Devil's Island featuring Winter Storm
It's a new weekly feature for us here at The Razor's Edge. Every week we will be marooning a band on our very own desert island; 'Devil's Island'. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each band copes with the extreme conditions.
For our very first visit to Devil's Island we've taken Hannah and John from Winter Storm with us. How will they cope? Read on and find out...
Welcome to The Razors'e Edge and our somewhat lovely, warm desert island. Don't worry about it's name I'm sure it's not as bad as that would suggest.
Hannah: Hello :)!
John: Thanks for having us along.
So you're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you each chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Hannah: I'm going to go with Rush, which album is difficult indeed. Let's say Moving Pictures, or Farewell To Kings.
John: Presuming I could play a CD or vinyl on this desert island, I would pick the 1953 EMI recording of Tosca at La Scala with Giuseppe Di Stefano and Maria Callas. Tosca is my favourite opera and this is the single best version of it I have ever heard. Di Stefano's voice is phenomenal and I couldn't do without it.
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to chose one drink for the entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Hannah: Decaf tea.
John: Well, I hope it's a bar that serves a decent cup of Earl Grey tea as I don't/can't drink alcohol.
Just behind that palm tree is a shack for each of you to stay in, with enough space for you to put up a poster on the wall of one album cover. What album cover do you each chose?
Hannah: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time. So detailed and each time you see it you find something new. Stunning artwork.
John: The album artwork for 'Once' by Nightwish. I like the imagery and the story behind the Angel of Grief; it has a very Edgar Allan Poe feel about it.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. Whats the merch and for what band?
Hannah: My Eluveitie long sleeve. I love it. So comfy haha! Plus hides the shoulders from the heat.My Nightwish 'Vehicle of John: Spirit' hoodie. It's warm enough without being too warm and comfortable.
There's a walkman in your pocket, on the tape inside is the recording of the one live show that stands out for you. It could be any show, from any band, anywhere in the world. What show is on that walkman?
Hannah: A classic Rush tour for sure. Something I can study over and over.
John: Assuming that the Walkman and my earphones weren't water damaged, and still worked, it would have to be Queen at Live Aid.
Finally, when the ship sank you each managed to save one person from the wreckage. That person is the one musician that has influenced your career the most, shaped your way of thinking and your outlook on life. Who did you save?
Hannah: Good grief that's a really tough question. I could pick several. Influential musicians; Paul Gilbert, or even a friend who was previously my university lecturer, Bex.
John: Probably Nuno Bettencourt from Extreme. I've been in a few bands where I've been the only guitarist, and his way of incorporating both rhythm and lead parts into the fundamental aspects of a song pushed me to develop my playing and writing style as well as my understanding of music theory. That's up to a point, though. I got nowhere close to him as a lead guitarist.
Thanks for your time. We look forward to the release of 'Relapse In Time' on 11th October. We hope you get back to dry land by then!
Hannah: Thank you!
John: It's been a pleasure!
The last we saw of Hannah and John they were still sat on Devil's Island waiting for someone to rescue them. We hope they makes it back to dry land soon.
