25 YARD SCREAMER

25 Yard Screamer are a three-piece band from South Wales. They have released two albums and are working on the next. They have recently finished the prog-rock influenced 'Blacklight' which received a four-star review from GRTR!

1. What are you currently up to? (e.g. touring/studio,etc.)

Well right now we are working on recording tracks for our third CD. We have a gig coming up in Carmarthen on 25th Feb with a bunch of other great bands.

2. Who was/is/are the biggest influences on you, musically?

This gave us cause for thought! For Matt and myself (Nick) Rush are a constant inspiration. I can still clearly remember the day I first heard them, YYZ. At the time I was a young bass player and I just freaked. What the hell was this! In 2004 when they came over I managed to see them three times, it was heaven. Also for me I would have to give Dream Theater, what a band. Matt is well into Yes and Iron Maiden, Donal is the heavyweight with Opeth and Carcass. We also couldn’t deny that Marillion are way up there. They do emotive rock music better than anyone.

3. Tell us about 25 Yard Screamer. How and when did you get together and what have you done since?

Matt and Donal were good enough to lend me their talents for a record company showcase gig I had in 2002. We spent four or five months getting the material ready for that and decided afterwards that we enjoyed playing together and wanted to try writing together. Since we’ve done many gigs, supported some signed acts, and recorded lots of music.

4. Your first GRTR! review noted potential but poor production, which you later addressed. What was your reaction to this, and how did you go about changing things?

To be honest you weren't the first to comment on that. The whole recording studio experience was a rollercoaster from which I think we all learned lessons, some the hard way. Don’t get me wrong, I took a lot of positives out of it, but we should have had the recording mastered and spent more on the mixing time, but you live and learn! I got some new gear together and after a discussion, and a couple of demo try outs, we decided to record the next CD at my house with myself sitting in the production seat. So far, so good.

5. Tell us some more about your 19 minute prog-rock epic 'Blacklight'. What gave you the idea for an extended piece and is the style typical of what we can expect on the next album?

We all have a love of ‘prog’ and extended pieces of music. It seemed like the next step for us. We wanted to see if we could pull it off. None of us would claim to be technically gifted, but we can get by and I guess we wanted to push ourselves a bit. The story came as the piece grew. We wanted to try and get emotion and feeling into purely musical settings, and use lyrical sections as enhancements rather than the only story telling medium. (Am I too far up my bottom at this point?) As for the rest of the CD, we are working on the opener now - we’re up to 7.45 and growing. But then three of the other tracks we have are under four minutes!! We work in odd ways sometimes.

6. What has been the highlight(s) and lowpoint(s) of your career to date?

Highs, The gigs that have got us positive comments and earned us fans, your review of Blacklight (no seriously) and getting some great songs written together. Lows, local promoter’s fickle and insular band approach and lack of loyalty can sometimes drive you nuts.

7. What would you like to achieve ideally by the end of 2006?

Some more industry recognition would be nice, recording contract, me surviving up until Xmas with my new baby.

8. How important do you feel the internet is for promoting your music?

Today the internet is a Godsend. We can get our music 'out there', to people who we could never normally reach. A few years ago, a friend of mine I still write and play with and myself got to number two in a national internet chart. Enya was number one and the Bee Gees were number two!!!!!! How could you have done that 15 or 20 years ago?????

9. Where can people obtain your CDs, and what about gigs? Are you playing any, and where?

Please drop us a line at twenty5ys@yahoo.co.uk. Our web site is still under build as they say. Again, Feb 25th in Carmarthen, not sure of the venue but do know that we intend to play Blacklight in it's entirety...that should be interesting!

10. Message for your fans?

Thank you. Every positive comment is really worth more than its weight.