Oxygen Thief talks to eFestivals at Download

Download Festival 2014

Friday 13th to Sunday 15th June 2014
Donington Park, Donington, Derbyshire, DE74 2RP, England MAP
£195 for five nights with camping

Daily capacity: 111,000

eFestivals caught up with Oxygen Thief shortly before his performance at Download Festival.

What can fans expect from your performance later this evening?

It will be amongst the heaviest rocking acoustic set, I play dropped tune metal, normally I’d say im the most heavy but Nick Oliveri is playing after me and he’s quite screamy, so I can’t claim to be the heaviest.

Do you feel under pressure playing on your own?

Not really, it’s kind of the opposite when I play in a band I have to make sure I do everything properly. Whereas if I play on my own if I mess something up, like a string breaks or something goes wrong then I can control everything and it’s kind of ok, you are a bit more free to improvise and mess around. Where as in a band the other guys are relying on you to do it properly.

Have you had time to catch any other bands?

Yes I saw a bit of Buckcherry earlier and I’m hoping to see Sepultura in a bit and hopefully get into the tent to see Dillinger Escape Plan later, and Nick Oliveri. I want to catch Aerosmith as well, it would be rude not to.

Can UK fans expect to see you on tour soon?

Yes starting next week I will be doing a full band UK tour opening for Mongol Horde, Which is Frank Turners side project.

Do you have any advice for anyone wanting to get a record deal?

Just do it, just do it alot. And do it because you enjoy it rather than trying to get any fame. It is easy to hear when a band are doing it for the love of music.

Oxygen Thief's new album 'The Half-Life of Facts' is available to buy now.

interview by: Luke Seagrave