What inspired you to first start making music? And how did you come to be in your current incarnation? Or if you prefer, a brief bio about you.
Music found me in truth. I always used to like words, even though I hated English at school. Spent most of my time getting kicked out, trying to be too smart haha. It helps me release anticalm energy locked deep within me. It’s an energy I feel everybody has. Some channel it in the gym, some just get up there and spit it! That’s me. It’s all about transferring energy from my mind to the song, to the listener, then the fun bit, the crowd. I like to narrate characters. It’s common for people to think I am Anticalm, but the whole point of Anticalm is separating from emotion. In essence once it’s released as ego or aggression, I could never be it! Creativity is at the forefront of everything I do, whether that’s in building businesses, writing songs, or learning a new skill!
Provide us with some info about your latest release…
I wanted to really encapsulate my entrepreneurial journey in a unique way. After seeing a shop called bits and bobs and constantly hearing the phrase ‘doing bits’ whilst living in Manchester, I wrote the hook and just went for it! The track was written over a different instrumental, teamed up with Samuel D, who launched the production into a new galaxy and here we are! There are no words to describe how fun this one is going to be live.
Which ones would you consider your main influences both music-wise & non-music-wise?
I remember the moment I decided I wanted to rap properly – I was in the crowd at Radio Ones Big Weekend in my hometown Preston. It was the 3rd verse of “Fix Up Look Sharp. Dizzee went into full destruction mode, and it was an energy I’ve never seen or felt before. I was ALLL INN from then.
Other influences: Plan B – that first album was a story telling masterpiece with very few boundaries. I love that authentic raw sh*t. Songs that turn a room sour. There’s no avoiding it when it’s on. You have no choice but to be fully immersed.
Non music wise, I’d say my own mother. She always let me be me and encouraged me to expand into whatever I wanted. Some aren’t blessed with such open minded parents; for that I am truly thankful.
In what way does your sound differ from the rest genre-related artists/bands and why should we listen to your music? In other words, how would you describe your sound?
I come from bands, rock bands. I’m used to moshing. This gives the vocals a bite I just don’t hear that much. Backroad Gee has it, Pa Salieu has it. Lots of others in the genre need that beat to hit hard for the track to be hard. But I’m in no game of competition. I stand alone doing my thing. In truth, I’m not entirely sure what genre a lot of these tracks fit into.
The production from Sam fuses a unique combination of low end, acoustic snares, and spaceship-like synths. It’s just something new. When you hear it, you know it’s ANTI. His mastering is also very, very loud. Like noise complaint load – it’s uncompromising. I thank him every day for matching the Anticalm energy with an equally potent soundscape.
Listen to “Bobs n Bits”. We’re just getting started.
Please name your 3 desert islands albums, movies & books…
I don’t watch movies at this stage in my life. The TV license guys are still firing mail, it’s like come through and you’ll see me every night learning new skills needed to grow businesses! Come.
If I’m on a desert island I need me some Little Simz, Miseducation of Lauryn Hill and maybe some Chronixx. I don’t listen to that much rap. I use music more to meditate than I do to hype myself up nowadays. I don’t see the point in adding to the gas, the whole point of the project is being in control of your own internal gas meter and distributing that at the right time.
Books, I’d choose: 100M Dollar Offers by Alex Hormozi, a genius in business and role model for sure.
The power of the subconscious mind and learning to manifest your desires by Abraham Hicks.
If I’m on an island, existing in the right mind frame will be paramount to not getting eaten alive by T-Rex’s.
Do you prefer studio or performing live and why?
You can’t beat live. By that time in truth, I’m past trying to make the crowd like me. It’s Anti, take it or leave it. Crowds love that unforgiving energy. Come through see for yourself.
Is there any funny-unique story you would like to share with us, always in relation to your music ‘career’?
On a tour with my last band, the sound engineer had cancer of the eye, wait the story brightens up. He used some form of CBD to treat his eye and is now fully recovered, who’d of thought it. He was taking very high doses though, and on the last night gave me some. When I say some it was definitely rhino tranquilliser doses. Low and behold, I was dragged through fans in the middle of Poland to bed on his shoulders, absolutely peppered. I’ve never felt paranoia like it. The good thing is I woke up groggy and shook it off whilst the long lasting positive result for his eye health is blatant for all to see. Either I was pranked or my body wasn’t up for it! Either way, we’re all alive and well now. God bless Timmy.
Which track of your own would you point out as the most unique and why?
I’ve got a track called “KMB”, which stands for KILL MY BOSS. It’s very, very dark. Someone said at work ‘’god I wish I could just kill my boss’’ and it sparked an idea… what if I have a track where I’m clearly responsible for killing my boss, but never admit it directly, listing off all the possible ways he could have died in acute detail. It’s tongue in cheek, I loved Tony, my boss! I actually played him the record. It has a horrific wall of sound in there too, production is just horrible. You’ll see, 2023 loading.
Would you like to share with our readers your future plans?
Anticalm is a project about releasing energy. So many of us have anticalm act on our behalf, we aren’t even aware that a dark energy has taken over because we’ve never sat down with ourselves and faced our demons which manifest from earlier trauma. Luckily, I had years to sit alone and crush my own anticalm; that’s the only reason I am happy to display such egotistical traits as an artist knowing that I am not the egotistical traits but the narrator. Life as the observer is fun whatever happens, it’s the difference between being in a psychological thriller as the main character and watching a psychological thriller on TV. My plan in the future is to really get out there and help as many people as possible separate from their own anti and live outside it in a place of calm. The music is just a facilitator to get me in front of people to demonstrate that I am not my emotions, and neither are you. Happy or sad, when the emotion fades like all things, who is left? YOU.
Free question!!! (Ask yourself a question) you wish to answer and haven’t been given the opportunity…
When was/is the most exciting time in your life?
Answer: NOW.
Curated by: Christos Doukakis
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