words by Ashley Jones

“We’re all angels, not quite sure why we were set or who we represent, but we’re all angels”.

Post-apocalyptic art rock band, I AM DRUG is a two-piece based in South Wales built up of members Luker Koenig and Christian Sargent.

Identifying themselves as a three way mashup of The Stooges, The
Jesus Lizard and Joy Division, I.A.D. aim to hold a mirror to their audience and reflect back a distorted and fractured version of their “wildest fantasies and deepest fears”.

I.A.D. attempt to keep the live spectacle interesting, entertaining and explosive. Performing shows across the United Kingdom, it’s clear
that the message of I.A.D. is one that has been incredibly well received.

When asked how I.A.D. formed Sargent explained: “In late 2012, I emerged from hibernation and a state of mental miasma with fresh impetus, the band name I AM DRUG and a clutch of new songs raring to go”.

Sargent followed up by saying that after coming into contact with Taif Ball, a long time collaborator, within 12 months the first line up of I.A.D. was in place.

Together with Richie Lewis on drums and Pietr Heinemann on saxophone I.A.D. created a concoction of jazz, psychedelia and metal.

According to Sargent, the band played one gig and abruptly disintegrated. The performance is available to watch on YouTube titled:

‘I AM DRUG Live in the West End Club, March 2014’.

Eventuality I.A.D. morphed into a more traditional lineup with Luther Koenig on guitar, Sean Roehorn on drums, Taif Ball on bass and Christian Sargent on vocals.

This version of the band played regularly in South Wales from late 2015-2019, when everything changed.

“Crisis then cure.”

Things took a drastic turn in 2019. After the passing of his 26-year-old son, Sargent was left in what he described as a “huge abyss of grief and uncertainty” from which he had to crawl out of and rise from.

However, he explained that in a short period of time he found that ideas, lyrics, words, songs and epitaphs were surfacing and popping around his brain: “Crisis then cure” he exclaimed.

After this devastating event, Sargent and Koenig decided to scale I.A.D. down to a two-piece made up of guitar and vocals alongside ‘Pad Eye’ (an iPad) providing recorded bass and drum tracks originally played by their collaborators, rather than machines, in the live setting.

“My creative focus had been galvanised in Trauma’s inferno. The songs kept a’coming“

When discussing the band’s discography, Sargent detailed his thoughts on some of their previous projects:

“Tribute to Nothing is an explosion of savage guitars and pummelling drums reminiscent of Faith No More at their most brutal. It is a swipe at the tribute band culture, which I adore (Pete Loaf, I ask you?) and an appreciation of the void.”

He continued: “I was also thinking of the ego-death themes common in most shamanistic rituals/belief systems’.

Despite having two political songs titled ‘DONALD’ and ‘PUTIN’, Sargent claims that politics has very little influence over his writing as he tends to write from an individualistic and personal point of view.

His usual subject matters tend to fit into the apocalyptic bracket. However, after the events surrounding politics both in the UK and worldwide over the past 10 years, he states that it would be virtually impossible to not be affected, writer or not.

The future of I AM DRUG is looking bright as the two piece are currently working on two tracks set to be released over the next couple of months.

Follow I.A.D here: 

Instagram: @iamdrugband

Spotify: I AM DRUG