RISING SON: An interview with Patrick from Red Crow!

 

Below is our interview with Patrick Currier, singer in Red Crow.

 

To stay up to date with future interviews like our facebook page at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords

 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

What is your earliest musical memory and what pushed you towards perusing a career in the music business?

 

"My first musical memory is hearing 'Here Comes The Sun' on cassette while sat in a light blue VW Beetle in my family's drive in California when I was a small child."

 

Had you been involved in any other bands or musical ventures before Red Crow?

 

"Yeah I've been in bands for years. My last band was called 'Lights Action' and it was a rock band. I was with them for about seven years or something...maybe longer. We released an EP and an album. Toured the country, etcetera. Before that I was in other rock bands of varying quality!"

 

How did Red Crow begin?

 

"I was doing solo shows with some of these songs, played a few of them just with our drummer Chris. But about a fortnight before one of these shows I decided I wanted to play the songs with a full band, so I called up a bunch of guys I barely knew and they all showed up and learnt the songs in a week! It was fortunate that we all got along so well really. Because it really is a gang of pirates to be honest."

 

Where did the name Red Crow come from?

 

"It's taken from a character in a graphic novel I like written by Jason Aaron. Red Crow is a Native American Chief who has essentially become the head of a crime family, he kind of exists in a sort of moral grey area and I find his character interesting. I have a bit of Abenaki blood in my ancestry, so I find Native American history and stories fascinating."

 

How would you describe the sound of Red Crow?

 

"It's like a mixture of traditional American folk styles (blues, country, mountain music, bluegrass) played with a lot of energy and passion. Because we play it kinda rocky it sounds a bit more contemporary than those styles do on their own. It's kinda a unique beast really. There's hints of jazz and Elvis in there too!"

 

Red Crow originally started a solo acoustic project. How has the increase in members affected your sound?

 

"It's given the songs a lot of dynamic scope really, which we try to exploit when we can. We like to be able to go from a whisper to an explosion and everywhere in between. The guys play loads of instruments too so we can add unique colours and voices to every track."

 

Your EP is called ‘Roots In The Soil’. Where did this name come from and why did you choose it as the title?

 

"If you look at the cover of the EP it's a drawing I did of a Native American. In the background is a prairie landscape but the ground is drawn to look like his thick hair. It's a visual metaphor about being connected to where you come from, to the soil and songs that raised you. Our sound is like that."

 

One of the tracks from this is ‘Rising Son’. What influenced this song and what is it about?

 

"That song is about not allowing knocks in the road, and the ending of things to stop you from creating new things. Just because one building collapses, doesn't mean you can't create something greater in it's place essentially. It's about change and creation."

 

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

 

"Generally before I go onstage I'm pretty much unable to hold a conversation with anyone, almost the entire day before it. It's different when I'm on tour because you become desensitised...but certainly for a few hours beforehand I'm pretty much zoned out and thinking about the show. Usually the unintended ritual before the show is that I have to somehow find all the members of my band who will be scattered around the place enjoying themselves!"

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

"We'll be doing a bunch in 2014. Hopefully a few one or two week stints around the country as well. But in the front end we'll be doing spot shows around everywhere. I've already got shows coming in for Birmingham, Maidstone, Northampton, Oxford, Milton Keynes etcetera, etcetera. But can't announce when yet."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

"Honestly, we have thirteen songs we can already play live. Another two that are just about to reach that stage, and something like ten others that could be there in a matter of months. (Provided we buckle down). It's kinda crazy to be honest. In terms of recording. We are gonna record another track or two in the first part of the year"

 

When can fans expect the next official release?

 

"Spring I think would be a fair guess. A new single."

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

"For us? I'd love to work with Rick Rubin."

 

Who would be in your dream super group?

 

"I dunno if super groups ever really work to be honest. I've yet to see one that lives up to the sum of it's parts."

 

 

PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

"Musically - Paul, vibe - George."

 

Favourite band?

 

"Either Fleetwood Mac or nineties era Smashing Pumpkins. Chris our drummer I know would say Pixies."

 

Favourite new band?

 

"Red Crow!"

 

Favourite song?

 

"Blackbird by The Beatles."

 

Favourite album?

 

"Melon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

 

"Vinyl for love, CD for really like, download for just checking something out."

 

Style icon?

 

"Johnny Cash."

 

Favourite clothing brand?

 

"Don't really follow brands."

 

Favourite film?

 

"La Vita Bella."

 

Favourite TV show?

 

"Sopranos."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

"Joseph Gordon-Levitt."

 

Favourite food?

 

"Humus."

 

Football team?

 

"I don't follow football. Some of the other guys do, but not me."

 

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on Red Crow! Check out our previous feature on Xylaroo!

 

Check out Red Crow here - http://redcrowtheband.tumblr.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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TITANS ARMS: Interview with Xylaroo! These guys count Alan McGee amongst their fan base so check them out!

 

Below is our interview with Xylaroo.

 

To stay up to date with future interviews like our facebook page at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords
 

 

PART 1 - THE INTERVIEW

 

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

 

Holly: "Hearing the band Rilo Kiley for the first time was pretty memorable for me, its when I started trying to write songs and messing around with the guitar."

 

Coco: "To be honest my earliest musical memory was asking my parents to buy me this tape of songs by the Smurfs, just looked it up it was titled 'The Smurfs Hits '97' so I must have been four or five. They ended up getting it for me and I remember thoroughly enjoying it. The hits included 'ooh…ah smurf a little bit', 'I wanna be a smurf star', 'smurf macarena' and 'smurf billy rock, smurf billy roll'. I'd like to think the last one is where I get my rock 'n' roll edge from… It's actually not half bad. But if I had to say what pushed me into music, I'd have to say it was probably Holly. I've always been the lazier side of the band, so she's always had to push me to get into gear and that and she's my older sister so that pretty much comes naturally but I'm well glad she does cause at the end of the day performing and writing music is pretty awesome."

 

Had you been involved in any other band prior to Xylaroo?

 

Coco: "I don't know if you could call it a band really but when I was about fourteen me and a few friends attempted to form a band. We played one open mic and we were shit. Shortly after that me and Hols played the same open mic with a few songs Holly had written and it went down pretty well. That night we met some people who got us into the Medway music scene who have ended up becoming really awesome friends of ours."

 

How did Xylaroo begin?

 

Coco: "Holly's guitar wasn't the greatest - still isn't so she asked me to help out with a few songs she had written and just kept going from there really."

 

Where did the name Xylaroo come from?

 

Holly: "People always ask us that question and we never have a good answer. Basically I was stupid and young and trying to get drunk…it's a long story."

 

Coco: "It's a stupid story and I had no part in it, just think of it as a kangaroo playing the Xylophone. That's all I have to say about that."

 

How would you describe the sound of Xylaroo?

 

Coco: "I always find it difficult to place our style of music but if I had to describe it I'd say folky."

 

Holly: "Yeah a lot of people say different things about our style. Our music's a bit like a melting pot, if we hear something we like then we'll throw that in."

 

Your most popular song on MySpace is ‘Titans Arms’. What is this song about and what influenced it?

 

Coco: "It was when we had just moved to Sri Lanka. I remember the night, it was raining and there was a power cut and we couldn't watch TV so we decided to get high and play guitar. We were in a chilled out mood so the creativity was flowin'. It's kind of a rainy day song."

 

Holly: "It rained a lot in Sri Lanka."

 

You have met Alan McGee and he is a fan of your music. What was it like to meet such an icon and how does it feel having ‘approval’ from Mr McGee himself?

 

Coco: "To be honest it was really quite daunting meeting Alan when we went up to Liverpool to play the 359 gig but I have to say he was so down to earth and just as passionate as you'd expect him to be so yeah it was pretty awesome to say the least. Having anyone say they like your music always feels good…But having Alan McGee say it, it feels pretty f**king cool."

 

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

 

Holly: "Work ourselves into a state of fear and then drink until we play."

 

Coco: "The after show ritual is similar but the fear comes the next day."

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

Coco: "Due to a long Christmas visit back in Sri Lank and Uni exams our next gig isn't until February which is so long I know. But yeah, the gig is going to be at the Boogaloo on February 24th, it's a great live music night. Ooh, also we're getting into the studio late January to record some new songs which should be awesome."

 

 Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

Coco: "Yeah we've got a heap actually which is why we're so excited to be getting into a studio in January. Pretty much all our song's up on the internet are pretty old so its about time we updated it!"

 

When can fans be expecting the next release?

 

Holly: "The new songs will be up probably by the end of January."

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

Holly: "Rilo Kiley. Hands down. And If I had a second choice it'd be Rilo Kiley again."

 

Coco: "Agreed."

 

Who would be in your dream supergroup?

 

Holly: "Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, Dolly Parton and Nina Simone"

 

Coco: "I'd love to see Fleetwood Mac do a collaboration with Rilo Kiley plus Jonathan Rice. That would be sweet!

 

 

PART 2 - THE QUICKFIRE ROUND

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

Holly: "John Lennon."

 

Coco: "Lennon."

 

Favourite band?

 

Holly: "Rilo Kiley."

 

Coco: "Elliot Smith."

 

Favourite new band?

 

Holly: "Don't really have any favourite new bands just songs. But been getting into Nina Simone lately."

 

Coco: "Haim."

 

Favourite song?

 

Holly: "House Of The Rising Sun."

 

Coco: "A Better Son/Daughter by Rilo Kiley."

 

Favourite album?

Coco: "Rumours."

Holly: "Tracy Chapman, self-titled."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

Coco: "iPod?"

 

Style icon?

Coco: "Jenny Lee Lindberg from Warpaint."

Holly: "Woody Guthrie."

 

Favourite clothing brand?

Coco: "Err Primark?

 

Favourite film?

Coco: "Pulp Fiction."

Holly: "Chungking Express."

 

Favourite TV show?

Coco: "Buffy The Vampire Slayer."

Holly: "South Park."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

Coco: "No idea."

 

Favourite food?

Holly: "Chinese."

Coco: "Seafood!"

 

Football team?

Holly: "No."

Coco: "Man United!"



Hope you enjoyed this feature on Xylaroo! Check out our previous feature on Silent Sleep!

 

Check out Xylaroo here - https://www.facebook.com/pages/xylaroo/111664459095

 

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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WALK ME TO THE SEA: Something a bit different from Liverpool band Silent Sleep!

Below is our feature on Liverpool-based band, Silent Sleep. To stay up to date with future interviews like our facebook page at the following link - https://www.facebook.com/aldorabritainrecords
 

For our interview with Silent Sleep the band suggested that we do something a bit different - get their fans to ask the questions. You can see the end result below....

 

John Gibbons, Liverpool: "When you go to the Chinese what do you have?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "The Blue Canary is a filibuster! Is it safe? We can go where we want to!"

 

Andrew Donovan, Liverpool: "Do you have a special place, online?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "A place where they will never find and we can dress real neat from our hats to our feet."

 

Laura Beltram, Spain: "You OK hun?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Not to put too fine a point on it but I am."

 

Paul Williams, Sheffield: "Hi Chris. You have a song about being coloured in. What is your favourite colour of person?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Blue."

 

James Mounsey, Sunderland: "Hi Chris. Why so f****** miserable all the time?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "You can act real rude and totally removed and I can act like an imbecile. Though I respect that a lot, I'm your only friend."

 

Christopher Torpey, Liverpool: "Hi Chris. What's your favourite flava?"   

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "We can go when we want to! We can act if we want to! My story's infinite..."

 

Golden Tony, The Internet: "Hi Chris, thanks for the add mate. I want to know what's the least amount of time you'd watch Hulk Hogan in the shower for? Cheers."

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Who watched over you? I'm leaving out the whistles and bells!"

 

Leo Kyp, Liverpool: "Pop or slash?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Everything, as long as we abuse it."

 

Michael Legge, London: "What can the fattest you've ever seen?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Like the Longines Symphonette it doesn't rest."

 

Andrew Ellis, Romford: "Robocop?"

 

Chris, Silent Sleep: "But I am! I respect that a lot...it is my job."

 

Joe Shooman, Bangor: "Hi Chris, given the central theological tenet of faith and its inherent uncertainty from a scientific point of view, is it valid to postulate that the initial stance of any theist is unstable and therefore ultimately resistant to empiricism?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Actually, everything is out of control. Look at your hands...who watched over you? I have a secret to tell you. My primitive ancestry, they are no friends of mine - as long as we abuse it, we're never gonna lose it."

Graeme Bell, Formby: "How many films have you seen?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Jason and the Argonauts."

Paul Rafferty, Frodsham: "Do you have a favourite mic cable?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "As I've posted about a dozen times, try Belden 9182 Ian network cable. Or use the General Cable/Carol equiv 8014. Runs about 23 cents a foot. Comes in a 500 foot reel. Real stiff, don't trip! Use Neutrik connectors and pound out the plastic insert in the strain relief. 8 pf capacitance per foot, 14 omhs impedance. Holds up to $1500 Kimber stuff, not as 'pretty', but just as open. All other audio 'mic' cables are filters in comparison. Listen and believe."

Matthew Smith, Liverpool: "If you were forced to choose how to die, would you rather drown in a vat of period blood, or a vat of semen?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Everything! Look at your hands!"

Helen Wilkie, a boat: "How sweaty do you like your women? Asking for a friend."

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Is it safe to dance?"

Lee Monkman, Chester: "Do you prefer AV1 or AV2 on your TV settings?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "It varies Lee. Just depends on what kind of mood I'm in or how hungover I am. If I'm feeling delicate I'll always choose AV2 but if I'm out partying I'll stick with AV1."

Tom Loxley, Liverpool: "Why, why, why Delilah?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "I was shackled with a 24 year old girl from New York City for two weeks - about the time of the garbage strike out there, and one night my 34 year old woman arrived and she said, 'I want to see my rival'. She did and then she said, 'oh, you're a cute little thing!' Next I knew there was a screech of wildcats - such screaming and scratching, wounded animal moans, blood and piss...I was drunk and in my shorts. I tried to separate them and fell, wrenched my knee. Then they were through the screen door and down the walk and out into the street. Squad cars full of cops arrived. A police helicopter circled overhead. I stood in the bathroom and grinned in the mirror. It's not often at the age of 55 that such splendid things occur. Better than the Watts riots. The 34 year old came back in. She had pissed  all over herself and her clothing was torn and she was followed by two cops who wanted to know why. Pulling up my shorts I tried to explain."

Julian Bennett, Slough: "Hypothetically, would you be scared if someone put a tattoo of their buttocks on your face?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "I was born with a tattoo of somebody's buttocks on my face. That's why so miserable."

Gregory Macoy, Liverpool: "Who is your favourite member of Silent Sleep, and why?"

Chris, Silent Sleep: "Probably me because I write I am the creative driving force. Without me Silent Sleep would be nothing. Even more nothing than what it is now."

 Hope you enjoyed this feature on Silent Sleep! Check out our previous feature on Tommy Coyle!

 

Check out Silent Sleep - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Silent-Sleep/131370783542576

 

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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AHMED: Our interview with alt. country singer-songwriter Tommy Coyle!

 

PART 1 - "THE INTERVIEW"

 

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

 

"First musical memory...embarrassing but probably listening to the London Boys on my cassette walkman, I used to love those guys!"

 

What kind of records were on around the house when you were younger and would you say that these records still have an influence on your music today?

 

"Yeah my dad is a musician and played lots of great stuff in the house - Jackson Browne, Bob Dylan, The Beatles..."

 

Had you been involved with any other bands prior to becoming a solo artist as Tommy Coyle?

 

"I called my band Costanza for a while...after George Costanza from the show Seinfeld."

 

Why did you choose to become a solo artist instead of forming a band?

 

"Members of Costanza kept leaving, and because it was all my songs anyway, I decided it was better to go with my solo name, plus it sounded better! I always rather playing songs with a band though, much more fun!"

 

How would you describe the sound of Tommy Coyle?

 

"Alternative country/indie/folk stuff, big focus on the song craft and the lyrics, like bands like Arctic Monkeys, Bright Eyes, Glasvegas..."

 

One of your finest songs to date is ‘Ahmed’. You have revealed that this song is about the subject of war. Could you expand for us?

 

"I was trying to write an anti-war song that had a simple message like 'Universal Soldier' by Donovan, it is just about a guy called Ahmed from Afghanistan and how he has the same needs and desires as everyone else, we are all one consciousness...unfair that he gets bombed just because he lives somewhere else...plus I was trying to be like the song 'Vincent' by Don McLean by having a kinda love song that wasn't about the typical thing of a girl you fancied..."

 

Your debut album is called ‘Voodoo Sessions’. Where did you get this title from and why did you choose is as the title for your album?

 

"It is called 'Voodoo Sessions' because it was recorded at The Voodoo Rooms at my mate, Gary Halls' studio. He is a producer/singer-songwriter who has really supported and encouraged me a lot so I thought I would name it after his studios...also, it is not really a proper debut album, more of a 'best of so far' type album, so this name was more suited it."

 

What can fans expect from this album?

 

"There are two CDs, one with ten tracks recorded almost all acoustically and one with three tracks recorded with a band...its more of a introduction/best of so far CD really hence the live album title."

 

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

 

"Err, tune my guitar!?"

 

Any live dates coming up?

 

"16th December at Voices, Boogaloo, Muswell Hill, London and 18th December at The Islington, London."

 

Any new songs in the pipeline?

 

"Yeah, the first three songs on my soundcloud are all new songs that are not on the album, these will be on my first proper debut full band album being released next year."

 

When can fans be expecting the next release?

 

"Full blown, full band alt. country album with loads of instruments, its gonna be great!"

 

Who would be your dream collaboration?

 

"Probably with Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes."

 

Who would be in your dream super group?

 

"Noel Gallagher, Eminem, Mike from Sona Fariq/Dead Kids, The Angriest Guitar Player In The World."

 

PART 2 - "THE QUICKFIRE ROUND"

 

Favourite Beatle?

 

"John."

 

Favourite band?

 

"Err...Bright Eyes?"

 

Favourite new band?

 

"My band?"

 

Favourite song?

 

"Vincent, Don McLean."

 

 Favourite album?

 

"Err really don't have a favourite...I liked Glasvegas' first album a lot."

 

Vinyl, CD or download?

 

"Download."

 

Style icon?

 

"Gordon Ramsay."

 

Favourite clothing brand?

 

"Primark."

 

Favourite film?

 

"8 Mile."

 

Favourite TV show?

 

"Hell's Kitchen! That I do know."

 

Who would play you in a film of your life?

 

"Ed Sheeran."

 

Favourite food?

 

"Green vegetable juice."

 

Football team?

 

"York city!"

 

Hope you enjoyed this feature on Tommy Coyle! Check out our previous New Year Feature!

 

Check out Tommy Coyle here - http://tommycoyle.tumblr.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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