DJ Interviews: Tone Locked

 Here's my interview with the bnd Tone Locked

Tone Locked, Alt Rock Trio from the Midlands UK. Dean Brady (vocals, guitar), Darren Dale (drums) and Simon Berry (bass)

How did you get started in music?

Dean: I was given a guitar in secondary school by a friend, which I still have, I played it and saved up for an electric guitar. We also had a music based youth club in town, I met a lot of other musicians there.

Darren: I was asked to play drums in a new band, I couldn't play drums and didn't have a drum kit at the time but I said yes anyway.

Simon: I've always been into music, learning an instrument was all part of being a kid when I was growing up.

Who are your inspirations or influences?

Dean: Nirvana, Metallica, Dave Grohl, Jack Black, Corey Taylor, Eddie Vedder, Brandon Boyd, Dan Auerbach, I could go on.

Darren: Many. Biggest influences on my playing style are The Stray Cats, The Ramones and The Doors.

Simon: Bauhaus, The Virgin Prunes, The Cult and local bands that kind of made it, like Play Dead

What advice would you offer aspiring performers?

Dean: Practice, practice, practice, and then practice some more.

Darren: Perform live every chance you get, even if there is only 1 person in the audience, get up on stage and play.

Simon: You only get out what you put in, so practice, have fun and surround yourself with the right people.

How do you set yourself apart from other bands and singers?

Dean: Not sure, I think it was just a fluke that somehow we got the recipe just right.

Darren: As a band we have developed a distinct style from playing live gigs together, probably because none of us like the same music. I have no idea how it works, but it just does.

Simon: We try not to play the songs you would expect us to play, give you some surpises.

Any New gigs or albums in the future?

Dean: After playing 130 gigs in 23 months before the world changed we decided to dial back on gigs for this year, but we will see how it goes. As for new music, there are a few new ideas, and old ideas.

Darren: We have 16 gigs this year, a lot less than previous years, but you can blame that on covid. We have a couple of EP's out, maybe an album is on the horizon.

Simon: 2 gigs a month this year, and a festival, and hopefully we will complete the album we started, that became EP's.