What was the beginning point for your music career? How did it all start?
I used to play guitar in a band and when we separated, we had a gig booked. The promoter told me there was no way I was cancelling it. I quickly gathered another guitarist, a bass player and a drummer and we did that show under the name Kain. This is when I took on vocal duties. It went really well so I gathered a band and we called it Catfight. We released and EP and that is how it all started. We then changed the name to Gasoline Thrill.
Were there any bumps on the road? What kind of challenges did you have to deal with?
There were a few yes. Members not turning up to rehearsals, venues with no monitors, equipment failing, getting time off work for some members to tour.
What was the most fulfilling and satisfying moment so far?
Playing some great festivals such as Rebellion, the Rock and Bike festivals, The jazz Café with Sugar Coma, recording our album with Andy Brook, touring the UK and Europe and meeting some great fans and musicians on the way.
How would you describe the music that you typically create?
We go the way the song takes us. It is a very organic process. It comes out naturally to us. When I pick up a guitar, that is what comes out. We don’t try to write a certain type of music and all our songs are quite different from one another. It is all about feel, emotions. delivery and feeding off each other as we are a band, not a solo project.
What is your creative process like?
It has been a mixture in how we write, many songs have come from jamming together, forming a song then I write the lyrics after. Some have been put together by each of us at home, jammed and then lyrics added after. There’s no set way and everyone has been given freedom to come up with songs and ideas.
If you could change anything about the industry, what would it be?
I would change the way Spotify and other streaming sites work so that it is fairer for the bands who are not the likes of Taylor Swift etc. At the moment the redistribution of the money goes to the bigger artists. Bands should receive the money form the Spotify subscribers who listen to them. Who you listen to on Spotify should be getting your subscription fees. If I only listen to one band a month, they should get my £9.99 / month rather than go to the top tier artists i.e., Drake, Ed Sheeran who I don’t listen to. We made more money when we were selling CDs on tour then now. With bands like us not making much through these streaming sites due to their redistribution policy means that we can’t reinvest it. So we need work harder at work to save money to record songs professionally, and have less time playing and creating new material.
If you were asked to give a piece of advice to upcoming bands, what would that be?
Do it for fun and do it when you are young. Save some money and learn how to do everything yourself. Bande have to do a lot these days. Best to have IT, PR, Editing, recording and social media skills in the band and always have your plan B evolving on the side as well so that you don’t find yourself broke at an age where it would be a problem.
What has been the best performance of your career so far?
We gave a lot of amazing performances wherever we played. We always give it a 100 %. I enjoyed the bigger stages we did because that meant I could move /jump around more without hitting the other members’ guitars.
If you didn’t become a musician, what would you be doing now?
Well, I am also a teacher so I would probably be doing that .
What is new with the band at the moment? What are you currently working on and would like to share with the world?
Writing new material is the focus and maybe release a few more singles and an album. We are now thinking of booking shows across Europe and the UK in 2023. Thank you for the interview .
