Things have moved incredibly quickly for Melbourne rockers Massive after forming in Mid 2012. Within 6 months, they’ve performed a number of showcase gigs in the USA, signed with management company Third Verse & were on the eve of completing their critically acclaimed debut album.

Things didn’t slow down upon entering 2013. The band commenced a relentless touring schedule all across Australia, squeezed in supports with heritage rock acts such as Glenn Hughes and Lita Ford, and released ‘Full Throttle’, the album which would catch the attention of many across the world. Third Verse introduced Massive to Earache Records (home of Rival Suns, Blackberry Smoke and British sensations The Temperance Movement) before negotiating and signing the band to a 5 Album worldwide recording agreement as the year came to a close.

2014 kicked off with a continuation of touring across Australia whilst plans were being made to properly introduce Massive to wider audiences. Before too long, the full length debut album was front and centre on the cover of Classic Rock Magazine. Billboards lit up the M4 motorway in London and press and media were repeatedly referring to Massive as ‘the next big rock act to emerge from Australia’ pegging Massive alongside, Airborne, ACDC and some of Australia’s finest. Album reviews were consistently 5/5, 10/10, ‘album of the week’ & ‘album of the month’.

2014 finished with Massive spending 6 weeks on the road in the UK and Europe wowing audiences whilst performing as special guests of The Treatment & USAs Blackberry Smoke. 35 shows in total, tens of thousands of kilometres and unquantifiable amounts of beer. Massive are road dogs in the true sense of the term and enjoy nothing more than being on the road and playing every venue they can.

2015 will see Massive returning to the USA, the UK and a host of countries within Europe. The much anticipated follow up album will be release in the later part of the year and Massive will continue on their quest to play anywhere and everywhere they possibly can.

I caught up with Massive vocalist and guitarist Brad Marr ahead of their upcoming support slot with The Screaming Jets at Brothers on the 17th of October and their headline show at the Jack on the 15th of October.

It seems a lot of bands spend years before getting a break, but things seem to have happened pretty quickly for Massive, what’s your secret?

We have all been muso’s for life and have been in countless bands before Massive. Myself (Brad) and Jarrod went to high school together and have been in bands together ever since, so when Massive began it didn’t feel like the start for us. Our first ever show was a sold out Gershwin Room in Melbourne and it just built from there. I guess the reason why it moved so quickly from there is we didn’t waste any time. We had our debut album out after 12 shows and scored a 5 album deal with Earache Records within our first year. We have toured Australia self funded more times than we can count and in 3 years, played hundreds of shows. Massive consumed our normal day to day life a long time ago.

The Massive name is being compared in the press to the likes of AC/DC and Airbourne, and you have done a cover of AC/DC’s “If You Want Blood”, I take it these bands a big influence on you, what other bands have influenced the Massive sound?

Yeh, all the good stuff. ACDC, Aerosmith, Guns and Roses, Motorhead, Thin Lizzy, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath. But we aren’t just stuck in the 70’s and 80’s. You will find everything from Little Richard to the White Stripes on our iPods. Anything that gets the blood flowing influences us.

You guys spend a lot of time on the road, what do you do to keep sane while travelling?

Well, until recently we had a DVD player in our van (Living the dream, right?) But then it died 🙁 so now we mostly sleep. We spend a loooot of time on the road. This tour alone we are driving 22,000KMS, luckily we are all good mates or we would kill each other. Trust me, if you can get 2 hours sleep in the van, take it because once we have arrived and have a run of 5 or 6 shows in a row, there is no more sleep.

What can NQ punters expect from the Massive live show?

Anything goes, beer drinking, hell raising, high octane, balls to the wall rock n roll. We walk on stage with a mission to make you forget about all the shit thats going on in life and just let your hair down and have a kick ass time. It’s loud and it will leave you thirsty for a beer or 3.

What’s next for Massive after this tour?

Well our second album is finished and in production as we speak. It is looking at a Feb release date so we have some international dates to book. We are heading back to Europe. Looking for offers in Asia and America also. We can’t stop we have nothing else..

Todd Macalpine

Massive play support with The Screaming Jets at Brothers on 17th of Oct and their own headline show at the Jack on 15th Oct – entry is free for the show at the Jack!

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