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Graham Clark
Music Features Writer
@Maxximum23Clark
5:44 PM 25th September 2014
arts

Interview With Anathema

 
Anathema are a British progressive rock band from Liverpool but the band have strong roots in Yorkshire as I found out when I caught up the band at this years Download Festival.

"Our management is in Saltaire" explained singer and guitarist Danny Cavanagh " it goes further back than that though, our first record label was based in Dewsbury and we made our first album in Dewsbury when we were 19 years old at the time"

There have also been band members in the group from Yorkshire "Les Smith spent seven years with the band" Danny shares "a great guy from Heckmondwike"

The band have played at most of the major musical festivals this year, I wondered if it would be difficult to condense their songs into a 45 minute slot "its not difficult at all" he joked "as we only have 5 good songs, but being serious we do not do any ballads in the set, it is more up-tempo for festivals"

The band are not your typical Liverpool act as Danny explained " When I was younger it was important to try and make it big and try to fit into a particular theme and I just don't think about it anymore, I'm just happy that people are interested and that we are still selling more records than ever. The chemistry in the band is getting better and the songs are getting better too"

Not surprisingly The Beatles were an influence on the band "The Beatles, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath and Metallica and then Radiohead later on influenced us all" explains Danny.

On song writing Danny told me " it's the chords and melody that comes first, lyrics usually come later on" The band are very popular in the rest of Europe, especially Poland " We played a gig in Manchester and I asked the audience how many people are here from Poland? and half the audience yelled back!" he shares.

"It's nice to talk about Yorkshire as our connections are close and strong" enthuses Danny.

The band's latest album Distant Satellites, is available now on Kscope Records