Midlands Rocks’ Ian Savage caught up with Nico's Alchemy before their main stage main support slot at the Bulldog Bash. Drummer Andy Reddington, bassist Danni Stanner, vocalist Geoff Adrenalin and guitarist Nico Tamburella were more than happy to discuss their upcoming set and forthcoming album.

So, to start off – first Bulldog Bash?

Nico: No, this is our second Bulldog Bash – I played here in 2009 opening for Motorhead, we played with UFO, Saxon...it was amazing, it was fantastic, and thanks to you guys we've now moved up the bill, which is a great honour. And now, to be doing the 25^th anniversary...well, it's just an honour.

So what's in the pipeline after today?

Nico: Our new album called 'Live Until We Die' will be out soon, with Geoff on vocals, the rest of the band on the recording stays the same [as previous album, 'Fundamental Darkness'], it's very much influenced by...kind of Rammstein meets classical, Malmsteen, Jeff Beck, the guitars are still there...at the moment I really love the production on a lot of Rammstein, so they're one of the focal points I have at the moment.

The new album...

Nico: Tonight we're playing three songs from the new album – 'She's A Killer', 'Live Until We Die' and 'Mind Cage'.

What else is on the table for you guys?

Nico: Well, after this we're going to Bloodstock and Sonisphere, every single gig we can possibly get - no place is too small, no place is too big, we just love playing, rock the place out and have a good time.

Mostly UK, or over the Channel...

Nico: Mostly UK, but there's talk of us going over to Germany – Frankfurt and Kolonge, but that'll be December, maybe January.

There was a singer by the name of Candido on 'Fundamental Darkness'...

Nico: Yes, the previous singer - fantastic vocalist, excellent guy, [his leaving] was very, very amicable; he's a very good friend of mine and he's got a fantastic voice, but I wanted a kind of a heavier sound, and Candido's voice kind of didn't fit the sound I wanted where Geoff's really, really does, as you'll hear tonight.

How did you go about putting the musicians together?

Nico: Well, first of all, Danni Stanner's been with me for six years...

Danni: Yep, absolutely, six long years.

Nico: And it's not for the money, is it?

Danni: No. * laughs *

Nico: And I had about twenty different singers from everywhere around South London, and lots of them were very good, but there were problems with transport, and money, and turning up for rehearsal and things like that, but I remember I always liked one guy for the last two years, who was only down the road from where I live. So I went to see him; I had his cell phone number, I called him, he came into the studio while we were recording...

Geoff: ...and there was a chemistry, and Nico's music...I just believe in it, and there's something about this band which just explodes, and that's what I love in a rock band. You think of great bands, they've always got that chemistry, and even rehearsals are fun as well. You get together, and even if you're feeling like shit, something happens...that just releases that inner beast in you, y'know?

Nico: “Inner beast”? I like that, I'm gonna write a song about that! * laughs *

How DO the songs come together?

Nico: I do all the writing, but the thing that I like with working with a band is that I can give Geoff a call, he'll come around and listen to the lyrics, if there's something he's not comfortable with, we can change it, and most of the time it works out better. The same thing goes for the rhythm section – what I want to say, is that we never write the same set. The set might be the same, in terms of the names of the songs, but everything can be kind of spur of the moment, and that's what I love. You can kind of rehearse “yeah, three bars of this, four bars of this, five bars of this, and done” - no, fuck that, boring. We don't do that.

So the other guys have got to be watching you like hawks?

Andy: That's true! * laughs *

Geoff: Yeah, but that's great, you know, it means it's not predictable...with what I said about the explosion, you've got to have that spontaneity in music, being on that edge where you're thinking “this is a bit dangerous”, and that's what we like. If the dynamics change, you know – if it feels different, we might play it different.

Nico: But coming back to your point, yes the melody's there and written, but the magic comes from the guys who're playing it, and everybody puts their own personality into that.

Danni: I've been with him for six years, it's never the same, it's on the edge...you know, that's what's great.

You mentioned Jeff Beck, Blackmore, Malmsteen, Rammstein as influences – what do you listen to otherwise?

Nico: In my own time, I mainly listen to guitar stuff, I like classical music - Vivaldi, Verdi, Chopin – and I love rock music, obviously. Deep Purple I can play over and over and over, Glenn Hughes even without Deep Purple...AH!

Favourite musicians of your own instrument?

Danni: Steve Harris!

Nico: Guitarists...possibly...of all time, or right now?

One of each.

Nico: I'll say Richie Blackmore and Yngwie Malmsteen.

Andy: Vinnie Paul.

Geoff: For me, the guy I really have such respect for and who's got the kind of voice I'd die for is Chris Cornell. I mean, what a massive fucking range and portfolio of music, the styles he can do, and the way he projects...

So for anyone who's never heard Nico's Alchemy, what should they expect, in one sentence?

Danni: It's pretty much, as we were saying before, you know, the new music's pretty much rock... * everyone starts laughing *

Nico: In a sentence, Danni!

Danni: Urrrmmm....one sentence...literally, I just did that. * laughter *

Nico: I would say if you're looking for some very good classic metal with strong melodies, as I said, a metal album with some really good guitar... * laughter *

Nico: Oh, alright, okay, classic metal with some really good guitar and excellent vocals.

Andy: Blues, metal, and rock and fucking roll.

Geoff: It's got power, it's got passion, it's got blues, it's got depth of feeling, it's melodic heavy rock; you can grunge to it, you can hangbang to it, you can fucking rock out, and that's what it's all about.

Nico: I want to mention though, these guys mentioned blues, which I'm really happy about!

While you wait for the Midlands Rocks review of 'Live Until We Die' (to appear very soon), see our review of the Bulldog Bash 2011 here and check Nico's Alchemy out on Facebook