Steve Rudd interviews Bridlington’s L.O.C. frontman Adam Towse

Since Torsohorse disbanded, frontman Adam Towse has been concentrating on powerlifting, having attained a high level of success in the sport.

However, a chance meeting with music producer Colin Richardson (Slipknot, Machine Head) made Adam realise that he was far from done with music.

Here, in an exclusive interview with Pulse author Steve Rudd, Adam chats about the friendship that has grown between him and Colin, L.O.C.’s debut four-track EP (The Ultimate Karma), and the trio’s imminent plans to begin playing live shows.

You’re back with a brand new band! What does L.O.C. stand for, and why did you decide to choose it for the band name?

L.O.C. stands for Level of Consciousness. Finding a name we liked was harder than you would imagine. We actually had a few working titles for the project before it became L.O.C. I came across Level of Consciousness while looking at medical terms, and liked it, but decided the abbreviation suited us better, and was punchier and easier to remember.

For those who don’t know, you used to front the hugely popular Goth-Metal band Torsohorse. Were you not tempted to put the make-up back on and continue where Torsohorse left off ?

As regards the look, I still haven’t ruled out some sort of theatrical look for on stage. The Torsohorse look wouldn’t work now though: I’ve spent the last 20 years putting in many hours in the gym and have a much larger build. It would just look odd. As far as the music goes, Torsohorse was its own entity, and I feel it’s respectful to both the music and the other members of Torsohorse to leave it alone and let it be remembered for the legend it was.

You worked with legendary metal producer Colin Richardson on your debut L.O.C. release. How did you meet, and in what ways has his vast experience influenced your music?

The story of how me and Colin met is an interesting one, and primarily wasn’t music-related at all. I’m a painter and decorator by trade, and one day I got a message from Colin asking for a quote to do some painting work in his house. Obviously this was quite a big deal to me, as I was fully aware of who he was. Anyway, I got the job, and during the second week working there, Colin returned from a recording session. I think he had been mixing a Machine Head album. Colin, being an inquisitive and friendly guy, then spent a good few days sharing his many stories about the various bands he had worked with, and also chatting to me about my experiences in the music industry. We found we had similar likes and opinions on things, and when I completed the job, we both stated that we felt we had formed a friendship. Colin also said that after talking to me, he felt I had unfinished business with music and that I should consider writing some songs again.

L.O.C. are a trio. Who do you have on bass and drums, and how long have you been playing together?

Firstly, on bass is Will Watson. He was the first to join me. Then Mark Cooper joined as our drummer. The line-up has formed over time and has been a natural progression. We all knew each other previously, and we just work.

You even have your daughter, Darcy, providing backing vocals on ‘Fake Friends’. Did she need much encouragement to get behind the mic?

Darcy actually really shocked me. I had one of those ‘I wonder what would happen if…’ moments, and just stuck a microphone in front of her and told her the words. Much to my amazement, this demonic-sounding growl erupted from her, and within a couple of takes we had a fantastic backing vocal that I'm sure you will agree really adds to the track!

Have you produced any CD copies of your EP, or have you gone purely digital? If so, which platforms are the best ones to find your music on?

Currently, the release is just digital, but is available through all major online stores including Spotify, iTunes and Amazon Music. We are considering doing a limited edition CD version, but that will be one for the future.

Given the huge amount of excitement surrounding your music, is it right to assume you’ll be getting out to play gigs in the near future?

We are currently in the rehearsal room working on an earth-shaking live show, and we look forward to sharing it with you when the time comes. I can assure you, we won't disappoint!

Finally, what’s the best way for people to find out more about L.O.C., and future releases and shows?

Check us out on Facebook and Instagram and get involved! L.O.C. looks forward to welcoming you to our family!

L.O.C.’s debut EP ‘The Ultimate Karma’ is out now!

Steve Rudd’s travelogue Pulse is out now on Kindle.

The band are playing at Stirling Castle, Bridlington, on Friday February 27.