Oli Sykes shared his thoughts on how he thinks Bring Me The Horizon has been perceived throughout their career.
Despite their monumental popularity today – the Sheffield band have just completed their self-organized festival weekend in Malta alongside some of the biggest names in metal – Sykes recalls their debut Bring Me The Horizon has not always been so well respected.
In a recent conversation with Kerrang! (opens in a new tab)the singer explains that when the metal heavyweights began to gain popularity, the media portrayed them “as a bunch of Mötley Crüe-style fucking assholes” – a reputation that Sykes thought the band didn’t deserve.
“Our band was kind of called a band of fuckin’ assholes à la Mötley Crüe,” says the frontman.
“One of the first interviews I did, the guy twisted every word. Things that were said as a joke were presented as if I was saying it in anger, and it was just a huge shock to me. that we are described as these people.
“I thought I was a nice guy, and there were all these magazines saying I wasn’t. It was amazing how your words could be twisted into something you didn’t mean, and I struggled with that.”
On how he was perceived individually as a leader, he continues, “People painted me as an idol or I was fucking hated. You’re the guy on the cover and it’s photoshopped and put in the best light, but you can never look like this.
“And you’re not that horrible, evil person either, you’re just an ordinary person who makes mistakes like everyone else – but no one thinks you’re an ordinary person. You’re either a jerk or a god That’s quite a whim.
While Sykes may have struggled to get started in the industry himself, the frontman was keen to share his sympathy for today’s up-and-coming artists who feel pressured to gain popularity by establishing themselves in line.
“Most labels want you to do sketches for TikTok, or think about your social media presence, and that alone is a full-time gig. I can’t imagine what it would be like to be a new artist and have that responsibility,” Sykes said. “It’s not just about making music, it’s also about being an actor, almost. I watch it with my wife [Alissic] now, and it’s crazy.
