It’s that time of year where we set out to interview as many of the Sophie, New Blood, and Jager bands as we can in the lead-up to one of the most anticipated festivals of the year, Bloodstock. Answering our questions here are Master Charger who play the Jagermeister stage on the Saturday.
Simple things first – where are you guys from?
We are originally based in the Nottinghamshire area but one of the John James (Guitar and Vocals) has recently relocated to Staffordshire.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
The concept of the band started around the summer of 2006. This line has been together for around 10 years or more
Where does the name of the band come from?
We was looking for a name that didn’t paint us into a corner and something that would grow with us. Something no one had. It came about when John James (Original founder member) had an old motorbike that he had to keep charging the battery. So the name actually came from the charging device itself known as Master Charger. Haha!!!
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
Our music is a blend of classic rock influenced heavy metal and also features hard blues influences with a southern twist and also modern vibes come from the inclusion of Drummer Jon “Turk” Kirk who is heavily influenced by Chris Adler of Lamb of God fame. It’s a strange one but it seems to work. I think our sound is unique because of the mix of musical influences. I think you know your listening to Master Charger when you hear our distinct sound. That is subject to opinion of course.
What’s your live show like? Why are people going to watch you instead of another band?
Our live show is just a barrage of raw heavy groove laden riffs. Hopefully people watching may find us a welcome break from some of the more extreme bands that are playing on the day.
Have you been to Bloodstock before? What did you think?
To be honest we haven’t as a band. Individually some of us have. It’s a well run festival by all s. I have seen it grow since the very first one in 2001.
If you like what we do, consider ing us on Patreon for as little as £1 per month!
When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?
We was originally down to play last year but our Bassist came down with Covid so we had to cancel at the last minute. We known for several months that we had been invited to play again this year.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
You can expect a good solid heavy set for sure. Something you can groove to for sure.
Which other band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play?
We haven’t had our set times yet so it’s difficult to answer this question.
What are you working on at the moment?
We are working on our follow up album to Origin of the Lugubrious which was released in August 2020 through Stoned Rocka Recordings sub label of Off Yer Rocka Recordings. We are around 4 or 5 songs into the new album and the tracks are sounding great. We may enter the studio to record a video single prior to the release of our new album.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done at a live show?
We were sound checking for one of the Pentrefest shows a few years back when the PA speakers blew and caught fire! We were told to calmly exit the stage and evacuate the building until the fire was put out. I guess we were just too heavy for those poor speaker’s! Haha!! The show did go on however.
What drink do you throw back to get yourself fired up before going on stage?
It used to be copious amounts of beer or whiskey but now it’s pretty much a couple of beers and water. People don’t want to pay to see three piss heads giving a lacklustre performance. Save the hard drinking and partying until after the show!
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