BLACK TREE VULTURES – AN INTERVIEW
Whilst most bands have found lockdown to be a challenging time, not many have had to face replacing half their band members whilst still managing to release new material. Black Tree Vultures from England’s South Coast have done just that – welcoming a new frontman, Tom Jobling, into the fold as well as bassist, Jake Waters, to complete the quartet and catapult the band towards the next chapter of their story. I catch up with original band member, drummer Jonno Smyth, to discuss the future of BTV, whose heavy, anthemic sound has been described as “manly no-bullshit beef with a modern edge”
[Anne] You recently announced the arrival of Tom Jobling as your new frontman – how will Tom’s arrival influence Black Tree Vultures’ sound and direction?
[Jonno] Tom’s joining was a fantastic find for us, 100 percent. Tom works as a producer and has done so within the industry for 15 years now, and he is an experienced songwriter. Sharing our passion and influences is a big plus, so personally I think he will be very key to the sound and direction of the band moving forward. He is after all a different guy, so we are definitely going to sound different, but we are all excited about this and Tom has a very unique sound and style. In regard to direction of sound, well… you’ll just have to wait until the next release!
[Anne] Had the departure of your former vocalist (Celyn) and bassist (Ched) been on the cards for a while?
[Jonno] To be perfectly honest it was a shock to both myself and Hams (lead guitarist Aaron Hammersley), but I guess being in a pandemic and not being able to gig for a while or get together took its toll and people’s priorities changed. We completely understood their choice to depart and we bear no ill will or malice towards them.
[Anne] How’s your search for a new bassist going?
[Jonno] At the time of writing this we have just announced to the world our new Bass Man, Jake Waters. He’s been working relentlessly behind the scenes with us and we are thrilled to have him on board… check our socials for the full deets!
[Anne] You’ve just released your new EP, ‘III’ – what can you tell us about the four songs on it?
[Jonno] This was a record we were thrilled to be able to make. We recorded this in Los Rosales studios in Spain with a great friend of mine, Will Maya. Having been a fan of a fair few records he has made I was keen to see what he would do with our material and he did not disappoint! The songs were more of an evolution of the band’s sound over the years, consisting of songs that myself and Hammersley had been playing around with for years, along with new sounds and styles from the likes of Ched. There isn’t too much to say about them apart from give them a spin and you’ll get the vibe for them!
[Anne] Is there a debut album on the horizon?
[Jonno] I’m not going to say yes or no to that just yet. Having experienced a big lineup change we want to make sure we are writing music that is killer, not filler. But we can see one on the horizon for sure… just give us some time to make it the best it can be!
[Anne] As we come out of lockdown, what are your plans for the rest of the year?
[Jonno] We have a few shows that we will be playing this year, which gets our current lineup right into the mix of things, as well as writing a bunch of new music to allow the latest members to get across their musical voices – not to mention many interesting things that we have going on in the background… yes… that is vague…. you’ll just have to stay tuned for more!
[Anne] You’ve partnered up with The Forge Music Group – what is their vision for you going forwards, and what will ‘taking it to the next level’ mean for the band?
[Jonno] Working with Forge has been amazing, they really have been our key support network throughout this challenging period and (Forge founder) John is a fantastic guy who has a passion for music and a drive you don’t often see anymore. We won’t be able to give too much away now but it’s a vision of pushing limits and comfort zones to really drive something spectacular out of all of us. They really are enabling us to take our musical vision to the next level, and providing us with opportunities for the future!
[Anne] You’ve shown great resilience as a band amid uncertain and changing circumstances. What advice do you have on staying positive in the face of adversity?
[Jonno] You’re too kind! It’s a tough one – myself and Hammersley have always been very passionate about music and have turned to it in tough times in our lives so it was kind of a no-brainer to stick with it for us. If you’re passionate and believe in what you do, you will surprise yourself at what you’re capable of if you put your mind to it! Stick with it, things that are worth having often don’t come easily… so it’s about practice, perseverance and passion for us, but everyone has their own methods!
[Anne] If you could go on a world tour as support to any band, who would it be and why?
[Jonno] That’s a tough question, as I think each member would answer this one differently, but considering it’s me doing this one, I get to voice my fantasy! It’s got to be either Iron Maiden, Metallica or Shinedown… three bands I think we would fit in well with and are personal inspirations of mine. To be able to tour with any of those guys would be a dream come true!
[Anne] Where would you like to see BTV in five years time?
[Jonno] Ideally touring the world, culminating in a homecoming show at Twickenham stadium! We are hoping to be able to continue the success we have had and create new opportunities, meet new people and go to new places. If we could all retire from our day jobs and do music full time we would be happy! We’re just happy to be on this journey together, back on track with a brand new lineup and looking forward to crafting new memories with each other and gaining new fans and additions to the BTV Family!
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Anne Estella
Freelance Music Journalist & Presenter
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