1 – When did you first get into music? What or who Inspired you?
Hello all, we’d like to introduce ourselves, we are Byron and Trix and currently make up the main components of rock band Jokerbats.
Originally, we began to make music when circumstances threw us together at a local event. Then after a number of chance encounters, it soon appeared as though our individual destinies were on a collision course, inevitably to a musical convergence of passion and dedication for our craft.
Even in our initial meetings everything seemed somehow right, fated even, to make of us one combined artistic and musical being, and the spawn of that being..Jokerbats Band !
Inspiration is varied, especially lots of horror things in music, movies, TV, video games, comics and more, ranging from spoofy to dead serious. Also we were both fortunate enough to have been brought up by families who had great taste in music, particularly rock, which inspired us to want to make music.
2 – Who did you grow up listening to, and does that impact on what you create now?
Brought up on a wide variety of music thanks to our families, from the 60’s to the present day, we have grown to believe in the importance of melody and a strong chorus/hook in song-writing and also in crafted musical production.
For our band Jokerbats the main influences growing up have been absorbed from the more theatrical and horror- influenced artists in rock, heavy rock and metal, such as Rob Zombie, Ozzy Osbourne, Alice Cooper and Lordi among others. Often creating original, artistic, creative, alternative worlds and characters that are theatrical, wild, decadent, dangerous and sometimes quite tongue in cheek. Most often lots of fun. Also they have created stand out work, and in some cases classic, during the course of their careers. This is something that we, Jokerbats, also want to achieve.
3 – How long have you been playing/writing?
Well, Byron began writing music in his early teenage years, beating out songs on his battered old acoustic guitar. The interest was then as it is now… ‘feel out a hook and melody of seductive pull.’ Days spent bashing away, improvising and writing lines off the cuff, ’til eventually tumbling onto something. A simple phrase or cool hook line which then could be a starting point for the real hard work of turning it into something more, of writing the full song with well-developed lyrical lines and the perfect accompanying ‘Jokerbats-style’.. catchy guitar, bass and drums.
4 – How often do you play live (include details and links for any upcoming gigs)?
In London we have had great gigs at The Underworld and Dublin Castle in Camden, Bull and Gate in Kentish Town and many other venues. More recently though, we have concentrated our time mainly on developing our skills in the studio, song-writing and in video production. We are currently in the process of developing the Jokerbats live show for later in 2014. We are creating an exciting live musical and visual experience and are very much looking forward to taking Jokerbats on the road.
5 – What has been your favourite moment in music?
We went on a tour of Germany and Switzerland a little while ago which was a lot of fun. Taking us from Berne Switzerland over the Alps and ending with a great gig in Berlin!
6 – Where is the best place to find you online?
Our website.. http://www.evilzgate.com/
Facebook.. https://www.facebook.com/JokerbatsBand
Vampire Video.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s5DnwlzNbQ
YouTube Channel.. https://www.youtube.com/user/EvilZgate
Twitter.. https://twitter.com/Jokerbats
The new single is ‘Vampire’. It has hard rocking catchy guitar and a cool catchy vocal chorus. To get a good idea of what we are about, watch the video. People are saying that it is spooky addictive fun, artistically visual, not to mention a bit sexy. It has some cool animation too.
The video is available to watch now on youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4s5DnwlzNbQ and the single will be released on the 24th February to download from all the best online stores like iTunes, Amazon etc etc.