For a band that hasn’t had a new album out this year, The Blackout have still been busy touring with friends and spending time with their fans.
“Going to Australia with Lostprophets was definitely a highlight because it’s a country we’ve always wanted to go to. We had a blast and it was just all friends together, kind of like a boy’s holiday for two or three weeks,” said Gavin Butler, one of the vocalists for the band.
The Blackout have been in the studio for the past few month recording the follow up to 2009’s The Best in Town. The album has been funded by the fans via a pledge site that was set up by the band. It involved fans pledging for items such as hand written birthday cards, the chance to introduce the band on stage and even a house party show, which has yet to be claimed.
“We reached 50% of what we needed in three days which blew our minds because it just showed to us how much the people who love our band want us to make a new record,” Butler said.
“Everyone who pledged for the record gets a free download, so it’s like a pre-order system as well. Loads of people have pre-ordered the album before it even got recorded which was crazy.”
As well as pledging for items that the band have signed, some fans were able to spend the day with them at Bristol Zoo and also Thorpe Park.
“Bristol Zoo was amazing until Snoz (drummer of the band) decided to rip two tendons in his shoulder,” said Butler. “The day was amazing. We were walking around and then we decided to see how fast we could run and he fell over. It was the most awkward ending to any day ever! Thorpe Park was amazing as well, not so much for Snoz because he couldn’t go on any rides. Me and him love rollercoasters possibly the most in the band and he was just gutted but he came along anyway.”
Although the band hasn’t released any new material this year, they have toured not only on the Kerrang tour earlier this year, but also with Lostprophets, Limp Bizkit and You Me At Six as well as playing numerous festivals. Along the way, they have picked up some new fans which Butler says is because they have always been a live band above everything else.
“I’m not saying that people pass judgement on us, but we do trend to turn people around after they come to see us live. We’ve always been a live band before anything else because that is where we started and that’s where we feel most comfortable. We try to put on the best show possible and we turn the haters around!” Butler said.
As for what we can expect from the band next year, Butler wasn’t able to say a lot.
“We’ve been put forward for a lot of festivals, but nothing’s been confirmed. We’re doing a tour in March/April time, well I say March, it’s the last two days of March! We’re going to Australia before that and we’re hoping to go to Europe at some point with a couple of friends of ours,” he said.
“We’re in a position at the moment where we have all these plans, but I can’t tell you anything because none of it is for definite.”