October 6, 2016 was a busy day in Asheville, North Carolina. Two small-scale downtown venues hosted shows while August Burns Red and Make Them Suffer were two crowd-drawing groups playing at one of the biggest venues in the city. The west side of town is home to a dive bar called The Odditorium, which graciously housed four bands on this Thursday night. The ticket featured two local groups and two touring bands.
Filth is based in North Carolina and, in the month of October, will be completing their sixth tour of 2016. Made up of four members, the downtempo quartet will be mentoring a younger band, Lordis, throughout their thirty-day run. Asheville was their sixth stop and I was lucky enough to sit down with the headlining group.
Pictured from left to right: Dustin Mitchell (vocals), David Gantt (guitar), Sean Britt (bass), and Tilly Huss (drums)
Odyssey: “How has tour been going so far?”
Dustin: “So great!”
Sean: “Tour is always awesome. It’s great to get away and play with cool bands.”
David: “Especially in the winter time when it isn’t so hot.”
Odyssey: “How long has your band been together?”
David: “We’ve been together since January of 2015. Going on two years.”
Odyssey: “You originated in Shelby, North Carolina. Was it difficult to be get started playing shows in a town that seems to lack a strong metal/music scene?”
David: “There’s no scene at all in Shelby. We have to travel at least an hour to play, at all. Anything in metal is difficult anyway. You know, if we were country we would probably be huge by now, because that’s what our area is all about.”
Odyssey: “What was the most crucial form of support that local fans provided for you, both during your beginning as a band and now, when you’re touring and providing music for a much larger fan base?”
Dustin: “It was really just our friends coming to shows and bringing people with them and turning them on to new stuff. A lot of our friends are into different styles of music, whether it be hardcore or deathcore or, like us, downtempo.”
Sean: “You try to do something that’s captivating and hope that your friends tell their friends, and so on. It’s really all about word of mouth. The best way our fans can financially support us, especially while we’re on the road, is by buying our merch.”
David: “If it wasn’t for merch sales, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do. We couldn’t be on the road without selling our shirts.”
Odyssey: “Do you think that social media has played a role in your success at all?”
Sean: “I have mixed feelings. It’s great because everything is so accessible. It also helps us while we’re promoting, so that we can reach more people. But social media outlets want to charge bands like we’re a business, but we’re just trying to play for kids who want to see us.”
David: “It’s making people lazy. No one has the work ethic or drive. People just create an event on Facebook, post a flyer, and that’s it. They don’t promote, they don’t hit the streets. There are just no street teams anymore. That stuff is gone.”
Dustin: “On the other side of that, the more of an online presence that we have, the more interaction we can get from fans. It’s definitely a give and take.”
Sean: “Promoting local bands is a community effort. We’re thankful for promoters and friends who put in the effort to get people to turn out for shows.”
Filth has a sister-band called Invoker. The members are almost exactly the same, but Invoker and Filth have different vocalists. The following answer includes information about both bands’ histories.
Odyssey: “Is this experience of being in a touring band what you thought it would be? Did you have different expectations going into it? How many tours have you been on?”
David: This year, we’ve been on six. In all… over or around twenty [including Invoker’s* shows].
Dustin: “My very first tour experience was horrible. This time, I knew more of what to expect so I could into it and take it for what it is. My first tour was bad, but with Invoker* and Filth it’s been much better. We have people who stuck by the book, like David, and things go smoothly.”
Sean: “We’re really only home for about four months of the year. We’re so thankful for everyone who has been sticking that out.”
Odyssey: “Are you in a place where your music is something you can make a living from? If not, what do you do for jobs that allows you to still prioritize making music and going on tours? (if this is the case)”
Sean: “This is purely fun. We have fans and friends that we want to play for, but you still have to pay bills.”
David: “The band is self-sufficient enough that we don’t have to put much money back into it. When we’re home, we still work. It’s not gravy yet. I run a local screen printing shop.”
Sean: “I work at the local venue and I’ll have shows where David has done everyone’s merch. It’s the David Gantt showcase.”
Odyssey: “What have you learned since starting your music careers that you wish you had known in the beginning?”
Sean: “Just don’t be scared. Do what you want to do; a lot of people have blinders on when it comes to doing what they do. Don’t inhibit people from having a good time. Everyone’s scared about their finances but, honestly, just buy the concert tickets or go on tour. What’s the worst thing that could happen? [Being on tour] is an incredibly humbling experience and I think that anyone who wants to do it, should just go and do it. That’s really it.”
Dustin: “You learn a lot from just meeting people, too. You learn humility. People have a lot of different things to bring to the table. You have to take what they can give you and add it to your own arsenal so you can be better.”
David: “There are a lot of experiences that can be crammed into just six dates of a thirty-day run.”
Odyssey: “Additionally, what do you hope to teach up-and-coming bands who are looking up to you guys as role models?”
David: “Pack plenty of underwear and socks and do it. Grab a group of good guys, practice every day, and don’t give up.”
Sean: “Invest in good gear, please. Don’t play crap. Find a good group of dudes and get good gear. If you don’t like the people you’re playing with, you’re not going to want to do it anymore. Gear and good guys. And don’t leave your parents because they’ll take care of you. You’ll be in California, talking to your mom on the phone while you cry about how scared you are. Mom and Dad will always have your back."
The Odditorium, pictured above, was filled with an estimated 35-50 guests the night of Filth's stop in Asheville. They performed an amazing set that struck an energetic chord within the fans who came out to support them. It was an amazing, educational experience to hear from a group of creative men. Next time they're in town, we'll be sure to hear more from their drummer, Tilly, who was busy assembling his kit as the band prepared their gear to go on stage.
Check out Filth here and here!
