Welsh prog rockers Godsticks have released video for their new single Surrender which you can watch in full below. The song is taken from the band's forthcoming new album Inescapable, which is released through Kscope on February 7. The song deals with mainman Darren Charles' ongoing perfectionist issues of which you can read more in the next issue of Prog Magazine, on sale February 4.
“I suppose Surrender is a lyrical re-enactment of conversations I’ve had with myself about not surrendering to the obsessive and controlling parts of my personality," Charles explains. "I used to believe that my obsession to ‘achieve’ at all costs was both the key to success and the fuel for ambition but as the years went by, I found that I’d become so focused on achieving goals that I forgot the reasons I’d set them. A good example of this is playing live: I used to be so obsessed with being able to perform a perfect rendition of every song each night, that I forgot to be in the moment and enjoy the experience.
"Eventually I realised I wasn’t enjoying anything and found myself belittling accomplishments, big or small. Even though I wanted to change, deep down there was this fear that if I diluted these strong aspects of my persona then I’d lose the drive and focus to improve. Over time I’ve learnt to control the obsession as much as possible by accepting that if I continue to work hard then it is ok to enjoy the fruits of my labour. This ongoing process of learning how to appreciate achievements and realising how lucky I am to be able to write songs that people might want to hear, has allowed me to enjoy music and therefore life. It is an ongoing challenge to reconcile those contrasting parts of my being, and in that sense the music of Surrender is quite representative of me in that it’s in equal measure dark and uplifting!”
Godsticks will play thew following live dates in April:
Apr 2: Cardiff Fuel Rock Club
Apr 3: London Black Heart
Apr 4: Edinburgh Opium
Apr 5: Manchester Gullivers
Tickets are available through the band's Facebook page.
