Another extremely hard-working band, IWIB are pushing the boundaries for metal in the far West. Their aggressive thrash attack has won admirers every time they launch into their fiery molten metal. I was pleased to get three quarters of the band, Vinny (drums), Mikey (bass) and Stretch (vocals and guitar) able to answer a few questions.
Paul: Let’s start with the journey since you progressed from the Heat. How has it been?
Vinny: Been gigging and rehearsing solidly to make sure we are ready for the semis
Stretch: From the very beginning we set out to be the best we could be, and since Vinny’s arrival to the fold we are full steam ahead. Our previous drummer quit the day before we were confirmed for M2TM and we nearly didn’t make it. Vinny has come along, and we are doing what we always wanted, gigging every week, writing new stuff every week, and generally living our music. Getting past the heat was the confirmation to us all that we had landed on our feet.... time now to run!!
Paul: Getting through the heat was challenging enough. What were the emotions like after the band’s name was called out on stage?
Mikey: Confusion and a slight bit of disbelief, followed quickly by joy.
Stretch: More emotional than expected. We just took it on like any other gig but to hear our name called came as a bit of a shock!! I mean you want to progress, but to get ahead of so many cool acts to do it?? “We’re not worthy”
Vinny: we ‘kinda weren’t ready for it so when our name was called there was a deep sigh of relief and excitement to progress on in the competition.
Paul: Every band upped their game for the Semi-Final. How did you prepare for the show and what did you feel that you needed to do to get through?
Mikey: Practise and put in the time
Vinny: We rehearsed, rehearsed and rehearsed despite gigging every weekend and still doing day to day jobs. All we know to do is be ourselves and show that we enjoy what we do and that we are ready to progress in this industry.
Stretch: We didn’t really think about it. We treat each show as important as the one before or after. We give it our all. Only changes we made were to challenge ourselves to be better than the heat. Came off stage covered in sweat and hurting good. So, it was great!! Lol
Paul: You had a bit of time between the heat and the semi-final. What’s been happening to the band in between the two shows at Fuel?
Mikey: Gigs and practice
Stretch: Gigs every weekend followed by five hour practice every Sunday without fail. We’re going wherever there are gigs to play and coming from as far west as we do travel is a big part of it!! So long as we think it will benefit us in some way i.e. future invites or opening doors to other opportunities, distance is no obstacle. And it’s slowly paying off.
Paul: There have been hugely positive vibes about the South Wales scene at these shows. Did you feel that it’s a true reflection of how metal in South Wales is at present? Is the community there? Mikey-The scene in South East of Wales seems to be getting healthier and more people coming to shows than even two years ago, we're hoping that reaches out West soon.
Stretch: Personally, I have been involved in the scene on and off in one form or another for 20yrs. The scene goes quiet and then picks up. Right now, I feel it’s on the up. The community is there, maybe a little quiet at times but it’s there more than it has been for a while.
Vinny: I feel these shows have really brought out the best in underground metal. All the bands have seriously worked hard towards getting a spot at bloodstock. The crowd that has gathered at these shows are amazing and has shown the community that metal can never die.
Paul: One of the aims of the M2TM competition is to gain exposure and new fans for the competing bands. How has progressing benefited the band?
Mikey: Got a few more eyes and ears open in our direction.
Vinny: Well coming from the furthest away has made us slightly the underdogs of the competition, but once we got on that stage people started to listen and take note, which is why we do this.
Stretch: We have made many new friends in bands and fans alike. It’s been an excellent opportunity to sell our ‘brand' to a wider audience and the exposure helps us with the booking of other gigs.
Paul: So, 8th June sees a six-band final on what promises to be an astonishingly good evening. What’s the strategy to impress the Bloodstock judge who makes the decision on the night?
Mikey: We'll do what we always do, go up, play and perform our butts off, if the Judge likes it or not will really be down to him.
Stretch: I have no idea what makes us do what we do but when we hit the stage the connection between us is electric. So, we’re gonna do what we always do. Play like it’s our last ever show and we want it to be that one we tell our grandkids about.
Vinny: We are just gonna go there and do our thing and enjoy it. At the end of the day yes, it is his decision but, you can impress him as much as you want. In the end if you’re not what he's looking for then.
Paul: Rob Bannister or Simon Hall will be judging on the night [probably Rob] They can be notoriously hard to impress and guard that coveted spot zealously. With a full house guaranteed, how will you deal with the pressure?
Stretch: I personally feel that every gig is as important as the last. If you’re only pulling out all the stops cause someone important might be watching your in it for the wrong reason. We will do what we do. We will be the best at what we do because nobody else can be better at what we created. We will be what they are looking for or we won’t. But we will be going 100% with our shit ablaze or we wouldn’t be who we are.
Mikey: Not worry about it, it’s an awesome bill and a great gig to play, going to just enjoy it.
Vinny: We will go there to have fun and make sure the audience has fun listening to the best sound on the planet….... metal.
Paul: We’ve noted the immediate benefits, what about the post final plans? Where does the band go after the final?
Stretch: Before this we worked hard gigging and practicing and writing, during this we were working hard gigging and practicing and writing. Guess what we’re gonna do after!
Mikey: Fingers crossed the studio, get drummer Vinny on recordings so any new won fans can hear us how we are, not how we were.
Vinny: We just continue what we're doing, gigs, rehearsal, recording.... whatever happens we will never give up
Paul: And finally, you are now older and wiser about this competition. What advice would you give to the new intake of bands who will be thinking about taking a run at it in 2020?
Mikey: Don't aim for the moon and miss, work as a team together and bring the best out in each other and master your material.
Stretch: Don’t be a rock star. Don’t be in it to win it. Be in it to be the best you can be. We joined for the gigs ‘cause we knew they would be well supported and we could increase our fan base and gig network. We never joined to compete because we know that nobody can be better at what we created than us, as we cannot be better than others at what they have created. The job to decide who does their creation most credit us up to the judges. Whatever decision they make they are only human and hear their ‘best' bands and vote them. That’s their job. Yours is to be ‘your’ best and enjoy it. Take criticism on the chin. If feel it is valid, change something, if you don’t, don’t. It’s your creation; you know what it’s worth.
Vinny: Enjoy it; soak it all in as remember you will always be in the same boat, so just have a blast.... And practice as much as possible so you can put on an amazing show.
Many thanks to IWIB, a genuinely lovely bunch who would bleed metal if you cut them in half. Let’s hope nothing as messy does occur but with their bone crunching assault, don’t rule anything out.
Vinny: we ‘kinda weren’t ready for it so when our name was called there was a deep sigh of relief and excitement to progress on in the competition.
Paul: Every band upped their game for the Semi-Final. How did you prepare for the show and what did you feel that you needed to do to get through?
Mikey: Practise and put in the time
Vinny: We rehearsed, rehearsed and rehearsed despite gigging every weekend and still doing day to day jobs. All we know to do is be ourselves and show that we enjoy what we do and that we are ready to progress in this industry.
Stretch: We didn’t really think about it. We treat each show as important as the one before or after. We give it our all. Only changes we made were to challenge ourselves to be better than the heat. Came off stage covered in sweat and hurting good. So, it was great!! Lol
Paul: You had a bit of time between the heat and the semi-final. What’s been happening to the band in between the two shows at Fuel?
Mikey: Gigs and practice
Stretch: Gigs every weekend followed by five hour practice every Sunday without fail. We’re going wherever there are gigs to play and coming from as far west as we do travel is a big part of it!! So long as we think it will benefit us in some way i.e. future invites or opening doors to other opportunities, distance is no obstacle. And it’s slowly paying off.
Paul: There have been hugely positive vibes about the South Wales scene at these shows. Did you feel that it’s a true reflection of how metal in South Wales is at present? Is the community there? Mikey-The scene in South East of Wales seems to be getting healthier and more people coming to shows than even two years ago, we're hoping that reaches out West soon.
Stretch: Personally, I have been involved in the scene on and off in one form or another for 20yrs. The scene goes quiet and then picks up. Right now, I feel it’s on the up. The community is there, maybe a little quiet at times but it’s there more than it has been for a while.
Vinny: I feel these shows have really brought out the best in underground metal. All the bands have seriously worked hard towards getting a spot at bloodstock. The crowd that has gathered at these shows are amazing and has shown the community that metal can never die.
Paul: One of the aims of the M2TM competition is to gain exposure and new fans for the competing bands. How has progressing benefited the band?
Mikey: Got a few more eyes and ears open in our direction.
Vinny: Well coming from the furthest away has made us slightly the underdogs of the competition, but once we got on that stage people started to listen and take note, which is why we do this.
Stretch: We have made many new friends in bands and fans alike. It’s been an excellent opportunity to sell our ‘brand' to a wider audience and the exposure helps us with the booking of other gigs.
Paul: So, 8th June sees a six-band final on what promises to be an astonishingly good evening. What’s the strategy to impress the Bloodstock judge who makes the decision on the night?
Mikey: We'll do what we always do, go up, play and perform our butts off, if the Judge likes it or not will really be down to him.
Stretch: I have no idea what makes us do what we do but when we hit the stage the connection between us is electric. So, we’re gonna do what we always do. Play like it’s our last ever show and we want it to be that one we tell our grandkids about.
Vinny: We are just gonna go there and do our thing and enjoy it. At the end of the day yes, it is his decision but, you can impress him as much as you want. In the end if you’re not what he's looking for then.
Paul: Rob Bannister or Simon Hall will be judging on the night [probably Rob] They can be notoriously hard to impress and guard that coveted spot zealously. With a full house guaranteed, how will you deal with the pressure?
Stretch: I personally feel that every gig is as important as the last. If you’re only pulling out all the stops cause someone important might be watching your in it for the wrong reason. We will do what we do. We will be the best at what we do because nobody else can be better at what we created. We will be what they are looking for or we won’t. But we will be going 100% with our shit ablaze or we wouldn’t be who we are.
Mikey: Not worry about it, it’s an awesome bill and a great gig to play, going to just enjoy it.
Vinny: We will go there to have fun and make sure the audience has fun listening to the best sound on the planet….... metal.
Paul: We’ve noted the immediate benefits, what about the post final plans? Where does the band go after the final?
Stretch: Before this we worked hard gigging and practicing and writing, during this we were working hard gigging and practicing and writing. Guess what we’re gonna do after!
Mikey: Fingers crossed the studio, get drummer Vinny on recordings so any new won fans can hear us how we are, not how we were.
Vinny: We just continue what we're doing, gigs, rehearsal, recording.... whatever happens we will never give up
Paul: And finally, you are now older and wiser about this competition. What advice would you give to the new intake of bands who will be thinking about taking a run at it in 2020?
Mikey: Don't aim for the moon and miss, work as a team together and bring the best out in each other and master your material.
Stretch: Don’t be a rock star. Don’t be in it to win it. Be in it to be the best you can be. We joined for the gigs ‘cause we knew they would be well supported and we could increase our fan base and gig network. We never joined to compete because we know that nobody can be better at what we created than us, as we cannot be better than others at what they have created. The job to decide who does their creation most credit us up to the judges. Whatever decision they make they are only human and hear their ‘best' bands and vote them. That’s their job. Yours is to be ‘your’ best and enjoy it. Take criticism on the chin. If feel it is valid, change something, if you don’t, don’t. It’s your creation; you know what it’s worth.
Vinny: Enjoy it; soak it all in as remember you will always be in the same boat, so just have a blast.... And practice as much as possible so you can put on an amazing show.
Many thanks to IWIB, a genuinely lovely bunch who would bleed metal if you cut them in half. Let’s hope nothing as messy does occur but with their bone crunching assault, don’t rule anything out.
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