Metal 2 The Masses Interview: Them Bloody Kids

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Nothing brings the metal community together more than celebrating the next wave of bands, and Bloodstocks Metal 2 The Masses is a shining example of this. Each heat has attracted a crowd larger than the last so with the London’s first Semi Final right around the corner I caught up with Them Bloody Kids to talk about the competition and much more!

You’ve made it to the Semi Final of the Metal 2 The Masses competition for London! How does that feel?

It feels awesome that we’ve made it to this stage. Last year we reached the semi-finals too, so now we have that extra drive to improve on last year and make progress. We’ve got two new members in the band who are also new to the metal scene as a whole, so it’s been quite a baptism of fire for them!

What was the road to this point like for you guys?

It’s been a long one, with many interesting twists and turns over the years TBK has existed. Our drummer Kell had just joined for our qualifying heat in November, and it was his first show after meeting us barely 3 weeks beforehand! Then as if we hadn’t learned our lesson from that chaos, we added Robyn (our new bassist) to the group and Antonio (our old bassist) switched to rhythm guitar right before our quarter-final show. Now we’ve had some stability in our line-up for a while, so we’re feeling good about the semi-finals!

This competition has been known for giving smaller and independent bands an amazing opportunity to play Bloodstock’s New Blood stage. How important do you feel it is for these larger festivals to give smaller bands a shot?

It’s crucial. It feels like there’s quite limited access for many bands into bigger shows, and they’re important for the exposure needed to grow as a band. The guys at Bloodstock are doing something amazing with their M2TM scheme, and it’s very much appreciated.

Does your perpetration change at all playing in a competition-styled environment as opposed to your standard live show?

We try to play with the goals of having fun and putting on a great show, no matter what the gig is… But we’d be lying if we said the competition environment didn’t add some pressure. We’ve been rehearsing a lot and focusing on streamlining the set, upping our professionalism and crowd interaction to be worthy of Bloodstock!

How would you guys describe your experience playing in the heart of Camden Town?

We love Camden. We all went to ICMP in Kilburn which is just down the road, so this is like our backyard! The band has played countless shows here, so it really does feel like home for us as a group.

How has it been playing with bands you are also competing against? Did this stipulation bring any extra pressure or tension?

No tension at all honestly. Everybody wants to win, but at the end of the day we’re all people in similar positions. We have more in common with them than most people – they’re commiting their life to music and so are we. There’s a mutual respect there and if anything the competitive aspect just pushes everyone to be the best they can be.

You guys are apart of The London Metal Coalition! Tell me a little more about how this collection of bands works.

We had the pleasure of being asked to join the LMC a few months ago and were thrilled! It’s exactly what the metal scene needed in London. It’s a support network for bands, everyone willing to help each other out however they can. It’s infinitely useful to have 30-40 bands pool all of their talents and contacts for all to benefit from. People are willing to do whatever they can – be it video editing, marketing, kit hire, trying out new gear, offering show opportunities, or something else. Though our favourite part of it has been the community aspect. Turning up to a show and seeing all of these newfound friends out at gigs supporting the scene is brilliant.

Earlier this year you guys expanded you band family to a four piece! What led to that decision and how has it effected the bands direction?

It has been a pleasure, it’s really given the band the push it needed. We’ve recruited some seriously talented and dedicated musicians to take TBK to the next level. It’s given us a lot more musical freedom and massively expanded the possibilities for us. Lots of good stuff to come from this lineup, we assure you!

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to take this interview! Is there anything upcoming that you’d like to promote?

Aside from the SF this Sunday we have a headline show in Rotherham at the Bridge Inn/The Hive on Friday the 19th of May. If any of you northern rascals out there fancy joining us for a night of debauchery, it’s free entry so we’ll see you there! We also have an EP coming out soon. It’s a little different from past material – more on the sensitive side, about topics that are close to us. Shoutout to Justin Hill of SikTh who recorded and produced them – that guy is insanely talented!