Dale: Can you tell me a little of your band background? Your first band, the band you are most proud of before Fireheart.

 

Lee:: I've played in many bands over the years. My first band was probably the band I put together in school back in the early 2000's. There were a few off shoots of the school bands back then and we'd always jam with different members. I don't think there was ever a solid line-up. Things just kept changing. But I was always happy to jam with anyone. The band I'm probably most proud of before Fireheart is Ryders Creed, purely for the fact that it's the most success I've had in a band... So far!

 

Dale: The role you have in Fireheart isn't just playing, it is also spreading a message of unity and family. Is this the only band you have been in that has been so interactive with the fan base?

 

Lee: No not strictly, I've always been interactive but not necessarily in the same way Fireheart are. I'm definitely more of an 'in person' kinda guy. At shows, I'm always happy to be talking to fans being interactive that way. Fireheart will do the same. But I feel there's definitely more interaction online with social media with this band than any other band I've been in.

 

I don't really enjoy social media myself so I'm still navigating my way with that. That said, by all means, come and say hi at a show and I'm happy to chat or have a beer with anyone who fancies it. Whether that's our own show, or you see me or us out and about at other bands' shows.

 

Dale: What musician has influenced you the most?

 

Lee: Difficult to pin point that to one musician. There are several for different reasons. Justin Hawkins of The Darkness I have great respect for. His lead playing on the permission to land album really got me wanting to get better in my early days of playing.

 

Then there was Slash, who I discovered not long after, who took that to another level for me. Slash was a huge influence on me back in the day. Later came John Petrucci - that guy had me wanting to know everything about music and really pushed my thinking about music. Matt Heafy - I have massive respect for his self discipline in all areas in life and strive to reach that same level of discipline and self control.

 

There was a guy I used to play in a band with too. Rob, from my old band Promethea. He's a phenomenal player and he really helped me improve just by jamming with him. He set the bar for me on a personal level and I'm still not at his level today!

 

Last but not least, Billy Kons of Dead Man's Whiskey. I have an unbelievable amount of respect for that guy. Amazing player, great guitar and music taste, and an all round quality geezer. A real good friend. He took me on the road a lot as his guitar tech and I learned a lot from him!

 

Dale: You play lead guitar, do you have any other talents?

 

Lee: I can neck a Guinness pretty fast haha! In all seriousness, I play drums at a basic level, some keys also. I play bass, and I once dabbled with the 5 string banjo!

 

Dale: Who is the joker in the band?

 

Lee: The whole band is a joke! - I jest. I think we're all jokers in our own way and we're navigating each others sense of humour. I'd say Bret though - purely for that one line he delivered to a photographer on set. The photographer told Bret he knows him from somewhere and without a single hesitation Bret responded, "Yeah you've probably seen me on The Hub" Amazing delivery. Funny guy!

 

Dale: Who is the most serious?

 

Lee: Probably Me.

 

Dale: How many songs are we to expect on the EP and are we allowed to know the titles of the songs?

 

Lee: Five songs, I'll give you two titles:

· Staring at the Sun

· Inner Remedy

 

If the other guys wish to divulge the other titles then I don't mind. But that's all I'm giving for now ;)

 

Dale: Do you have a first gig already in sight?

 

Lee: We have some dates in mind and are looking into availability. But ultimately we want the first show to be absolutely perfect for the fan base in terms of performance. So we're not rushing anything on that front. We feel the fans, the community, deserve something special and that can't be rushed in my opinion.

 

Dale: Tell me something about each member that you think we should know about them.

 

Lee: Tough question since we're still getting to know each other. For myself, y'all should probably know I hate social media - I cannot stand it. I see it's positive opportunities but for myself I can easily get distracted with unimportant doom scrolling and feel awful about myself afterwards. So I try to keep the online stuff to a minimum for now.

 

Kev - Mad as a hatter. Very persistent! Great with the fan base. If you want to get a word in edgeways, good luck!

 

Russ - Sometimes socially awkward by his own admission. Which is odd for a front man. Nevertheless, you'll have a positive experience with him!

 

Bret - *Nods* - That's literally it

 

Chris - His Missus will knock you the f*ck out if you're not careful! She's golden though, as is Chris!

 

Dale: What is your colour, what does it represent.

 

Lee: White - Spirit. Seems pretty fitting for a painter and decorator by trade! Jokes aside, it represents something bigger than ourselves that connects us all in this realm. I believe we all have spirit guides guiding us through life. And White is the bright white light that I find comfort in when Meditating or taking a moment for myself. It's something I find comfort in and feel some kind of protection from when I need it most during my difficult moments in life!

 

Dale: Brilliant thank you. Adding extra questions exercising my right as a persistent bugger. Who writes the songs? Is at a collaborative effort?

 

Lee: So for the music, I've written the majority of what's currently being worked on. We've all had our say in terms of final tweaks and arrangements etc. so there's an element of collaboration there. Ultimately I'd like to transition into a more collaborative effort and develop a cohesive sound that Fireheart can be proud of.

 

I think the upcoming single 'Staring At The Sun' is definitely a sound that Fireheart is suited to for all its members, albeit it was something I'd written a long time ago with different lyrics. Russ reworked the lyrics and turned it into something else which I thought was a positive move forward.

 

We played with the arrangement together as a band and what you'll hear on release day - April 30th - is that version. It's a song I'm very proud of, is very close to my heart, and I think the lads are also very pleased with the results!

 

Dale: Thankyou for your time Lee and I can't wait for the single release.