Sigiriya: An Interview With Stu & Darren

When Acrimony called it a day, being a long time fan, I mean, I still own their very 1st demo ‘A Sombre Thought’ which is snugly stashed away in my dusty collection, it left an immense void in my black heart, but roll on to the present day and 4 out of the 5 are back under the new moniker Sigiriya! Their sound, although deeply rooted in latter day Acrimony, also has their own unique hazy take on Classic and Heavy Rock, so I couldn’t turn down the opportunity to fire a few questions over to Stu & Darren just as the release of their debut album ‘Return To Earth’ was about to drop…

Hey Darren & Stu, hope all’s well with you in the Welsh Valley’s, as we’re all now well aware, Sigiriya was born out of the remnants of those Hippy Doomers Acrimony some 8 years after they disappeared in smoke and vanished into the ether, so can you give us a quick rundown of your current members and how Sigiriya sprang into life?

Darren: Well yes, Acrimony did literally disappear in smoke and I spent 8 years in rehab like a Vietnam veteran waiting for the boys to come and break me out of the secure wing. So they broke me out Mad Murdoch style and we started jamming again. The other way of looking at would be that we all did some other musical ventures after Acrimony – Stu did time in Iron Monkey and The Dukes Of Nothing, Dorian and Stu formed Black Eye Riot and Mead and I were both in the The Nine for a while. I think Sigiriya was born out of wanting to play with the old guard again but also not wanting to go over old ground again and being confined by doing a parody of past glory- sort of a fresh start with your comrades. So Sigiriya is Dorian vocal, Stu Guitar, Mead Bass and Darren Drums.

For those that don’t know, Sigiriya is actually a Palace ruin in Sri Lanka carved out of a mountain, so does this place have any significant or special meaning to any of the band or was it just simply picked at random stoned one night while trying to find the ultimate Googlewhack?

Stu: Ha, Nah man, no googlewhacking. Me and my wife got hitched in Sri Lanka and visited the rock whilst there. It kinda blew us away with its history, meaning and vibe. So when we got back she actually suggested we use it as the band name, because we were just chasing our tails trying to find a decent name? I then spoke with the guys, they dug it and it stuck.

Sigiriya

Are you happy for Acrimony to be mentioned in the same breath as Sigiriya as although, members aside, there are some similarities between the two bands, Sigiriya very much have their own sound or would you prefer for comparisons to be left in the past, and let Sigiriya exist in the here and now as its own entity?

Darren: I think we’re all proud of what we did with Acrimony so I don’t have any problems with that comparison. For me the sound of Sigiriya is distinct from Acrimony but also an evolution of the sound too. I think in the last split we did with Church of Misery you can hear the sound evolving into what Sigiriya is doing today. Really it’s good that people who never heard Acrimony can just dig Sigiriya for what it is – its own entity – but for people who dug the Acrimony stuff, it’s also good that they can see links with the past and jump on board the bus – all good man.

Was reforming Acrimony ever a consideration as I could imagine a few festivals would give their right arm at the chance of putting on a re-union show?

Stu: We did consider it briefly and did one rehearsal after a friend of ours died . He was a good egg and loved the band and even hit the road a few times with us. We were gonna do a show as a kinda shits n giggles tribute. But in all honesty, after that one rehearsal, I did’t think it worked, personally I’m done with doing the Acrimony material. Walter at Roadburn even got in touch a while back offering us a slot, but we still turned it down.
Darren: The promises of money and festivals is a lure for lots of bands to reform but my own view is that this is such a short – term thing that you effectively say ‘well, let’s take the cash do the whole ego trip and then hang up our guns up for good after that’. Personally I’ve got too much in the tank to hang up my guns yet so maybe we’ll have to do a Sigiriya reunion ten years after we split ha ha.

Would you be happy if I said I can feel a more 70’s heavy Rock vibe to the sonics of Sigiriya over Acrimony, I mean, touches of Thin Lizzy jumped out at me in places as well as a dusting of fellow Welsh heavy rockers Budgie so would you agree that these bands have been an influence, whether consciously or unconsciously, and who else would you cite as being an influence?

Stu: Defo mate, especially Thin Lizzy for me, they always have been. Anything that’s got a descent tune and harmony really. Personally for me there has always been massive respect for Wino’s playing, especially in The Obsessed and Spirit Caravan. Otherwise I guess I could go on and on all day about my percy influences, there’s always the obvious and then the not so obvious??

Sigiriya ‘Return To Earth’ CD/LP 2011

Your debut album will be out by the time this interview goes live, but for those who have yet to hear it, can you give us a rundown of what they can expect?

Stu: When we first got the Sigiriya thing going, we were all aiming for a positive HEAVINESS, which I think we cracked that nut on this record. I’d like to think it’s the sort of record you bang on just before you go out, couple of beers in you and off you go!!

It’s also being released by Church Within Records, how was a deal struck with Oli to release the album? It’s also being released on CD initially but are there any plans to release it on vinyl at a later date?

Stu: We had the recording done for some time and we were out playing a Swiss fest with Lord Vicar (KINGS!!) at the latter part of last year. Oli was down with Vicar guys, we got on, he said we were mad and that he could never work with us? OK we said.. cool. On returning home he got in touch saying he was up for it, crazy mutha. Yes, there are plans for the vinyl release I think next April say?

I’m not a musician, I wouldn’t expose my feeble attempts to even my worst enemy, but I have to say Stu’s guitar tone on ‘Return To Earth’ is simply jaw dropping, like the guitar break on the track Hurricane, so can you give us a quick rundown of the equipment he and the rest of the band uses?

Stu: Cheers Lee mate, that’s another beer I owe you. Yeah man, I’ve been running my Green SL 120 and cab for basically every band I’ve been in, it’s my thing and as of yet has never let me down? Pedal wise, it’s just basic shit, wah, distort and delay. Guitars, Epiphone and Gibson Les Pauls. Mead uses a Fender Precision bass through a Hartke with 2 cabs and an old RAT pedal. As for Darren, well I know he’s probably spewing to tell you about his new Kit?? So over to him…
Darren: I used mainly drums and cymbals on the album…I currently play a Kit made for me by a local company called RTCustoms and that’s an all birch shell 22×20 bass drum, 13X11 tom and 16×16 floor.

Where was ‘Return To Earth’ recorded as the sound is amazingly heavy, yet still maintains its clarity in the more subtle moments, I also believe Billy Anderson had a hand in when it came to the mix? How did this come about?

Stu: Cool, it was recorded at a place called MWNCI studios in West Wales by our good mates Geth Woolcock and Jethro, the geezer who owns the gaff. We had a good crack down there, 7 days, workin by day, wreckin by night, the usual. But the place and surrounding areas were very inspiring and calming, we were lodging in a cottage on site, just a good vibe all round really. Yeah Billy got involved because I asked him if he’d be up for helping out, and being the gent he truly is , he agreed. Me and Dex had worked with him in Swansea with B.E.R a few years earlier. The guy’s a LEGEND…

Aside from the release of ‘Return To Earth’ what else can we expect from Sigiriya for the remainder of 2011 and into 2012, any tours or maybe even festival appearances on the cards?

Stu: Well we’ve just got back from a show in Norway , which was the nuts!! A couple more live outings for this year, one of which is with the Goblin and Gents at their xmas shindig, which will be cool. Rest of time will be spent gearing to the follow up, which is already starting to shape up nice and darkly. Fingers crossed word on the street is that we’re going out with Lord Vicar and Orchid for a run of shows next April, which may include a festival appearance??????

A couple of more personal questions to round off, what are your top 3 albums of all time?

Stu: AC/DC – ‘Back In Black’, ‘Puppets’ – Metallica, Skynyrd – ‘Pronounced..’ (Well they may or may not be in my top 3 all the time, but defo my top ten??)

What was the last film you watched and/or book you read, now be honest!

Stu: Film – ‘The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets Nest.’ Book – ‘Only Death Is Real, Tom. G .Warriors book ( Well I read it , but the photos blew me away, Martin Eric Ain’s shots are insane!!)

Is Dorian really a mountain goat and how much whiskey does he drink?

Stu: More like donkey and he’s more of an eight pints of Stella man.

Finally, thanks for taking the time to answering my random questions and please use this space for any final words…

Stu: Cheers Lee!!

Stay true, stay clean, see you at the bar and thanks for coming….

More info on Sigiriya at www.facebook.com/pages/Sigiriya/203064053069175

Interviewed by: Lee Edwards