Exclusive Interview with SUPERDAMNED

Jonathan Wilson is a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter from London. His project is called Superdamned. He previously performed and toured throughout the UK and Europe with different bands as a drummer, guitarist, and session keyboardist, which allowed him to play at venues like London Koko and the Royal Festival Hall as well as festivals like Glastonbury (John Peel Stage), Isle of Wight (Main Stage), Reading, and Leeds. Wilson sings and plays all the instruments on the album “First Blood” (due in 2023), including the guitars, drums, bass, and keyboards. Superdamned’s songs were written many years ago with the intention of being a live three-piece band rather than a solo artist, and they are now finally being released after being recently remastered at London’s Metropolis Studios. Grunge, punk, and 90s alternative rock bands like QOTSA, Placebo, Muse, and Foo Fighters are among the musical influences, which are frequently combined with the darker musical sensibilities of groups like The Cure and Depeche Mode.

The third and last single from the upcoming 2023 album “First Blood” is titled “Hypertension.” The music video for the release, which is available on Superdamned’s YouTube channel, is a dynamic performance. It is their highest energy and heaviest release to date. This song sounds like Queens Of The Stone Age going into cardiac arrest and being revived by the Foo Fighters using a defibrillator while being driven away by Thom Yorke. Check out the music video and the exclusive interview below:

1. Can you tell us a bit about where you come from and how it all got started?

SUPERDAMNED: Sure, I was born in Surrey in England but am also half-Iranian and spent many of my childhood years in Greece. Now I call South London my home. I had been playing live pretty much constantly in a number of bands in London as a drummer, guitarist or keys player ever since I went to Goldsmiths College (naively, having Brian Molko and Annie Lennox as alumni convinced me to go there). Eventually it felt like I was always playing for other people as opposed to for myself, and frustrated with a lack of creative outlet I decided to go it alone. Superdamned was always intended to be a band as opposed to a solo project.

2. Did you have any formal training or are you self-taught?

SUPERDAMNED: Both – I’ve had formal training on the piano but on guitar and drums I’m self taught. On vocals I’m absolutely self taught…can’t you tell?!

3. Who were your first and strongest musical influences and why the name ‘SUPERDAMNED’?

SUPERDAMNED: As far as guitar music goes, the bands and artists that really influenced me growing were Jimi Hendrix, Gn’R, Radiohead, Nirvana, Pumpkins, Placebo, QOTSA …I think to this day I’m still trying to create something melodic and ethereal but with this kind of heavy, riff based foundation. Superdamned as a name came about because it’s gone through so many ups and downs and starts, restarts, resets…it has totally felt as if the universe has firmly not been on my side! The whole thing has seemed kind of cursed or damned. Superdamned, if you will.

4. What do you feel are the key elements in your music that should resonate with listeners, and how would you personally describe your sound?

SUPERDAMNED: Well I can try to describe how I’d like to sound: melodic, vital, darkly romantic, energetic…somewhere between rock & grunge with a little bit of dreamy headspace on top. You probably won’t think it sounds anything like that…

5. Creative work in a studio or home environment, or interaction with a live audience? Which of these two options excites you most, and why?

SUPERDAMNED:

The two scenarios are very different; interaction with a live audience can be a lot of fun and really rewarding whilst it’s happening, but it’s also ephemeral because that feeling dissipates as soon as you walk off the stage. Being in the studio at least gives you the opportunity to create something that hopefully will last, and it is really exciting the first time you hear a new mix of a song that you’re proud of. Musicians will flagellate themselves in the studio for days fighting tooth and nail over tiny little details just to yield 4 minutes of music that most people won’t even hear. But I wouldn’t want to remain an exclusively studio based band, which is why I’m putting together a live act for 2023.

6. What’s your view on the role and function of music as political, cultural, spiritual, and/or social vehicles – and do you try and affront any of these themes in your work, or are you purely interested in music as an expression of technical artistry, personal narrative, and entertainment?

SUPERDAMNED:

That’s a good question. I think of course popular music has a huge influence on and is influenced by political and cultural changes: like Plato said musical innovation is a danger to the state because of the eventual effect it has on its laws. But I don’t think overtly political sentiments expressed through music always make for good art and I think there are only a handful of bands who can pull that off without coming across as too self-righteous. Rage Against The Machine can for example, but they’re just incredible on every level. I would much rather express political points of view within the music subtly, I think the most important thing is to try and build an emotional connection with the listener.

7. Do you feel that your music is giving you back just as much fulfillment as the amount of work you are putting into it or are you expecting something more, or different in the future?

SUPERDAMNED:

Absolutely not. Recording my own music and doing literally everything myself has given me little more than heartache, headfuck and near financial ruin. Yet I keep returning like some sort of emotional masochist.

8. With social media having a heavy impact on our lives and the music business in general, how do you handle criticism, haters, and/or naysayers in general? Is it something you pay attention to, or simply ignore?

SUPERDAMNED:

Well I’m not successful enough yet to have any full blown haters. When using social media as a musician you have to get used to being ignored and being cool that – whatever, nobody owes you anything. On the times I do get a little negative feedback or troll-like messages, it’s like what Evelyn Waugh said and I’m paraphrasing: when I’m abused I think they’re an arse and when I’m praised I think they’re an arse! Fact is no one can criticize me as much as I criticize myself so it has zero effect on me.

9. What has been the most difficult thing you’ve had to endure in your life or music career so far?

SUPERDAMNED: In terms of music career just being on the cusp of getting signed a couple of times in the early days and then getting dropped, having to start over again countless times, bankrolling everything myself, having to put the whole thing on hiatus yet again because life and responsibilities take over and pull you in different directions, the usual. I never complain though, it’s all par for the course.

10. On the contrary, what would you consider a successful, proud or significant point in your life or music career so far?

SUPERDAMNED: I’ve played some pretty big UK festivals (like Glastonbury, Isle of Wight, Reading/Leeds) as a sideman musician, which ought to be a defining moment but to me my fondest memories from those experiences are from backstage. Not necessarily hanging out with, but being in the same artist’s space as, Florence and The Machine, Doves, queuing to get in to Glastonbury with Fucked Up, getting lost and following Tim Burgess from The Charlatans because he knew the way to the bar…funny little memories like that are pretty cool. The proudest moments in my life are all non-music related anyway.

11. Do you think is it important for fans of your music to understand the real story and message driving each of your songs, or do you think everyone should be free to interpret your songs in their own personal way?

SUPERDAMNED: I absolutely feel songs and all music in general should be there for you to interpret in your own personal way – and even if there is no grandiose concept behind a song that shouldn’t preclude you from enjoying it. If someone asks me what the message is behind a lyric I’ll tell them, but as a listener myself I don’t want to be limited in my engagement with a song by having to receive it through the lens of the writer’s idea – that part is kind of up to me to figure out. Think of how many millions of fans there are around the world who adore bands with songs sung in English but don’t speak the language themselves. I think I can probably articulate myself much better through sound than through words anyway.