Interview by Jamie Downie and Tom Dawes
Tom (TD): Yeah if you could all just like introduce yourselves to begin with?
Janine Shilston (JS): Hi I’m Janine and I’m in Vukovi
Jason Trotter (JT): Yes you are
JS: And I’m an alcoholic
(laughter from all)
JT: Hi my name’s Jason and I play bass
Colin Irving (CI): Hi I’m Colin and I play drums
Hamish Reilly (HR): Hello I’m Hamish and I play guitar
Jamie (JD): So you guys are currently touring to promote your new self-titled album which was released yesterday, (which is) fantastic by the way, (I) love it. What was the recording process for the album like, and how did you go about to make the album sound the way it does?
JS: Honestly…
HR: Two words: Bruce Rintoul (the album’s producer)
JS: Yeah, Bruce Rintoul basically. He just exceeded our expectations completely. Like… I don’t know, I just feel like he took it the next level
TD: Yeah, the production was really something
JS: Aye, I can’t compliment him enough about it because he made our lives so much easier
HR: Do you know Bruce Rintoul?
JD and TD: No…
HR: He did, like, Fatherson’s last album
JD: Ahh right, yeah
HR: He’s like one of the best guys in Glasgow
JS: In the UK I’d say!
HR: (He’s also done stuff for) Eliza and the Bear
JS: Aye
JT: What was really good about this time was that we have always been hard on ourselves in terms of songwriting, like we’ll always be really picky when putting stuff together, so it’s like we filtered it to a point where we were like, right we think this bunch of tracks will be good enough. And then we brought Bruce and our other producer friend Nick in and did a load of pre-production and whittled it down even more, and refined each of the songs, and they helped us go “Yeah see that songs great but change that bit”
JS: Or “drop that song”
JT: Yeah exactly
JS: You get too attached to stuff, you know what I mean?
JT: Yeah sometimes you just need someone to be a (jerk) for you and then you feel a lot better, so we’ve like whittled it down and then just recorded it in a few places that we were familiar with. Rather than having to fork out for a fancy studio somewhere, we’ve ended up just sticking to what we knew and refining it as best we could.
HR: We looked at like MAD Studios and stuff, but it was just like unreasonable pricing and you had to travel, and we were like “nah”
JS: Aye, and it’s like we know it works, we’ve recorded in Chem19 and 45 (A Side Studios) loads of times, it’s like if there’s no problem (to) fix, you know what I mean? Why change when you know it works?
TD: Yeah, yeah
JS: In terms of the songwriting, I think we get bored very easily. I think a lot of the songs on the album were written quite last minute, not like as in the day before but I think if we sit on songs for too long, you overthink them, and you think “Oh, I don’t know if I like that anymore” and you start changing it too much. But I think that works for us. Don’t get me wrong, the more you play them live, the more you develop them.
TD: So do you guys each have a favourite track off the album?
JS: Yeah. I think “I’m Wired”, that’s my favourite.
TD: What do you like about that one?
JS: I say this all the time, but when we did the album, I really wanted it on the album, like it was the only song where I was like “it needs to go on the album”. So like, me being sneaky, I was like, to the boys, “We should all pick one song we have to have on the album and no one can argue it” but aye, the consensus was we were going to put it on anyway. But, I don’t know, I just think it’s very complex and quite dark, I like dark songs, and it’s got that trancey vibe to it
JD: Yeah, it does have that trancey vibe
JT: Like it’s always one of those ones where you feel you’re getting away with something quite naught by having something like that in one of your songs, like you shouldn’t be able to do this but we can!
JS: Aye, heavy synths, kinda like Calvin Harris
HR: Yeah, it’s a bit dancey
JS: Aye, for me it’s my favourite
TD: Yeah? What about the rest of you? Do you agree?
JT: We (Hamish and myself) ended up having the same favourite last night but I’m going to change mine up and say “Wander”. It’s a song for a long time that we’ve had in various versions for ages and then never quite committed to finishing it, and when we did finally finish it and start producing it, I think the three boys had really liked it for a long time and it took you quite a while to bond with it until you heard it recorded?
JS: I hated it. And Bruce, Bruce is the one that’s always got my back so I was like “yeah I don’t like this one”, but Bruce was like “No, this one’s going on the album” and I was like “for God’s sake!” But I love it now, I do. Again, it was Bruce. With the production of it and stuff, now I genuinely love it. He completely converted me.
HR: You just about cried the first time you listened to it
JS: Oh I did, I genuinely did, when I was listening back to it, I was like “What the hell” like, it’s just a nice feeling.
TD: Do you think you perform it better now after hearing it?
JS: Oh that’s what I mean, I love playing it live now, I hated it before and I love it now. But it didn’t sound like that before we went in and recorded it
HR: Yeah, I think like the difference between when you’ve recorded something and you learn it in the new recorded version, and then you go and play it, it just feels different because you know how it should sound
JT: Yeah you have a sound in your head
HR: Yeah exactly, and that helps people that are watching us as well, like “I know what this sounds like”
JT: Colin?
CI: For me, my favourite is “And He Lost His Mind”
JS: That’s the best to play live, that’s the funnest live
CI: Yeah, it’s an amazing song to play live. See, when I look at the setlist, that’s the one I look forward to. Pretty much, that is the only reason
HR: It’s mad, like the drums are like a mad flourishy groove
JS: I try to put Colin off, because it’s a really hard song to drum to apparently, so I always try to put him off on stage, he just avoids total eye contact
HR: Just don’t, I do that, I just don’t look
JS: Yeah, just don’t look at her, YOU’LL TURN TO STONE!
CI: Kinda goes with your haircut doesn’t it?
JS: Aye, someone did say that, “Alright Medusa?” That is for Colin
TD: And you next (Hamish)?
HR: My favourite’s “Prey”. As to why…
JT: Is it actually?
HR: Yeah man, I don’t know why, I think it’s just made up of like 4 notes and it’s probably like the most full sounding song I think
JD: Right, yeah I agree
HR: That’s really why
JT: And you get to play with your whammy pedal throughout the whole thing
HR: It’s just really euphoric
JS: Yeah, and again Bruce, he was like “Let’s take down the BPM” so he kinda…
HR: It was the first verse
JS: So the tempo we originally wrote it in, he was like “let’s make it slower”, and he totally, again, it brought in that sort of euphoric, almost ballady vibe, whereas before, we were playing it quite fast, and it wasn’t feeling right, and it made such a big difference doing that
TD: Yeah, it sounds cool
JD: Cool. So, as everyone listening to this can probably tell, like me, although my accent’s gone a bit, you guys are from Scotland…
JT: No, Never!
JS: Aye, I can kinda hear a wee bit of twang in there
JD: Yeah, like I’m from Dunfermline originally but I’ve lost it
Steve the Van Driver (SV): That’s like…I can walk to the Fife sign from my house
HR: Our van driver Steven!
JS: Aye, this is our van driver Steven. WHO IS THAT MAN? WHY IS HE NAKED?
SV: Me and Dave, the tour manager, encompass Dunfermline on both ends, we’ve got our eye on you!
JD: Haha, fair enough!
JT: Why don’t you introduce yourself?
SV: Hi I’m Steve. I’m the best.
(Laughter from all)
JT: He’s not wrong!
JD: Fair enough! So yeah, for Scotland, Scotland’s produced a lot of great rock artists over the years and pop artists. Do you guys have any influences from those Scottish artists when producing your music or performing it live?
HR: Nope
JS: Nope. I think Biffy (Clyro) you have to, like we have so much respect for them
JT: We’ve all got like our own little story of where we listened to them and how we grew up, and in some way we’re influenced by Biffy Clyro
TD: Yeah, we’re both big Biffy fans as well
JS: Aye, they’re just amazing
JT: They’re from like just like down the road from us
JS: You can tell they do it for the music and not doing for the fame. They just do it to make good music
HR: Yeah, like see when Puzzle came out?
JD: Yeah
HR: Like, that changed the way I play guitar. I forgot about it, but I was at uni and I would just jam to it, and it literally changed how I held and played the guitar, like no joke. I forget about that sometimes, but I was massively influenced by that album
JD: Yeah, Puzzle’s probably my favourite Biffy album
JS: It is amazing
HR: Yeah I remember I saw them live and they opened with “Living is a Problem Because Everything Dies”, and they had a massive drop and it was just unbelievable that night
JS: Was that the big flag thing that dropped?
HR: It was like a big white sheet that dropped. They were all silhouetted behind it
JS: Do you know they cut that up and put it in their album?
HR: Oh that was Only Revolutions, but I know what you mean. But yeah, it was incredible. Amazing.
JS: See, I quite like the Cocteau Twins. A lot of folk say that I sound like them a lot, and it wasn’t until I listened to them that (I realised) they’re amazing, and they’re Scottish.
HR: Who were they?
JS: The Cocteau Twins they’re called, they’re amazing. And I never really heard of them before.
TD: Ahh right, yeah I haven’t heard of them
JS: Check them out, they’re so good and so ahead of their time. They were like an 80’s, 90’s band, Scottish, and honestly I couldn’t believe it. See when I listened to it, I was like, “This sounds like something that would be out today!”
JT: I’m going to throw something obscure out there to do with Scottish influences. I grew up listening to Annie Lennox and The Eurhythmics from quite a young age. My mum listened to it a lot, and Annie Lennox’s vocals are incredible, and I think that’s probably part why I’ve ended up really enjoying playing with Janine’s vocals as they’re so prominent, and the way you layer up your vocals, there’s shades of it in there
TD: Right, yeah. What about besides Scottish artists? What kind of influences do you cite?
HR: Rage (Against the Machine) are probably a massive one. They’re the biggest one, for me anyways
JS: For this past album, Bring Me the Horizon’s a huge influence, in terms of record production and in an innovative sense, I think they really inspired us. I wouldn’t say we sound like them, but certain things that we’ve picked up a lot on from their album, I just think it’s perfection.
HR: It’s why you like dark songs, isn’t it?
JS: Aye, exactly. And they portray that amazingly. It’s dark, but very catchy.
HR: That’s probably why “I’m Wired” is your favourite
JS: It is! It’s probably because you can imagine Bring Me playing it
SV: “I’m Wired” is a goth masterpiece dressed as a summer anthem, that’s how I see it
HR: It is!
JS: That’s a great description! A great description of our band!
JT: Steve, the best!
Laughter from all
JS: Queens of the Stone Age are one of my favourite bands, PJ Harvey, Bjork
TD: We’re going to ask you for a song to play after your song on the radio
HR: Oh, one song?
JD: Yeah, all of you have to collectively choose one song
Collective ooh’s
HR: What band?
JS: Well, we probably more collectively like Bring Me than Queens of the Stone Age. Or we could do Rage…
HR: From any time period?
TD: Yeah, from any time period
JD: The only limitation is that it has to be either rock, metal, or indie
JS: Right, ok
HR: Well that rules out Steps anyways
JS: “Tragedy” by The Bee Gees
CI: It’s got to be a Bring Me song
JS: I know, I know
HR: What Bring Me song?
JT: I think it should go an album back though, from That’s the Spirit, because I think there’s more from that
JS: Well I love “Can You Feel My Heart”. That is a great song
HR: Alright, well put that one on then
JD: Yeah, we’ll do that
JS: Well, are you guys up for that?
CI: Yeah, I’m down with that. Either that or “The House of Wolves”
HR: “House of Wolves” is my favourite one. “Sempiternal” is incredible
JS: Aye, that would be a good one too. And “Shadow Moses”
JT: “Shadow Moses” in fact, yeah
HR: I don’t know, because on the new album “Happy Song” is amazing
JS: I love, in the new one, I love “Doomed”
HR: “Doomed” aye that’s amazing
JS: It’s so hard
TD: We’ve got a lot of options. We’ll pick one if that’s easier?
HR: Yeah, you guys pick one!
JD: Yeah, we’ll just pick one of those
JS: Yeah, one of them
JT: Lucky dip
JD: Alright, we’ll do that then. Need to ask about the music videos because I really like them I think they’re really cool and unique. Do any of you guys come up with the ideas for the music videos?
HR: Me and Janine do yeah
JD: Ahh right. So does that explain why for “Target Practice” you end up with a rocket launcher and a tank Hamish?
HR: No, “Target Practice” was one of the only videos we did with a video production company years ago.
JS: Yeah, they’re friends of ours.
HR: Is that even still online?
JD: Yeah
JS: Yeah, it’s on their channel though
HR: Is it on their thing? But yeah, we started doing our own videos from “We are Robots” onwards
JD: Ahh ok. So like, “Boy George” and “Animal?”
JS: Yeah they were all ours
HR: Yeah, “So Long Gone”, “La Di Da”, what else have we done?
JS: “Boy George”, “La Di Da”, “Animal”, yeah. “So Long Gone” as well yeah
HR: We’re lucky enough to have video production friends up in Glasgow who do us good favours
JS: I think, because Hamish is more technical minded, he can do all the editing, and he’s got a better eye for what shots to take and what to look out for, whereas I don’t have a clue with that, so I just come up with an idea, and it can be something like mermaids diving off a cliff and Hamish will go “Right, cannae really do that, that’s not going to be possible”. He’s good at steering me, as in like that’s going to work and that won’t.
HR: Yeah! I agree!
JS: Yeah, what she said!
TD: What would be your favourite moment be being in Vukovi?
HR: Last night, in King Tut’s (the first show on their tour in Glasgow). It was mental man
JS: Aye, honestly, I never cry, but at one point last night, I actually felt like I was going to cry
TD: Really?
JS: Yeah, like you know when you’re trying to not cry and your lip’s all like that (quivering)? I was just like, what the hell is wrong with me man? It was just unreal, and overwhelming.
HR: I’d say before that it would probably be Download (2016). Playing at Download Festival is sick. We all spent the whole weekend there and we were knackered, soaking wet, covered in mud, and then I’d seen like some of the best bands in the world that I grew up listening to, and then went on stage and got to play in front of 1000 people. It was like, this is it! This is what it’s all about!
JS: Me and Colin… the backstage area, the VIP area was amazing, but me and Colin on that day, we didn’t realise that our passes meant that we were allowed to use all of the facilities. So we kinda just walked into this tent and there was a masseuse, a tattoo artist, hairdressers, chef, bar… we just walked in and sat there all day, and it wasn’t until the last 2 hours when we were like that: “by the way, I think we’re forgetting about this!” and we were gutted because we realised we could, we were trying to cram in and get a sleeve tattoo!
Laughter from all
HR: Was there a tattoo artist there?!?!
JS: Aye, there was like a top tattoo artist, like one of the top tattoo artists in the country, and apparently his assistant was this famous pin-up girl, stunning pin up girl, and I was just sat there watching all day and honestly I would’ve gotten a tattoo. (Could’ve gotten) Free tattoos, my hair done, get a massage, food, so I was raging!
JT: And there was us, freezing our butts off… we could’ve gotten a haircut!
JS: Aye, we were just like “NO! WE NEED TO MAKE THE MOST OF THIS!”
JD: So, speaking of Download Festival, you’ve been announced for a few festivals so far: 2000 Trees, Truck, and Y Not Festivals…
HR and JS: Yeah, yeah
JD: Can we expect any more festival announcements, like Reading and Leeds possibly?
HR: Yeah, we’ve got a few planned, but obviously we can’t say anything at the moment, but there’s a few coming up
JD: Yeah, yeah
JS: There’s two big ones that we’ll probably announce soon
JD: Cool
HR: I think there’s more tours as well. Actually I think we’re announcing another tour really soon!
JS: Yeah, yeah
JD: Sweet. Last question really, have you got any advice for upcoming and coming musicians who want to make it in the music industry, like us?
JS: Don’t be terrible!
JT: Yeah, don’t be terrible and don’t be a jerk! That’s our two go-to ones, isn’t it?
JS: Aye, just honestly, just be yourself, that’s what’s really cool
JT: Make sure you have good connections with the people you’re in the band with, and make sure you’re patient with them
HR: Make friends with sound guys, drivers, techs…
JS: Cameramen
HR:…everyone you can because favours because favours go so far! Do you guys play in any bands?
JD: Aye
TD: Yeah, we play in a band together
HR: Ahh cool ok
JD: Yeah, he (Tom)’s vocals and rhythm guitar, I’m bass
JS: Awesome, you’ll need to send me a link!
HR: Make as many pals as you can
JS: And honestly, don’t just throw all your music out there, just try and drip-feed people
HR: Watch what other bands are doing
JS: Yeah, yeah, exactly, if they’re the same genre, just see what they’re doing and see how they approach things. I take it you’ve done recordings and stuff?
JD: We’re actually doing our first recording next week
JS: Oh that’s cool, well that’s good so you’re still very new
TD: Yeah, we’ve only been together since November, but yeah we’ve got some studio time next week
JS: But that’s good that you’re not just kinda sat up and gone and played 100’s of gigs, because that’s just like, don’t just play all of the like, do you know what I mean?
HR: “Truth is we’ve played over 100 gigs as of today”
JS: “Yeah we’ve played over 40 gigs IN LEEDS”
JT: Here’s a tip for recording-wise: practice a lot and pre-produce.
JS: Yeah, because you’ll always change…
JT: So, before you go in, know exactly what you’re going to do before you go in. As in like, if you’re unsure about the structure of a song and think “ahh, we’ll figure it out”, figure it out before you go in, as you’ll save yourself a lot of time.
HR: And don’t get disheartened if it changes when you’re recording
JS: Aye
JT: Aye, sometimes it’s a good thing when that happens
JS: That’s the beauty of it. The more you play a song, and that’s what’s amazing about songs, you write it at first and you think “It’s alright, maybe it’s not bad” and the more you play it, it totally flourishes. Like, everyone starts to get into their own style, and that’s what’s the best about it.
HR: What is it you guys are recording? Like a single, or an EP, or?
TD: Yeah we’re just going to record one of our tunes. It’s kind of like a single, just a demo to send to people really. It’s an original one
JS: Cool
HR: Cool. Have you played any shows yet or?
TD: Not yet no, but we have a few things coming up so
JD: We just need to find time when we’re all in Huddersfield at the same time really
TD: Yeah we’re all from different places which doesn’t help
JS: Oh really?
HR: God man…
JD: Yeah, he’s (from) St. Albans, I’m from Scotland but live in Norwich now, then we’ve got our drummer’s from Ireland, and our lead guitarists is from Darlington…
JS: How the hell did you do it?
HR How did you do it?
JS: Is it like Tinder for bands?
JT: Were you at the show in Norwich before?
JD: No I wasn’t
JT: We were supporting FVK (Fearless Vampire Killers)
JD: Ahh no I must’ve missed that one!
JT: Because it rings a bell, but there was a very English-speaking gentlemen that happened to be from Scotland
JD: Ahh right
JT: Because when you said that you were from Norwich, it sounded very familiar!
TD: Right, cool, great, well thanks for speaking to us today!
JS: No problem, nice to meet you’s
TD: And we’re looking forward to the show
JS: Yeah, thanks for coming!
HR: Forgot we were playing a show!
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