Backstage with Raison D’etre

They’re still building a fan base and haven’t yet got around to recording that EP – but when Cirencester rock band Raison D’etre aren’t playing World of Warcraft they manage to knock out some great tunes.

So who are Raison D’etre?
We’re a three-member rock band including Evan on vocals and guitar, Matt on vocals and bass and James on the drums. We formed last November – so in the grand scheme of things it’s nothing like an ice age or anything.

And how did the band get together?
We met on the popular-friend-who-you-don’t-actually-know-making-website MySpace, but our main vice is that we all play World of Warcraft together – a massively multiplayer online role playing game for the PC, in case you wondered.

‘Raison D’etre’ – why did you choose that?
Because it’s a bit different. Evan saw it in a book and liked what it meant – but if we ever go to France we’ll look a bit stupid – I doubt we could speak enough French to get past hello!

What’s happening with the band at the moment?
We’re playing regular gigs and are hoping to record an EP soon – all of our current recordings are done by Evan on a computer so getting something live that we’re all involved with is a priority.

Main influences?
They include Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins and Jane’s Addiction, as well as Rage Against the Machine, Coheed & Cambria. Matt thinks the latter are the best band ever.

Who do you get compared to?
Some long-haired dude once said some of our songs were like Rage Against The Machine’s.

Who goes to your gigs?
Loads of Matt’s friends – they just appear from nowhere. But that’s just to be polite.

Latest material?
We’re not signed yet, but we’re working on our own label – so far it’s released Corinium Calling, a 14-track compilation album featuring some of the best local bands in Cirencester. It’s been reviewed by the local press and one newspaper said all the songs could be written by the same band, and that track three could cause people to commit suicide. But that’s how we roll and at least they respect us enough to take the time to say we suck! And besides, Stroud News and Journal reviewers only listen to folk, so their opinion doesn’t count.

What’s your favourite venue you’ve played at in Gloucestershire?
The Space was really professional but the Vaults is the best – it’s got a really nice stage and you feel very close to the crowd. The Duke of York is pretty good too.

The best local gig you’ve been to?
We saw Hester’s Way and Still Bust at a Battle of the Bands a while ago, and it was a load of fun. Hester’s Way brought a world of pain. The Divine Secret and Still Bust are the best local bands with no question.

Who would you most like to support?
Undoubtedly Coheed & Cambria, but locally we’d love to support The Divine Secret again.

What do you do when you’re not making music?
We’re really busy working on projects like setting up the label and performing at live gigs across Gloucestershire.

Have you ever had a groupie stalk you?
Well, we thought so but it turned out that Matt owed him money.

Recommend one album to our readers you don’t think they will have discovered.
For Evan it would be Kyuss’s Welcome to Sky Valley, for Matt Locomotivz’s tracks on Midnight Resistance Music. Actually it’s quite surprising how few people know about Coheed & Cambria – so definitely any of their three albums.

Number one ambition?
To make a living through music.

Any claims to fame?
Evan once gave Les Dennis directions to Gloucester, he worked at NME for a week and knows Ssemaj – a minor celebrity on the World of Warcraft circuit, and Matt has Pete Shelley from The Buzzcocks’ phone number, but he won’t share it so don’t ask.

What advice would you give to local bands trying to make it in the industry?
Give up and make life easier for us! If people are serious about making it they should concentrate on practicing and playing small gigs, as there are way too many bands which start-up and wonder where there record deal is a few months later.

Where can fans see you perform in the next month or two?
We’re starting to play at gigs around Gloucestershire and we’ll be rocking up at some open mic nights. So watch this space…

SoGlos.com
13 August 2007