DEVIL'S ISLAND featuring Famous Strangers
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 Famous Strangers 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?
Beej: I’d go with Animals by Pink Floyd. At first I said The Wall, but Animals has these long, immersive tracks that help me completely zone out. If I’m gonna be stuck on an island, I want something that keeps me grounded and calm. Plus, ten-minute songs are the best for getting lost in your own head. That’s my vibe on the beach.
Braden: I’m bringing Die Knowing by Comeback Kid. I’ve probably listened to that record more than anything else in my life. I know every single part of it, start to finish. It’s heavy, it’s energizing, and it reminds me of the people I care about. It’d keep me focused on making it back home.
Jeff: This one’s hard for me, but if I only get one, it’s Help! by The Beatles. That record brings me back to my childhood, to when I started playing music. It reminds me of my dad, my family, and the joy of discovering music for the first time. There’s not a single bad song on it, and I’d be singing along every day just to stay sane.
Amanda: Okay wait, so are we stuck on this island together or alone? Because if we’re all there, and I’ve already got Animals to chill out, I’d grab The Great Southern Trendkill by Pantera. At first, we’d all try to keep it calm, take in the scenery, maybe get a little Zen with Pink Floyd. But after a while, things would get weird. We’d need something aggressive to scream into the sky or headbang on the beach just to let it all out.
Band consensus: Honestly, if there were a pile of CDs floating in the surf, we’d probably all go diving for the same ones. Half the fun would be fighting over what gets played next. Peaceful to primal, we’ve got the whole emotional arc of Desert Island survival covered.
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?
Jeff: I would choose the first Smalls album. It has probably one of my favorite logos of all time. It’s calming, it’s soothing, and it brings me back to an amazing time in my life when I first discovered that record. It’s the white one, and yeah, that cover just feels right.
Amanda: I’d go with The Principle of Evil Made Flesh by Cradle of Filth. It’s pure nostalgia for me. It takes me right back to high school, back when I used to get kicked out of class for wearing that shirt because it was too vulgar. But on top of that, the artwork is intense and unapologetic. Plus, if we’re on a desert island and it’s hot and lonely, it gives me something fun to look at.
Braden: I’d hang up In Utero by Nirvana. From a distance, it’s super pretty and almost calming, but when you really start looking at it up close, there’s so much going on. The textures, the strange anatomy, the layers of detail. You can lose yourself in that cover and find something new every time.
Beej: I think I’d go with 1984 by Van Halen. That was one of the first albums I ever got, and the cover just always stuck with me. That little smirking angel with the cigarette, looking all badass and innocent at the same time. It felt rebellious, like it was saying, “Yeah, I know I’m trouble.” Iconic.
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?
Jeff: Jack and Coke, easy.
Amanda: I’d probably go with extra dirty martinis, Grey Goose with olives, and hell yeah, I’m set.
Braden: I need some Lucky Lager. The classic. Can’t go wrong with the ol’ Lucky.
Beej: I’m gonna take a piña colada straight from the tiki bar (looking at you Armstrong Metalfest). <spontaneous acapella version of the 1979 classic Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" by Rupert Holmes breaks out> If you like piña coladas, then you know what I’m talking about.
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?
Jeff: Mine would be an Iron Maiden Number of the Beast flag. I had it as a kid and always thought it was the coolest flag ever. The artwork, the details, everything about it is badass and it's versatile in situations of shade, fashion and passing planes and boats!
Amanda: I’m choosing Planet Eater’s Frisbee. They actually sold those as merch and I think it would be the best to have on a deserted island. Sporty, fun, and useful. Picture us on the beach, sipping piña coladas, tossing the Frisbee around in the sun with the boys. Paradise.
Braden: I’d want a Famous Strangers bottle opener, so I could shotgun my Lucky Lagers all day long.
Beej: I’d go with a Famous Strangers hat. It’s sunny out here and a good hat goes a long way. Keeps the heat off, looks sharp, and reps the crew. What more could you want?
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?
Jeff: Honestly, I would not want to be shipwrecked with anyone else. This band has been through all kinds of chaos and adventure together and I know without a doubt that we can handle anything thrown at us. We’ve got a great dynamic, we support each other, and even in the worst of situations, we’d find a way to make it work. This is my crew.
Amanda: I gotta say, I would absolutely want to be stuck with Famous Strangers. We already know how to work in close quarters, we’ve figured out how to problem solve together, and we know how to make the best of a situation. That being said, if I had to choose someone else, it would be my sister Jenna Kiernan. She’s my soulmate, my ride or die, and I know the two of us would either get off the island or turn it into a pretty amazing new home.
Braden: I’m with Amanda and Jeff on this. If I couldn’t be with the band, I’d choose my immediate family. My parents, my siblings, and my girlfriend. Those are the people I feel most connected to and who keep me grounded. But being with FS, we’d definitely make the best of it.
Beej: Yeah, same vibe here. FS would absolutely be my first pick. But if I had to choose outside of that, it would be my mom, dad, brother, my amazing partner, and of course, my kitty cats. I love them all and I know we’d make it through together. And yes, absolutely make sure you mention the cats.
All together: Let it be known, we’re all perfectly fine being stranded with Famous Strangers. We’ve already been through a lot and somehow we’re still laughing. Bring on the coconuts and chaos!
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?
Beej: I’m gonna take a stab at it and say Live Aid, probably '85. That was the best of the best, all in one show. Every band that mattered was there and they all just crushed it. It would be impossible not to get fired up listening to that.
Braden: My pick for the tape would be Nirvana’s MTV Unplugged. It’s a classic and it holds up every time. It’s emotional, raw, and I think even if the others were stuck hearing it too, nobody would complain. It’s got a calm intensity that hits.
Jeff: I’m going with Woodstock 1969. There’s something magical about that whole era and that festival. You’ve got a wild range of artists and styles, and the energy was unreal. It would keep me entertained for hours and maybe even help pass the time like a proper trip through music history.
Amanda: Since the boys already picked their tapes, and I’ll probably be stealing all of theirs anyway so I can cycle through Nirvana and Live Aid and Woodstock, I figured I’d go in a different direction. I’d pick Phantom of the Opera Live 1987 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. Those performances meant a lot to me growing up. We used to go to them as a family and it just stuck with me. The operatic vocals and orchestration give me something peaceful, something dramatic, and honestly, something beautiful to listen to while I come to terms with dying on a beach with three smelly boys. If we’re going down, let it be dramatic.
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?
Amanda: I’m sending my bottle straight to Val, Lord Heathen himself. Zimmer’s Hole, West of Hell, Grave Mass, all of it. That man would show up in a full-on pirate ship with exactly what we need. It wouldn’t just be a rescue, it would be a party and a seance and probably the best night of our lives.
Jeff: I’m sending mine to Ryan Junior Kittlitz of All Hail the Yeti and Burton C. Bell. Ryan’s my brother, and if he got the message, I know without a doubt he’d come straight for us. He’d show up fully loaded with everything we need, and I’d finally get to see my brother again. Easy choice.
Braden: I’d aim my bottle at Bruce Dickinson from Iron Maiden. That guy literally flies planes. He could land right on the island, scoop us up, and we’d be back in no time. Plus, how epic would that rescue be?
Beej: I’m calling on Sting. The man has already sent out an SOS before, so he knows the drill. I figure he’d get the message and know exactly what to do. Come get me, Sting.
You've been stuck here 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?
Beej: Jeff's the fattest right now, so throw him on the barbie. Let's go.
Braden: I gotta pick Amanda, 'cause she takes care of herself and eats the healthiest of all of us, so she probably tastes the best.
Amanda: Thank you, Braden. I hope you start with, well, you know (laughs). At least make it enjoyable before you roast me!
I choose either Braden or Jeff because they're both the meatiest right now and looking pretty delicious. Slap some barbecue sauce on that ass.
Jeff: I would pick Amanda for the same reason as Braden, because she eats the healthiest.
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?
Amanda: I need to change my answer. At first I said Bruce Dickinson because he’s such a powerhouse and he's done it all, and I figured we wouldn’t be struggling on an island if he was with us. But honestly, I’m going with Timothy Prevost from Quietus, Dead Jesus, and Order of Chaos. He’s my brother, he’s always taken care of me, and he’s the only fucking reason I’m even in the metal scene. He’s a solid person to have on an island and there's a lot of love there. So yeah, sorry Brucey, I’m saving Tim.
Braden: I’ll pick my old buddy Jordan Woodhouse from Compromise. If we’re talking about someone who shaped the way I think about music and had the biggest impact on my path, it's probably him.
Jeff: I would have to say my dad, Darrel Kittlitz. He played in The Young Ones and probably 50 other bands after that. He’s the whole reason I play music and why I do what I do. He’s been my idol ever since I can remember. Having him on the island would just make everything better.
Beej: Probably my brother. He’s the one I started listening to heavy music with. Before I ever got into bands or playing shows, it was just me and him, so I owe a lot of my musical roots to him.
