Our intrepid mountain climbing, beer drinking, Metal loving, and all over great bloke of a guy Meddlefan had the opportunity to have a chat with another bloody awesome bloke by the name of Mark White, who just so happens to be in the fantastic Warlord (UK)! Read on, this is some good stuff as always!
Hello Mark, thanks for doing this little interview man. What year did you start Warlord U.K.?
Hi Robert, Thanks for the questions and wanting to do this interview with me. Right here goes !!
Warlord UK started in 1991 in Kings Norton Birmingham England, from an idea that come to me after being listening to The Head Of David & Amebix, also from reading Michael Moorcock’s books of The Chronicles of Elric.
Who is your largest influence in your life when it comes to music?
Amebix & Killing Joke without doubt !! I like a vast amount of music from Neil Diamond to the Sex Pistols to Joy Division to Napalm Death. It was Joy Division who made me pick up the bass in fact I was homeless when I started to get into music, I could not afford a bass but I managed to buy a second hand acoustic guitar, I removed two strings and that become my first bass! I’d sit and play along to Peter Hook’s bass lines all day. I was into Punk well before Metal. Then come along Amebix with there Crust Punk Metal and Killing joke with there blend of Post Punk and sheer power. Soon to follow was Massacre, Entombed and legends Slayer!!
What approach do you take when writing your music?
My approach will sound crazy to people but when the time comes to sit and write a track first I have to totally clean my apartment, once that is done my mind is clear. I pick a film that I now well so its just there in the back ground something like a good old Sherlock Holmes film with Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce (classic), Then endless mugs of tea & coffee and the journey of writing starts from there. I can see and hear the next part before I have played it, it becomes like a jigsaw puzzle slotting into place piece by piece. I never force the issue if it does not come naturally then I stop and go back to it later. Sometimes songs just pour out of you like “Graveyard Planet” I wrote that song in my head while I was driving, I got home and within 20 minutes it was done.
I know you love riding bikes. How long have you been riding?
I come into riding bikes pretty late, I have always been around people with motorbikes, establishments I went to, mates with bikes, worked along side other security doormen who had bikes so the love of the bike was always there but I think what prevented me getting a bike back then was I had also lost good friends to accidents on bikes and this played on my mind. Thankfully I took the step to owning a motorbike and I have been riding now for five years and I love it. My Kawasaki VN900 is awesome and any opportunity I have I will get on the bike. I drive for a living working for the Blood & Transplant Service so its nice to get out of the cage and get on the bike. One of the best things I ever did and I have made great new friends (brothers) in the bike world.
What is your favourite bike?
For me right now Kawasaki VN900 very pleased with it but one day id like to own a Harley Davidson Fat boy. I guess to me the VN900 is a poor mans Fat boy, maybe if we sell more albums I might get one -) A man can dream ….
What is the best place you have ever took a ride at?
That’s a hard one but if I was to answer that question later this year It would be my journey to Scotland as family on my partners side (Sarah) have moved there and there is talk of visiting them in the summer and I shall be going on the bike. There are some amazing places to ride around in Scotland so yeah that will be awesome.
Where is one of your favourite places to go in the world? Why?
Ah man I don’t know to be honest I am shit scared of flying so that limits things. Had a brilliant time when Warlord did a Euro tour with Benediction and visited some great places. I have been to New York that was cool the people in New York were brilliant! Sometimes fantastic places to visit are right on your door step. I have always wanted to play the USA and shoot some pool in one of those bars in the middle of nowhere, that would be cool.
Most of us all have families. How do you find time to get it all done?
Now there is a question! you know sometimes I wish there was 10 days in a week man because it hard!! As I have mentioned I work for the Blood & Transplant Service , Warlord does not provide a wage to live so I work full time that’s what pays the bills and puts food in my stomach. Many bands out there are the same so yeah its hard to get all the things done like Warlord’s new album, we are doing the whole album from start to finish ourselves, recording, editing, mixing, mastering, its time consuming but like everyone else we just get on with it and say its got to be done. Onwards & upwards just got to forge on.
When are you releasing the new record?
Ha ha!! That famous question we are always asked…. I am in the studio straight after doing this interview, I have thee more tracks to bass to, Gaz has the same on guitars & Brooks has just one to do. Then James (drummer) will be mixing the album once he has finished recording us. Then once its all done we will send the files to the record company then its down to the label to get the album pressed and they will set the date. The artwork for the album is awesome and the guy behind the artwork is (Alcides Burn) is a huge Warlord fan and his work is outstanding. So once all these things come together then it will be released. We had a few set backs towards the end of 2018, Gaz, Warlord’s axe grinder suffered a heart attack and we had to drop tools while he recovered. He is okay now thankfully and we are getting closer to finishing the album.
How long have you been working on this release?
Seems like forever!! Really and truly only since 2018. Mick Robbins left Warlord in 2018 and Brooks returned so we had to show him the new songs, he also brought stuff to the table, I still had new songs to bring in and show the lads plus Gaz had parts of songs. So it was a case of right lets stand back and see what we got here. Then there were sets for gigs to rehearse and bring Brooks up to speed. Then Gaz had his heart attack so yea its seemed like a long time to us, thing is with Warlord we work better under pressure why I don’t know but its always been the case. Main thing is it is coming and will be out soon.
What is your favourite cut of steak? How do you like it done?
Not really a steak person, I like chicken .
Tell us about some of your hobbies. Like building things from METAL!
Going out on the bike, doing my weights , spending time with Sarah & the family, watching films.
How many shows can we expect you guys to do this year?
Not sure but we have four festivals and two gigs in the bag at the moment and more to come I’m sure.
What is the greatest thing in your life right now?
So much good going on in my life to pick from right now but id say getting back in touch with my daughters Emily & Hollie…. I was once married and the separation was not as nice as it could of been and I didn’t get to see my daughters for 13 years …. They were three & five when I last seen them until November 2018 when contact was made. November 11th 2018 was an amazing day!
What is your greatest achievement?
Knowing that the emergency blood that I had just delivered saved someone’s life.
Where would you like to visit and ride your bike?
Anywhere and everywhere ….Being on the bike is the best stress pill in the world.
Favourite music artist?
Has to be Sid Vicious . He went against the grain, took no shit, does not matter he could not play the bass well but he looked the dogs bollocks!! What a legend.
What is your favourite breakfast?
Porridge or sliced banana & blueberries.
Can we expect to see you in the States at all?
Dude we would LOVE to play the states man !! That has ALWAYS ALWAYS been warlord’s dream. If there is anyone over there with cash on the hip to pay for the flight there and back, somewhere to sleep, someone to feed us & water us, we would play for free man!! \m/
If you drink alcohol what is your drink or beer of choice?
I drink loads of water as its good for the vocal but favourite beer drink has to be Guinness, sometimes I take pictures of my pint of Guinness lol, seriously i’ll sit there looking at in the glass, it looks awesome!! Sarah will say bloody hell mark just drink it!! I love the stuff man. I think I should buy two pints at a time so I can stare at one pint and drink the other!
Thank you Mark, that was pretty cool, we should do this again at some stage.
Thank you so much for the interview Robert I really appreciate it brother its been great man. Hope people like a little insight into how this Warlord ticks & fingers crossed we get to come over to the States I will buy you a Guinness !
Peace & love to all your all \m/etal family \m/.
And there you have it. More great stuff from two absolute champions, many thanks to them both, and here’s a link to some killer music from WARLORD UK!
https://warlorduk.bandcamp.com/album/maximum-carnage-classic-death-metal
The Metal Wanderlust 