This week’s Profile is one that I am absolutely thrilled to bring you. Jeff Irwin, the primary guitarist of Foreign Film and Will Haven, shared insights into his bands, his background, and the state of the scene more generally. While the latter hardcore project might be on a bit of a break, Foreign Film just released A Love Letter last month. And the release of that cinematic post-rock project is precisely what we are here to celebrate today. It’s emotive, it’s wandering, and it’s one you’ll be glad to have added to your list. So take the jump, hit play, and give Jeff’s words a read while you listen along.

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How and when did you first get into playing music, or metal more specifically, and how did your band get its start?

I started playing drums when I was 12 years old, mostly to Rush and Motley Crue. Then at 19 I moved into a house with my friend Shaun, he played guitar in a band called Far, so being roommates we started jamming together and started a hardcore metal band called Sock. We were a band for about 2 years then after the band I started playing guitar and started a new metal project called Will Haven.

Any pushback from family/those close to you?

No, my family was very supportive of all my musical interest. My Dad bought my drum set for me when I was 12 and my mom would drive us to some of our first gigs in Will Haven. They loved that I was into music and my Dad is one of my biggest fans.

How would you describe your band and what you play to someone who is completely in the dark?

I have two bands at the moment. When I describe my band Will Haven, I just tell them we are very loud and scream, most people who ask you on the street do not know what hardcore is so I tell them we sound like Metallica; everyone knows Metallica. For my other band Foreign Film, it’s a little easier. I tell them we are influenced by Pink Floyd and are very cinematic. It seems like people are intrigued by that description.

Is there anything about your latest album or about your band that no one will find in any interview or review that you care to divulge?

My band Foreign Film is releasing our first record this summer. I would say most people don’t know is that the record we are putting out started out as a Will Haven record, but after laying tracks down in the studio we realized that this was something completely new, so we decided to make it a new project and go on a new journey.

Any funny stories from playing shows / tours / festivals, etc?

We (Will Haven) have a ton. But one that always comes up is that we were playing a club in the UK, a fairly smaller club, and the sound guy asked if we wanted to use the fog machine, so he set up the fog machine and gave our bass player Mike the controls for it, that way we can use it when we wanted to. Mike decided to press the button the whole show and by the time we were done the whole crowd had left the venue because either they couldn’t breathe or they couldn’t even see 2 inches in front of them, we kept playing and were dying laughing the whole time seeing the room empty out.

What do you see as some of the great things happening in and around the metal scene (yours or just in general) and what are some of the worst things happening right now?

I have seen a resurgence in the metal scene, which has been awesome. It was very strong when Will Haven started in the late-90s, then other types of music became the new trend and metal took a little hit. Now it has come back around and you see a lot of new bands and 90s bands starting to take over again. Some of our peers are finally getting what they deserve after decades of hard work. I don’t see anything bad going on right now. It seems like all the up-and-coming bands are doing something new and keeping it real. A lot of newer hardcore bands are coming up now which is awesome to see as well.

Most folks have passions for a cause or causes that are close to them. What, if any, are some of the most important issues (social/political/humorous/etc.) for you / your band and how do you insert those issues into your music?

When we were younger we had some stances; we were all vegetarian and catered to that a little in our songs, but that was short-lived. We then really started just concentrating on the music itself. The lyrics then moved on to more personal stuff like relationships and outlook on life in general, so we never became a political band at all, we just wanted to make good music. That’s what was most important.

Do you have day jobs or hobbies you want to share?

We all have stuff we are passion about outside of the band. I surf, our drummer is a semi-pro pool player, and on Fridays the band and a big group of our friends will go bowling. It’s become a tradition.

What advice do you have for music critics and outlets out there?

I don’t have much advice. Everyone has their opinions on stuff. I mean there is stuff that I like that other people don’t, so I get it; everyone has their own thing. It does suck to spend years on a record and have it torn down but it’s just part of the business I guess. The fans are the ultimate validation.

How can we all better serve the genre in the eyes of a hard-working musician?

I just think the business model is not set up well for any artist. To me, artists are an afterthought in everything, which is sad. We are just the worker bees and everyone else reaps the benefits. The musicians are the last to get compensation for their hard work. It makes it so hard to keep a band going. I know so many great bands that were taken advantage of and imploded. If there was a way to make the artist the priority, that would change a lot.

Any specific long-term goal(s) in mind?

The long-term goal is just to have fun making music with your best friends, hopefully travel the world and make some memories, you hope your legacy can live on and inspire other people to play music or want to sound something like what you created.

When you’re not obsessing over your own material, what are some of your favorite albums to listen to currently?

I have been all over the place lately. I have been listening to a lot of Eek A Mouse, Hieroglyphics, Living Legends, Human Rights, and going back to one of my favorite records: Jeff Buckley Grace.

What is the near future outlook for you or your band?

Will Haven is currently taking a break, so our other band Foreign Film will be releasing a new record and hopefully be playing a lot of shows in the next year or two.

Any specific events on the horizon that the masses should be aware of?

Our new project Foreign Film will have a new record out called “A Love Letter” June 12th. It will be available on all streaming services. We hope to be touring this fall and into next summer.

Summarize your band in one word.

Will Haven = Brutal
Foreign Film = Emotional

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Many thanks to Jeff for the time!

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A Love Letter is out now. For more information on Foreign Film, head over to the social platform of your choice.