PARADISE LOST vocalist NICK HOLMES has reflected on how his approach to touring has transformed radically over a thirty-year career. Speaking on the Slowhands Rock Talk Show, he described a complete shift from hedonistic excess to rigorous professionalism — a change driven purely by what he now sees as the only thing that matters on the road.
"The only thing that matters is the show, and that's gotta be the best you can make it," HOLMES said. His current touring regimen is built entirely around that principle: vocal care at all times, strict limits on unnecessary conversation and shouting, sleep as a priority, and complete abstinence from the heavy drinking and late-night partying that once characterised life on tour.
HOLMES observed that this cultural shift extends across the industry. The ubiquity of smartphones at shows has naturally discouraged risky behaviour, and even younger bands arriving at festivals now operate with a level of professionalism that would have seemed foreign in the early 1990s underground scene that PARADISE LOST came from.
The vocalist also mentioned guitarist GREGOR MACKINTOSH, who recently went through health issues resulting in noticeable weight loss, but confirmed that his playing ability remains completely unaffected — welcome news for fans of one of doom metal's most distinctive guitar voices.
PARADISE LOST formed in Halifax, Yorkshire in 1988 and are widely recognised as pioneers of gothic doom metal. Their 2024 album "Ascension" has drawn strong reviews, and the band continues to tour in its support. More than 35 years in, their commitment to their craft remains absolute.