INTERVIEW: Joe Mayer – Black Coast

In the years since the release of their brilliant debut EP Crows of the North in 2016, BLACK COAST have established themselves as one of the UK’s hardest-working up-and-coming bands. Having toured both domestically and beyond with the likes of STRAY FROM THE PATH, GIDEON, IN HEARTS WAKE and SILENT SCREAM, the band show no signs of slowing down until everyone knows their name. In a year which saw the band sign to the label Primordial Records, the release of the first part of a double EP, and with them gearing up for another slew of UK headline shows, we sat down with guitarist Joe Mayer to discuss what the future holds for BLACK COAST.

On November 9th you released the first instalment of your double EP Ill Minds, what made you decide to release a two-part EP as opposed to releasing all the material as one album?

Joe: Hey guys! We had a lot of set-backs with stuff between labels and other things, so we decided to do it as two separate records to hopefully give fans a bit more. So now you won’t have wait so long for the next release.

Your debut EP Crows of the North felt like a much-needed breath of fresh air for the UK scene, what was different about your approach going into your new stuff?

Joe: Not that much different to be honest. We write songs that we enjoy, we don’t write to please people we just write riffs and say yeah, we like this, and we roll with it. If you can’t enjoy your own music how will anybody else? Also, as for a breath of fresh air, that’s great to hear.

What do you want listeners to take away from Ill Minds Vol 1& 2?

Joe: Whatever they want. The songs have their own stories. Each song is a portrait of our lives and what we have going on.

Since your inception you’ve worked tirelessly and made a lot of progress in a relatively short time, ideally where would you like the band to be in five-ten years?

Joe: It’s hard to say. These days it seems to get harder and harder to be in a band. Constantly putting in money and sometimes feeling like you’re going around in circles. So maybe just be still together and playing.

You’ve toured with some big names already, who are some of the bands that you’d love to tour with in the future?

Joe: Maybe someone like BURY TOMORROW, POLAR or SILENT SCREAMS. Anyone at that level really would be great.

So you guys toured Japan last year, the Japanese fans are notorious for being incredibly passionate about the bands they like, how was that experience for you? And is it something you’re planning to do again?

Joe: Japan was AMAZING, the shows were brilliant. The place itself is a real eye-opener too, big up F.P. for having us. We would tour Japan again in a heartbeat, but we would tour anywhere in the world in a heartbeat.

Who are some of your biggest influences? Either on the band and your music, or on you personally.

Joe: I’m not going to list personnel influences because we will be here for about a week [laughs]. As a collective, it’s bands such as PANTERA, RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, DEFTONES, LIMP BIZKIT, OCEAN GROVE, LAMB OF GOD, METALLICA – you know, all the big boys.

Fans develop huge attachments to the bands they love and they often help them through difficult times, what do you want BLACK COAST to represent for people?

Joe: Being an outlet for their everyday frustrations/ problems.

Ill Minds Vol 1 & 2 is your first release on Primordial Records, what are your plans for the coming years post-Ill Minds? Is there an album on the horizon?

Joe: Keep touring hopefully, and there will definitely be an album.

You’ve joined a great line-up of acts on Primordial Records, has it felt like anything has changed since you signed to a label? More pressure? Less Pressure? Excited?

Joe: No change really. We don’t feel pressure from anyone to be honest. We are always excited for the next step. We are a band who wants to just keep moving forward and try to progress.

Looking far into the future, when your career is in its twilight, how would you like BLACK COAST to be remembered?

Joe: The band who came from nothing and worked their bollocks off.

You guys are set to go out on tour later this month, how are you guys feeling about bringing some of the new material to the fans?

Joe: Excited and happy that we can finally play it all live!

Ill Minds Vol 1 is out now via Primordial Records.

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