Metal band's appeal to break down music barriers

Pigsx7 has launched an appeal for unwanted music equipment

A heavy metal band is appealing for unused and unloved instruments so they can be donated to families in time for Christmas.

Newcastle-based Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs (or Pigsx7) have been playing together for more than 14 years and say people from low-income backgrounds in the north-east of England are being priced out of music.

Calling out for working pre-loved music gear, guitarist Adam Sykes said he hoped the appeal would allow other people in the region to potentially enjoy the same success as them.

Vocalist Matt Baty said so far they had received guitars, pedals and had leads on a saxophone and DJ decks, but were after much more.

He said a large proportion of successful musicians had got to where they were because they had been in a "privileged position" to "subsidise their careers".

"But if you're struggling to make ends meet then you're going to push all of that aside," Baty said.

Guitarist Adam Sykes said music costs were holding musicians back

Sykes said the cost of instruments, as well as rehearsal room space and recording studio time was holding a lot of would-be-musicians back.

"It's huge barrier, it's insane," he said.

Baty added more people were struggling to keep their fridges stocked which meant music, and other creative pursuits, were being put on the backburner.

"I understand that is the priority for most people and rightly so, but what a horrible world to be in where economically there's a vast proportion of the country that is completely cut off from, not just music, but from the arts in general," he said.

"You need voices and experiences expressed from all walks of life and I feel, you know, on the path that we're going down now, those voices have been very, very marginalised and have been less and less prominent."

Matt Baty said he had a shelf filled with guitar pedals he had not used in years

Baty said he had had the idea for the instrument donations for some time.

"I've got shelves of guitar effects pedals that I've not used in years, and there's nothing wrong with them," he said.

"Why should they sit there?

"I'd rather they go somewhere where they're going to be loved, used, and hopefully after there's a bit of inspiration further down the line."

The band has asked people to email them at [e-mail] to get in touch and they can arrange a collection.

Alternatively the instruments can be dropped off at The Cluny in the Ouseburn, after discussing the donation with the band.

All equipment will be PAT tested before being donated to a local charity.

Sykes said the success of Pigsx7 has been down to "a lot of luck".

After 14 years together, they have toured the world and released six albums.

"It's incredible to be able to travel and stuff, but at the crux of it it's just the playing music and whether that's in a rehearsal room, in a pub to 50 people or you know, playing America - it's all incredible and it's all that same feeling, which is hopefully what this will allow some people to be able to do that maybe otherwise wouldn't," he said.

Both members of Pigsx7 urged people to donate what they could.

"Even an FX pedal that a few people have donated, a distortion pedal, because god forbid a kid's trying to learn Reign in Blood through a clean guitar," Sykes added.

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