Due to the huge number of bands playing at Bloodstock this year, and the fact that our two roving reporters will actually want to watch some of them, we’re doing a little round of pre-festival interviews this year. We’re focussing on the bands playing the Jagermeister and Hobgoblin New Blood Stages so they get a chance to convince you to go and watch them. , these guys and gals are the future of our musical world!
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We’re based in Nottingham but we live in Leicester, Nottingham and Mansfield. East Mids really!
How did you meet?
We added the various over the years to get to where we are today. The band is very different from when it started, but that’s a good thing!
How long have you been playing together as a band?
Spirytus the name has been around since 2004 but the line-up started to come together from 2008 and then truly came alive around 2012 when we added Danny our DJ.
Where does the name of the band come from?
We take our name from a Polish alcohol. It’s very potent, like 95%. Like us eh?
What are your influences – individually or as a band?
As a collective we’re influenced by a lot of varied styles ranging from One Minute Silence, Faith No More, Limp Bizkit, Korn, James Brown, Michael Jackson, Primus. The list goes on but generally there is a big funk/groove element to it.
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
We try to make heavy music underpinned by real nice funky grooves so it’s real heavy but you can still dance to us. We aren’t bothered about genres and try to incorporate lots of styles. We have funk, metal, disco, drum & bass, we chuck it all in.
What’s your live show like? How many shows have you played?
We’ve played a lot of shows, too many to count but they’ve all been worth it. You learn something every time you play. Our live show is incredibly energetic, we thrive on the crowd getting busy. Most times, I will find my way out to the crowd getting everyone involved.
When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?
We got a call from Simon Hall who saw the video of us playing at Wildfire Festival in Lesmahagow, just outside Glasgow. We had such a great crowd and the show was awesome.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
We’re planning on a heavy set, basically 30 mins of pure unadulterated Spirytus. Bloodstock hasn’t had a real crossover band like us before and we know they’re taking a risk by booking an artist that isn’t your standard ‘metal’ band but we’re keen to show everyone what we’re all about.
Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
Rob Zombie, we love a bit of theatrics!
What are you working on at the moment?
We have a couple of projects in the background, Ben is planning things with Breed 77 and Mike is working with another band called Mastercharger so we’re keeping busy.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour?
There’s not much we haven’t seen; that said, we’ve seen bands have real big egos get pegged back a peg or two. Always fun to watch!
What advice would you give to a young band just starting out today?
Practice, practice, practice. Be prepared to be the hardest workers on the scene and surround yourselves with the right people. Don’t stop believing and work to make the dream a reality. Lastly, be realistic. You won’t be touring arenas if you haven’t done the hard work before.
If you could be part of any 3-band line-up who else would you have on the bill? One band above you and one below – a chance to plug a smaller, unsigned act!
We would love to play with Limp Bizkit or Korn as the headliner. If we were to choose a band below us, I’d say definitely Internal Conflict; those guys are really good friends of ours and they just released their new album. Go check it out!
Spirytus are playing the Hobgoblin New Blood Stage on the Sunday.
Spirytus: facebook | twitter | instagram | tumblr | reverbnation
