Hello mate, and welcome back to Sentinel Daily. It’s been a while since we’ve chatted. Are you enjoying being back out on the road? “Mate! This is what Desecrator live for! We are a live touring band, whether it’s nationally or internationally it’s been our prime motivator from day one. As a band we are staunchly proud of the Australian metal community and even though smaller in size than bigger continents we have toured it brings us great joy to take bands like Venom Inc. around and share our scene with them! There’s no feeling like it really”.

It’s no exaggeration to say that Desecrator are already pretty seasoned road dogs – can you remember much about your first ‘proper’? tour? “I can actually, and now that I’m thinking about it Desecrator’s first ever show was interstate on purpose because I wanted to be sure the band were capable of spending time away together functioning straight out of the gate. Our first tour though was an Australian one with our fellow Melbourne mates In Malice’s Wake, I remember sleeping on airport floors and people’s floors mainly but I also have a big dint in the back of my head from copping a bass guitar to it whilst onstage! I bled like a stuck pig, got two more songs out until the sound engineer called the set off to get me some medical attention (laughs). We had an overnight drive home from that one so my hair got tied into a bun and off we went, there’s some brutal photos floating around of it, a photographers dream really!” (more laughs).

What are the key ingredients for a top-drawer Desecrator show? “Energy man, when we’re out doing long drives or a lot of back to back shows it can get hard to keep up the energy to get through a live set but if the room is alive with a buzzing crowd, no matter the size, we can draw some charge off it and storm through, Failing that, some lentil soup is nice!”

What would a dream rider be for each member of the band? “Veggies man! Fast food is great on days off but fruit and veggies are the real kicker to keep us going, sure we enjoy some drink too but it’s a balance out here, gotta fuel the tank up to keep the engine running. Hommus is a pleasant surprise too”. (More laughter).

That’s the dream. But what about the reality? Does a band get looked after by venues and promoters these days? “Depending on the tour size we have been treated amazingly and cast aside from night to night. Honestly though, most venues appreciate a band that is easy to work with and respectful and are happy to do what they can to accommodate us, we don’t ask for a lot, there’s no Champaign and soft cheese on our rider (but jeez you feel great when it’s there anyway)”.

Yep. The boost you get from seeing a nice piece of soft cheese shouldn’t be underestimated. What’s the best thing about touring? “Pretty much everything, we just banged out nearly four thousand kilometres in four days on top of playing so we’re all absolutely knackered but wouldn’t choose to be anywhere else”.

Thare’s some stamina required for that! And the worst? “Pretty much everything (laughs again); it’s a state of mind, man, if you learn to embrace hardship, find achievement in hurdles along the way and live to perform it’s the best but inversely any one of those things can make you want to be anywhere else if mentally you aren’t into it”.

Aside from your tools of the trade, what other one item do you find essential for tour purposes? “Venom Inc. Iron and Steel tracksuit pants! I’d always been a tight jeans or death guy until our Europe tour with Venom Inc. a little while back. They had pants on the merch desk and I grabbed a pair to cover me on a laundry day and haven’t looked back! Can’t underplay comfort in the trenches!”

And talking about  luxury – something you shouldn’t take but always seem to find in your kit once you’re on the road? “Luxury? I think rock bands get luxuries – we’re a thrash band, we get necessity only for car packs or for baggage weights on flights! It’s amazing how many weeks you can do on two pairs of jeans before they stand up on their own! Tell you what, though, a thing I always forget but shouldn’t is a nail clipper, small item but life sucks without cut nails”.

My wife would certainly agree with you there! Now, here’s your one chance to spruik the current tour to the readers of Sentinel Daily – what’s in store for them if they decide to come and say hello? “The decision should be made by now! We’re touring with arguably one of the biggest pioneers in the metal genre! In Australia! A country no one would have ever thought they would come to! The shows are killer! I’m not sure if I’m more excited to play our set or watch theirs nightly!”

You heard the man – If you’ve not yet got a ticket for one of the remaining shows, remedy the situation immediately!

Venom Inc. continue their tour tonight in Auckland, before heading to Hobart, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth.