Hi Ed’ thanks for taking time out from your busy schedule to talk once more to Hard Rock House. Last time we caught up with you was to talk about your last solo release “Moonfudge” but this time finds us chatting about your latest release “Tyranny Of Minority” (Lion Music) which is a full blown band release under the name of Vendetta. Are you taking a break from solo material or is music in a band format your new preference? 

EB - I think the band format is certainly my preference at present. I’m not saying that I won’t do solo material again but the amount of exposure, gigs and feedback you get from doing vocal material is far greater than instrumental guitar music. I also shot my bolt on my last album. It was time to appeal to more people and stop fret wanking! 

Ed Box

Can you tell us more about the members of the band and how you all came together for this project? 

EB  - Gary was the bass player in my old bands XLR8R and Arch Stanton and Pete is a friend of many years. Local people may remember him from Roswell and Strangething which featured H from Acid Reign on vocals. Mick Robson played the drums for the recording but we have a new drummer called Lee Lamb who has already proved himself to be a major asset, particularly in the live environment. Lee used to play with Newcastle based metalers XF11. 

The album features some great slabs of classy hard rock. The riffs are focused and a major part of the songs and there are plenty of smokin’ guitar solos. When the album began to take shape in your mind did you have an idea of what you wanted it to sound like? 

EB - This is the most focused I have ever been on a recording and probably for the first time in my musical life, I had a precise idea of how I wanted it to sound and what shape all the songs would take. I wrote around 18 songs for the album. Originally I was thinking of doing a more pop metal thing like TNT because I thought it would suit my voice but then the call of traditional metal reared its head and I realized I had to push my voice and make the kind of music that I’ve always truly loved. Upon reaching this moment I decided to recruit Pete for the twin guitar attack and then Gary and Mick followed. It became apparent that a classic approach was what was needed! 

You have got a great guitar sound on this album. Could you tell us a little about where the album was recorded, the recording process and the equipment you used? 

EB - The album was recorded at Trinity Heights Studio and was produced by myself and Fred Purser. Mick used his usual Pearl kit and Gary used a Trace Elliot head and cab along with his trusty Fender bass. Pete used a combination of a Marshall head, Laney valve combo and a Peavey solid state combo for his rhythm. His lead tone was boosted with a Zakk Wylde overdrive and the Laney was boosted with a Boss Distortion. I used the peavey combo, a mesa Boogie dual Rectifier and a peavey 5150 combo. We are terrible for blagging gear but it is essential to blend different tones and sounds!  I used a Boss distortion to smooth out my lead tone and to boost the signal, which can get weaker when linking a lot of amps together. The bass and drums were recorded together along to a click track and all guitars, vocals ect were done separately. We have always recorded this way. 

When did the song writing start for this album,  Are some of the songs ideas ones you’ve had hanging around for a while, or were the songs fresh compositions? 

EB - The writing started in February 2005. I had just got a copy of Angel of Retribution by Judas Priest and a few days later I had the main riff to Generation Kill and it all spread from there. The last songs to be written were Doorways of the Mind and Plastic God and these were completed around April/May 2006. 

Vendetta is a two-guitar band. How did you decide who took the solos within the songs? 

EB - I basically worked out all the solo progressions and then we tried some different things in practice. I was determined that we would both get a fair shout because sometimes in two guitar bands one guitarist ends up getting loads more solo’s that the other. I think it pans out about 55% me and 45% Pete on the album which I think isn't too bad. There were a couple of solo’s I took myself because I felt they would suit my playing but I tried to carve things up so each solo would build on the other. I also deliberately avoided doing fills and extra solos so each song would have one standout solo with a strong sense of composition to it. We wanted solos that moved the song forward. Some songs have little thematic lead parts at the start such as Lost Cause but on the whole all the lead breaks come in the middle of the song. 

Do you think playing with another guitarist has helped you raise your game? 

EB - Playing with other guitarists always raises you game. I’ve been lucky recently to not only play with Pete but to be around some of the best guitarists in England such as Andy James, Simon Lees, Chris Francis, Owen Edwards, Guthrie Govan and Phil Hilborne so this has the effect of making you nail it! I also played with Dave Moore in the past and he is awesome. Jamming jazz with Jimi Savage at 9 o’clock in the morning also keeps you on your toes! 

I’ve listened to the album a lot and have to say, lyrically, the album makes a lot of social comments in their subject matter. Are the songs based on real life experiences or did you just find there was a lot you wanted to say? 

EB - Where lyrics are concerned I don’t always have a clear idea of what I’m going to write but I usually come up with a chorus or a title and take it from there. Obviously there are some subjects that are close to my heart but metal has always had a high degree of social protest about it that is not always accounted for in the mainstream media. I’m not afraid to write typical metal lyrics, such as No Safe Hole, as it is all part of the genre but on Tyranny of Minority I have tried to do that but mix in some interesting subjects that perhaps add a bit more spice such as credit card culture (Plastic God) and urban violence (Generation Kill).

The album also sees you stepping up to the microphone and supplying lead vocals. Some of the guitar parts are at times fairly involved. Have you had to work at singing and playing at the same time or does it come easily to you? 

IEB - t is hard to sing and play some parts but I got a lot of practice in XLR8R and Arch Stanton. Sometimes I won’t play on a verse for ease and then I will come in on the bridge for maximum metal impact! It’s a lot easier when the riffs are on the beat but if the part is heavily syncopated, such as the verse of I Executioner, then it can be very hard. 

Did you ever consider bringing in a lead vocalist? 

EB - I toyed with the idea but after much soul searching I realized it was going to be easier if I did it myself. It was a challenge and I hope that I rose to it but the proof of the pudding will be in the reviews and if they like my lead vocals. This will be the acid test of Ed Box lead singer. If they think I’m shit then I will sack myself in the style of Alan Sugar! 

Some of the guitar solos on this release are explosive and wonderfully arranged. I personally love the sequence of solos on “Plastic God”. Did you write the solos or was it a case of plugging in and going for it? 

EB - I always compose all my solo’s but Plastic God was actually one I struggled with so I’m glad that you like it. All the harmonies are worked out in advance and Pete will usually have some idea of what he wants to do but he is more of a go for it guy than I am. I would say that Pete improvises to a certain degree and this creates a really good contrast with my structured approach. 

Were there any tracks during the recording sessions which gave you problems and had you wondering if it would ever turn out how you wanted it or did all the songs pretty much come together without too many headaches? 

EB - It was probably the easiest recording experience I have ever had.  There were no glitches and pretty much everything went smoothly apart from a couple of tuning issues and drum parts. 

Which song (s) on the album are you most pleased with and why? 

EB - I think the last track Window of the Soul because all the elements I had in mind came together. We went for an epic feel on that one. 

I think the music on the new album is tailor made for the live environment. Has the band been able to get out and perform? 

EB - Yes we have played around half a dozen gigs and we hope to get further a field in support of the album. 

With that in mind, which songs have given you the most satisfaction to play live? 

EB - The best song to play live is No Safe Hole because I can get down to some good old headbangin! 

We’ve known each other for many years now and share an appreciation for classic hard rock bands like Saxon, Judas Priest and Thin Lizzy. I can sometimes hear you wearing your heart on your sleeve on some of the tracks. Were you consciously trying to tap into that bygone era or was it just something that happened? 

EB - It was definitely a conscious decision. For too long now we have all been trying to keep abreast of trends so it was a case of fuck it. Let’s be a bunch of old bastards! 

We talked about your musical heroes and inspirations in our last interview but I’m going to put you on the spot now and ask if you had to name one guitar player and one hard rock band that have most inspired you who would they be? 

EB - For guitar it would have to be George Lynch. His tone and his phrasing continue to inspire me. His solos on the Under Lock and Key album are perfect. As for a band it would have to be Judas Priest. They are simply the best metal band ever and their recent comeback was instrumental in the creation of Vendetta. 

Finally have you any message for the readers of HardRockHouse?  

EB - Buy the Vendetta album Tyranny of Minority. A little bird tells me that it rocks big time!

Vendetta's debut album, Tyranny Of Minority is out now on Lion Music. You can read the HRH review of the album via this link and to find out more about Ed and the band you can visit their website at www.vendetta-theband.com