Introducing….Giant Walker
Today, we're exploring Giant Walker, a Heavy Progressive Rock band based in Newcastle, UK. Originating from the South, the members travelled over 300 miles north to perfect their craft. Bound by their love for bands like Karnivool, Soundgarden, Radiohead, and Deftones, their music reflects this rich mix of influences.
Giant Walker's sound navigates from towering riffs to sombre melodies and ethereal soundscapes, capturing the emotional spectrum of their personal struggles with isolation. Join us as we delve into the unique sound and narrative that define this formidable quartet.
Could you share how your band first came together? What initially sparked the collaboration?
Steff: Jamie and I have been playing together since 2012. When when we moved down South to study music we got Jordan in on bass, later followed by Alex on drums. Despite taking our final form in the South, we’re all originally from Newcastle and have a similar taste in music, so from that it felt like quite a natural collaboration really.
Who would you say has influenced your music the most, and are there any less obvious influences you draw from?
Jamie: Everyone in the band has a very broad taste in music, so the influences we draw from reflect this. Bands such as Soundgarden, Karnivool, and Queens Of The Stone Age are big huge influences for us, but bands/artists that people might not immediately hear in our music could be Joni Mitchell, Pendulum, Sting, Metallica… The list could go on forever!
Could you walk us through your songwriting process? How do you typically go from an initial idea to a finished track?
Jamie: Typically, the song will start as either a guitar part or drum groove. It is then fleshed out into a demo, which is where the magic starts to happen. More often than not, the arrangement is manipulated by the top line melody until we are all happy with the final result. The song is then played live for a period of time, to allow everyone the opportunity to really fine-tune their parts.
What do you aim to convey in your live performances? Is there a particular vibe or energy you strive to bring to your shows?
Jordan: Not really, I think just trying to bring some interesting sounds and projecting that with a lot of energy. I've always loved seeing bands where they're all absolutely having it on stage, but musically it all still sounds huge and locked in. If you're watching that from the crowd, you can't help but feel hyped up and connected to it all in that moment. So during a show, if we're having fun and we can infect even a small portion of the crowd with that, I'm all for it.
How do interactions with your fans influence your music and performances? Can you share a memorable experience with a fan?
Steff: I’m not sure I could say fan interactions influence our music, in the sense that we try not to think about how other people will react to the music too much when we’re making it. The main thing that drives us when we’re writing is trying to make music that we really love and the audience's reaction is secondary. Obviously, live performances are different as that is very much an interaction between the band and the audience, and so to have people reacting to the music and singing along with our songs is absolutely mental and always makes us feel very lucky! Getting asked to sign things always feels a bit surreal anyway, but we were recently asked to sign someone’s shoes, which was definitely a memorable experience for me haha.
What can you tell us about your latest project? What themes or sounds were you exploring with this new release?
Jordan: Overall I think it's more dynamic. There are a few songs that are heavier than our first album, but there's also some songs in the opposite direction with acoustic parts, and others with different vibes than before. Since ‘All In Good Time’ was written and recorded during lockdown, this time we've had more opportunities to try out different sounds in a live setting. Sometimes you don't really know a song until you play it live in front of people - see how it feels and see the reaction - so it's been good to have that this time around.
Every band faces challenges, whether it's creating music or on tour. Could you share one significant challenge you've overcome and what it taught you?
Alex: Moving back home, which was 300 miles away from the rest of the band haha! At the time, I thought this would be more of a problem than it actually turned out to be, but when we were working on the 1st album we fully embraced technology with remote recording and using Facetime/zoom etc and carried on as normal. It made me realise that the traditional “let’s meet up and have band practice every week” doesn’t actually need to happen and working on material as and when can be a lot more rewarding and inspiring because it isn’t forced.
Looking ahead, what are some goals or aspirations you have for the band? Are there new musical directions you're excited to explore?
Alex: As Jamie mentioned, we have a pretty broad music taste across the board, so in terms of a new musical direction, I imagine whatever we’re into at the time will more than likely make its way into a track in some form. In terms of goals, we’d love to play overseas. We’ve toured the UK pretty heavily the last two years, so we would love to eventually branch out into Europe and beyond.
Outside of music, what influences or inspires you? Are there books, films, or artworks that resonate with your band's ethos?
Steff: I’m personally quite inspired by art and media that isn’t just black & white and allows for your own interpretation. Generally, I find this starts discussions and debates which are more interesting and healthy.
If you had one message or piece of advice to share with your fans, what would it be?
Jordan: You can cook waffles in a toaster.
