James caught up with Dear Superstar to talk about their past, their current album and plans for the future.

We last spoke to you 4 years ago when you were supporting Firewind in September 2008; “Heartless” had just been released back then. What are some of the most notable things you’ve got up to since then?
Micky: Well that Firewind tour was really our first tour; it almost felt like a beginning for us. After that we did the Papa Roach tour UK and Europe, Download and Sonisphere, it was like every corner we turned something better was waiting for us around the next. We’ve just been really blessed, we’re toured and toured and toured before of course our new album “Damned Religion” just came out and now we’re doing the same thing to try and promote it.

On that tour I was in attendance and you stated that before being added to that tour you were going through some rough times, can you explain what you meant?
Micky: We were skint, we’d just been ripped off by our management and a record label so we were kind of on our arses back then. We’d written this album and we had nobody to release it but it was all recorded, we raised everything we could Smeth even sold his house and his car, we sold guitars, begged and borrowed just to get on the road and sort the album, we still didn’t have a record deal or anything because we’d ran out completely but everything then picked up with opportunities coming at us.

Considering everything you’ve done since then is it safe to say things are better for you now?
Micky: Still skint but we’re getting some money and the transports better, it’s all a case of selling those records now and getting as much exposure as we can.

You’ve just had a new bassist, what was the reason for the previous bassist leaving?
Mickey: The other guy fell off a cliff and died sad story. Shall we go with that? Ok he was eating too much and we’re very fatist, nah I’m joking. He just wanted to do other things, which is cool and we’ve found Ben who’s an instant member of the band and he kills it. Well he’s alright haha.

Which musician recorded bass on the latest album?
Smeth: Ben the new guy.
Milton: We’d started to demo some stuff and when Ben came in we scrapped it and started fresh, let him have his way haha.

Smeth: He’s a talented guy he picks up on stuff really quickly and it’s all by ear.

Minge: It’s like having an actually musician in the band.

Smeth: Yeah just 1 haha. Yeah he just fit in straight away the writing and recording process with him was really good so good times for Dear Superstar.

Speaking of the new album “Damned Religion”, how has this been received by fans and press?
Micky: I believe Rocksound gave us the most ill educated review I’ve ever read in my life, the rest of it has been wicked; Metal Hammer gave us a great one the other day. It’s overall been received really well which we’re pleased about because it was a lot of hard work and it’s good to see it pay off.

What’s spurred this much darker sound from you guys?
Smeth: Our touring history haha.

Micky: When we were writing and recording “Heartless” it took us 5 weeks getting wrecked in Cardiff so it reflected that sort of behaviour, with the new one we were locked in a studio for 18 months with no windows so we put everything we had into it.

You’re currently on tour with Kill Hannah, the first show was last night in your home city, how did that go?
Micky: Hometown shows are always great for us. We haven’t played a show since December which for us is a long time 3 months, so to get back out there and unleash that energy and have everyone get into it as much as they did was amazing.

You’ve pinpointed a lot of bad moments, what would you say your best moment as a band has been?
Micky: I’d say playing download nothing really compares to playing donnington.

Smeth: Seeing our new album actually in shops after all the hard work really makes you feel it’s all worth it.

What are your plans for the rest of 2012?
Micky: Touring, we’re spending a lot of time in Europe, we’re going there for a few weeks with our friends Glamour of the Kill and Yashin, then we’re coming back for a while doing something in May, then back to Europe in June, after that hopefully places like America and Japan where our albums just come out if all goes to plan.

One last random question that we ask every band, if you could be an animal out of a zebra or Giraffe which one would you be and why?
Milton: I’d pick a giraffe just not to be the short one and I could easily look down girls tops.

Minge: But looking up their skirts would be dead obvious!

Micky: I’d be a zebra because a horse never changes its spots.

Ben: So wise, I don’t know where it comes from.

Micky: Thanks, I’m like Buddha but a brown one, oh. I’m just Buddha [Everyone Laughs]

Thanks for your time, is there a message for your fans reading the interview?
Micky: Come to see us, get a copy of the album, learn the words and sing it with us.

Interview by James Webb