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Blue Gillespie - Interview
When you think of actors who have become musicians, or vice versa, a number of cringe worthy names and bands come to mind. But on rare occassions, a few of the talented bunch of actor slash musicians manage to find the perfect balance between the two. Blue Gillespie frontman, Gareth David-Lloyd is one such example.
Possibly best known for his role as 'Coffee Boy' Ianto Jones in the BBC series, 'Torchwood' - Gareth and fellow band members Anthony Clark, Nick Harrison and Rhys Bryant are steadily building a following across the globe for their own brand of prog metal.
Already fans of each others bands and music during college, it was through a request from fellow actor James Marsters [Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Torchwood], that brought the band members and their passion for music, together.
"I was asked by James when he was doing 'Torchwood' if I wanted to do some numbers with him," Gareth explains. "Then he did another concert, came back and asked did I know anyone who could play. To support him. And I asked the boys. We ended up throwing some covers together in a kind of bluesy style, and they were the seeds for Blue Gillespie."
Since then, the band have ventured into creating their own identity in the music scene - first releasing EP, 'Cave Country' [which was followed by another EP, 'Cave Country Pt 2'], and then releasing their debut album, 'Synesthesia' in May of last year.
In 2011, the band are once again preparing to unleash their new album - an album that Gareth is more than happy to talk about during todays interview.
"We are well into the second album. We're a couple of months away from finishing it," he tells. "It's called 'The Seven Rages of Man' [which is] based upon the Shakespeare sonnet 'The Seven Ages of Man'."
Quite an interesting concept and story to pursue - the poem itself deals with the seven ages that man embarks upon - from birth to death. However, Gareth is quick to add that while the album does follow the basics of the famous sonnet, the band will shed a new light on it with the album.
"It's oue own take on it. Blue Gillespie's take," he explains. "It's very prog. The most prog album we've done. It's much more conceptual. It's much more a single beast. The idea is to listen to it from beginning to end - like one long track. One story."
Not only is this new territory for the band, the progression of the bands sound for the new album is also entering a new, defining place.
"It's definately a progression. A natural progression," Gareth believes. "There was definately some prog elements in 'Synesthesia'.. alot of the tunes had real prog elements to it."
"Without being overly focused on the riffs," he continues, "We have tried to stretch it out [with the new album], and build it up more. To tell more of a story. We sound like the same band, but there are ways that the songs are structured, and the way alot of the music has been put together [that] has progressed to the next level."
Fans of Blue Gillespie will no doubt be excited about the news of an impending album release, whilst fans of Gareth's acting career will also have reason to celebrate.
Having just wrapped up a brief visit to the US to be part of a new series of 'Torchwood' radio plays, and the recent release of the film adaptation of video game, 'Red Faction', Gareth is currently enjoying the best of both the music and acting worlds - there is also talk of a new project coming up very shorty.
"I've been working on something else as well, for American television," he smiles, "but I can't talk about that yet. But there will be an announcement quite shortly."
As for the flip side with the band - they are currently storming through the heats of the 'Live and Unsigned' MUZU.TV competition - where the winners are decided by the number of views their video receives on the web page.
The winner of the competition will be announced at the Live & Unsigned's Grand Final on 23rd July, and there is no denying Gareth's enthusiasm in, not only backing his band to keep fighting for that number one spot, but also what the title would mean to band as a whole.
"If we win, we get a music video made for us, [which] we would probably use one of the songs from the new album," he enthuses, "It would be a great thrill for us to get that. It would really be a great vehicle to bump us up to the next level."
And with all these possibilities of new videos, talks about the new album, and the band embarking on a new journey, it seems only fitting to expand their touring schedules to new horizons - even Australia.
"I would love to [bring the band to Australia]," he smiles. "If we win the MUZO competition, that would really help make a trip to Australia, hopefully next year, much more likely. But yeah, I'd love to bring the boys over here, and I know they would love it."
And as for the Blue Gillespie fans that Gareth has met on this trip to Australia?
"It's great to see, and it inspires me to carry on - it inspires the lads as well."
"We know that what we release now is being listened to all over the world, so we have to make it good. So we're just a little bit more precious about the quality that we put on the album," he concludes.
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