Bloodstock Bound: Tiberius
As Bloodstock gets closer, we delve deep into the line up to find out more about some of the bands playing the New Blood and EMP stages at this years event.
Today we chat with Tiberius
The Razor's Edge: Please introduce yourself and your band mates.
Tiberius: Hey! I’m Grant, and I sing in Tiberius. Jahan and Chris play guitars, Ryan bass, and Nick plays the drums. Collectively we’re a hoot.
The Razor's Edge: How would you describe your sound?
Tiberius: I think it depends who you ask in the band, but because I’m answering the questions you’ll get my perspective! We’re a band that is heavy on melody, whether it’s a catchy riff, lead line, or vocal hook - that’s just how we like to express ourselves with our music. We really like contrasting our lyrics (which tend to be quite nihilistic, sarcastic, or even outright angry) with our melody (which tends to be quite bright and energetic) and revel in the juxtaposition that creates. In a live setting, that means being a force of nature through our performance to try and make you smile while you sing along to lyrics about the world being unfixable.
The Razor's Edge: How did you land your spot on the Bloodstock bill?
Tiberius: A lot of grafting, both individually and collectively. We are really proud to have been invited to play Bloodstock, and it’s perhaps even more meaningful to us as once upon a time we lost a Metal 2 the Masses semi-final… (we weren’t really ready as a band then, we are now).
The Razor's Edge: What does playing at Bloodstock mean to you?
Tiberius: I think it’s a really important milestone for us because Bloodstock is very much synonymous with the UK metal scene at this point, so being invited to play is like a stamp of recognition and approval from the scene. As I said above, we’re a bit of a niche band in terms of genre and sound, and sometimes that’s meant feeling like outsiders within a scene which has itself historically been regarded as the outcasts! For the most part that’s fine with us - we play what we play because we love doing it and if other people ‘get it’ then that’s a bonus - but I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel good to have that recognition from peers and fans alike.
The Razor's Edge: For people who’ve never seen you live, what can they expect at Bloodstock?
Tiberius: They can expect a healthy dose of chaos and comedy which is our brand of live performing that we’ve cultivated over many years of playing together. We play to party, not to get moody, so come watch us if you dig fun vibes and frenetic movement, or you want a break from beatdowns (which are also great, but not our vibe).
The Razor's Edge: What day are you performing?
Tiberius: We are performing on the Saturday, so right in the thick of things!
The Razor's Edge: What other bands are you looking forward to watching at Bloodstock this year?
Tiberius: There are loads, but I’m particularly excited to see Gojira, Mastodon, Static-X and Turin.
The Razor's Edge: Playing the EMP Stage is just the first steppingstone in a bands journey. What’s next in your plans for world domination?
Tiberius: Hah! I like the way you think. Short term the goal is to get to the Sophie Lancaster stage, then we can talk Ronnie James Dio… More generally, we want to see more of Europe. People in the Netherlands seem to love us like Germany loves the Hoff (we love you NL), so we’ll be heading over to play ProgPower Europe in October, but it would be great to visit new countries, and to do it with other bands that we admire. Watch this space.
The Razor's Edge: Are you camping with the fans? Which campsite are you heading for?
Tiberius: I think we’re actually staying in an Airbnb! Listen, I don’t know what they told you, but we’re actually all in our mid 30s. If you expect us to play a show on the Saturday, we’ll need to be in an actual bed on the Thursday and Friday night! Saturday and Sunday however… that’s anyone’s guess. But yeah, we’ll thankfully be there the whole weekend which is a nice change of pace - usually it’s back in the cramped van off to another gig in another city/country! Bloodstock lets us just be fans again.
The Razor's Edge: You’ve gotta keep hydrated at Bloodstock, what is your drink of choice for the weekend?
Tiberius: Oh I’m a weirdo and I don’t drink anything other than water really (not exaggerating). The other guys will be having all sorts, both of the alcoholic and soft variety. Jahan goes through beverage phases - I wonder what beverage company he’ll be desperately trying to set up a sponsorship deal with via socials to fund his addiction in August… Watch this space, and ask him if you see him! (Apparently it’s White Claw, soooo White Claw team if you’re reading this… hit a boy up?)
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