Paul Kalis A&E Editor
The Pioneer recently spoke with Paul Allender, lead guitarist for U.K. heavy metal band, Cradle of Filth. The bands tenth album, “The Manticore and Other Horrors,” released on October 30, entered the Billboard Top 200 at number 96 with its first-week sales last fall.
This month, Allender launched a contest through his business, Vomitorium Art Prints, offering fans the chance to win a PRS SE Paul Allender signature guitar and strings. Customers who purchase two Vomitorium Art Prints before March 28 will automatically be placed into the drawing.
On February 14, Cradle of Filth announced it was forced to cancel its headlining North American, “28 Days Closer to Hell Tour,” due to U.S. immigration issues. The tour would have marked the band’s first return to North American shores in nearly two years. No immediate plans to reschedule the dates have been revealed.
The “Manticore and Other Horrors” album can be ordered online via the Nuclear Blast web-store and digitally through iTunes. You can follow Allender on Twitter @AllenderPaul.
The Pioneer (TP): “The Manticore and Other Horrors” is Cradle of Filth’s tenth studio album. To what do you attribute the band’s continued success?
Paul Allender (PA): Through hard work and perseverance. We are not stuck in one genre and don’t have tunnel vision where it comes to music.
TP: You composed all of the album’s new music. What inspires your compositions?
PA: I have no particular inspirations. The way I create new music is I get a drumbeat, I play along with it to come up with riff ideas and it just develops from there.
TP: As lead guitarist, you are offering fans one-on-one online guitar lessons over Skype. How are they going, and what is this kind of interaction with fans like?
PA: The guitar lessons are going very well. I have three students a day but some days are obviously busier than others. Interaction with fans is going good; they are respectful and they listen. Anyone interested in lessons can contact me paul@winterlandstudios.com for details. I give lessons from 30 minutes to 1 hour.
TP: What is your advice for college students who want to get ahead in the music industry?
PA: Work hard and try to come up with something original. I also help with song writing, arranging and can assist with getting into the industry; contact me on email for more details.
TP: What’s next for you and Cradle of Filth?
PA: As for Cradle of Filth, we are doing more touring, including Australia and the Far East. I have two more bands coming out, I’ll be teaching more guitar lessons and I will be putting more artwork up for sale. Feel free to come chat with me on my official Facebook page: facebook.com/officialpaulallender
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