(((O))) Interview: Giant Walker

Newcastle heavy progressive rockers Giant Walker have just released their second album Silhouettes and it sees the bands stirring soundscapes reaching even greater heights this time around. Gavin Brown caught up with the band, vocalist Steff, guitarist Jamie, bassist Jordan in and drummer Alex, while on their latest tour to talk about Silhouettes and how the year has gone for Giant Walker.

E&D: You are currently on tour in the UK at the moment, how is the tour going and what have been some of the highlights?    

Alex: The tour has been great! We’ve been able to play a few different areas on this run that we haven’t come to on previous tours and the turnout has still been super consistent which is nice. We always enjoy playing back home and having friends and family in the crowd, so I’d say the Newcastle show was a good highlight!

E&D: Have you been pleased with the reaction to your new album Silhouettes?

Steff: The reaction to the album has been amazing!! It can be kind of weird to lock yourself away and write and record a load of songs because sometimes you get so caught up in the process that by the end it feels strange that no one else has really heard them. When we were recording, we felt it was the best thing we’d ever done – I’m glad that’s been matched by the reviews we’ve had, too.

E&D: How did the recording and creation of the album go?

Steff: The recording process was actually really enjoyable. We spent 7 days at The Arch Studio in Southport with Chris Coulter – an awesome studio and great company! Whilst it was a short time to record all 9 tracks, it meant we spent the whole time there living and breathing the album. Because of the short turnaround, you physically don’t have time to get caught up second-guessing yourself – so what happens first goes!

E&D: Did you feel any pressure in following up your debut album All In Good Time?

Steff: I suppose in some ways, as our debut album reached the most amount of people that we ever had before… but our goal is always to write music that we personally love and so as soon as we started writing I think that dissipated, to be honest.

E&D: How have the songs from the new album been going down live?

Alex: It’s been really interesting seeing people’s reactions to the newer stuff. It seems like people are really enjoying hearing the new tracks and, for us, it’s always exciting and challenging to have new songs in the set and to see how they translate live.  

E&D: What are the biggest influences on the sound of Silhouettes and Giant Walker in general?

Alex: I feel like our sound is simply just a blend of all of our favourite bands and Silhouettes is no different really. Bands like Karnivool, Soundgarden, Deftones and Black Peaks have been a big inspiration for us along the way from a rock/metal perspective, but we also reference a lot of other artists in different genres as well when it comes to songwriting. Sonically, I think we want to sound as real as possible and to give the listener a similar experience to seeing us live.

E&D: You have stated that your music “tips a hat to the music that gets you through hard times”. What albums have gotten you through some hard times in the past?

Jamie: There are some albums that I can always call upon whenever I feel like I need some sort of cathartic release. Soundgarden’s Superunknown, Queens Of The Stone Age’s Songs For The Deaf and Karnivool’s Sound Awake have all become close companions in hard times.

E&D: What have been the biggest words of support you have had from people about your music?

Jamie: It still blows me away whenever someone reaches out and says that our music has helped them or inspired them in some way. It’s incredibly moving to know that your artistic contributions are making a difference to someone somewhere.

E&D: You have just been confirmed for next year’s ArcTanGent festival. How excited are you to be playing there?

Alex: We’re super excited! We’ve heard such good things about ArcTanGent from other bands and friends so we’re really looking forward to experiencing it for ourselves. The line-up is always amazing and this year is looking like it’s going to be a good one.

Steff: To see our name alongside Karnivool is definitely a bucket list moment for sure.

E&D: What are your other touring plans for the new year?

Steff: We’re still working on planning behind the scenes, so can’t say anything for sure, as of yet! Drop us a DM and let us know where we should play!

E&D: What Giant Walker gigs have been the most memorable so far?

Steff: I think collectively probably Radar Festival, just because it was the biggest crowd we’ve played to before, so it felt like a pretty distinctive moment for us.

E&D: What have been your favourite albums and gigs of 2024?

Steff: I’ve personally really enjoyed what Church Road Records have been putting out this year, we were so stoked to join their roster – in particular, the new Blanket and Iress albums. Of course the new Vower EP, too! For gigs, it was wicked to be punters at Radar Festival – there was such a big range of different artists and styles happening and it was really great to be there for the whole weekend and take as much of it in as possible! We also had a collective band trip to see Karnivool and Vower in Brighton earlier in the year, and that was an awesome night!

E&D: What else has Giant Walker got planned as we head towards 2025?

Steff: Alongside working behind the scenes on planning some shows in next year, we’re also looking to release re-imaginings of a number of the songs on Silhouettes.

E&D: Who are your biggest inspirations as a musician?

Steff: Chris Cornell (Soundgarden, Audioslave), Jay Buchanan (Rival Sons) and Paul Rodgers (Free, Bad Company).

Jamie: Ian Thornley (Big Wreck), Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme), Kim Thayil (Soundgarden).

Jordan: Tim Commerford (Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave), Jaco Pastorius (Weather Report, Joni Mitchell), Cliff Burton (Metallica).

Alex: Matt Gartska (Animals As Leaders), Steve Judd (Karnivool), Abe Cunningham (Deftones).

E&D: Who are your favourite ever bands and artists to come out of Newcastle and the North East?

All: Sting, Brian Johnson and Mark Knopfler.