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S.w.w.a.a.t.s.

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Wednesday, 27 May 2009

I had a wonderful opportunity to live chat with Ian Sturgill. Ian is the guitarist and backing vocalist for Tampa Death/Grind act Success Will Write Apocalypse Across the Sky (S.W.W.A.A.T.S. for short). Below is our discussion about the band's endeavour on the European Thrash and Burn tour as well as their newly released Nuclear Blast full length debut "The Grand Partition and the Abrogation of Idolatry".

How did you break your ankle?
Ian: Stepping out of the trailer improperly while loading equipment 24 days into tour

How long til you're back on your feet?
Ian: 2 months.

Did you finish the tour?
Ian: Yep. I played 3 shows in a chair

LOL! That's not really funny but it is metal as fuck!
Ian: haha! Thanks man. there's actually video of us in Koln, DE of me in a chair

The tour went well otherwise?
Ian: Yeah man... Most of the shows turned out really great. Our best shows were in the UK. Also Italy, Germany and Austria were great too

How was the food?
Ian: Hmm... It varied... Germany and Hungary had the best food hands down. Even MacDonald's in Germany was delicious

Besides Scandinavia, I always got the impression overseas countries get their metal late. Is that the case at all?
Ian: Hmm. In a way it is... but we're the same way about euro metal in some cases. There are a lot of kids in Europe just now getting into bands that we've known about for ages in the US... but then again, we just in the last few years heard of Gojira and they've been around forever. They do seem to take it very seriously in Europe as compared to the US however. Kids show up early and go fucking nuts.

There were 7 bands on the Thrash and Burn tour, how long of a set did you guys get and was there any room for locals?
Ian: No locals whatsoever... which made me sad. It's always cool to see a new band or two every night. We got a 20 minute set... we managed to squeeze 6.5 songs in. At first it was weird because we really didn't get the time we needed to get our rocks off... but it became fun about halfway through, kind of like a prison rape.

Bands always seem to have connections and safe havens on the road (friends' places to stay, etc) and I'm sure you have your fair share but did you have to go extra caveman touring uncharted territory?
Ian: hahah!! No actually we had a bus, and a tight schedule... so most of my experience was of the bus and the clubs. Now, not to say that bathrooms don't get crazy in Europe... because they're sometimes downright whack. Showers were pretty interesting too.

How so? What is the grossest place you've taken a shit at on the road?
Ian: Hmm... Italy. Their bathrooms for men are just holes in the ground that you shit into. There's no toilet, no seat, you just drop trouser, squat and do your biz.

What other shit happened over there? Any head-butting soccer hooligans?
Ian: The tour was relatively drama-free. However we had some asshole security guards in London that tried to start shit with Paul from Darkest Hour, for whatever reason... word is that Aaron was on the scene with a drawn box-cutter.

Wow, I'd hate to see what he did to the trailer after it broke your ankle
Ian: I slung my snot in it's general direction

I know its still kind of early but how has the new album been doing? How has Nuclear Blast been treating you? Did you crash their Germany office?
Ian: No idea how the album is selling, but it is being well received. Nuclear Blast have been awesome to us. We didn't get to see their office but they came by to 2 of our shows and brought us beer, good tidings and promo-stuff.

What's next for Swwaats?
Ian: Tour. Writing. More tour. Hopefully recording sometime in the next decade.

I think that about wraps things up. Is there anything you want to mention? Am I forgetting anything?
Ian: Umm.... not that I know of. However, I am completely blasted on pain meds, so don't hold me accountable.

I'm only jealous
Ian: haha

http://www.myspace.com/swwaats
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