Sam Bettley (Asking Alexandria)

Sam Bettley is a musician, best known as the bass player in Asking Alexandria since 2009.  The band will release their latest album “Where Do We Go From Here” on August 25th. We discuss the new album, toning down the partying, a show with GnR, a TV show with Ultimate Warrior, fan support and much more!

00:00 - Intro
00:13 - Doing Interviews & Language
02:10 - From England to America
04:10 - Band Blowing Up & Partying
07:30 - Party Days & Toning Down
11:05 - Touring with Evergreen Terrace
14:01 - Elevated Party Phase & New Hobbies
18:17 - New Album "Where Do We Go From Here"
21:40 - Fan Support & Impact
23:10 - New Single "Psycho" & Singer Danny Worsnop
26:35 - Eclecticism & New Album
29:05 - New Song "Kill It With Fire"
30:20 - Set List & Danny's Voice
35:00 - Memorable Shows
37:00 - Guns 'n Roses & Steven Adler
40:45 - Ultimate Warrior Show
42:00 - Gratitude, Friends & Family
43:00 - Music College
47:35 - Heart Support
49:33 - Outro

Asking Alexandria website:
https://www.askingalexandria.com/

Heart Support website:
https://www.heartsupport.com/

Chuck Shute website:
https://www.chuckshute.com/

Transcript

Sam Bettley: 0:13

I don't do any interviews ever. Like, honestly, like, I only count on these hands in the entire. I get like super crazy, like, anxious about stuff like that. So it's like very rare I do stuff like this. So, yeah, yeah, it's crazy. I'm trying to step out a little bit and do a little bit more. So, you know, I've got kids now I can't just be this. Gotta show that step out your comfort zone and like and do it, you know, so? Well, yeah, people only for a reason. You know, you don't, you know, see me on interviews. It's just because I'm used to just kind of like letting some of the other personalities in the band. Just go for it, you know, I mean,

Chuck Shute: 0:49

but I mean, people want to hear from all members of the band. I just had the bass player from rat on and oh, wow, Episode blew up. Like, I was just like, why? Like, I didn't think it was going to be it has more than my episode by interviews, the singer Steven Piercey. I was like, crazy. Stories. You know, it's like people have already they've heard Steven Piercey tell the same stories probably times, where he's like, you know, one hasn't done that many interviews. So

Sam Bettley: 1:14

it might be in the same boat, honestly, it's, it's called up, you know, I'd say in the past, maybe like a month, I've really kind of tried to do a little bit more. And it's, it's like, you'd get used to it a little bit kind of slow. I'm slowly getting used to it. You know, I mean, just kind of go with flow. It is yeah.

Chuck Shute: 1:30

Stress and once pens probably depends on the interviewer to sometimes the interviewer can make it more difficult. Hopefully I make it good for you.

Sam Bettley: 1:37

Yeah, no, no worries. Absolutely. Sometimes he gets a bit weird with language barriers and stuff sometimes. But I don't think we've got that here. So

Chuck Shute: 1:43

Oh, yeah. Well, there's, there's some things like I had a British guy on the other day, and he was saying something like, yeah, you know, he's talking about what you guys call trucks over there. I think he called all these lorry, lorry. With contacts. I figured out I think what I knew what he meant, but I looked it up later. And I was like, okay, yeah, because I didn't I didn't want to sound stupid and go, what's a lorry?

Sam Bettley: 2:06

Honestly, I have to question I feel like second guests now. I've been living in America for longer than almost longer than I've ever lived in England. Really? I came over here when I was 17. I'm 32. Now, so border in that kind of cusp of like, I've been living here since the inception of Andrew. It's crazy. Um,

Chuck Shute: 2:23

so wait, which part of England are you from? Because there's, I know some of them learning different parts of the cities and things.

Sam Bettley: 2:29

Yeah, I'm from I'm from Yorkshire. I'm from about five hours north of London, from the city of York, actually in North Yorkshire. I was born and raised. And I went to college there and met Danny and Cameron there, you know, we were in local bands in that city pretty much was were four of the five members of asking from really around the city at least. So

Chuck Shute: 2:51

okay. And then which part of America did you move to? Is the same place you live now?

Sam Bettley: 2:56

No, no, we've been all over the place. When we first came over, we just landed I'm sure you've heard like the story of how we kind of came over. But we were we just flew in to like JFK. And like, as we got as far as Jersey, and lived in a Walmart parking lot for like half a year until we we didn't have a label or management or anything. We just kind of had a little dream. We were teenagers. And we just MySpace was a thing. So we were trying to network and we were legitimately living out of a van in in a Walmart parking lot in Jersey, just trying to meet people. And that was in like, oh 809. So

Chuck Shute: 3:31

I love those kinds of stories where it's like, like how people got to be successful love the ones where people are sleeping in their cars.

Sam Bettley: 3:39

That was all of his mind. And then eventually, we all started meeting, you know, people and kind of setting our routes in certain places. But we started in Jersey, then I kind of moved to California. And I was in California for about five or six years if I get my math right. And then from there, I did like a year in Texas. I did and then I did about five years in like four years in Arizona or something and then I just moved here like last year to Nashville.

Chuck Shute: 4:06

So Oh, how did you back in the day when you move to Jersey and you're like, you're you're sleeping in the van in the Walmart parking lot like did Were you ever worried like, hey, maybe this was a bad idea. Like we're not making it maybe I should give up like there must have been thoughts of giving up

Sam Bettley: 4:21

honestly, there was no thoughts of it because it happened so quickly. Like, it really did happen so quickly. Like we were just like, so riled up like is teenagers that we were just like so adamant. We were gonna do it. We everybody in England told us like everyone from where we were from at least a little pond of, you know, friends and other people in like bands. And we were like, yeah, we're just gonna go to America and see if we can break America and it just seemed like such a crazy, stupid thing that we were decided to do because we didn't have a label. We didn't have management. We didn't have anything but three demos, three songs. Which is like final episode, sincerity and, you know, some of the ones from the first record and The Yeah, I had. I remember the I was actually I came out a few months later. So they had another guy who James and Cameron was playing in a local band, whether it was playing bass at the time. And that didn't work out. So I got a call and I was just working at a retail store, you know, folding jeans and stuff. And I had my phone in my pocket. And Danny called me he's like, Hey, can you come to my house? Like after work tonight? I'm like, is it good? Good news, what's going on? It's good for everyone. And then that night, they asked me to be in the band. And I just dropped everything. And we went over there. And yeah, the rest is history. It happens so quickly, within about half, maybe like, maybe like, half, six months. And then we, you know, we we went and recorded an album, we got signed record, an album got our first tour. And then it was just when the album came out on our first tour, it just blew up. And it was just now looking back. And there wasn't, it was like, Hold on tight. Like, let's go play. So like the world just kind of hit us. It was like shotgun in a beer of experience. Really, it was crazy. Like, I didn't

Chuck Shute: 6:02

in the management, like in the label push you guys a little too much. Like they didn't give you a break.

Sam Bettley: 6:07

And everyone can point fingers and say this and that. And you know, maybe in hindsight, if I was to sit down and think about it, possibly. But there was no talent. There's no either we were so hungry for it. And so ready to go that we I mean, we were the five guys who kids that came over here and took the biggest plunge before everyone. Anyone even knew who we were. So I think that kind of proved that we were ready to we were all in at that point. So yeah, it was pretty full on and especially during like reckless and relentless days. Like it definitely took a toll on us. Because we were traveling all over the world. It was like it was literally quite literally relentless. It was constant playing, playing playing books boat playing, like, no time at all and lots of part in lots of getting crazy. And there was definitely a bit of a feel like being that young, there was almost a bit of a narrative that was like, wrapped around our band and almost brand of yeah, they're the party band. And they're the you know, that motley crew, the new motley crew. And it's not, it's funny, because like everybody else was saying all that and we were just friends that were just having a like, I don't know, I don't know if it's the blondes like college pies that never ended because we were just young, and we're just having a good time. But a little did we know this thing was growing and more eyes were looking at us. And we were just yeah, maybe a little bit. Maybe we've got kind of the beast was fed by other people a little bit. But we were we were just young and crazy, you know? Yeah. What

Chuck Shute: 7:31

Weren't you? Didn't you get your contract with the whiskey company canceled? Because you were drinking like eight handles a day?

Sam Bettley: 7:38

I actually have? No, I don't think that I don't think that happened. But I've actually got it tattooed on my leg as well. Yeah, we I don't know if that was like mayhem days when we were on mamsa. And they were just, they would give us like cases of whiskey. And the next morning we'd be like, Can we get some more it's all gone. And it's like, every single person in the bus had a bottle of whiskey and it was just it was just think about it. I feel. I'm sat here looking at old fashioned right now respectfully, just responsibly.

Chuck Shute: 8:07

You've just, you've just toned it.

Unknown: 8:10

Sorry.

Chuck Shute: 8:11

Have some members gone? totally sober, though. Or? Um,

Sam Bettley: 8:16

yeah, I mean, for periods of time we do here. And now I think that everybody now is just a completely different phase where like, we've learned our lessons a little bit in terms of like, growing up, like I said, I've got kids majority the band path and Danny have got kids. We got a handle on that. A long time ago, I think, yeah, we'd like to have a little bit of, you know, there's a little bit of like, well, we will have a night or something together on tour and we go crazy again, but it's like, nothing like it was like it was just ridiculous. It wasn't just the booze it was all the other things that come with it. And it was just you can't actually continue that for very long. I don't care if you want to. You can. You can't do that. And and literally, I've got a tattooed on my arm. It's not finished by a good friend of mine in England. It's literally a candle been burned at both ends. Because we were doing all that and trying to it was just impossible. It was like trying to swim with weights around your ankles that you just can't do it like you know, right?

Chuck Shute: 9:11

Well that seems to be the theme. I've interviewed so many musicians and it's like that's like the story although a lot of them it burns so badly that they kind of do like rehab and then they get completely 100% Sober so you guys were able to slow down a little

Sam Bettley: 9:24

Yeah, I mean it was definitely things that happened and stuff in the you know in the history of our band where it was like a huge wake up call like Iowa and stuff and thankfully myself like more as more so a bystander to it than then actually happening to me and stuff but like it's pretty sobering when you're quite literally sobering when you see you know, like you when you see such a change and like you can see your friends and stuff started to change and like certain things taken over a little bit and I'm not innocent. I definitely was on the drink way too much and it's just but it didn't seem like a problem because I wasn't the craziest one you know, I'm saying so I was just Like usually the quiet ones you've got to look out for. And it's like, I'm not the one doing all the interviews and telling people how crazy I am. I'm just chilling out and watching it and thinking, Oh, wow, you're really crazy. All the while I'm, I'm doing it too, you know. So it does take a soul, man it does. And some point, everyone's different. But for me, like, you just got to kind of make a decision, like, what do you want from all this? And like, what did you start out? What you've done, and I've dedicated like my entire life to this now and it's like, I want to, I want to be the best that can be. Not just because I want to, but I think that we've got fans that have been coming to our shows for over a decade now. And they've now got they're bringing kids. It's not it's no longer just, we're all just teenagers going crazy. It's like our fans have grown with us. And we're starting to see that there. This is like starting to somewhat become a bit of a family show as well as it going crazy too. But like, you can't be doing the shit we were doing. When it's like that, you know, like

Chuck Shute: 10:58

the craziest band that you that you toured with

Sam Bettley: 11:01

crazies band? You know, I gotta say evergreen terrorists. And that was like our third tour in like, it was a super hardcore tour. It was them headlining for the Fallen dreams and us so we were hitting all these like, it wasn't a big so it was a great awesome so then we earn I don't know if we earn our stripes we got Hey, is pretty hard on that tour. Like these guys were like veterans when we are on the road and like, we were just these skinny British long hair doing the you know, and making songs about drinkin and getting pumped up and there's a lot of hardcore straight edge. People in that community and we will play in these like floor shows. Sometimes they weren't big venues. It was like playing Reno and Utah and some places where it's not exactly welcomed. And it was like, these guys were crazy. Like the the tool was crazy. It was scary at times, they were just like, oh, we should we be in this city right now. Should we be at this? Should we be promoting that we're here right now like, but they were as crazy as like evergreen terrorists and for the Fallen dreams. And that word, they also had our back and it was like, but the guys in the band were crazy. They played like, total games that were just like, whoa, like, you know, like, I don't know, if you're like buffalo or bison, the game, like where you're going to drink off a certain hand. But this became like, this became like, law for us on the road, like buffalo men on both. So for every day of the week, you had to drink off certain hand, right? So this is crazy. I'm telling you this now because we had to drink out of our left hand. Apart from Tuesday and right, and Thursdays, you have to go your right hand. And if you were caught drinking out of the wrong hand and someone shouted, Buffalo at you, you've had a sugary drink. Right? If it's a beer called from a beer, but if you've if it keeps happening to you cool then never been terrorist use would do it with any liquid. And they would hide it. So these guys would be like, one poor guy would be carrying in his guitar. And the rest of the band is just killed it the hot sauce and, and pace and puking or anything you can think of under the sun. And then there'd be like, below and the and they were so about it that like you either have to drink it or you've got to pour it on your head. And it was like you have to do it. So the amount of times I saw like, I mean, I mean, she's it was funny at the time. But when I look back, I'm like, Whoa. We took that game on. And we started making all these other rules. And we were doing with liquor and and there was one time in Sweden where Cameron nearly got arrested because I put vodka in a water bottle and he thought it was water and I said Buffalo and he chugged a bottle of vodka. Because he was already pretty drunk. There was no saying, Hey, dude, you don't actually have to do that. And like 10 minutes later, he's getting carried out by Swedish police to a van and it's like, crazy stuff, you know, stupid games, you can inherit from, from some of these veterans on the road. But like, I think that that's a with the Evergreen Terrace was was like, pretty, pretty wild. And we were young Sileo kids.

Chuck Shute: 14:00

Yeah, that is crazy. I mean, because everybody goes, I mean, not everybody but a lot of people go through their party drinking phase in their 20s and 30s. But it's got to be elevated so much more when you're in a band.

Sam Bettley: 14:12

You have it on a platter every night. And then there's been people think to hang out with you, they gotta bring gifts, they've got to bring party favors, you know, they've got to do that. It's kind of the way in and it's like, that's kind of the mentality of people that want to hang like they used to be at least and it's like it's started to turn out to me like the opposite now please get the hell away from me. Were there any of this stuff but back in the day, it was just you just surrounded by it. You know, not to mention, it's on your rider. He got so much time in the day where you're actually not doing anything. You know, you think you're on the on the road for like, five, six weeks and you know, during 24 hours, you go up and you play an hour and a half and the rest of it's all taken care of. You just sit in there. You're going to occupy your time with beneficial Do things that are actually going to be a good fit. Because if you don't, you're gonna get bored. And if you get bored, or you've got a cooler, full of all the things that are on your either, and you've got all these people, they're like, Well, hang on, hang on this, you're on this, you're on this. It's like, you've got to fill your time with bad things. And that's boredom will be the death of anyone on the road.

Chuck Shute: 15:19

So what do you do now that you're obviously trying to turn it down with the drinking party? What do you do exercise stuff? Do you watch?

Sam Bettley: 15:27

All I have to do now is because I'm in my 30s. All I have to do is have one crazy night and then I'll be like, Oh, I do. I work out a lot. Now. I like I do like a bit of art and stuff, too. I like to paint and draw and stuff like that. So and I like to read, which sounds boring, but not crazy rock and roll. But like, you know, I just I'm a foodie as well. I like to go and travel like, into the cities that we're at and have a look around and eat and anything man like if there's something new that I don't even do, I'm like, into I'm like, I'm like totally open to experiences. Now. I want to kind of like, take, you know, I'm away from my family for six weeks. I want to like fill it with like memories and things that I'm just like, Yeah, I was out there. I was here. Hell yeah, I'm gonna go and do this. Yes, I'm gonna go and do that. No, I'm not going to curl up in a ball until 5pm. Because I'm hungover and then go on stage, come off with adrenaline and do it all again. Because it's a cycle. You know,

Chuck Shute: 16:23

right now that's exactly right. I think that's the cycle of life, you eventually reach a point where you're like, okay, like, I've done this, I've partied, we're at till I get sick. I don't want to do that every night. Because again, that's like you said, that's your memories. And then like,

Sam Bettley: 16:37

oh, you stop. If you do, if you do that for so long, like, you start like not remembering periods of time, right? Not just like nights, I'll remember when we were so sick. I don't even remember that tour. I don't even remember that. What this does areas of like time where I'm just like, whoa, we went around the world like three times, and I don't even remember half of it, because I was so messed up most of it. Because flights were so long, we were just like, Alright, cool. And there's literally photographs of it was like, on a plane to Australia. And like, we're all sat together, you know, and all of our trays are just there's not space on any of our trays. Any of us all just liquor bottles, do dah dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah, dah. And you go and it's like, and James is just passed out in the middle of us. And it's just like, I remember like, it gets it does get old, it does get old we do we had a great time. But I want to start remembering it, you know, I don't want to be blocking off time. I want to, I want to take away from this and speak to my kids about the time that I'm lucky enough to still be able to do it. So for me, that's enough of a sign for me to do that. Okay? Get a grip and really appreciate it and really don't take it for granted. Because I want to be able to share these things with my kids when they and I've got two boys three and one. My oldest is starting to read starting to realize what I do. Still didn't quite get it. But he's been to one show. And it was awesome. But he when he gets a bit older, I want him to I want to be able to share things about this crazy awesome lifestyle. You know, not just say, Yeah, this whiskies great, or, you know how they do that from your own home? You know?

Chuck Shute: 18:13

Exactly, yeah, well, that kind of brings up the title of the album, where do we go from here? Because what from what I hear in other interviews is that that's kind of what this album is about as as getting older and life changes is finding the balance between being in a rock band and raising a family and getting married and having kids and all this other stuff.

Sam Bettley: 18:32

They it's not just like, so like, the more I think about it, and I've done it, I've done it like a handful of interviews now like a handful of them about this record. And it's usually the question that kind of comes up is that alright, cool? Like, what does that mean? That name of the album. And it's it does mean that but it's also not just those, it's also, like I said, the fans that have been there with us through day one as well. And we're all at that point now. Like, cool. Like, it doesn't matter if you're in a band or if you're going off to college, or you're starting a family like no one has all the answers in their life. We're always questioning like, Alright, where do I go from here? Like, because we're just trailblazing our own life, aren't we? Like, at the end of the day, if you think that you've got it all figured out? I mean, if some people might go I sure as hell don't. And I don't know what's gonna happen in 510 years from now and I don't know what's gonna happen tomorrow. Like, without sounding too cliche. Like, you just have to kind of somewhat question you know, say out loud, like, where do we go from here because like, we never had a plan. We never had a plan and it's just it's kind of a bit of a moment in life where you kind of start asking those questions we're not the is now like said and it's it's I'm just thankful to be here and thankful to still be doing what we're doing and like still making music that people love to hear and and I think that our fans and we speak to them at like shows and we see them like the the the amount of stories I hear from fans, they have different it makes you kind of put things into perspective. I I've got such an awesome life and like some people are really going through it and my music is actually Helping them and it's like it's a question for all of us funds and our band as well. But I think everyone can relate to the name. And the song itself. I don't know if you've heard the wreck. Have you heard the? Oh, yeah, I

Chuck Shute: 20:10

heard the right. Yes. The title song. Where do we go from here? Awful. Yeah, it's a ballad with keyboards. It's, it's sad, but like, beautiful. I really,

Sam Bettley: 20:19

I know, Danny definitely has his own meaning behind the lyrics and the song and stuff. But to me and the rest of the guys, that obviously made it as the title track, because it read that title just resonated with all of us regardless. And I think, again, it doesn't matter. If it's, you know, you can really single in and like dissect what Danny means. But I think the great thing about Danny and his lyrics are, they're so accessible to so many other people in so many other different ways that he might be talking about something specific, but somehow it connects with it connects. You know, the last record, we did see what's on the inside. We did a song called you've made it this far. And at that point in time, we don't all have music, we're in the studio, and I haven't heard lyrics, Danny, and he wrote them yet. And he went in, we were in the kitchen making food. And here, he's like, Guys, come on, in, come listen to the lyrics. And this is the first time I got to hear it. And I heard it as a fan. It was like, Cool. Like, this is awesome. I mean, this awesome shooter, and they played it. And I was like, nearly in tears, because his lyrics just spoke to me at that point, I needed to hear those lyrics. And it's like, because I've gone through some crazy stuff, like, a few years ago, and it was just like, wow, I just needed that. So it was just another one on this record that I thought was connected with me. It's like, Yeah, cool. Like, that's gotta be downtime, you know? Yeah. So

Chuck Shute: 21:34

you get a lot of those stories from fans as well, you're saying that the fans will come up to you and say, Hey, this song really helped me through a tough time.

Sam Bettley: 21:41

I'm like, you know, honestly, it's like, you've become quite jaded in your ways of just, you know, and it's awesome. It's great. You know, we have, I'm lucky enough to have an actual brother at home in England, like my older brother I grew up with, but I've got all these boys around me that I've known since I was a kid that we just love each other. And we've got the support around each other. Now we've gone through a lot together, but you see fans, and you're that for them. I've got all I've got a wealth of people and I can I can hit Syria and go woe is me with all my problems. But I'm actually really lucky to have what I've got. Because I hear some stories. I'm like, Whoa, and you're still doing it and coming out here and night. And yeah, you're, you know, whatever, there. Yeah, we'll go into specifics. But like, certain things, like where fans will come and say, oh, you know, this has happened, or, I'm going through this at the point. And you guys have helped me and it's like, they lean on you. Like I would lean on my, my support group. And it's like, you know, as you saw rip a little bit that those those things that people say to you really mean, and they start they start driving deep into me like I'm just like, well, this is like, affecting people in such a positive way that we really, you know, hence maybe my maybe we did more balance than we did like, heavier music because this is like, genuinely like, let's give it back. You know, let's give it back. Let's make let's make music that's actually moving people as well, in another way, but this new record is probably a bit heavier than the other ones in recent. Yeah. I love it. I'm excited for it like, yeah, just again.

Chuck Shute: 23:12

I got to ask though, I don't know if it's already been revealed. But who or what is the single about psycho? Because that sounds amazing. Like I'm feeling out of my mind. I feel alive feel crazy, cuz I'm a fucking psycho. Who do you think is? What's that?

Sam Bettley: 23:25

Do you think it's about Danny in IT? He's just, he's Jesus. I'm like one of his best mates. That's it. I've never met anyone like him. I love him. But crazy uncle Danny value is always good at the moment. But he's, he's mentally he's in the best way though. Like, he's an absolute sweetheart when you actually get to know him. But he has got such a hard exterior and a very, very high wall. And again, we've been lucky enough to be doing this together for so long that you know is his you don't know who you're gonna get with Danny, like, he genuinely genuinely just changes like, like, and that is when he changes like every few months like that is him. He genuinely feels like in no one saying like he's in is in years have gone by, like we've gone through, like, I don't know, like, there's all these different versions of Danny. And it wherever he's going through at the time, like he just embodies it and takes it on and like he's in a great place right now. Like we've never been closer really like with Danny and stuff like, like in the rest of us. Like we talk every day they're blowing up my phone right now down here and I'm just like, you know, it's just good and and there's been times where we haven't really spoken much because he's doing other things or we're doing other things but Danny, he's pretty honest with his lyrics and that's the that's really the that's where you get to know Danny is in his socks. And that's a bit of read on Danny. In person. Some people say oh, you know, he's, he's a bit standoffish or he's a bit this and he's that it's like they do disease himself and he goes through his he's got his own things going on. On any likes, he likes he didn't like we like but he does appreciate everyone. He's just not very, I don't know. And sometimes he is sometimes he's really loud and really like, Hey, come on in, but like his songs are really quiet. His lyrics are very, I think very honest and speak. I personally as a friend, I'm just assuming this because I know him as like, I've spoken to him before this, but he's gonna watch this guy. But I genuinely when I listen to lyrics, I'm like, like, I feel like I know him. More and more, more. I hear his lyrics, you know, I'm saying,

Chuck Shute: 25:30

Well, yeah, so it's like he's using his emotions and channeling that into a positive way with the music. It reminds me when you speak I'm reminded of like Axl Rose with Guns and Roses, because he listened to some of those guns and roses songs. And I mean, you could just feel like when I was a kid, I remember listening to Guns and Roses and going oh, God, like, you know, just the way he would say fuck all the time and fuck this and like, you're like, Yeah, I can relate to this and like he's channeling those emotions.

Sam Bettley: 25:53

Definitely. And I think like, as time has gone on, and we've got older I think he's got all of us have got where they're just kind of being a bit braver and being like, okay, no, this is who I am right now and this instead of being led and to be something that you're not are be a version of yourself that you don't necessarily want to be and you know, I think that now it's now you do that or you become I don't know what you could become if you went down that road into the later years in your life like it just be a sad, I think it'd be a sad existence if you continue down that way of just pleasing, pleasing and not actually just like saying, okay, hey, this is me know, like, come on. And just letting you know,

Chuck Shute: 26:34

is that how you approach the record is just trying to make a album that was very genuine, to who you guys are as a band because it does seem very genuine and real and raw. Just really like how it's it's a little bit of eclectic like I said that title track clear Ballard is very aggressive. There's like, let it Let the dead take me that's like almost kind of punk riff

Sam Bettley: 26:58

a lot of Yeah. Yeah, it's definitely eclectic. It's, we've said like, this album that we made was for the fans, because we wanted to give everyone a taste of what we are and what we've been in, like what we've done over the years, because every album we've ever released has been completely different. Like, it really has apart from like, the first two very heavy breakdowns, metal core, and then we strayed off into like, we journey creatively into like rock and like, you know, and just more kind of, like really a rock and ballads and, and exploring Danny's vocals a little bit and it's like this. The last one especially was full of balance. It was powerful, but it wasn't exactly the hardest record you'd ever heard. It was just like music musically. It was one of my one of my favorite ones I've ever done really. But this one was more of like a hey, to the fans ring here you we see what you're crying for what you want something heavy, I and we all have different music in the band. So I love heavy music. I love heavy music. James Cameron loves heavy music Danny he loves bear country he loves puppies are all about Adele, like and that was like his favorite artists ever. Right? And then you got Benny loves his blues. And he loves. He also loves a big country and stuff. So this one like all all is a melting pot asking has always been a melting pot, especially as you get older, when you start all going in your other directions of what you love and stuff. But this one specifically was keeping the fans in mind which I think the past few records, we've been a bit selfish in just doing what we want to do. And that's to say, like, you should be honest, as an artist and as a creative, you should do what you want to do at the time. I think that if we didn't do that, we wouldn't be able to release the record we're doing now. Because we would have gone out and do the same you know, like, so you have to just kind of take a bit of a you got to didn't take these details. Otherwise you'll burn out doing being a people pleaser, and you won't be honest, and you will hear it in the music. But we got to a place where we're like yeah, cool. Like let's make some heavy music again. And I think honestly, we've had so much fun doing it that I think there's gonna be a lot more heavy music coming you know from from us. I genuinely do.

Chuck Shute: 29:04

And what about Tommy about the song kill it with fire because that one is so hardcore fast paced like

Sam Bettley: 29:10

a really, really off the wall different from everything. And that was kind of Ben, I can't talk too much either, because that was a bit of a surprise for me as well. I heard that was like, he sent it to me. And it was like, I was just thought it was like a demo. You know, he's like, Oh, I was like, this is cool. This is crazy. This is wild. And then the next thing I know it's like boom, it's on the record like alright, cool sick. Both are

Chuck Shute: 29:29

harder to play the song like that like especially for your drummer James I'm like how did

Sam Bettley: 29:33

I didn't play that song? Well, I didn't have any part in that song. Like that's one of the one of the songs on the record where I was just like, it got sent to me from Dan it's like cool. It's pretty much Dylan I just in its raw form as you know, it's not like it's like a polished song. It's very rough around the edge is very punk. And it's like cool. I just want to I think it'd be cool just to throw this on the way is like, Alright, cool, go for it. And it was just something he wanted to do and experimentally, why not throw it on there? We just, I think the rest of the record gives you kind of like a I think it was just like I don't know. I really don't know you'd have to ask Ben but I think it was just him. I think it was him and him screaming and shouting and stuff on it to like just get it out a little bit you know, but like,

Chuck Shute: 30:13

I hope you do that one live that would be cool to see. I feel like that would get the crowd going for sure. Yeah. Well, we'll see. We'll see if we can have the setlist picked out yet. Like you know how many new songs we'll be doing?

Sam Bettley: 30:24

Yeah, we're doing some new ones. Man, the setlist like I said we've been talking so much back and forth. And like we let me see I've got on my phone here the setlist because we've been going, changing it and stuff. But I'm not even opposed to even selling you what the setlist is gonna be like in this next tour because we're throwing old ones in the sets, as well as new ones. As this record is an embodiment of all of our work. We think that going out there and touring it, it's only justified to play some of the old ones that people want to hear to like stuff that you wouldn't even think Danny would ever do again, like heavy heavy off the first few records because everyone kind of I get I see online like oh, you know is like you can't scream or he's not doing you do cat screen minimize like, Dude, you were to you're here like that is on it. Like he's so ready to do some some heavy stuff again. And I think in the past, he's just not really. But we're finally at that point where we took the detail, we did what we needed to do and like back, you know, organically where we should be.

Chuck Shute: 31:16

So it was not more it was more that he wasn't that he couldn't physically sing like that it was just that he wasn't really feeling it, he was feeling it.

Sam Bettley: 31:23

And he didn't didn't enjoy it. And, and I think he probably recently would tell you that he certainly couldn't do it. But I think he was probably damaging himself in certain ways. But recently, he's taken up, he's been really looking into technique and making sure you can do it and consistently do it and make sure that he's not just going out there and getting people to the one screw in his voice. Because he's not just a heavy screaming vocals, he does love to sing and this dude should protect that because it's a talent. And it's something that I'll be protecting, if I could sing as well as scream and I love to sing, I wouldn't jeopardize my singing voice like I just so he's taking the time is at a point where he wants to do it. So that's a huge thing. You know, like, and, and he's taking the time to get his technique down a little bit and, and it's like James said it perfectly. It's like having a tool, and you've all kind of left, if you've got, if you've not used it for a long time you've left out in the rain, she's gonna get rusty, and it's not gonna work, but you need to sharpen the tools, you need to maintain them and you need to. And that's, you know, James has been releasing some playthrough videos on his social media recently, I've been playing some of the older stuff, and it's just getting his heel toe back in for his, you know, his crazy kick. This it's a tool, it's something that you should, and Danny has been, you know, sharpening his tools a little bit recently. And it's kind of cool to hear I've been I mean, you've heard the new record. And he's got a few few bangers in there. But like, we're even talking about doing old stuff, like I'm saying throwing some old stuff in the set, and really just giving people a taste of, of asking, like, old and new. We're not just going to turn our back on old stuff anymore. And

Chuck Shute: 32:58

is there certain songs that have been fan requested for a long time that you guys have refused to play that now you will

Sam Bettley: 33:05

not all of us I will play I would gladly play any song anytime. I'm not that guy like, but I think like a prophecy. You know, like a final episode we do that because it's one that people just love to hear. And, you know, I'd have to look at the set just for me to tell you which ones we've we've, we've gone with but there's there's old ones man like you know, even things like breathless and killing you and like from like the second record and third record and stuff like it's a bit of a head full because like I've played some of the songs in years, and I'm like, Okay, how many guitars are we bringing out? Because every single record is in a different tune in and it's you got to think logistically, how do you actually put that together? We all bring out like, so we've like we

Chuck Shute: 33:54

have a guitar tech or bass tech, like tuning them in between Yeah,

Sam Bettley: 33:57

or you can you can you can we go through x effects. So you can like pitch shift a little bit on the X effects digitally. But if you start doing that, like too much, it starts messing with it a little bit. And it's key, and I don't really like doing that.

Chuck Shute: 34:10

So we use tape or anything like that, right? No.

Sam Bettley: 34:13

So it's like we've got we're going to know it. So we're going straight through aspects, but we're going to maybe do a little bit transposing here and there just to kind of meet in the middle without having to change it live too much. But it's if anything, it just sounds heavier.

Chuck Shute: 34:28

Okay, how many songs do you guys play? Because you're on this upcoming tour. There's a there's three other bands with you.

Sam Bettley: 34:36

So I'll just count it. So yeah, we're doing I think like 16 songs like 1516 songs. It's a good set like it's a good one. Yeah, nice. There are you know, we're going to try and squeeze in we're trying to give people what they want. CMA, Danny, show up talking. We got another song to do, dude.

Chuck Shute: 34:53

Yeah, that's cool. Like so when you look back on. I mean, you've done so many other tours too and shows us Are other tours or shows that you've done that really stand out for you?

Sam Bettley: 35:05

Oh, this shows what in the history of doing shows

Chuck Shute: 35:08

a history of the whole band like I know you played with Guns and Roses. You played with corn you did the Warped Tour you played with Shinedown a couple of tours Godsmack I mean, what was this one? You did? You did a show with the original Alice Cooper band. I mean, this is like amazing resume here.

Sam Bettley: 35:21

Yeah, we've done all kinds of stuff, even like kind of the, like award shows can sometimes bring out some, some snacks that you don't see very often and like Avenged Sevenfold for me personally, when I grew up, I grew up listening to the event, you know, the event guys, like, they were like, my all time favorite band, you know, like, so when we got when we went on tour with those guys, it was that for me was just like, I'll never forget that because it was the point for me being like, realizing that was a huge eye opener for me to like, I'm actually on tour with the band that got me into doing what I want to do this, you know, and it was crazy. It was crazy. And it was a long time ago, we did that. But for me, I think that'll always be just like kind of a reminder that it's like, you know, you can actually do whatever the fuck you want to do as long as you dedicate everything to it. And it was that was the point for me. It was like, Well, I don't think he realized how much I love this band before I was in any band, you know, and it was just like, Damn, I'm and I'm on the other side of the world. Playing with these guys every night watching their show and just like listening to the songs I love and then so for me, I think we're probably doing the events tour and I mean even Slipknot or mayhem it was just crazy to see. We you know, a Motorhead these are we're going back to now to the point where my dad's showing me email had vinyl and and introduced me to metal and stuff. And I'm actually drinking. I'm drinking beers and I'm having lunch with them and hanging with them and actually discussing some of their history and some of their past and stuff. And I'm just like, wow, you gotta realize it at the time. And so you look back and you go whoa, that actually happened. Wait, so did

Chuck Shute: 36:57

you I thought I heard you guys somebody talking about did you do shows with Guns and Roses? I'm big guns. So yeah, we

Sam Bettley: 37:04

did. We did. We did a show in New York with with guns rose, the IZOD arena. And it was we think correct me if I'm wrong, but I think we were like in Orlando. And we got a call we were about we you know, we were not ready to do a show with guns rose and we just got the call. It's like hey, they want you to they want you to open up for them tonight in New York. Can you make it we're like we're going to London we've got all of our gear we're about to play a show. We can try and make it happen it's the crew have made it happen they I remember like seeing them just unloading this truck and trying to get it all fly ready and you know get get his there and we just got there within like, within the hour or something I remember it was just a mad mad 24 hours of going from London to New York and plane for plane with with them and it was a it didn't go down like it you know, you thought yeah, this is gonna be the best the biggest craziest thing ever we go out there. And this is like early on in our career. You know, again, we're the skinny skinny jeans long hair like you're playing to Guns and Roses fans. It was just like, too sad. But then they started getting into it, you know? And it was like, we turn around it's like cool sets done and then then we got no, play another one and we're like, we don't have another one. What do you mean? Well, x is noise play another one is like we don't have to play another one. Play it again play whatever you want to play play again, which like Alright, go back out and play some songs again. It was a super crazy show that I'll never forget because it was just like I never would I like I don't know like it's just to me it was just like it was weird. It was awesome. And I got to watch it and it was crazy and say we did it and it was just fly in fly out a whirlwind of a time but like even just down to the set and just trying to like make it work around like axles schedule and stuff because he didn't rock up until I lay it lay up the when they were supposed to go on in true axle fashion, you know, just meanwhile, we gone through our set like three times through a bunch of people that didn't even want to hear it once you played the same set just doesn't exaggerate. We did a few songs again, just because the time was like, give us but by a bit more time. It's like damn, alright, it's

Chuck Shute: 39:20

no and then what was the thing where you were supposed to play with Steven Adler and you're gonna jam Night Train, but then he just never showed up or something?

Sam Bettley: 39:25

No, we did. Actually we did. We went to his little practice. But well, we didn't do it live. We went and jammed with them. And again, this is a time this is in LA. This is a time where we were crazy. And I was probably one of the least crazy ones. And it was like Alright, cool. Here's your homework. It wants to fucking jam the song, this song, this song of appetite. And I'm just like, what's Yes, cool. I'm there doing that. I'm like, Yeah, okay, cool. I've got it down. And I showed up. I was the only one who had it down. Me and Ben. Right. We were all talking and he's playing. He's like Gemini is fit and I'm like, not feeling it. We're jamming together. And the rest of the guys I think Were just like partying the night before. And they just didn't realize like, if it was like a real thing or anything, and I think he got a little bit upset. He was just like, Oh, you guys are cool. What the hell's going on here? And it was just like any, any, it was just a bit like last minute thrown together and it didn't work out. But I still had a great jam with him. It was great. I had a great time.

Chuck Shute: 40:20

It would be interesting to hear your guys's cover of night train. That would be really cool, actually.

Sam Bettley: 40:25

Do you have a copy of that? No, I don't believe there is it was just a fleeting moment in the history books for us. And it's funny you brought that up because it's, you've taken me back to is the lockout. And yeah, it was like we went and did it within like the day before tour. I think this is funny because like, at that time, we always used to get curveballs thrown at us right before tour. We're prepping for tour. We're about to go and embark on our tour for the next six weeks. And then like, oh, the day before, you're going to do this. You're going to do this. Like we did the warrior show. I don't know if you saw that. It was like the Ultimate Warrior. The Wrestler? Yeah. Well, we did this boot camp. It's on YouTube. As soon as I was doing like a boot camp with him and it's the day before we go on tour and we're all just getting put through the wringer like he's like got chains around as we're doing push ups. He's gotten on a treadmill. But Danny and Ben Rocco that right before and they've got a bottle of wine, and they're just like, what? And he's like, that's disrespectful to me, motherfucker. I'm gonna put you through the hell. He's all on YouTube. And I'm just like, I lived. I watched it like not long ago. And I'm like, Oh, my God, look at these malnourished, skinny little kids that that are just at the time were just like, this the day before tour and what we're doing what we're doing what yeah, be here in like, two hours. I'm like, okay, cool. Meanwhile, the rest of the guys are on it, you know? And it's funny now, when I look back in on rest in peace story, you know, he was a legend in his own right. And it was a look back again. And I think, Wow, what a cool experience, you know?

Chuck Shute: 41:58

Yeah. Well, it sounds like a lot of experiences. And it sounds like you have a lot of clarity now and that you're, you sound very grateful for all this stuff. I think to me, that's the key to happiness. From what I've done all these people, I've talked to all these interviews, gratitude is really huge. And you have it seems like you have to have that in spades. Yeah,

Sam Bettley: 42:12

dude, how could you not How could I not, you know, I I still keep in touch with all my friends and family and stuff back in England. And even though you know, it's a huge sacrifice to be away from them all. But like, it's huge. Also a huge reminder. Because, like, of what I do get to do the life I do get to live and you never know, you just never know what's gonna happen. So again, I'm, I don't know if it's just a coming of age kind of bullshit thing, or I'm just like, starting to realize it. But I don't know. I've always been grateful man, I really have always been grateful for doing what we do. I just have never really kind of voiced it as much. That's great.

Chuck Shute: 42:48

Did you notice when you guys started to get success? Did you notice like your friends and family? Did some people treat you differently? Or did I

Sam Bettley: 42:56

know it was it was people that were our friends started treatments differently? You know, I remember I said, everyone thought we were a joke. And we said we were gonna go to America and we were and and yeah, all right, good work. Best. Okay, I've got storage where I was at college doing music technology with. That's where I met Danny and Cam we were all in the same class doing that. I lasted about three months because it was a shitty course that I will say all the tutors, all the teachers and it was just like JD bitter towards the music industry. So day one of us getting there. We're all bright eyed, ready to PA school. We're here to learn about audio. And then like, alright, alright, before we begin, just so you know, I've already here maybe two of you will get a job in the music industry. Okay. And it was just like, absolutely the most deflating first. And we just sat them out. And it continued for a few months of me just go into this course. But other than like, starting a band with Danny, because I've met him in the course and stuff and we're doing our thing on the side. Like, I was like, Dude, I'm not doing this. This is bullshit. I'm just gonna get a job. And I remember telling the to that lesson. So hey, I just wanna let you know I'm dropping off the course. But I wanted to give you a heads up you know, like, I think I've got like a week and then I'm gonna be out of he's like, no, no, just leave right now gal gal my lesson right now. And this this, he just like called me out in front of everyone's like, go and then if you think you think you want to gout gal. And I've remember looking around and Cameron was in the room. Cameron was in the class with his note. I'm just like, what? So all right, I wasn't trying to be rude or anything. I'm just telling you, I'm gonna go and do something different. And he kicked me out of the class. And years later, I got a I got someone reached out to me from your college, and he was a student and he's like, I really want to do I'm doing a piece on asking. I would love it if you could come to the college and, and speak to me a little bit about asking and I'm a huge fan. I was like, Yeah, of course. Of course. I'm doing music terminology. Like, oh, sorry, I did that costs, funnily enough. And I go up the stairs and into this classroom. The one that I got and by the way, when we all said that we were gonna go and start a band. All of the teachers were like laughing about it, they are good look, they've got a huge poster of us in this class, saying how we went to the went to your college. And you know, and I will say all the twos because a couple that there was a couple really cool teachers there are like and actually got to see them when I came back. One of them was called Chris. But we had like, seven teachers of colcrys. There, it was crazy. But the one that was wished the one that kicked me out and laughed, and the few of them didn't were there. But no I did my I went back and it was just cool. I spent an hour talking to this, this lad and in the room where I just got like humiliated for just standing up for myself going I don't really feel this is you know, I'm, it's not for me, I'm going out and, and then I found out that they were all laughing about us starting a band and going and going up to America. And now they're just like, fly in the flag, like we were, you know, they came here and I was just like blew my mind a little bit. Because that's not I'm not I'm not saying this to like discourage people that go to college. Because I went to speak to the lab, that was an issue. It wasn't about, you know, I could have been like, never going in there against who that but I did want to go and speak to him because he was a fan of the band. And he didn't know about any of this stuff. And if anything, maybe if I'd had something like that at the time when I was in office, it might have actually made me want to stay or maybe want to pursue it actually give some give some positive feedback. You can fucking do it. Don't let other people that are a bit bitter and tell you otherwise. You know, but it was cool. But again, going back to like, did people treat you differently? Like, yeah, people definitely. Definitely treat us differently. I'm really thankful that my friends and my family don't treat me any different. I think that keeps me nice and grounded. You know? That's awesome. I'm from Yorkshire. I'm from like, not the nicest part of your Yorkshire, like outside of your home. Like from Selby, like it's pretty blue collar really like you either get a trade or you go to the mines. You know, my my friends or my family or like, we go out and work you know, and so they'll keep you pretty grounded. And I'm thankful for that as well. You know,

Chuck Shute: 47:05

that's great. Good stuff. Well, the new album is well three of the songs are out now. The full album comes out August 25. Yeah, yep. And it's called Where do we go from here? Great stuff. I've heard the whole album. It's it's an amazing album. It's one it's probably one of my front runners for Album of the Year that I do every year. I always say the best album of the year. That one I also really like the new extreme album. It's I don't know if the same kind of music that people listened to Asking Alexandria, but I like both those bands. I always in promoting a charity or nonprofits or is our cause or something that you?

Sam Bettley: 47:37

Yeah, it was a Yeah, I think the one I wanted to pay for this one was a heart support. It's pretty close to my world. It's actually founded by folks of August Burns, red jailers. And yeah, I've been looking at what they've been doing over the years. And I think it's a great outlet for people that are dealing with like mental illness or even just need someone to speak to and they've got a great platform. And yeah, props to him for for using his platform for to benefit others because I've seen it over the years and they're doing great things. And yeah, there's you can go, they've even got an app, it's like an SOS app, if you feeling like you've got no one to speak to or anything like that you can go and check it out. It's called Heart support. And you can find them hotspot comm you can donate at support comm forward slash donate, which is a really great cause helping a lot of people shedding a lot of light on the stigma of talking about mental your mental health and your journey with mental health for by interviewing and speaking with band members and people that people look up to, you know, and it's, it's a great thing. And for me personally, I deal with a lot of anxiety as certainly a bit of depression here and there. But I'm actually quite a happy person on the whole, but anxiety cripples me sometimes to the point where I just feel like, you know, practicing to speak about it and be open about it and not ashamed of it. And I think it's a good thing. So I really want to give them props for hotspot. Yeah, it's a nonprofit. Yeah, that's the one right?

Chuck Shute: 49:06

I'll put that link in the show notes along with your website. People can clear your album or get it if it's already out when they're listening to this and then catch you guys on tour as well. Yeah, yeah. Great. Thanks so much, Sam. This is great. You did a great, great job. You should definitely do more interviews that I'd never heard before. So

Sam Bettley: 49:23

thank you, man. Appreciate it. I'm about to get my phone blown. Why did you say?

Chuck Shute: 49:28

All right. I'll see you on tour. Eliot. Thanks. Thank you for taking the time to listen to the full podcast episode. Please help support our guests by following them on social media and purchasing their products whether it be a book, album, film or other thing, and if you have a few extra dollars, please consider donating it to the favorite charity. If you want to support the show, you can like share and comment on this episode on social media and YouTube. And if you want to go the extra mile you can give us a rating and review on Spotify, Apple podcasts or Google podcasts. To finally, make sure you're subscribed to the Show on YouTube for the video versions and other exclusive content. We appreciate your support. Have a great rest of your day and shoot for the moon.