zg_shadows | For annwfyn (Reply)

Interview with a Raven

With Nevermore's new album, By Oaken Roots, hitting the stores this week we caught up with the band at a concert in Camden. From the first song, a haunting rendition of Memory, so appropriate for the setting, they held the crowd spellbound with their unique blend of edgy rock and traditional sounding folk tunes. Their music sweeps you up and speaks to something deep in your heart. After one song, a mother's lament for her slain children, I do not believe there was a dry eye in the audience. I spoke to their singer Mallory Raven after the show.

So, your second album is out, what's next? Another concert tour perhaps?

We'll be staying in London for a while, mostly playing at clubs around camden. Big concerts are fun, and we're going to be performing at some of the music festivals this summer, but there's more of a connection with the audience at the smaller venues and that's important to us.

You write most of your songs yourself. Where do you get your inspiration?

I just look around me mainly. It's like the feel of age from an old oak tree or the look in a child's eyes when they see a rainbow for the first time. There's so much out there that people don't see or feel because they don't know to look for it or they've forgotten how and that's what I want to show them in my music.

Tell me more about yourself. What do you do to relax after a show?

Mostly I spend time in my garden, I like to kick off my shoes and feel the soil between my fingers. I know it doesn't exactly fit the traditional rock star image but I'm fond of my roses.

Is there any truth to the rumours that you and Aidan ( Vaughan, her guitarist) are getting married?

She laughs. It's not a subject that's come up in conversation

Come now, that's not much of an answer

It's the only one you're going to get. My relationship with Aidan is between him and me and that's where we intend it to stay. I'm sure you can understand that.

So there you have it folks. I'll certainly be buying the album.