Jig-A-Jig For Skyclad
Within the growing genre called "Folk Metal", some bands are considered as it's forerunners. One is Finland's Amorphis, who started using folk elements in 1994, another is Israel's Orphaned Land, who did so in their first demo in 1993, but the first band to do so, is England's Skyclad. Starting out with guitarist Steve Ramsey and bassist Graeme English, who played together in thrash outfit Satan, the band recruited ex-Sabbat vocalist Martin Walkyer in 1990, and made was is considered to be the first folk metal album – The Wayward Sons Of Mother Earth – in 1991.
Walkyer walked out in 2000, and most people thought this was the end for the band, yet 2004's A Semblance Of Normality surprised many with it's clear vision and strong song writing, and it seems the band has found a worthy replacement for Walkyer in the form of it's veteran producer – Kevin Ridley. We spoke with Steve Ramsey about the band's current activities, while clearing some subjects from it's past.
Hey Steve, I'd like to start with current events, I understand the band is going on a short tour, what dates are you going do to, and why just a short tour?
We played a few dates back in February just to keep playing and remind everyone we’re still around. We will also be playing a few festival shows before August. We plan to tour more extensively when the new album is finally made.
it's been a long time since the band released a full length album, why so long?
We had a deal with Black Lotus Records last year which fell through because they went bust. We have just been in the studio in April putting down a demo for a couple of labels and yes we have all the material to make a new album, just not the right deal in place yet.
Why was Jig A Jig released as an EP, and not on a label?
It was a one off thing and we thought it would be nice to just have it available at shows and on the website.
Your last album – A Semblance Of Normality surprised many, me included, with it's quality, and heaviness, how do you view the album now, in hindsight?
This may sound like what anyone says about their last album, but I think it’s our best. I still listen to it and like every track which is not the case with the rest of our albums and I think the production is the best by far. We spent a long time making that album and it shows. That is why we haven’t rushed on the new one.
How different was it from Folkmon from your point of view?
It was a lot different working with Kev as the singer and lyric writer because he is also a musician. It was a lot easier to communicate musically with him and collaborate to make the songs. I think that shows in the music.
Some history, there was a lot of talk about your separation from Martin, which seemed far from amicable at the time, can you tell us how exactly did he leave the band and why?
He left the band because we lost our publishing deal with Warner Chapel and there wasn’t enough money for him to live on as he had for all the years previously. He contradicted all the reasons why the rest of us make the music.
A short while after that, he accused you guys of ridiculing him through songs you published on your website, what's the story behind that?
The song "You’re So Vain You Probably Think This Song Is About You" springs to mind. Because he involves doing this with his own lyrics doesn’t mean that we would do also.
How did the decision to use Kevin as a vocalist take place?
As Kev was already in the band and part of Skyclad it was natural to do so. We knew Kev was a great lyric writer (in fact Martin was a fan of his previous releases) and understood where the band was coming from.
Many people thought that Martin's leaving would end the band, was breaking up an option then?
We never thought about breaking up as an option because we love making the music that we do, it was just a matter of working out how to continue without him.
When I spoke with Martin some time back, he said that one of the reasons he left was because most of the members were also music teachers, who preferred their day jobs upon touring, is there truth in that?
You’ll find that we’ve played a hell of a lot more shows than he has since his departure.
Your last albums with Martin, apart from Folkmon, were less-heavy and more folk oriented, what brought on that change in the band's music?
We didn’t feel at the time that this was what we were doing. The only album that was written to be lighter than the others was ‘Oui Avante Garde A Chance’ and that was an idea from the record company. Maybe the music became more melodic, but I wouldn’t necessarily say less heavy.
You started out as a thrash guitarist, yet made the move into folk-metal, what originally caused you to combine these two very different genres?
The style of music writing came about due to the style of Martin’s lyric writing, the two genres seemed to suit his way of using the English language.
Where did you pick up the British folk oriented riffs? What bands or composers influenced your writing?
I wasn’t a fan of folk music when we started creating our style, so influences would have been generally what I had heard in the past and my interpretation of that. After we started making Folk Metal I listened to bands like ‘The Levelers’ and the way ‘New Model Army’ added violin and folk influence to their style.
So many years after you started out with metal, what is your take upon the genre now? Do you still listen to it as much as you did 20 years ago?
Yes, I still listen to all the latest bands and as a guitar teacher I get to listen to what my pupils are into. I think there are some great bands around creating their own styles of metal.
Are you in contact, or aware of what's going on with such former band members as Dave Pugh, Fritha Jenkins, Keith Baxter and ex Satan members Michael Jackson and Russ Tippins?
I haven’t seen Dave, Fritha, Keith or Michael for a couple of years now but Graeme and I had a bit of a Satan reunion at Christmas with Russ, Brian and Shaun (Kev Heybourne from ‘Angel Witch’ also attended) and we had a curry, a few beers and a reminisce.
'Semblance' contained some criticism about Britain, specifically about its parliament, how do view your country? And it's politics?
I feel that most of the political parties are blending into one in their efforts to achieve power, so it’s very difficult to choose on their policies who to vote for.
There's a lot of debate about the place of the Muslim people in the UK, specifically with the latest news about the arrest of more Muslims suspected of terrorism, what is your own personal take on the situation?
As Skyclad have always preached, we need to all get along, but some extremists from various factions will always make it difficult to do so. We must never allow their actions to affect our views and feelings on immigration and integration.
Since the band isn’t getting any richer from doing what it does, why continue? What makes you go on? What's driving you to continue with the music?
We are the creators of our own genre of music and if we didn’t make our style of music there wouldn’t be any of it to listen to. We love what we do and financial gain was never the target when we started. If it was then we would never have created this style and stuck to more popular forms.
