What can we expect to see from In Dread Response over the next year?

Trajan - 2011 is going to be a pretty exciting year for us, we're working on our follow up album, there will be plenty of touring and shows to promote it, no doubt you'll see our ugly mugs in some new video clips. I'm really looking forward to playing shows in support of the new album.

Andy – More new music, more videos, more live shows!

What advice would you like to give to other aspiring musicians?

Andy – Don’t sweat the small stuff.. Spend your practice time wisely, start practicing to a metronome as early as you can, and if you have the opportunity to play your instrument with some friends, do it! Every second of experience that you have under your belt playing alongside other musicians and learning how to interact with them fluently, is invaluable.

Who are your favourite NZ musicians/bands, and why?

Trajan - Richie Allen, Christian Humphreys, Both amazing guitarists. I love the precision in which they play. Richie for his precise playing and phrasing in his leads and Christian Humpreys for his right picking hand, that thing is solid like clock work!

Andy – Fortunately I play with the best musicians in the country in this genre I believe, Corey Friedlander is an incredible drummer, if you haven’t seen him play, you haven’t lived! As well as Trajan and IDR, I play in The Mark of Man as well with Christian Humpreys, I saw him play about 6 years ago, and desperately wanted to play guitar in a band with him, and here I am, funny how things all fall into place like that.

What will In Dread Response’s next release be?

Andy – We have just released a new video for ‘Stillborn Kingdom’ so our next release will be our second studio album, no official name yet – but it’s definitely in the works!

How do you come up with your lyrics?

Trajan - Straight out of the Koran.

Andy – Haha, Sean is in his element here, he always manages to outdo himself with both his lyrics and his performance.

Who would you most like to support live?

Trajan - Megadeth, or Slayer. Their crowds are loyal and die hard but I think if you're a Megadeth fan you've got a bit of grey matter to your name so you'll enjoy the dynamics in our music. Opening for either band would be pretty daunting but no doubt an awesome experience.

How do you believe In Dread Response fits into the NZ music industry?

Andy – We genuinely believe that no other band in NZ is playing the music we are playing, at the level we are playing. We have our own sound, and have a solid growing fanbase both here in NZ and internationally, every tour seems to get better and better, and the response from our music videos has been overwhelming!

What can you never leave home without?

Trajan - iPod, asthma medicine. Macbeth shoes.

How do you describe In Dread Response’s music?

Trajan - Melodic metal/thrash metal with aspects of doom metal.

What is your favourite NZ venue?

Trajan - I love The Kings Arms in Auckland, I feel pretty comfortable on that stage. In the South Island I love The Bedford in Christchurch. My all time favourite venue though would be the St James in Auckand, sad to see it's closed down, I was lucky enough to play there which was great because Megadeth and Slayer once graced that stage.

Andy – The Bedford in Christchurch would have to be my favourite I think.. it has a really great setup, and being able to have a split R18/AA show at the same venue is fantastic. I wish NZ had more venues that were capable!

What is the best part of being a musician?

Trajan - I love having the ability to create my own music. Theoretically your own music should be your favourite. I'd like to say that it's nice to reach out to people with your music and message but my motives are a little more selfish. I write music that I would want to hear. Even some of my favourite bands put parts in songs that I don't like. I love the fact that I can create songs which are structured exactly how I would want to hear them with melodies that I would want to hear and only full of my favourite parts.

Andy – Yeah, I agree, being able to express yourself in an art form is something I’m truly thankful for, our instruments are extensions of ourselves!

What NZ musicians or bands would you like to see more of, and why?

Trajan - Cast Them To Ruin. Some young dudes from Auckland. They really stand out from their peers in a genre which is so oversaturated with amateurs and watered down bands that haven't done their homework. They have a certain X-factor so we're keeping our eye on them. I'd love to see where they go from here since they have stepped up their game to an international standard.

Andy – Of Blackest Oceans – I’ve known Dylan for a few years now, but only recently had the honor of seeing OBO twice live, and they are playing some incredible music! They have taken the best elements from a handful of genres, and mixed them together in a really tasteful way, nothing is overdone.

What is in your CD collection at home?

Trajan - Megadeth, Slayer, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Airbourne, Testament, Anthrax. Fairly standard listening for anyone into Thrash/ rock. For the more mellow stuff I listen to Cult of Luna, Envy and Mouth of the Architect.

Andy – Mastodon, Deftones, Animals as Leaders and Sigur Ros are on high rotation at the moment, and thanks to Monk – Die Antwoord!!

What is your most embarrassing on tour/gig moment?

Andy – I cant think of one particularly, but anytime that I’ve had a gear problem – be it risking using old batteries in wireless, or a dodgy cable that has come undone midset, there’s nothing more embarrassing than that for me!

What is your favourite place in NZ to be?

Trajan - At home with my wife in Auckland watching movies or feeding ducks at the Auckland Museum in the summer time. Not very metal but you should see how excited the ducks get, I'm sure they see us and know that we've bought food for them.

What inspired you to become a start In Dread Response?

Trajan - In 2005 was playing in a band and as fun as it was I was starting to see it's limitations. That's not a bad thing at all, but I realised that if my new songs were ever going to see the light of day I would have to start up a new project. I'd already had a lot of the songs written, I just needed some people to help me make some noise. At first it was just a side project but when Sean offered to do vocals and I saw the intensity and the quality of his lyrics I knew it had gone beyond a side project and was something we could really hit the ground running with.

Andy – I played alongside IDR a few years earlier in other bands before I moved to Auckland, Trajan recruited me after the move, which I couldn’t be happier about!!, IDR had an incredible sound, and stood out amongst all the other bands – live shows particularly, I was already a fan, it was a shock to me at first to get asked!

How did you come up with the name In Dread Response?

Trajan - I was sitting in Church and singing a hymn from the Mormon "Green Hymn book", it was a line in one of the Hymns. The entire verse grabbed me but that was a little too long so I shortened it down.

How do you keep in contact with your fans?

Trajan - Hand written letters. I kid you not. If Anyone writes I will write back. If anyone has my number and they txt me I will always txt them right back. Anyone good enough to go out and buy my music deserves a reply back. I also personally reply to any messages or comments online. When I was growing up I would have loved to be able to write to one of my heroes and ask them questions, not that I'm anyones hero but if I can instill a bit of confidence or share some advice with some one then I'm always happy to talk with them.

Andy – Internet mainly, also a few have my number as well, we are all fairly approachable guys, and try to make an effort to talk after shows etc, we know that without our fans we would be playing to no-one haha!

What rumour would you like to start about In Dread Response?

Trajan - That we use the most amount of gear out of any Metal band in NZ. it's not really a rumour though it's true, I just want more people to come out and SEE why they're getting deafened.

Andy – Haha! It is true!

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