Funeral For A Friend, Download Festival 2024 | Lucas Woodland Vocals & New Music | Interview

Funeral For A Friend chat with us backstage at Download Festival 2024 as they prepare to headline the second stage. They talk welcoming Holding Absence's Lucas Woodland into their live lineup and the possibility of producing some new music.
Interviewer: James Wilson-Taylor
#funeralforafriend #downloadfestival #interview
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[@jaymo107]

You can tell Lucas is just living the dream here and is humbled by singing with one of his favourite bands. He's doing such a great job and honestly don't think there's anyone better to do the job. He's proper killing it right now, hats off to him.

[@jackalope901]

Yes! Make new music with Lucas! Do it! DO IT!! 😃

[@HH-jw4sz]

New music with Lucas would be awesome 🙏. These shows were so brilliant and everybody in the crowd around me talked about how much they like you guys together.

[@danielgreen5343]

Saw them at Download and their show was the stand out set for me for the whole weekend. My father in law (not really a FFAF fan) even said they were his 2nd best band of the weekend and they won him over!!! Absolutely nailed it lads!!!

[@MathewWilkinson]

Fuck yeah! Would be stoked to hear some tracks with Lucas on, even if it's just one or two to mark what an incredible job he's done these past few shows!

[@golf_sale]

This is so wholesome, great to see FFAF back and what a lovely chap Lucas is. Look after yourself, it can't be easy being in two huge bands.

[@2011ewetube]

Lucas was so fucking good on vocals in the warm up show in Newport. I’d love to see him do more with FFAF the band are still so tight and watching Lucas is like having the old Matt back 🤘🖤

[@nickgillan3912]

Man you guys were so good. I really hope there's more to come but if not, it definitely ends on a high

[@pezalpanda2894]

Hoping to hear ffaf new materials. Hoping the feels of hearing ffaf for the first time.

[@vancitycanucks]

Whoa. One of my favorite bands!!!

[@johnkelly3549]

Finally, 5:20 in or so, an example of these lads not being too humble for their own good! I’d seen some comments about FFAF replacing Bad Omens at Download which were less than savory. Reminiscent of 2004 when metal-heads were slandering them because they dared to use a bit of melody or just weren’t Slayer. Someone even said FFAF could never pull a crowd big enough for that slot. I’m delighted that whoever wanted to go all Siskel & Ebert on the night had no excuses. FFAF are a phenomenal band, the scene recognizes their importance & they don’t need to justify themselves to anyone anymore.

[@rogergoza3180]

COME TO DALLAS I LOVE FFAF

[@TheDillwsPk]

Que venha um novo álbum com Lucas, por favo! O mundo espera por isso! 🇧🇷

[@beckidenn]

I wasn't gonna see FFAF at DL this year, only because I have seen them so many times and I thought I wanted to see QOTSA. I didn't know Matt wasn't around either (missed that memo and incredibly glad to have seen them end of last year!) But when leaving Busted I just could not walk past, I was absolutely hooked and stopped until the set was done. Had probably my best boogie of the weekend. Lucas did an absolutely fab job and I can't wait to see what happens next!

[@NorthWestEnduro]

Ive been a Funeral fan since they started. Saw them last year and I got the feeling that Matt had lost interest. Be good to see them with a singer who actually wants to be there! 🤘

[@FieldDave44Tent]

His voice is totally gone, he couldn't do the songs justice anymore. It's a shame to see him go, I'm not sure on replacing him as the songs lose a bit of meaning if they're not sung by him but I'll give them a chance.

[@johnkelly3549]

@@FieldDave44TentI think it’s a mixture of both things honestly. His voice has undoubtedly changed and he couldn’t perform to his previous level. However, and I say this as a voice actor with a humble amount of clinical training on speech, he had the capacity to address that but chose not to, I suppose because it didn’t seem necessary to rehabilitate his singing voice for a short stint of shows and no long-term goal. I don’t judge him for that, and he ultimately knew his priorities so took the commendable step of making way for someone who could dedicate themselves fully. The only concern I’d have is that Matt isn’t overlooking vocal damage that could need rehabilitation regardless of what he does for a living. Or that an underlying issue will go missed without treatment. He’s a fantastic person so I hope he’s looking after himself.

[@lynrobson9383]

Absolutely gutted that not the original singer... But, well done Lucas, I fucking loved it. Be you and not your predecessor!

[@SpyKiFTW]

I can't believe you didn't ask Lucas about new music at the end there! I hope he does it, I'm sure he can handle two bands at once!

[@FieldDave44Tent]

Have they fallen out with Matt? I thought he just left because his voice is done. Seemed a strange answer in relation to lucas rehearsing the first time

[@tomwattsguitarist5514]

Doesn't seem that way, Matt has been super supportive of Lucas and the guys. Think what he was trying to say was the same energy/excitement as when they first wrote and rehearsed the songs with Matt

[@Aristomache83]

Nah, Matt doesn't want to get back into Touring again, which was the reason they split in the first place. Think he has a whole different life in Germany now and doesn't want to uproot that, but he also didn't want to stand in the way of the rest of the band continuing.

[@johnkelly3549]

In addition to the other responses, I think FFAF can just be quite straight talking sometimes. I didn’t read what Ryan said as pointed or cynical. I think having a young gun like Lucas come in, in his prime, added a jolt of energy to rehearsals. Which is fair, to me. After a stellar career, Matt wasn’t in the same place, his priority wasn’t singing while Lucas is an active musician with the dedication to give to performance.

[@Mariooo57]

@@johnkelly3549 Yeah and to add to that, in the lead up to the 2019 reunion, I remember Matt saying he hadn't sung a word since the last FFAF shows in 2016. He was in a totally different place and fair to him for staying on his path, even though it feels bittersweet not having him there anymore.

[@johnkelly3549]

@@Mariooo57 I heard that too, possibly on the Sappenin podcast. He also said his warmup had been screaming to Black Flag for half an hour before showtime. It was probably meant in jest (because I’ll tell ya right now, that’s no way to warm up your voice) but I didn’t get the impression he was approaching those shows as an active singer. Anyway look, I’m happy he’s happy where he is, as any fan would be. He put in a mighty shift. But I do wonder if he’d have considered staying on if his voice was more maintained from his recording/touring days.

[@wilburwhateley2035]

who the fuck is that

[@jackalope901]

My man Kris Coom-bob, the Riff King himself 🎸👑 🤘He looks different cuz he’s wearing a hat

[@alexiluffy216]

@@jackalope901 why do I feel like he's asking who the heck is Lucas Woodland instead? xD

[@shannanosnower6170]

If you’re asking who Lucas is, he’s the singer of Holding absence, an amazing melodic post hardcore band

[@danparry834]

@@jackalope901😂