The Penguin Rocks logo
The Penguin Rocks Menu



 

Spotlight on Holding Poison

originally published: 07/03/2022


Holding Poison is a rock band based just outside of London. The band consists of Matt Blackwell and Jack Findell and they are our latest artist spotlight.  The Penguin Rocks presents this interview with Holding Poison.

Is there a story behind the band name? The band’s been around for just over a year now. The name was hard to find, we had around 30 different names which either had been used or just weren’t right. After searching and searching we stumbled across ‘Holding Poison’ at around 1 am… Had a ring to it so we went for it! 

Tell me about your latest record. Our latest record is a track called ‘Destination, Same Old’ - we wanted to release something different from our previous tracks. We all have personal favorites however Curbside gets the most votes in our camp. 

Who are the members of the band and what instrument do they each play? So on paper, we are a 2 piece consisting of Matt Blackwell (Vocals, Guitar, and bass) & Jack Findell (Lead Guitar). Although we front ourselves as a 2 piece we have a team of people that come in and do the live stuff.

How many records, eps, or singles has the band put out in total?  So as last year was our first year we managed to get quite a bit out the door - 3 singles, 1 EP, and a Live Album - you can find all of them on streaming platforms!  




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky



What was one of your favorite gigs? What made it memorable? Matt: We’ve only done 2 gigs as a band, one being a full live set which we released as an album. For me, the live session was the one that stands out. We turned up and smashed it. Although it was very very cold, I think it was -3 when we stopped recording. Great fun though!  Jack: The frostbite was definitely worth it, that was good fun. 

Where does the band regularly play shows? Where would you like to play if you could? Matt: The plan is to get some local shows in 2022, by local I mean London. I’d love to one day play somewhere like Brixton or the ally pally, that would be cool! Jack: Yeah I’d love to do Ally Pally. The 100 club would be fun too.

What would be the “next step” that you’d like to see the band take? We are just focused on writing and recording music, that’s what we enjoy. We are still in the process of building our setlist and the next EP will really help with that. I guess after that maybe some decent support slots to get the stuff out to the people! 

 

Finally, if the band does any cover songs. What artists do you cover? Who would be an artist you haven’t covered yet that you’d like to cover? So we have covers John Mayers - Love Song For No One & Foo Fighters - Low. We also covered medication by Queens of the Stoneage at a show. The main thing with our covers is we want to keep them unpredictable and something you may not hear a band play. So all we’d say is come to a show to see what we try next! 

You can follow Holding Poison on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, Spotify, YouTube, and SoundCloud



The Artist Spotlight series features interviews with artists and bands from around the world.  If you would like to be considered for an interview, email info@thepenguinrocks.com and provide a link to your website or socials for us to check out.  There is no cost to being part of the series.  Interviews run at The Penguin Rocks and NewJerseyStage.com




Follow New Jersey Stage on social media
Facebook, Threads, Instagram, Twitter, Bluesky




 

COLUMNS


Makin Waves Song of the Week: "Golden Cage" by Cranston Dean

The Makin Waves Song of the Week is "Golden Cage," the latest single from Cranston Dean.




Rock On! This Week's Sound Bites...7/3/25




This Week in Music: Previews for Concerts from July 1-7, 2025




BlowUpRadio.com's New & Notable NJ Music 6/30/25






 

MORE NEWS

Spotlight Central and Love Imagery have photos and a recap of Linda Eder at Axelrod Performing Arts Center on June 26, 2025.


The Newton Theatre presents Tonight's the Night - a tribute to Rod Stewart




Hoboken's Sinatra Park to Host Concert by Freedy Johnson and Karyn Kuhl and the Gang




An Interview with Dan Kurtz of The New Deal




Split Level Concerts at JSAC Announces Lineup of Opening Acts for its Second Season Beginning this Fall






 

UPCOMING SHOWS


Sounds of a Summer Night: Music, Nature, and Community in Concert at Reeves-Reed Arboretum

(SUMMIT, NJ) -- Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets to Reeves-Reed Arboretum and celebrate summer with their 2025 concert series, Sounds of a Summer Night! All performances will be held on select Wednesday evenings on the grounds of this non-profit public garden located in Summit.


2025 Horizon Sounds of the City at NJPAC




South Orange Summer Nights to Offer Free Concerts Every Wednesday Night In July




Middlesex County's Free Concert Series Returns for 2025






Advertise with The Penguin Rocks for $50-$100 per month, click here for info




The Penguin Rocks

© 2025 by Wine Time Media, LLC
PO Box 811, Belmar, NJ 07719
info@newjerseystage.com

Presented by New Jersey Stage

Images used on this site have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and PR firms. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us and we will look into the matter.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and our NJ Stage accounts on Instagram, and Threads


News | Features | Radio Shows | Penguin's Hall of Fame | Song of the Week | BlowUpRadio column

Contact Us | About Us | Submit Music | Ad Rates