Ashestoangels are possibly one of the hardest working bands in the UK right now. Touring extensively all year round, smashing out both Headline Shows and support slots for acts such as Goth-Rockers William Control and Fearless Vampire Killers (and that was just in 2014 alone!), these guys have built themselves a loyal fan-base and a reputation as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to live shows (why not see our review of Takedown 2015 to see what we thought). Whilst on tour with fellow rock outfit 48 Hours, we managed to grab the band’s guitarist and all around well-dressed, dapper gentleman Adam Falkor for a mid-tour chin wag.
MOSH: So, with a new tour, will there be new music?
Adam: Well we hit the road regularly and we tour a lot so we always want to keep it fresh. We do everything we can to keep things interesting, this time out is no exception. I don’t want to give the game away but I think people will be very happy with what we have planned, and of course Horror Cult only came out on Halloween, so it still feels exciting to get out there and play these songs!
MOSH: So, obviously, you four guys go on tour a lot, do any of you have habits that wind up the other members?
A: When you’re on the road as much as us you’ve got to be completely comfortable with one another, it’s a group of dudes sleeping on top of each other, spending nearly every moment together, it’s just something you get used to. Sure I have my quirks like the rest of them, but there is nothing that I can think of in particular. Jim (Jim Baber – Drums) is a violent sleep hugger though, so if I’m sleeping next to Jim sometimes I’ll wake up with him right next to me trying to aggressively spoon me!
MOSH: You guys have been together a pretty long time now. Is there a particular song you all love playing? A band favourite?
A: It’s hard to pick a favourite child! Like I said Horror Cult only came out last Halloween, it still feels exciting and new playing those songs. I don’t know about band favourite, but as a guitarist I suppose my ego would make me say I love playing ‘Reason To Stay’ because I get to do so many different things throughout the song and then finish with a guitar solo, I’m not normally all about being the ostentatious rock lead guitarist, but it is sometimes nice to climb all the gear on the stage and play a solo, everyone should have the chance to feel like Slash standing on the piano in the ‘November Rain’ video occasionally!
MOSH: Obviously, there’s a lot of Rock and Alternative bands in the UK right now, so are there any that you would recommend people listen to?
A: I finally got to see Creeper live when we played Takedown festival earlier this month, as expected they were fantastic, Will Gould and his band of Goth-Punk creeps really do not disappoint. I think I might love him a little bit. The One Hundred who were also playing Takedown were fantastic, a mix of hip hop, wicked synths and metal that really ticks every box. And I’m sure everyone must have at least heard the name Fearless Vampire Killers by now, they’re doing such good things right now, they’ve been such close friends for years now that when I got my first Ashestoangels tattoo (a bat on my shoulder) I also got their logo done at the same time inside it and it’s always awesome watching your friends do so well for themselves. Also I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t mention Dead!, Ugly Love, Bad Pollyanna, The Dead XIII and the guys we’re about to hit the road with, 48Hours, they’re all so talented and so, so good.
MOSH: If you had to choose a three track greatest hits album from the bands catalogue of music, what would those three songs be and why?
A: You’re making me choose again? Damn you! Okay, so I’m going to say ‘Most Beautiful Things’, just because I really like that track, it was an album tittle track so I think that would be essential in a greatest hits. Every greatest hits needs a ballad so my second choice is ‘SOS’ because it’s a ballad that hits you in the face at the end, and sometimes when you’re feeling all reflective and sad what you need is a musical kick in the balls (or general groin area depending on gender). And I think ‘1708’ is fun and bouncy in it’s on way, it feels like a Goth party song to me, it’s made for jumping, and a greatest hits should always have a party song.
MOSH: Obviously, rock stars are people too, so they need to eat. Are there any food habits you guys have?
A: I think deep down I might actually be a burrito! We love Mexican food, the hotter the better usually, but that’s not something you can eat every day of tour. Last tour we ate approximately 350 cereal bars or something between us as well, so we do try and snack at least somewhat healthily, that being said we do have a special love for really cheap Chicken shops!
MOSH: As we said, you guys tour a lot, you must have a tour horror story or two?
A: Oh I can remember that we turned up at a venue in Durham once and the venue didn’t have ANY kind of working PA equipment, what’s great is this is a horror story turned into the best tour story ever! We were on a co-headline tour with Dead! at the time so their tech ran across the streets of the city trying to sort something out for us all, the next thing we know he’s running back across the city carrying a giant piece of a PA system, and after a couple more trips we had a working PA system. He single handedly saved the show.
MOSH: Finally, we must ask you, where on tour is it possible to always get a good cup of tea or coffee?
A: I like my coffee black, which is pretty hard to screw up, yet the occasional place still manages too. Also if you’re ever in Islington there is a place called Tinderbox that serves the best god damn iced coffee I’ve ever had. Other than that it’s the usual culprits I’m afraid. I think by now we can tell you what service stations have Starbucks across the entirety of the UK!
Catch Ashestoangels and 48 hours on the last of their Co-Headlining tour at the following dates:
Think Tank, Newcastle – 29th March
Asylum, Birmingham – 30th March
Tiki Beach, Bridgewater – 31st March
Barfly, London – 1st Apil
