Corners Of Sanctuary
SRR: I want to thank you for taking the time to do this interview, it’s appreciated. Let’s begin.
Mick Michaels: Thanks so much for taking this time to talk with me Seth. Greatly appreciate the support!
SRR: For those who don’t know much about you, how would you describe your music and sound?
Mick Michaels: We are Corners of Sanctuary…we describe ourselves as the modern sound of classic Heavy Metal. Or, as genre specifics would have it…the New Wave of Traditional American Heavy Metal.
SRR: How do you feel about the state of the music business today?
Mick Michaels: The music business is what you make of it…aside from the pandemic, the restrictions, and the aftermath stuff. So much power is in the artists’ hands today that really, success of any kind is dictated by the artist, how much, how little, none at all. It is these pockets of little bubbles, like being Facebook famous. Social media has extended the 15 minutes of fame model to maybe 30 minutes now and doubled the life expectancy. But honestly, as an artist, we can make it how we want it. Digital technology has leveled the playing field. Success is up to us now.
SRR: What do you think of internet radio and podcasts? Is that the new way to get your name out there?
Mick Michaels: Absolutely, I think they are great. But like what we just talked about on social media, it is a crap shoot for sure. The bigger your name as an internet radio DJ or podcaster, the bigger your show will be of course. Everyone has a podcast these days. Since the pandemic, podcasts have exploded, so again, we are now in an oversaturated market making it harder and harder for new voices to be heard. But I am a fan of both. I have a podcast, shameless plug alert. The Cosmick Voice www.thecosmickvoice.com. We talk the business side of music from an indie artist’s perspective.
SRR: Do you think streaming service is the way to go for your music?
Mick Michaels: Like social media, it’s all part of the modern package. Like it or not, if you want an audience to find you and your music, you need to be on streaming platforms.
SRR: Do you think there is a way to fix it, ideas to make it better?
Mick Michaels: Things can always be improved upon…what that is for everyone, I don’t know. We tend to focus more on what we’re doing and what’s working for us or what isn’t working for us. We make adjustments along the way. Just like in life, trial and error. It’s a matter of paying attention, doing your due diligence, being committed and addressing needs when needed. But most of all, it comes down to being honest with yourself or your band when changes need to be made.
SRR: How do you promote your shows, or do you rely on the venue?
Mick Michaels: It’s definitely a shared thing, or at least it should be. We tend to do a lot of promoting for everything we do; using social media platforms and our website. Though the options seem limitless, the reality is that there really is no other way to promote these days that has that kind of reach. Love it or hate it, there is no way around it, you have to go where the people are and people are on social media.
Statically, what it really does is just creates a level of awareness, it doesn’t guarantee anything. However, that’s the dirty little secret or the big lie depending on how you look at. Social media is oversaturated with promotional campaigns of all kinds, bands included. So it does make it extremely challenging for anyone to build an audience or get people to come to a show. But again, it’s the nature of the beast.
SRR: What is your live show like?
Mick Michaels: A Corners of Sanctuary show is straight-forward, hard hitting, right to the point. It’s all about the music, no fluff, no gimmicks. We leave that to other bands, just what you’d want and expect from classic, traditional Heavy Metal, all punch.
SRR: What’s your take on the recent commentary that rock is dead?
Mick Michaels: Seems to me that Rock is only dead for those who already made their millions in the business. Maybe for them, they do believe it to be true, that Rock is dead, sure. Cause maybe their idea or version of what Rock is, was, is now dead and gone. But that’s the thing about time; it just keeps going. Things evolve and times change, tastes change, thus, maybe Rock has changed.
SRR: Do you think bands should let their political views dictate who should be a fan of their music? Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit, at one point stated that if you voted for Trump, “I want you out of my life”. As well as others. Do you think that is fair to the fans?
Mick Michaels: I think artists can express whatever they want in their music. The rest is up to the audience to take it as it comes. If an artist wants to alienate their audience members, then that is their business. In the United States we have a lot of freedoms but often, in my opinion, we try and take those freedoms and put restrictions on them or guidelines, for some and not for all sort of thing. I feel any artist should be happy regardless of who is listening. Isn’t that the point, to be heard?
SRR: What would advice would you give to a band who is starting out today?
Mick Michaels: You don’t need to work so hard to fit into a preconceived mold or an assumption of someone else’s. That kind of model is unobtainable and in the long run, unsustainable. It’s not being true to yourself and to be an artist, being true to yourself and doing what your heart wants, are the keys to real success.
SRR: What is on your band bucket list?
Mick Michaels: To keep making music…. We plan to head back to the UK and Europe at some point. We also would like to do a tour in Canada. At the deep end of the bucket…open for Judas Priest, Kiss, Iron Maiden and AC/DC…that should cover it.
SRR: Anything you want the fans to know about the band, as we close out the interview?
Mick Michaels: Corners of Sanctuary has two new releases currently out at the moment. We have our Def Leppard tribute EP titled “Defying” and we also have our second best of compilation, “Metal Never Dies,” now available. Both have been released on Sonic Velocity Records.
“Defying” is our very first cover project, new territory for us as a band. But instead of just doing one song, we decided to make it an EP and have some fun with it. We took several liberties with these classic Def Leppard songs and altered the arrangements a bit as well as added some new parts to make them more of our own. Hard core Leppard fans will definitely pick up on that. But we found it to be a way to really express our admiration for these songs while putting our own stamp on them in the process.
We have videos for our versions of “Mirror, Mirror” and “Bringing on the Heartbreak” and both can be found on our Facebook page and Youtube channel. One of the songs will also be featured on another upcoming Def Leppard tribute compilation called “Let’s Get rocked” from FnA Records.
The EP’s title, “Defying,” was both a play on the Def Leppard name as well as our sentiments towards doing a cover song and what that often comes with from an artist’s perspective.
“Metal Never Dies” is a collection of songs from the band’s 11 year run so far. It’s a good cross selection of what we’ve done musically. 20 songs are included on this compilation. Many of the tracks have new recordings, new mixes and new masters… this release also includes two new songs; “Here We Are Kings” and “At the Gates.”
We truly believe that Metal will never die. After the events of 2020 and what followed, the music was kind of all we had to go on…so in that sense, music never dies and then by default, neither will Metal.
I also have a debut EP out with the Doom Groove Metal band Hereafter. It’s called “Fires of the Flame.”
COS is currently playing a number of shows to round out the year including the Keep it Metal Fest in September, our 4X4 Tour in October and performing with TRAPT on their 20th anniversary tour in November. We are also working on lots of new music including an EP and a follow up full-length album for next year. Plus we have some dates swarming around for 2023 already.
SRR: Thanks for doing the interview.
Mick Michaels: Thanks so much for talking with me Seth – always a pleasure. Appreciate your support. Stay safe and all my best…COSnROLL\m/\m/
Check out Corners of Sanctuary at: Official: www.cornersofsanctuary.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/CornersofSanctuary Instagram: www.instragram.com/cosnationmetal Twitter: www.twitter.com/COSnROLL Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2awE3SRj1mzablPjOH4TE1?si=tx0Mtdt7TmupR1rFS5Y4qw&utm_source=copy-link
Check out their latest video of Def Leppard’s Bringing On A Heartbreak below.
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