interview with Kramp
How is it that you started playing music? Since I was little I remember playing to invent songs. I had a keyboard toy and I expended hours and hours playing that thing, of course, Music was my favourite subject on school... later I got a drum when I was 14, when I had clear that music was my life. The year after my first electric guitar and with all those I played by ear.
What are your names? / Who plays what? / How old are you?
I'm Mina, the vocalist of the band, and I'm almost 27.
My brother, who formed the band with me, is Lap. He plays bass and he's 25.
Sara and Darío play guitars, she's 24 and he's 28. And then there's Albert on drums, who's 32.
Funny thing about our ages, it's that many people think that we're underage when they see our picture, but fuck no...
Have you had other previous members? Of course. Actually that's been the worst issue for the band. Many line-up changes.
Did you make music even when you were young? Oh, yeah. As I told before... I was always playing with the shitty keyboard and singing lousy rhymes. My brother and I had a song for everything.
Where are you from? I grew up in a small village of Palencia, Spain. Currently living in Madrid.
What year did the band form? Around 2010.
What's your style of genre? Heavy metal.
What inspires you? Everything! The things I Like, the things I dislike, people, nature, the world per-se, dreams, nightmares, literature, movies, past, future... whatever, everything has something to take inspiration from.
How often and where do you reherse? Mmmm, hard question. We do rehears by ourselves quite often, or at least I do... When I'm not singing, I'm usually playing, composing or listening to music while I do other stuff, and that counts as learning for me. With the band we usually rehearse once per week, but as we do work separatly, things go smooth when we're together. That applies too when we rehearse with Lap, wich is less often as he still lives in Palencia.
How have you developed since you started with the music? Um... I don't know. I can sing better and reach notes that I thought I wasn't able to, and I can express more being confortable. The best thing that I notice is that when I was younger, I was somehow afraid of not doing things right or people not liking what I do, but I don't care at all right now. I'm glad if people likes my music, but I do what I like to do and I'm confortable with that.
Do you have other interests of work outside the band? Yes, of course, but mostly related with music, hahaha. I love painting, graphic design, actually appart from being a passion, it's my job. I do sew, and paint things that I sew as well.
Are you looking for a booking agency, and what are your thoughts around that? We're not actually lloking. If it comes: be welcome.
Are you looking for a label, and what are your thoughts around that? Not actively looking, but yes, we'll send some stuff to some labels once the new material it's ready. We hear offers!!
What made you decide to make this music? It was an obvious choice. I mean... I love metal. Heavy metal, to be more especific. When I pick and instrument or I start to sing: the result ends up being heavy metal.
What are your songs about? I don't have an specific theme to write about. Mythology, mysanthropy, history, experience, life on the streets...
Who does the composing and writes the lyrics? Mostly me.
Do you start with the music or the lyrics? Depending on the song. Sometimes all comes together, other times music first and other times, the lyrics go first.
Do you compose in a certain inviroment? Anytime, anywhere.
Have you done any covers live? Yeah! For sure. Some Dio songs, last one was Night People... some by Judas Priest, Maiden and Manowar as well. The most recent ones are Death Rider by Omen, Fast as a Shark by Accept, In Control by Heaven's Gate. We enjoy changing the covers on the setlist.
What language do you sing in? English.
What ages are most of your concert attendants? From 15 to 60. I'm so happy to see variety of ages in our concerts.
Do you always play the same songs live, or do you vary? We do try to change the setlist often.
Do you have a regular place you play live often? Well, it's easier to play in Madrid since most of the band lives here.
What was your first gig like? Um... it was fucking hot. All dressed in leather in May... I wasn't expecting that heat and I remember that I was sweating like a pig. It was short, but intense.
What was your latest gig? Two days ago, in Valladolid.
Have you had to cancel a gig? We try not to, unless it's impossible to save it. We had to cancel a gig some moths ago for changes on the line-up.
When did you start to sell merchandise, and what do you have for sale?
We started to sell some stuff when we were planning to record our first EP, to gain some money for it: badges. Nowadays we have also patches and t-shirts, and more badges.
Where can people buy your merchandise?
In our Bandcamp https://krampmetal.bandcamp.com/ our webstore: https://www.freewebstore.org/kramp/ writing to our mail [email protected] or directly in our concerts.
What do you think about people downloading music instead of buying records now a days? Double blade weapon. I'm not against it, though I buy the music that I like... I do download a lot, and if I don't like the material, I'm glad I don't buy the stuff blindly.
Downloading allows people to discover music quickly, but yeah, the band losts those proficts. The balance gets even when more chances and opportunities appear thanks to that.
How do you think the music industry have changed because of this? Internet rules the world right now... I can discover bands lost in the middle of nowhere thanks to that, easier than I could when I had not internet.
What do you think of my work? Very nice! Always good to see people moving for music.
How do you think and know that this interview will help you in the music business? All promotion it's good. I think every opportunity of talking about my music it's good for it, hahaha.
Do you have any role models or idols?There's a bunch of people that I admire, but I do follow always my own path.
Why do you think that they exist? Well, some people finds the strenght that they miss on theirselves looking other people, or they don't know what path to follow or can't decide what they want to do.
Is it easier to find inspiration from older bands, or bands that are more active today? For me: older bands. I do appreciate new bands, but I think it's hard to look their career as they live in the same moment as I do and it's not that easy to study or absorb their work in that way.
What have been your biggest obstacles? Line-up changes, money struggle...
How do you get psyched for a gig? I restrain salty food and snacks few days before, to keep my voice in good shape. I do always warm up, vocals and body.
What are your web sites?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/krampmetal/
Bandcamp: https://krampmetal.bandcamp.com
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5dUDiLAr4SpC_I6O3HtQMA?view_as=public
Store: https://www.freewebstore.org/kramp/
How can people reach you?
Through our official Facebook page, our email [email protected] or if they want to contact me, they have my official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/minawalkureofficial/
What are your plans for the future? Keep on working, composing and playing live.
Do you have something to add? Thanks for the interview and the support!
