Ci siamo lasciati trasportare in questa chiacchierata pre festività a ritmo di Street Rock insieme a Ciaran e Sedge degli Stronghold 13. Quando il Punk incontra il Metal...
RTC) Hi Mate. start with usual question. How and when was the band born?
Ciaran : The band was formed in 2017 after Jack The Lad split up.
Sedge: we were fed up of playing covers and wanted to do something heavier and more creative
RTC) Why did you choose the name stronghold and why did you add 13 after it later?
Ciaran : Sedge came up with the idea and one day we realised that we all had the number “13” tattooed on us. There’s already a band out there called Stronghold so we decided to add the 13 to distinguish us from them.
Sedge: we had a little gathering round my house and went through a bunch of names which were either taken or shit . We decided on Stronghold but it soon became apparent there were several bands with the same name. We added the 13 as it a dark number . We all had it tattooed somewhere and it is my birthday.
RTC) Have you played or do you still play in other bands?
Ciaran : Retaliator, London Diehards, Johnny Asbo & The Young Guns, Tattooed Mother Fuckers, Indecent Exposure and Jack The Lad.
Sedge : played with Hodges 4- Skins , TMF , Jack the Lad , Tear Up, Retaliator, Show of Strength. Currently Index & SH13.
RTC) How can we call your style of playing? which are your musical influences?
Ciaran : It’s Oi!/Punk with a metal twist. We’re all massive Motorhead fans so definitely influenced by them, also most of the UK82 bands too. I'm old enough to remember it when it all came out.
Sedge: I prefer to call it street rock . More rocky but still with Oi influences . My personal influences The Specials , Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple , 4-skins , Resort , Rejects .
RTC) Is there any difference of music and lyrics between first and second album?
Ciaran : Sedge wrote most of the lyrics on the second album and I wrote the lyrics on the first. In fact, the songs on the first album were written by me for the London Diehards but when they split up, I had these songs just doing nothing so we decided to put it out as Toxic.
Sedge: I think musically we have progressed . Toxic was great and ready made as Ciaran mentioned . And definitely had more of an oi / rock feel. Borderlands was a little experimental and def more Rockier. The last album kill or cure I think is where we want to be a great blend of music and tempos but with our own style now becoming established. Good blend of Oi , Rock, metal fused. The lyrics however have always remained consistent about issues affecting us and generally things that piss us off .
You are not an Oi band but you play for skinheads audience, do you prefer playing for an Oi scene or for hard rock/metal scene?
Ciaran : We’ve always played for the Oi! scene and never once played a metal or rock gig. The bands we've played in before have all been part of the Oi! scene and this band isn't any different. For me, it’s a much better scene although we’ll never be asked to play a mainstream Oi! gig or play Rebellion which suits us fine.
Sedge : it’s the only scene we’ve played to as yet . We are well established due to the bands we have been in plus it’s a little different to the standard Oi which I think most people like . However there are probably plenty of bands and promoters who wouldn’t go near us … don’t know why ??
Do you have some new works coming ahead?
Ciaran : Yes, we’re always writing songs and have lots of stuff written. Possibly a new album in 2025 if we can get our arses in gear and record them.
Sedge : We are always working on new stuff and have lots of ideas / Lyrics and ready made songs . We will almost certainly release something next year 25.
RTC) How was playing in Spain ? Would you like to play in Italy?
Ciaran : The gig in Spain was brilliant. The organisers really know what they’re doing and we’ve played every one that’s been put on (either with IndEx or Stronghold 13) and it’s been great. We'd love to play in Italy, it's a great country.
Sedge : Spain was great fun and the organisers are great people . But we are always looking for new opportunities to play .
RTC) what are your lyrics about? what do you stand for?
Ciaran : A lot of our stuff is political and about how unjust the current system is in the UK, also the police. When I speak to people from other European countries they seem to be having the same problems too.
Sedge : We sing and write about things that annoy us or affect us and also wider political issues : We speak common sense and touch on other issues that some other bands wouldn’t dare touch . We don’t label ourselves that’s for others to do.
RTC) what's your favourite beer or alcoholic drink?
Ciaran : Beer - German, British or Belgian beer and sometimes Jagermeister but that ruins me completely so I have to be careful drinking that stuff.
Sedge : I’m partial to a drop of dark rum and love the German wheat beers . Sad to say though I’m not much of a drinker anymore
RTC) So Mate, the interview is over, do you have something left to say?
Ciaran : Buy me a beer and I'll sing you a song!
Sedge : just thanks to everyone who has helped us evolve and supported us . Also a mention to our young talented guitarist Jack who recently joined.
Noi ci vediamo prossimamente, anche durante le festività non chiudiamo (anche perchè che cazzo abbiamo da chiudere??) e dobbiamo ancora raccontarvi tante cose e ci sono tante chicche in arrivo.
Cheers and Beers
Commentaires