These Four Walls
These Four Walls are an amazing New Zealand rock band who I discovered on the latest Kiwi Hit Disc with the song Passenger which blew me away. I knew I had to interview these guys to find out more. So I talk to Gray from the band. So read on then check out their killer tunes.
1. How did the band form?
The
band as we know it today has been around since 2007, there have been
previous incarnations dating back to 2004 when Steve answered an ad I
put on a musicians forum. From there he and I started writing
consistently while trying to piece together best band that we
could.
band as we know it today has been around since 2007, there have been
previous incarnations dating back to 2004 when Steve answered an ad I
put on a musicians forum. From there he and I started writing
consistently while trying to piece together best band that we
could.
2. How did it feel to get on the latest Kiwi Hit Disc?
It’s
always a great foot in the door to get on a Hit Disc, it puts our song
in front of every major media outlet in NZ so when we start going to
radio stations to plug the single, they’re already aware of it and
they’ve already had a good listen to it. It also causes a few nice
surprises too, like having the track played on things like Sky Sports
highlight reels!
always a great foot in the door to get on a Hit Disc, it puts our song
in front of every major media outlet in NZ so when we start going to
radio stations to plug the single, they’re already aware of it and
they’ve already had a good listen to it. It also causes a few nice
surprises too, like having the track played on things like Sky Sports
highlight reels!
3. Were you happy with the responses you got your previous album Down Falls An Empire?
We
were more than happy with the response it received when it came and
continues to receive now. The reviews have all been overwhelming
positive and even today, people are still picking it and are really
digging it. It’s been amazing over the last year
as we’ve been touring and kind of winding down the “Empire” era, people
are still discovering it and coming to shows with all the lyrics learnt
and practiced!
were more than happy with the response it received when it came and
continues to receive now. The reviews have all been overwhelming
positive and even today, people are still picking it and are really
digging it. It’s been amazing over the last year
as we’ve been touring and kind of winding down the “Empire” era, people
are still discovering it and coming to shows with all the lyrics learnt
and practiced!
4. What was the inspiration for the song Passenger?
It
came from seeing people treated like passing phases, by friends,
family, lovers – basically people who didn’t deserve everything they got
from the people they treating like crap – so instead of writing a sad
woe is me track (been there, done that) I decided it was time to give
them the middle finger instead and say “screw you”
came from seeing people treated like passing phases, by friends,
family, lovers – basically people who didn’t deserve everything they got
from the people they treating like crap – so instead of writing a sad
woe is me track (been there, done that) I decided it was time to give
them the middle finger instead and say “screw you”
5. What inspires the band when writing music?
Anything
that we’re listening to really. We’ve never been the band to sit down
and say “ok, we need a ballad” or “it’s time to write a heavy song”
Everything
we hear triggers something creative in us, we reinterpret it so make it
unique and new and most of all, us – then songs just come from there.
It’s becoming a more organic process as we get more and more used to
writing with each other. With this record especially, it’s been a lot
more collaborative, with “Empire” it was mostly myself writing the
music, Steve and I writing lyrics, then the guys pitching in with parts
here and there, but nothing to the extent of whole songs from start to
finish, which is happening now.
that we’re listening to really. We’ve never been the band to sit down
and say “ok, we need a ballad” or “it’s time to write a heavy song”
Everything
we hear triggers something creative in us, we reinterpret it so make it
unique and new and most of all, us – then songs just come from there.
It’s becoming a more organic process as we get more and more used to
writing with each other. With this record especially, it’s been a lot
more collaborative, with “Empire” it was mostly myself writing the
music, Steve and I writing lyrics, then the guys pitching in with parts
here and there, but nothing to the extent of whole songs from start to
finish, which is happening now.
6. What what will the upcoming album be about?
With
all of music it’s a combination of personal growth and experience mixed
with discontent, frustration and general feelings on what’s going on in
the world at any one time. We’ve covered everything from loose women to
the floods in Brisbane, the quakes in Christchurch to long lost
friends. It’s a great photograph of exactly what has been going on in
both our worlds and the world around us over the last few years.
all of music it’s a combination of personal growth and experience mixed
with discontent, frustration and general feelings on what’s going on in
the world at any one time. We’ve covered everything from loose women to
the floods in Brisbane, the quakes in Christchurch to long lost
friends. It’s a great photograph of exactly what has been going on in
both our worlds and the world around us over the last few years.
7. How has social networking help the band?
Social
Media is the only way bands can mass communicate. The benchmark has
been set by so many international bands, that the status quo is to now
keep a really intimate relationship with your fans via networking,
whether it’s constant tweets, Facebook competitions or whatever, using
these tools to be in almost constant communication with our fans has
really helped us garner a strong following and most of all, keep it.
Media is the only way bands can mass communicate. The benchmark has
been set by so many international bands, that the status quo is to now
keep a really intimate relationship with your fans via networking,
whether it’s constant tweets, Facebook competitions or whatever, using
these tools to be in almost constant communication with our fans has
really helped us garner a strong following and most of all, keep it.
8. What is the scene like where you guys are from?
Depending
on what city we’re in, New Zealand always goes through ups and downs
when it comes to rock
music. Dub, Roots, Reggae and dance music will always hold dominion,
but as more and more rock bands are upping their game, the scene is
slowly shifting back to the “live concert” scene for us.
on what city we’re in, New Zealand always goes through ups and downs
when it comes to rock
music. Dub, Roots, Reggae and dance music will always hold dominion,
but as more and more rock bands are upping their game, the scene is
slowly shifting back to the “live concert” scene for us.
9. What has been your favorite show to date so far?
For
shear “that was awesome” factor, the Wellington show at TSB Arena on
the Disturbed “Music as a Weapon” tour was pretty epic – the crowd were
so loud and responsive and it was amazing having Matt and Corey from
Trivium and John from Disturbed standing on my side of the stage really
enjoying the show. For our headlining shows, we played Christchurch in
April (it was our first headliner down there since the fatal earthquake
of 2011) and they are really trying to rebuild their night culture again
so we went down really unsure of what to expect and we completely
jammed the place full of the loudest crowd
we’ve ever pulled – it was truly awesome.
shear “that was awesome” factor, the Wellington show at TSB Arena on
the Disturbed “Music as a Weapon” tour was pretty epic – the crowd were
so loud and responsive and it was amazing having Matt and Corey from
Trivium and John from Disturbed standing on my side of the stage really
enjoying the show. For our headlining shows, we played Christchurch in
April (it was our first headliner down there since the fatal earthquake
of 2011) and they are really trying to rebuild their night culture again
so we went down really unsure of what to expect and we completely
jammed the place full of the loudest crowd
we’ve ever pulled – it was truly awesome.
10. If you could have anybody in a video clip who would it be?
If we could have Karl Pilkington doing… well, anything… that would surely make for the best music video of all time…
11. Who would you most like to play a show with?
That’s
impossible to answer – the list is too long! It’s be awesome to be on a
Metallica bill, Bands like Sevendust, Three Days Grace, Shinedown,
Alterbridge – my favourite hard rock bands. Having played in NZ with
both The Butterfly Effect and Karnivool, it’d be amazing to throw them
on a bill together, get Dead Letter Circus on there (because they’d
obviously need to be) and we can open – because that’s how we roll!
impossible to answer – the list is too long! It’s be awesome to be on a
Metallica bill, Bands like Sevendust, Three Days Grace, Shinedown,
Alterbridge – my favourite hard rock bands. Having played in NZ with
both The Butterfly Effect and Karnivool, it’d be amazing to throw them
on a bill together, get Dead Letter Circus on there (because they’d
obviously need to be) and we can open – because that’s how we roll!
