DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring The Parallax Method
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 find The Parallax Method sat on the beach. The island is far from their home, so how did they end up here and how did they 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.
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?
Danny: I hope I packed sun-cream as well, I burn very easily! Make Yourself by Incubus. This is an album I never get bored of listening to, and since we are marooned, that’s pretty important. Is there a playback device, or do we have to try and recreate the album between us, using makeshift instruments from detritus?
Ben: I would have to choose Moving Pictures by Rush. I was first introduced to this album through hearing the intro of YYZ played by Primus on the intro to John the Fisherman from the Suck On This album. This led me down such an important rabbit hole as it introduced me to prog; to Geddy Lee (!); to how in the case of YYZ, instrumental music can actually be interesting; and to the twists, turns and time signatures that ultimately have influenced our music.
Dave: In Flames - A Sense of Purpose. This album is probably my all-time favourite and one that has probably influenced my music taste more than anything. I don’t think I will ever get tired of this one!
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?
Danny: Okay, we have accommodation. I’m less worried about the sun-cream now. When the sun is high, I can take shelter from the harmful UV rays. Excellent. I’d probably chose ‘Dookie’ by Greenday. Reason being, entertainment would be limited, so we could play ‘Where’s Wally?’ with the artwork.
Ben: My choice would be the cover from Blood Sugar Sex Magik by the Red Hot Chill Peppers because this album is one of the reasons I started to play bass. I heard it at a time where I was first starting to be able to buy music, to listen to music of my own choosing, and it just blew my mind. At that time, this album and that band became my favourites. Since then I’ve fallen in and out of love with the band many times but I always come back to this album for inspiration to play bass. It’s not the best album cover I’ve ever seen, nor is it my favourite album, but I choose this cover because of the meaning it has for me.
Dave: Twelve Foot Ninja – Outlier. Not only does it just look cool, I can also count all the ninjas to help me sleep!
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?
Danny: I think it would have to be ‘Gamma Ray’ by Beavertown, but if I had to choose between alcohol and caffeine, I’d choose coffee.
Ben: Fizzy orange, or Fozange as it is called in my house… or orangeade to some I guess. Whilst I’d be tempted to go for my favourite beer (Guinness), or spirit (rum), I think I would just miss being able to sup the sweet nectar that is fozange. 'Who loves orange soda? Kel loves orange soda!'
Dave: Guinness! With food likely in short supply, what better than a meal in a glass!
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?
Danny: One of our band t-shirts. We have a storage cupboard full of them! Available for a bargain price from our online store at www.theparallaxmethod.com 😉
Ben: Easy! A big, baggy, Mr Bungle t-shirt!
Dave: It would have to be my beloved In Flames/Super Mario crossover shirt for Take This Life
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?
Danny: Tom Hanks. He did pretty well for himself in Cast Away. “WILSON!”
Ben: I would choose my partner as she’s my best friend!
Dave: Probably Morgan Freeman, his voice would have a bizarre calming affect despite the dire circumstances.
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?
Danny: That’s a great question. I’d have to say, Eric Johnson live at The Bitter End in New York City. Whilst on holiday with my wife, we stumbled across a club and Eric Johnson was sound checking mid-afternoon. Totally unexpected and we managed to grab tickets for that evening, we met him too. They say never meet you heroes but Eric is so down to earth and friendly, he was a pleasure to meet.
Ben: This would be the two-night end of tour show(s) by Primus at the Royal Albert Hall where they played Sailing the Seas of Cheese in it’s entirety from start to finish along with sets including all their best material. I was lucky enough to be there in person for both nights and would love to be able to recapture that time.
Dave: Devin Townsend on the Empath tour that we saw at Rock City. That is without a doubt the best gig I’ve been to on every level!
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?
Danny: Dave Grohl. There’s nothing that guy couldn’t do! Breaks his leg and carries on performing. Writes songs for trapped miners and buys them beer. He’s definitely the guy you want on a rescue mission.
Ben: Let’s go with Sting. I think he’s the sort of person that would make it his personal mission to do something about this; it helped to get Bart Simpson out of the well after all. Oh, and he would relate to receiving a message in a bottle.
Dave: I’m going to say the bass player from Five Finger Death Punch… hear me out! When they’re flying over in the chopper through the inevitable thunderstorm that tries to thwart any rescue attempt, he can simply dangle his beard dreads over the side and we can all climb on up!
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?
Danny: Dave! He’s the tallest, providing more sustenance. Plus he’s really chilled and wouldn’t put up much of a fight.
Ben: There’s nowt on Danny or Dave, so the only thing for it would be to sacrifice myself. If long pig is your sort of thing then I reckon there’d be some good eating on me.
Dave: I’d probably have to give myself up, once I’d got the taste for meat, the others wouldn’t last long anyway!
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?
Danny: That is deep! Probably Brian May. He’s the reason I wanted to learn guitar and he’s fighting the good fight.
Ben: That’d be my friend, Ted. He’s another of the reasons why I started playing bass in the first place and, having lived together for most of our twenties, he’s such a key person in shaping my way of thinking and outlook on life.
Dave: Benny Greb. This man’s groove is probably the best in the world. His ability to keep things simple, yet tasteful one minute, only to melt your brain the next is a balance no one else can match!
