Solitary’s Rich Sherrington Answers Our 10 Questions Of Biblical Proportions

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Flying the flag for UK Thrash Metal, Solitary have been thrashin’ hard and fast for over 20 years now….and their commitment to the cause is paying off! With a new album in the works and an increasingly high profile, the timing seemed perfect to throw 10 questions of biblical proportions frontman and guitarist Rich Sherrington’s way….

1. So….what are Solitary up to then?

“Since you caught us at Wildfire Festival we’ve signed with a new management company Imperative Management and we’ve begun recording our new album. We also built our own studio last year using the money we’ve made as a band. We felt that it would work better for us to have 24/7 access to a recording facility than booking a set period in the studio when the album was ready to be tracked. Because we’ve reduced the recording costs significantly its given us the scope to be able to approach the more established producers to mix the finished product. We contacted a number of people who we thought would be incredible to work with – as expected most of them ignored us – but amazingly Simon Efemey (Napalm Death/Paradise Lost/Amorphis) said he would be up for it, so we are tracking the instruments at our place with his guidance and then I’m going into Chapel Studio’s to do the vocals. To have him work on my vocal delivery is too much of an opportunity to pass by, when you consider what he achieved with Nick Holmes on Icon and Draconian Times.”

2. Which album/artist/gig/experience made you first realise you ‘Worshipped’ Metal?

“I can tell you the moment that made me decide I needed to become a musician and be in a band…I won a competition in the local paper in 1990 to spend the day with Xentrix when they recorded Dilute To Taste and that was it, an incredible life changing experience for me. Xentrix were my favourite band and, much to my parents disappointment, from that point onwards Metal ruled my life! Xentrix were ace with me and so, as I got older, I went all over with them. Sadly, when they called it a day, I’d just started Solitary so we kept the flag flying for Preston Metal but then incredibly, 20 years later, Chris phoned me and said they were getting back together and would we like to play a handful of shows with them. I also got to see them play to 20,000 people in Belgium which was was amazing and a special moment to me to see my mates finally get the recognition I felt they deserved back in the late 80’s.”

3. Name the one album that epitomises Heavy Metal over all others.

“Reign In Blood for me”

4. Which guilty pleasure album do you listen to the most? Be honest now.

“I really like Sevendust’s acoustic album Time Travellers & Bonfires, I don’t own anything else by them though as there’s better Metal on offer than they serve up.”

5. You have one opportunity to introduce your band to the entire world, which album from your back catalogue do you blast them away with?

“I would say our live album “I Promise To Thrash Forever” as it encapsulates what we are all about.”

6. You find yourselves booked on a mammoth, 12 month, non stop, around the world tour, what 5 essential items do you take with you in order to survive?

“iPhone – it has my tuner on it and I can stay in touch with everyone.
Kindle – I’d have to have something to read.
Some kind of device that could stream all the Everton Games.
Vocal Zones.
My Gigging bag that has all I need in it.”

7. What’s been your most memorable experience on the road?

“I think the wheel falling off the van on the way back from Newcastle takes some beating, considering we’d already had the AA out after we ran out of Diesel half an hour beforehand. The driver said that something wasn’t right and refused to drive it so we pushed a Luton Van full of gear, up a hill, on a blind bend of the A59 in total darkness. When the AA came out they jacked up the van and the wheel just fell off. He said, “I cannie believe you are all safe this is the most dangerous place on this road and you’s have a van with three wheels away man.”

8. You’re given the chance to handpick the ultimate 4-piece Rock and Metal supergroup (living or deceased). Who’s in the line-up?

“Chuck Billy, Phil Rind, Dave Lombardo & Scott Ian.”

9. Hard Rock and Heavy Metal is blatantly the greatest thing ever invented but what’s the second greatest invention of all time?

“Digital recording suites and the plugins that are available, I used Eric Peterson’s guitar sound on the demo’s we’ve done for the new album, that just blows my mind.”

10. It turns out Ozzy’s luscious long hair is imbued with time-travelling qualities and just one stroke of his lion’s mane can transport you back to any Rock/Metal gig of your choice. Who do you go and see?

“I really like Slammer and I only got to see the them the once, so to watch them again would be ace but if it was a gig I’d attended, I would say Clash of the Titans at the NEC in Birmingham.”