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(((o))): So, first and foremost, who are Cut Yourself in Half and what are your musical backgrounds?
Cut Yourself in Half are a bunch of northern riff-centric dudes, our musical backgrounds differ in the sense that Me (Mikey) and Stefan played together in heavier bands while George has more of a blues background and Jonny used to drum in Freyed Knot which was a hip hop act. Quite a strange mix but that's part of t beauty of it.
(((o))): How did the band come together?
The band really started when George, Stefan and I started writing songs together at home and in the studio. It was really made a done deal when Jonny joined the band. He was the missing ingredient in the riffcipe.
(((o))): Please describe your sound in the form of either a haiku, a rhyming couplet or, if you are feeling massively ambitious, an acrostic...
We love the sound of really heavy riffs
We bang our heads till our necks are stiff
So raise your rock goblet to the skies...
...and Stamp your feet and slap your thighs. Yehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!
(Sorry guys but I went all Cowboys from Hell on you there)
(((o))): Has your local music scene had any impact on you as a band?
We love the majority of bands in the Leeds music scene at the moment. Hawk Eyes, Black Moth, That Fucking Tank, Mother Destroyer....the list goes on. The strength of the scene is amazing and we find it really inspiring to knw we are all pulling in the same direction.
(((o))): Your new record has just come out. Tell us a little bit about it...
It’s been a long time coming really. We enjoyed our time in the studio with Dave Sanderson who we consider to be one of the nicest guys we have ever met. The joy of actually completing the album was really something. We are all proud of it as a piece of work and are excited to get out there and really knock people’s socks off.
(((o))): What do you think is the most difficult challenge facing new bands starting out in the music industry today?
The most difficult thing for new bands starting out in today’s industry is getting noticed among all the other bands who maybe don’t take it seriously. The internet boom really gave everyone a chance to be heard and I guess in this modern age that can work for you but also against you. In my opinion we have grafted but have also been lucky to get to this position and have a label behind us. New Heavy Sounds really trust us and love the music
(((o))): Every band has different aims. What would have to happen for Cut Yourself in Half to make you feel that you’d “made it”, so to speak?
What other than a Ferrari and a plethora of groupies hanging on our every word?
Just kidding, in my opinion we really just want to enjoy ourselves and take it one step at a time. Anything that comes of it is a Brucey bonus
(((o))): My granddad, a keen gardener, is a big fan of cutting slugs in half as a useful means of stopping them eating his plants. What do you find useful to cut in half, yourselves aside?
Sandwiches, my Nan cut them into squares when I was young but I really thought that was overkill. Half is the way forward.
(((o))): We have another column called Echoes of the Past in which we get people to write about albums that have particularly influenced them. What would you guys choose to write about in that column?
This is a really difficult and open question. I love it. In my opinion we are influenced by many bands. Every Queens of the Stone Age album would be on the potential list. Their song writing talent is unsurpassed. Their quirkiness is also something we connect with for sure. Others I would say include Rage against the Machine's 'Evil Empire’, the first four Led Zeppelin records, 'Diamond Eyes' by Deftones and Korn's self-titled album. There are so many more that could go in here but you can definitely hear elements of these bands in what we do.
(((o))): This is ostensibly a column for introducing new bands. Any suggestions as to who we ought to include in the near future?
A band called Victoria who do an instrumental electronic rock act are quite cool and hail from Bradford. Also our brethren in Mother/Destroyer who are riff heavy punk metal. Such a mental front man as well.
(((o))): What are Cut Yourself in Half’s plans for the near future?
I would say our plans now are to play as many shows as humanly possible. It’s time to really kick it in the dick.
‘Mekkanizm’, the debut album by Cut Yourself in Half, is out now via New Heavy Sounds.
