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10 Questions with ... Austin Dickinson
May 2, 2017
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1) Where does this interview find you and the band right now?
We are currently in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, at the beginning of our dates with Nothing More and Hell Or Highwater! We just finished up with Shinedown and some shows with P.O.D, so now we're doing this and gearing up for festivals.
2) Before we talk about As Lions, how much did growing up with a famous Rock star father (Bruce Dickinson/Iron Maiden) influence your love for being in a Rock band?
Chances are, it probably influenced you to write articles more than me to play music. I never knew I was going to do music. I was going to go into film and theatre. I've always loved creating things, music especially, but as far as pursuing it as a viable career option? I never would have known. It's always been a matter of expression and love, it comes from the heart, and seldom do those things support you in work. I'm insanely lucky to be able to combine what I love and what I do for a living.
3) When did you actually start playing music and tell us about some of your early bands and bandmates?
I started playing in bands when I was 14, played my first proper support slots when I was 16. I feel like that was the year I fell completely in love with everything. I originally played drums, then guitar and eventually settled on vocals. Myself and Will, our guitarist, met when he was 16 too, and I joined a band he had, which eventually became our first "touring" band, Rise To Remain. From there, we literally toured the world, played anywhere and everywhere, from Bali and Seoul to New York and Melbourne, put out a record, and worked as hard as we could. Conor, our other guitarist, also joined Rise in a later lineup.
4) Give us the scoop on where and how you and the band As Lions formed?
We formed in the wake of Rise To Remain breaking up. I think that, for Will, Conor and myself, we saw it as an opportunity to totally distance ourselves from any "conventions" in our last band's style that would hold us back from doing exactly what we wanted. We formed officially in 2015, and since then we have just been incredibly busy. Our debut album, "Selfish Age," came out, we've been touring a lot either side of that release, so it has been an absolute trip to us to be doing this on a global scale so quickly. We're very thankful for all the kind words and the support people have given us.
5) Congrats on the early success of your single, "Aftermath," which is doing well at Rock radio. What can you tell us about that song?
Thank you! That song was actually one of the last songs we wrote for the album, and it got written very quickly. It was definitely one of the more "natural" songs in a weird way, when we started writing it, everything came together over the course of around 12 hours. Everything just stuck really well, and it's incredible to see it in the U.S. top 20. We are absolutely over the moon.
6) "Aftermath" was actually the name of your EP released in October 2016. You've since released your debut LP "Selfish Age." Now that it's done, tell us about that recording experience.
The recording experience was amazing, as well as diverse. We did a few songs with David Bendeth first, which was a huge learning experience and an opportunity for us to work with one of our heroes. He had a lot of great advice to offer, and years of experience behind him. We then finished the record with Kane Churko, who is a lot closer in age to us, which was interesting because we managed to concoct a unique, high-octane energy in the studio. Kane is a fucking brilliant producer and person; he lives and breathes music, and the sessions were all about gaining ground and capturing the performance. The album really turned out amazing, and we couldn't have asked for better people to do it with.
7) You guys are also out now on the road here in the States with some big festival dates as well. How are the live shows going for you?
The shows are going great! We're such a new band, so we have the "element of surprise," which is a great advantage in a lot of ways. There's nothing like stepping on a stage with nothing, giving it everything you've got, and leaving a sweaty, happy, screaming crowd behind. We want people to have the rock show they deserve, and a night they'll always remember. That's our job.
8) What's your take on Rock radio here in the U.S.? Do you have any favorite on-air radio moments you can share with us?
It's a great culture run by people with a genuine passion for music, and the bands and individuals creating it. So far I've absolutely loved meeting all of the DJs, everyone has been so welcoming, and they all love to talk about music, which is an instant win in my eyes, because I could sit there for hours on end with these fine folk and debate "And Justice..." vs "The Black Album," or something of the sort! Truly great people.
9) Who are some of the Rock artists who inspire you? Are there any "guilty pleasure" songs we might be surprised to find on your playlist?
There are so many great bands out there right now, my favorite band has always been Killswitch Engage, but I also love Deftones, David Bowie, Tool, Karnivool, Cardiacs, Trivium, Metallica, The Beatles, Woodkid ... there is just far too much!
As far as guilty pleasures? That new Ed Sheeran album is really good. Like: really good.
10) Finally, when you're not writing or playing music, and are looking to get away from the biz, what do you like to do for fun and relaxation? Do you have any cool hobbies you can share with us?
I love reading, writing, playing, watching ... I guess, creating, really! Anything and everything to do with creating is right up my street, so a lot of the time I'm working with friends on their projects or just checking them out. I'm very lucky to have such a good bunch of talented folk around, it does my heart good!
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