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
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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
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