Tax The Heat at Download with eFestivals

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

We caught Tax The Heat for a quick catch up as soon as they walked off stage at Download.

Did you enjoy playing to the Download crowd?

Amazing. It was so much fun, so much fun, it couldn’t have been better. We got to the stage and it was fairly busy but by the end it was packed out. The crowd was so receptive and welcoming.

You have been described as looking like The Beatles, how would you describe your image?

I think it’s an extension of how we want to dress. It is definitely an image we came up with for the band. We wanted something that pulled us together as a group of people and it puts you in the mindset of being Tax The Heat when dressed in that gear.

We are based on late 60s and trying to capture that amazing energy like the kinks, the Who, the Rolling Stones. We are trying to put that back into rock n roll.

How would you describe your music?

Groovy, heavy, nasty, nice, honky. We try to capture an energy as well as a sound.

When can we expect to see you on tour?

We are going on tour with Black Star Riders (ex-Thin Lizzy) in July. But at the moment we have no headling tour.

Your latest single 'Fed To The Lions' seems to have received critical acclaim. Does this create a sense of pressure on you to ensure the next single is just as successful?

Not particularly, that is from the EP, and so we have lots of material ready for the album, so it doesn’t really put us under pressure. It has been really well received and to be honest the aim is to get people to hear what we are about.

Do you have any advice for bands that are trying to become successful like yourself?

You have to be really passionate about music. Don’t expect too much from music. If you are in it to make things happen then you are maybe doing it for the wrong reasons. However if you are in it to make great music and have some worth to your craft then things might happen.

Are you going to be trying to catch any other bands?

Aerosmith, we are actually on the bill with them at the Calling Festival in a couple of weeks.

Would you play Download next year if offered a slot?

Yes sign me up now. It’s the best crowd of any festival.

Tax the Heat's latest single 'Fed to the Lions' is available to buy now.

interview by: Luke Seagrave