Interview with DeadWax

What got you into music, and if you had not gotten into music what would you be doing today?

Music was a major part of all our lives since we were kids, we all had musical families and it sort of felt normal to be in a band. I really don’t know what we’d be doing if we didn’t, as it’s been such a major part of our lives for as long as we can remember.

What do you like to do when you are not playing music and how does that influence your creativity?

We don’t spend a lot of time not doing some sort of music to be honest. We all work part time, which potentially influences some of the anger and urgency in our tracks, because we’d much rather not be stuck in a kitchen/building site/whatever.

How long has your band been around?

We’ve been playing together for nearly 8 years now. We started back in high school, playing Led Zeppelin covers in local pubs for a bit of cash. We’ve been writing for a similar amount of time, and our sound has evolved with us.

Where are you based out of and how did that influence your music?

We’ve been based in Huddersfield for most of our career. We come from a rural area, so getting out into more populated areas was a challenge when we were younger. Now half the band are based in Leeds and we’ve been playing shows up and down the country. The roughness of a lot of the northern towns has definitely given the band some grit. You have to when you're playing at a proper working men’s club in West Yorkshire!

How did you come up with the name of your band and what does it mean to you?

Like most bands, we flirted with a few names before DeadWax stuck. Literally, it refers to ‘the dead wax’ in the centre of a vinyl record. But to us, it just sounds badass.

Tell me about your most memorable shows.

Mad Friday at The Parish in Huddersfield. The last Friday before Christmas is essentially just a massive party. It was our 2nd sold out show there, and the crowd were literally swinging from the rafters. It was mental! And we topped it off by going to a dubstep rave afterwards. What a night!

What is your favorite venue to play at, and do you have any places you want to play that you have not already?

The old site of The Parish was without a doubt our favourite venue. They were the first venue to put us on, and we must have done more than 50 shows there overall. The sound was always pumping, and the memories we have there make it so special to us. As long as there’s a good sound system, we’ll play anywhere, book us now!

If you could play any show with any lineup, who would be on the ticket?

There are too many bands we’d love to share the stage with. More current would be bands like Nova Twins or Astroid Boys, but if it’s anyone, I think we would have to choose Rage Against The Machine.  

What is some advice that you would give to someone who is just getting into playing in a band and some advice that you would give to your younger self?

Advice for people just getting into it, would be do what you enjoy. If you don’t fully believe in what you're doing or what you’re playing, don’t do it.

If you could go back in time and give yourselves advice, what would it be?

For a younger me, I'd say have patience. It’s easy to rush something when you’re over excited and feel like you’ve got to prove something, it’s ready when it’s ready.

Of your songs which one means the most to you and why?

Definitely our upcoming single ‘Disconnect’. The song is awesome, and the sound of the record is absolutely huge thanks to our producer Mike Krompass. The lyrics in the song were really honest too. It’s about how we’re too involved in social media to really see what’s happening in front of us. It’s not a completely original concept, but it came from an uncomfortably real place.

Which songs are your favorite to play and which get requested the most?

Our track ‘Heavy Temptation’ is easily the most requested, as it’s been our staple song for the last couple of years. Most fun to play? Unfortunately, it’s not out yet, so you’re gonna have to keep your eyes peeled in 2023...

What is the creative process for the band, and what inspires you to write your music?

Tracks usually start with a bass riff. The low end is really where we focus to start most songs, then build from there. But really, there’s no set recipe. If it works, it works.

What kinds of messages do you like to get across in your music?

We all just wanna have a good time. We put a lot of energy onstage, and the vibe at our shows is always a mosh pit kinda party. We play aggressive music, but we have a conscience. Making sure that comes across is important.

Do you ever have disagreements in your band, and how do you get past them?

We’ve been through it all together, so when we have disagreements, it never lasts long. It’s usually about what comes next in the song, never anything important.

What are your plans for the future, and do you have anything that you want to spotlight that is coming up?

Our plan is not taking the foot off the gas. Our new single ‘Disconnect’ is out on the 28th October on all platforms, pre-save it here people https://orcd.co/deadwaxdisconnect and we’re gonna be dropping a fresh EP in 2023!