For a place so remote and relatively small in size, Perth in Western Australia manages to put out some fine Hard Rock, the latest band to catch The Rockpit’s attention is ‘In the Now’. They launch their album locally on August 13th at The Boston in Northbridge – so let’s get out there and support the local live music scene! We caught up with singer Kris to talk all about ‘Daggers and Dice’…
THE ROCKPIT: Thank you for taking the time to talk to the Rockpit. For those who aren’t familiar with IN THE NOW can you recap how it all started and how you got to where you are today?
KRIS: First of all thanks to the Rockpit for the interview. Our lead guitarist Dylan and myself were in a couple of metal bands in the 90s and that was good at the time as we got to tour a bit and play some great shows with some International touring and Eastern states bands. I left that band in 2003 and didn’t really do a lot for the next 8 or 9 years. I did a couple of singing stints for short periods but nothing serious. Dylan contacted me about 2011 and asked if I would be keen to sing and write again for a project. I had a listen to his ideas and it was cool stuff, heavy Oz Rock style so slowly but surely with our mate Brownie on Bass we started to put some ideas together. When we were ready to jam they asked their mate Russell and we had some jams. Russell couldn’t commit at the time as he was in another band so we got another drummer and Rhythm guitarist on board. We played some local shows to a great response and then we parted ways with our drummer and Rhythm guitarist. After this Russell was ready to play for us so we got him on board. We had a couple of different Rhythm guitarists on board for a while. After a while Dylan contacted his old friend Ritchie and he’s been with us for a while now. For the past couple of years we have not played a lot due to members other commitments but in this time have played some cool gigs to great responses. So now we are ready to play some shows and get this album out there for people to hear.
THE ROCKPIT: How would you describe your sound?
Kris: I would describe our sound as heavy Oz Rock done our own way. The three main influences I think that can be heard through our sound would be AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and Guns ‘n’ Roses. We are not trying to break musical ground, we just write and play honest heavy Rock. We view ourselves just as Rockers having a good time writing and playing music.
THE ROCKPIT: Is there a story behind the band name?
Kris: Actually in mine and Dylans old metal band (many years ago) we had a song called “Live in the now”. When we started this band he suggested The Now but there was already a band called that so IN THE NOW just stuck. The name also does have a meaning for us in the vein of live for today and live in the now and so on, so yeah it also has that undertone meaning as well which works good.
THE ROCKPIT: You launch your album DAGGERS AND DICE on Saturday August 13th tell us all about the launch and the album?
Kris: Well actually it’s come about as great excuse to get back out there on the stage and finally give our friends and supporters the album on CD. Everyone in the band has had a lot going on in their other lives this year so it’s great now to reconnect with each other and finally get the album out there. We will be launching the album on Saturday August 13 at The Boston in Northbridge from 8.00pm. Joining us will be Jupiter Zeus, Bayou and Why Wednesday. Actually all of these bands joining us have some sort of connection and band members who we have known (and/or played with at some point) for around 20 years or so. It’s a real Perth retro get together of sorts actually with members from previous bands such as Nebula, Moth, Caddis, Baby Jane, K.I.N, Vanadium, Riff Raff etc just to name a few so it’s going to be a great night of West Australian music.
Kris: The album Daggers and Dice for us is a great first album. It has all the feel that we were feeling at the time when we wrote and recorded the album. The songs work really well with each other and blend as a whole to create the whole story when you listen to it. We captured a lot of different Rock styles on the album and every song has a different feel but still has our own sound to it, so no track stands alone as an orphan so to speak, and every track takes it’s own personality, but works with the next track. The album works really well when played from start to finish (to get the vibe of the whole thing).
THE ROCKPIT: How did the album come together? Was it a long time in the making or are all the songs pretty new?
Kris: Actually we recorded the album a couple of years ago. We recorded it at Sattelite Studios and it came out great. We released it on iTunes and CD Baby online but we never officially launched or released it here. Now we decided to print some CD’s and actually get it out there and get us out there again to play and promote it. The songs are the first songs In The Now wrote together. They all blend and work together well as one story into another to create the theme of Daggers and Dice.
THE ROCKPIT: We’re great supporters of local live music, what’s the best thing about the Aussie Rock scene at the moment and the best reason to catch one of your shows?
Kris: I think the best thing about the Aussie Rock scene is the resurgence of that classic heavy and hard rock styles. It’s great to keep that classic style alive and well and good see lot’s of bands giving it their own spin. The best reason to catch one of our shows is that we don’t when the next one is! Now, we will actually try and play more regularly after of our launch. Our show is just a straight up honest Rock show so we hope everyone reading this can come to the launch.
THE ROCKPIT: What did you set out to achieve with the album, were there any themes you wanted to explore?
Kris: Well the theme of the album is Daggers and Dice and it tells the stories through the songs. Every song is like a chapter of the book and continues song to song until the end. There are also a lot of “Rock n Roll” references as well incorporated through the songs. It’s also about getting out there again and when all else fails the only thing that will be by your side is the music.
THE ROCKPIT: What are your plans for the rest of 2016 and beyond?
Kris: 2016 we would like more people to hear the album. We would like to play more shows and maybe even play some different places in the state. We will just take it as it comes..
THE ROCKPIT: What have been your greatest challenges to date, and your favourite moments musically?
Kris: Probably the greatest challenge has been the venues. One closes, another opens, some venue agents don’t return calls or emails, the usual crap really. I think the favourite moments musically is just being out there playing and catching up with old friends as well who are still playing. It’s also good seeing a new band who grabs your attention. I think to have this album out there with our songs for people to listen to is a favourite musical moment as well.
THE ROCKPIT: With technology changing so much over the last few years and seemingly not slowing, and TV force-feeding us the lowest common denominator, what hope is there for rock music?
Kris: Rock music will always be there and the music will be passed down from generation to generation. With time formats will change how we watch or listen to it but I think the Rockers from 1 generation to the next are so passionate about the music that there is hope it will carry on forever.
THE ROCKPIT: Thinking back to your early memories of music, what was it that firs made you decide you needed to be in a Rock and Roll band?
Kris: I think the first memory was when I got my first record which was Kiss “Unmasked” when I was about 7. I grew up introduced to bands like Kiss, Queen, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Iron Maiden etc through my Father so I was lucky in that way. I think I was 19 when I played my first gig in my first band back in the 90s at The Vegas Hotel in North Perth. I loved Rock and Metal from an early age and still do.
THE ROCKPIT: From what you’ve learned so far what is the most valuable advice you’ve been given so far as a musician?
Kris: Don’t expect to make a living off playing original music straight away, if ever. Do it for the passion and dedication and the satisfaction knowing that you wrote that song and you created your own little piece of musical history that will last forever and can be discovered again later down the generations.
THE ROCKPIT: Can music change the world?
Kris: I think it can change peoples own personal worlds that they create, so I suppose the answer to that question is yes.
THE ROCKPIT: If you could have been a ‘Fly on the wall’ for the creation of any great album from any period, just to see how the magic happened and it all came together, what would it have been for you any why?
Kris: I think it would have to be Guns ‘n’ Roses doing Appetite For Destruction. What an iconic album and a band that was so on fire at the time.
THE ROCKPIT: What is the meaning of life?
Kris: For me it’s Family, music and discovering new places when I’m travelling…
