Revelling in the ‘Glory: Crowning Glory

Rather than opting for copious eyeliner usage and glittery swagger that is prominent on the London music scene at the moment (not that eyeliner and glitter are bad things!), Crowning Glory pride themselves with their ability to produce music that makes you want to thrust your fist into the air and let out life’s frustrations.

Birmingham born vocalist Robert Alexander and bassist Nick Smith, together with experienced London drummer Grant Eskriett and guitarist Tom Draper (formerly of Sheffield based funk rock band ‘Firegarden’ he also used to be with the ‘Renegade Playboys’) create a line up that fuses the excitement and energy of metal legends such as Iron Maiden and Motorhead with an edge of sleaze rock in the same vain as Crue and Skid Row. Killer riffage and versatile vocals combined with high speed drumming and headbanging add a special something that is sleazy and fresh to such a wealthy genre. Its no surprise that they’ve been spotted by the BBC Radio 2 to do a live show.

Standing amongst a lot of Crowning Glory fans at their recent Purple Turtle gig in Camden was quite an experience. They’re a highly energetic and excitable bunch and you get the same buzz from their passion for CG’s music as you would do a highly established metal band.

Before that, Nicola Crichton stood outside the venue with Rob, Tom, Nick and Grant for a natter about where it started, why now is the time to slap the music scene with kick ass metal and ball shaving ... what lovely young men they are!

Nix: Who’s the ‘Glory and how did it all come about?
Tom (guitar): I started playing guitar a while ago and wanted to listen to better guitar music so I got into metal (laughs).
Grant (drums): I got into metal ages ago. I listened to WASP and Guns N’ Roses’ ‘Appetite for Destruction’ and that was it - years ago and that turned me! Since then, all I’ve listened to is metal.
Rob (vox): Hmm, what made me get into metal? (Thinks) I’m not really into pop bands! I want something that really excites me and this does it for me.
Grant: I think we’ve found a bassist!
(At this point, bassist Nick meanders round an obstacle course of rubbish sacks outside the venue and enters the fray)
Rob: This is our interviewer, Nix
(Pleasantries are exchanged and the same question is answered again)
Nick (bass): Ah, I’ve been into it for years! A long long time (laughs). Well, quite a while anyway. Since I was a kid I was into bands like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath - that sort of thing really!

Nix: In a nutshell, what is Crowning Glory?
Grant: (with laughs all round) Go on, you do it!
Tom: It’s the sound of Lemmy beating the s*** out of the Arctic Monkeys whilst Motley Crue and Iron Maiden p*ss all over the Arctic Monkeys still twitching bodies!
Rob: (silence then laughs) That’s a nutshell at least!

Nix: That is a nutshell! So on that note, what would you say is kick ass about Crowning Glory that you don’t get with any other bands?
Tom: Its 100% - its relentless.
(A guy from the venue distracts and natters to the band about moving stuff)
Tom: (laughs) Oops, I’ve forgotten what was good about us! (laughs).
Grant: Its 100%. There’s an element of posing, but mainly its just the music. It really is as simple as that.

Nix: How did all of you guys get together?
Grant: Me and Nick had been playing drums and bass for years. We’d been in various bands and sort of things but nothing really worked. Through doing that we bumped into Rob and it was clear then that, that was our singer - and we needed a guitarist -
Rob: (laughs) Aww! I’m all smiley now!
Grant: (laughs) Its true! We needed a guitarist so we held auditions for that. We were looking and we were really worried about what we would find. It literally was, without sounding too cheesy - when Tom walked in and played, learnt it all, done all the stuff - it just clicked, everything clicked.

Nix: So what would you say are your main influences as Crowning Glory?
Tom: That’s for someone that can give more interesting answers than me (laughs)
Rob: Skid Row, Motley Crue, Motorhead - a lot of real kick ass bands
Tom: A bit of the Vengaboys (laughs)
Nick: Or Hi-5! (laughs)
Grant: It’s the classics really. Motorhead, Priest, Maiden - that sort of thing.

Nix: You’re on BBC Radio 2 in the near future for a live session, how did that come about?
Tom: Janice Long played our song one week, then she played it the next week and she said a load of people liked it so she asked us to come in a do a session.
Nick: We didn’t know she’d played it. It wasn’t us phoning up saying we loved that song (laughs).
Rob: We found out about two days after!

Nix: The EP, which is forthcoming - what to expect from that?
Tom: Should be a month or so.
Grant: More of the same. Intense and upbeat. Hopefully we’re going to do two live tracks. Its an EP - so we’re going to do three studio tracks and two, maybe three live tracks.

Nix: What would you say has been your best gig so far?
Nick: This one tonight (laughs - its not happened yet).
Tom: Yeah, it was really good (laughs)
Rob: It was the most amazing sound check I’d had in my life! (laughs) No, I’d say about a month ago here (Purple Turtle).
Nix: With doing “Live Wire” (Crue cover)?
Tom: Yeah. Its easier to say you enjoyed a gig if the audience are louder after each song.
Nix: Got a worst one?
Rob: We haven’t had one! (laughs)

Nix: A slight random question. But if you had to pick one song that’s spurred you on in life, what would it be?
Rob: So far for me, its got to be “Painkiller” by Judas Priest. Play it over and over again - sort of addicted to that song at the moment. Its one of those songs that’s been out there since I was born. I just discovered it last year. It’s safe to say that I’ve worn the song out.
Tom: “Fade To Black” by Metallica. Its got three of the best guitar solos ever and four of the best riffs and James Hetfield going “Oooougggghh” (James Hetfield noise) quite a lot! (laughs)

Nix: A little fact not a lot of people know about you?
Rob: (mock American redneck) I shave my balls! (laughs) I don’t actually! (winks)
Tom: I had a Spinal tap when I was less than a year old. I had excess fluid drained out of my spine.
Rob: That explains a lot actually! (laughs)

Nix: Would you say you lived a metallers lifestyle?
Rob: We’re getting there.
Grant: (Sarcastically) Well, I’m only 18 (laughs) its written on my face!
Tom: Yeah. We drink a lot, listen to a lot of metal and we play a lot of metal. That’s about the lifestyle really!

Nix: Favourite drink?
Grant: Gin!
Tom: White Russian
Rob: Milk! (laughs)

Nix: Fair enough!, what would you say are the plans for the rest of this year?
Grant: We just want to get this EP out, get it to as many people as possible. If we can push it to people who might be interested in letting us record more records and putting it out as a CD or record - that’s what we want to do. At the moment, we’ll play anywhere and we’ll do anything. That’s what we are doing at the moment. Gigs with Orange Goblin at the ‘Peel (Kingston).
Rob: What keeps us going really is the great response that we’ve had so far. Without that, we wouldn’t be as enthusiastic as we’d be, we wouldn’t be as arrogant as we are about what we’re doing. We’re here to give rock a swift kick up the a***.

Catch Crowning Glory on numerous gig dates throughout the next few months in London. Join up to their MySpace (www.myspace.com/crowningglory) or check out their official website for more information - www.crowninggloryuk.com!

Words and images by Nicola (Nix) Crichton

© Pure Rawk 2006