Larealinterv

From La Realistica

LR: How are you this spring?

Ross: We're fine, but I thought it was still winter.
Andy: I'm sure by spring we'll be fine.

LR: First of all you have a new record out (see demo reviews), but this time you are missing a member of the band. How did the loss of Mikee effect the band both recording wise and live show wise?

Ross: I think we're tighter now that we're a 3 piece, although we probably sound a bit lightweight playing without an extra guitar. I've started trying to write songs for just one guitar now which I think is a great limitation and we've started using samples when we play live. Recording wise it's not really made much of a difference because I normally wrote Mikee's guitar parts for him and I occasionally had to play them. Overall it's had less of an impact than we first thought it might.
Andy: Also from a writing point of view we lost our "heavier" influence. The current mini-album is far softer than anything we've done before as it's not balanced with distortion-based instrumentals as the last one was. We are all quite busy as well and now that we've got one less timetable to worry about we're finding it easier to arrange recordings and practices.

LR: Do you feel the new demo is better than the last one?

Ross: I think the songs have been better written and recorded this time and we put a lot more effort into practising and arranging them before we recorded them. "It's Far Too Easy to Get Things Right" was much less rehearsed and half of the songs just had me and Mikee playing on them. "Thirty Fingers" is much more of a 'band' record because Andy and Jason had a lot more input into the songs. I think it's a bit more eclectic, which is always a good thing in my opinion and spans a good few genres.

LR: I noticed that there are no instrumentals on this recording, is that because of the criticism you received for the live tracks on the last record?

Ross: Not at all. It's just because we hadn't written any instrumentals this time. There should be at least one instrumental on the next mini-album.
Andy: I think the way things are going the new songs will be more melodic and docile, generally more ear-friendly.

LR: Both of your mini-albums are available to purchase via the Internet do you think this is the way forward for all record sales or only for unsigned bands trying to sell their self-funded material?

Andy: All music will eventually be available on the internet unless some sort of radical change comes about. As soon as someone's famous enough, people will be distributing it for free as well. The days of the rich musician may be over and seeing as we don't have any money anyway we've got nothing to lose. We'd be more than willing to put out our music as free downloads, because we can sell them more cheaply in shops. We do this for fun, not as a moneyspinner.

LR: After receiving a bundle of rave newspaper reviews & radio play do you think you will be signing any major label contracts this year?

Ross: We're currently having multi-million dollar contract talks with Sony and EMI but I'm not sure which one we're going to go for. Both labels are a bit apprehensive though because of Andy's penchant for destroying rehearsal rooms and bongo drums with hammers and my addiction to Tesco fajitas.

LR: What bands (unsigned or signed) do you think people should watch out for in 2002?

Ross: Sliver Pill, Nibusi Shang Hong, ballboy, Ellis, Michael Rattery, I am Scientist and Loki. I'm also looking forward to hearing Bernard Butler's new material cos I'm a big fan of his.
Andy: There was someone on Marsha Shandur on Sunday and I've forgotten who they were...used organs and guitars...

LR: Cheers 4 now!