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Ahead of their fantastic performance on the Impericon Never Say Die! Tour 2017 at London’s Electric Ballroom, we caught up with JJ Peters and Matt “Realbad” Rogers of Deez Nuts.
MOSH: You’re only a few days in, but has anything happened so far on the tour that you know will stick with you moving forward?
JJ Peters: There’s a lot of things that I’d probably remember fondly… if I could remember them. We’ve had a lot of fun so far though, yeah. The first couple of days are always really hard as you’re trying to get in to the swing of things, like with this many bands on a line-up it’s sometimes difficult to get things running smoothly but we’re at the point now where everything is starting to work out. It’s been enjoyable so far but now it’s really starting to make sense.
Matt Rogers: Except waking up. I am very not fond of waking up, feeling the way I feel. Having a hangover every morning is not fun…
MOSH: Is there anywhere you’re most looking forward to visiting on this tour?
MR: I’m most excited to go to Spain. It’s so beautiful.
JP: I agree, and Germany is great show-wise. The crowds are great everywhere but German crowds are very excited and very active. Germans are maniacs. Though as far as travelling goes, Spain for sure.
MOSH: Have you clicked well with anyone particular on the tour yet?
MR: We came in to this not knowing a lot of these bands so the first day we introduced ourselves and everyone, literally everyone, has been so fucking cool.
JP: It’s a little intimidating because most tour packages we get to choose, or at least have a say, on who we’re touring with. This is one of the few tours where we came in a little bit blind in that aspect, but we’re so relieved and stoked to get on with everyone so well so early on.
MOSH: Is there anything you feel you can take away from these Impericon events specifically that you can’t get from other tours?
MR: Definitely that we get to play to new kinds of fans, since we’re playing with metal bands on these tours. Even this one is like that because it’s strictly a metal tour and then us.
JP: It’s a mixed bill in terms of different styles of metal, but we’re kind of the odd ones out even in that package. Kublai Khan thankfully are a heavy hardcore band so they bridge the gap between us and the other bands a little bit, but getting to play to new crowds on such a mixed bill is definitely cool.
MOSH: Was there a particular show that you attended when you were young that helped shape you as a musician?
MR: Local shows were the ones that made me want to do this. Growing up going to them and then starting to play them, that’s what really made me want to tour.
JP: Yeah, local shows for [Matt] were in New York City so that was way cooler.
MOSH: You’ve been going for quite some time now. Have you got any advice for newer bands looking to take on your particular genre?
MR: To get a tour. You have to tour, you’ve got to just keep going.
JP: Also, just do it the way you want to do it. If you can’t find anyone that wants to come to the party and share your vision, you’ve gotta just make it happen for yourself. Even if it means smaller tours and losing a bit of money you’ve got to just keep pushing and keep exposing yourself.
MR: That’s a big thing. You can go for so long without getting anything, and your real life is still going on too so it can take its toll but you’ve got to persevere. It works out if you keep at it, I found!
MOSH: You released Binge & Purgatory back in April. Do you find that there’s a difference in the kind of response you received for it in comparison to your earlier work?
JP: The only big difference in response is that people were surprised by the fact that it was not so party-themed and a little more like the downsides of partying; it was more introspective. They were surprised, but it’s still been super positive. People who have been listening to us from the start have seen that progressive transition, like they saw that it was a story in parts.
MOSH: It’s a bit early to talk about new material, but do you have any idea on what you want to do next?
MR: I got 3-5 songs ready to go, and we usually only write when we have to, like when we know we have to go in to the studio to record. We get together the month before and lock ourselves in the studio and we jam for eleven hours a day, but no one ever has anything before that, we always start from scratch. The last two months we’ve been at home and I was writing shit every day, so I know where I want it to go.
JP: We always have a general plan of what the whole album is gonna have sound-wise. Not to pigeon hole ourselves or do anything too specific but we always, when we’re going in to it, have a rough idea.
MOSH: Is there a particular process to that?
JP: We just discuss the vibe, we talk about influences and the direction we want to take it. With Binge & Purgatory we were all in a similar headspace and we wanted to go heavier with it and a little more interesting; a little less predictable, even.
MOSH: Say it’s 2027. Where would you like to see your band?
JP: I’d like to see it all sorts of places but we’ll probably be right on this tourbus…
MR: We’ll definitely being Europe in the summers. I’m gonna be such an old man in 2027…
JP: As long as people still want to listen to us and come see us live, we’ll be going! We’ll just take it as it comes.
MOSH: 2017 is now coming to an end. Is there any artists or albums that you’ve been plugging the most this year?
MR: Oh, a ton. This year was sick for music. I’m still listening to Stoney by Post Malone but that was last year, I’m listening to it every day. I love that R&B duo Dvsn, I love the rapper Dave East. ASAP Twelvyy‘s album 12 was probably my favourite of the year. Comeback Kid and The National‘s new albums are amazing too.
JP: I love Trippie Redd and Matt hates it. I tend to get transfixed on something and listen to it until it gets annoying, so I’ve been listening to him every day. I love everything [Matt] mentioned too.
