We were lucky enough to catch up with GUERILLA STATE following the release of the superb EP ‘Autonomy : Part One’. Read now!
What is your earliest music memory?
Michael: Listening to vinyl records on my dad’s Pioneer record player and watching/listening to family members playing and singing at family parties.
Rory: Singing Chesney Hawkes “I am the one and only” on my garden wall to passers-by when I was about five, haha.
Who influenced your latest release, ‘Autonomy : Part One’?
Michael: The world press & media, big tech. Muse, U2, Coldplay, Springsteen, Killers.
Rory: Previous and ongoing world events from a lyrical perspective. Musically I would say Muse are a heavy influence.
Pre-covid, what was the music scene like in Belfast?
Michael: Definitely improving as we’re seeing a growing number of variety between artists.
Rory: Improved greatly over the last 15 years; more accomodating of local artists and less of a monopoly from promoters but still a long way to go.
Who would you most like to collaborate with?
Michael: U2, Bruce Springsteen.
Rory: Paul McCartney, Muse
What’s your dream venue to play?
Michael: Croke Park, Dublin
Rory: Glastonbury Main Stage, Saturday night
Other than music, what are you passionate about?
Michael: Travelling and socialising with friends and family. Getting out and about at weekends, heading off on trips away to the tropical north of Australia and discovering the country in the company of friends and family.
Rory: I love gaming. It’s an interactive escapism.
What changes would you like to see in the music business?
Michael: A return of physical distribution of music and for the industry to be more supportive and open to new and upcoming artists. There are not enough opportunities for up and coming artists to secure a sustainable livelihood through creating music, especially with industry bodies such as PRS and APRA clipping royalties.
Rory: A removal of the Stock Aitken Waterman model that took over the POP industry and was carried on with the X-Factor generation. A focus on actual artists and musicians born out of bedrooms and garages, not pretenders.
How do you feel about how the internet plays a role in the music business today?
Michael: There are two sides to that coin. The internet nowadays is a great resource in finding and discovering new music and artists; however, at the same time, it can be like finding a needle in a haystack in terms of discovering artists. Due to the ease of streaming music, now it makes the earning side of putting music out there very challenging.
Personally, I’m for the old days of going to your local record shop and buying the EP, Album or Single, heading home and putting in the player and listening from start to finish.
Rory: Not much to add to that; a grain of sand on a beach full of a trillion grains of sand.
What is your favourite song to play live?
Michael: Never Taking Me
Rory: It’s like trying to choose a favourite child. Probably Never Taking Me as well.
Have you started working on your next release?
Michael: Yes – ‘Autonomy : Part Two’, releasing later this year.
Rory: Yeah, we’re half-way through recording the second part of the next EP.
FV Music Blog March 2021
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