Here we go again… Last year we covered every band on the Hobgoblin New Blood and Jagermeister stages in the run-up to Bloodstock 2015. This year, we’re going one better and aim to have interviews from all the bands on those two stages as well as all of those on the SOPHIE stage prior to the event kicking off on August 11th. That’s almost 100 interviews to get online for you lucky people over the course of the next couple of weeks. I bloody love this job, but you lot owe me a beer at Catton Hall, right?
Thanks to all the bands who’ve taken the time to respond!
Misanthrope – SOPHIE stage, Saturday
Questions answered by vocalist S.A.S de l’Argilière…
Simple things first – where are you guys from ?
We are from … you know, one country of the EEC over the sea from you.
How did you meet?
I created the band in November 1988 under the name Misnthrope. After a couple of changes Jean-Jacques Moréac came into the band in January 1993. Both Gaël Féret (drums) and Anthony Scemama (Guitars) have been in the band since 2002.
How long have you been playing together as a band?
Misanthrope is 27 years old. We have not changed any line-up for the last 14 years.
Where does the name of the band come from?
It came from the philosophical meaning “Hater of Mankind”. This notion was introduced into my mind while learning at high school “le Misanthrope”, a French theater play written by Molière back in 1666.
What are your influences – individually or as a band?
We love all extreme metal music from the eighties from Metallica to Celtic Frost, Slayer, Helloween, King Diamond, Kreator, Sodom, Destruction, Megadeth, Nocturnus, Atheist, Obituary, Death, Coroner and millions of others…
Describe your music. What makes you unique?
I can sing in French (and in English too), we are a 27-year old band and we are the first French extreme metal band to record 10 full length albums, 3 compilations and 2 solo albums under the other name Argile. Everything under the same record company, Holy Records.
What’s your live show like – why should the baying hordes troop over to the stage you’re playing on to watch you?
Power, energy, ion, technical musicians, old school black death thrash sympho extreme metal, maturity and wisdom. If you are narrow minded stay at the camping site making barbecue because we will bring some bizarre theatrical scenery onstage.
When/how did you find out you’d been selected to play at Bloodstock?
We made s and we have been selected to play this year to Bloodstock. It’s a high honour for both Misanthrope and Bloodstock to bring this unique show in UK territory.
What sort of setlist can we expect?
We will play the gems of our set-list from our second CD Visionnaire to the ninth one Ænigma Mystica.
Which main stage band do you most hope you’re not clashing with so you can see them play ?
Mastodon and Acid Reign we have never seen them live… all the other big names we saw them so many times!
What are you working on at the moment?
We are mixing our tenth studio album. We hope to have it out on Holy Records and distributed in UK exclusively by EMP on december 2016.
What’s the wildest thing you’ve seen or done on tour ?
I saw a technician shitting in a box and offering it to another crew… it was so stupid. Groupies stuff and drunk puking people is also always so funny, but it’s generic attitude and not so “wild”.
What advice would you give to a young band just starting out today?
Play ping pong or ride horses, because there is no space at all for you in 2016. Do something else, for example: vote for “Yes I want to stay in EU” or make peace with Russian football fans.
If you could be part of any 3-band line-up who else would you have on the bill? One band above you and one below – a chance to plug a smaller, unsigned act!
I would have loved touring with Celtic Frost, so Misanthrope as second and as opener Barabass because they are good and unsigned.
What stage / time are you playing at Bloodstock (if you have your slot yet!)
Misanthrope will play Sophie Lancaster Stage on Saturday 13th August 2016. I have no idea of the time yet. See you front row ready to eat froggies into an insane circle pit!
