‘I can’t remember how it was before, oh I’m in overdrive, and I want more,’ sings The Broken Ravens frontman Toby Michaels somewhat prophetically as the band rides triumphantly at the crest of a rock n’ roll tidal wave.
The lyrics to the band’s track ‘Burn’ perfectly sums up the weight of the accomplishment of a band who stand on the cusp of making the leap from the pubs and clubs of the sleep islands of Lewis and Harris and into the rock stratosphere.
This is the beginning of a new and thrilling road for the Hebridean rockers, a thunderously talented five-piece from the Scottish Western Isles, who have landed a prestigious support slot at the famous Whisky-A-Go-Go on the Sunset Strip, purely on the power and merits of their own music.
The Broken Ravens are a band flying solo, without the backing of a label or even a manager, yet the response to taster tracks from a recently recorded EP has earned them a mini-tour of Los Angeles where the boys have booked a trio of live dates this November, including one supporting Puddle of Mudd.
So far the band have done it all their own way and on their own terms, fielding, and humbly and politely rejecting offers to sign record deals. Even their trip across the pond is, like their EP, 100 per cent self financed.
“When you think of the people who have been on that stage in the same position as we are in …” beams Kevin Clark from his kitchen at home.
“Metallica, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue – who had a flat above the venue that you wouldn’t even keep a dog in. But its just fantastic and it still has that appeal it’s had for 40-years.”
Clark, the energetic, drum stick wielding baron of rock n’ rolla, insists the time is right for the band to bring their locally crafted legacy of hell, fire, brimstone, and anthems onto the masses.
“It is just so exciting,” he continues, “to be playing a Friday night on the Strip and to what should be a good crowd with Puddle of Mudd too.”
Their as-yet unreleased EP has already had the rock horns seal of approval from rock superstar Roy Mayorga of metal giants Stone Sour, the Ravens most famous fan who rolled out the black carpet for Clark at his home where the pair went through the 10 tracks, which were recorded in Stornoway at WeeStudio by Keith Morrison.
“Roy loves the band, he loves the new direction with Derek and Toby as it has totally changed the sound.
“It is more energetic and faster than before and it seems to go down really well.”
The boys had planned to let Mayorga produce the EP, which was funded by the sale of band t-shirts, but changed their minds when they saw the wonders Morrison worked with their tracks on home soil.
It was during a two-week long trip to Los Angeles that the wheels were set in motion for the band’s opportunity to spread their wings and soar Stateside. It was far from a lazy holiday by the beach with the drummer pounding the streets and knocking on the doors to spread the word of the Ravens.
“I took ten flash drives with me, with our press cuttings, our biog, the video and a sampler of five tracks on it,” he said.“We put them all out in Los Angeles as well as ten CD’s I burned myself.
“They went out all over the place to organised meetings and chance encounters which went in our favour as well.
“One was in the Whisky where I kept in contact with the booker and when I asked if they had support booked for the Puddle of Mudd show he said ‘it’s all yours if you want it.’
“He even offered us the choice of three slots to play on the bill but the further up the bill you are the more tickets you have to sell. We don’t think Puddle of Mudd will have any problems shifting their ticket allocation but of our three billing slots I chose the opening slot.
“It’s nice and early and we can use it as a showcase. It’s going to be a Friday night on Sunset Strip, where we will be the last to soundcheck and the first on. Everything will be set exactly for us, plug in and play. Half an hour to absolutely show what we can do.
“It is really exciting and we might just add a fourth date. We all see it the same way and none of us are going over there for a sun tan – we are going over there to work.”