When TAKING DAWN were in London earlier this week, Sonic Shocks sat down to chat with front man Chris Babbitt, citing the interview as “of those interviews to look forward to: you know it’s going to be funny yet honest, full of energy yet laid back; you know you’re talking to one of the most explosive and down to earth rock’n’roll frontmen around.”

In the video interview below, Chris talks about how he and Mikey met and put the band together, wigs, Gene Simmons’ words of advice to the band and how the follow-up to debut Time To Burn will sound. In addition, Chris talks candidly about how he feels about illegal downloading, and how illegal downloading directly affects him as an artist.

“Because people download [illegally]…we don’t make ANY fucking money…and yet people still appreciate the product. Where else does that happen? Nowhere. You don’t make a product where someone just walks in and then walks out with it.” he continues, “You invest your time- more than that- the essence of who you are, into your product and people just abscond with it, free of consequence. People don’t see it as illegal…but they really are taking it directly out of the mouths of the artists. You’re not fucking with the labels. The only people you hurt are the artists and the people with the ‘real jobs’ at the labels…You’re not fucking with ‘the man’…”

Check out the full interview in the player below and hear his comments in full as well as his usual witty banter.

Taking Dawn’s debut album is available in all good stores or you can order online from Play.com and iTunes.