British alternative rockers A Silent Film will invade the states in November and will be making a stop in El Paso at The Lowbrow Palace on November 4th. Fusion was fortunate enough to interview these fine lads who actually recorded here before but will be making their live debut.
How were the early days of the band when you got started? Were you a part of any local music scene in Oxford?
The early days were exciting; we took any gig we would get our hands on despite being too young to drink at the bars we were performing in. I remember loading our equipment out of one venue where the security would not let us back in to get paid, so we walked home empty handed. That was a lesson learned right there.
Tell us about the name of your band and where does it come from? What were other options for band names?
The band name came from a song I had written around the piano melody from an old Charlie Chaplin movie called “The Kid.” We had been fooling around with the song and it stuck. Other band names at the time were suitably appalling and I just cannot bear to go into them right now…
You have 2 albums, was there anything specific you were listening to at the time you were making each album?
I can remember milestone records that were released during the making of each album that changed the way we were thinking. In Rainbows by Radiohead came out while we were recording “The City That Sleeps” which made us want to start again! For “Sand & Snow” I just remember Bon Iver’s self titled album being released which had a pretty big impact on us also.
There are comparisons to Coldplay, does that bother you? Or do you accept that?
We get asked this question a lot and I never quite understand why it’s so controversial to be compared to Coldplay? They’re an amazing band, truly authentic and a joy to experience live. I personally don’t think we sound very much like Coldplay and we certainly don’t see it as a bad thing.
How did the sound of the band come together? Where there ideas floating around of how you wanted the sound?
It’s purely the combined taste of the individuals in the band. Our music tastes are wildly broad as is probably the case in most bands. We fight over curious details that might not seem important to anyone else but as a result the outcome is quintessentially us.
Many reviews out there talk about what you sound like and who you sound like, but what are they missing? What do you think you personally sound like, and do you compare yourself to any other bands as far as sound?
Hardly ever, we’re not in this to follow in anyone’s footsteps. We enjoy expressing ourselves through music and try to steer clear of falling into any obvious traps of imitation.
Who are your musical influences?
The usual greats: Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Bjork, Radiohead, Bowie etc… I love digging through those artists that stood the test of time and discovering their journey.
Have you ever played in the states? What’s the difference in he crowd?
We play a lot in the states. It’s the old tale where British bands can seem mysterious and exotic to US crowds and vice versa. It’s the great game of Atlantic tennis; we serve up the Beatles, you give us the Beach Boys. I doubt you could have one without the other and thank goodness they both exist.
Who was your favorite band/artist you’ve played with?
We made some great friends on tour recently, Royal Teeth from Louisiana and American Authors from Brooklyn are the first two that pop into my head.
How does the songwriting come about?
Only through patience and hard work. I reckon it’s like a billion radio waves charging through the atmosphere all the time and you could never know but if you turn on your receiver or point your satellite dish the right way, you can pick up something special.
Are you currently working on any new material?
Always. We’re about to embark on a month long US tour where we’ll be playing plenty of new songs that might or might not turn up on the next album, depending on the audience response. I’m joking… No I’m not.
What should El Paso expect from your live show?
El Paso is a spiritual home to us as we recorded a lot of “Sand & Snow” there. It’ll also be our very first show in the city so I imagine it’ll be enough singing and enough dancing to make Pancho Villa’s sombrero spin.