Young Lions Before The Storm Interview

Young Lions Before The Storm Interview

It has been an incredibly busy year for young Brisbane five piece Young Lions who played their first show in January and then went on to record their debut album in the same month.

Produced by Sonny Truelove at STL Studios on NSW's Central Coast comes -Burn' a ten track record full of blistering rock tracks including singles -Grave Digger' and -The Runner and The Fighter' that has received airplay on Triple J.

Young Lions consists of members of well-known and now defunct Brisbane bands The Dream The Chase and Amberain. With newest addition Matt Gibson playing drums; he joins guitarists Kyle Morris and Dan Lechmere, bassist Morgan Castle and vocalist Zachary Britt who also provides his powerful vocals in popular Melbourne metalcore band Dream On Dreamer. In their short existence Young Lions have supported Oh Sleeper, Sienna Skies, Lydia, and Senses Fail, have completed an East Coast tour and are already headlining shows in Brisbane.

October 4 will see Young Lions take to Beetle Bar in Brisbane to celebrate the launch of Burn. Joining them will be friends Hey Denise, Dollarosa, and Awaken I Am. All of these bands are all doing exciting things this year and Young Lions are exciting to have them aboard for what will be a massive night.

An instore and online release date for -Burn´ will be released very shortly.

Interview with Young Lions

Question: Can you tell us about Before The Storm?

Matt Gibson: The single is about not letting anyone or anything hold you back - for us it's about sticking it to those that said we wouldn't make it as a band or individual musicians.


Question: Tell us what audiences should expect from a Young Lions show!

Matt Gibson: A whole lot of energy! We give everything we've got at our shows and we want the audience to join in and have just as much fun as we are having!


Question: What was the main motivation behind the tracks on Burn!

Matt Gibson: Lyrically the main idea behind the album is the rise and fall of relationships – the good times and the bad times.

Question: Do you write your own songs? What's your inspiration?

Matt Gibson: We certainly do. Artist wise we draw from our respective favourites that influence us, for me it would be Aaron Gillespie, Nate Young or Zac Farrow. Lyrically we tend to write about life and the experiences we've gone through – both those that have left us scared and the ones that have raised us up.


Question: What music/artists do you listen to when you are not playing your own?

Matt Gibson: Oh wow, there are far too many to name them all and we all have different tastes but a few would have to be Anberlin, Memphis May Fire, The Classic Crime, Letlive, The Getaway Plan and Birds of Tokyo.


Question: What's next? Tour/Album/Single?

Matt Gibson: Next thing in the cards is touring the album -Burn' early next year – keep an eye out for us!


Question: Was there a moment you contemplated throwing in the towel?

Matt Gibson: Not really, and certainly not collectively as a band. We've gone through a few member changes over the past 12 months (the last of which was actually when I joined on drums), so I guess the guys that didn't want to be in the band moved on. That being said, everyone in Young Lions now is 100% committed to going all the way.


Question: Do you prefer performing live or recording?
Matt Gibson: That's a hard one… there are elements of both that are heaps of fun, but it's cyclic really- you do one to help support the other. There is nothing like the thrill of playing your own music live and seeing people singing along but hanging out in the recording studio, writing tunes and chilling is pretty brilliant as well.


Question: What/who was your inspiration to go into the music industry?

Matt Gibson: Personally it was my first drum teacher Ross- he showed me the ways of the force.


Question: What is the biggest challenge you have faced along the way to your musical success?

Matt Gibson: Lack of money - which is a really sad answer but a pretty accurate one as well. I work in music retail, study music business and teach drums – but it all goes to support Young Lions. It's a fun life style but it does leave you pretty broke.


Question: What's a typical day like?

Matt Gibson: Being in a band of our size doesn't change our day to day lives too much really – we all have pretty standard jobs and what not, it's just that our hobby takes us around Australia and gives us the chance to make heaps of new friends.


Question: What has been your favourite part of becoming a music artist?

Matt Gibson: For me it's just travelling and being able to go to places that I would never have been able to without music.

Question: If you could collaborate with another artist, who would it be?

Matt Gibson: Again with the hard questions! Umm… Stephen Christian of Anberlin would be an incredible vocalist to work with on a single, writing with Matty Mullins of Memphis May Fire would be amazing or producing an album with someone like Aaron Sprinkle would be a dream come true.


Question: Do you have a website fans can visit?

Matt Gibson: We are working on it, but most of our online shenanigans are well documented on our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/younglionsaus


Question: What is the story behind the band's name?

Matt Gibson: I think we were just looking for something a little different really and 'Young Lions" is what we came up with!