Working with Setting Sun, often does involve the discovery of new
Music through all sorts of means - through demos I may encounter
Through all kinds of means but as much as anything else actually
Going to see bands live where sometimes you can encounter a
Gem perhaps when you least expect it.
Take Manchester based three piece "Laymar" - I first saw them
During "In the City" last year in Manchester where me and a
Few friends went to see the excellent "iLIKE TRAINS" and
Also caught most of Laymar's excellent set which made as just as
Good a prelude to the next band.
"Laymar" made an excellent companion piece and band to
"iLIKETRAINS" who instead of the Nick Cave meet Sigor
Ros approach went for Mogwai playing Joy Divison or The
Chameleons, but shared a similar energy although they were
In completely different directions.
I wrote an excellent review on them on Conor's "Angry Left
Wing Mofo" and never thought anything else about it as I
Intended to contact the band for an interview and true to form
Never actually got round to it, but out of the blue a couple of
Weeks later - the band found my review and contacted me over
It and this interview followed live in Manchester's "Brit Protection"
Pub over a few beers one Tuesday Evening.
Thanks again to the lads for the interview - make sure you keep a
Eye on their website for further details off gigs and stuff... They
Are well worth going to see, believe me.
Or check them out on myspace.com account -
www.myspace.com/laymar
Cheers
Andrew N
Setting Sun:
Can you first introduce yourselves to us and tell how did you
All meet up - i.e. who fired the starting pistol etc
Dave:
Hi, I'm the Dave, the Drummer.
Ciaran:
Hi I'm Ciaran, the Bass. Unfortunately Colin, the
Guitarist and sometimes vocalist could not be hear
tonight. Colin also uses effects and we all use
synths as well as mini discs.
We all met up in high school in choir - as well
as another guy called Ben who is no longer in the
band. Dave was playing drums. I was playing
Bass. Colin was already playing guitar. It was
already there.
Setting Sun:
How long ago was this?
Dave:
It was 6 years since it was our first gig in June.
Setting Sun:
So I take there has been a few changes over
the years?
Dave:
Yeah, it has been a constant evaluation.
Ciaran:
We actually started out as a Indie band but the
sound has developed as we moved on.
Setting Sun:
What are your influences and what are
you listening at the moment?
Ciaran:
At the moment, I have been living at my girlfriends
and she doesn't allow my music, but the last gig
we see was Four Tet. It was amazing.
Dave:
There's been loads. We have been listening to
Ska, The Snakes, God Speed You Black
Emperor. I also have been listening to the last
Sigor Ros CD" Takk"
Setting Sun:
I notice from looking at your CD there is a lot of
tracks that are untitled.. Is their a reason for this
or is a artistic statement?
Dave:
I think it's because we are un-decided on a few,
because it takes us a while because we always
name all of our tracks on a whim. It takes such a
effect to write them and such a long time because
by the time we get to name it, we are so tired
and exhausted - we just say - Let's just call it that.
Ciaran:
It all varies. A lot of the songs may come from
say when I may come up with a Bass, or Colin
make a Piano or Guitar line or Dave comes
up with a drum beat and if We like it, we'll jam
to it and I'll try and do a Bass line to it.
Setting Sun:
Certainly my favourite track on the CD is
"JWL"? Can you tell us next a little bit more
about this track - how it all started etc?
Ciaran:
That's the shortened version - it's actually "Juvenile Whole Life'
Setting Sun:
Ah! That explains it a little more... The reason why I
love this track is all of the layers in the song and it actually
left me thinking I didn't know where it was going,
but it completely hooked me.. How did that track
develop?
Ciaran:
It all kind of started by chance - I was making that
rift on the synth and we had made a pretty good
sound twisting all the knobs and it made a pretty
good sound.
Dave:
I think I pressed the wrong button
(Much laughter)
Dave:
What usually happens is when somebody does
something really good, we all stop and say "they're
really good"
Setting Sun:
How did you do it?
(More Laughter)
Ciaran:
It was strange that song, how did it take to write?
Dave:
It took about six months.
Setting Sun:
It sounds like it.
Dave:
It took ages. We really laboured over it - We
Really, really messed around with it. It can really
piss you off at times.
Setting Sun:
How did you get the effects with the drums? It
Really echoes in places.
Dave:
That's because we used just one mike.
Setting Sun:
It really works.
Dave:
The room had something to do with it. Half of
It was padded and half off it was concerate,
So it added reverb to it.
Setting Sun:
I also notice from your CD that you sometimes
Use vocals with some of your songs, do you
Find your approach changes when
You use vocals.
Ciaran:
Yeah, it really does.
Dave:
When Colin uses vocals, they are very
Personal to him and when we put vocals in the
Song, I don't know most off it, but they are very
Personal to him. When he puts lyrics, he worries
It'll ruin the song for him.... We don't want to be
Just an instrumental band because we just don't
To be just be a instrumental band.
Ciaran:
We don't want to be regarded as just as a
instrumental band.. That's too er.. mainstream.
(Laughter)
Setting Sun:
Colin's vocals are that low in the mix it is
almost like another instrument in the fact you
have to really listen to them...
Dave:
Saying that we wanted to toy with the idea of
having a female Vocal.
Setting Sun:
Oh yeah?
Dave:
I'm always told they may put a strange twist on it...
Then again, that may take things away from
where we are...
Everybody sees we have a female vocalist and
they go... We don't Want to go down that path....
We want to add a vocalist to add another dimension
Setting Sun:
Or instrument.
Ciaran:
It could be nice, not singing lyrics.
Setting Sun:
Ah the sound thing again.
Ciaran:
Yeah.
Setting Sun:
On a different note, have you played many gigs beyond
Manchester or has it mostly being local?
Ciaran:
Not really - we've mainly just played gigs in Manchester.
Dave:
We've played one gig in Liverpool.
Ciaran:
We supported Puressance once.
Setting Sun:
Cool.. What plans do you have next? Do you have any
more gigs / concerts planned?
Dave:
We are planning on doing our own recording and
releasing a proper single with a proper cover not
just a copied sleeve and doing lots more concerts -
everywhere we can. We also want to record a
album.
Setting Sun:
Expanding your horizons?
Dave:
The good thing over the past few years is we
haven't really had to ask for any gigs. Because
we don't ask for any payment or money - we got
offered loads of gigs. We've played Night and Day
god knows how many times...
Ciaran:
We still need to expand our horizons however.
Setting Sun:
But never give up.
Ciaran:
Yeah and never settle for second best...
Setting Sun: (to Ciaran:):
Also out of interest, where did you get
Your idea for wearing a bowler hat during
Your gig?
Ciaran:
I like the britishness out off it.
Setting Sun:
Carrying straight on, what is the inspiration
Behind your name?
Dave:
We have had a lot of people say it means a lot of
things in different languages.
Ciaran:
Yeah, we've been told it means to be famous in
Greek and in Cantonise it means Mother... It
Doesn't mean anything otherwise really. You
Get a lot of names, the something and Laymar
Sends them off in a different direction - You don't know
What it is and It makes them think off different
things. It is almost a non existential word. It's not
a word I've heard anywhere...
Dave:
It's pretty well a word we made up. It's like the
music, if you come to the gig on the name
then you probably won't like our music. So if
you are willing to disregard and just say Laymar
that's weird, I'll go to that then you'll probably like
it. If you think Laymar sound like something
like Oasis and build up some pre-consetsomes
then you probably won't like it and probably
spolit your enjoyment of the music. It is a kind
of a nice filtering tool.
Setting Sun:
What would your dream job be if you were not rock
And roll stars?
Dave:
I'd like be a producer.
Ciaran:
Or a artist.
Setting Sun:
Funniest answer I ever got for this question came from
One of my mates when he said Porn Star.
Dave:
Well...
(Much Laughter)
Ciaran:
James Bond.
(More Laughter)
Setting Sun:
What would like to be doing when you are 60?
Dave:
Studying.
Ciaran:
Still be in the frame of mind I am in now.
Dave:
Still being young at heart.
Setting Sun:
What will you be doing when you are 60?
Dave:
Complaining about what is on TV.... Being
A more rounded invidual..
Setting Sun:
Lastly, something light to finish off (Borrowed from a pal's
zine almost) - Imagine you were ship wrecked on a desert
Island and could have (Clearly have second sight here -
lol) the choice of having 5 records or Cd's with you with a
stereo of course- what would be your desert Island discs?
