Fresh from their first appearance at the Bulldog Bash, Midlands Rocks' Ian Savage caught up with Wednesfield's Liberty Lies – Josh (guitar), Steveo (drums), Shaun (vocals), Wolfie (bass) and Matt (guitar).

So, you guys have not long changed line-up?

Shaun: Yeah, about two, three months ago.

Steveo: Matt on guitar and Wolfie on bass, those two are new.

Has that changed the sound at all?

Steveo: A lot – I think it's made us a bit more mature, a lot more modern, I'd say; we tried to shed anything to do with classic rock and get a more modern sound. I think we've done that, I'm happy with it anyway.

How would you describe your sound before the change?

Shaun: I think we were slightly blues-tinged before, and we've kind of moved away from that; now it's more a sort of melodic hard rock. More modern, as I say – some slightly heavier bits as well.

Was that a conscious effort?

Josh: As our influences change as a band, y'know, the bands we listen to, the music changes with it, I think .

Steveo: At the moment the collective bands we listen to would be stuff like Shinedown, Alter Bridge, Black Stone Cherry, 3 Doors Down...sort of slightly grungey but not, like...

Wolfie: ...not too O.T.T.

If you could put a 'tag' on your sound, what would it be?

Shaun: Good!

Josh: I think we'd just say 'melodic hard rock', to be honest.

You've got pretty much a 'classic' rock lineup, is that the best way of working for you?

Steveo: We did a little bit towards the end of the last lineup just as a four-piece, but that never really seemed to work – we want a huge sound, we always work on dynamics, making the big bits huge, y'know, and bringing it down really low, and I don't think you can do that with just one guitar, as good a guitarist as Josh might be.

Shaun: We're definitely better as a five-piece.

What've Liberty Lies got out there at the moment?

Shaun: The EP is 'New Addiction', and we've just bought out a new single called 'Confessions of an Effigy', both available on iTunes or at any show.

What shows are lined up?

Matt: Festivals – we've got a couple more bike rallies in September, Craven Arms, Oxjam...

Shaun: To be honest we're going to spend a lot of this year writing, because we've got to get the album ready, that's going to be out March next year – we're about halfway there, so spend the rest of the year writing, then a few gigs just to showcase the new songs, then back in the studio!

Being as this is for Midlands Rocks, whereabouts have you played in the Midlands?

All: Everywhere!

Josh: Slade Rooms, Academies, every pub in Wednesbury...

Steveo: ...Dudley, Wolverhampton, you name it...

Favourite Midlands venue?

Shaun: Probably the Slade Rooms, actually...

Wolfie: ..yeah, I like it there...

Steveo: ...we did the Academy 2, that was a pretty cool show.

Josh: I used to be a big fan of the Little Civic, when that used to be open – playing to like 100 people with the place rammed, it was amazing in there...

Steveo: We used to love Dudley JBs, until that closed, we played the main stage there...

Shaun: We miss it, man.

Least favourite?

Shaun: Anywhere in Wednesbury! * laughs *

This was your first Bulldog Bash, how do you think it went?

Steveo: At first, it was a bit...I don't think the audience was with us...

Matt: ...but I reckon we got stuck into it and pulled them around, I mean, there were a few going for it towards the end.

Josh: I mean, it's quite odd, with people just walking past, but then some people come up to you afterwards like 'Oh, great show'...

Shaun: It took a while to get the audience on board, but we did it; that's what it's all about, getting the audience involved, making them enjoy it. At the end of the day, it's not for us, it's for people to enjoy the music.

Steveo: If someone goes away humming one of our tracks, I'm happy, man.

See our Bulldog Bash 2011 review here

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