Please list all of your band members and their roles in the band.

Based in North-West London, Plastic Barricades are Dan Kert on guitar, keyboards and vocals, Daniele Borgato on bass guitar and Frazer James Webster on drums. 

Tackling the question today is Plastic Barricades singer and guitar player Dan Kert:

How long has the band been around?

Dan: Plastic Barricades with different bassists and drummers has existed for the better part of the decade, current line up is active since autumn 2013. The band was conceived in a northern European country Estonia, before it was relocated to London in 2012.

What’s the origin of that name and have you changed the band’s name before?

Dan: We were called Plastic Barricades since day one. The name combines our love for barricading ourselves in the studio and drinking out of plastic cups. We are currently transitioning to a more eco-friendly way of consuming liquids - and you should too!

Who writes your songs? What are the main themes or topics for most of your songs and do you think these topics will change over time?

Dan: I like to think of my songwriting as documenting life in the XXI century, taking topics like artificial intelligence, mental illness, painkiller abuse or the overwhelming media and thinking out loud. It is more of a personal exploration, inner discussion put to music. We write songs together and everyone has an opinion on the topic, so sometimes we need to live through a very heated debate before the song is born. We enjoy those debates though.

What bands are currently inspiring the music that you’re making?

Dan: In the last year I have been totally captivated by Death Cab for Cutie and The Shins, these guys tickle my brain a lot, they write songs that put you in a very nice reflective mood. I like the honesty and the lack of fear to sound odd. The heavier side of things is heavily inspired by the most amazing Biffy Clyro, Foo Fighters and early Muse, the mellower side gets excited by early Coldplay, Razorlight and Snow Patrol.

Was there a particular band/artist or concert that inspired you to start a band?

Dan: Kurt Cobain and Nirvana will always be in my heart, I am yet to find the same level of sincerity and depth of emotion in the modern music.

What do you do to prepare for a show? Any flexing, exercises, etc …

Dan: Vocal warm-ups and exercises make a huge difference, even with the songs that you know very well. But for me it is mainly about the emotional preparation, forgetting about all the technicalities and promotional strategies and focusing on opening up my heart to every single listener out there in the audience. I want to speak to them from the bottom of my heart and offer some food for thought and inspiration.

What has been the biggest highlight of the band’s career so far?

Dan: Our debut album "Mechanics of Life" is out on the 14th of September - and this feels like a very important moment for us as a band and also as individuals, because we've poured everything we had into those 11 songs and we just cannot wait to share this with the world. All those restless nights and relentless days paid off in the end, we have an album we are very proud of.

If you could tour with any bands, past or present, who would they be and why?

Dan: Touring with Foo Fighters would be my dream-come-true. Not just because they are an amazing band, but also because I would be hanging out with Dave Grohl every day. Also spending time on the road with James Mercer of The Shins and Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie would be something out of a fairy tale. So inspiring!

Anything else you would like to add?

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