Recommended Aussie Tunes:Psycroptic | The new single "A Fragile Existence" | Listen

Interviews : “Right now, we pretty much feel like a well-oiled machine” – An interview with Richard Shaw (Cradle of Filth)

By on May 8, 2018

Cradle of Filth – Richard Shaw

Cradle of Filth is in Australia for a run of shows featuring the talent of Richard Shaw on guitar. Shaw is not your average heavy metal guitarist, given his credentials as a session guitarist and guitar teacher, he is a musician that could still find himself side of stage supporting an urban artist such as Janelle Monáe, or as one of the many guitarists performing in modern-day incarnations of Foreigner, Little River Band or other well-received legacy acts.

Only a few hours after landing in Sydney from Manilla, Shaw was keen to talk about the current global trek that Cradle of Filth has embarked upon.

“(The Philippine shows were) absolutely amazing. There’s something about the Asian crowds that is pretty cool. I think they’re just really passionate, they don’t get many bands like us that come over all that often, so they just get really passionate about it whether you’re playing a small club show or a big festival, they just seem well up for it.”

Performances in Asian markets are a particular point of interest to the writer, so it was great to hear that Shaw found the shows to be a positive experience.

Cradle of Filth is a band that have experienced multiple line-up changes through their quarter of a century existence. Given (frontman and band visionary) Dani Filth’s penchant for attracting outstanding musicians into the band’s fold, it isn’t surprising to hear that the tour has been going great guns for the band.

“Right now, we pretty much feel like a well-oiled machine. We’re getting to the point where we’ve done, including the UK tour that we did back in October or November (2017), we’re on course for probably 90 shows this world tour. We feel good, we feel positive. All the shows have been incredible, the fans have been great. “

As one of the few who witnessed the genius of Stuart Anstis (CoF guitarist ’95-’99) and the rest of the Cruelty and the Beast (’98) line-up perform the band’s first Australian shows in 1997, it was interesting to hear that the revered album will receive just recognition throughout these Australian shows.

“The Australian fans can expect one hell of a setlist spanning pretty much Cradle’s whole career. Obviously, we are pushing Cryptoriana (’17), the new album, so there will be a few songs from that, but at the same time, they go well with the old songs. It’s been 20 years of Cruelty and the Beast, it’s going to be a little bit of a tip of the hat to that as well. They can expect some high energy shows that go across the whole back catalogue of Cradle of Filth.”

Talking about the length of time between Australian tours, Shaw is keen to express the band’s desire to entertain and put on a great show for the fans.

“I know it’s been a while, this is mine and Ashok’s (Marek Šmerda- guitar) first time here because the last time Cradle was in Australia was 2013, and we joined in February of 2014. We still technically the new guys in Australia. It’s been a long time, we’re two albums in with this line-up, and it’s about time Australians got that, so we’re going to give them their money’s worth.”

Listen to the full conversation with Shaw here.

Catch Cradle of Filth on their ‘Cyptoriana’ Australian tour. Tickets via www.destroyalllines.com.

About

Andrew is a musician who has spent many years performing on the stages of the pubs and clubs of Queensland. A devotee of the broad church that is rock, punk, funk, jazz and of course all genres of metal... he now shares his enthusiasm via a burgeoning pursuit of music journalism. Follow him on twitter @andymckaysmith