The Blackout is the latest rock band to breakthrough from Wales, following the likes of the Lostprophets and Bullet For My Valentine, amongst others. Interest began to gather with their debut album ‘We Are The Dynamite’ in 2007 and since then they have gone on to sell out the London Astoria, only the third unsigned band ever to do so.They are now looking to release their second studio album, ‘The Best In Town’ and are also playing Download and Give it a Name Festivals as well as Warped Tour, and have their own headline tour. These are busy times for the boys from Merthyr Tydfil.
We talked to joint lead vocalist Sean Smith:
What has it been like for you following the success of ‘We Are the Dynamite’?
I’m not sure about success but it’s been fun and it blows our minds that we're playing bigger venues than we ever dreamt of playing, nobody thought we'd play the Astoria let alone sell it out.
Who did you listen to when you were younger?
I got into rock late I guess, I was 16 when I first got into it and it was through Limp Bizkit and Guns n Roses, mainly cos they had swearing in their songs, cos everyone knows, swearing makes you bad ass!
How does Best In Town sound in comparison to We Are the Dynamite?
The Best In Town is amazing, I listen to it everyday and if I wasn’t in this band id be jealous of the knobs that wrote it!
You’re on the Download bill this year along with some legendary bands like Def Leppard and Faith No More, how do you feel about this?
Faith no more are one of our favourite bands and biggest influences so it’s amazing that we get to be near them let alone play the same stage. Its gonna be an amazing weekend!
Which are you looking forward to most: Download, or Warped Tour?
Hmm that’s a tough one, Download has an amazing line up but is only 3 days, whereas Warped will be a month of us having japes and nobody understanding what we're saying...so it’s a draw!
When will you be touring the UK again?
MAY MAY MAY with Silverstein, Hollywood Undead, and the Urgency and We are the ocean are doing a few dates.
Which band that you’ve been on tour with has been your favourite to hang out with?
There's been loads but just cos of how rad the last tour was From First To Last were lots of fun and the best guys, but then you have our brothers from other mothers Lostprophets. I'd like to see them fight and whoever wins can hold that title!
And which was the best to see?
Well I was a big fan of Lostprophets before I got introduced to them, so seeing some of your idols play you’re favourite songs every night is fantastical!
Can you give us any news on The Blackout's future plans?
WORLD DOMINATION!!!! ARRRGGGGHHHH!
Damon Fowler
Comfort in Sound
