Hell Spawn

Scott Knowles used to play guitars for the UK band I.C.ON. but that band called it quits a few years ago! Last yeah Scott returned to the scene with his new project Devils And Icons.  With his first EP upcoming, one we liked very much, we gladly provided him some questions and as you can see, he has lots to tell!

 

Hello Scott, first off can you tell us why your previous band I.C.O.N. called it quits a few years ago!? 

I.C.O.N stopping like it did was very difficult to accept. We had worked extremely hard and sacrificed an incredible amount to get the opportunities we did, and we finally felt that we perhaps were getting into places and tours that we had aspired to do for a long time. The press was divided, really. Some hammered us, some hailed us, but we kept going either way. We were meeting influential people, and getting the name out there further. We had just got back from touring with Udo Dirkschneider and Anvil across the UK, and we had some summer shows and festivals booked in the summer of 2016 - we felt that financially, it was becoming harder and harder to sustain that level of work. The money we were earning wasn't enough to sustain the sheer cost of doing everything we needed to do at that level. We had brilliant management and an agent, but every opportunity was going to cost more than we had available to us. Members of the band sacrificed themselves financially and into debt to a point where it would take them years to get out of it. Plus, key members of the band were tired of the lifestyle and the bullshit surrounding the changing industry. We had plugged away for 20 years, and achieved a great deal indeed, we had supporters in the industry, a growing fanbase, and opportunity - however, money and exhaustion put a wall up in front of us. So, after those summer shows in 2016, we took six months off from it all to get some perspective, and by the time we contacted each other again, a couple of key people were done and wanted to stop. I was crushed. For a while, I couldn't look at friends in bands or the industry, and I deleted my Facebook account for a while. It was devastating to see people carrying on and being part of it all, and we had to stop. Drummer Larry Paterson and I wanted to continue, and we formed another project. We wrote, rehearsed, planned and organised, but ultimately, it sadly came to nothing, as my first child was born, Larry had to move, then the pandemic hit. I never got the chance to do anything again for years. I missed I.C.O.N, I missed my identity in that band and the vibe of doing it, and the band never got the creative continuity it deserved, I felt. It just ended. It was such a shame. 

 

 

How long did it take to start making music, or did you never stop?

I did stop for a while. The pandemic, and having a young daughter meant that I had to focus elsewhere. Plus, I wasn't feeling inspired at all. I struggled a great deal mentally too. Being a new parent, lockdowns, a shifting world, and building my psychotherapy practice. I was still hoping that one day Larry and I could pick up where we left off, but logistically, it was very hard, and Larry got other band opportunities. Mark wasn't interested at all in doing anything at that point. We had tried a little bit with a couple of ideas and with friends, but nothing came of it. Plus, I found it difficult to commit to anything solid other than talking and planning at that point. I was burned out from I.C.O.N still, looking back.  

 

 

Who are your biggest musical influences?

In rock and metal, I would say Black Sabbath, Motorhead, Alice in Chains, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Slayer - the big bands at the time that I got into and discovered growing up. The 90's were my decade! Corrosion of Conformity, Grunge, Floodgate, White Zombie, Type O Negative, Sepultura - so many great bands! Other music that greatly influenced me would be The Beatles, CCR, sixties blues and rock bands, 70's prog and hard rock. I just love music. I dislike the term 'guilty pleasure' - you should be able to listen to what moves you and inspires you without some societal bullshit label telling you what's cool and what's not. Music is an emotion. I've never understood people who attack others for liking music they don't. If you don't like something - fine! Move on! Don't attack others for being moved by music you aren't. Makes no sense to me.  

 

 

When did the plans for Devils and Icons start to take form? Was it intentional to make it a one-man project or could it become more?

I slowly came back to music. During lockdowns, and when the little one was asleep, I would put my headphones on and create my own versions of Beatles songs. I was learning how to use the studio software called Reaper and general home studio stuff. I was learning how to sing lead, and harmonise better by covering the Beatles songs I loved, and it kept me connected to music. I was learning how to track instruments, program drums better, learning about plugins, EQing, and all that production stuff I did enjoy, but never really investigated thoroughly in the past. I had a Tascam four track cassette studio and a drum machine in the early I.C.O.N days, and that was my studio setup! I was enjoying the Beatles tracks I was doing, and I had no plans to go solo or do anything like that, really. I was always part of a band. So, at home, I was stockpiling riffs and ideas, as I enjoyed doing that. Kind of like a scrapbook of ideas. I always used to do that back in the day, so it was nice to do that again, and it also helped me understand the home studio. It was a small set up at first. I slowly built the gear and software up over around four years. 

In 2023, I was really starting to get bored and frustrated musically. Things were moving forward, and I found myself with some free time, but no real focus. So, I made a plan for throughout the winter of 2023/early 2024 - I would attempt to write, perform, record, produce and upload a track of my own, and do a video too. Do everything myself. A challenge. See what I could do alone, and document the process on my Facebook for my friends. It started very slowly, and I was struggling programming some credible and decent drums. I was relying on basic software and it sounded awful! Fortunately, my old friend Chris Lupton, an incredibly talented guy who I learned to play guitar with as a kid, saw my post online about my frustration, and got in touch. He offered me some incredible upgrades to my home studio and generously helped me get it all up and running. It changed the game for me, and I started to get the track slowly together. It was hard working on stuff I had never done before, such as writing lyrics, melodies and arranging. There had always been band members around to help with that stuff and do that, but, it was just me. Nothing was happening really. 

Then, in May 2024, I lost one of my best friends suddenly. We were all absolutely devastated. It always collided with another close friend who was essentially nearly dying and fighting for his life. It was an incredibly stressful time. During all this, my grief came out as a focus on the music. A need to get it done, and a direction. I decided then to get the song finished, give the song a name, name the project because my own name isn't very rock and roll, get it uploaded and done for my 50th birthday on September 3rd 2024. That was the deadline. Then, I could say, I've done it. I've completed my challenge. And probably, find something else to do with music. It was only ever going to be the one track at first. 

 

 

How was it for you to do the lead vocals, you are doing a great job! 

Thank you! Again, the vocals were part of the challenge. Can I do everything myself, y'know? I had done backing vocals in I.C.O.N, and I liked singing karaoke and things, but I never considered myself a strong lead singer. Still don't. I tried for a long time to find my own voice. But, all I could do was make crap impressions of my heroes. Hetfield, Staley, Lemmy - but, it sounded forced and unnatural. When I was touring, I used to sit and watch Geoff Tate warm up every night for weeks on the tour with him. He has a great voice, and he is very encouraging to me whenever we meet up. On that tour with Geoff, I met Tomas and Clodagh, who I also stay in touch with, and see whenever I can, and they are just incredible people, and consummate musicians. I love all that 'gang' of Geoff, Susan, Angel, Kelly Gray, and the musicians etc...

They inspire me, and I'm honoured to be considered a friend. They have all been really encouraging with Devils and Icons. That has helped my confidence hugely! And, on that particular tour, Tomas used to teach Mark and I some great warm up techniques before every show. So, I never took singing lessons as such - I watched and learned from others. Eventually, when I was figuring out the verses for 'I Am The Gun', I sang them in my normal voice without thinking one day, and I felt it fitted! So that boosted my confidence, and I realised that I could hit higher notes with a proper warm up too. And once I nailed the chorus, I had my voice! There are a couple of singers on Youtube whose videos I warm up with and take tips from.  I am still pushing myself as a singer. I do like it. Never thought I would! Hahaha!  

 

 

One year ago you released your first song "I am the gun" was this a little tester?

Yes, in hindsight, I suppose. I released 'I Am The Gun' on my birthday, and it just exploded. I had hyped the video the best I could on my own beforehand. No budget for promotion or videos. So, I did the lot myself. Everything. I uploaded the video to Youtube and it got 500 views in a matter of hours. I signed up with Distrokid for digital releases, opened a Bandcamp, took advice from friends in the industry, and did what I could. People were coming out of the woodwork from my old band days too. Promoters, well-wishers, interviews, airplay, gig offers, it was unbelievable! It was such a rush. People were genuinely getting into it. I submitted the track to American rock radio for fun, and it got picked up across four west coast rock radio stations! Within a few weeks, on the back of the adrenaline from releasing it, I had written another track called 'Godlike', then I was getting gig offers, even though I had no band. Lots of I.C.O.N fans were also pleased I was releasing stuff, so that was very cool. I realised I could do whatever I wanted with this band name, and imagery. And, I realised I really missed it for all those years, so then it started to grow, very organically. It's kept growing and inspiring me ever since. I am thinking about live work in 2026, with a band, and I'm going to keep challenging myself to write strong songs, and produce them as well as I possibly can. 

 

 

You decided to make 4 EP's within a certain concept!? Over how much time do you have planned this?

The idea for The Devil's Arcanum came earlier this year. The plan at first was to release an album, but then I got thinking about how I could use this as an opportunity to do something a bit more exciting and challenging (there's that word again). I work in mental health as a counsellor and psychotherapist, and the work I have done, the people I have met, and my own experiences, got me thinking about the human experience, what we go through on a daily basis, the struggles, the issues we face. So, it went from there. I then thought about two EP's, then three, then four! Five tracks on each, different vibes, and each telling a story of the human experience. From there, I thought of the tarot card theme, and played around with the concept to arrive at where I am. Lots of late nights with my imagination and a pad and pen! I have written 15 of the 20 tracks already in some form. I'm going to take my time and make it the best I can. 

 

 

The EP is going to be released digital and also a ltd cd? How important is a cd version for you as digital is becoming more and more the new trend?

I'm 51 now. I grew up with the physical stuff.  I love CD's and limited editions. So, I plan on releasing a very small run of CD's to offer to fans that like to collect those things like me, and want something more than just a download. I still get excited by CD's and artwork! It will only be a very small run. Plus, I figure, quite frankly, life's too short not to give this the best shot I can and release some CD's for myself. 

 

 

What and when can we expect the next EP? And will all EP's be in the same kinda music genre or are the surprises coming along?

The next EP will be coming in 2026. I don't have an exact date yet, as I recently announced that chapter two of the four EP arc will feature my former bandmates from I.C.O.N. So, it will take time. The EP will be called 'The Icon', so it made sense to at least ask! This has come from a genuine place - a respect for the past, a desire to honour what was, and a need to give the legacy of I.C.O.N the kind of closure and creative continuation it never got. Perhaps nostalgia has clouded my judgement! But, I see it as heart, intention, vision. It's certainly not a reformation - I'm using threads from it to weave something new. I'm extremely grateful everyone agreed to do it. Originally, it was Mark and Larry involved, but, recently, something inside me felt I should at least ask Reece if he wanted to put some bass on Chapter Two. I haven't spoken to him properly in nearly ten years. He agreed, which was great. To end like we did was a massive shame. So, to be making music again with these three - in a new form, in a new light - is not just exciting; It's deeply meaningful. I'm trying to honour the legacy of my old band by asking Mark, Larry and now Reece to contribute to my next chapter as a musician - I opened the door to collaboration on this chapter because it felt right to do so. As I mentioned, life is short and fragile, so why the hell not...? The music I have written for the second chapter is very strong and exciting, I feel. Very much like I.C.O.N, but written with where I am now in mind. Mark will be handling lyrics, song titles and vocals with me. Larry and Reece will be on Drums and Bass respectively, and I will treat it like the other chapters - guitars, vocals, production and mastering. Chapter 3 will be more introspective, low key, and a change in style, and chapter four will be another full on metal fest! Plenty of surprises too! 

 

 

How hard is this doing everything yourselves?

Very hard at times. Exhausting. Being alone doing this, I am constantly second guessing every aspect and it can be very frustrating and soul destroying when something sounds bad, or it's not as strong as I'd hoped. Plus, at times, I do lose focus or enthusiasm for a bit. It's in those moments, that I have learned to take a break and step back for a bit, because I can get obsessive with this stuff. Fortunately, my good friend and former I.C.O.N founding member Jason Shuttleworth has been incredible with his knowledge, insight and feedback. He is deep into his sound engineering degree now, and is a talented musician. He has helped me shape a lot of the songs sonically, which is great. I also have close friends in the industry and also not connected to it at all that I can send mixes and tracks to, and get valuable insight. But, all that aside - I bloody love doing this. It's given me a purpose and drive musically that I have been missing for years. It's an important part of who I am.

 

 

Anything left to add?

Yes! On September 3rd 2024, when I released the debut single, I was contacted by my friend Tim Preston, previously from Dearly Beheaded, and now fronting his own project Damnation's Hammer. The band needed a bass player for a tour with Xentrix. I thought, why not! It will be fun to tour again and on bass too. They offered me the bass player gig full time, and I accepted, and I'm so glad I did! It's absolutely a shot in the arm to be part of that band, and my thoughts are, if you want to do something, or an opportunity comes up - take it! It could be the best thing you do. 

I also want to thank you and everyone that is supporting me with Devils and Icons. I'm blown away by the positive responses so far, and I'm glad the songs are connecting with people. I'm trusting my gut and following my heart. And, in music, that's the best thing you can do. 

 

 

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