James caught up with James and Danny from Asking Alexandria to talk about their latest album 'Reckless And Relentless', their current tour and much more.

You guys formed back in 2008, can you give us a brief history of how this happened and how you came up with the name Asking Alexandria?
James Cassells: The name was actually from... well we used to make up reasons for the name as a joke but really it was named that because Ben liked the sound of it and we became a band. Their used to be an old Asking Alexandria they came over from Dubai, they did a UK tour and wrote an album but the rest of the members didn’t like being in the band so they fucked off and then Ben recruited us from local bands from around the York area and fucked off to America and now this has happened.

Who would you say your main musical influences are?
James: The band has got lots of influences. A few of us like the heavy, hardcore and metalcore scene then a few of us listen to rock music and shit, Danny and Ben like listening to rock music. We like fucking everything; everything from pop to hardcore to electro to rock, we don’t really have 1 specific influence.

You recently released your second studio album ‘Reckless And Relentless’ are you happy with how it has gone down with your fans and the press so far?
James: More than happy, we’re all well proud of it and happy with how it’s selling and the response. We’re trying to be the modern day rock and roll band so we’re proper happy with it.

How did you find writing and recording ‘Reckless and Relentless’ compared to your debut album?
James: We didn’t know how to write music for the debut album; Simple as, we were pretty shite. This album was a lot more thought out and we spent a little more time doing it. The debut album was us meeting and the music just fell out, we wanted to write an album and we did it just because we’d just started writing. This albums a lot more thought out and mature I think; we spent a lot of time doing it, we took 2 months off to write it in January and February this year or last year can’t remember; one year, I don’t even know what year it is mate haha, On tour for too long.

What themes and stories are covered within ‘Reckless And Relentless’.
James: We got everything so quick, we partied so much with so many birds, alcohol and drugs; just extreme. It all happened so quickly so a lot of it’s about us being quite cocky actually and ruining girls. Danny was going through a lot of relationship fuck ups so a lot of the songs are sort of “don’t be with me, stay away from me” to girls so, it’s quite funny if you read the lyrics there’s some crazy shit going on.

If you had to choose a favourite song from the album what would it be and why?
James: Probably “Reckless & Relentless”, the title track. Simply because it sums up the album, it’s got elements of everything. It’s every song in the album put together and that’s what you get.

You guys are currently getting praise from all directions, how does it make you feel knowing that all the hard work is finally paying off and that you are getting the recognition that you deserve?
James: It’s pretty wild to be honest; we’ve recently just been on Jimmy Kimmel which is a mainstream TV show in America, we played the golden gods with Sebastian Bach from skid row. The start of this year has literally been wild for us it’s like the bands just accelerated tenfold in just a few months, we got number 9 on the billboard charts and shit it was like I can’t believe that. Our album is beating Rhianna and shit it’s like what the fuck is going on? We scream about fucking birds and doing drugs ha ha! Yeah its crazy mate, honestly, wild.

You are currently on a mini tour, how have the shows been so far?
James: The shows have been awesome. This whole tours been a sold out tour we’ve been playing small shows, in the UK we’re doing decent sized rooms tonight’s actually the smallest in the UK; in Europe we’ve been doing really small club shows and it’s been different because in America we’ve been playing 2000 to 4000 capacity rooms and coming to playing to 190 people in a club so it’s been interesting but it’s been fun. Like a blast from the past doing this tour.

Yeah but a small amount of us is all you need compared to America haha!
James: The UK’s awesome mate! We did like Switzerland and Geneva for the first time and it was really small. Awesome fucking shows; sold a shit tone of merchandise, had a right laugh it was good fun but it was just different.

I understand that the tour sold out well in advanced, how did this make you feel?
James: It was good mate, not to sound a bit cocky but our tours usually sell out pretty quick like our last UK run sold out presale. So we were expecting this, our booking agent purposely booked us in small rooms, we could have sold more tickets but we were booked in smaller rooms for that reason so on paper it looks sweet “2 UK and Europe tours sold out stupidly quickly”. It looks fucking good and it means that when we book our next one it’s like “They sold it out twice so book them and pay them a shit tone of money” Ha ha.

Your summer seems to be pretty packed with appearances at Download festival, Rock AM Ring, Nova Rock and not to forget the whole Warped Tour, are you looking forward to playing any of these festival shows more than others?
James: I’m looking forward to playing download. I just remember when I was 16 I remember going to download and thinking “I wish I could play this festival” and now we are. Even though we’re playing the small stage it’s still a dream come true. Also Dee Snider from twisted Sister is playing main stage so we’ll get to go backstage and watch twisted sister from side of stage which will fucking immense. Warped tour of course is fucking crazy too, someone might die, one of us might kill ourselves ha ha.

Are you looking forward to checking out any bands at these festivals?
James: Yeah like twisted sister, System of a down at download which I’m stoked for, pretty much all the bands on main stage at warped tour just packed full of sick bands. Don’t know who’s playing Germany’s festivals but I bet there’ll be some sick bands. We’re playing with Caliban in a few days which will be sick.

What do you have planned once your summer of festivals is over?
James: We’re having some time off. Literally having a few months off and write some more music and just not be on tour for a while which will be good. Then we’re going to come back and do another US tour then Europe and UK again.

What’s your take on the digital revelation killing off the music business?
James: Its good and its bad. Us and pretty much every band on this scene wouldn’t be where they are today without the internet and people downloading music. Millions of people know a band, they might not buy and album but they know the band same as all the other bands, like “MySpace” bands, as gay as it sounds that’s what got us signed, same as A Day to Remember and The Devil Wears Prada all got signed because as that. Yeah we’re not selling as many albums as we should and probably not making as much money as we should be doing but who gives a fuck? It’s happened. I wish every kid went and bought our album but if they don’t then I don’t care as long as their coming to shows.

Danny Worsnop: Morning

James: Yeah we had a heavy one last night. Day off and we just got off tour with Emmure, the Emmure and Winds of plague and we’re good friends, we all came to their show last night because we took them around the US and we’re all good friends so it got messy.

Danny: I feel rough dude.

James: We all feel a bit like shite.

Danny: I feel someone beat the shit into me last night me heads killing me.

Social network sites seem to be a big tool in the music industry these days, with artists communicating with their fans over it and some even ditching their own website and having just a social network page, what are your opinions on social networks as tools in the music industry?
James: It’s awesome. All that shit it used to be MySpace and now its Facebook and Twitter, kids love it and it’s great for bands so embrace it. If you’re in a band get a twitter and get some followers because it does so much for you. Even if you just post out a tweet saying my iPods broke or I want a new phone some kids going to come out and give you that ha ha.

Where do you hope to see Asking Alexandria in a year’s time?
Danny: Wembley.

James: Still alive! Ha ha none of us dead. What we do now just on a larger scale, touring and recording albums but on a bigger scale. I definitely want to play an arena at some point if we can get to that point it’d be awesome.

One last random question that we ask every band, if you could be an animal out of a zebra or Giraffe which one would you be and why?
James: I wouldn’t be a giraffe because Cameron’s already a giraffe, Zebra for the funky looking skin.

Thanks for your time is there a message for your fans reading this?
James: We love you, come to our shows and buy some merch ha ha.

Interview By James Webb