InkSpired Magazine Issue No. 40 | Page 50

Interview & Photography: Jim Louvau Ash Costello made it very clear that she has no interest in being a one trick pony and doesn’t only want to be known as the leader of the goth rock outfit, New Year’s Day. “I hate what artists do these days, they talk about their record like it’s all they are. I feel like I’m so much more than New Year’s Day and this one album that’s out right now. There is so much more to me and New Year’s Day than the music.” Costello was very candid with me after we wrapped up a long photoshoot in Orange County where the she resides. writing music in Russell’s bedroom. Only up until recently all of the pressure was put on my shoulders which I always avoided. I always knew I could write the music on my own. I don’t play instruments so I always need somebody there because I can hear the music but I can’t technically play it. It was always a scary idea to take the reigns by myself so I always tried to keep Anthony and Russell in the band as long as I could because I could always rely on them and then I had to rely on myself. Writing and recording the band’s latest record, Malevolence proved to be no walk in the park as she didn’t write any of the material with any of the band’s current lineup. “I think that New Year’s Day initially birthed me into an audience’s perspective, that’s what put me in the forefront and gave me a platform. It’s my baby and it’s a lot of hard work and Malevolence was no easy task, it was so hard.” She used her music platform to branch out into the fashion world with her spooky clothing line, Bat Royalty. While the music industry has tried its best to beat her down, the truth is that New Year’s Day is on the rise. After a successful overseas arena tour with Marilyn Manson and announcing a spring run with HELLYEAH, 2016 may be the biggest year for the queen of new grave. Jim Louvau: It’s very hard to have chemistry as a band when you’re constantly dealing with new people. Ash Costello: I don’t know why the focus is so much on that for New Year’s Day. Look at Marilyn Manson and Maria Brink of In This Moment; their bands are like revolving doors. Jim Louvau: How many people helped you write the songs on Malevolence? Ash Costello: Quite a few, actually, and when I say, “quite a few,” you’d think they had a big hand in it, but not so. We did a song with Kane Churko, when I had writer’s block in the studio, we had Craig Owens of Chiodos popping in and out of the studio at the time and was there helping me. We also worked Erik Ron who is our go to producer. Our former bass player, Anthony Barro and I have been writing music together since we were 15 years old and he was there for part of it. Jim Louvau: I’ve always felt that New Year’s Day has always gotten the short end of the stick as a band due to all of the line-up changes you’ve experienced over the years. Even though many of the members who have come and gone didn’t contribute in the writing process, having a rotating cast can take its toll on any band. Ash Costello: I agree with that. Anthony is pretty much the only one who contributed, and Russell Dixon way back in the day. That’s pretty much what started New Year’s Day, it was Anthony, Russell, and I 48 InkSpiredMagazine.com Jim Louvau: The difference with Marilyn Manson is that there was 10 years of somewhat stable lineups before he started writing music more as a solo artist and less like an actual band. Ash Costello: Technically, their was 10 years of stability for New Year’s Day, we just weren’t famous enough for people to know. When the band started getting really busy, that’s when the turmoil with other band members happened because it’s a hard life, it’s not for everybody. Jim Louvau: Having several different writers on the same record can really challenge the flow or cohesion of the way the record sounds as a whole, did you think about that while working on the material? Ash Costello: That’s the point, if you listen to Malevolence, there is a stripper-core song, there is a very Manson sounding song, there is a very New Year’s Day song. It’s very typical in a band where one person has a vision but isn’t a songwriter and have different songwriters come in and help you. If your band isn’t there to support you in that then maybe it’s not the right band for you, which has been the case for what’s happened in the past. It’s a “you’re either with me or you’re against me” kind of vibe. On the next record, I want to write with more songwriters. We did Victim To Villain with just Erik Ron and I fucking love him as a songwriter but I don’t want everything to sound like it was written with the same person. I’m also super excited to write with our new guitar player, Jeremy Valentyne. He and I are on the exact same page as far as songwriting goes. I’m excited to get in “PEOPLE LIKE TRUTH UNTIL YOU THROW IT BACK IN THEIR FACE.” - ASH COSTELLO InkSpiredMagazine.com 49