WARTHANE

WEBSITE: www.myspace.com/warthaneband
COUNTRY: South Africa STYLE: Progressive / Thrash / Metal

I SAW THE LAST FOUR SONGS OF YOUR SET AT METAL 4 AFRICA WINTERFEST LAST YEAR (I MAY BE WRONG), BUT I DO REMEMBER THAT YOU GUYS HAD A REALLY GREAT “STAGE PRESENCE” IN YOUR PERFORMANCE THAT NIGHT. HOW LONG DID IT TAKE YOU TO BUILD UP THAT CONFIDENCE?

After our first couple of shows we learned to feed of the crowd. It helps when you enjoy what you are doing up there, which we do. It kinda comes naturally now.

EVEN IF YOU PERFORM ON A REGULAR BASIS DO THE NERVES CREEP UP ON YOU NOW AND THEN, AND IS IT BETTER TO BE HESITANT THAN COMPLETELY FEARLESS IN SOME SITUATIONS WHILE PERFORMING ON STAGE?

We are always nervous before a show, but it is a good thing because it keeps us sharp and on our toes.

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE TO PEOPLE THAT ONLY THINK METAL IS ABOUT SOUNDING “HEAVY”; WHAT IT IS REALLY ABOUT AND HOW IT REFLECTS IN THE MUSIC YOU WRITE AND PERFORM?

Metal is a feeling. You’ve got to feel it. To us it is about breaking loose. It is a lifestyle.

WHEN LISTENING TO YOUR SONGS ON MYSPACE AND THOSE GUITARS START TO PLAY THERE IS HARDLY A PAUSE IN THE AMOUNT OF INTENSITY AND ENERGY IN YOUR SONGS. WHEN YOU RECORDED YOUR LATEST ALBUM DID YOU WRITE THOSE SONGS AS “LIVE SONGS” OR AS “RECORDED SONGS” WHERE ALMOST ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE AND THEN REWORKED THEM FOR LIVE SHOWS?

We write our songs as live songs. We love our songs and the music we play, and when you love it and believe it, you find the intensity and power you are striving for.

WHAT EQUIPMENT AND GUITAR TUNINGS DO YOU GUYS USE, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN PLAYING AND ARE THERE STILL SPECIFIC TECHNIQUES THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO MASTER ON YOUR INSTRUMENTS?

We use ESP guitars and bass and Laney Amps. We play in standard E. Techniques are unlimited and we want to learn as much as possible. YOU GUYS

LAUNCHED YOUR LATEST TWELVE TRACK ALBUM/DVD TITLED “THE GALLOWS ARE CALLING” IN NOVEMBER LAST YEAR. SINCE THE BEGINNING OF WARTHANE IN 2004 WOULD YOU SAY THAT THE RELEASE OF THE ALBUM WAS THE END OF ONE PART AND THE START OF A “NEW CHAPTER” IN THE BAND’S CAREER?

Definitely! As a band we are now more polished and driven than ever before.

HAVE YOU GUYS MADE A FEW BAD DECISIONS ALONG THE WAY AND DID THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THOSE MISTAKES MAKE YOU “SMARTER” ON THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS AND DO YOU THINK WARTHANE WOULD HAVE TAKEN A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO THINGS IF YOU KNEW BACK THEN WHAT YOU KNOW NOW ABOUT THE LOCAL “MUSIC BUSINESS”?

Yes we’ve made a few mistakes and yes we have learnt from them. If we knew then what we know now we probably would have avoided those mistakes. From the start we have tried to carve our own path and although it cost a lot of frustration and sweat we are very proud of what we have achieved so far. That being said we see ourselves still at the beginning of our careers with a long wonderful and exciting way and a lot of work lying ahead.

IN WHAT WAYS DID THE GOOD AND BAD PARTS (IF THERE WERE ANY) OF THE RECORDING PROCESS MAKE YOU BETTER MUSICIANS IN YOUR OPINION?

We all went into the studio with a positive mindset and determined to come out wiser, so there were no real bad parts.

DO YOU ALWAYS FIND YOURSELVES WORKING ON NEW SONGS OR DO YOU WRITE NEW SONGS ONLY WHEN YOU START WORKING ON A NEW RECORDINGS AND THE BIG QUESTION AS WELL IS; WHERE TO FROM HERE?

We don’t “stop” to write an album, we write continuously. Our sound now is more defined, mature and darker than ever.

WHENEVER I ASK MUSICIANS WHAT THEIR FAVOURITE SONG IN THEIR SET LIST IS, THEY ANSWER, “ALL OF THEM BECAUSE AN EQUAL AMOUNT OF EFFORT WENT INTO ALL OF THEM”, OR SOMETHING SIMILAR BUT THERE HAS TO BE THAT ONE MOMENT WHERE YOU JUST FELL CRAZY IN LOVE WITH A NEW SONG YOU WROTE?

“Whore of the Pharaohs”. It has a lot of passion and power, and what a song to open with.

BESIDES METAL WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC HAS HAD THE BIGGEST INFLUENCE ON YOUR MUSIC?

Sean: Offspring, Robbie Williams
Dieter: Offspring
Gavin: Pink Floyd, Offspring
Nazar: Offspring

IN WHAT PARTS OF THE COUNTRY CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE YOU GUYS PERFORM IN 2009 AND WHAT ELSE DO YOU HAVE PLANNED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR?

We want to play across the whole country. We are also touring Germany and Switzerland in August.

ANY LAST COMMENTS / ADVICE OR PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO THANK?

We would like to thank all our supporters and also all the other metal muso’s out there. Keep the faith.