“Music is my life” says Joe James, vocalist of Nantwich rock band Blitz Kids. Music is something that he and his three bandmates, Jono Yates, Nic Montgomery and Matt Freer take very seriously. Since forming in 2008, the band have devoted their lives to the band and now are starting to see light at the end of the tunnel.
“I’d be nothing without it,” continues Joe, regarding music. “I can’t really say much more than that. Nothing beats it”. Music has become a full time career for the dedicated quartet with it becoming a journey of discovery for vocalist Joe. “I have discovered that I get ill very easily, I can’t handle hangovers and that I’m full on addicted to the worst junk food”, being in a band with wild child Jono Yates mustn’t help the hangover situation then!
In the past five years the band have gone from strength to strength growing both mentally and physically, whilst making life changing choices for their music. “I would have loved to go to university but I never did because the band came first. I would love to travel but I don’t have time. I’m hoping we’ll see Japan and Asia and the US on tour someday.” Making sacrifices for the band has not been something Joe has face alone, he expands “It also takes a heavy toll on all relationships because we’re never home for long. All these things I have in common with the other 3 guys, this makes us a strong unit.” As the band have matured as have their fans following their journey all of the way, Memento Vivere strikes at some of the hardest issues anyone tackles through their life. “Don’t be afraid to stand up for yourself. Never hit first, but always hit back.” Speaking on personal experiences Joe continues “I lived in fear for a large amount of my childhood and I still suffer for it now. I didn’t do anything about it back then and I wouldn’t want anyone to make the same mistakes I did.” But what does Memento Vivere mean? “’Memento Vivere’ means remember to live and I remind myself of that every day.” Without fighting their demons and knockbacks the band would not have achieved what they have today.
Warrior addresses the issues faced not only in the music industry but in day to day life, ‘We stand atop our rivals, strike fear into their hearts’. When asking how bands cope with this changing times, Joe says “It’s very hard for bands these days, it requires an incredible amount of sacrifice and commitment to make it work, but it’s all worth it.” The quartet have travelled far afield gaining not fans but also experiences as a band, Joe explains “The people I’ve met and the places I’ve seen are the greatest life experience I could ask for. Warrior is a statement of intent from all of us that despite the effort required to make this work, we are ready for the challenge.”
With the increase in downloading music online both legally and illegally, Joe says of how oblivious many people are to the damaging effects this can have for bands. “It is scary that not many people pay for music anymore. They don’t realise that if it continues then soon there will be no bands left. Even bands selling out 1,000 capacity venues are scraping the barrel financially.” Blitz Kids previously released their past efforts for free to fans via Facebook, but this has become a rarity nowadays as with more music being downloaded illegally, more bands face the struggle to remain above water. “When you download music illegally, you’re stealing from the artist that you ‘love’ and making it harder and harder for them to make music for you.”
During their time as a band Blitz Kids have established a strong following supported heavily by their online presence (twitter in particular!). Throughout the quartets previous releases (Decisions, Scavengers, Vagrants & Vagabonds and Never Die), fans are given an insight into the minds of the band. Opening up to fans throughout their releases is something Blitz Kids specialise in, “The Comedian is obviously very hard for me to sing, because it’s not just about one person, it’s about everyone we as friends have ever lost.” However opening up to fans throughout their lyrics is something which takes a lot of courage to do as Joe tells how “It isn’t easy, but they are only strangers until they become fans, then they are family. And families help each other through issues like the ones I write about.” A typical Blitz Kids show can be referred to as “like therapy, awesome sweaty therapy.” The connection between fans and the band is tightened by similarities between them as Joe reveals “I like to think that there are fans in the crowd who have been through similar issues and that singing my words back to me helps them in some way because we are both connecting on the same feeling.”
Blitz Kids it’s fair to say have had their ups and downs, during their time as a band but having played sold out headline shows, tours with the likes of Kids in Glass Houses, We The Kings and Tonight Alive and numerous festival slots their hard work is paying off. “I used to think that there was no use trying, that my dreams were too big but anything is possible if you never give up.” The road to the top for Blitz Kids hasn’t be a straight road to the top however “I spent a long time not fulfilling my potential and after a while it really takes its toll on you. Days seem longer, your head feels heavy. It’s a slippery slope.”
Blitz Kids have previously told us, Maybe we’ll die, maybe me won’t but that we’ll also never die, surely both aren’t possible? Joe explains a little bit about this “MWD, MWW was just reference to the care free mentality I lived my childhood by. I make reference to lying down in the middle of the road holding hands with a girl. Pretty reckless, but I guess in some twisted way it’s romantic.” With them taking risks throughout their time as band they’ve created a legacy “Never Die is a figurative statement, obviously we will all sadly bite the dust but there are many ways to make yourself immortal. Writing a book, recording a song, making a movie…the list goes on. In creating this mini album we have made it so we will never die because the music will exist long after we’re gone.” Never Die is an accumulative effort of all the elements which have previously been put forth in releases; Strong powerful choruses, sing-along moments, back breaking drum lines, emotive vocals and striking guitar riffs equating to their best material yet.
They have surpassed the boundaries of modern rock music in their time as a band, with their new unheard release being hailed their best to date we Joe reveals why. “We’ve really pushed ourselves on this album to create something that is not only the most lyrically universal but also the most musically accomplished songs we’ve written to date.” With the release already recorded with prestigious producer John Feldmann, the future looks bright for the quartet. “I got a close friend, I respect John so much” Joe says of the recording process, “He was there for us as a band when no one else was and he sacrificed so much to get this album made”. Never Die took Blitz Kids sound into a different direction, but what can fans expect from the new release and will the fan favourite organ be featuring again? “We all love what the organ adds to our sound so I think they will be making regular appearances on future efforts”. Recording with Feldmann was as Joe describes it “one of the greatest experiences of my life and I know it isn’t the last time.”
The future looks set to be a bright one for the quartet, but what is left to achieve? “I have to be honest my sights are set on one thing and one thing only and that is headlining Reading/Leeds Festival one day, told you I had big dreams.” With them being on the bill for this years Download Festival already alongside previously playing Hevy and Sonisphere, progress is already being made towards this dream of epic proportions. And one thing Joe would like to cure in his life time? “I would cure the world of all the absent parents. Kids are for life guys, if you’re not up to the challenge then use a sodding rubber. Too much? Thought so. Oops.” One big dream and one big cure to achieve, with the determination held within we can see one of the two being achieved in our lifetime….
It’s strikingly clear this quartet have a lot more up their sleeves, with their second album released later this year and lashings of festivals/show appearances lined up the possibilities are endless for the Nantwich quartet. Here’s a message from Joe to all of you reading this “To our fans new and old, we’re just getting started. Blitz Kids Never Die.”
Nicola Craig 