We chat to Rupert from Into The Unknown.

So, who are you?

I’m Rupert, I’m the bass player and producer with the band Into The Unknown.

Where are you from?

Currently, South Bucks, in the UK

How long have you been together?

The core of the band, the three of us, have been together now for maybe four years. We originally got together when I was producing a song for a pop singer, and needed a guitarist to do a session in the studio and Ryan was recommended to me. We hit it off, he was interested in doing some more studio work, and I had this idea that I wanted to record a rocked up version of Chris DeBurgh’s ‘Don’t Pay The Ferryman’. Ryan suggested that we got Lucie, a singer that had been with him in a previous band, to do the vocals. A couple more recordings later and we realized that we all had great chemistry, and thought on (sort of) the same wavelength, so we decided to convert the recording sessions into being an official band. Lots of recordings later, after the release of the first album, a mini album of covers, and having finished recording the second full album, we have extended the lineup with the introduction of some new members who we are about to announce, and so will be able to go out and do some full shows.

How long have you been playing music?

Personally, I’ve been playing music for a very long time! I played in a few bands (including a short stint as the bass player with Thunderclap Newman) before ‘retiring’ for a while whilst I worked in the music industry, both as a label exec and a tour manager/sound engineer. Into The Unknown is the band that’s pulled me back in!

Why should people listen to your band?

Hopefully, because they want to! In all seriousness, it’s worth checking out, we are not trying to be anything that we’re not, we’re not trying to be a clone of any other band, we are all doing it because its what we love, and if anyone else likes it, that’s a bonus. We are honored that quite a few people, including some very well respected critics, have said that we have our own unique sound, but that every song is different. Basically, if you like hard rock, symphonic rock or classic, melodic rock, give it a go.

What is your ideal touring line-up?

I’m probably answering this question in a different way to what you intended, but it is a relevant question to us. The band has been a three-piece for a very long time, which means that we haven’t been able to perform and tour as a full band (without calling in session guys or doing acoustic shows). Therefore for us to tour, our line-up needs to expand to two guitarists, bass, drums, keys, and vocals. As I mentioned earlier, we are about to announce new members, a rhythm guitarist and a drummer, but are still looking for a keyboard player to join our ranks… if anyone’s interested, please get in touch via the Facebook page (ITUUKVigilante) or the website (intotheunknown.band)!

What does music mean to you?

Music, for all of us, is a major part of our lives… Ryan went to music college, Lucie is all about music making a difference, and I’ve worked in the music industry for my entire career.

What was the first record you bought when you were younger?

Easy… and classic… ‘Remember You’re a Womble’ by The Wombles!

What artists first inspired you to start playing music?

This one is very personal actually. When I was young, my family were not a musical family, I didn’t even get a radio until I was about 14. However, one of my neighbors was Ian Mosley, the drummer from Marillion, and I remember him playing the new Marillion record to me in his front room before it was released. From that moment on, I was hooked, and music took over!

What’s the most aesthetically pleasing album cover that you have in your collection?

Potentially Script for a Jester’s Tear by Marillion, I love Mark Wilkinson’s artwork. Also, check out artwork by Hugh Gilmour as his Whitesnake covers are iconic – he’s also a friend of mine and a good guy!

What kind of movie genre do you think your music would best be the soundtrack for?

Action movies definitely! In particular, as we have recorded and released a couple of reimaginings of Bond themes, we would absolutely love to be able to do the music for a new Bond film!

Recommend us a record, a book, and a movie…

Record: Nightwish’s Imaginarium.

Book: The Roy Grace series by Peter James

Film: Well, I saw Avengers: Endgame yesterday, so…

Any last words for the readers of Highwire Magazine?

Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please have a listen to some of our music, if you like it, maybe let us know? You can find us on Facebook (ITUUKVigilante), the website is http://www.intotheunknown.band or search for us on Spotify, Apple Music, etc. The albums are available on all legit sites as we are fortunate enough to have a digital distribution with Sony.