Interview: We Are the Ocean

After being absent for three years, rock band We Are the Ocean have returned with new album ‘ARK’, due for release on May 11th. Forming in 2007, they started out as a post-hardcore band but have changed their sound progressively over the years. Their songs became significantly less heavy as joint vocalist and screamer Dan Brown left the band in 2012 leaving Liam Cromby with the responsibility of sole vocalist.

With four albums under their belts and a backing from the likes of Radio One and devoted fans, the band are back and ready to unleash their new tracks during their upcoming tour.

Following the bands recent support tour with friends Lower Than Atlantis, Figure 8 had the chance to speak to lead singer and guitarist, Liam Cromby about ‘ARK’, tour life and what he had been up to during the bands absence from the live scene.

The band is playing a few intimate shows at record stores before embarking on a UK tour. How many of the new tracks will you be playing for fans that come and buy your new CD? 

Liam Cromby: I think we’re going to be playing quite a lot of the new stuff. We have been practicing loads since we came out of the studio last year. I think we will be doing about five or six new ones. 

Is that just in the record shops or tour as well?

LC: I think it will be across the board. 

What can fans expect from you during your tour and festival season, are you doing anything different during your live shows?

LC:  We have been away for a while and because we have got a new album out, our live shows tend to differ a bit anyway. Not intentionally, it’s just more of a natural thing. Fans can expect something better and bigger. 

What are you most looking forward to about this upcoming UK tour?

LC: I am most looking forward to just going back onto the road again. We have recently come back from tour with Lower Than Atlantis which was really fun. I am really excited for the album to come out on May 11th, that’s only a couple of weeks time. I think because we haven’t played a headline tour for a long time either it will be fun to play a load of new songs with a mixture of old ones as well. 

Is there much difference between supporting your friends on tour and doing your own headline tour? Are there any restrictions or do you still get to do what you want to do? 

LC: We still get to do what we want to do, there’s no one that tells us what we can’t do. However, on support tours we don’t have as much time to play so it just feels a bit more rushed. There are also some people at the gigs who don’t know our band so you want to make a good impression as well while still doing whatever you want to do. I guess the difference is that it is a bit more relaxed on a support tour because you haven’t got the pressures of being the headline act. They’re both as fun as each other though.  

There has been a three year gap and finally your new album ‘ARK’ is due for release on May 11th. Is there a particular theme overall?  Can you give much away as to what fans can expect to hear?

LC: I think the theme of the album is the way it was recorded. It is different to how we have done it before. We recorded it pretty much all live in one take for each track. Basically, the drums, bass and a lot of the guitars were all recorded at the same time in the same room. I guess that flows throughout the album. You can hear it quite prominently. We did that because a lot of music these days sounds really clean and pristine. There’s nothing wrong with that, we have no quarm against it but we just wanted to sound a bit different to what everyone else is doing.

It sounds better when it isn’t over produced anyway doesn’t it. 

LC: I prefer it that way yes. I like there to be a bit of human in there. There has to be some flaws. We like a lot of old music as well like Led Zeppelin and James Taylor, it was all done live back then. Song wise, there’s quite a lot of variety with styles on there. You can hear old We Are the Ocean sounds and this new stuff we are coming out with. It is quite experimental the way we have gone into writing. Over the course of two years writing we came out wanting to just record the best songs for the album. I think because we recorded in a new way, we just started playing in a new way.  I don’t know…it feels like something fresh for us. 

You are a band known for exploring different musical avenues across each album. What were the main goals you wanted to achieve when you set out to record ‘ARK’?

LC: We went in there not knowing what was going to happen. We also wanted to push ourselves, do something that no one else is doing and surprise ourselves. I think that is more or less what has happened. 

You recorded the album in summer 2014, due for initial release in March. What is the reason you postponed the release until May? 

LC: We just signed to a new record deal just before Christmas. We were with Hassle Records and we still but we are with BMG now as well. They asked if we would mind pushing it back a bit just so that they could have a little bit more time to work on it. We figured if we had waited two years we could wait another two months. 

You recently released new single ‘Holy Fire’, which was played first by Huw Stephens on Radio One. Can you tell us anything about the songs background and do you feel it is reprehensive of the album overall?

LC: I think it does sum up nicely what the album is about musically because it has a bit of everything in there. I was watching and reading ‘Into The Wild’ as I like those stories of adventure and stuff so the song kind of came from that really. 

Are there any particular songs that were difficult to write lyrically?

LC: There was nothing more difficult than the others. It was quite fun writing the lyrics for ‘ARK’ and ‘Holy Fire’ and a lot of the songs on the album because we went through a different avenue where usually it would be quite self-confessional. It was all kind of a bit more abstract which is a lot of fun really. It is fun to be that creative with your music. 

How did it go working with Peter Miles again? (Producer of Go Now and Live and Maybe Today, 

Maybe Tomorrow.)

LC: It was really good. He has been with us for the last couple of albums so it made sense to go back with him. He was a big part of the album and recording process of ‘ARK.’ 

Quite a few British bands have broken up recently due to money issues and feeling they have gone as far as they can go as a band. Is that something that worries you in terms of We Are the Ocean’s future? 

LC: Well there are a lot of bands and I think a lot of people have this image of them as always having money. That is really not the case. I mean, we are a band that have never really or in fact made any money out of anything but we do it because we love it. Luckily enough each album has pushed us forward into a new place so we have been able to survive it. It is a bit of a killer though, you see bands that can’t carry on anymore, and it is a bit sad. 

You can see how many other bands have been influenced from other bands that have broken up now…

LC: I think that is the beauty of it. Those bands have left a legacy and they have inspired other bands to carry on. It is like they have passed on the torch. 

How did it go recording a cover of Foo Fighters ‘Pretender’ for Rocksound’s 200th issue? Is it difficult to put your own twist on someone else’s song?

LC: It was quite fun to do that kind of stuff because it was more of an easier process, the song is already written. You just have to do it in your own style. If people enjoy it they do but if they don’t then fair enough. You can’t please everyone. It is just a bit of fun. 

What can we expect from you in the future, are there any plans after touring?

LC: I think we will be doing some more touring at the end of the year and right now that is all I know about the future. I don’t know too much, I just know about the now. We have been away for a while so we don’t need any more breaks. 

I bet it is a shock after having that much time away from touring.

LC: It is really strange actually. It is a weird feeling… a good feeling but it is strange going back into 

it and getting used to playing shows again. It is like learning the trade again. 

Is there anything else you want to talk about?

LC: I think I am alright, I can’t think of anything so I might just go and have some breakfast and a cup of tea in a minute. 

Thanks for your time

LC: Thank you for the chat, it’s been a pleasure.

We Are the Oceans latest album ‘Ark’ is out now on Hassle/BMG.

The band are playing the following gigs this month.

May 16th Milton Keynes Crauford Arms

May 17th Cambridge The Portland

May 18 Liverpool Arts Club

May 19 Nottingham Red Room

May 20 Plymouth Underground

May 22 London Electric Ballroom

You can read the interview here where you will find other interesting music news http://figure8magazine.co.uk/default/we-are-the-ocean-interview/

Interview: Deaf Havana

14th December 2014
Blackburn King George's Hall
Support: Verses, Lonely the Brave.

Formed in 2005 in Norfolk, Deaf Havana have had a whirlwind few years that have seen them release three studio albums, open for none other than Bruce Springsteen and play sold out headline tours. The band  have had their downsides such as the cancellation of this year’s European tour. Nevertheless this has not held them back from doing what they do best - thriving in the UK rock scene.

Towards the last leg of the 2014 UK tour, I found myself in Blackburn’s King Georges Hall for the evening.  There, I spoke to Matthew Veck-Gilodi (backing vocals and guitar) and Chris Pennells (guitar) about their biggest gigs, songwriting and Deaf Havana’s future.

How is it going touring with Lonely the Brave and Verses so far?

Matthew: Really good. They’re a great bunch of people as well as great bands so it is always a good laugh to have them around. We are all really enjoying it actually.

Chris: It’s very fun.

Matthew: It is, everyone gets on and there are no big egos about.

I saw that you had the set list competition just before you set out on your current tour. Was it hard to put the control of the set list into someone else’s hands, even though they’re your fans?  

Chris: Yeah, I guess. When we first put it out we were obviously quite worried that we would get some suggestions that wouldn’t fit in or flow well and that we could do logistically.

Matthew: And craft a show out of it as well. That’s the thing, I mean; we don’t just specifically play the songs that we want to play. Normally you get a feel for it and you learn how some songs go together really well and that can create something that would be an hour and twenty minutes long.

Chris: But luckily enough we did find a few that worked quite well.

Matthew: Yes, we had some really good suggestions actually. I mean, some people had produced some amazing ones, looks wise as well. People had made them against great art work and stuff like that.

Chris: Oliver Beresford’s set list was the best, we felt. So we picked that.

Did you have any weird requests or people not taking it seriously?

Chris: We had a lot of strange cover suggestions.

Why did you decide to do the competition and has the set list been receiving good feedback so far on tour? 

Chris: I think it was more that we’ve always just picked sets for us essentially. It was nice to have a change. The whole point in us doing this tour was the fact we have always stuck to major cities. The whole point in the tour was, rather than expecting people to come to the music, taking the music to the people. At the same time, in keeping with that ethos it was about getting a fan to choose our set list for it as well.

You mention in your documentary English Hearts that you started off playing such small venues around the local areas and sleeping in your van. Now that you are playing on a larger scale have there been any moments where it has sunk in that you have really made it? 

Matthew: There have been a couple of surreal ones. For me, one was when we supported Muse in Germany. That was a band that I loved as a kid. So, that was just a really odd one. Like ‘oh shit.’

The other was with Bruce Springsteen as well because the guy is like sixty odd and has been doing music for such a long time and so consistently at such a high level. To share the same stage as him, that was a moment when I was like ‘Christ yeah, this is going somewhere.’

Can you see yourselves doing that for the rest of your life? Do you want to be doing music until you’re about sixty odd?

Both: Yeah.

Matthew: If I look as half as good as he does at thirty, but as he does at sixty, I’ll be impressed.

Chris: I feel sixty.

Matthew: I think I am (laughs).

Chris: Logically, your innards probably are.

How do you feel about the British rock scene becoming more accessible and entering the mainstream scene? A few years ago I would never hear bands like Yma6, Deaf Havana or Bring Me the Horizon being played on Radio One, let alone appearing high up in the charts.

Chris: I think it is great, especially with Radio 1 playing such a varied stuff.

Mathew: I mean radio stations do still play a lot of bollocks.

Chris: Yeah there’s been a lot of EDM lately. It’s not even music really.

Matthew: Disclosure are alright but that’s clever house music. The problem is with house music, you hear a bit that’s pretty good and then there’s just five minutes that is just noise for people on ketamine.

Chris: But yeah, obviously it is not only just our kind of music, there has been an uprising in music like indie as well on Radio One and other stations. I think it is good.

Matthew: It’s healthy to have diversity. You don’t get people turning on the radio and just hearing the same song over and over again.

Are there any plans to reschedule the European tour that you cancelled or is it too early to tell? 

Chris: It is still too early to tell.

Matthew: We haven’t made any solid plans yet.

Chris: Yeah, it needs to make sense when we go back.

Matthew: We will be back; it should be next year as well. It’s just such a shame that we couldn’t do it. We were all gutted about it because it sold really well in some of the venues. It’s always good to go around Europe. Everyone has been very understanding, so that’s one thing I’m really pleased about because it’s easy to become bitter and jaded and be like, ‘fuck this band.’

How do you feel about the future of touring for bands and do you have any advice for people wanting to start bands?

Chris: I’d say just play as many shows as you can. I think that’s where and certainly how we’ve got to where we are today and where the main bulk of the work is. It is put into touring and playing your music on the road. There’s obviously a lot of other stuff that happens doesn’t include that but the bulk of it lies in working your arse off on tour.

Is that due to album sales nowadays? 

Both: Yes

Matthew: To earn money and be viable business it’s horrible to have to talk about music like that but yeah, you draw it in from touring and merchandise.

Chris: Bands did used to see more money out of records. They used to tour to support an album release but it’s almost like now that you’re releasing an album just for an excuse to be able to go and tour. So it has completely flipped on its head over the past few years.

Matthew: Yeah, I mean, look at 1975. They have rocketed right up and they have played 195 shows this year or something like that. It’s mad.

You are a band well known for your personal lyrics across your albums, be it about growing up, losing friends and alcohol fuelled touring. What song is most sentimental to you and why?

Matthew: Well mine will always be 'Mildred' because I wrote that one with James but all the lyrics are mine. It is about my best friend and when I thought I was never going to see him again, for various reasons. Luckily we are all still best mates now and hang out all the time. So, that song will always be very special to me.

Chris: One that always hits home for me is ‘Times Change’, which we actually play on this tour. It’s about Ryan leaving the band.

The band has changed its sound quite a bit since Ryan Mellor left post ‘Meet Me Halfway, At Least’. Was it hard to change the live sound when performing at gigs? Why did you decide to make the decision to not get another singer? 

Chris: When it happened we could have easily gone one way and we did have a discussion with another guy about him joining the band.

Matthew: We had some professional photos done as well with him.

Chris: James had written a couple of songs that we just put out as demos. We decided it would probably be a better way to go forward. The song writing was a lot better that way. The lyric that James was coming out with…it was just a no brainer really. We do still play a couple of the old songs.

Matthew: I think it took a while to get to that point. Once I and Max got added to the band I think that helped a bit. We could just flesh out songs where there would have been little gaps. We just took a different approach to it all.

In 2013 you did an unplugged acoustic tour. In terms of live performances and atmosphere is there much difference between electric sets and acoustic sets? Do you have a preference?

Matthew: There’s a huge difference yeah. They’re so different I don’t know if I can choose. Actually I definitely prefer when we play full electric sets because there’s more energy.
Chris: It was REALLY good to change it up.

Matthew: I loved it because it was so quiet and everyone was so respectful. It was really nice to do something that different actually.

Can we expect any new music from the band in the near future? Are there any new projects on the horizon?

Chris: James and Max have got their tour in January and then we are just writing.

Matthew: Yes, solidly working on writing. We probably won’t tour again until this time next year.

Chris: This is basically it for now for ‘Old Souls.’ 

Matthew: Fans probably have a long time to wait unfortunately. But, I mean once we have things in place we will get singles out as soon as we can.

You can read this interview and plenty of other interesting music news at  http://figure8magazine.co.uk/default/category/interviews/