terça-feira, 20 de fevereiro de 2018

Chapter 8 with The Battle of Lights - An Interview


Quando se ouve uma estreia como "Chapter 8" do The Battle of Lights, logo se imagina uma intensa produção, músicos, produtores, enfim, uma vasta gama de ingredientes para conceber o intrínseco resultado do álbum.

Mas, não neste caso. o The Battle of Lights é Chris Taylor, e o cara logo no primeiro contato com o TBTCI soltou a seguinte frase: "I'm not really trying to have a career in music. I'm doing this purely for the fun of it. If you would still like to do an interview, just let me know. If not, I understand completely."

Bem, talvez para qualquer outro site, a conversa teria parado por aí, mas não por aqui, muito porque Chris ou, The Battle of Lights, criou sim, um disco, que de tão despretensioso, torna-se viciante a cada audição, seja pelas rápidas e rasteiras vinhetas entre as canções, ou claro, pelas canções, onde décadas de música de qualidade foram absorvidas.

Ah, quanto a rótulos, bem, o The Battle of Lights engloba todos os subgêneros do indie rock, por pura diversão.

Resta-nos torcer para que a diversão continue.

***** Interview with The Battle of Lights *****


Q. When did The Battle of Lights begin? Tell us about the history...
I started making the Battle of Lights recordings a few years ago. I’d previously been in bands that played gigs regularly and recorded songs pretty much the way they sounded live. With the Battle of Lights I want to do something a bit different in terms of sound and approach. It's been fun to experiment with instruments, sounds and textures I hadn't really used before.

I don't have a band so I don't really worry about whether the songs can be played live or not.

Q: What are your influences?
Lots of different things, including: shoegaze, psychedelia, post-punk, ska, electronic, Motown. Some non-rock/pop stuff too. I like things that are melodic and adventurous.

Also really influenced by certain music writers and journalists. Sometimes they can change the way you think about music and open you up to new ideas.

I'm always impressed by bands or artists who are really unique and are able to create things that are completely unlike anything that came before them. Morrissey is a great example - a total one-off!

Q. Make a list of 5 albums of all time…
In no particular order:

The Teardrop Explodes - Wilder
My Bloody Valentine - Isn't Anything
Stereolab - Switched On
The Church - Heyday
The Fall - The Wonderful and Frightening World of... (had to put that one in...)

Q. How do you describe The Battle of Lights sound?
I'm not sure what you'd call it...

The sound is a mix of guitars, distorted electronics, "found" sounds, minimal beats and vocal harmonies. I've been trying to create songs that don't really sound like anyone else - I don't think I've acheived that yet.

Q: Tell us about the process of recording the songs?
I usually write the songs on an acoustic guitar. Melodies come first - lyrics are always a struggle. The recording is completely DIY. I play and sing all the parts, record, mix and master everything in my basement set up. I'm not a great musician or producer so nothing ever sounds too professional. I'm sure the end result would be much better with input from other people, but I kind of like the challenge of seeing what I'm capable of achieving on my own.

Q. Which new bands do you recommend?
Gentlemen of the Woods.

Q: Which band would you love to made a cover version of?
Paul Revere and the Raiders - I Hear a Voice.
or
Straitjacket Fits - Down in Splendour

Q: What are your plans for the future?
Just to record more songs for anyone who might want to hear them.

Q: Any parting words?
Thank you for giving me the chance to be on your blog!
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Thanks

https://thebattleoflights.bandcamp.com/releases