Wargasm

Name, where are you from?
M: Milkie Way, Northern Ireland.
S: Sam J Matlock, London, England.

Describe your style in three words?
M: Guitar Hero Character.
S: Basic Alpha Trash.

What’s the best gig you’ve ever been to?
S: I'm gonna choose Reading Festival 2011 Main Stage Saturday. It was the dream line up for a teenager into alternative music at the time - and my first time at Reading Festival. I remember watching Rise Against, The Offspring, 30 seconds To Mars, Deftones… and THAT My Chemical Romance set.
M: Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Ball 2012 in Dublin. Camped out for two days to be at the barrier and Gaga brought me up on stage in front of 37,000 people and we drank Jameson together. Closest thing to a religious experience I’ll ever have in my life.

If you could be on the line up with any two artists in history?
M: The Prodigy because I never got to see them before Keith sadly passed and Limp Bizkit for obvious reasons. I wanna break someone's nose in a pit while moshing to 'Counterfeit'. But do note… I will go on stage after Limp Bizkit but I wouldn’t dare try to play a set after The Prodigy.
S: Linkin Park in their 'Meteora' era, I just never got to see it live so I’ll take a side stage pass please. Then probably The Smashing Pumpkins. I find them a really inspirational listen. They’re also one of the few acts I can just switch off and enjoy without trying to analyse it.

Which subcultures have influenced you?
S: I guess every subculture that’s existed so far haha. Everything that happens in your lifespan influences you - you draw from what you like and avoid or rebel against what you don’t. Every subculture is a source of subconscious inspiration. There’s so much documented material (documentaries, books, old photographs) that we can draw on these days that the melting pot is just f*cking huge. It's easy to feel a little like you’re so many little bits of different subcultures you don't actually belong to one. I think I’ve earned my stripes in the British emo scene, gained a decent work ethic from the DIY punk scene. Unfortunately, my ears are more into metal than my wardrobe is.
M: It may be controversial, but honestly, disco is such a huge one. Punks at the time hated disco but that hatred came from an anti-gay and anti-black standpoint. Disco was as much about sex and drugs as rock and roll was, only everyone just looked much more grandiose. Disco was dirty, fun, and sexy and it’s queer history, and those are all large parts of myself now. Glam rock too. But I guess glam rock is just disco but with electric guitars. But I can’t pretend good old punk didn’t get its spot in the makeup of who I am today.

If you could spend an hour with anyone from history?
M: Prince.
S: Milkie is your answer to ‘why’ that damn prince song? predictable. At the moment Grimes; she’s a chameleon. I would love us to have a career as honest, enigmatic and fluid as she is having. I reckon we could write a song in an hour.

Of all the venues you’ve been to or played, which is your favourite?
S: The 100 Cub on Oxford Street. It’s been around since the '40s and I think it’s looked exactly the same since the '60s. It’s full of history and pivotal to the UK music scene. AC/DC have played there, The Who, The Clash, Black Flag, The Damned, The Buzzcocks… I’ve seen some incredible shows there from younger acts too when I was a teenager. I think you guys actually had something to do with those?
M: I love Stubbs in Austin, Texas a lot. Maybe it was just because it was the only hot day on a tour through the States in the middle of a polar vortex but that place has a great vibe, great stage - very fun. Blue Shell in Cologne too. I love that the backstage area is a tiny circular alcove hidden behind some shutter doors with just enough room for some friends, an amazing German rider, and lots of beer.

Your greatest unsung hero or heroine in music?
S: They’re not that unsung but they really changed the game for me when I first discovered them. Charlie Simpson from Busted has a post-hardcore band that is just f*cking nerdy heavy melodic and insane. I wish more people knew of them so I could see them live again. It’s physically angering me to choose just one song.
M: Romilly Alice. She’s one of the greatest rock vocalists of the past decade and her band has 607 monthly listeners on Spotify and they broke up after one album.