What is the significance of the name All Demons Have Disciples?
When I first started writing the music for All Demons, I really wanted the theme to be ADHD-based and I regard the negatives, and the daft side of it as a demon. It’s almost a thing that you try to fight, but it sometimes gets the better of you – so, you are your own demon’s disciple. If everyone has their own demons – all Demons have Disciples, so I thought “it works” why not!
How does your ADHD affect you?
My ADHD isn’t always a bad ill-tempered thing to have! It can be useful like with music, and things I love. I can focus for hours even days with no, or lack of sleep and be super-buzzed still but at the same time it has effects, for me like mood swings, anger management problems, being self-centered and being abrupt.
There’s a lot to handle – many things! There’s a struggle of trying to balance that it’s a part of me and I’m not ashamed of it. For me, it’s also about not been too over the top and letting it dictate my life. It’s tiring, but not the worst issue in the world, so I push forward as hard as I can.
What are some of your coping mechanisms?
Music is my main coping mechanism! It keeps me calm, lets out emotions, and puts things into a way of explaining, I cannot in a conversation. It’s freeing mainly, but I also skateboard to keep me active and relax my mind and body. Also, I paint Warhammer to teach patience to myself and to not always rush. I play video games a lot to keep my hands busy, and not tapping all the time!
What advice would you give to other creatives, and musicians who have ADHD?
Embrace it, let it show you what you can truly do if you accept it and use it to your advantage!
Don’t always rush things sometimes it is important to be mindful of always checking over things! Always have faith in yourself, and be fearless but be smart and careful as well, we can get caught up in the excitement and loose our focus or drive, but your ADHD will help you in ways, if you learn to work with it not against it.
How do you define success as an artist now?
That depends on the artist’s view, and their perspective.
For me, knowing I made a impact to even one person with a song by helping them smile, mosh out, sing along, have a personal connection to the lyrics and, if it helps them not feel alone, that is how as a musician I measure my success.
To me, it doesn’t matter if I play to 10 people or 1000, if one person at a gig forgets about the shit going on in, or around their life, and just experiences that moment than I have done what I wanted. For me, that’s helping people live life, and enjoy themselves and be a part of something bigger.
What would you say your mission statement is as a band?
To let everyone know they are not alone, as well as that music is for everyone no matter of gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation!
If you have a disability, or anything we are all together and music is what does that, so watch out world cause we are coming to take over and then reconnect the world behind us!
What inspired the track ‘Run Home Boy’?
Run Home Boy was inspired by the problems with my ADHD and things like indecisiveness, depression and how every time I was outside at one point my brain would just tell me to run on home! So, I thought someone else must get what I mean by this, and wrote it down and it was one of the first songs made for ADHD – I love it! It reminds me what I’ve achieved mentally since I wrote it.
What motivates you outside of music, think specific people, places and movies, for example?
Outside of music, there are a few a major ones for me. One is the character Vegeta from the Dragon Ball franchise. The reason behind this, is he is very proud and hard working, determined to always be the best no matter what, he pushes himself to the brink and always comes back stronger. In that, for me there is a true determination and pride that I have always loved and aimed to find in myself.
I also admire Chris Cole, the skateboarder – he is a legend and the very best for me. He skates with such enjoyment and fun he never seems annoyed even when he fails or falls he tries again and again till he lands it, and also Dom you my friend are a big inspiration to me as well. You work so f***ing hard all the time, play amazing music and treat everyone so well, even with your own challenges, and life curve balls you’re always happy and determined and I have always respected you for your talent and work ethic.
What is your message to the people that have supported you?
THANK YOU ALL ! We are still new, we know but the support we have had from friends, family, other bands and especially the Warren Youth Project and Warren Records has been amazing! We cannot thank you all enough, and we will make you happy with the effort we put in with more music to come in future.
What have you got coming up to tell us about?
Our debut full EP ‘Infiltrated Mind’ is coming out April 15 on all platforms, so get on that juicy stuff when it drops! If you haven’t already followed us on social media but want to keep updated you know what you need to do!
There are no gigs booked at the moment, but sure to have some soon we hope! Me and James are also in other bands, so we have those as well, so if you want to see what else we do outside of ADHD, check out James’ other band – Plugged Into Pandemonium – and my other band Backyard Casino (first gig April 10th at The Adelphi in Hull)! Hope you all keep your eyes on all 3 of these bands, because the Hull music scene is on the rise.
