Devilskin – Hard Rock
Location – Hamilton, New Zealand
Members – Jennie Skulander – Vocals / Nail – Guitar / Paul Martin – Bass / Nic Martin – Drums
Paul Martin Interview
– What’s new in the world of Devilskin?
-“We have just released our third album Be Like The River (second studio album) and are two weeks into an 8 week NZ/Australian tour so we’re keeping pretty busy!”
– How was it recording your album Be Like The River?
-“It was a great experience for us. We recorded in Gloustershire England after a 6 week UK/Germany tour. We spent almost three weeks immersed in the recording studio bringing our creations to life!”
– How did you go about making the artwork?
-“We have an artist friend who does all of our artwork. We wanted cover art that was as bold a statement as our music. The cover features our mascot Jonny the skull amid a torrential river. The title Be Like The Eiver is a lyric from one of our songs. Its about staying true, perseverance and determination.”
– When writing a song, is there such a thing as investing too much time?
-“I think it can get to a stage where you can overthink something for sure. Sometimes the best ideas happen quickly, naturally, organically. You have to listen to your heart. But every song is different, like a child that needs nurturing, it has needs and wants. Songwriting is about balancing all that and reconciling it with your heart and soul.”
– How many shows do you play per year on average, and how crazy does the schedule get?
-“We used to play every weekend but now condense things into more organised tours. The last few years have been really busy and 2017 is shaping up to be pretty full on. The schedule can get pretty crazy and we are expecting it to early in the new year with travel to Europe, the UK and the US.”
– The promo video for “Pray” from start to finish how was the filming process?
-“The Pray video was one of the easiest and least painful video shoots we have done. We shot in all in our Devil HQ rehearsal room. We had a small crew and had a lot of fun with it. The video we shot for Mountains was pretty much the opposite! Freezing cold on the side of a mountain in winter, our bus broke down then got stuck. It was gruelling!”
– What’s your take on the sex appeal in the music industry? Is it as important for men and women?
-” I have no take on sex appeal in music. To me it’s the music that’s important.
– Is the band fans of Spotify and similar streaming services? What are your thoughts on this?
-“The paradigm has shifted in the music industry over the past decade so much so that streaming services are vital for band to get their music out. I think it’s a travesty the artists make so little money out of it though. But a necessary evil.”
– Which notable bands have you played with throughout the years?
-” Devilskin has shared the stage with Coheed & Cambria, Megadeth, Slash, Motley Crue, Alice Cooper, Korn, Rob Zombie and Disturbed. My other band World War Four has opened up for Heaven & Hell, Down, Black Label Society and Motorhead.”
– Where do you see music in general going in 20 years from now?
-” Hopefully back to good honest values like sincerity, talent, melody and integrity. One can hope!”