LOOKING OUT TO SEA: Our latest interview with a Tilt Shift Music band - Red Sails!

 

PART 1 - "THE INTERVIEW"

 

What was your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards pursuing a career in the music industry?

 

Kieran: "Having a bright red and white plastic Fisher-Price Music Box, then taking it apart to see how it worked (probably by breaking it first) and strumming/plucking it, loved the little brightly coloured records, you could add extra little marks on it to make it a bit different too."

Jamie: "Our mum and dad playing lots of Kinks, Beefheart, Beatles and Stones and old Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee on tapes in the car while we drove to France for holidays in between fall outs and arguments over directions. One of our uncles was a drummer and our folks had some musician mates that would come round as well when we were young playing guitars and that, so that definitely helped."

 

Had you been involved in any other band prior to Red Sails?

 

Kieran: "I've been in bands with Jamie and that's it, Ollie's been involved in some of these too."

Jamie: "We've all been in other bands over the years, me and Kieran being brothers have been in the same ones from when we were kids to now, Ollie's also been involved in some of those along the way, Gray was with The Stands among others, Chris was with The Skylarks among other Liverpool bands."

 

How did Red Sails begin?

 

Kieran: "Initially Red Sails was me, Jamie, Chris and Gray, but then for playing live we needed someone so got Ollie in to play bass and sing and its been working out very well."

Jamie: "It sort of just happened, Chris, Gray, Kieran and myself had got together to do some recording and kept playing together and realised we had something so drafted Ollie in as well and that was it really."

 

Where did the name Red Sails come from?

 

Kieran: "Chris can answer that one."

Jamie: "Chris had heard a Jimmy McGriff tune, 'Red Sails in the Sunset', and liked the name from that, also it sounds kind of abstract as well which can cover a few things and seemed to fit with what we were doing. It kind of fits with the city and of course the football! Although Chris and Ol being Evertonians will no doubt question that..."

 

How would you describe the sound of Red Sails?

 

Kieran: "Harmonies, interesting unusual music with strong melodies, organic, eclectic, sometimes melancholic."

Jamie: "Honest, eclectic, melodic, lots of harmonies, at times a bit melancholic, what's not to like!"

 

One of your more recent songs is ‘Looking Out to Sea’, a fine example of a melancholic pop song. What influenced the song and what is the song itself about?

 

Kieran: "Jamie wrote that one so it's over to him for that." 

Jamie: "Cheers for that, there's definitely a La's influence, but lyrically I suppose about missed chances with a relationship, I didn't realise it at the time but that's basically it."

 

Do you have any 'rituals' before you go on stage?

 

Kieran: "Yes, panic at where my plectrums, capo, water and beer, leads and batteries are, whether I've changed my pedal batteries or not? Check everyone's got a setlist, guitars tuned, that kind of thing!"

Jamie: "Generally just busy trying to remember whether everything's set up and tuned in, whether I got a pint in and where I left the set list!"

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

Kieran: "1st November at Leaf on Bold Street in Liverpool. We're playing as part of City Walls EP launch. Also on the 14th November at The Cavern on Mathew Street in Liverpool, playing for Dave Monks, BBC Introducing."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

Kieran: "Always, I write all the time, as do Jamie and Chris too."

Jamie: "Always."

 

When can fans be expecting the next release?

 

Kieran: "As soon as we're happy with it and it's done really. We've been recording for a long time and spent an age making sure everything is as we want it. We're in the final straight and almost finished now, all the hard work we've put in is really starting to show and we're really excited with how she's shaping up."

Jamie: "The next one's pretty much already written but we just need to finish this one first and get out promoting it. We're always demoing stuff so its looking."

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

Kieran: "Brian Wilson, Arthur Lee, Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, Danger Doom and Sly Stone."

Jamie: "Grizzly Bear always have something interesting going on, same with Tame Impala for me."

 

Who would be in your dream supergroup?

 

Kieran: "James Jamerson, Mr. Bass; Buddy Rich, Mr. Drums; Marvin Gaye on piano and vocals (strictly no dancing); Steve Cropper and Jimi Hendrix on guitar; Stevie Wonder on keys and The Sweet Inspirations on background vocals. I'd be happy checking them out for sure."

Jamie: "We've got it already!"

 

PART 2 - "THE QUICKFIRE ROUND"

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

Kieran: "Tricky, I'd have to go with the left hand side of Paul McCartney and the right hand side of John Lennon."

Jamie: "George."

Ollie: "Depends on the day."

Gray: "Ringo."

 

Favourite band?

 

Kieran: "The Funk Brothers / Sly And The Family Stone."

Jamie: "Stones."

Ollie: "Swing Out Sister."

Gray: "The Band."

 

Favourite new band?

Jamie: "It changes too much for me to give just one band."

Ollie: "Lumin Bells."

Gray: "Haven't got one."

 

Favourite song?

 

Kieran: "All I Wanna Do by The Beach Boys."

Jamie: "Like A Rolling Stone."
 

Favourite album?

 

Kieran: "SMiLE by The Beach Boys."

Jamie: "Emm, Get Yer Ya Ya's Out or Let It Bleed."

Gray: "Harvest."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

Kieran: "Vinyl for the cigar, HD tracks for the ears."

Jamie: "Vinyl but I'm lazy and like the idea of downloading tunes within a few seconds - the recording quality is generally shite though compared to vinyl or CD."

Ollie: "Vinyl."

Gray: "Vinyl."

 

Style icon?

Kieran: "Stevie Wonder, eighties era."

Jamie: "Borat."

Gray: "James Dean."

 

Favourite clothing brand?

Kieran: "It's not about the name, it's about the style."

Jamie: "Merc."

Gray: "Cos."

 

Favourite film?

Kieran: "The Big Lebowski."

Jamie: "Life Of Brian."

Gray: "The Goonies."

 

 Favourite TV show?

Jamie: "Don't really watch a lot of TV but Breaking Bad was boss."

Ollie: "Gavin & Stacey."

Gray: "Breaking Bad."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Ollie: "Dale Winton."

Gray: "Ewan McGregor."

 

Favourite food?

Kieran: "Rhubarb crumble, basically any crumble."

Jamie: "Lasagne."

Ollie: "Crispy chili beef with half rice and half chips."

Gray: "Right now...Turkish."

 

Football team?

Kieran: "Liverpool!"

Jamie: "Liverpool."

Ollie: "EFC."

Gray: "LFC."


Hope you enjoyed this feature on Red Sails! Check out our previous feature on Mick Flaherty!

 

Check out Red Sails here - https://www.facebook.com/RedSailsBand

 

Check out Tilt Shift Music here - http://www.tiltshiftmusic.com/

  

You can also like our Facebook page to keep up to date with all future interviews at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

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