Giants are the subject of Part III in our Holy Roar Records’ 12 Bands of Christmas feature. Ahead of the band’s show at the Old Blue Last on December 14 they’ve selected ten tracks that inspired them, to whet your appetite. Don’t miss out on this free gig, including support from Pints and Goblins, as we say goodbye to Giants at their last ever show.
10 Songs that inspired Giants
Alexisonfire – ‘Drunks, Lovers Sinners and Saints’
Alexisonfire have always been a massive influence for this band, but I remember seeing them open their set in The Lockup tent at Reading Festival 2006 and it changed my life. The way it just explodes into the most anthemic chorus ever still gives me chills.
Go It Alone – ‘Rapture’
Everything about this band ruled. The guitar tones and lyrical content alone tops any hardcore band of today in my opinion, but it’s the sheer ferocity of the fast punky parts straight into the breakdowns that inspired our writing from an early point right up to writing for our debut album.
Comeback Kid – ‘Final Goodbye’
I don’t think it’s a secret to anyone that we love this band and take a huge influence from them. Touring with them was the greatest honour, they are the best dudes and the sickest live band in the game, almost 20 years into their career. Beast of a band.
Verse – ‘Old Guards, New Methods’
‘Aggression’ was one of the first hardcore records I heard that made me think about pushing the boundaries with songwriting. The melodies achieved in these songs are lush, whilst still being part of a record that sounds aggressive as fuck.”
Bad Religion – ‘Big Bang’
Tony Hawks’ Pro Skater games were the best games of our childhood; the soundtracks introduced me to so many different styles of music. I saw Bad Religion play this year and they killed it. They’re the grandads of hardcore punk and no one does it better.
Rise Against – ‘Collapse (Post Amerika)’
A massive influence on our songwriting and my singing from day one, this band will always be one of my favourite bands. They were one of the first bands I listened to where their lyrics meant something more.
Rancid – ‘Fall Back Down’
Literally the song is about your friends and good people around you having your back and being there for you. No one knows quite what it is like to be in a band, unless you’re in a band. Working hard for nothing, with only your mates and your music to keep you going; that’s how that song speaks to me. That, and c’mon, that bass line, that keys line. It’s a damn good song and that album shaped my perception of what music could be. Blah blah blah it’s only a cliche cause of how damn true it is.
Underoath – ‘Breathing In A New Mentality’
Loads of people prefer this band’s earlier material to their new records, but I always thought they got better with every record. The drums on this album are absolutely insane and were a big influence on our debut album.
Bane – ‘Some Come Running’
When I first heard Bane they had already been a band for 10 years and to hear the passion and message they still had in their music was definitely inspiring. They didn’t care about going from playing their local to a stadium it was all about the music. Geezers.
Incubus – ‘Pardon Me’
The mixture of music style and lyrics, relating to what was being said, opened my eyes to a lot of stuff going on in the world and on a personal level. Incubus influenced a lot of my ideas and style in the way I write lyrics.