In this interview, Salem UK shares insights on their new single "Meteorite," discussing the album Outer Limits, its carnival-inspired themes, and the influence of classic rock and metal on their sound.
1. First
off, congratulations on the release of “Meteorite”! Can you tell us more about
how the idea for this single came about? What initially sparked the concept?
Adrian:
Thank you very much! We had the title “Meteorite” because we had already
decided on the album concept of Hull Fair, and Meteorite is a ride at the fair.
We thought about how people have interpreted meteorites seen in the sky over
the centuries, and that's basically what the song is about.
2. Adrian,
you mentioned that you initially thought the heavy riff in
"Meteorite" would lead to a metal tune but it turned into more of a
rock anthem. What was the turning point in its development?
Adrian: The
main riff needed a chorus. The current chorus chord sequence was literally the
first thing I played; I've no idea how I came up with it but I was pleased with
it—so we kept it. That changed the direction of the song. It's still a
foot-stomper but it has more of a melodic rock chorus than a heavy metal one.
3. The
theme of "Meteorite" touches on people's interpretations of the
lights and stars in the sky. Could you dive a bit deeper into how these lyrics
were developed and the message you hope listeners take from them?
Adrian:
After the general theme of interpreting lights in the sky was established, it
all became quite dark—it probably doesn’t get any darker than a nuclear bomb
obliterating a city! Ultimately I guess the message is one of hope—but don’t
make the mistake of fooling yourself by hoping for too much.
4. Jonny,
you mentioned a “Run to the Hills” vibe for the verse riff and an early
Metallica feel for the intro. Were there any other nods to classic metal and
rock bands across Outer Limits?
Jonny: Yeah
my initial first thoughts were a Run to the Hills kind of vibe, which I liked
as I am a lifetime fan of Iron Maiden. It’s like a return to the roots for me
as I have been part of a lot of genres through my musical journey especially
through the melodic death metal kind of route. It’s good to be back where I
started in my influences as a lot of my childhood memories are of my older
brothers listening to Iron Maiden, Diamond Head, Praying Mantis, Judas Priest, Ozzy
etc. so it’s like returning home from a long visit. Early Metallica was part of
my growing up too from around ’84 onwards though I never heard the song
Motorbreath until I was in my mid teens. The main riff of Meteorite reminds me
of the reoccurring section that is a hook on the classic Metallica song though
I know for a fact Ady did not copy the idea off Metallica as its played
completely differently—I know because I learned the Metallica song during my
early days of playing, and it’s not something Ady would probably listen to any
way.
5. You’ve
worked with Rude Awakening Records for this release. How has their support
influenced the album’s production or release strategy?
Jonny: I am
really pleased and very impressed so far with their help. I have to say
Gabriele has been extremely supportive and very hard working. Rude Awakening
being is the most involved label I personally have worked with; things are
really productive and positive, so it’s been a really good experience so far. I
assume it can only get better once the album is released as we will have more
to work from.
Adrian: The communication is excellent too, but what I am most impressed by is Gabriele’s enthusiasm and motivation. I’ve never seen that from a label before.
6. Salem
UK has a classic hard rock and heavy metal sound. How did you balance that core
identity with the energetic, carnival-themed elements on this album?
Simon: The
balance wasn’t a problem—not that anyone was thinking that deeply about it—but
Jonny has brought a new energy to the writing process and Dan has a powerful,
modern metal drumming style that works well with the writing process. As for me
and Adrian, we love hanging on to the ride and the excitement it’s bringing;
it’s made two happy men very old!!
7. From
the heavier riffs to the anthemic rock elements, Outer Limits seems like it
will take listeners on quite a ride. What do you hope fans experience as they
listen to the album from start to finish?
Jonny: I
hope the listeners will envision something like a journey through time of the
band’s musical influences, which brought us to where we are now. Hopefully it
will bring back some memories of bands that became a part of their upbringing.
We were never trying to make something brand new; we wanted to make something
that was always part of us and that others could enjoy—and maybe feel some kind
of nostalgia in some ways while also creating new memories. There are a vast number
of influences in the songs I contributed to, ranging from melodic rock and
NWOBHM to thrash metal, all the way into extreme metal—though of course I did
not want to make those influences so prominent, as I wanted to also help the
band return to their NWOBHM roots.
8. Hull
Fair is an iconic part of British culture. What drew you to use it as a theme
for Outer Limits? Did you have any memorable experiences from the fair that
influenced the album?
Simon:
Adrian and Jonny had started recording a track with the working title “Outer
Limits” and I remembered there’s a ride at Hull Fair with the same name. So we
started thinking about other rides that had names we could write songs about,
and as we’re all from Hull and are very familiar with the legendary fair, the
idea that we could write about the fair was taken on board.
9. Looking
at the lyric video for "Meteorite," it seems visuals play an
important role in this release. How do you envision the live experience for
Outer Limits and “Meteorite” in particular? Are there plans for any special
stage designs or visuals?
Adrian:
That’s not something we have talked about yet. We’ve always relied on our stage
performance as the main attraction but maybe there will need to be a discussion
about that after the release of Outer Limits!
10. Simon,
you joked about the “Rolling Stones vibe” at the beginning of “Meteorite.” How
did that unexpected influence come into play, and what other unexpected
influences shaped the album?
Simon: I
don’t think any of the elements were surprising really; bands such as the
Stones and Led Zeppelin are part of our life’s soundtrack so to hear those
influences in our music is quite natural for us. It’s like a tip of the hat to
music we love and quite reassuring in many ways.
I think
Jonny’s vocals on Fire Fire came as surprise; we’ve never done that before but
the track cried out for it and Jonny is the man for the job—brilliant
performance too I must add. I suppose you’ll find aspects of the album that
have a familiar feel, some Leppard-ness, some Whitesnakey-ness; it all adds to
the flavour.
11. Outer
Limits sounds like a dynamic concept album, with each track inspired by
different aspects of Hull Fair. What were some of the most challenging or
rewarding parts of creating a concept album?
Adrian:
Good question! It’s one thing to come up with a concept but it’s another thing
to make everything on the album align with that concept! Many of the song
titles are also fair rides; once you have the song title, you can progress from
there to develop a narrative, and the lyrics are the final stage. Other songs on
the album mention some aspect of the fair, either from the traveller’s
perspective or from the person on the ride—the ups and downs life for example.
I think the rewarding part was that we delivered what we set out to achieve
without it being too contrived.
12. Finally,
what’s next for Salem UK after the album drops on November 29? Are there any
plans for tours, festivals, or more videos that fans can look forward to?
Jonny: I
hope that we can get out to do as many possible venues and festivals as
possible so I guess we will have to see what kind of interest we can generate.
Adrian: Personally my plan is to stay away from the studio as much as I can for the next few months! But I guess that’s not what you meant! We will be looking to re-establish ourselves across Europe, as COVID-19 did a lot of damage to festivals and venues, and they are only just starting to pick up again.
Post a Comment