things a fleck far, but its undeniable they are ane of the hottest novel Rock bands on the scene. In no fourth dimension at all the band take away keep scored a powerful management companionship Azoff/Frontline (Van Halen, Aerosmith, Journey etc) too hooked upwardly alongside Kiss' publishing companionship to rep their songs. This is all earlier the band fifty-fifty has a proper album out. Their 2009 debut album was a DIY affair- no CD, simply self-released digitally, thus the follow upwardly 'Pressure too Time' (Earache 20th June) volition live the outset fourth dimension fans tin genuinely buy a existent physical copy, on CD too Vinyl LP.

I accept your betoken most it existence odd for Earache to live working alongside such a "commercial" sounding band, given the extreme acts we're famous for. I'll explicate how too why below.

The truth is - the band were signed for the exact same argue that whatever issue of our previous 450 releases on this label were- nosotros absolutely LOVE Rival Sons, LOVE their music, LOVE the fellas inwards the band, too peculiarly LOVE the musical 'authenticity' they are spearheading dorsum into the turgid stone scene.

Heres the RIVAL SONS Pressure too Time clip, filmed inwards 23 locations simply about Southern California over two days.(No CGI or light-green covert was used)




Earache is a rare Indie label inwards that I genuinely founded it too even thus ain it too run it, thus there's no concern suits/ shareholders/money men to pander to. Meaning I sign too operate alongside whatever bands I experience like. Working inwards the metallic biz every bit I do, I take away heed thus much manufactured, modern, pro-tooled crap that to take away heed a genuine, authentic kick-ass stone band who sounded live inwards the studio, was a joy to behold.


I discovered the band on the web, too concluding summertime began excitedly tweeting most them, meanwhile opening contract talks to sign the band. Guaranteeing them consummate artistic liberty every bit good every bit a to a greater extent than than fair tape bargain ensured a bargain was struck. Helpfully, Rival Sons were non inwards anyway judgemental most an Indie label deal, some of the members had been on a major for a previous band, but the bargain went sour during downsizing/ cut-backs thus they know the harsh reality. Earache too Rival Sons are both strongly inclined towards the counter-culture travail thus we're on a similar wavelength, which again, helps.

Everyone from teenage thrash-heads to elitist blues-buffs tin relate to the RIVAL SONS' honesty, liberate energy too genuine vibes. Earache isn't the exclusively Indie Metal label going downwards this road either. Long standing Dutch Indie Mascot/Provogue records arguably led the agency alongside Black Country Communion who were ane of my albums of concluding year. Like Earache, Mascot spent the 90's releasing Death metallic acts such every bit Sadus. European metallic powerhouse Nuclear Blast of late entered the 'classic' Hard Rock fray too, their Swedish band Graveyard is ane to sentinel out for. Its worth mentioning that London's Rise Above label was releasing 70s sounding stone records earlier anyone else.

RIVAL SONS are no mere Classic Rock/Led Zep copyists though - their musical roots become much deeper than that. Rival Sons become correct dorsum to the master copy source material, the members take away keep an encyclopedic cognition of early on blues too somebody music, from which they depict their musical inspiration. As frontman Jay Buchanan says inwards interview - he's every bit much influenced yesteryear Robert Johnson every bit Robert Plant. Jay also cites The Staple Singers, Ray Charles, Otis Redding, John Lee Hooker, Little Richard, Leadbelly, Wilson Pickett, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, John Jacob Niles, Johnnie Ray, Robert Petway, Son House too countless others.

"I spent my childhood similar whatever other immature boy," BUCHANAN recounts, "I wanted to live a Samurai, a cowboy, a professional person skateboarder etc. But the biggest departure betwixt my friends too I is that I to a greater extent than frequently than non wanted to be
Robert Johnson when I grew up."

It was blues legend ROBERT JOHNSON's landmark 1930's recordings which displayed a combination of blues guitar, oozing alongside genuine soulful feeling, that would influence musicians for generations to come, including the likes of JIMI HENDRIX, ERIC CLAPTON, BOB DYLAN, LED ZEPPELIN - too several decades later, would also influence a immature teenage BUCHANAN at dwelling inwards California: "I would sit down too heed for hours on terminate to those sometime blues recordings, too I recall feeling possessed yesteryear those ghosts too their honest, spooky voices."

Heres RIVAL SONS alongside their epic, jawdropping, set-closer "Soul":




As for your claim they could live "stadium stone giants inwards the making"- good exclusively fourth dimension volition tell. I concur alongside you lot that RIVAL SONS would deserve it, but its a long shot inwards the electrical flow music manufacture climate. H5N1 biz which worships at the altar of the Televised talent show/ X-factor production trouble type crap is non known for valuing honesty or integrity inwards music.

Wish us luck!!

Heres Blues legend Robert Johnson:


Heres an within hold off at RIVAL SONS filmed yesteryear novel bourbon potable Jeremiah Weed.