The Vow

Written by Big Smile Staff

Posted May 18, 2008, by Meesh!.

What's your myspace link or any other link you want to give us?

Who are you and where are you all from?

Paul Cummins - vocals/guitar, Rich Mackman - bass/vocals, Steve Farmer - drums/vocals. We're all kinda spread out. The band is based in Peterborough, UK, where Rich lives, but I'm from Lincoln, an hour up the road from here, and Steve is from Nottingham, which has the distinction of being the gun crime capital of the UK. We're not proud.

How was your band formed?

initially Rich and me got together because we'd both been kicked out of our respective bands. We needed something to do and had similar influences: everything from Killing Joke to Bad Religion, early Jam, early Manic Street Preachers, Nirvana. Steve we met a couple of months after we'd started writing. We had a rehearsal and he just brought everything to life. It genuinely felt really right.

What band has influenced you the most?

Loads; hard to say whose influenced us the most, we don't listen to much of the same music we do now as we did when we started and it always tends to be songs and ideas as opposed to a certain band. We're inspired by a few though: Bad Religion, Killing Joke, Warrior Soul; we had Helmet and an old album by Sugar on in the studio when we did our EP.

What do you try to have people get out of your music?

If anything, a sense of empowerment, relation, and reaction.

What inspires your lyrics? What are they all about?

It's kind of split 50/50 between observation and personal feelings. We're not the sort of band that will wallow in negative feelings, even the songs that are about negative things ("Everyone is Scared," "Smalltown Violence," "World Won't Stop," and "Silver Song" are [all] about the symptoms of clinical depression) tend to always have a slant that basically says "fight it."

Any venue or area that is your dream to play at?

For me, a couple! CBGB's in New York just for the prestige and the fact that Punk started there. Or somewhere like the Albert Hall in London - somewhere big enough to [do] the most scary, brilliant live show you could possibly imagine.

What makes you different from other bands out there?

Because music, and the Vow, is not just something we do, it's something we ARE.

Have a CD out? If so how can we get it?

Wwe have 2; we have the "Just One Blood" EP that we've just finished, and a retrospective with a few tracks from our older EP's. Wwe did that basically so anyone who heard us live and wanted the songs that weren't on Just One Blood could easily get hold of them. At the moment we're mailing our stuff to people, 'cause we're not signed. But we're working on getting iTunes etc. up on our myspace so people won't have to send off for our stuff unless they want a physical product instead of a download. Just keep checking back.

If you could give advice to a starting band or musician, what would you say?

Trust yourself. It's your band, which means it's your rules. Take advice only if it feels right for you. Use your instincts, and work hard.

What do you guys like to do on the road?

Depends on the mood!!!! Rich reads a lot. There's generally drinking, but not a ridiculous amount because if you're hungover and have a show to play you'll be bad and useless. Fact!

Do you have any upcoming shows?

We're in the middle of writing some more new stuff at the moment, so ideally we want to be back in the studio in the next few months. The only show we have booked at the moment is for a local music magazine's (called Art & Soul!!) club night here in Peterborough but we're awaiting confirmation on a few local festivals too.

What do you think about UFOs?

What's NOT to think!? Our entire species is a genetic experiment started by aliens in the first place....!

What are your views on the war that's going on today?

It's shocking, no other word for it. It's inhumane to send so many soldiers to their deaths to protect what basically amounts to the Bush family's business interests. The problem with most of the wars in the last 200 years is that they are financially motivated. Unfortunately for the general populace the Americans nearly always end up fighting futile wars which cost your country dearly; the only people who benefit are the select elite who cynically orchestrated these conflicts in the first place, not the common working man or his economy.

What were some of your favourite bands growing up?

Aw man, loads. I had Soundgarden on the other day. I also liked Alice in Chains, Tori Amos, the Clash, Joy Division, Helmet, My Bloody Valentine. Steve loved the Beatles, Jellyfish, Rush, the Cult. Rich liked Black Sabbath, the Jam, Sex Pistols, and he liked Rush too.

Describe your band in one word?


Anything else you want to say to fans or anyone reading this interview?

Just come and listen. Add yourself and be our friend.

The Vow xxx

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