We had the opportunity to catch up with the guys in CHUG shortly after they played their set on the Stowford Press New Blood Stage at this year's edition of Bloodstock Festival.
The winners of Cheltenham Metal 2 The Masses 2026; a powerhouse duo dedicated to the pursuit of metal groove; we got to know a little more about Doug Knight (drums/main vocals) and Jacob Durrant (guitar), what inspires them as a band, what the whole experience was like playing the festival this year, and what their plans are for the future.
MSM: Can you introduce yourselves, introduce the band, let us know a bit about you, how long you've been together, what your sound is all about?
Doug: We are Jacob and Doug from CHUG! We’ve been playing together for nearly 7 years but have been friends since early teenage years. Our sound is about groovy, chunky riffs that will make you pull 8 different stank faces in the same song.
MSM: You performed on the New Blood Stage earlier today, how did it go?
Jacob: It went really well! It was awesome to see how many people we pulled in, and watching people properly throw down to our music was amazingly fun.
MSM: You've come through the whole Metal 2 The Masses pipeline, what was that whole experience like?
[Note: Metal 2 The Masses (M2TM) is a regional battle of the bands style competition, affiliated with Bloodstock Festival, that takes place across the UK and parts of Europe. The winners of each contest earn themselves a spot on the New Blood Stage at that year's festival, a dedication that the festival organisers have made to showcase and support the best new and emerging unsigned talent within the scene.]
Doug: It was so inspiring to be a part of M2TM, playing with so many cool bands that all deserve to be at Bloodstock with us; we’ve made loads of new friends and contacts. It really is an incredible scheme for grassroots bands.
MSM: What's next for you boys, any plans on the horizon for the band?
Doug: We’ve got an EP coming out in the coming months, more gigs, playing with the Mantis Defeats Jaguar guys soon, more writing, more recording. As long as we’re having fun, we’re just going to keep this train a-chuggin'.
MSM: You've travelled up from Cheltenham to get to Bloodstock this year, who's in charge of the aux chord, what's on the playlist, anything in particular to get you hyped ready for stage?
Jacob: We all travelled in Doug’s ‘87 VW camper for the festival, and he has a pretty strict “nothing before 1990” rule in the van so we were listening to lots of Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, Bob Seger and all the rest of the chill road trip dad rock.
Doug: Jacob is normally in charge of music; he always has the newest and coolest stuff to share. If Jacob is showing you music he likes, it means you’ve got a friend for life.
MSM: Ignoring all things heavy music, is there a particular band/artist not associated to metal that influences either you individually or your band's sound?
Jacob: I listen to everything from MF Doom to Jack Johnson; I'm also partial to Khruangbin, perfecting cooking music!
Doug: I have a bit of a soft spot for blues guitarists, which led me to John Mayer’s “Where the Light Is” live album. Which then led me to being obsessed with every single piece of music John Mayer has ever produced. I also love Spacey Jane, an awesome Australian indie band, and some of the bigger Midwest Emo bands, like the Front Bottoms.
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MSM: If you had to add another member to the band, but it had to be an animated/cartoon/fictional character, who would it be and what would they be playing?
Jacob: It would have to be Ralph Wiggum on a Slipknot-style keg. Don’t think much else needs to be said.
MSM: Lastly, if you could manifest one big goal for this time next year, what are you hoping to achieve?
Jacob: 2000 Trees! for me. It has been a very important festival to me growing up. I’ve made so many amazing memories there & found so many influential bands; it is THE festival for us. So, to play the 20th anniversary [next year] would be an honour and fulfill a goal we’ve been chasing since we started the band.
