Okay, so let’s get the formalities out of the way… Can you tell our readers a little about yourself? Who are you, what is Never Say Die, what’s your role in the band, etc?
I am Reid Henry, I sing and play guitar in Never Say Die; a hard rock band from Toronto, Canada, comprised of myself & Brendan McMillan formerly of the band My Darkest Days as well as Dane Hartsell & Mike Langford.
How did Never Say Die come to be?
When My Darkest Days singer Matt got the opportunity to sing in his older brother’s band Three Days Grace, MDD went into hiatus. During the social media firestorm that ensued, we focused on supporting our friend & writing songs. As the smoke cleared, and we had developed a body of work we were fortunate to meet Mike, who had produced and engineered bands for many years. Mike was excited about the demos and we began work on our debut record Destroy & Rebuild. Once we met Dane & the line up was solidified we headed out on tour and haven’t looked back since.
The band’s website lists Never Say Die as being from Toronto. Are you from Toronto originally?
I was born in Toronto, although I moved around to a few different small Ontario towns. When I turned 18 I moved to a Toronto rehearsal space where I met the My Darkest Days guys. They were all from the Peterborough/Norwood area. I’ve since spent a lot of time in Norwood.
Obviously, Never Say Die isn’t your first band. Can you tell us a little about your previous background?
I was privileged to be in My Darkest Days. Starting out as a musician in Toronto, they were the first people I met. We’d play 4 player Halo together after our midnight noise curfew and I’d watch them jam when my band wasn’t around during the day. After a few months, Matt and the guys added the band I was singing in at the time to open for them at local shows. They would point out the mistakes in my set and helped me develop my taste and sense of objective good. Those years shaped me tremendously.
When did you realize you wanted to be a musician as a full-time career choice?
In grade 8, my friends and I dressed up as a hair metal band and lip-synced Aerosmith’s “Dude looks like a lady” with broomstick guitars and a desk/drum set. The crowd loved it. After that I went from being an introvert weirdo to an introvert weirdo that everyone seemed to like so I think it started then.
Have you always been involved in the music industry or did you work other odd jobs beforehand? If yes, which jobs were your favorite and least favorite?
I’ve always loved acting, I’ve studied theatre and film acting on and off for years. In Toronto, the industry is really prevalent, so I’d always find random film odd jobs and extra work on the side back in the day.
Let’s talk ink. How many tattoos do you currently have? Do you have plans for more?
On my left arm, I have a half sleeve of a raven with a crown & a Northstar on my forearm thanks to my very talented friend Shawn McCaig from Toronto, and on my right arm, I have a tribal sun and a tribalesque heart on my 3rd finger.
I’d like to finish my left sleeve and start one on my right, I’d also like something on my neck eventually.
Do your tattoos hold any significant meaning or are they just fun ones?
I’m a huge Edgar Allen Poe fan so that’s certainly where the raven comes from… nothing super personal per se, just all art I’m a fan of.
When it comes to ink, do you have a preference in style? IE: traditional, custom, black and grey, etc?
My tastes are pretty diverse, I love portraits, old school style traditional tattoo pieces, but I also love simple geometric/symmetrical stuff.
Tell us a little about your creative process… do you have any specific habits or muses that get you into a creative mode?
I think the same thing that drives others to make anonymous Twitter accounts or write on the “missed connections” page on Craigslist is what drives me to write songs. Musical therapy or whatever. I start with a melody or phrase or a riff but it always starts as a feeling.
I see you are currently working on a US tour. Is there anywhere NOT on your tour list that you really wanted to play but haven’t had the opportunity to yet? Do you have plans to expand your tour overseas at all?
We’ve been all over the country back and forth this year but we still haven’t made it through Florida, or along the Gulf coast. Hopefully, we make it there soon. We’d love to tour Europe, Russia & Australia!
If you were to hand me your iPod or mp3 player, what song would be currently playing when I turned it on?
Anti-Everything by “Ded”
Let’s say you were able to build your dream tour lineup. Who would you have play alongside you… go nuts—living, dead, random genres!
Three Days Grace, Korn, Metallica, Smashing Pumpkins, Deftones, & Nirvana
What can fans expect to see from Never Say Die over the next year? Do you have any goodies in store for us?
We will remain on tour in the US & Canada for the rest of 2017. Check out our website for tour dates! www.neversaydie.ca
Finally, do you have anything you would like to say to our readers?
Thank you so much for your support! Check out our record Destroy + Rebuild on Spotify, Apple Music & YouTube & let me know what you think on our Facebook! www.facebook.com/neversaydietheband
