1.Can you give us an update on what has been going on with the band since the recording and release of the new ep?
not much really... planning our next strikes. The winter months are usually pretty inactive for us. Lately it's just been dealing with merch orders and administration, as we're doing this all ourselves now.
2.Recently you have released a new ep, how would you describe the musical sound that is presented on the recording and also how does it differ from the stuff you have released in the past?
It's doom metal. Can't really describe it any more than that! If you enjoyed our last album 'Horrible Night', you'll dig this one.. I wouldn't really say it's "more of the same", it's more confident..I think we're a better band now, we've done a lot of live work and a lot has happened since 'Horrible Night' came out..
3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects the band explores with the newer music?
Horror.. always horror.
4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Moss'?
It's so long ago it's tough to remember why we went with that...I'd say cos all three of us grew up in and around a really old forest, moss covering the trees.. it kinda fits this damp, stagnant atmosphere we were going for. We had a list of names and that one stuck.. there's always been a link to nature and the more elemental powers in our music.. I like being in nature, living in a city these days I don't see much of it anymore.
5.What are some of the best shows that the band ha splayed over the years and also how would you describe your stage performance?
Roadburn 2010 stands out, as that was the end of an era for us. We performed songs that night that we'll never play again, so it was definitely the closing of a chapter for us. Heavy Days in Doom Town Festival 2013 was another one that was very important, the crowd response and everything was just magical. We'd never had crowd surfers before! That was a really special weekend, one of our favourites. The whole tour leading up to that show was really cool.
On stage, we just try to go out there and do it as loud as possible. There's no act with us, no "stage clothes", it's just us doing what we do.
6.Do you have any touring or show plans for the future/
2015 will hopefully have some more shows... in these last two years we've done more shows than we ever did in the previous 10 years put together. We weren't really a live band before, but since 'Horrible Night' it just made more and more sense to take it out live to as many people. We want to tour again in 2015, and hopefully we can get out to some festivals in the summer. Book us, get in touch!
7.The new ep was self released but you have been on a label before, are you open to working with another label again in the future or do you prefer the DIY approach more?
The DIY approach is a great way to do it, you're completely in control of everything. The only problem is funding it yourself, you have to be pretty responsible. Everything with this EP release has gone very smoothly and we're looking to be doing alright from it. In terms of this EP, we're way better off doing it ourselves than we would've been on a label. We were on a label that wasn't entirely honest with us about what we were due and only did anything after we called them out about it, which was a whole other ordeal. The way they promoted our last record was pointless, putting it out on the same day as 4 of their other releases making it even harder on the customers who are going to want to buy everything, despite recent claims by the owner that he likes to keep the release schedule spread out so things like that don't happen. Well we found out otherwise. Once we fulfilled our contract, we got as far away from them as possible. It says something that they've had a few other bands leave recently too. I really don't think they know what they're doing - the way they handle records for one thing. The owner claims to dislike coloured vinyl and the whole Ebay culture surrounding limited records - but he perpetrates this madness by putting out coloured vinyl limited to 200, every fucking time. The thing is, they'll keep going as long as there's a naive young band around who should know better and people silly enough to keep buying from them.
We'd be open to signing with a new label, and with our experiences we know what we'd require from them and what they're supposed to do for us. To do a full record we'd definitely need the funding of a label, that would be hard to raise fully ourselves. An EP was easy to fund, but a full album? We'd need some help.
8.On a worldwide level how has the feedback been to your music by fans of doom metal?
I don't pay much attention to whats going on online, which where most feedback seems to be these days. It's cool when someone tells you at a gig or wherever they like the record. We've definitely got people who completely hate what we're doing, which is great. And the last album seemed to divide some of our fans a bit - those who liked it and those who thought we sucked now cos it wasn't as slow, the vocals were different..etc. We are still very, very slow, and it's fucking heavy.. but that shouldn't be a marker for quality. Some people just want the same record over and over again I guess, which we could easily do. But we just wouldn't be totally into it. Things evolve and move on over time...but I don't feel like we've drastically alienated that part of our fan base, the ones who just want the super slow and heavy sludge over everything else, cos that is definitely still there in our sound. We've been together for nearly 15 years, and what you liked when you were 19 isn't necessarily the same thing you're into when you're 33..and we make this music for no one but ourselves. That even a few people might like what we do we'd take as a bonus.
9.Are any of the band members involved with any other musical projects or bands these days?
Yes and no... nothing that we'd want to reveal on here, but we all do stuff outside of Moss, but it's not in any way on this kind of level. Moss is the only band that we're involved with that we'd want to talk about.
10.When can we expect another full length album and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?
whatever it is we do next it's going to be doom metal. It always was and always is. Maybe we'll have a new record together in two or three years..it all kind of depends if we can find a label we trust.
11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your newer music and also what are you listening to nowadays?
nothing new...we've still got the same influences from when we were kids, Saint Vitus, Sabbath, horror films, Lovecraft, naked women, weed..our influences never change, we've still got the same motivations for doing this band that we had back in 2001.
Listening to the new Purson EP which I just picked up. I spend a lot of time with those guys, really good band that is way beyond their years.
12. How would you describe your views on Occultism?
my views on occultism nowadays really depends on my mood. I could completely shit on it if I want to. It's something I used to have a lot of time for and have learned a lot from. But I dunno...I respect it, but I am not so sure I could take it seriously any longer, there are other things I appreciate about it now that are more superficial than anything deep. It looks cool! That's why people get into it in the first place, because it looks so cool. It's the same reasons why you want to grow your hair long or smoke a cigarette as a kid. I grew up on Hammer Horror films, weird comics, prog rock - this was the 80s, but all that stuff from the 70s was still around, and a large chunk of weekend television at the time was still repeats from the 60s and 70s, so you got to see all that great, weird, drug-influenced creative television from then..crazy Doctor Who serials, Reggie Perrin, The Monkees, Hammer and Amicus studios films.. I always had a curiosity for things that are a little strange and out there. Just thanks to all the kinds of things I was consuming at the time, it was easy enough to come across anything that you could consider as part of the occult. Occult imagery is very powerful and attractive to a certain kind of person, especially to a child..maybe it finds you instead of the other way round. In darkness there is no choice!
13.What are some of your non musical interests?
sleeping
14.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?
cheers! check out the EP on our bandcamp page, released on Halloween. We will be back....
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