SOURCE – The new CD has been titled Live at Electric Ballroom and it will be out on 27.09.2024. What else stands out about Live at Electric Ballroom to you? What makes it feel special?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – So the album will be out through MNRK Heavy who we’re signed to and who released our last studio album. The show at Electric Ballroom was the biggest headline show of our career so we had to document it some.
SOURCE – What inspired you to record a live album? Was there a particular moment or performance that made you decide to capture it?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – Given that we’re almost 20 years into our career and have 6 studio albums, it felt right to put something out that properly captured the essence of the live show. We love the material we’re touring at the moment.
SOURCE – How did you prepare for the live recording? Were there any specific rehearsals or adjustments made to ensure everything went smoothly?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – We just did what we normally do when preparing for a tour. This date was the last of a two week run so we felt comfortable.
SOURCE – Can you walk us through the recording process? What kind of equipment and technology did you use to capture the live performance?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – Our performance was multi tracked from the desk our sound engineer uses. From that, he had individual stems of every element of the show which we sent on to Lewis Johns who mixed it.
SOURCE – Several artists have recently been talking about issues with streaming services and losing money, while others have been defending it. What are your thoughts on this evolution of the music industry?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – I definitely feel that we could be making more money from streaming and that the model used for streaming royalties is broken. That being said, its given our music a platform thats helped us tour internationally which we’re all grateful for. I know its definitely helped us to reach more people.
SOURCE – How did you decide on the setlist for the live album? Were there any specific songs you wanted to highlight or any that were particularly challenging to perform live?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – We spend a lot of time working on choosing a set that we feel has cohesion and flow ahead of any tour. Its about trying to find the right balance of material from newer releases which we’re most proud of and also ensuring there is a strong dynamic element to the set as a whole. A lot of it is quite challenging to be honest!
SOURCE – How hard is it in such a competitive music market like the England scene to find your place as a band and to build up a fanbase?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – It’s definitely challenging of course. We feel lucky to be in a position where we have demand after 19 years and I think a lot of that is down to relentless persistence.
SOURCE – Looking back, what do you feel is the most rewarding aspect of releasing a live album? How does it compare to studio recordings for you?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – It’s rewarding to have documented a career highlight. That show was a huge deal for us and getting to put this out means a lot. It will also be great for people whose countries we haven’t had the chance to visit yet to see what our shows look like.
SOURCE – Is there anything else you’d like to share about the live album or your experience with this project?
James Spence (backing vocals, keyboards, synthesizers) – It’s been interesting to work on something creative thats not studio based. I wouldn’t say I prefer it or anything like that but its nice to try new things.
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Photo credit: band
NOTE:
Parts of this questions were generated by ChatGPT, an AI tool developed by OpenAI, on September 2024. The AI was employed to aid in generating ideas and drafting text.