Roll of the Dice is a short interview format with a variable amount of questions. A pair of dice is rolled and the total, between 2 and 12, is the amount of questions we can ask. All questions are given to the interviewee(s) at once, and no follow-ups are allowed. The interview may be lightly edited for content and clarity.
Finnish prog-metal outfit Wheel have dropped a banger in Charismatic Leaders, available now on Inside Out Music. To celebrate the record’s success the band has agreed to roll the dice and join TGEFM in our latest interview. Check it out below!
Thank you so much for agreeing to this interview. Congrats on the upcoming release of Charismatic Leaders. What can you tell us about Wheel and this record for readers just discovering the band?
Wheel is a Progressive Metal band based in Finland. Heavy riffs, spontaneously developing melodies and big dynamics are the leading characteristics in our music throughout our catalogue.
What album or band or significant singles made you go “Yeah, this is what I want to do” Not just an influence but who or what was the catalyst?
“The Trooper” from Iron Maiden. When I first heard it I had to have a guitar. That’s how good it sounded to me. The other one that had a really big impact on me about the same era was “Battery” from Metallica. The guitar harmonies on those tracks made a very big impact on young Jussi.
After the record release you’ll be headed to North America for a tour. What can American fans expect from your live show? What do you want the audience to leave a Wheel show thinking about?
They can Expect one and half hours of very carefully handpicked Wheel songs. Of course there’s gonna be a lot of material from our new album Charismatic Leaders, but also some of our older favorites. I hope the audience leaving the show will get a good overview from Wheel’s music, and sing and dance to our song “Empire” while walking home.
We’ve all got a few, what is your biggest regret? A gig you turned down, advice you didn’t take, what one thing do you wish you handled differently as a musician?
There’s very little for me to regret, but I think in COVID time, we could have used better the time we suddenly got. All of a sudden we could not tour or rehearse, but we could have used the time a bit more creatively.
What have been some of the most memorable moments or experiences as a touring musician so far? What’s been the most unexpected? The weirdest?
Most memorable moments on tours are moments after shows when we get to meet the people and fans. I love to get to see the people who come and see our gigs and listen to our music. I also enjoy visiting places and cities I never would have visited if I wasn’t in a touring band. Most memorable Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, and Honolulu.
Maybe not unexpected or weird but a thing that’s really bugging me is the gas stations in the US. It’s really hard to find anything fresh to eat there, and they often are the only options to get any food at nighttime.
One of our obligatory questions in these interviews also tends to be the one I have found most important on a personal level. Who are some bands on your radar that TGEFM readers may not know about, but you think they should?
I think many of you might have already heard of them, but our support act on US tour The Aviations is a really talented group of musicians. They make very clever and unique music and I think every prog fan should check them out.
Once the world has its hands on the record, what’s next for Wheel?
Wheel tour the US in May and Europe from November to December. In between the tours we try to write some more music and of course we enjoy the short summer of Finland. Have a little vacation.
What do you wish I asked about or that you had more of an opportunity to speak about during this interview?
My personal favorites on the album. Hmm.. I asked myself a hard question. But I think my favorite songs on the album are “Porcelain” and “Freeze.” I think the journey on both of those songs is very satisfying. Really big dynamics throughout both of the songs. Really soft but also really heavy sections on both of those.
Bad Dad (occasionally called Ed) has been on the periphery of the punk and punk-adjacent scene for over twenty years. While many contributors to this site have musical experience and talent, Ed’s musical claim to fame comes from his time in arguably the most punk rock Blockbuster Video district in NJ where he worked alongside members of Blanks 77, Best Hit TV and Brian Fallon. He is more than just an awful father to his 2 daughters, he is also a dreadful husband, a subpar writer, a terrible dresser and has a severe deficiency in all things talent… but hey, at least he’s self-aware, amirite?
Check out the pathetic attempts at photography on his insta at https://www.instagram.com/bad_dad_photography/
