Interview with NIGHT FIGHTER
!!!HELLISH BLACKTHRASHING SPEED METAL!!!
We had a conversation with Graeme.Enjoy!
Welcome to the FILTHY DOGS OF METAL Webzine.
1. Tell us a few things about NIGHT FIGHTER (Members, Starting Year etc).
Night Fighter started in August 2019 although the idea is something I've been working on for years, it's currently just myself a few guitars, a mic and a laptop, this is definitely going to change to some degree but we'll get to that later!
2. You have recently released your new single ''Hell Thrashing Savagery''. What is the Feedback from your audience as well as from the Press?
To be honest there's not been much of a response but it has all been very positive which is great! It's still early days too so I'm not disheartened. Filthy Dogs of Metal is the first zine to reach out which I really appreciate!
3. Label or DIY and why?
Both have their merits but I really don't see myself being offered any major record deals any time soon! Independent labels tend to be run by people who love the music so I could definitely get on board with that but DIY is the only way to remove any chance of the core ideas being diluted.
4. Do you prefer Vinyl, Tape, CD or Digital Format and why is that?
I personally think physical formats are always better, I really resent paying for something that I can't hold but then I almost always find new bands through Bandcamp and YouTube and find myself streaming albums I own rather than playing the physical media! For Night Fighter I would love to put out vinyl but it's far too expensive for me to front the costs and I really don't see how underground bands can afford to even break even with vinyl. Tape and a free download is definitely the way to go with underground bands today though, I love tapes! Maybe that's just from growing up in the 90s though!
5. Your music style is Black Thrash Metal. Which are your main influences (Favourite Artists / Bands etc.)
My main influences for Night Fighter are Venom, early Slayer, Hellhammer/early Celtic Frost and Overkill, I've tried to be pretty strict with myself that if it doesn't sound like one of those bands would play it then it's not getting used but a lot of my other influences have definitely seeped in: I love d-beat, crust and hardcore punk which I think definitely shows and I grew up with my Dad playing old school heavy metal and classic rock so that's always going to be there too.
6. Which things, do you think, a Band should sacrifice in order to succeed? Have you ever sacrificed anything in your life for a better future of your Band?
Other than time and money I don't think I've sacrificed anything. My main priorities are my fiancee and our son and that's not going to change, maybe I'll still be playing in my 50s when he's old enough to look after himself, who knows? Really though, I'm just making music for my own enjoyment because it's something I love to do, so the other side of sacrifices for the band's success I suppose would be toning it down to appeal to a wider audience and I've got no intention of doing that!
7. Describe your ideal live show as a performance Band. Have you already experienced that?
I've not played live with Night Fighter yet but my d-beat crust band, GÖATSHIT played one gig which was great! Contrary to how I might make it sound I actually love playing live and I do have reasonable experience from my first band PANISIA, my old black metal band ASSYNT and a few gigs playing bass with VENOMWOLF. My favourite gigs to play are the same as my favourite gigs to attend and they're the basement shows where the band and audience are nose to nose. If it's sweaty, high energy, soaked in beer and loud enough you can feel the kick drum in your chest then I'm into it!
8. Which attributes, do you think, that a new Heavy Metal Band should have in order to gain identity and be unique?
Well, I don't really think anything in metal is unique any more unless it's a novelty thing, Mongolian mountain metal or whatever. I think once you accept what you're doing for what it is then you can start really focusing it and find your own identity.
9. Do you believe that Bandcamp and other Digital Platforms help the new Heavy Metal Bands? Which, do you think, is the ideal way for a Band to promote its work?
Yeah, I like Bandcamp from both sides. I think it's a great way for bands to get their music out there and also as a way of selling merch in the same place people could be first finding out about them. I don't think there's any single quick fix promotion solution and there needs to be a mixture used. I personally use Facebook, YouTube and Bandcamp for Night Fighter and I'm having a look at other options. Honestly I think that zines and blogs do a better job than most bands do for online promotion!
10. Tell us a few things about the New Underground Black Thrash Metal Scene in Glasgow, UK (Bands, Fanzines, Webzines, Metal Clubs etc.)
There's not a massive scene for exclusively Black Thrash in Glasgow but in Glasgow and Scotland as a whole the metal scene is really thriving. There's been a real hype around thrash recently with some great bands coming out of the woodwork! For fans of Black Thrash there's VENOMWOLF from Glasgow who play metalpunk with a big black thrash vibe, as do HELLRIPPER from Aberdeen. Other thrash bands from Glasgow are TEMPERED, FATAL COLLISION, CIRCLE OF TYRANTS, AMOK and currently based in Glasgow are the legendary EVIL BLOOD, elsewhere in Scotland there's DANIEL WAX OFF, BLACK TALON, THRASHIST REGIME, IFREANN, DISPOSABLE, CATALYSIS, CENTRILIA, NOCTURNE WULF and UNJUSTICE to name a few. Honourable mentions for amazing bands thrash fans might be into are SCUMPULSE, BOAK, ENDLESS SWARM, DROVES, COFFIN MULCH, BHAS and WOUND, and that's barely scratched the surface.
I highly recommend moshville.co.uk as a good webzine, Sean who writes for them is a total die-hard which I respect to no end!
As for clubs, there are a couple of rock bars and The Cathouse which is a rock club but I really don't recommend it unless you really want to hear the same shit you'd hear anywhere else! Total radio friendly rock! There's been a couple of good clubs go out of business too but off the back of that Ansgar from MIDNIGHT FORCE organised a club night in Ivory Blacks whilst he was living in Glasgow and since he moved back to Germany there's been a new club night organised in the same venue by my friend Gordy (singer of the doom band WATCHERS GUARD and internet famous Jesus impersonator!)
So yeah, things are going good in Scotland for metal right now!
11. Do you know anything about the Hellenic Metal Scene?
Not enough, but I know the obvious bands: Rotting Christ, Suicidal Angels, Septicflesh etc. I really like Acrimonious actually, I picked up the Purulence album on a whim and it really blew me away! I'm very much open to suggestions so any Hellenic bands, especially black thrash, speed metal or crust who happen to be reading this send me links through the Night Fighter Facebook!
12. What are your future plans?
I have artwork online as a teaser for the next single/promo for the band's full length release. I don't really have a timescale other than hopefully getting the single finished by the end of 2019 and the full length early 2020, maybe release it on New Year's day so I can claim that it's officially album of the year haha!
Aside from that I'm wanting to play live in the new year and I've spoken to a few different musicians about that. I'm mostly planning to just roll with it though as long as I'm making music I enjoy then I'm happy!
13. Thank you very much for your time & Keep up the good work! The closure is yours.
Thanks very much to Filthy Dogs of Metal for giving me this interview, I've enjoyed it! Thanks very much to anyone who's read or at least skimmed the whole thing and got this far! I'd love to hear feedback and as I said earlier recommendations for new music so don't be shy getting in touch via the Night Fighter Facebook! If you can drop it a like too that's my main method of keeping people in the loop!
Thanks again!
Cheers, GRAEME!
By Steve the Filthy Dog.
NIGHT FIGHTER CONTACT:
https://www.facebook.com/Night-Fighter-107806670621943/
https://nightfighterglasgow.bandcamp.com/releases