Interview: Lower Than Atlantis

Since the release of their debut album Far Q, British rock band Lower Than Altantis have been busy touring the world non-stop. Recent months has seen the band take some time out in order to record their new self-titled album, due for release in September this year.

Consisting of Mike Duce, Ben Sansom, Eddy Thrower and Dec Hart, the band have described their influences as ‘fucking Up, Binge Drinking, Poverty and wishing you were still 15 years old’.

I had an  interview with LTA’s vocalist, Mike Duce, who was jetlagged from his flight from Japan.  We discussed the new LTA album, their upcoming tour and what it is like to write songs for other artists.

Lower Than Atlantis just played Radio 1 Rocks yesterday with Mallory Knox and Marmozets, how did you find it? 

Mike Duce: It went great, absolutely great. It was a bit nerve-wracking at first and we’ve only just come back from Japan. The day we got back we had a band rehearsal. The next day we played Sony Xperia and the day after, I was on a breakfast show with Nick Grimshaw on Radio 1. We then played Radio 1 Rocks, which was mental. I’m going to be in the studio from tomorrow onwards until we fly to America a week today to shoot a video but I think I’ll have tomorrow off because I’m knackered.

You’re doing a UK tour playing at intimate venues in July. What can fans expect from the live shows, are you doing anything different this time around?

MD: We are going to play some of the old stuff and some hits...stuff like that. We are going to be playing some of the B side stuff from previous albums but we are going to play some new stuff as well so we will be able to see people’s reactions. Then we will know what sort of songs work well playing live and what songs don’t. It will be a good laugh. We are touring with two bands called Decade and Yearbook who are really good as well.

You said the band were treating album number four as if it was going to be your last and that if things don’t go big then you will think about calling it a day. If the new album is not a hit overall are you still sticking by what you said?

MD: It’s not that we want it to be a big hit or anything like that. We don’t need validation from chart numbers and stuff like that. We’re not those kind of guys man, we don’t really give a fuck about that kind of thing. We are just going to see how we’re feeling. I mean, we didn’t expect things to kick off in such a big way that they have with our new single. We will address it later on. We’re not thinking about that at the minute that’s later on down the road.

It must have been good to be teaming up with Dan Lancaster again. (Producer of 2010’s Far Q)

MD: He’s one of my best friends of all time. That’s who I’m with in the studio tomorrow working on B-sides, the next few singles and the deluxe tracks on the album.  It’s good to do it all again, we work well together. There are twelve songs on the album and then we are going to do a special edition deluxe version. Then we go to the studio and finally we get more time off which is a while away. We are doing some acoustic versions of the songs which will be interesting.

You wrote a song with new band 5 Seconds of Summer called ‘Heartache On The Big Screen.’ Was the song-writing process much different compared to when you write songs for Lower Than Atlantis? 

MD: Not really no. The only thing that was different was that we were writing pop, I’ll call it pop… I don’t know what it is. With LTA it has to be credible but catchy and I set these criteria for myself. However, when it came to stuff like writing for other artists, I kind of just threw caution to the wind and just went for it.  It went really well, that was the B side to their single and it went to number 1 in about 40 countries.

Do you find it strange writing lyrics for other artists knowing that it could be a Lower Than Atlantis song? Or does it not matter because they’re completely different genre? 

MD:  It doesn’t matter as much. It’s still about something that means something to me and it also means something to someone who would be listening to it as well.

How do you handle the pressure of writing songs for other artists knowing that it could, in your own words, “Make them or break them?”

MD: Writing music is the one thing that makes me happy and it’s the one thing I would like to think I am quite good at as well. I just sort of do my thing and that is obviously why the artists came to me. Then that’s it really, you  just see what happens when it is released.

I read in a previous interview that you’re always away on tour for months at a time and that you only have very little time to record an album. Do you feel that the new LTA record will be the best one yet because you allowed yourselves a longer time period to write new material?

MD: It definitely is, without a doubt. Everyone’s got their own opinion but in musical terms it is definitely our best album and that’s why it’s self-titled because we thought that this is the sound of the band. We’re really happy with it.

What can fans expect from your self-titled record? How would you describe the overall sound across the 12 tracks and did you try and take on any different approaches when writing?

MD: We recorded it when we weren’t with any label at all. We didn’t have a manager at the time either. There weren’t really any constraints on it at all, we wrote it and then we were signed. We just felt free to do whatever the hell we wanted. This is the end result and we’re really happy with it. Overall I would describe the album as fucking brilliant. Then again I’m going to be biased because it’s our band.

Your approach to writing lyrics tends to be very conversational. What themes did you explore when writing the new record? Were any tracks particularly difficult to write?

MD: None of them were too hard to write. We just write about what is going on in the world. I really like the lyrics to the song Live Slow, Die Old Because I find it really fascinating that the one thing that is inevitable is that we are all going to die and there’s nothing you can do about it. You can be the richest, most powerful person in the world and you can be the smartest person in the world, but at the end of the day you’re still going to grow old and die.

You're playing Reading and Leeds Festival in August. What are your other plans after the July tour?

MD: We are going to have some more singles and videos coming out but the plan is changing constantly. It’s going to be interesting.

What has been your biggest challenge so far as a band?

MD: America definitely. The van we were in was like a small people carrier and we were driving around ourselves. Some of the drives were about 20 hours, we were stuck in there together and it put a strain on our friendship but we are all better mates because of it. It was definitely one of the best and worst experiences in all our lives I would say.

Is it hard being traveling musicians and being on the road constantly? Would you ever give it up and find a steady job?

MD: I don’t really know. The grass is always greener. You always want what you haven’t got. I don’t think I’m that type of person at all. I need to be busy and I need to be travelling around. That’s what makes me happy. I like to take each day as it comes. I just want to see what happens tomorrow.

I saw a tweet about LTA possibly doing a cover of Barenaked Ladies – ‘One Week.’ Are you going to do one?

MD: (Laughs) I don’t know. We’ve just had a really successful single. After playing at Radio 1 Rocks last night, I had the whole band and crew back at mine and Eddie’s house and we just had some music on, listening to songs we used to listen to when we were younger. We had a few beers and Eddie’s girlfriend cooked us up some chicken wings. We might do some covers; I don’t know, it would be cool if we did.

Is there anything else you would like to mention?

MD: Our new album is out on September the 29th.

Lower Than Atlantis are playing the following dates throughout July…

15 - ABERDEEN Tunnels
16 - GLASGOW King Tuts
17 - NEWCASTLE Cluny
18 - YORK Fibbers
20 - Manchester Deaf Institute
21 - HULL Fruit
22 - NOTTINGHAM Rock City
23 - STOKE Sugarmill
24 - BIRMINGHAM Temple
25 - GLOUCESTER Guildhall
27 - CARDIFF Clwb Ifor Bach
28 - BRISTOL Fleece
29 - PORTSMOUTH Wedgewood Rooms
30 - NORWICH Epic Studios
31 - LONDON Dingwalls

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Student mother: managing university and kids

In the style of Mother and Baby Magazine 

Being a first-time mother while studying at university can be daunting prospect. Your friends are all out celebrating their dissertation hand-ins while you’re stuck indoors watching Eastenders. The first year being a parent can be the biggest struggle a mother will face. However it is time for parents to embrace the magical times ahead. Fortunately there is plenty of help both mentally and financially in order to be able to complete your education.

 Meet Amber Jade Dinsdale, a 21 year old chef from Manchester.  To her surprise, at the end of her second year at university, she discovered she was pregnant. Previous difficulties meant it was unsure if she could ever conceive.  With only one more year left at university, Amber spent nine months going through a life-changing experience. With the support of her fiancé – who has two kids from a previous relationship, and her family, she has managed to overcome the challenges of working full time, moving house and university deadlines. Despite giving birth to a baby boy in February, she is aiming to obtain a 2.1 for her degree.

“I don’t let my education suffer as it is something I have worked hard for. I’ve been at university for four years so I didn’t see the point in deferring a year. I’m aiming to graduate with a 2.1 hopefully.” She continued: It’s hard for a dyslexic student to get a first unless they’re incredibly intelligent. That’s not me, I’m just moderately intelligent but I’m willing to try my hardest.”

According to the Daily Mail, women graduates wait until they hit 35 before having their first child - almost a decade later than those who don’t go to university. Additionally, a recent study carried out by the National Union of Students (NUS) shows that, 29% of 2,167 students with children who were questioned said they fell pregnant during their studies.

Amber admitted that she did plan to have children, just not whilst at university. Nevertheless, she is grateful to have the energy and flexibility as a young mother to take on responsibilities she will have for the rest of her life. Currently taking maternity leave, Amber has less time for herself than when she was working full time. With her fiancé at work, she has found herself surrounded by last minute assignments and nappies. Weeks before Jacob was born, the family found themselves moving house last minute. They wanted somewhere with a spare room and required a house that cost less to rent – not something easy to find on a busy schedule and with rising rental costs.

“I have no time for myself, not in between university work and looking after Jacob.” She admitted: “Moving house has got to be the most stressful thing I’ve ever done in my life. The previous house was suffering from damp. With a baby on the way and an asthmatic partner we just wanted to leave and start again, for the sake of the children.”

So how nerve wracking was the pregnancy? Amber expressed that the changes were not easy but that she would not change a thing. Fortunately she has had full support from her family and admits she does not understand how single mothers manage. Suffering from baby brain while pregnant and having to have time off for appointments meant requesting an extension at university. Of course, tutors were understandable.

“It is difficult getting used to your body changing and feeling sick but you have no option. It is helpful having a partner because they do the little things for you.” She recalled: “Your body goes through so many changes when you are pregnant, you don’t actually notice as much as you think you would. I didn’t get a baby bump till I was 30 weeks gone, whereas some girls get baby bumps from ten weeks.”

Did Amber have any advice for first time mothers?

“Don’t get pregnant,” she joked. “Just make sure you wait until you know what you want to do with your life or already have something set up. I don’t enjoy watching 16 and pregnant on MTV, or ‘who is the father?’ on Jeremy Kyle. Be patient, even if you wait until you’re in your late thirties.”

Diary of daily routine

5:30am I wake up and give Jacob his bottle. I have breakfast and we cuddle downstairs on the sofa.
7:30am The kids (Fiancé’s children) arrive and we sort them out. Jacob will have another bottle at about 8ish.
9:00am I take the kids to school as my fiancé doesn’t drive.
10:30am I feed Jacob another bottle. He usually stays awake till one and is fed once every few hours.
3:15pm I pick the kids up from school. I cook their tea and then they get picked up at 5:30.
6:00pm Dog walk.

I continue throughout the evening and night feeding Jacob his bottle whenever necessary. In between my daily routine I am cleaning or doing university work.