THE WEIGHT Interview with Ben, Moose & Fazz.

In your own words how would you describe the sound of The Weight?

Moose: I guess when I describe The Weight to people I would call it a fast, heavy and modern hardcore band, with a definite metal influence as well. People always say Ben sounds like the dude from One King Down/Most Precious Blood and I’d definitely agree… as far as other bands I actually struggle with reference points. One defining aspect of The Weight I think is the introverted nature of all of the members, which really comes across in the music and performance. I think both are generally resultant of much internalised frustration and anguish, and where a lot of the bigger hardcore bands at the moment rely on played out hardcore cues and tropes, The Weight stands alone in more or less letting the music do the talking.

How did the band come together, what prompted the formation and the name?

Moose: I’m new in the band. The band was called Ever Ready at first, and I remember one of my old bands played with them and I wasn’t really into it. It was one of those ‘time machine’ moments, like what if I could go back and say ‘hey in four years you’ll be playing bass for this band and they’ll be fucking sick’ I’d be like ‘cool your crack pipe bucko’ but here we are. That old band I was in broke up years ago and The Weight absolutely crushes it, so who’s dumb now? I remember hearing the 2009 demo and just being like ‘FUCK’.

Fazz: There’s been a lot of fill-ins and line up changes but we were originally a four piece for the 2009 demo. Jameso, myself and Nathan, who was our drummer at the time actually put an ad in the stairwell at Allans Music for a vocalist and Ben was the only one who came but we couldn’t be happier.

As for the name.. it’s The Weight of society, laws, morals, control, expectations, mental illness and living in this day and age.

What sort of bands influenced the sound of The Weight?

Fazz: It’s always changing and I personally get influenced by a lot of different genres of music but I gotta give my regards to: Shotpointblank, Earth Crisis, Poison The Well, Madball, Most Precious Blood, Terror, Shai Hulud,.

Ben: I would be lying if I said that I don’t take ideas from other vocalists but how can anyone say that they truly invent anything of their own, in its entirety. I guess I would have to say I take pointers from Verse, Comeback Kid, Sick Of It All, Most Precious Blood and I even take the odd Madball phrasing on occasions as well. All in all, I take my ingredients to the melting pot from what I hear and just add my own spin on them.

Would readers recognize members from any other bands?

Moose: Fazz, James and Nick were all in Rain City together, and I joined late in the piece. Nick plays guitar and sings in Weightless, another prominent Clarity Records export. Fazz and I both play guitar in Search and Destroy, and I’m also doing vocals in Starvation and playing bass in Vaginors. Ben is playing drums in a new band Host, and each member has more in the works so look out for that! Needless to say, we’re all pretty busy guys.

You have a debut LP due out soon on Clarity Records titled “Prisoners Of The Flock”. What is the album title in reference too?

Ben: It’s a name that we used for a song that describes a social predicament of sorts. To me it stands to represent most peoples inevitable attempt to change at some point in their lives, yet when they think they do its in fact the opposite. Most people just surrender their will and become like someone else that they know. Kind of like trading one stray path for another.

Dream lineup of bands to play with? Past or present?

Moose: I always just think I’d love to jump on that Left For Dead reunion show in 2004. LFD, Fucked Up and Think I Care. And THE WEIGHT. Hahaha.

Fazz: Samsara and Poison The Well reunion please.

Adelaide seems to go through a lot of up and down cycles as a scene. Right now it seems really tight knit with a lot of intimate shows at the Animal House. How would you say things are at the moment?

Moose: Adelaide’s OK, in terms of people getting to shows there’s a bit of a glass ceiling as far as numbers go. It’ll be the same 50-80 people every time, which is fine but it can be difficult to expand your profile I guess in such a small city. I’ve been involved with Animal House since the start, and I have been overwhelmed with the response to it, the challenge now is getting more and more people to shows and making them run a bit smoother.

Any other bands from the Adelaide area people really should know about?

Moose: I’m gonna fly off the handle and plug my friend Jonno’s new band, Post War. They sound like Pavement.

Fazz: Different kinda ‘scene’ but check out ‘Life Pilot’ if ya got a spare moment. Talented dudes.

What’s coming up for The Weight in the near future. Any touring plans in support of the release?

Moose: Yes. We are hitting the road late November to flog the hell out of this thing.

How can people find out more about The Weight or get a hold of some of your music?

Moose: Suss out theweighthc.tumblr.com, you can download the demo and a tour tape we did this year with our friend Jonno who I mentioned before. We are on Facebook, Twitter, Stereokiller and all of that as well.

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?qbbaeku9x88obr0

Download: http://www.mediafire.com/?9z4rntvajtwsgxq