It happens once in a while that I have heard of a band and yet our timelines never met. Hard to manage if that particular band has released a multitude of albums and is touring diligently but it was the case with The Burning Hell from Canada. Maybe it was something about the name? Maybe it was that I thought I was too far behind with all those albums released (as in "I don't dare to start watching 'The Big Bang Theory' now, as the mountain of episodes seems unsurpassable").
But then I came across one particular song and I was hooked. The joy then to be able to dive into a veritable treasure cove of The Burning Hell's songs and to look forward to one of their performances. I happened to see them play live in Die Hängenden Gärten von Ehrenfeld in Cologne, Germany, on June 9th 2019. Boys, could I bite myself to have missed out in the past on these wonderful, magical performances.
Mathias Kom's lyrics are in a league of their own and his band consisting of Ariel Sharratt (who is an absolute star), Darren Jamerson and Jake Nicoll are all musicians of high pedigree. Do you expect a sitdown concert with some serious nodding and trying to look bookish now? Ah no.
So much laughter, so many sentiments, so much beautiful and at times raucous music (and a rendition of an ABBA song), time flew by despite the rocketing temperature in the venue. You just forgot time and space with The Burning Hell's songs and the banter. It was the second night in this venue and quite a few people had been there the night before too. The Burning Hell take it a bit easier on this tour, taking some time to do sightseeing and thankfully also Mathias Kom kindley spoke to Offbeat Music Blog, too. Find information on The Burning Hell here:
And warm yourself up a little with two songs by The Burning Hell:
Offbeat Music Blog: Thank you very much, Mathias for taking the time.
Mathias Kom: Thanks for having me.
Offbeat Music Blog: You are located in Canada, again?
Mathias Kom: Again, yeah.
Offbeat Music Blog: What's life like in Canada now?
Mathias Kom: Oh, wow. That's a big question. I live really out in the countryside and miles and miles from anybody in the woods. And it's fantastic. It's a nice break from tour, where we're sort of always in cities and being around lots of people. It's nice to go back and just be around nobody. We have no neighbours. And it's just completely empty.
Offbeat Music Blog: Bears and all?
Mathias Kom: We don't have any bears. No, we live on an island, Prince Edward Island. So the biggest animal we have really is a fox. So yeah, it's totally okay. It's wonderful.
Offbeat Music Blog: So that's an island in Newfoundland?
Mathias Kom: That's Prince Edward Island. And we were living in St. John's, in Newfoundland, for a while. And two of the band are still located there. And then my partner who also plays in the band, Ariel, and I moved to Prince Edward Island, maybe five years ago or so. And so we're really, yeah, in the country.
Offbeat Music Blog: And speaking of touring, you do a lot of touring!
Mathias Kom: Oh yeah.
Offbeat Music Blog: And you have other projects as well. Other bands, other musical projects but also a label, Headless Owl, and you organise a festival?
Mathias Kom: Yes, I do all that. But the festival organisation not anymore, but we did start a festival and it continues now. So we handed it off to other people.
Offbeat Music Blog: And I read you are doing a doctorate as well?
Mathias Kom: I am actually finished. Yes.
Offbeat Music Blog: Over and done with?
Mathias Kom: It's been over and done with a year ago now. So yeah, I am a doctor now. Not the useful kind of doctor though. Not the doctor you want on an airplane with you. But a doctor of music (laughs).
Offbeat Music Blog: No headhunters after you then?
Mathias Kom: No, no (laughs).
Offbeat Music Blog: Ethnomusicology you studied?
Mathias Kom: Exactly, yeah. "Musikwissenschaft".
Offbeat Music Blog: So what exactly did you write your thesis on?
Mathias Kom: My doctorate was about antifolk, specifically antifolk in Berlin. But yeah, I mean, the program itself is much broader than that, of course, studying a lot of different things.
Offbeat Music Blog: But that's over. Is it a weight off your shoulders?
Mathias Kom: Definitely a huge weight off my shoulders. Yeah. Six years of my life. Finished.
Offbeat Music Blog: Always feeling guilty for not doing enough?
Mathias Kom: Oh, definitely. Well, I mean, a lot of my research during my doctorate was actually being on tour. It was kind of good the two parts of my life dovetailed together nicely.
Offbeat Music Blog: The thing about antifolk: I would suppose people throw The Burning Hell into that genre?
Mathias Kom: It does happen from time to time, which is always funny to me, because I've never considered The Burning Hell to be an antifolk band. But it kind of happens that, I mean, like a band, like The Wave Pictures, for example, were not an antifolk band. But they have associations with other artists like Jeffrey Lewis, who are part of that scene. So it's the same for us, I guess, just that we happen to be friends with some of those artists. So yeah, sometimes we get that label attached. But I think there's something about the spirit of antifolk in our band as well, in a way, although, to be honest with you, when I started the band, I'd never heard of antifolk before, so I had no idea and there's definitely no antifolk scene in Canada.
Offbeat Music Blog: That would be mainly in New York, wouldn't it?
Mathias Kom: New York, a little bit Berlin, less now than it used to be. And of course, in the UK as well.
Offbeat Music Blog: You were living in Berlin as well?
Mathias Kom: Yes. As part of my research for my doctorate. Yeah. So I was there for about a year.
Offbeat Music Blog: We already talked a bit on the way on your affiliation to Scotland. What draws you there?
Mathias Kom: I think it was officially voted the most beautiful country on Earth. I think that's true. And I love it so much. And we've toured a lot there. Last time was in April, we went up to the Shetlands, Orkneys, Skye, and we did like a lot of Highland and Islands kind of shows, which was great. And on a normal tour, we play usually, like, most bands do, in Glasgow or Edinburgh. But it's really nice to get to, you know, smaller places like Elgin or Knoydart.
Offbeat Music Blog: Knoydart is really way out there.
Mathias Kom: Yeah, we played there a couple times. It's wonderful. It's a wonderful place. And I think that it's my secret plan to one day, try and move there at some point, because I just love it so much.
Offbeat Music Blog: You would think that, especially where you are living now, it would be kind of unbeatable in terms of nature and beauty.
Mathias Kom: Yeah, definitely. Definitely. It's great. But yeah, there's something special about Scotland. And, anyone that's been to Scotland knows that. It's hard to describe in words, but...
Offbeat Music Blog: How are you getting on with the midges?
Mathias Kom: Oh, fine. Absolutely. I mean, we're from Canada! (Lots of laughter).
Offbeat Music Blog: You were with the label Weewerk for years?
Mathias Kom: Yeah, for ages. For the first five albums we were with Weewerk in Canada. And then they sort of stopped doing so much. They're mostly doing sort of management now for Great Lake Swimmers and a few other bands. But they are not really releasing records anymore.
Offbeat Music Blog: How did you come across the German label BB* Island then afterwards?
Mathias Kom: BB* Island was a connection that we made through our old booking agent in Berlin, who sort of connected us to Quintus from BB* Island. And yeah, it's perfect. I love the label. And it's really a good fit, somehow small, independent label, doing everything, in my opinion, in the right way, and really caring about each release, not like a typical sort of bigger label where, you know, things just get released and...
Offbeat Music Blog: And then you're part of the chain?
Mathias Kom: You're part of the chain.
Offbeat Music Blog: And with a smaller label there is the love for the music?
Mathias Kom: Exactly. Absolutely. And every release they do for all the other bands is the same. So they really care. And I appreciate that.
Offbeat Music Blog: You've been with them for a while now, for a couple of albums. And the last album was "Revival Beach" and you are still touring that?
Mathias Kom: Not exactly. So right now, it's kind of a mix of everything. We're doing a lot of new stuff that hasn't been released yet. And then yeah, a lot of stuff from "Revival Beach", but then there's also seven albums before that, and we're kind of drawing from those as well. So every show is a bit different. And, for example, in Cologne, we're playing two shows. We have promised the audience that we're playing a different set each night. So yeah, it's always a bit of a mix.
Offbeat Music Blog: Depends on the mood?
Mathias Kom: Depends on the mood, depends on requests if people have requests, and yeah, I mean, it just depends on whatever we're feeling at that time and place.
Offbeat Music Blog: I was talking to Tony Dekker from Great Lake Swimmers a while ago. And he was one of the very few people I know, who sat there and said, I write lyrics first.
Mathias Kom: Mhm, interesting.
Offbeat Music Blog: And I thought, with your lyrics being, I mean, absolute art in a way...
Mathias Kom: Oh wow, that's high praise, thank you!
Offbeat Music Blog: ...wordsmithing away there, and I thought, he cannot write the music and find those words.
Mathias Kom: No, that never happens. That never happened.
Offbeat Music Blog: Do you write the lyrics first?
Mathias Kom: I don't actually. I write them at the same time. There's been one or two songs out of all the songs where I've written the lyrics first, and then found music to go with it. But normally, it's happening at the same time. I love Tony's songwriting. And I think Great Lake Swimmers are fantastic. And I really am quite jealous actually of people who are able to write lyrics first, and then somehow find music that goes with it. But for me, it all has to happen at the same time, or it usually doesn't happen at all.
Offbeat Music Blog: Some people have the music first. And then just fill in some la la la or something which is also hard.
Mathias Kom: Also difficult. And also can produce some great results. I mean, famously, "Yesterday" by The Beatles, you know, was originally "Scrambled Eggs". And then eventually became "Yesterday". But no, I've never been able to do that either. I think I personally don't have much of a gift for melody, compared to a lot of other songwriters. With someone like Paul McCartney, for example, in that case, you know, that melody is so fantastic. And then you can just put whatever words you want in there for the time being, and then eventually, you're like, "Oh, yeah, I should probably change it from 'scrambled eggs' to something better than that". But for me, it's always the music and the words at the same time.
Offbeat Music Blog: You've also been quoted as saying that it's never a mixture and the lyrics are either autobiographical or it's fiction.
Mathias Kom: That's true. Well, there is no absolute truth, is there? No, it's mostly like that. There's a few cases where it's a little autobiography with, like, a dash of fiction on top? A few things changed, you know, to suit the song or whatever. But yeah, usually, it is. I really enjoy writing kind of story songs in a way. And those stories can definitely come from my own life and my own experiences, but often, they also just are completely invented.
Offbeat Music Blog: Quite a few people have a problem with writing detailed lyrics like that, or lyrics that are very much to the point because they think it doesn't leave anything open for the listener. Did you ever have that worry?
Mathias Kom: That's it. I mean, absolutely. It's a huge worry. And I think that a really good approach to songwriting, one that I've never been able to do myself, is to leave this sort of ambiguity where people can bring their own interpretations to lyrics. But for me in the end, it's just not my style. I say exactly what I want to say.
Offbeat Music Blog: I think a lot of people including myself, enjoy the lyrics the way they are.
If I may come back to "Revival Beach": Over the years the albums have become from more minimal musically to more adorned as in "Let's throw this in and see what happens."
Mathias Kom: Yeah, definitely.
Offbeat Music Blog: Changing instruments...
Mathias Kom: Yeah, all the time.
Offbeat Music Blog: On "Revival Beach" the contrast between the lyrics and music is striking.
Mathias Kom: Very striking.
Offbeat Music Blog: The apocalyptic lyrics and the lighthearted music. Is it meant to be a silver lining or just the contrast.
Mathias Kom: Oh wow. No, the contrast is intentional in most cases, and we really thought with that record... (that's actually the record I've made with the fewest number of people, so it was just myself, Ariel and Darren). But between the three of us, we have a lot of different - I mean, I don't - but THEY have a lot of different instrumental abilities. So and we thought, like, hey, let's take advantage of this. And, you know, Darren is a fantastic bouzouki player, but he never played bouzouki in the band before. So we thought, let's bring the bouzouki in and make it a feature. And Ariel really wanted to focus on the bass clarinet more, so we focused on that, and then she's also drumming now. In that way, I mean, I'm going to contradict what I said earlier about the lyrics and music happening at the same time. For some of those songs, we really thought...I had the basic sketch of the song. But then the three of us really put our heads together and thought how can we flesh this out musically? And what choices can we make, to sort of set off the lyrics in a different way? And, okay, if the lyrics are very dark, then let's, you know, try and make the music a little bit more light, or whimsical or whatever. If the lyrics are a bit more funny, then let's try and make the music very hard, just to have that contrast. Because I think it's interesting.
Offbeat Music Blog: People would probably expect something dark from a band called The Burning Hell. It has a bit of a Goth vibe.
Mathias Kom: Exactly. And I mean, it's the same thing with the name. I named the project long before the band existed, really, or started touring. And if I could go back in time and name it something else I would. But in a way, I think that the name works for us. Because if people are willing to come to a concert by a band called The Burning Hell, or listen to an album by a band called The Burning Hell, if they're already willing to do that, then they're already sort of, I think, in the sort of zone. They're ready to appreciate. The band is not deeply ironic or anything like that. But there is a certain humour to a lot of the songs. We've settled into the name in a way rather than the name suiting us.
Offbeat Music Blog: And the name stands on its now as well.
Mathias Kom: Definitely.
Offbeat Music Blog: Speaking of you were only three doing that album. How much of a say do the other people in the band have in the input?
Mathias Kom: In terms of how the song is evolved? Yeah, I mean, it changes from record to record...
Offbeat Music Blog: Do you serve up a ready made product?
Mathias Kom: In the past, it was much more like that, where I would come and I would say "This is the song. This is the structure. This is the keyboard part that I hear here, or in this other part, I think this is what the drums should do". I was much more rigid about it. Not like I was trying to be a dictator, or anything like that, but I definitely had my own specific ideas. And I kind of wanted it to be like that. But as I've settled in to playing with - I mean, the band has changed a lot over the years. A lot of different people have come and gone. But I've been playing, for example, with Ariel and Darren, and Jake, who's now on tour with us, for, I don't know, nearly eight or nine years now. And so I've really come to appreciate their input and trust them. And they've been absolutely essential in giving their own input into how the song should be in their ideas. I really value that sort of assistance in that production. On "Revival Beach", for example, a couple of the instrumentals were written by Ariel and Darren, not by me. And I think they're wonderful. And they really set off everything else fantastically, and it's happening more and more. We just made a new EP. That was, I would say, fifty-fifty my ideas and their ideas. I used to call the band a benevolent dictatorship. And now it's becoming a little bit more of a democracy.
Offbeat Music Blog: After all these years your bandmates would feel what you want to do. Is it a relief for you that you can delegate a bit?
Mathias Kom: It's not so much a relief, like I still love the work of constructing a song or producing a record. I love that. It's one of the most fun things I think you can do as a musician.
Offbeat Music Blog: Does it come easy to you? I would assume so considering your output.
Mathias Kom: Yes! Yes, it does. I don't know. I'm hesitating, because it does come easy to me. But I don't know that I always make the right choices. So I really appreciate having the other folks around to sort of sometimes say like, Hey, we shouldn't do that
Offbeat Music Blog: As in you sometimes don't see the wood for the trees ?
Mathias Kom: Exactly.
Offbeat Music Blog: You're known for really ferocious live shows. (Mathias laughing). And that's probably the first thing how people get to know you. And nowadays, well, let's face it. The internet has made it easier for artists from all over the world to get known. But also, making a living on selling records has become...
Mathias Kom: ...super difficult. Almost impossible. Yeah. In fact, I would just say impossible. Yeah, it's impossible.
Offbeat Music Blog: Unless you have a few vinyl lovers.
Mathias Kom: Sure. There's definitely people that always want the LP or even the CD. They are the exception for sure. And it's changed dramatically, even in the last one or two years. Even I think as recently as "Public Library", which came out in 2016. That was the last album we put out where every show is like, wow, okay, people are buying a lot of records, people were buying them in stores. And then it just completely dropped off. And at first I thought it was like, Oh, shit, maybe people don't like our new record. But then I'm hearing the same thing from everyone. It's not so much that people don't want to buy the record anymore. But the attention span is super short. So like, one or two weeks after something is released, that's when it gets sold. And then after that, they've moved on to something else. Maybe not just music, like, oh, the New Game of Thrones Season is out on Netflix or whatever, you know.
Offbeat Music Blog: There is just so much.
Mathias Kom: There is so much content constantly coming at people.
Offbeat Music Blog: Which leads to checking songs out quicker, more superficially. I catch myself doing it and I hate it. But it seems everbody does it now.
Mathias Kom: Everybody does it. Exactly. Personally, I don't think it's positive as a way to consume music. I don't understand how people can be so distracted all the time. You know, I've spent some time listening to music with younger people. And they listened to like 30 seconds of a song. And they're like, Oh, yeah, this is a great song. And then after 30 seconds they go, no, wait, this is a great song. And they put on the next song. My God, five years ago, people were complaining that nobody listened to full albums anymore. And now people don't even listen to full songs.
Offbeat Music Blog: I know...I came into this job because I love music and I dedicate time to an album, the cover art and the lyrics and everything about it. With this huge influx of music where I have to make a selection, I catch myself just clicking through and go: Oh my word, what am I doing.
Mathias Kom: I remember that very well - becoming kind of obsessed with a record. It wasn't so common to get a new record. And when you got a new record, you immersed yourself in it.
Offbeat Music Blog: It was precious.
Mathias Kom: Yeah, something totally precious. The first few records that I bought, I wore them out, you know, and had to buy new ones to replace them. Usually cassettes. But it's totally changed. And I don't think the promise of the internet in the early or late 90s, early 2000s, when people were saying , oh this is going to democratise music culture: That has definitely not come true. So in theory, it's definitely possible for an unknown artist to make records in their bedroom, and have it heard all over the world, in theory. And it happens often enough, just often enough, that people can always point to an example and say, like, well, this person was unknown two months ago, and now they're famous. But it's the exception, not the rule. And I think for most artists it's more difficult than ever. Sorry, to be depressing (laughs loudly).
Offbeat Music Blog: I get depressed about it every time I do my show. So you'd say, the only way to make money as a musician is to tour?
Mathias Kom: Yeah. You have to. Again, this is a crowded market as well, you know and it's not easy for everyone to do that. Not everyone has the same advantages or privileges to be able to go on tour, I'm so lucky to have a Canadian passport, for example. And to come from a place where I have a social safety net that can support me and that I can do this with minimal risk. Whereas for a lot of bands all over the world, they don't have that opportunity.
Offbeat Music Blog: And financially you have to get it started first.
Mathias Kom: Yeah, you have to have first the stamina and even the smallest opportunities to get you on that path. And then it's still not easy after that, even if you make it happen.
Offbeat Music Blog: How's it in Canada? I mean, I know a lot of of Canadian bands now, also through labels and agencies. How is touring in Canada?
Mathias Kom: (Solemnly) It's terrible.
Offbeat Music Blog: (Laughs incredulously). Why???
Mathias Kom: It's the worst (laughs). Okay, so there's a number of reasons. The first is demography. So like, we have 35 million people spread out over the second biggest physical landmass of a country in the world. Getting from us from the east coast of Canada to Vancouver is way more difficult than getting to Cologne. Way more difficult. When we come to Europe, then we drive for maybe one or two hours, and we're in the next city of a million people. And so that's great. We don't have that in Canada. But then the second thing, and I think this is more of a cultural difference with Canada in particular, is: The culture of going to see a live band, more or less stops at around age 25. When you leave school, you know, in Canada anyway, it's very rare to still be part of a music scene and still say I want to go to this gig. So it is very limited. My God, if we were touring in Europe and only playing to people under the age of 25, we would have, you know, a 10th of the audience that we do now. And then over here, in Germany, especially in the UK as well, it's totally normal at a gig to see people in the audience from age, you know, 18, or even younger, up to age 75, or 80, that's totally normal. And nobody seems to feel awkward about it. Like, you know, as a 20 year old standing next to a 40 year old, that's fine and we get people coming to our gigs with their kids or with their parents. And that's so cool, and so valuable. And I think it also sort of creates a generational exchange of parents taking their kids to gigs and saying, like, Hey, this is something fun to do. And maybe you'll like it, and then the kids get interested in it through their parents. And we just don't have that in Canada, we really don't. And then the third reason. I don't want to get too negative about Canada, because there are wonderful things about it as well. But the third reason is that the structure of gigs and promotion is based almost exclusively around alcohol. So as a musician in Canada, it's very easy to feel like the only reason that you are on that stage is because the owner of that venue wants you there to entertain the people so they can sell more drinks. Of course, the same thing is true in bars all over the world. But it can be very explicit in Canada. You know, it's common on the East Coast, especially, it's common for gigs to not start until 11 or 12 at night, and to go really until closing. So they can sell drinks the whole time. You know, because they think if you stop playing, then people leave and they stop buying drinks. So yeah, it's not easy. It's really not easy. But having said that, we have some wonderful experiences playing in Canada as well. So it's just such a contrast to Europe. And really, that's the reason why we're over here so much.
Offbeat Music Blog: You will play Glastonbury as well? Looking forward to that?
Mathias Kom: We did it a few years ago, and it was the most overwhelming. I'm a little bit agoraphobic, which is a funny thing to be when you're a touring musician. I just read Glastonbury is up to 250,000 people. I would say, 249,000 people too many for a comfortable festival experience. But it's cool at the same time. We had a lot of fun last time, so I'm definitely looking forward to it again. But I just need to temper my anxiety around crowds a little bit before we go for sure.
Offbeat Music Blog: Get something for holding the distance, a space holder.
Mathias Kom: (Laughs). Yeah. Focus. No, but it's so much fun. And I just found that they released the schedule recently. And we get to see Janet Jackson, which is going to make the whole band very happy. So yeah, it's cool. It's nice to do it.
Offbeat Music Blog: You've already played in Hamburg.
Mathias Kom: That was great. That was so much fun. And the night before we played on a boat in Hamburg, called the "Frau Hedi" which was really fun. Like 90 people packed into a space that should only hold 30 people I would say and cruising around the Hamburg harbour. And that was the first show of the tour. Great way to start. That's actually an intentional thing on this tour. We decided as part of the thing that's stressful about touring that every day, you know, you're in a new place, you have to do the same things, but in a new place. And you play the show, you pack up your stuff, you load the van, and then the next morning, you drive to the next city. And we thought, like, let's try, if we can, in a few cities, instead of playing one bigger venue, let's play two shows in smaller venues. And then we get to relax and hang out like in Hamburg It was the first time I was ever able to just relax in the city and really see something. Same in Bremen and same in Cologne. It's really nice. And then for people too: The people who really want to see as much as possible of us, they can come to two shows. And we've been playing different sets every night. So that, you know, in Cologne, the first night, we played a certain set of songs, and then I promised everybody, the second night we'll play totally different ones. And it's kind of cool for us and for them too.
Offbeat Music Blog: So you're still fresh and not so tired.
Mathias Kom: Not yet. We had some relaxing times for sure.
Offbeat Music Blog: And on the upcoming songs: Are you ready to divulge a little bit already?
Mathias Kom: Sure! It is definitely going to be the most...It's not going to be an electronic album by any means. But there's definitely some synthesizers and drum machines involved. A lot of songs for some reason so far are about birds. I don't know why. I mean, I am not intending it. But yeah, a lot of songs about birds. And as always about the end of the world. Yeah, it's still looming. Not everything is written for the new album yet, but so far, it's kind of going in two directions at once. One is like, more punk and garage rock, and one is more electro. And then Ariel and I are also working on a follow up to our duo album from 2016 which was called "Don't Believe The Hyperreal" and that was love songs, duets, and this next one... I think the tentative title is Ariel Sharratt and Mathias Kom never work. And it's all labour songs for the gig economy. So yeah, talking about automation and but trying to draw on this old folk tradition of labour songs.
Offbeat Music Blog: Speaking of which, you've also collaborated with Quite Marauder from Wales. I was introduced to them by Bill Cummings, their agent.
Mathias Kom: Fantastic.
Offbeat Music Blog: And I was: "Oh wow, there's Mathias Kom singing."
Mathias Kom: Yeah. Not singing, narrating (laughs). Yeah, my first gig as a narrator. I am very proud.
Offbeat Music Blog: That was a huge project as well ("The Crack And What It Meant", out on Bubblewrap Collective) but then Quiet Marauder are not known for a minimalist album.
Mathias Kom: No, no, not at all. No, I was so happy to collaborate with him. We played with him the first time we were ever in Cardiff, which is maybe five years ago or so. And right away I kind of fell in love with the Cardiff scene that they're part of: Bands like My Name Is Ian, Francesca Word Salad and Quiet Marauder. And they really struck me with their sort of sympathetic, at least to what we're doing, kind of style of, yep, preposterous content in a way. The album that I got to know them through is 111 songs long. And then this one, when Simon the songwriter from the band approached me about it, he asked, you know, would you consider narrating the song about a crack in space and time opening in Kent? And that was all he needed to say. That was all he needed to say. Of course. Definitely. Yeah. So, so much fun. And on this upcoming UK part of our tour, we're going to tour with them. And yeah, so I get to be the guest narrator for the live sets that they're supporting us with. So it's really fun.
Offbeat Music Blog: Wishing you a lot of fun with that and the rest of the tour and thank you very much for taking the time.
Mathias Kom: Thank you. Thanks so much for having me. Cheers.