Therapy? It is an alternative metal band from Northern Ireland.
Rock Overdose and Pavlos Giannakopoulos had the pleasure to talk with the singer, guitarist and founder of the band Andy Cairns-in view of the forthcoming Chania Rock Festival- having the opportunity to ask him many questions about Therapy? , a band which is active 27 consecutive years.
Indeed the writer discovered Therapy? back in 1993, when he heard the single from the band 'Opal Mantra', and stayed with his mouth open because of the beautiful melodies in chorus, and this rock-pop-punk-metal fusion that emerge from the song.
Most of Therapy? songs are melodic, with heavy guitar riffs, and 'strange' counts in the drums (at least as long as sat on drum kit drummer Fyfe Ewing).
The band beyond the Alternative-Heavy Metal-with slightly from Punk style, had the cojones to give us some nice covers songs to Joy Division and Husker Du.
Let's get started ...
Rock Overdose: Hello Andy. How are you doing?
Andy Cairns: Hello Pavlos, hello Rock Overdose, I'm fine thank you.
Rock Overdose: When did you start and what did you make to play music?
Andy Cairns: I started playing music at school when I was ten years of age. I played trombone for a few years in the school orchestra. I got a bass guitar at 14 and moved to guitar a few years later. I've been playing music in Therapy? for nearly 27 years.
Rock Overdose: How are things going for Therapy? In 2016?
Andy Cairns: This has been a great year. We've toured all over Europe from January to the end of May. Our recent album, 'Disquiet', has been well received so it’s been cool to play to people.
Rock Overdose: Can you tell us some words about Therapy? story? How did you all meet?
Andy Cairns: Myself and original drummer, Fyfe Ewing, met at a charity concert in 1989. We wrote songs, practiced and recorded some > demos with Fyfe on vocals and myself on guitar, bass and vocals. In late 1989 a school friend of Fyfe's, Michael McΚeegan (bass player of black metal band, Evil Priest) joined on bass guitar. We recorded and self-released our own single, 'Meat Abstract', in 1990, got a record deal with Wiiija records/Touch & Go in 91' and released two albums and signed to a major label in 1992 where we stayed until 1999 when we went back to Independent labels again.
Rock Overdose: Can you introduce us the members of Therapy? ?
Andy Cairns: Michael McKeegan is a fantastic bass player who loves all music especially metal and very much black metal. Shane Embury has claimed that Michael "knows too much about Metal!". Neil Cooper on drums joined in 2002 and is a ridiculously amazing drummer. He previously played in awesome progressive metal band The Beyond and also in UK noise band Cable.
Rock Overdose: Which are your main influences as a band?
Andy Cairns: When we started we liked American hardcore, thrash metal, Belgian new beat, noise rock and NWA and Public Enemy. Being from Northern Ireland we also liked UK and Irish punk.
Rock Overdose: Why you call your band Therapy? with a question mark?
Andy Cairns: The question mark was added on an early poster to balance the symmetry of the text. People talked about it so we kept it.
Rock Overdose: In 2015 you released “Disquiet” album. Can you tell us some words about this?
Andy Cairns: The 'Disquiet' album is a 'classic' Therapy? record. There are riffs, catchy melodies, interesting drums and elastic bass. The lyrics are dark, twisted and from the heart. It was produced by Tom Dalgety who has recorded Killing Joke, Royal Blood and Pixies.
Rock Overdose: In my opinion “Disquiet” album is full of great riffs and melodies, and dark lyrics (as you said before). This album reminds me “Troublegum” and “Infernal Love” albums. Do you agree?
Andy Cairns: Oh yes, I certainly think it is a cousin of Troublegum. It's a certain sound that rock fans associate with Therapy?
Rock Overdose: Three members is the ‘magic” number of Therapy?
Andy Cairns: I think so. We tried to be a quartet for a while but we feel more comfortable with three of us.
Rock Overdose: What changed for Therapy? in almost 20 years?
Andy Cairns: Well...band members and record labels mostly! The three of us all love being in this band and are prepared to work hard as the business hasn't gotten any easier over the years. We still love touring, writing and playing together. All the bad stuff that happened to us over 20 years (losing members, being dropped by labels, ignored by media) has only made us more determined.
Rock Overdose: This Saturday July 17th we will see you in Greece, at the Chania Fest. Because you spent last year promoting both the 20th anniversary of “Infernal Love” and “Disquiet” on tour, what can we have to expect from you at this concert?
Andy Cairns: We're really excited about playing at Chania Fest. Over the years we're been to Greece quite a few times but never to Chania. We'll play all the stuff people know off Troublegum and Infernal Love and add some songs from our other albums, Disquiet included.
Rock Overdose: So what the future holds for you?
Andy Cairns: We're doing festivals through the summer until the end of September. In November and December we're embarking on an acoustic tour of Belgium, Holland and UK. In between we hope to be writing and rehearsing for a new album.
Rock Overdose: If you want just send a message to all Greeks Therapy? fans.
Andy Cairns: To all our Greek fans, we've enjoyed coming to your beautiful country since 1994 and we have so many memories. Thank you for your support and we hope to keep coming back and making new memories. You never disappoint!!
Rock Overdose: Thank you for doing this interview. See you at the Chania Fest.
Andy Cairns: Thank you for the interview. See you at the Chania Fest and best wishes from Therapy?
https://youtu.be/e71ia1AFGVk
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