- Interviews
Your music has come to the attention of many people via advertisements and other “non-traditional” ways for an artist to become known. What are the pro’s and cons of this? Is it odd that people may know your music but not know you?
The plus points for me outweigh the cons by far. Some people have a negative opinion of music being used in advertising, but I've discovered a lot of my favourite artists through hearing their music on advertising campaigns, for example Stina Nordenstam. And I wouldn't have heard them otherwise as their music never had regular airplay on any of our main radio stations. If you're quite a left-field artist or you're doing something a bit different, you're actually more likely to find a bigger audience through an advertising campaign featuring your music than you are through radio play. So I definitely have respect for advertising agencies for being more creatively minded about music. I think it's a real shame that many key radio stations have lost that from their high rotation playlists. Secondly, the income through having your music featured in an advertising campaign can be the equivalent to having sold (these days) many thousands of albums. So they also generate funds you can feed into touring or recording. For me personally - I always enjoy seeing how my music works with different visuals. I've enjoyed the anonymity of the way this kind of exposure works.
You regularly interact with fans via youtube and facebook. As you become ever more popular and in demand, do you feel that you’ll be able to keep this connection?
Absolutely. I love speaking to everyone on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. And yes, I will certainly be able to keep this connection, I take a couple of hours out of every day to make sure I can catch up with everyone - to me, showing my appreciation to those who've taken the time to let me know why they've enjoyed listening to the music, is really essential. It means a lot to me, when people get in touch to talk about how the music's moved them.
We’re conducting this interview prior to your show at a tiny church (St. Pancras Old Church in
It doesn't very much actually...I still try to cram in as much of a spectacular show as I possibly can, regardless...and I've not found it to be a problem so far. The only time I change approach is if I can't find musicians who are available for the date, or sometimes I'll just feel like doing a show with less musicians involved. But for sure, the best reflection of the album is through a larger arrangement...although smaller arrangements give more focus to the album melodies and lyrics, which is also a really lovely thing.
- Interviews
How did the band come together and with what ambitions?
Joe: The band was initially Jack's solo recording project that produced an EP on Sea Records, two 7" singles on the Battered Ornaments label, and provided most of the material on the first Jagjaguwar album/compilation "Tidings". Ian who mixes our records bullied Jack into forming a band to reproduce it live. Tom (drums) and Jack had played in bands together in
There were no other ambitions other than to attempt to reproduce the sound of Jack's initial recordings, I think we are all surprised it’s got this far to be honest. Our ambitions have evolved with each recording, and I think we would just like to keep improving as players and hopefully leave a legacy of albums that people will still turn to and enjoy in the future.
How did you come up with the name Wolf People?
Joe: Firstly, we'd like to clarify that it's a name we're not proud of, none of us are that enamoured with it, we've tried to change it, but couldn't think of anything better! Jack needed a name for his early demos, and a favourite childhood book was "Little Jacko and The Wolf People", I think it was chosen on a whim, and at the time none of us were really aware of the other "wolf" bands around, it wasn't given any consideration. In the end, it’s just a name, and if it turns certain people away, then maybe the music isn't for them anyway...
New album ‘Fain’ completed, what is the biggest difference you experienced recording this record to your last album?
Joe: We don't have a lot of time to spend together and we don't have a lot of cash either, so we needed to find a space where we could be free to work as long as we wanted without worrying about cost. We also just wanted to get away from normal life for a bit, and just hang out together and have a mini holiday. The build up to this record was different too, after touring Steeple, we became a bit more of a band, and we spent a lot of time sharing ideas and recording rehearsals. I also found that I didn't have to really sit down and write or study ideas this time, we had played so much together that the riffs just locked in without much thought, things just happened.
- Interviews
Fresh as a daisy thank you, all be it a daisy trying to grow between the paving stones of Hackney Road . Yes, still in sunny Hackney... the English Riviera .
Is there any inter-linking theme between your previous Coastguards records, your solo Sudden Fiction album and the new Coastguards record Blindspot or are they all stand alone albums?
There's certainly common ground between them.. there's a strong relationship between Sudden Fiction and Blindspot as they share a timeline and a story. If they were vases or bookends, I'd refer to them as companion pieces. Those two records we're both written in the present, where as the records that preceeded them were written looking back and grabbing moments from a longer period of time. So they either share an ideal, or they bring down an ideal and replace it with something new, depending on your outlook.
- Interviews
We don't have much rest... at the moment we're busy promoting the album and making videos but we're hoping to release something else later this year.
Was there a different approach to recording this album and were there any surprises during the recording this time around?
We always use the same approach when recording, all playing at the same time live in the studio. Vocals and some extra parts get overdubbed later, but this allows for a more truthful and organic rendition. We recorded the album at Soup Studios in
We recorded the string quartet separately, Rachel wrote all the arrangements beforehand, and left the mixing to one of their engineers, Giles, who has been absolutely fantastic to work with.
How do you go about creating your music, what is the writing process and are there any particular stories behind the songs on the new record, that you would like to share?
The songs usually start off by Rachel and me playing together at home on acoustic guitar and piano. Some of the songs are fully formed, some more embryonic, and we then work on them collectively. This time we did this over a long weekend in a converted barn in
What do you hope people hear on the new album and where do you hope the record takes you as a band?
This album is probably the most complex and at the same time melodic we've ever made. To us these songs are pop songs, and we hope people hear them as such, and we hope to play the songs live to as many people as possible.
The ambient ‘Coming Home’ last track on the album is totally different from any other song on the record. Tell us more about this track please?
This is one of the first tracks written, and it was in a completely different form. I think over time we played it too much, and decided one day to deconstruct it totally which is the version that ended up on the record. The original version might surface one day, who knows.
- Interviews
How's the music scene in
It is very strong. It is the reason I live in this little seaside town. Bands always come here on a
I was lucky enough to meet the folks from Sons of Noel and
Sons was very helpful for this, especially because it is the most unlikely of bands. There was a time when we had 12 members and yet somehow it still worked. It made sorting my band out seem easy, although I never really think any of it is easy.
Described as "indie folk heroes from
We started this thing called the Willkommen Collective which was a way of carving out our own identity. Somehow connected, feeding from the same musical well and yet a lot of contrasting personalities and musical styles. It certainly helped to create some intrigue in our own little scene. I am very impressed by all the musicians who have counted themselves as part of the collective and I think it's fair to say that we are all friends however loosely you might define that.
New Album out now on Bandcamp (it's pre-order at the moment) and on 25th March physically, any stories around the songs that you would like to share?
The album is called Obituaries. This is quite a heavy word; loaded with meaning and yet it is open to possibilities. Obituaries themselves tend to be short; listing the achievements and headlines of a person's life. How would yours read? I'm sure as a child I imagined myself growing up to do something vaguely important or useful, but there comes that realisation. What would that thing be? Of all the things to do with one's life, music is the ultimate in pissing in the wind. And now recorded music is digital if we needed further proof of its intangibility.
With that in mind, the album was mostly written following a painful breakup. It is an account of the breakdown of that relationship and the possibility of redemption. Classic songs of sex and death.
- Interviews
Hi Ólöf,
What was the spark that made you decide music was going to be your career and did you consider any other careers seriously?
I was 12, hanging out with kids from school. I felt a bit lonely and insecure and like an odd one out because I didn’t understand all the group dynamics that were going on, nor was I interested in trying to crack them. I just wanted to talk about interesting things and do something productive. Not just hang around doing nothing.
I started feeling very bored. In truth or dare I admitted freely which boy I fancied and everyone freaked out, like I had done something wrong, laughed and ridiculed me. That was it for me. I left this silly party, went home, locked myself in my room, listen to my favourite choir piece, wept and promised myself that I would dedicate my life to music.
It’s very dramatic, I know. But I was (and still can be) overly serious as a child and teen. For example I couldn’t sleep the whole night before my 13th birthday because I was in such terror, believing that this was the turning point where my childhood would come to an "end"
Are there any particular stories you would like to share behind the songs on the new album?
Not now, maybe later.
You sing in Icelandic and English, how does that effect your song writing and the structure of your songs?
I approach songs and the art of writing from a musical place only. I write them, arrange them, internalise them in my mind completely before executing them on instruments. Usually the lyrics come just before I record, so they are non influential to the song writing process.
- Interviews
How would you describe your song writing process on the basis that you have a constantly evolving sound across your three albums so far?
Is there any theme to your new album or, do your songs have their own individuality. Any stories around any of the new songs that you would like to share?
These songs are basically about the creative struggle within to try and stay excited, surprised, and interesting to myself. They're also about honouring all of my musical heroes that have influenced me so much.
How is life in the recording studio? Are songs ready to go when you arrive or do they take shape on in the studio with the band more?
They are ready. I work on the demos at home and get them fully formed. In the studio, I just re-record all the parts so they are better quality. The producer then suggests what parts to let go of and gives structural suggestions.
- Interviews
Hi Mark and how are you today?
Keeping on the down-low.
New
To be honest, I’m not really that engaged in that process for the most part. Typically the label will listen and work with a radio plugger to determine what they think is best. ‘
Your fifth full-length album, ‘Thumbtacks + Glue’, is out on 25th February. What do you feel is the biggest difference between that and your last LP Die Stadt Muzikanten, for you personally and, for us the listeners?
Last time around I really wanted to push out as much pop music as I possibly could to make one last kind of pop statement. This time around I wanted the resonances of instruments to matter more than the actual notes sometimes, to find new ways to make beautiful sounds like rubbing wineglass rims and old bits of tapes and such. There’s a bit more noise and grit here for sure. Song-wise, there’s far less of a verse-chorus-verse mandate going on (although there are still examples of that, of course).
Content-wise, I’m really trying to focus on the idea of how 1,000 things hold you back vs. just one or two major elements in your life. For ages I kept living in the same city because I had a piano, and I thought things like, “I can’t move – I have a piano!” Putting all of those things together like jobs, obligations, hobbies, etc. can be a pretty terrifyingly concrete barrier to your ever moving on or breaking free. Think of Gulliver’s Travels – 1,000 little strings held by those Lillipudlians, holding down a giant who just can’t get anywhere because there are so many small things keeping him immobile.
Photo by Paolo Calamita
- Interviews
Hi Lisa, how are you today and is the sun shining?
Hi Pete, beautiful day here
Your ninth full-length album, ‘No Elephants’, is out in the
Well it's a different attitude...Magic Neighbor was about day time life ...just trying to see the day. This album is more specific about how we treat ourselves and how that goes into the world these days concerning the food we eat and the abuse of the earth and it's animals, insects, all beings. How we're f*cking it up by not being aware of it all. Plugged in to our stupid devices to communicate quicker and faster and not actually communicating at all.
Have you felt a natural progression across your all your albums or do you consider them stand alone and individual pieces of music?
I think all my records stand on their own about certain things I was struggling with and this one is no different...only the ideas about what I’m trying to communicate are different here.
Has your approach to song writing changed over the years and does your hometown or early years in the music industry influence your writing today?
My song writing is always the same...find things you need to communicate to yourself, strip them down to why I may think other people may feel the same way. It’s always about stripping words and emotions down to what I really feel and think is worth sharing.
Are there any particular stories that you would like to share behind the new songs on the record?
Oh just the unconsciousness of our life these days and how that affects the earth and it's beings in general. So many things I didn't even know about until a few years ago. Like foie gras...how it's actually made. The abuse on factory farms. Shark fining for soup? Clubbing baby seals for fur no one needs. So much abuse of animals to do ridiculous things for us to eat and how we are brainwashed to not think about it...but then, how I see how we treat ourselves first...then it goes out there. We are really f*cked up these days in our ignoring everything around us....
Would you say the new record differs from your previous releases in the recording approach, new instruments, samples, effects used?
Everything changes, in the past I had a band and the music was bigger. When you have a record deal with money like on 4AD I could see what other people add. I didn't sell records so, as time goes by, it feels right to do what’s going on now. Try to express yourself with what you have?
I keep stripping down because that's all I have. and my producer Jamie Candiloro knows this and helps me to do what I can, he made this record sound so good! With just me and him and then we added Sebastian Steinberg on acoustic bass on a couple of tracks which made it whole.
- Interviews
How you are today and where are you?
Doing great! Good to be a part of what you are doing at the Rock Club. We are from
How important is
It’s amazing to think of how much great talent has come out of
In terms of overall bands that have impacted us, definitely Alter Bridge, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Sound garden and Led Zeppelin. That being said, we don’t strive to sound like anyone. There are a variety of influences, but the end result is Homeless Hill!
You have played with Southern rock legends Wet Willie, among others. What did you learn from playing gigs with bands like these?
Wet Willie are still going strong and put on a great show. They are legends around here, particularly since they were signed to Capricorn Records out of
With so many media platforms, we are now saturated with music, how can Homeless Hill aim to stand out above the rest?
At the end of the day, it’s really all about the music. Without that, you’re dead in the water. Our first and most important goal is to write record and perform not just good music, but GREAT music. There are far too many bands out there that are trying to get ahead by solely focusing on maximizing their exposure through social media platforms. But if the band is average, no amount of social media will make you stand out. Social media is a tool. It’s not magic.
You always have to keep the momentum moving and keep your fans involved and informed. We don’t utilize a ton of different social platforms. There is not enough time in the day to manage that effectively. As a Homeless Hill fan, you can connect with us the fastest through our Facebook page. We also maintain a Reverbnation profile and of course, our website at www.homelesshill.com.
- Interviews
Hi and how are you today?
I'm good, thank you, well rested. I allowed myself a rare duvet day today so I’ve not really seen any sunlight, but feel good for it.
How did you come to the decision to make music your career and, with what ambitions?
I started singing when I was a kid and writing when I was in my teens. I’ve always been mad about music so it was a natural thing that I would go that way. Unfortunately even now Music still isn't my full time career, and I have to do other things alongside it to make ends meet. I guess that’s my main ambition to be able to be a full time touring and recording artist
I'm not bothered about having loads of fame or money, just enough to keep going on and a steady flow of people coming to the show, buying the records and appreciating what I do. Of course if fame and riches came knocking I wouldn't shut the door, but that’s not what I'm in it for
You graduated from the Brighton Institute of Modern Music in 2007. Do you feel that the course was important to your musical career and why?
It was important in the sense that that was the time that I really started taking making music more seriously and I learnt a lot while I was there. It was during those two years in Brighton that I wrote and recorded my first album and formed a band of players who I toured the first album with. It was a really creative time and I have a lot of really fond memories of those years and I met and worked with some awesome people. I was young and clueless and made plenty of mistakes both on and off the record but it was all a huge learning experience. You don't need to go to a music college to make it in the music industry (whatever "making it" means) but for me it definitely helped focus me. Brighton has a really great music scene as well,
Your new album, Balladeer, is out on 4th March. How would to describe your sound for people yet to hear your songs?
Theatrical Folk. I'd love to be a glam rock god but I can't play guitar and I don't have a band and have a tendency to write piano ballads, so piano folk with a bit of glam posturing is where I'm at right now. I promise its not as ridiculous as it sounds! In truth, this album is quite stripped back. A man, a piano, some strings and some stories, some happy, some less so.
- Interviews
First Single from the new album is released on 18th February; when is the album due for release and how did you choose ‘The Rapture’ to be the lead single?
The Album will be out in the summer. We don't have an exact date yet, but it has been two years in the making so an extra couple of months won’t do any harm. We can still be quietly confident for the time being.
The Rapture was an obvious choice because it is a powerful tune and we needed to come back with a BANG. Fundamentalist Christians have been banging on about our comeback single for hundreds of years as well, so we couldn't let them down.
Was there a different approach to recording the second album and were there any surprises during the recording this time around?
The tunes that appear more 'song based' have had a bit of fat chopped off before even getting to the studio, where as with the debut the fat was left on. I imagined this record to have more contrast. I hoped that if a song was going to be about hooks and choruses, then it is straight in and ending within four minutes. Like if a song seemed like a single then let it be one.
Then on the other side - if a tune is more sound based, about layers and it’s
How do you go about creating your music, what is the writing process and are there any particular stories behind the songs on the new record, that you would like to share?
If I told you that the song 'open your sky' is about a man who was betrayed by a witch. So he goes out into the unknown, takes the oath of the abyss and then learns as much magick as he can, in order to defeat her at her own game with a musical Sigil. Wouldn’t that spoil it for you? I think it would.
I think sometimes I am not even sure what my lyrics are about because I have
- Interviews
You performed ‘Tina, In The Green Dress’, at
A HISTORY, How did the band come together and with what ambitions?
Aquila: We met on a sofa in
Graham: I mainly wanted to be like Tom Waits guitarist Marc Ribot. The other thing we really clicked with was a love of big drums.
Your debut single ‘Fox’ was released on 04 February. The band’s music has been described as ”Glitter-doom”. How would to describe your sound for people yet to hear your songs?
Single released, is there an album on the way, or anything already recorded for your next release?
What is your song writing process and where do you tend to be located when the seed of new ideas are sown?
Graham: After that spark I'll take
