Metal, Hardcore, Indie, Rock
Opportunities come along, and when the train rolls by, you have to be ready to jump on board. Anxo Silveira, originally from Galicia, Spain, did just that, and for some time now, he has been the drummer for God Is An Astronaut, the Irish post-rock duo led by brothers Tortsten and Niels Kinsella.
Currently, in the middle of a tour with GIAA across Europe, Chaoszine caught up with the Spanish drummer to talk about how he joined the band from County Wicklow, Ireland, life on the road and its challenges (not sleeping or eating properly), what Baliza is all about – his band with fellow Spaniard Gon Massey, with whom they started out busking on the streets of Dublin and with whom they now play to sold-out venues in Ireland (they’ve played to a full house at Wheelan’s eight times) and have toured Spain, life in the capital of Guinness beer, and the proactive, positive attitude you need when facing an audition to land the drummer’s spot. Here’s Anxo Silveira:
Tell me what God Is An Astronaut is up to at the moment. You’re touring Europe. How’s that going?
It’s the final leg of the tour for “Embers”, the band’s latest album. In October, we were in Spain, Italy, Portugal, Croatia and more. A while back, we were in Germany, here at The Academy in Dublin and then we finished up in Cork. As for festivals, we’ll be in Finland in June, then the following week we’ll be in the Czech Republic and Italy, and we’ll wrap up the tour at Hellfest in France. I’ve never been to Hellfest. I have played Resurrection Fest in Spain, but Wacken and Hellfest are perhaps the biggest festivals in Europe – the two top events for heavy metal and rock.
The band’s latest album was released in 2024. Are there any plans to record any new material this year?
Not this year. There’s going to be another God Is An Astronaut album, on which I’ll have the pleasure of playing drums, but it won’t be this year. They’ll finish “Embers”, they’ll start their songwriting process, I’ll contribute whatever they let me, and I’ll learn from two giants like the Kinsella brothers, who’ve been at the top of the post-rock scene for 20 years, creating albums like “All Is Violent, All Is Bright” – iconic albums. I love the latest LP, “Embers”. I love playing those super-progressive tracks, and I love it when the title track comes on. It’s one of my favourites.
The million-dollar question. How did you end up auditioning for brothers Torsten and Niels Kinsella?
It was crazy. When I saw that “Embers” was ten minutes long, I thought, “Oh my God, what have I got myself into!” Yet it’s the piece that went best in the audition and the one I enjoy performing the most. It all came about through an app called Vampr, which is like Tinder for musicians. A Spanish friend of mine saw an advert for God Is An Astronaut on there. He told me, “Get a move on, because these guys could change your life”.To be honest, I hadn’t heard of God Is An Astronaut before. I’m more into bands like Dream Theater, Rush, Alter Bridge, Machine Head and Trivium. Then I started looking into GIAA, but decided not to look too much into it. I got in touch with them, and Torsten was the one who spoke to me from the outset. He told me that the auditions were almost over and that I was one of the last people to audition. He sent me three tracks: “Embers”, “Frozen Twilight” and another one. I prepared these tracks, but barely had time to get ready. I had just arrived on a flight from a beach holiday, so I had been practising on the go.
Good opportunities sometimes catch you off guard…
Indeed. I arrived at my studio the day before the audition and got everything ready. It took thirty minutes. When I arrived at their studio, I saw Torsten and wanted to hug him. Niels is the same: really easy-going and nice. When I arrived, I saw the studio and noticed a Craviotto snare drum and Zildjian cymbals. I thought: “What have I got myself into?” I played the three tracks, and they told me they really liked them. I’m quite a technical drummer, and they praised my technique. They said it was great, but that they had auditioned about fifteen others and needed to discuss it. They said they had almost made a decision, but as I had just turned up, they would give me a call either way. I thought: “I’ll just relax“. I didn’t think they’d pick me because there were lots of Irish drummers, and it makes sense that if you’re going to spend 15 days on the road, you’d choose one local drummer.
Yep, you are Spanish, not Irish.
Anyway, I rang my mum and said, “I don’t think they’ll pick me, but I’ve had a great time.” So I’d just got back to my studio when Torsten rang me: “Hey mate, pop round here. We’ve picked you!” He told me they wanted to know my availability, sent me the dates for the previous tour and this one, along with the full setlist, and asked if I was free in a month to go on tour. I replied: “Let’s do it. Let’s go for it, mate.” That was pretty much my story with God Is An Astronaut.
The band rehearse in County Wicklow, but you live in Dublin, don’t you?
Exactly. Wicklow is about 45 minutes to an hour from Dublin.
Speaking of auditions, in the interview Sergio Gómez did with you for the Spanish podcast Cargando la batería, you highlighted the importance of a good vibe, the right attitude and camaraderie. I think that’s a very important aspect that isn’t often discussed in interviews. Some people can play very well and are very technically proficient, but then you have to go on tour with those people. So, when choosing a musician, they look at that too. I remember when Jeremy Colson auditioned for Steve Vai, and not only did he deliver, but he also stood out for his attitude.
Yes, a good attitude changes everything. It’s also very important to look after yourself as a person: don’t accept jobs that are draining, don’t accept unfavourable conditions, don’t accept shouting, mistreatment, etc. There’s a lot of nonsense in the music industry. The important thing is not to forget that we only have one life, mate. Even more so with the current state of the world, with missiles flying everywhere. We’re the ones who matter the least here, let’s be honest!
Haha, that’s right.
I haven’t minded working at just about anything; I know I’ll never be short of a livelihood financially. Thank God, these days I work at what I love most: music. But I do it on my own terms: I never take on jobs I don’t like, where I’m not treated well, or where there isn’t a good vibe. And in the end, that’s a bonus. It’s not about playing more or less. There are loads of drummers out there who are better than me. But you have to try to contribute by being yourself and being genuine. That’s what I’m looking for with Baliza, my band, too. We’re family. Gon isn’t the most technically gifted guy in the world; he’s no Steve Vai, but he delivers musically, he is great and, and as a person, he’s brilliant. It’s important to be a person before anything else. Otherwise, you won’t get anywhere.
What’s the rehearsal routine like before a God Is An Astronaut tour, and what’s your personal preparation routine? How do you prepare yourself before a tour in terms of diet and physical training?
What a great question, mate! Really interesting. With God Is An Astronaut, we do two, three or four rehearsals beforehand, because the idea is that by the first rehearsal, you’re already coming in with everything perfect. The other three are just to get into the swing of things. When we did our first tour, we had six or seven rehearsals in a month. We went through the setlist, and they’d send me a PDF with what I needed to change. These days, I’ve got it down pat; it’s more about getting the flow right. Nowadays, if we’re preparing for a tour two weeks in advance, I’ve already spent five or six days playing the setlist twice a day. I’m already really loose, so that everything flows smoothly. I know which fills to use and which to leave out. As for diet, I try to go to the gym a lot. Two or three times a week to feel a bit fresher and lighter. Anyone who thinks these tours involve eating in restaurants is wrong.
You don’t eat very well on the road.
Exactly. Snacks, sandwiches. Whether you’re God Is An Astronaut or Steve Vai, you don’t always eat well. I don’t know if Vai manages it a bit better, but it’s a question of time. You can’t be in Düsseldorf one day and Prague the next and stop for a two-hour meal in a restaurant. It’s impossible. With God Is An Astronaut, it takes us an average of three to four hours to set up, and there are three of us. We arrive at the venue at three, and the soundcheck finishes at seven. It’s mad. On tour, you don’t get much sleep either. It’s pretty tough.
Tell me about Baliza, your Spanish band with whom you play on the streets of Dublin and with whom you’ve already played seven sold-out shows at Whelan’s, a major venue in the Irish capital.
Actually, it’s eight now, because we celebrated our first anniversary recently, and today we’re playing our eighth. Baliza is a project created by Gon Massey, a Spanish producer, and me. He’s been living here for over seven years now, and I met him playing on the streets of Dublin, busking. There are lots of people who make a living from busking and get by just fine. I came here working as a nursery school teacher, as I have a degree in Primary Education with a specialisation in Music. Then I started busking with Gonzalo; I met him by chance through a mutual friend. I didn’t know much about busking at the time, so I brought my flamenco cajón, and that’s how we started – on the street, playing covers. That’s when I started to leave the teaching job behind, because it’s mentally draining too. I cut back on my working hours, and then I’d go out on the street with Gonzalo and we started recording. A buzz started to build around us, being known as ‘the street lads’. We released an EP last year and now we’re launching another one. We’re about to sign with a record label – I can’t say much more than that. Now we also have the chance to tour Spain and do what we love.
Nice!
When we started playing in venues in Dublin, we were booked to play at Spanish parties. Suddenly, we’d find ourselves with 200 or 300 people asking us when we were playing. So we said: “We need to put the band together and organise our own party.” Now we put on a party every month at Whelan’s, which is one of Ireland’s most iconic venues. That’s where Ed Sheeran and the Arctic Monkeys got their start… The step before playing at The Academy is playing at Whelan’s. Fortunately, we became the first Spanish band to sell out there, and we’ve gone from one sold-out show to eight. Eight sold-out shows, each with 450 people.
Where do you usually busk? On O’Connell Street?
No, on Grafton Street. People do busk on O’Connell Street, but you don’t make any money there. Plus, there are a lot of pickpockets, and it’s a bit of a rough area. Grafton Street is better. Last year Coldplay played on Grafton Street, and sometimes U2 just turn up there out of the blue. It’s mad.
Where do you live?
I’m in Dublin 3, Fairview Park. It’s a fairly quiet area, with family homes. Dublin can be quite a bit of a hassle at times; there are a lot of drug and alcohol problems at the moment. The streets could be a bit safer. If my girlfriend has to walk home from the centre of Dublin, I’m keeping an eye on my phone. There are indeed a lot of people here who don’t bother foreigners, but you have to look after yourself.
As for brands, you’re working with the legendary cymbal manufacturer Paiste, home to Alex González from Maná, Vinnie Colaiuta, John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and others. You’re also an endorser for Cympad. Which other companies do you work with?
SE, Snareweight, Rohema, a drumstick brand, and Protection Racket, which make drum cases. I have an international endorsement contract with Paiste. The people at Paiste have treated me wonderfully; they took me to the factory and asked, “What do you need for the God Is An Astronaut tour?“. For someone like me who comes from a neighbourhood where my mum was a cleaner, and my dad worked in a warehouse, it was all very humble… I used to work alongside my dad in the warehouse, and suddenly, a brand like Paiste comes along and asks me, “What do you want?” I’m in tears, man.
I completely understand, because I’ve even worked selling pet food.
(Chuckles) Imagine, they left me in the factory and told me to choose the cymbals. I stood there for about three hours without moving. I tried them all, absolutely every single cymbal.
What books or exercises are essential for you when working on hand and foot technique?
Ted Reed’s “Syncopation“. You’ve got to keep that by your bedside. Right now, I’m working with Salvador Niebla, who ran the Virtual Drummer School many years ago. I’m looking at his book, stuff by Benny Greb and the Spaniard Xavi Reija. Also, another bloke, Justin Scott—I think he’s Canadian. He has this concept of playing loads of strokes under a constant line of communication. He’s awesome. I’ve worked on loads of techniques with my teachers, but I’m not very good with names. If you’re looking for something to practise, try working on accent shifts. It’s an endless process, and I’m still working on it, just like internal tempo and the space within each note.
What do you like to do in Dublin when you’re not on tour?
I recently went hiking with my girlfriend, and I also like going to Mary’s, a pub on Grafton Street – it’s pure chaos set to music, and not much else. I’m a pretty laid-back bloke!
