DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Twisted Illusion
Welcome to this weeks edition of Devil's Island! Every week we maroon a band or artist on the island and see what they get up to, how they cope with being all alone on a small island in the middle of the ocean. It's not your average desert island and we'll see just how each person copes with the extreme conditions.
This week when we arrived at Devil's Island we found Matt from Mancunian prog rockers Twisted Illusion sat on the beach. The island is far from their home, but how did he end up here and how did he cope with life on Devil's Island?
Find out now...
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.
So you're marooned here on this island, but before you ended up shipwrecked you chose one album that you couldn't live without. Which album did you each chose and why?
Matt: Grace by Jeff Buckely. It's never a difficult question for me. It's unequivocally my favourite album. I adore it and could listen to it a million times without ever experiencing anything other than utter joy. It's a perfect album to me and I have never had an experience like hearing Grace for the first time. It blew me away. From its sonic beauty and bountiful production by Andy Wallace to Jeff's sheer soul beaming out through his angelic and virtuosic voice, there isn't a single moment of the record that doesn't mesmerise me on every listen.
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?
Matt: Iron Maiden - Somewhere In Time. Not only is it my favourite metal album, it's definitely a masterpiece visually. The sleeve for this release always piqued my interest. There is something new to see everytime you look at it.
There's also a bar on this here island. But alas each of you only get to choose one drink for the
entirety of your stay. What's your tipple of choice?
Matt: Dr Pepper Zero.
Your suitcases were lost when your ship sank, but you each managed to salvage one item of band merch. What’s the merch and for what band?
Matt: I have an old copy of the white album by The Beatles on vinyl that I never play or really care for. I could make use of it and play frisbee or something? For the record I like The Beatles, I just prefer Abbey Road.
You’re sat on the island thinking “I’m stuck here on this island with my bandmates for eternity”… who would you rather have been shipwrecked with?
Matt: Rosa Diaz from Brooklyn 99. Not the actress who plays her. The character. Rosa, Rosa ROSAAAA... it's the voice... or something. She cool man.
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?
Matt: Bullet In A Bible by Green Day, it's quite possibly the best live performance ever recorded in my eyes.
You're getting desperate, you decide the only course of action is to put a message in a bottle and hope someone finds it. Your message could be to any member of any band, but should be the most suitable for a rescue attempt. Who is it?
Matt: Fuck em I'll just sit on a rock and sing acapella till my heart fails.
You've been stuck here for a while and food supplies are running low. There's only one thing for it... which fellow band member gets sacrificed to help the others survive?
Matt: Phil. Our drummer. No hesitation. He's skinny and I'd have sparse pickings but he deserves it the most.
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?
Matt: Devin Townsend. If I grow up to be a bald Canadian mad man, I'll be ever so happy.
