Exposed Vocals Interviews UNCLE RUST
In 2016 “Anti-Collision”, the 2nd and self produce Uncle Rust album is released.
The band, a hard rock London based band consists of 3 core members.
Frontman and guitar grinder Justin McConville writes his own songs and has recorded and produced the latest offering by Uncle Rust following the acclaim of the debut album “Six Years In The Desert”.
Justin also plays in The Heavy Metal Kids, a 70’s cult rock band formerly fronted by rock n roll wild man, the late Gary Holton and also plays with Mark Shaw’s Then Jerico.
Justin has prolifically written music over the last 3 decades having performed across the UK and Europe in varying bands.
On drums, Justin’s brother Chris, a member of the UK Indy band The Bishops who released three albums , an EP and a dozen singles, notably there first album recorded by Liam Watson producer of amongst others the White Stripes took them across Europe, the UK and as far east as Japan.
Chris has been a member of Uncle Rust since the project began.
On Bass PJ Phillips. PJ has played with some of the biggest names in rock history. Rod Stewart, Mark Shaw and Curtis Steiger are a small glimpse at the calibre of the artist PJ has played with and likewise his own calibre is indeed that of a seasoned pro musician.
The 2nd album is available and will be launched on the 4th of September at The Monarch in Camden.
The new album is a melodic guitar based rock album inclusive of 10 original tracks. Justin states “The 10 tracks were demoed at the end of 2014 and were the first songs I written and demoed since the recording of the previous (Six Years in the Desert) one. I had a total of about 40 tracks but some how these 10 songs came out like an album. I worked on the demo’s and they took a life and shape of their own. It’s my first attempt at recording and producing an album completely on my own.
The album was recorded between Survival rehearsal studios in North Acton in London and Justin’s studio flat in East London.
The band will take the albumin the road after their launch on the 4th of September.
Uncle Rust links
https://www.facebook.com/
https://www.youtube.com/
https://soundcloud.com/uncle-
https://soundcloud.com/uncle-
http://unclerust.bandcamp.com/
Exposed Vocals: So tell us your story. Where did you grow up? What made you decide to become an artist?
UNCLE RUST (frontman Justin McConville)
I grew up in a mining village right on the edge of Lanarkshire Scotland in the middle of nowhere. There were about 3000 people in my village and everybody knows everybody and everybody knows everybody else’s business and what they don’t know they make up. It was great place to grow up but it has a very little or no outlet for a creative person.
When I was 11 I listened to Slippery When Wet by Bon Jovi for the first time. The cassette was at the end of the first side so I listened to the second side first. Raise Your Hands came blazing in and I really wanted to do that. Shortly after that I remember listening to Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest For The Wicked. Zakk Wylde’s playing blew the 12 year old me right through his bedroom wall. I later got into Iron Maiden. The first album I heard was Live After Death. That was hugely influential in my quest for musical enlightenment.
Exposed Vocals: How did you come up with that name? What was your inspiration behind it?
UNCLE RUST
The name’s quite a simple concept. I’m not a youth yielding an axe and adolescent bravado. I wanted a name that would both describe me as a writer without too much emphasis on genre. I’m the sort of Uncle you’d expect to find in a band. Rust – the product of decay usually found on metal.
Exposed Vocals: What do you think about online music sharing? Do you ever give your music away for free? Why?
UNCLE RUST
Many times I’ve given people CD’s as promo or just as good will, after all I don’t want a few hundred copies of each album I do lying around my flat on the outside chance I might sell them (laughs).
Seriously though if people want your music they can get it from Soundcloud or YouTube. I buy albums of artists I’m a fan of. Many of those haven’t done anything outstanding for years but that’s what a fan does. Being a fan or gaining a fan has to start somewhere. I had loads of band’s albums on blank cassettes for years but I did eventually go out and buy the albums.
That’s what fans do. It’s there to be enjoyed by whoever wants to enjoy it. Of course I’d rather sell loads of albums but it’s important that music is out there and can be accessed by anyone.
Exposed Vocals: Since everyone was a start-up once, can you give any smaller or local bands or artists looking to get gigs and airplay some tips?
UNCLE RUST
When I started playing I couldn’t wait to get my band out to play.
I was 14. We played in our school assembly hall at lunch time with everyone we could get there. The most important thing is to get in front of an audience and play your stuff. Once you’ve figured out your best songs and recorded them good, then’s the time to tell as many people at radio stations and magazines about your stuff.
Bob Dylan once said “being a musician has a continual sense of becoming”. I like that philosophy.
Exposed Vocals: Do you ever make mistakes during performances? How do you handle that?
UNCLE RUST
Everyone makes mistakes at some point. I like to play songs until they’re right in my mind and it’s as though I’m watching myself perform. By that time it’s like an autopilot so that I can be with audience too. Mistakes are not a big problem, it’s how you recover. It should never get in the way of the fun aspect and after a few thousand gigs you just put it down to an off moment.
Exposed Vocals: Do you tour? Anything interesting happen on tour that you think our readers would enjoy hearing about?
UNCLE RUST
Yes we tour but there’s no real big stories to tell. We’re well behaved boys!!
Exposed Vocals: Where do you usually gather songwriting inspiration? What is your usual songwriting process?
UNCLE RUST
There’s no specific place for inspiration when writing songs.
I gather all my thoughts by writing them or these days typing them or videoing the ideas as they come about and go back to them later.
Thoughts on their own sometimes don’t have their full meaning but when the time come to write the jigsaw puzzle takes shape.
Sometimes I write songs in entirety or bits and pieces hear and there but I’m a great believer that there is a huge ether, a creative pool the size of the universe. Those of us who do creative stuff are luck sometimes to receive inspiration. I believe that all the songs already exist. It’s merely a matter of the person who brings the those idea to life that connects with the great creative ether.
Exposed Vocals: Do you have a band website? What online platforms do you use to share your music?
UNCLE RUST
We don’t have a website. We are on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Soundcloud and Bandcamp amongst others.
Exposed Vocals: What are some really embarrassing songs that we might find on your mp3 player?
UNCLE RUST
I don’t think there’s anything in my iPod that would be embarrassing however a couple of my old vinyls might cause a cringe.
Exposed Vocals: If you were given half a million dollars and a year off, what would you do? How would you spend it?
UNCLE RUST
I’d be out gigging, recording some new music or maybe even buy a decent home set up and keep as much of the money for a rainy day.
Exposed Vocals: Any planned studio upgrades? What are you working with now?
UNCLE RUST
No planned upgrades.
The new album was recorded on a Tascam DP 32 SD
Exposed Vocals: How do you find ways to promote your music? What works best for you?
UNCLE RUST
I like getting out and playing live. We’re all jobbing musicians as well as writers and performers. Playing live is the best way to get the music about.
Exposed Vocals: If you could perform anywhere and with any artists (Dead or Alive) where and who would it be with? Why?
UNCLE RUST
There’s no one artist I’d like to perform with. I’d love to play guitar for Ozzy or Maiden maybe another one of my heroes but those gigs don’t come up everyday.
Exposed Vocals: So, what’s next? Any new upcoming projects that you want to talk about?
UNCLE RUST
We get out and play the stuff.
Exposed Vocals: If you weren’t making music, what would you be doing?
UNCLE RUST
I can’t imagine a world where I don’t play music. I’d probably find a way to live somewhere that is permanently sunny like California or Monaco.
Exposed Vocals: Do you remember buying your first album? Who was it? What was going through your head?
UNCLE RUST
The first record I bought was AC⚡️DC – If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It) I couldn’t wait to hear Rock n Roll Damnation and Angus’ solo on Let There Be Rock.
It was on vinyl too. Sounded just fantastic.
Exposed Vocals: How do you juggle the rest of your responsibilities while trying to stay ahead in your music life?
I try not to have any responsibility (laughs). Music has so many rewards. It also has pitfalls. It’s a big commitment to keep it going. I keep in my mind why I’m doing it.
Exposed Vocals: What should fans look forward to in 2016?
UNCLE RUST
Some new footage, photos, songs and a few gigs !!
