Dive Into Resolve’s First US Festival Experience and the Rise of French Metal

0:04 Hey, you're listening to The Adventure on W4CY Radio. This is Pipe Man here on The Adventure's Pipe Man W4CY Radio, and I'm here with. Anthony from the band Resolve. Nice, you're at Louder Than Life. Yeah, first festival appearance for us in North America, so. What do you think so far? You probably haven't seen much, but what do you think so far and how have you been treated compared to doing it in France or anywhere in Europe? We just arrived. What I can say is it looks very nice. And the way we are treated is, yeah, for now it's perfect. I have nothing to say bad about the festival, obviously. Right. So yeah, just can't wait to play. And I can't wait to see more of the festival after this interview.

1:01 Yeah, and you know what's cool is that Danny Wimmer has gone over to Hellfest for a few years checking out how you guys do things over in Europe, to kind of model after that here. So we're using Hellfest sometimes as a model. I understand, and it means a lot to us as a French band, so thank you. But yeah, I understand Hellfest is one of the best festivals we ever did. It's the same as here, I feel. Everything is perfect at Hellfest. Catering is amazing. The gear is amazing. Everyone is super nice to us. So if you are from America and you want to try something new in France, you should go to Hellfest.

1:46 And I agree. And it's true what you said about it's the same. Because, you know, when I first went to Hellfest first time... I do it every year now. Do you remember? Oh, you went last summer? This summer I didn't go because I had a Father's Day thing with my kid. But every other year. And the first time I went was after COVID with the two weekends. And I couldn't believe it that I'm talking to bands and I found out like 360 bands. Nobody started late. That's like unheard of at a festival. And everybody said, oh, Sound check loading was so simple. They sound checked us in five minutes and it was perfect.

2:30 That doesn't happen at festivals. It happens at Wimmer festivals. That's the point. But other festivals, it makes it easier on you as the artist. If you can just show up. And things are taken care of. There's no stress. And then you can just get on stage and have fun with us. I agree. I think now it's kind of a big company. So they are working on the festival during the whole year. If I'm not, I think I'm right. Yes. And so they are used to it. And I think this year was the 20th anniversary or something like that. So I'm pretty sure we did it this year. It was as perfect as always. So, yeah. I tell you what.

3:11 One of the best experiences I ever had was when I was at the set for Gojira at Hellfest. I've seen them at the Wimmer festivals a lot. but to see them in their home country... Yeah, it's different. Oh my god, it was insane! Now they are... They've always been huge in France, but now it's even bigger because they did the Olympics. And now everyone knows about Gojira. Super excited to play the same day as them. I'm not sure we're going to be able to see them because we have to drive a lot for the next... because we are on tour with ERA at the moment, so we have to drive to the next show. But if we have just the time to see a few songs, I'd be very, very happy about it. And if we can say hi to them as well, because I think we are. There's only two French bands on the festival today, and the bass player is living in the same city as me, and it's a very small city. Wow. So if I just can say hi to them, I'll be happy.

4:06 I'm sure you'll run into them back there somewhere. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, and it's pretty wild, because at first I was looking up to see, because you're both French bands, I'm like, oh, I wonder if they're on tour with Gojira. But I knew you were on tour with Error, but that. Would be cool if you were here because you guys were on tour together. Maybe all three of you being on tour. I think it's a goal for every French metal band. Right. And to be honest, I'm... I'm not sure they would love our music. I'm not sure they would hate it, but it's not the same thing. Even if we have a lot of influence from Gojira, they are way bigger, way much bigger than us, so I'm not sure we will have a tour with them, but I would love to.

4:58 But the good news is, I think that Olympics performance helped all French bands. I think it's just like, gave a message to the world to check out French music. I agree. The French scene at the moment is bigger than ever, I think. And maybe it's part of the thing. Maybe Olympics helped a lot. And after COVID, a lot of things happened for the French scene. We also have a band called Landmarks. They are blowing up at the moment, like crazy. Yeah, I know. So between Gojira and Landmarks, I think they are the, sorry, I don't have the right word, but how can I say? They are the trophy in France. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And all the bands under are growing also because of that. So, yeah, thanks to Gojira, thanks to Landmarks, and thanks to the entire world for checking the French scene at the moment.

5:54 Yeah, I mean, because it is cool, because somebody like me, who's from America, you know, I've been to France before going to Hellfest, but until I went to Hellfest, I didn't really realize how big a scene metal was in France. Like, you really have to experience it. We... We're trying to make things change now. We're doing a headline tour in January in France, Resolve. And our direct support is Silent Planet from the US. You know the band? Yes, I do. We toured with them in Australia. We became friends. And most of the time... A US band won't say yes for 10 shows in France. I mean, they're coming for a Paris or a Lyon show and that's it. But this time we're doing 10 shows together and I feel like it's a real chance for us to show a US band that France can be something else than just Paris and Lyon, you know what I mean? So maybe in the next years, more US bands will just come and do a whole tour in France because we have so many beautiful cities and so many strong cities for the metal scene, the rock music, yeah.

7:08 How would you describe the French metal scene to people around the world that would make them go, oh, I need to check this out? I feel like we have the same momentum as... Australia had a few years ago where all good bands are coming from Australia. Sometimes it's only for 10 years, it's only US bands. Then there's a lot of new bands coming from Australia. I feel like we are into it now. There are so many good bands coming from France. How can I describe? I don't feel like we are different than other countries. We just know how to write good music, hopefully.

7:49 And yeah, yeah. How to describe it? It's fucking amazing. You should check it out. Check every band that you can coming from France. Especially Resolve. Especially Resolve, yeah. Resolve first, and then... No, I'm just kidding. Exactly. And I really love that you already have a tattoo of your newest album. Oh, yeah. I did it a year ago, I think. And I wasn't even sure the album was going to be called like that But lucky me, we chose this name, this title. But yeah, even if it wasn't the name of the album, it means something to me. So I really like it. And I like the fact you've seen it.

8:30 Thank you. Right? Thank you. And so let's tell everybody about the new album. Since now that you said that, how now this tattoo translated into the album? Because it wasn't the other way around based on what you said. We started the record like two years ago. I had this idea for the title. I showed it to the guys, but I wasn't sure they were going to be, oh, this is sick. We should call the album that way. But the idea was already in me. So I wanted to tattoo it, to have it as a tattoo. And yeah, the album is coming out January 15th. So the beginning of 27. Very excited about it. We already have a single out. We're playing it today.

9:13 Nice song. And I feel like we never had as many good feedbacks about the song especially in the United States since we started this tour with ERA every single night a lot of people are coming to me at the merch table to talk about the single to talk about the record so it feels good and I can't wait for the the whole record to be out because Yeah, it feels really good to be at the other side of the world for us and speak with people and they're like, I really like the new single, I'm so excited for the new album. When we started the band, we never expected to do as many things as we did, especially being here today, playing a festival in the United States and a big one. yeah it's something so I'm very grateful about it and I hope it will continue that way.

10:05 Does it kind of blow your mind that you could come across the other side of the world and people know this stuff? I'm getting used to it now because it's the third time we're coming to the U.S. in one year, so we spent like four months in the U.S. in one year. But yeah, when I'm just alone in my bed and I'm thinking about it, I'm like, that's crazy because now we're still a young band, a small band. But everywhere we go, there's people listening to the music, people with the T-shirts, people singing the lyrics. And we don't take that for granted because that's crazy. I started in my bedroom, so now I'm here with you.

10:46 I know, right? We're going to play a show at Louder Than Life. That's all I always expected. There you go. And tell us the significance of Spread My Ashes Into Space. Say it again, sorry. Tell me the significance of Spread My Ashes Into Space. Well... We all have a different view of it. Mine is very pessimistic, and I'm sorry about that, but it's just... Especially after COVID, I'd say, and in my 20s, now I'm starting my 30s, but I feel a bit tired of the world we live in for a. Lot of reasons. I'm not going to speak about, talk about politics, or I feel like it's obvious, but for a lot of reasons, even in the music industry, the fact that appearance... is more important than art. I remember when I was a kid, I was just going into, how can I say, like a Walmart for you guys, and I was going to the CD section and I was listening 30 seconds of each song, because back in the days you had headphones, you know? And my mom was buying CDs to me, and I didn't know about the look of the band, I was just hooked by the music, by the art.

11:59 And today with social media, it looks like the more content you post, the better. And even if it looks like shit, the more you pause, the better. And that's not the way we feel. We just want to... I just want to write music and enjoy and be proud of what I did. Be proud of what I did during the time I was alive. You know what I mean? Yes. And sometimes, dark times, I'm just like... I want to see something else and I want to escape because I'm pretty sure there's something out there and you want to see something else, something you don't know about at all and something far from all this shit show sometime, you know?

12:45 Oh, I feel you. Yeah. Like, I hope I, sorry, I'm French. So sometimes it's hard to find the right words, but I hope you understand. It made total sense because I feel the same way. Like, it's like, Oh, my God. Sometimes I'll disappear into the jungle of Costa Rica to just get away from all the people in the world. Like you said, it's not just politics. It's everything. It's too much bullshit already. I have a solution to the world's problems. Tell me. One music festival. One music festival. The whole world's required to attend except for the political leaders. Yeah.

13:25 They're banned from the festival and just put everybody in one big mosh pit. We'll all work it out and hug each other at the end and there you go. Yeah, but I feel like when the festival ends all the people are going to be together and we're going to kill all the politics and it's We shouldn't kill anyone, you know? Right. But I like the idea. Right? We should just love each other. Yeah. Like, love our differences. Forget all the bullshit, you know? It's just, yeah, this title is, it's a dream, you know? The whole story is just a guy trying his whole life to build something, to go in space, and the artwork is a air balloon. Is it the right word? Say it again. Air balloon.

14:06 Air balloon. You know the... Hell bound? No, air balloon. Oh, air bound. Yeah, you know the... How can I... Oh, fuck. Like the space. You got it? Like on your website, like on the album. And so obviously you can't go in space with a hot air balloon. But that's the whole point, trying everything you can during your whole life to build something so you can be able to go in space, even if you know you will never be able to go. And that's the poetry around the record. I do love the hot air balloon on the record and stuff. It's like really cool. But now too, I'm thinking about it would be kind of cool to be able to take a hot air balloon into space.

14:54 Like it would be cool, but I feel, I think we would die. It's not possible. Yeah, no, we would die for sure. But you know what? We'd have fun doing it. Yeah. You know, it'd be beautiful. Exactly. So what else do you want to tell our listeners about that? We haven't touched on yet. That's going on for your band. Uh, Well, America has been very nice to us since the first tour. So, like I said, we came to the U.S. three times in one year. It was very hard to come with the visa thing and stuff like that. Yeah, yeah. But now we're here. I really, really... It's the same way as I imagined it. I really like the people. I really like the landscapes. I'm not mixing politics and people.

15:39 Same for our country. I love the American flag, but not for the... Political stuff just for the culture for the yeah for the people. I really like this country so if you have a chance to come see us with on the era tour come and If not, we'll see you on another tour Listen to the new record when it's out and come see us at Loud Over Life this afternoon. Thanks for having me. Thanks for having us. And in the name of Resolve, yeah, thank you. Thank you, United States. And hopefully Resolve, with your music, can resolve all the world's problems. Oh, I hope so, yeah. I hope so, yeah. And don't take Lady Liberty back from us because we're being assholes. Never. Thank you very much.

16:19 You guys rock and thank you for being on Adventures of Pipe Man. Thank you very much. Thank you for listening to The Adventures of Pikeman on W4CY Radio.