MAXIM: Bonjour Edward! You can’t stop forming bloody bands can you? How did Castles come about and why can’t you stop subjecting yourself to this horrible husk of an industry.
ED: Hi! Yes, well noticed, I do have a nasty habit of forming bands. I just can’t help myself. Castles came about because I was six months into living in Belgium and I’d finished building my house (this isn’t a lie) and I was becoming restless. A friend introduced me to Bertrand (drumkit) and Jérome (bass guitar) two fine Belgian men that had been trying to find a guitar player/singer for a while. Our tastes and musical aspirations are very much a good fit, so it all came together pretty naturally.
MAXIM: You’ve now been in 3 wildly different bands (Beecher, Freezing Fog, Castles). Is it nice not to limit yourself to just writing the same type of music all the time? I mean it must be pretty crushing to be in a thrash band or something, wake up and think ‘Yippee another day of knock off Slayer riffs.’ Although Slayer are brilliant.
ED: Yes, of course. I joined Beecher when I was 18 and now I’m 28, so I think it’s safe to say that a lot changes in that time. Of course, at the root of it all there’s high-energy loud guitar playing, intense vocals and a technical rhythm section, so I suppose the similarities can’t be denied. However, as you say, this band is in many ways really different to my previous exploits. It would definitely get boring being in a Slayer rip-off band. A state of endless purgatory, knowing that the best riffs have already been written, recorded and performed, and you’re resigned to being sub-par. That said, there are some great thrash bands around right now that sound nothing like Slayer. I’m waffling…
MAXIM: Would you like to play music that doesn’t involve guitars and shouting? Is there a more mellow side project waiting in the wings for when you can’t be arsed rocking out?
ED: To be honest, music that doesn’t involve guitars, in some guise or other, rarely interests me. But within the enormous realm of guitar-based music I’m into allsorts. I’d love to have the time to make a folk-inspired acoustic guitar album, or to do a foppish 80’s indie revival band! The thing is, Castles sounds like it sounds because that’s what came out of the three of us, without over-thinking it. I know that sounds contrived, but it’s the truth.
MAXIM: What’s the most awful question some zine gumby’s ever asked you, apart from this one?
ED: A Danish fella once asked me what I thought of Denmark. I told him that I thought they exported good bacon, but as a vegetarian (at the time) I would have to take the word of others’ as evidence. I can now confirm, as an ex-vegetarian, that Danish bacon is A-OK.
MAXIM: We would have asked you why you went with the name Castles, but your PR told us where it came from anyway. She ruins everything doesn’t she?
ED: Flippin’ Lavverz. Yeah, Castle of Arrrghhhh, too hard to say out loud, hence abbreviated to Castles.
MAXIM: To that end Mistah Godby, sorry to be a nuisance as you’re probably sick to death of talking about them, but I must know… were Beecher named after the guy who goes mental in Oz? I love Oz you see. I went through a stage of being obsessed with Simon Adebisi.
ED: Good programme, very gritty. Yeah, Beecher was named after Tobias Beecher. Cool that, innit.
MAXIM: You’re the 3rd good heavy band to be featured on Maxim apart from Will Haven and earthtone9. What other bands should we feature here, as surely the dubstep bubble is about to burst... I think we should infiltrate lad culture and stage a cultural coup, get people into Melvins, Shellac and that. That way we can get into ATP (All Tomorrow's Parties) via press next year rather than pay silly prices.
ED: Agreed, any sneaky ruse to get you into ATP on a press pass is fine by me. Can I be your plus 1? Indeed, Maxim and its readership aren’t traditionally known for being interested in heavy music, but it’s not like we’re bunch of anti-social Goths dressed up in netting and leather or anything like that. We all like tits and computer games and football and fancy cars and sweet threads too! I reckon there’s a whole host of bands in much the same position. Personally I don’t read the alternative music press, and I’d be more likely to pick up a copy of Maxim to take on my holidays than a copy of Kerrang! As for other bands, get Mushroomhead. And Cradle of Filth, in 1995.
MAXIM: Because this is a lads site we can obviously get away with talking about the football. I know you live in Belgium now, but obviously you keep in touch with everything. Are you worried about Man United’s recent dip in form, or do you think Fergy will turn it around, Giggs ascending t’wards the Heaven’s at the end of the season, like a floppy haired, morally dubious Christ?
ED: Yes, football is probably my most self-consuming preoccupation, after my family and perhaps music. Being a United fan, I could talk on this topic for hours. I think it’s a miracle that United are within touching distance of City given the differences between the two squads, not to mention United’s injury crisis. I also think it pays testament to the greatest man in the history of British football, Sir Alex Ferguson. The media, and subsequently the public, are too quick to judge. The team loses a game and there’s a knee-jerk reaction; peoples’ heads are being called for. United’s current team is in transition, and to compete with City the owners will have to spend at some point, but I appreciate the fact that faith is put in the youth system at Manchester United. It’s good for the sport. Giggs should probably think about retiring while he’s ahead, as much as it pains me to say it. What a player. All that said, I think City will win the league this year. Will they ever get to 19 league wins? Unlikely.
MAXIM: You moved away from the UK to Belgium. How is it? Is it nicer than the UK? We bet it is.
ED: Different. In some respects it’s nicer, but then I live in the countryside here, and in England I’ve always lived in an urban environment. I do miss Manchester, who wouldn’t? It’s a great city, one of the best on earth. Politically Belgium is in a bit of state, and there’s a division in the culture that makes it a fairly unique place, certainly in Europe, which is interesting. The cost of living here has rocketed, and in terms of social administration, the infrastructure is nightmarish. The beer and the cheese are great though.
MAXIM: We hope these questions are ok, they were written at like 4 in the morning after an enormous stint with a bloody Star Wars game so sorry if they’re annoying.
ED: They’re great. Thanks for taking the time to write them. I hope the Star Wars game was OK, but I’d be surprised, as there’s never been a good Star Wars game. I like to stay up until 4am playing Super Mario Galaxy 2, for the moment.
MAXIM: Thank you Edward you’re a very nice man.
ED: You too. We’re coming to England to play some gigs in June, I think. See you soon!
Castle’s debut album You, The Organ Grinder, is out January 23rd. Go say hi to them on their facebook at http://www.facebook.com/castlesofficial. We nearly put their myspace down but hahaha myspace.
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