British rockers The Treatment have been lighting up stages with the likes of Mötley Crüe, Alice Cooper, Kiss, and other heavyweights since 2008. They released their debut album This Might Hurt in 2011. Ten years later the Cambridge four-piece are set to release their fifth full-length album to the masses, Waiting for Good Luck. I had the chance to speak with guitarist Tagore Grey ahead of the album’s release.
Metal Express Radio: If I knew absolutely nothing about The Treatment, how would you describe the band’s music to me?
Tagore Grey: High octane, foot stomping, no nonsense, geeza’s Rock’n’Roll. We’re loud and proud and do not take prisoners. I think we fall somewhere in-between AC/DC and Def Leppard with a twist of the Cult. However you can hear many different genres within our music. We are a band you need to experience live (unless you are in a lockdown like us) and feel the energy.
MER: Your latest album Waiting For Good Luck is being released on April 9, 2021 through Frontiers Music. There are no songs on the album that share its title, is there a story behind the name of the album?
TG: The album title came well after all the song were written. I guess the song “Running With The Dogs” from our second album inspired the name for that album, but with the world the way it is and live shows being cancelled, Waiting For Good Luck seemed like a rather fitting title wouldn’t you say?
MER: The Treatment has released two songs ahead of the album’s release. Can you talk about the story behind “Rat Race”?
TG: “Rat Race” is all about being stuck in a cycle doing things in life that we don’t want to do. You know that job you get stuck in and can never leave, well this is about stepping outside of that, breaking the chains of the “Rat Race” and following what you want to do in life.
MER: How about the story behind “Wrong Way”?
TG: “Wrong Way” is all about a relationship where said person was always pressing the wrong buttons! It was a relationship that one of the band had been in and things went horribly south, which I think everyone can relate to. We all know the feeling you get where someone just keeps “pushing you the wrong way” and your driven to extreme.
MER: Are you planning to release another single on the album’s release day? Which song? Story behind it?
TG: There are always plans being worked on, wether or not they happen is another story… However if I told you then it would no longer be a surprise, so we’ll just have to leave that question as a mystery.
MER: Waiting For Good Luck was produced by Airrace guitarist Laurie Mansworth, who also serves as your manager. Is he related to drummer Dhani Mansworth?
TG: Serves is probably the wrong word. Lauire has been the 6th member of the band since day one. Him and Dhani formed The Treatment together, so he’s been with us every step of the way. They are father and son, passionate as anything, and an incredible team to have in a band.
Anyway, to skip forward to Waiting For Good Luck the production started about a year ago, not long after we went into the first international lockdown. We had it lucky as me Tao, Dan, and Laurie were all in a bubble together so we could play music, and that is all we did for months. Laurie drilled us during this time and got the band into a machine, as he wanted to recorded the album live at Rockfield Studios.
MER: Did you meet Laurie through Dhani or vice-versa?
TG: I will never forget the day I met the Mansworth’s. Laurie picked me up from Cambridge train station, he had a giant beard and crazy hair, I remember being so intimidated and nervous. Over the years he’s become like a father to me and been there every step of the way. I truly owe my career to that man. He’s also been a terrible influence on my Rock’n’Roll lifestyle but that’s a story for another time…
MER: Are you old enough to be familiar with the band Airrace?
TG: Sadly I was born in the wrong era and too late to the party catch the 80s bands, but I was there when Laurie reformed Airrace with Jason Bonham. It was such a great experience watching the two pros get back in the studio together playing again.
Since hearing all of their back catalogue of songs I have become a huge fan. I actually engineered the last Airrace album Untold Stories, and the song writing from Mansworth on that album was exceptional, he even sang on it too. It’s so great to see classic bands that are now translating to my generation.
MER: Longtime Iron Maiden producer Kevin Shirley was brought in to mix the album. What brought this opportunity about?
TG: Kevin actually mixed two albums for Laurie before with a band called Roadstar, so they have a long history and friendship together. I guess it was just perfect timing when Laurie reached out to Kevin to mix the record. He was super excited and loved what he heard… the rest will be history.
MER: Did you get to meet Kevin, or was it more of case where he’s just presented with the album and he sends back the results?
TG: I would have loved to have gone to his studio in Australia, but currently I cant legally even walk down the road, so that was off the cards. It’ll definitely be something we hope to do for the next album though.
MER: Waiting For Good Luck is The Treatment’s 3rd album for Frontiers Music. How did you get your initial record deal with Frontiers?
TG: After the release of Running With The Dogs we left Spinefarm, a subsidiary label of Universal. They just weren’t supporting their new up and coming bands, which is something Frontiers are really great with. They have a fantastic roster of young bands and are leading a huge rock revival. We’ll be with these guys for many years to come. They also have a fantastic festival in Italy that we’ve played and are super excited to get back to next year.
MER: Touring is still pretty touch and go around the world. The Treatment has a headlining date at the Call of the Wild Festival in July. Is it still going to happen? If so, has it been explained to you how it’s all going to work in a post-Covid environment?
TG: Currently in the UK we are set to be fully open by the end of June with no restrictions in place. So as I understand, it should run as a usual festival… Lots of beer, Brits over enjoying the sun and getting sun burnt, very loud music and plenty of sweaty dudes head banging down the front row. I think as we get closer to the date we’ll have more of an idea on what’s going to happen, but at the moment we’re praying for a return to normality.
MER: The Treatment has toured with Kiss, Mötley Crüe, Alice Cooper, and Thin Lizzy. You must have a great story or two playing with these heavyweight bands…
TG: We have all had a very blessed career and chances that many young bands don’t get, but with that we have certainly collected a few stories along the way. We’ve dined with Gene Simmons in his full stage gear, while talking about his TV program Rock School.
We’ve had Steve D from Buckcherry get up and jam Krokus with us. Nikki Sixx and Tommy Lee hired strippers dressed as clowns for our singers 21st just because he had a terrible phobia of IT.
We got pranked so hard with Alice Cooper that the stage was covered in gaffer tape and flour, Rikk actually walked out of his shoes. We even had people in chicken suites run across the stage while we were playing. Alice has gave us tips on how to stay sane in this business by playing mini toilet golf.
But the ultimate moment for me was getting up and sound checking a few songs with Thin Lizzy. I actually grew up next door neighbors to Snowy White, so Lizzy have always been a huge influence to me. Getting to play with Scott Gorham was incredible.
We have so many stories but truly the most fun we have is not when we’re around these larger than life giants, it is when we are with each other. This band is family and without them I’d be lost. The best times of my life have been out on tour with The Treatment family.
The Treatment is
Tom Rampton – Vocals
Dhani Mansworth -Drums
Tagore Grey – Guitars
Tao Grey – Bass
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