PipemanRadio Interviews The Enigma Division at Bloodstock 2023

0:04 Hey, you listening to such Sure, I'm coming on you See why you wake up America. It's time for the Adventure. So pight Man on W four cy dot com West pom Beats his number one internet radio station. Here's your host, the White Man. See this iss flight Man here on the Adventure pight Man W four c Y Radio and I'm here with Trunner running from the Enigma Division. Oh my freaking god, your first gig ever and it's Bloodstock. We are still in disbelief. I mean, we can't believe it.

1:11 I mean that even happened. I don't even then, we don't even know. We're still trying to kind of calculate in our heads, how why are we here? What's happening? It's uh no. Basically what happened was we released our first album earlier this year and we had you know, it's always difficult talking about yourself. It's always like, oh, but we we thankfully had fantastic reviews and all the mappen magazines, and you know, it went down quite well considering how obnoxious our music is. And and just literally out of the blue, Simon Hall contacted us and said, hey, man, how would you feel about playing a bloodstock wow, and like our music will be kind of said a technical that progy kind of nonsense. And and we had no ambition of playing a life like. We did this as a passion project. And Simon like, no, I'd love to have you guys on the Friday bookstaff. And you just can't say no to Simon man.

2:06 You know, it's like he's like fucking he's the dude. And it's like so we we we just said yes, you know, we'll figure it out. We'll we'll, we'll figure it out. And you know, we had, yeah, with the best challenges because you know this, like the singer today was the drummer on the album and sang in the album obviously couldn't sing and drum at the same time. As we had to figure out we get we get drummer, you know, and how are we going to get a drummer to play Ben's parts? You know? So at the end we got Jake and Jake Stone is absolutely incredible drummer and this fucker learned the ship better than us, so and we needed that, you know what I mean.

2:46 It was just so to kind of give a bit more confidence. And so there was a lot of different things had to happen. We you know, we had to find it drummer that could do that, you know, and then obviously we had to you know, rehearse it and figure out how to had to do a lie really, you know, because it's a whole different thing track and stuff. And then you know, by the time you come around and releasing the thing, you know, it's like a couple of years later you can remember, hey, you played half the stuff, and then you know, and it's different. It's different playing alive, you know. So totally for us, it's been it's been great to do that, to play a live to have that opportunity, I have that fire lit under it, to sort of force us to to turn it into a real thing. You know. Yeah, it's wild too, because usually it's the other way around. Yeah, it's exactly exactly. You know. It's like because we're not exactly like we're not in our twenties, we're over all in our late turneies earty forties, so we've been playing in lots of bands, so it is exactly the other way around. So this is why I'm equally surprised.

3:42 But it's uh, but we're just so I mean, what blew me away the most today was playing our songs and people were singing the lyrics wow, and like we're not that well known a band, and it was just that just blew our minds. But it was like, oh my god, I mean, there's it just proved, you know, because we're we're quite self deprecating. I mean, you know, we're like, oh shit, I don't know, can we pull this off? And you know, everyone has had a good time, man, and that's all it's about. You know, everyone enjoyed it. People were singing back, they were reacting back. It was just honestly one of the best gigs I've ever done. I loved it. You know. So now, have you guys changed your mind on the whole idea of we weren't going to do live and we're just gonna do it as a passion project. Yeah, no, this is no longer a bedroom project. I think I think we're kind of a band now, you know, I think you have no choice and it's sort of uh, you know, you know, I can't talk about it now, but even since we played, we've had a few offers and you know, wow, we'll talk about a few things and you know, let's see where we can take it. You know, it's like they it's like a Cinderella story for metal.

4:46 It's it's insane and it's weird. Me and him, this guy Roland, we were best friends since we're nine years of age. Wow. We used to like draw on our like maths book in school, like our fake band name I have, like and two of the bands are playing at this this week, so it's a dreams that's amazing. Wow. So shit, that's just amazing. What a start, Like one of the best festivals in the world. That's our first gig. What the fuck? Let's say we were on the Earth because we can actually watch the other bands and I'll be like you and now you gave me motivation. I'm fifty six, and I'm like, I'm gonna go like playing a gig at Bloodstock next year, because like we're actually not a mini miles away. So it's like, fucking dude, it's like, let's write a couple of songs. I know, right, I have thought about it recently, Like you know, I did that when I was a teenager, and then you know, life gets in the way and you get and right, so now let's think about him like I had this second time I've said this today, but I have this like vision of me to start a band. We're all gonna wear masks and then get get big and then take the basketballs and say haha, fuckers were old.

6:12 We actually had a similar idea. And then and then Ghosts came in. We were like, oh fuck right, And then you know, I've interviewed Gar a few times and I've hung I've hung out with that and then without their stuff on and I'm like, yeah, you need the costumes. It even happened. Okay, so at download there, their ship never didn't come on time, so blowth aren't. I was supposed to go back to them and do an interview. Both are came out in the press tent no costume, and I interviewed them and it was so funny to be because nobody in the room knew it was him, and he even did stuff to kind of hint at it, like he was. I told this before another interview.

7:00 The guy that was saying across from me had like some gummy bears and during the interview He's like, hey, hey, give me give me some gummy bears. Well, yeah, I want some of those gummy Bears he did the voice of all Man. I would have I would have got that. I was like, how did he not know? I did not know. I don't get it. They're really clever people, though, you know what I mean. They think about it before me. Before to get famous is them. You're like Jane, I would be brilliant, to be brilliant to go ahead and get a beer, you know, and watch some of the other bands or whatever, you know, and it's too late ones to get famous, you know, to get mobs and yep, exactly. And you know, it is kind of a better idea in some ways because that's how you keep your privacy type of thing. Like you take any of these bands, it's genius radio. Yes, if you can do it, definitely.

7:51 And you take some of these bands and I think to myself, why do you ever show your face after Like slip Knives example, they could live their life nobody knew who they were and Stones our room, It's like it's like, oh, that's that guy. So it's fight you brought that up, and now it's the second time I'm gonna bring it up today. So I was interviewing Ray may Arga or Roy bay Erga from stones Art and we're on the tour bus. I get off the tour bus. I gonna sit on the curb. I'm smoking a cigarette. This dude comes over and sits next to me. He kind of looked familiar. I wasn't sure, and so he starts talking to me right then and there I was like, holy fuck.

8:35 In my head, I'm like, Corey Taylor's talking to me about the fucking weather, and I'm acting like I don't know who he is, because like I know, he would prefer it that way. And now I'm like friends with Alicia, his wife, and she says, like, people he thinks are the coolest are the ones that don't acknowledge. And I did that way before. So I'm like, okay, cool. So when I do end up interviewing them or whatever, they'll think I'm cool because I didn't fucking fan boy out on them. But in my head, I was like, and it's very rare that I fan boy in my head because I do this. You know, it's weird, Like we're Irish and it's sort of it.

9:16 It's like being Irish. It's sort of like a real nut to fan boy. It's like I remember been at a bus stop when I saw James Hetfield, like the one guy that like that guy, and but then I decided I'm looking about him, and that's like he's having his own now, you know. And I you know, I always tell people like I go ontour and do all the festivals, and when I bring helpers with me, I'm like, don't fucking answer an autograph, don't ask for a selfie. We're here to work. This is their safe zone. They deal with that ship enough out there, so let them just be themselves here, you know.

9:56 And I mean, I know I would be annoyed, like there's no safe place to hide him going in with I see it all the time in the US festivals. He's fucking pressed people. We'll act like they're at a meet and green, and they did one time. One time as an example with Zach Wildman. He's a nice guy, so he's signing an autographs. Finally the door manager, I'd say, come on, guys, we're working here. They're saying, no meet and green. And then there was a nerd time with Phil before Pantera did the reunion and he was doing I can't remember if it was down or with his other projects at this festival and I'm friends with him, so I'm hanging out with his wife. Well, he's talking at Impressed and they're all asking him for interviews and this and that.

10:43 His wife whispers to me, She's like, can you please talk to him and tell him we gotta go? He will never say no to these people. He's too nice. And then it was funny because I did. I went and whispered in his ear, like your wife's getting pis. You don't have to do this, Okay, Now I'm telling you your wife wants you to go. It's time to go. And then he whispers back to me, and I can't and say what he said because it was about the set. And and then afterwards, even Wayne's leaving, what do you say? What do you say? What do you say? Now? You're fucking business or he wouldn't be whispering in my ear. Yeah, No, that's that's that's beautiful though, like we're pros. We should be not doing that back.

11:28 It's like you, I mean already, you know we've never met you. I'm so relaxed with you. I can talk to you about anything. We can have a few beers. I think it's I can, I can, I can? I believe Phil outside look at easy easily. Hey man, you know that's the way it is. Man, We're all the same people, were all metal heads, we're all Actually that's what makes Bloodstocks special. I mean everyone. I mean the support that everybody asked for each other, zero ego, zero nonsense, zero. And I love that. That's why I love coming over here. I find that a lot in the UK specifically, you know, even the way and I find out for Mars, the way they treat you guys as artists here compared to us. I know from my experience, the way they treat press. And I'm talking about the festivals and the people running the whole thing and people running media, like those people over there, Michelle and Kirsten, Ali and all them, they're they're freaking incredible as well as we have since right exactly, that's what they're about.

12:35 Whereas it's weird in the States. It's like they're doing you a favor. Like the one thing they'll say is listen, we realize that, you know, without press, there is no festival. United States doesn't think that way. They're like, they think they're doing us a favor by letting us come here and work. But hey, you guys gave us about Hayden, So that's right. I love your show, by the way, especially because I live in the state of Florida. I don't know if you know what's going on, but death Santis has removed all books as schools that he doesn't personally approve. So I would love to send him that shirt. What.

13:18 Yeah, it's removed all black history, all LGBT q uh. And you know how teachers will have a bookshelf, they'll bring their own books so that kids that want bring a book home to read. Nope, and he says if they do it, they're fired. No, I think it's all going to blow over. We're all gonna love each other again. I really believe that. I think it's your mouth to somebody's years because I think we're trying to find a head to live with social media and head to messing everything. We're oversaturated with like unqualified opinions, and you know, oh my god, that's that's I think he's bringing people down exactly. Well, how about this this it's funny, Okay. So I had somebody post something on social media and I said, is that pure review? Yeah? And you know what their answer was, Yeah, all my friends agree with me. That's that says it all. That says it all. That says everything. That's when you you put the beard and it's like, oh look, i'll call you tomorrow. Right, she's one of yours over there, see that. No, come on in, you can. The water is just fine. Yeah, she's a good friend of ours. See that. See how I picked that out? Right? So now now what like you told me a couple

14:52 of things, and there's things you probably can't talk about, but what can you talk about? Like, holy fuck, now you have to actually top this. Yeah, we're now officially a real band, I guess, you know. And it's like we have get shows in the in the works, which we will announce soon, and we're working on a new album. Nice. So the first one was a bit more sort of progressive, a bit more uh, you know, because we're fans of progressive rock. We kind of stretched about, you know, what we could do anyway. So I think this one we're just going more simple to the points. Well, does have something to do with the fact that you had somebody from Dream Theater on the album? Yeah, Well that's true. Yeah, that's that's that's a different story altogether than me then, and I hearing that story, Yeah, well how that happened? That happened? I chekily emailed him just out of you're my kind of guy. Man just probably had a few beers. Man went, do you know what? Fuck it? And I send him an email and I had a rough demo of the track, and this guy got back to me John and he goes like, yeah, okay, we'll send it to Derek Derek Shranian, sorrys the guy's name. Uh goes back to me, goes, Derek really likes the track, you know. And so anyway, this is a lot of back and forth. It turns out it was Derek all along. It was just an alias, you know, I love and like this is a guy that you know because we're king of older as well. I mean he played on like Kiss Alive three, play with Alice Cooper, He played with like a Dream too, you know, and

16:23 plan an X of course, and so he just goes, yeah, guys really like the track love to Love to Do It nice. It's so coredible, you know. So a lot of advice for any young man just fucking put yourself out there. Yes, you know, the worst thing that can happen is they say, no, exactly, That's what I was just gonna say. You know, I ever the same, don't ask, don't get Yeah, you know what I'm saying, you know, and we thankfully this year we decided to and we're now playing one of the greatest metal festivals in Europe. I have some balls. It's incredible talking to him people like you, it's amazing. Well, thank you, and you guys are fucking amazing.

17:03 To tell everybody how they can connect you on socials, on the web, get your music, Yeah, sure, man, I mean you can buy our record. It's it's it's self title. It's called The Enigma Division. It's on band camp. We'll be bringing out physical copies actually towards the end of the year. That's a different story. But well, we're contact well on Facebook Enigma Division band and also Instagram Enigma Division Music and you'll got us there. Nice. Is there anything else that the listeners need to know about you guys that we haven't covered already? No, that's pretty much it. This is sort of the you've witnessed the the the robin being born from its egg today and uh, and we've had the most incredible day ever.

17:47 Everyone's been so nice and we just can't wait to play more. Love it and glad you're here. What a way to day that I usually ask a questions, especially of seasoned man's, of the one story good or bad You're gonna tell when you're eighty what would it be? And I don't have to ask that question. This, This is definitely all this is. This is uh being him or be having a pint again us in Galway in Ireland in our sixties, if we're still lucky to be around, I go, hey, man, remember that weekend that's one of his This is definitely one of those only happens at Bloodstock. Absolute thanks for being on the Adventures of piate Man. Thank you so much for happening. Thank you for listening to the Adventures of pate Man on W four CUI Radio.