Tomorrow, Alestorm’s fifth album, No Grave But the Sea, will be released on Napalm Records. You know what you’re getting with the band: fun and funny pirate metal, more songs about drinking rum and an abundance of keytar solos. With the band heading out on the Warped Tour this summer, we caught up with them to ask a few questions, including how much they’re forced to drink by fans, what Warped fans can expect, and their rebuttal to GWAR saying their name is stupid. You can preorder No Grave But the Sea, which is out tomorrow on Napalm Records, here.
How have Alestorm grown for No Grave but the Sea?
We haven’t. If anything, we’ve reverted to a more childish and pureile state. This album is nothing but cheap giggles at naughty words and sex based puns. There’s a fucking song about goddamn bubble bath in there somewhere too. It’s not good.
It’s your fifth album. Why has it taken you so long to have a song called “Alestorm?”
It’s a thing cool bands do, isn’t it? Metallica. Black Sabbath. Bananas in Pyjamas. I don’t think we were cool enough back on our first album to have a self-titled song. I’m not necessarily saying that we’re cool now, but we can pretend and nobody is gonna tell us otherwise.
Do you feel that the keytar is making a comeback? Did it ever go away?
Oh man there was a point about 7 or 8 years ago when keytars became super trendy for some reason, and a second hand one was going for $2000, even though you could buy them new a year earlier for $200. Was bad times, man. I go through keytars at a rate of knots (mostly beer spillage issues fucking up the electronics), and it really raped my wallet.
Alestorm definitely has the pirate metal genre covered, and fits in with pagan metal as well. Are you happy with your niche, or would you like to expand beyond it. Who would you most like to tour with?
Don’t be silly, nobody likes pagan metal. I’m glad that’s a fad that died. Nothing more stupid than metal dudes coming to shows with drinking horns and hailing Odin. They know Odin doesn’t exist, right? But yeah when it comes to touring with other bands, we all hate metal and would rather just tour with Billy Joel, if he’d have us.
The “Mexico” video is a lot of fun. Are you going to make an actual video game?
If someone is good at making video games (as in, not some shitty amateur who made a crappy java game for their computer science minor at college)…then get in contact with us! We’d love to have an actual human video game. We won’t pay you to make it for us. In fact, we’d prefer if you paid us for the honor of making our official game. So yeah, drop us a line, game designers!
Do you guys drink as much as your lyrics suggest? How do you handle hangovers?
We’ve got to that unfortunate point in our lives that everyone reaches, where all of a sudden a hangover lasts for 3 days. Still doesn’t stop us having a drink. Best cure for a hangover? A bottle of irn bru (has to be a glass bottle) with a Berocca tablet dissolved in it, and a Gregg’s Sausage Bean and Cheese Melt.
Are there ever points where you don’t want to drink and fans try to make you?
All the fucking time. Being the consumate alcoholics that we are, we like to hang out at the bar after the show. Usually for a nice crisp refreshing pint of beer or a gin and tonic. Imagine our horror when we find ourselves confronted by a horde of our fans, each one wanting to buy us shots of straight rum. We appreciate the sentiment, but we’d literally DIE if we drank everything that was thrust infront of our scrawny wee bodies.
You’re going to be on the Warped Tour all summer . Do you have any tips for surviving the Summer?
I’ve heard that when a band arrives at the Warped Tour, there’s an elaborate hazing ritual hosted by the guy from Smash Mouth and the ghost of Tom DeLonge, where they judge your ability to pull off a frontside 180 kickflip. If you fail…woe betide thee! Thankfully we all spent most of the late 90’s playing Tony Hawks Pro Skater on the Playstation, so we’ll be fine.
Do you have a messge for the younger fans that might not be familiar with your music or the band?
Hi, we’re Alestorm, and we’re not quite old enough yet for your dad to think we’re cool, so it’s OK if you want to listen to us! We sing songs about drinking alcohol irresponsibly, it’s a life skill that will serve you well when you grow up.
Also, did you read what GWAR said about you? Any response to them?
GWAR? They’re that band who are basically Lordi, but for Americans, right? Oh wow! Yeah I saw they asked our mom if it’s ok if we come outside for a playdate with them to drink beers and stick pizza up our butts. It’s on! I reckon I can fit more pizza up my butt than the rest of them put together.
