Devilskin, New Zealand’s finest Metal band are ten years old this year and to celebrate they release their best album yet. We may be locked down but it’s impossible to not feel the urge to bang that head when you hear ‘Red’…
The Rockpit caught up with Jennie to find out all about it.
Jennie: Good morning Mark how are you?
Mark: I’m good here on the Western side of Australia, how are you over the other side of the ditch?
Jennie: (laughs) Alright, we’re getting ready for ‘lock down’
Mark: It’s certainly strange times to do an interview and things are really starting to change over here as well. But let’s ignore all of that for as long as we can?
Jennie: (laughs)
Mark: Devilskin is ten years old this year!
Jennie: Yeah, It doesn’t seem like it, but ten years of playing shows this year, it’s been pretty crazy. But it’s great to make that milestone.
Mark: And not only that a great new album out next week in ‘Red’ I was looking forward to seeing that live soon, but let’s hope you get to bring it this way at some point in the future and play it for us. I have a lot of friends in the UK who were looking forward to seeing that tour and now of course all the plans are out of the window.
Jennie: (laughs) It’s definitely not something that you can plan for and we’ve been looking at the situation as it has been getting worse and worse and obviously when we were told the borders were closing we had to put off the trip over but I think a lot of people understand and there’s no work in live music going on right now. Everyone just has to be concerned about their safety and the safety of others.
Mark: So let’s get into the album. I absolutely love that opening track ‘Do You See Birds’ and it sort of seems a fitting title at the moment in a lot of ways. It’s an interesting title first of all, where did that idea come from?
Jennie: The song lyrically was written by Paul and it’s about the idea of being locked away – someone looking out of a prison, or a window, I guess how it’s gonna be for us all over the next few weeks (laughs)
Mark: (laughs)
Jennie: It’s all about looking out and seeing the world outside and the birds out there and just wanting to get out and escape and be like a bird I guess.
Mark: You’re right it is pretty fitting for the situation we all find ourselves in at the moment. Over here we went through the ‘toilet paper wars’ and then the pasta started disappearing along with the rice and then the canned food. Is it pretty much like that in New Zealand?
Jennie: Yeah, it was OK for about a week and a bit but just now it’s getting a bit crazy. Toilet paper here hasn’t been too bad, but it’s the same with pasta and rice and flour, I Can’t find flour anywhere! And as of midnight we’re on lock down so we’re not allowed to leave the house unless you’re going to get food. It’s just so weird, everything’s closed, McDonald’s is closed so I can’t go out and get coffee (laughs), so it’s going to be odd.
Mark: It’s crazy, I guess we have that to look out for in the coming weeks. I did want to ask a few questions about how a situation like this does affect the band though, obviously the postponement of the live dates leaves a huge hole and the lock down limits you in other ways. First of all what’s the best thing that fans of Devilskin can do for you guys at this point in time?
Jennie: I guess just support us and keep in touch. We have this album coming out and unfortunately all the gigs and the meet and greets and the other stuff that we were going to do with it we can’t do now. So we’re looking at some acoustic stuff, some online stuff but we’re working on that. But beyond buying the album and listening to the album on Spotify, maybe pre-order the album because we’re got some nice vinyl as well! And a box set. Other than that hopefully fans will come out and support us when things get back to normal.
Mark: And I guess the next question is a bit unfair but do you think it’s going to be a productive time for musicians? Are you going to be spending time writing? Or do you think it’s going to be a time for us all to get back to the real basics and look after each other and our families? It’s hard to know isn’t in in these uncharted waters?
Jennie: It is hard at the minute to even think a few weeks forward with things happening so fast, but we will certainly have the time to write music at home. Nic and Paul can write together because Nic moved back home with his Dad, so they will be coming up with stuff. So that’s half of the band out there together (laughs) and I will do something, I’m pretty busy working and I have my three year-old here keeping me busy too (laughs)
Mark: So how does the process work for a band like Devilskin, how did ‘Red’ come together? – do you all bring your ideas and work through them as a band?
Jennie: Yeah, I guess for us sometimes it’s a bit of a mix. Nic might come with something or Paul might have an idea in mind, it’s not always the same. One of the songs on the album ‘Bright Lights’ that was Nic’s song, apart from the lyrics, he played guitar, bass and drums and presented the song to us, so the boys played that song on the album but the first time we heard it, it was him playing it all, it was great (laughs).
Mark: It’s wonderful how it all comes together and one of the things I like most about ‘Red’ is that you’re given plenty of space on there.
Jennie: Thank you.
Mark: There’s plenty of variety on there and plenty of light and shade too and you absolutely rip it up throughout the album, (laughs) do you feel you’ve hit your peak yet?
Jennie: Ummm… no (laughs) nowhere near it! (laughs)
Mark: (laughs) what’s your favourite on there? I couldn’t possibly name mine but the last song I played before we spoke was ‘Blood Bone’ – that’s a great song.
Jennie: Oh yep, that’s an older song actually we had that song a few years ago and with some songs you feel they either need a bit more or don’t fit or just don’t make the cut at the time but we made sure that made the cut for this one. ‘All Fall Down’ was another one we had a while that we looked at again and got together and modified it. I put new lyric to it and it just worked, but the first time we looked at it, it didn’t really work. Sometimes you’ve just got to take a break from the song and come back to it and have another look at it.
Mark: And ‘Sweet Release’ sees you sounding very soulful, that was great to hear.
Jennie: Yeah, that’s actually one of my favourites. ‘Sweet Release’, ‘Bright Lights’, ‘Eyes Red Heavy’ are my three favourites on the album. Oh and I really love singing ‘Corrode’ that’s a really great song to sing (laughs).
Mark: And the closer ‘Everybody’s High But Me’ is a nice fun sort of punky, groovy way to close the album.
Jennie: Cool, I love the way the album turned out, we’re very happy with it.
Mark: Well I for one can’t wait till that day when all of this blows over, when we’re out of isolation and ready to rock again. Let’s hope that everyone first of all goes out and buys the album and when we get out again we all stream back into the concert halls to see some Devilskin.
Jennie: I’m sure we’ll be ready with not performing for a while (laughs)
Mark: There’s just one final question that seems rather fitting in these circumstances, it’s really easy though “What is the meaning of life?”
Jennie: (laughs) I have to say 42 (laughs)
Mark: You’ve gone for my answer there! (laughs)
Jennie: (laughing) Yeah, 42! It is a good answer actually, hmmm, the meaning of life… I guess it’s to live day by day and to try to fill your life up with happiness when you can, get rid of negativity. It might be a bit simple for some, but that’s the meaning of my life (laughs)
Mark: That’s a great answer and it’s been wonderful to speak with you today under such interesting circumstances. We love the album and we hope everyone goes out and grabs it when it hits. Thank you so much Jennie.
Jennie: Thanks Mark, (laughs) see you some time!
Mark: See you on the other side! Take care!
Jennie: (laughs) you too!
