Sheggs introduced us to this band back in 2017 (Is that really six years ago?), and it’s my pleasure to delve a little deeper into what makes Core of iO tick. Making up the band are Bob (vocals and guitar), Luke (lead guitar), Gareth (bass), and Rich (drums).
Bob: Woah, headliners hey? We better bump up our fee for this one!
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
Gareth: We are all located around West Sussex currently. Originally Bob is from Skegness, Gareth and Luke are from Weymouth, Rich is from Colchester.
How did you meet?
Gareth: It was all through music education really. Luke Bob and myself all went to the music institute in Brighton and formed the band afterwards. Rich and I met at Chichester University and played in various bands with him there also.
Bob: I first met Luke at Roedale Road. A classic party house from our days at uni together. I met Gareth at Uni as well although I don’t think he visited the Royal Palace at Roedale. We found Rich in a ditch and he’s been tagging along ever since.
How long have you been playing as a band?
Bob: 12 years. I had some much more hair back then.
Gareth: 10 years since our first gig!
Before you get sick of being asked… where does the band name come from?
Bob: I was hungover watching space documentaries. I knew Jupiter had moons but I didn’t know their names. I first wanted to call the band ‘iO’ as I knew it would be easy to brand but it was already taken. Then I learned the core of iO is alive and constantly reshaping the moon’s surface. That’s cool I thought. That’s a band name!
Gareth: We felt it was a good reflection of our sound!
What are your influences?
Gareth: Anything from mathcore to jazz to benchmark radio friendly rock! The songs in demo form always have names from weird TV shows and literature that Luke (guitarist) is reading at the time so I would say this as well.
Bob: I have some obvious ones; Mike Patten, Freddie Mercury, Dave Mustaine but my biggest influencers are these lads I’m in a band with. Nothing puts a fire under your backside more than being in a band with musicians that are in a different league. They are the reason I am always trying to be better; I’m trying to catch up.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Bob: We all come from different musical backgrounds. From metal to math to prog to punk to jazz. It’s all in there. It’s all been twisted to fit into what we call Core of iO.
Gareth: We try to write memorable songs that technically push the boundaries of our playing, with a gentle nod to a lot of our influences. We write and play music to have fun, and don’t use backing tracks or anything like that.
Do you have any particular lyrical themes?
Bob: No themes. No gimmicks. My lyrics are my art. They are my thoughts and feelings, my inner self spilling out onto a page. I then just massage them into shape to fit the melody.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
Bob: Must be 400 and something by now. We’ve been a band for 12 years. Our shows are energetic, chaotic and fun. We don’t invite you to our gigs so I can scream in your face. We invite you down to have fun with us.
Rich: The live show is pretty raw, no backing tracks, no clicks, etc. When we’re out on tour we have little interludes between songs and our front man Bob works the crowd with his questionable Northern charm! It’s very energetic and high intensity too, the songs are usually way faster live as well. I get a bit carried away with the tempos sometimes, but it keeps people on their toes!
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What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
Bob: I once saw someone on the Mainstage at doing the entire set whilst being suspended by hooks going through the skin on his back. That was pretty intense. It’s stuck with me but I have no idea who the band were so it didn’t have its full desired effect [it was Society 1, back in 2005 – Mosh]. And they wildest thing I’ve done… There was that time I was so drunk I went to pick up my pint from the floor, missed it, knocked over the mic stand with my head then kicked my pint all over the stage. That was pretty funny and a fine memory.
Rich: We’re playing a show in a particular seaside town and we clocked this dude in a cowboy hat and a big fur coat on the way in, looked an interesting fella. As we play our set we suddenly noticed that his fur coat is no longer on, and he’s got nothing underneath and his ‘chap’ is out just swinging to the music! That was pretty odd…
Gareth: He’s been to a couple of our shows now! Didn’t want any merchandise though.
What kit do you use / guitars do you play / etc.?
Rich: A masterfully crafted Custom Serenity drum kit
Luke: I have only bought second hand guitars, currently playing an old PRS. This accompanies many late night eBay bidding war sessions worth of pedals, through an orange TH30.
Bob: A flame top Maple Fender Telecaster Guitar and Orange amps
Gareth: I use an Ibanez SR506 Bass with a HX Stomp and a TC Electronic amp
What, if anything, are you plugging/promoting at the moment?
Our New EP Part I: iO is coming out September 8th! You can hear and see the new single and video for the song “Done” from the first of September.
It is by far the best collection of songs we have put together and we are very excited for people to hear it! It will be available on all streaming platforms so keep an eye out.
What are your plans for the next 6 months or so?
Gareth: Releasing the EP, We have some gigs to it in October (Bolton, Swansea, Southampton, Brighton, Chichester, Birmingham)and writing more music! We have half of the next album written already.
Bob: Release, tour, make instrumental play throughs and then complete writing the next release. Then do it all again.
If you were second on a three-band bill, which band would you love to be ing and which band would you choose to open for you? A chance to plug someone you’ve toured with, or a mate’s band we’ve not heard of before!
Bob: Always wanted to tour with Black Peaks because they are close friends of ours and were doing amazingly well before they called it a day which is a real shame. We have to put God Alone on this list as well. What a band. I’ll repeat myself for effect. GOD ALONE! WHAT A BAND!
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