BAND NAME: Auger
LOCATION: North of England
GENRE: Dynamic Darkwave
BAND MEMBERS: Kyle (lead vocals, keys and programming), Kieran (guitar and backing vocals).
CURRENT ALBUM RELEASE: ‘The Awakening’
Introduce the band in your own words…
Hello, we are Auger, we are the dynamic darkwave duo from the industrialised north of England. Auger consists of myself (Kyle) and Kieran. Our sound takes influence from variety of genres ranging from metal to synth-pop, and combines the heavy guitars with melodic vocal and synth melodies. We write and produce all our music ourselves and we’re excited to share it to the world.
Tell our readers about your current album / ep / demo release
Our debut album entitled, ‘The Awakening’ is a 13 track collection of songs inspired by artists such as BlutEngel, Faithful Dawn and Gothminister. The album begins and follows a story of greed, regret, wealth and loss. The story follows August, an aristocrat, and his head miner, Erwin, as they embark on a quest to track down a vicious wendigo before it devours August’s wife, Isabel. The journey the take to find her, ends up being one of self-discovery for August as he realises his past mistakes, particularly regarding how he’d treated Isabel.
Who would you say you sound most like?
Without sounding cocky, we honestly believe that across the album there is no other band out there that sounds like us. We take influence from such a wide range of bands and artists that we’ve ended up with a really unique blend that we’re very proud of. I’d say the closest we could get is a combination of Mesh, BlutEngel, The Chameleons, Faithless and Gojira… Possibly the weirdest blend you’ve ever hear of right?
Who or what are your biggest influences?
Kieran and I have been in a number of bands in the past. We’ve both felt that our ideas and contributions have either not been included or have ended up be a compromise of everyone else opinions. This took the fun out of the writing process and replaced with frustration. So Kieran and I set about working together and writing our own music that would be what we wanted. We both really enjoyed listening to music in the Goth scene so we took our influences and before you know it had a full album written and recorded. So you could say our biggest influence was not of music, but of passion to write and be creative without compromising.
Describe your band members and what each person brings to the table
For this question we’ll be describing each other, what could go wrong? … Please be kind.
Kyle – Kyle is passionate, creative and slightly obsessed. His unique vocal style couple with his passion for producing and music in general, brings fun and dedication to the writing process as well as on stage.
Kieran – Kieran is enthusiastic, creative and slightly illusive. His modern technical guitar playing, inspired by the Goth of yesteryear as well as modern influences, brings a real edge to the traditional darkwave both in the studio and on stage.
Do you have a band joker? If so who and what’s the dumbest prank they’ve pulled?
Being the dynamic duo we are, we both think we’re hilarious. Although the pranks are in ashamedly short-supply, there are plenty of impromptu dance-offs, celebrity impersonations and rubbish jokes to keep the world laughing.
Do you argue over what music gets played on the way to a gig? Who wins and what’s the most popular choice?
What you may not know about us is that we are actually the same person – strange, I know. So choosing music is a doddle… but what it really comes down to is the fact that I’m the only one who drives so you listen to the music I chose – simple. In case anyone is interested the current CDs in my car are Interpol – ‘Antics’, Fear Factory – ‘Obsolete’ and Marillion – ‘Clutching At Straws’.
Pick your dream band line up. Each band member selecting a corresponding musician who may be dead or still very much living.
Kyle: I would choose Fish (Dereck Dick) for vocals as not only would he bring that unique vocal tone, but the creative genius when it comes to writing the lyrics. And for my second choice, I’d pick Stuart Adamson (former Big Country front man who unfortunately past away in 2001) who’d provide beautiful guitar playing.
If you were marooned on a dessert island which band member would be eaten first and why?
Eaten, us? Never. Did you not know we’re super bad-ass battling megatrons? But seriously, it’d probably be me who gets eaten first.
What’s the funniest thing that’s ever happened to you while you were on stage?
We’ve certainly had our fair share of funny moments and comical mishaps on stage, to pick a funniest is difficult. I think it would be between the time we performed at a Corrosion event at The Morecambe Winter Gardens where mid-way through the set, one of the sub-drops on the backing track caused the one and only monitor to catch fire and die. And the other funny moment being when we played a venue in Newcastle and Kieran’s G-string snapped on stage, as you can imagine the poor lad was rather embarrassed, but what followed was stuff of legend. Before I had even come to terms with the non-underwear based breakage our ‘man-with-a-plan’ Jono had already taken a replacement guitar out of its case, wired it into the pedal and had it round Kieran’s neck… Super speedy work there Jono!
You’re asked to select a band to tour with you as support. Who would you choose and why?
Oooh, now this is a good question. But one that only really has one answer, if we were asked to select on band to tour with us as support it would have to be none other than Gary Numan. We would request however, that Gary would come on stage with us and sing a couple of songs during our set!
If you could bring back one music personality who would it be and why? You get one choice so this is a group decision.
After long discussion we have concluded that we are to bring Pete Steele back to life. Our reason, we wish to stroke his long locks of hair as he sedates us with is ultra-deep voice…
If you could name any one item that would be delivered no questions on the band rider what would you choose and why?
A 12 pack of Lotus Biscoff Krispy Kreme doughnuts, please.
You’re stuck on a night off mid tour with just a games console and a handful of games for company. Do you choose Call Of Duty, Zelda, Need For Speed or do you just raid the mini bar?
Being a car enthusiast I would normally go straight for the copy of Need for Speed, however we would have a lot more fun killing each other on co-op Call of Duty… with the mini bar raided and its contents beside us for ease of access.
If the band got offered an amazing major label deal but it meant a change of image to something you are uncomfortable with and censorship of lyrics would you take the deal or walk?
We would walk. Unless the offer was there to become the world’s first neo-80s-jazz-fusion-djent-hard style-opera-punk super group, we might have to consider that.
In the event of the end of the world what’s the first song on your post-apocalypse playlist?
Our song ‘End of Our World’ of course.
Describe the local music scene of your hometown and how you fit into that as a band?
Rather none existent to be honest. There are plenty of aspiring bands in our local scene, but it’s a rather different style to our music. We are the ‘only goths in the village’ as we’ve been told.
When writing new music is it a collaborative effort or is there a main song writer?
You could say when we write music its all one person coming up with it all, but that’s because when it comes to writing music Kieran and I are the same person – our mind sync and everything flows. Writing our music is an entirely collaborative effort.
Some bands have goals for albums, the UK Subs for example recorded an album for every letter of the alphabet. Do you have any goals for future albums?
Our goal is to continue writing and telling the story we mentioned earlier. ‘The Awakening’ is just volume one of many, many more to come.
In the modern on-demand music scene is the concept album dead or do you feel there’s still room for them?
I bloody hope not! Well what we’ve done is combine the concept of a concept album and formatted it into a much less ‘out-there’ package. Something that tells a story that is still catchy and where the songs still work individually.
The hardest step for any band today is going full time, is this something you envisage being able to do in the future?
We both feel it is something we really want to do.
How important is the local music scene to you as a band?
Not very to be honest. We believe it is great that there are aspiring bands in the scene, but we haven’t participated in the scene and yet we’re still making it work.
With everything being so digital and run predominantly through social media what is your view on the importance of regional and print press?
As important and effective as social media is I feel regional and print press are still vital to the music scene. Anyone can put a review on a song online, but seeing it in a magazine makes things feel so much more official and important.
What are the band goals for 2018? Anything important or any milestones to be reached?
Other than to come out the other side alive, to continue to build our following and connect with as many people as possible with the music we work hard to write, record and perform.
If you could choose to play any UK festival – which one would it be and why?
We would love to play Download Festival, not just for the sheer size of the audience but because we have seen so many of our favourite bands play there it would just be amazing to step into their shoes.
If you could be endorsed by any companies who would they be and why?
Kyle: If I could choose any company to be endorsed by it would likely be Focusrite. I use their interfaces to record all of our music so it would be fantastic to continue my production using their products.
Kieran: I would choose Paul Reed Smith guitars as I’ve always aspired to own one due to their incredible craftsmanship, stand-out elegant appearance and unique guitar tone.
Do you have a message for fans of your music?
Miners, thank you for listening to our music. It means the world that you enjoy what we create. This is only just the start of Auger, so we hope you stick with us. Stay awesome.
Here is your opportunity to end the interview with some final words on a subject of your choice….
Crime in multi-storey car parks. That is wrong on so many different levels.
https://www.facebook.com/AugerUK/