What are the feelings now that your debut LP is 'done & dusted' ?
It’s a pretty bizarre feeling. We just got the test pressings back the other day and it blew all of our minds. Listening to our music on vinyl for the first time was just crazy. It sounded pretty much the same but then you’d look at the record spinning and it was surreal. When we started the band we didn’t really have any goals, it was started as a sort of joke. Once we started to take it a bit more seriously we knew that bringing out an album on vinyl was the ultimate goal. I think too many unsigned bands hold out on making an album because they are waiting to get signed. I think that if you have an album in you then you should get it out as soon as you can. So the main feeling is just a mix of relief and happiness.
What was the experience like in the studio recording eleven songs together and how long did it all take?
We did the majority of the tracks over two days and then spent the third day adding some extra over dubs and vocals. Then we spent just under two days mixing. We recorded the album in Green Door Studio onto 16 track tape. Most of the tracks were done live in the first few takes which was a good way to work. I think if it takes more than 3 takes to get a song down then it’s not tight enough to be recorded yet.
Stu Evans was our man behind the desk and he was great to work with, he knows his stuff and is a super easy going. I was pretty stressed going into it as I didn’t think we’d have enough time to get it all done but it ended up being a pretty stress free experience. It was one full week of constantly being in the studio though which was pretty intense; I put everything else on hold for a week and just focused on the album.
How did you make the tie up with Fuzzkill Records and how important do you think it is for a new band to have a 'label' behind them?
We were asked to play up in Shetland last year by the guys who run Fuzzkill, Marshall and Keppie. They had just started out with the label and were both about to move down to Glasgow. We got on straight away and agreed to release something together when they moved down. Having Fuzzkill help with all the press side of things has been a massive help for us and has let me concentrate more on booking shows and working on material.
I think it’s very important for a new band to have support in any form, whether it’s their friends working the doors at gigs or helping out with photos/artwork. If we didn’t have Fuzzkill helping us out over the last 8 months then we definitely wouldn’t have got as much attention from press and radio. I believe in always retaining a strong DIY ethic but its also positive to work with people who you know genuinely care about your band, you’d be silly to turn that down. I’ve pretty much spoke to Keppie every day for the last 4 months about something relating to the band, I would be way more stressed out/depressed if I didn’t have him helping with all the number crunching and press stuff.
Describe your sound for people that have not heard the band yet?
We usually opt for ‘Fuzzy Guitar Pop’. I would say our songs are pop songs, just a wee bit messier and noisier.
What is the plan to get the album heard when it is out in June, any live dates planned?
We have album launch shows planned for Dundee, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Then we’re pretty much playing out of town shows or festivals every weekend in June and July. This is going to be our first time playing festivals which we’re really stoked about. Myself and Harv have never actually been to a UK music festival so it’ll be a whole new experience for us. It’s really funny to think that we’re getting to go to a festival for free, play a 30 minute set then party all weekend!
Is there a 5 year plan for the band, or is it, just take each day as it comes?
Man, I don’t even have a five day plan for my own life! We always like to have shows lined up and some sort of release to work towards but we never thought we would ended up spending so much time on this band. We’d like to get another record out and tour Europe. That doesn’t seem too unrealistic. It’s definitely healthy for a band to set goals that they can work towards themselves without the help of a big label. If your aim is to get signed to a major label then you’re probably going to be waiting around for a long while. So yeah, the next thing for us would be playing abroad and we’ll start working towards that soon.
What albums were you listening to before recording the album, any faves that are always played in the tour van?
My car only has a CD player meaning that we don’t have the luxury of having thousands of songs on an iPod so usually when we’re playing out of town there will be a few albums on repeat in the car. It’s usually the first three Black Sabbath albums. Listening to Sabbath definitely made us want to play heavier. Thee Oh Sees are a massive influence as well just in the way they approach live shows, giving it 100% all the time. We also dig ‘Push It To The Limit’ which is a track from the Scarface soundtrack. That always gets us in the mood to get stuff done/party.
Glasgow seems really vibrant for music at the moment, any other bands that you think we should also be listening to?
The Glasgow bands who I currently dig are Halfrican, Secret Motorbikes Pinact, Sharptooth, Kill Surrrf, Future Glue and The Yawns. Listen to them all and fall in love.
The Deathcats debut their long player 'All Hail Deathcats' on 12" vinyl on the 9th of June via Fuzzkill Records