INTERVIEW WITH CHEWIN DRUIDS

While every other band obsesses over recording contracts and competes to get the most friends on MySpace, there is one band who seemingly couldn’t give a shit. “We’re just enjoying playing our music we like and having a laugh” offers singer/guitarist Gaz. “It’s not about getting signed, and you shouldn’t play a certain way just to try and get a deal”. Gaz goes on to say that Chewin Druids began simply as an after school project, back when they were just a bunch of guys with a love of punk and metal that got together and started jamming. “We formed in 2002 as a punk band. We were all best of mates and we all wanted something to do to keep us out of the cold. We learnt how to play and started to get better”.

Since 2002, Gaz and co. have seen many bands come and go, and while some bands appear to have a revolving door system, this quintet appear solid as a rock. “Being mates first really helps. There are conflicts sometimes but we’ve stayed together for all this time while other bands have gone through all kinds of line up changes and stuff”.

Having begun life as a punk band, Chewin Druids never felt that they were accepted into the scene because of their love of metal. As they progressed as a band they carved their own unique sound which blended this sound together with their interest in heavier thrash bands. I suggest that Chewin Druids’ music bears some similarity to that of Virginian party thrashers Municipal Waste. “I’d never heard of them and then someone said ‘You sound a bit like Municipal Waste’ and I checked them out and realised that firstly they are a fuckin mental band, n secondly we do sound quite a lot like them. (But not as good obviously!) We’re influenced a lot by Slayer, along with punk bands like NOFX and Rancid. Also we can't forget Madness; I think they’re one of those bands everyone can appreciate…even if it takes you a couple of pints to admit it”.

A change of subject leads us to a discussion about the Yorkshire metal scene. With Chewin Druids gigging regularly in the cities of Leeds and Wakefield, they watch, and share stages with plenty of bands and I ask if, out of all of the bands, there are any who they have been really blown away by. “Pitiful Reign. Evile…there are loads of great thrash bands around and we’ve had the priviledge to play with the likes of Hallowed Point, Pitiful Reign, Savage Messiah and all the other bands playing metal…not emo…fuck emo! We hate all that shit”. Of course, as anyone who has seen Chewin Druids live will know, these guys have no reservations when it comes to expressing their hatred for emos and their floppy haired, trend following ilk. Gaz continues to express his view that the scene kids as a real problem in the metal world. “It’s a weird one. You get people like Sherry [manager of Pitiful Reign] who do shitloads to support the scene, and people like that who keep it alive…but we just can't seem to compete with all the scene kids who just like whatever is fashionable…you know, the bands they go watch have massive turnouts and it's sickening.”. So no plans to start playing like Trivium then? “Fuck no!”

From there, I continue to offer just how refreshing it is to see a young band out and about flyering their own gigs, printing their own posters and pushing their band on myspace and not relying on others to do all the work, as some bands are happier to do. Surely it is in the interest of any band to work to get as many people down to their gigs as they can? “You get back what you put in…there are bands who I’m sure don’t need to do loads of promoting…like Evile…but if you don’t make the effort then you can’t really complain if people don’t show up. D.I.Y. is the way to go!”

I wrap up the interview by asking Gaz their plans for the future, who tells me that after years of playing local gigs, they are hoping to expand and play further afield, and it sounds like this could happen in 2008. “We’re talking with a promoter who should hopefully be able to sort us out with some gigs, and if any bands out there want to do any gig swaps then we’ll be more than up for that, we've got a few lined up where people can jump on the bill”. Gaz concludes by telling me that although they currently have no demo as such, they are in the middle of recording one which should be ready for spring 2008. "It's gonna be good to get this out. Tom Fletcher from Wakefield Thrash outfit ASMODIA is recording us n his ideas n knowledge are fukin mad! Cannae wait like"

Check out Chewin Druidswww.myspace.com/piggypolices