31 May 2010 (released)
01 June 2010
They wowed the audience at last months Music-news showcase to we caught up with This Life Scandal's lead singer Chris and lead guitarist Sam to catch up
How and when did you get together?
Sam: Chris was looking we were found.
Chris: Oct 2008 - I wanted to create a sound that made peoples jaws drop and
hearts pop. I decided it was time to put together a team of soundmakers and
create This Life Scandal.
Why did you choose the name This Life Scandal?
Chris: Everyone's media hungry. Everyone loves reading about scandal.
Everyone wants to know everyone's gossip. Everyone wants to be famous. Not
everyone knows why.
Have you had any line up changes?
Chris: No. This is it.
Is it difficult to manage gigging with writing new material - are you one
of those bands that likes to lock themselves away from everything else in
order to write new music? Does playing old stuff distract you from writing
new?
Chris: When we rehearse for gigs, we end up spending our time writing the
material. I guess it's how we do it. Someone will play something and the
rest of the band will just join in, or shout 'Record it!'
Sam: we just dont play the old stuff until we have absolutely have to!
What decides that the time is right to go into the studio to record an
album? Or is it an ongoing process?
Sam: Er.... whether we have the money? but we record at our homes
constantly-ish. Well Chris does!
Chris: We suffer from artist syndrome. That tends to mean we don't have
money to go into a studio and record. We manage to record by working on my
iMac and headphones. Sometimes it does the trick!
Who writes and how does the writing process work?
Chris: It can be anything really. Someone tends to come in with an idea. 'I
Stole You From Grace' was an idea Sam and I just started forming, and we
recorded the riff over and over. I took it home and made the song and, now
we're set to get in the studio and record it. The great thing is everyone's
into it, so when there's something worth working on, we continue til it's
finished...
Sam: Someone usually has an idea, brings it forward and the rest of the band
has their wicked way with it. pretty quickly a song is born.
Are you all fans of similar music? Do you each bring a different influence?
Chris: We've all got our favourites, but they're all cohesive and work
tremendously well when put in the pot.
Sam: yes and no.. we all have widespread taste which overlaps, but
essentially come from slightly different backgrounds. it seems to work :)
What comes first the lyrics or the music?
Chris: The music seems to be coming first at the moment. There are lyrics
all over my bedroom, in books / paper / computer, but we tend to write a
melody and the music first...
Sam: The song as a whole is king.
The unsigned scene can be tough, do you ever get disheartened with the
industry?
Chris: Indeed. But the reason why we continue is because we love doing it.
We also believe in it. A lot.
What s been the biggest challenge for you?
Sam: having to work! We cant spend all day working in the band but gotta pay
the bills...
Chris: The London scene. It's tough to compete when we're playing a gig down
the road from a signed act, who's charging a tenner more to see them, and
we're playing with 5 other unsigned acts, being thrown on and off the stage
without a decent soundcheck - oh and trying to generate fan base in a place
that is already over saturated with unsigned nights. The biggest challenge -
how do you create a fanbase when there's no audience necessarily interested
in the first place - particularly after being horrendously over charged at
the door to get in to see a incompatible line up...?
What are your pet hates about promoters?
Chris: The big pet hate is a pay to play policy. Surely you make
the money on the bar???
Sam: Telling you to get to a venue at 4.30pm, and when you arrive promptly
there venue isnt even open...
You re obviously all into music, what s the best gig you ve ever been to?
Chris: I went to see Elbow at the Brixton Academy. It was magical.
Sam: I saw the chilis in earls court, best lesson in on stage energy you
could possibly have.
What song do you wish you had written?
Chris: Upside Down - Unsigned artist Paul Kearney
Sam: Go To Sleep by Radiohead
You play with a lot of other bands, any unsigned acts you re tipping for
the top?
Both: There's always huge talent out there. We're lost as to where to
start...!
Who would you like to work with if you could work with anyone?
Chris: Ryan Adams
Sam: Mike Enzinger guitarist from incubus, very few guitarist think its cool
to study theory. We should stick together.
What was your best moment in 2009?
Chris: Music being involved with Movie Syncing on 'Holy Water' - our track
'Great Bank Robbery' was on the movie soundtrack and played over the end
credits. We released it as a single off the back of the World-wide release
of the film - which was cool!
Sam: It was all one pretty sweet year to be honest :)
Best venue?
Both: 93 Feet East. Great Sound, Brilliant stage... big stages make for fun
gigs.
Plans for 2010
Chris: Planning on a US tour, exposure / radio / TV.... it's all very
exciting.
This Life Scandal single ‘The Great Bank Robbery' can be purchased via the
following links:
http://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/the-great-bank-robbery/id352659567?i=352659571
http://www.emusic.com/album/This-Life-Scandal-The-Great-Bank-Robbery-MP3-Download/11800979.htm
