Losing your frontman is a predicament that no band wants to face, especially when you are on the verge of becoming one of the biggest acts in your home country.
Sydney metalcore giants Northlane found themselves in this situation 18 months ago when vocalist Adrian Fitipaldes announced his immediate departure from the band due to health reasons. Many groups find it almost impossible to recover from these situations, yet Northlane managed to not only find a replacement for Fitipaldes, but they exploded back onto the scene with their latest release Node, which topped the ARIA charts upon release.
We chat with the newest member of Northlane, Marcus Bridge, to learn more about the man who seamlessly slotted straight into Australia’s number one metalcore band.
How and when did you start singing?
I started singing when I was in year ten. I hadn’t really done too much before but a friend of mine was doing a music performance and they needed someone to sing it, and I was in the right place at the right time so they asked me. After experiencing that feeling of singing with a band and making music I started doing a lot more of it. It progressed from there. I tried to get better, and here we are.
What influenced you in those early years?
One of the first albums I really got into was Define The Great Line by Underoath. It was just one of those albums. It came with a ‘making of’ DVD, and pushed me to want to play music. I used to play drums as well and I loved watching videos of Aaron Gillespie, the band’s drummer. I used to watch videos of him drumming all the time.
What inspires you lyrically?
I listen to a lot of different music. Josh [Smith, guitar] and I collaborated with the vocals on Northlane’s last album, Node. Josh in particular played a big part in the lyric writing. I grew up listening to a lot of pop-punk. Panic! At The Disco is one of my favorite bands. They have a lot of weird lyrics, and that had a big influence on me. Lyrically, the stuff I write is very personal. It’s usually a bit sappy [laughs].
How do you approach the vocals when writing a Northlane song?
Josh worked closely alongside our producer Will Putney on the vocals for Northlane’s last album, Node. Those guys would grind through my lyric ideas and pick up little things, and I would chuck my two cents in here and there. Once we had the foundation of a song, Will and I would mess around with different melodies and experiment with different vocal textures.
What are the best and worst parts of touring?
The best thing is being able to travel the world with four or sometimes more of your best friends. Visiting crazy parts of the world where people are singing the songs you’ve written; it’s pretty insane. We were in Japan about a month ago and that was an insane experience. It is so different there compared to anywhere in the world. On the downside, being on the road all the time is exhausting. Being away from home all the time is hard. I miss hanging out and relaxing with friends during that time. But you know, we’re lucky to do what we do and it is a lot easier than most jobs, that’s for sure. I can’t really complain [laughs].
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen backstage?
When we toured with Volumes, they did a lot of strange things all the time. The best way to describe the members of that band is they are just like a reality TV show, but in real life. They are awesome, but very intense sometimes. They’re just very Los Angeles.
[Marcus Bridge photo by James J Robinson @ Aevoe]
What’s the strangest thing you’ve seen onstage?
We played a show a few weeks ago in Perth, as part of a regional tour. The show started out pretty tame. The crowd was calm for the first couple of bands, but when we came on it got out of hand. People were so drunk and there wasn’t a stage barrier. People were onstage, rolling over our equipment and spilling their drinks everywhere. One guy vomited on the front of the stage. Jon [Deiley, guitar] kept having the power to his pedal board disconnected from the crowd trampling all over it. We even had to cut a song because we were worried all our stuff would get broken. It was a lot of fun.
Do you have any pre-show rituals?
Not really. I spend about half an hour warming up. Usually I just eat Doritos.
What have you been listening to lately?
I have been listening to that new Kendrick Lamar album Untitled Unmastered, which is sick. The new Architects song is pretty mad also. I’ve been spinning the latest EP from Sydney band Polaris a heap. I have a sneaky guest appearance on a song, but I promise that’s not why I listen to it [laughs], it is just a great EP.
What’s your favourite thing to wear onstage?
Converse was kind enough to give me these tight new white and grey Chuck Taylors. They are heaps comfy, and they have a bit more of a sole than the older style – they really help my flat feet [laughs].
Quick fire questions:
Creativity is… Everything?
Performing is… Breathtaking.
My favourite person is… Oh, man. That’s hard. I’m going to say [UFC fighter] Conor McGregor, just because I have been watching videos of him. He’s mad! Even though he lost he is still like, “I’m going to keep doing my shit.”
Favourite food… Burgers. Grill’d in particular.
My dance jam is… Anything by Michael Jackson.
In 2016 I’ll be… This, hopefully.
Converse has taken its creative game to the next level with the release of the latest incarnation of the Chuck Taylor All Star II. Marcus Bridge [above] wears Chuck Taylor All Star II Reflective Camo sneakers, $130. converse.com.au
