Scottish based Indie Synth Maestros are slowly creeping into everyones ears. Heard them? Like it? Wish you knew more about them? Well why not read on and find out what frontman Stoke had to say when Altsounds spoke to him.
ALTSOUNDS - First of all, have you ever been in a drive-by argument? Can you tell us what it is?
Funnily enough, no... A drive-by argument is when you shout out of a moving car at someone without them having a chance of shouting back. I'm usually driving so I don't get involved, but one of us (not naming any names) likes to do metal screams at people from the passenger seat.
ALT - Lots of bands mix synths with guitar-driven rock nowadays, what sets you apart?
I think a lot of bands put synths into their songs because it's easy to throw synths on the top of a rock song and say you're doing something 'electro' or whatever. We've used synths from the very start of this band, about 4 years ago, for no other reason than I played keys, and we thought it would sound interesting. There definitely wasn't an electro scene going at the time and I hope you can tell that in our music. I think we use synths a lot more intrinsically than most bands, they're not just there for the sake of it.
ALT - When you started making music did you have a clear idea of how you wanted to sound or did it just sort of happen?
It definitely just happened, we didn't know what kind of music we wanted to make, in fact when we started, me, Ryan, Stu and Colin all wanted to play guitar. Luckily Ryan volunteered to play bass, and I said that I could sing and play the keys. We really just started to play and it all came together.
ALT - Did you see yourself getting to the point where you are now with a record deal and a full length under your belt?
You never expect any of that when you start a band. You just do it in the hope that you'll enjoy yourself and other people will have a good time, and like your songs. Things started really quickly for us and we were signed to our first indie deal within the first year of getting together. I think we always wanted to do an album at some point, but we never really thought much further than that in the beginning... we still haven't.
ALT - Instant success or reaching the top after years of struggle and gradually building a fan base?
Definitely years of struggle. We've been gigging for almost 4 years and it has been tough at times, but we've got an awesome fanbase and I wouldn't trade it for anything. That's the problem with instant success, you never know whether your fans are going to stick by you in the long run, were as our fans have stuck with us since we've been playing to empty rooms and giving out free burned CD's. The majority of bands that I really like have been through those tough times, and it's nice to be into a band from the beginning and see them progress. I think it also makes you much more appreciative when you do get recognition.
ALT - Do you think people really get what you're doing and react to it?
Absolutely. We've been really lucky in that right from the off people have seemed to totally get into what we're doing and get on board. We've always had great reactions from people who hear the music and come to the shows. Apart from when we played Edinburgh and some guys started fighting, but I don't think that was to do with us... And one guy once told me "you were good, but you'll never beat the Zepp".
ALT - As a front man do you ever feel that the emphasis of the band is on you?
Sure, but I guess that's natural. People connect with lyrics more than anything else, so I guess I'm just the conduit to the band. People also seem to assume that I write all the music, but actually we write most stuff as a collective, but the guys don't seem to mind, and i like to take credit for things.
ALT - Your recordings portray an energetic band, do you go all out when you play live?
Yeah definitely, we pride ourselves on being a live band, and its difficult to get that across on recordings without sounding a mess. We like to have a good time, and if you're enthusiastic on stage, people are much more likely to appreciate the band off stage. It's just the way we were made, we like to dance.
ALT - Do you go for the spectacle or is it just an added bonus on top of a flawless performance?
Some bands can take the 'energetic stage performance' way too far, I've been at a couple of gigs where the band are so busy trying to rock out that they're playing like shit. I like to think that we manage to sound good at the same time as enjoying ourselves, but I'm sure there are probably a couple of bum notes that wouldn't be there if we stood still and concentrated on what we were doing... But who wants to see that?
ALT - Who's the best band you've ever toured with?
We haven't actually done a full tour with that many bands, we always seem to go out on our own and see how we go, but we've played some great shows with Panic at the Disco, We are Scientists and The Kooks.
ALT - What's the funniest or strangest thing that's ever happened to you or any of your fellow band mates on tour?
There are too many to think of; we got flashed by a guy through our hotel room window, thrown out of a bus drivers annual party, attempted to stage invade the Kaiser Chiefs, our van tyre exploded and we went off road on the way to Inverness, had a monitor spontaneously combust, been jumped in King's Cross station, and our tour manager has streaked too many times to mention.
Stoke x
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Drive By Argument - Self Titled
| Reviews 
Interview With Drive By Argument Frontman Stoke
