We interviewed Middy, bassist of the Finnish band Santa Cruz, who released their last album on November 10 called Bad Blood Rising. We talked about the album, his career and the tour that is coming, which will go through Spain next year.
Hello! Thanks for this interview, first of all. We want to know more about Bad Blood Rising, the third Santa Cruz album that has already been released. How was the songwriting process this time? Was it different from the previous albums?
The recording process was pretty similar to our previous album but to songwriting we took a little bit different approach. For example on the previous album Archie and Johnny came up with almost finished demos that we would record. This time we got to our rehearsal place on the very early stages so that we could throw around ideas from the beginning. It took us about a month to come up with 11 tracks for the studio.
In this album there are songs with very heavy riffs and others that are the opposite, like Breathe or Get Me Out Of California. The idea of including the two extremes was something premeditated?
We didn’t plan that in forehand. We just wanted to do justice to the songs. Rather than shoving everything in the same mold we wanted to highlight the song’s personality. If the song required double kick drum we put it there, if it was violin then so shall it be. We don’t wanna calculate what we do.
Before releasing the album, you released two songs: River Phoenix and Young Blood Rising. Why did you choose them?
We didn’t want to come back with a ballad so these two songs were certainly not that. Then I think that for example Young blood is the most “Santa Cruz sounding” track of the album, and due to that it felt a good idea to release also something that’s familiar to people.
Why ‘Bad Blood Rising’?
It describes the attitude that we’re filled with. It states that we’re here, and here to stay.
Which ones are your favourite songs? Is there one that has a special meaning for you?
It’s bit too early yet to name any ultimate favorites, it usually takes a bit more time but at the moment I’m really into Bad Habits Die Hard and Get Me Out of California. And naturally Breathe is a killer track that’s probably gonna stand the test of time the most.
Santa Cruz is a band that combines modern metal sounds with eighties hard rock. What bands have influenced you to make this combination?
I think that the major turn was when we heard the Sempiternal album from Bring Me The Horizon for the first time. Then we got the idea of bringing modern influences to the classic hard rock that we were into. Since then we’ve taken influences from all around us whether it’s Marilyn Manson or Justin Bieber all the way to Slipknot and Backstreet Boys. We just try to be open minded.
If we look back, since the band was starting (the first shows, the first album…) until now, how do you feel at this point of your career?
The further you go in your career the more you come to realize how much is still to be done. I still kinda feel that we’re just getting started here. I’m also not so much of a fan of looking back.
What are your plans for the near future? Maybe touring non-stop?
You got it, now we’re gonna tour our asses of till it’s time to do another album.
Any intention to come to Spain? We have great festivals and also many cities and venues full of people wanting to have fun.
At the moment we’re fully booked till the end of the year but we’re planning to do a full length European tour in 2018 and Spain included. All I can ask is patience.
Well, thank you very much for your time. Good luck with the tour!
