INTERVIEW:
Lazybones
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ONE thing you can definitely rule out…
when it comes to the Brighton-based group Lazybones is any signs of slacking! Joe (from the band) talks about the new single, Snake, and details about its cool, retro video. I ask how they came together and what the scene is like in Brighton; whether there is going to be any new material next year; some great new acts worth investigating – if the guys have a quiet-ish Christmas planned.
I learn more about the music that makes them tick; why their live shows are so celebrated and explosive; whether there are any gigs before the end of this year; some advice for fellow artists emerging right now – what plans they have in store for the year ahead.
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Hi, guys. How are you? How has your week been?
Good, thanks! We’ve been super-busy in the lead-up to our single release - so we’re very excited to see it all come together.
For those new to your work; can you introduce yourself, please?
Sure. We are Lazybones from Brighton. We have Candi singing and playing the organ; Joe (me) on bass and Sam on drums.
Snake is the new single. What is the story behind the song?
It is indeed!
So, lyrically; Snake is a bit of a rant about those sneaky, backstabbing people who we all come across from time to time. People who are always on the take and would screw you over without thinking twice.
The song came together pretty quickly. We just wanted the sort of riff that a bunch of kids could jam out in a garage: the kind of riff you play when you first pick up a guitar and (just) want to play something loud and fast. We really wanted that straightforward, immature sort of aggression in the song.
The video is quite lo-fi and trippy! Was it a cool experience putting it together? What is the concept behind the video?
We wanted to keep everything kinda rough and D.I.Y; so we recorded the video in the same rehearsal room where we recorded the song - and it’s mostly a performance video filmed on V.H.S. by Katia (of No Tape Inside). The song has a nostalgic vibe for us; so we got our mate Joey Pearson to make up some 1990s cartoon-style animations of the lyrics to flash up on big old T.V.s around us.
The whole process was a laugh…apart from the old 1990s T.V.s - they kept breaking and weighed an absolute ton!
Is there a specific story behind the name, ‘Lazybones’? Where does that moniker come from
We just wanted a name that loosely suggested bare-bones-kinda-music: rough and ready, no frills. Someone said we are lazy for not getting a guitar player - maybe that crept into the thought-process?
You have a raucous and fuzzy sound! Are there particular artists who have inspired that?
Generally; stuff like Sex Pistols, Black Sabbath; Chas & Dave and Scooby Doo early on and, more recently, bands that have brought back that rough, vintage and fuzzy sound with a new edge. The obvious: Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age; Slaves and Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Brighton is where you are based. What is the area like when it comes to cool bands and venues?
There are loads of great bands in Brighton at the moment that we really love: Black Honey, Tigercub; Demob Happy, Royal Blood…there always seems to be great bands knocking around (and occasionally taking over the world).
Tell me how Lazybones got together? How did the trio become ‘one’?
We all just knew each other from gigging around Brighton and seeing each other’s bands...
It started as just me and Candi writing together. We didn’t really know what sort of band we wanted to be at first; it just boiled down to a couple of points: 1: We have to be a three-piece, somehow...and 2: It has to be an honest representation of who we are: something straightforward; to the point, no frills etc.
IN THIS PHOTO: Black Honey/PHOTO CREDIT: Jamie Noise
Who are the new artists you recommend we check out?
Black Honey, TIGERCUB and Clever Thing.
IN THIS PHOTO: Clever Thing/PHOTO CREDIT: Stewart Gardiner
Is there any advice you would give to artists coming through right now?
I don’t really feel like we are in any position to give advice on music careers: we only really started being a real band in October this year!
I guess what you put into this is what you get out...and the songs are the most important thing.
Sticky Mike's Frog Bar in Brighton is a big show on 22nd. Are you guys pumped about that one?!
Yeah; it should be a good one! We are on at 1:30 A.M. and there is free glitter and Jack Daniels on the door - so might be a bit of a mad one.
Can we see you perform anywhere soon after that? What other gigs do you have lined-up?
We are supporting DEAD! at the Prince Albert in Brighton on 6th Feb - and we will generally be out and about gigging in Feb/March.
Is the stage where you feel at your best and most free? It seems like live performances are where the music truly comes alive...
Yeah, sure; playing live is what it’s all about...
We definitely feel more comfortable playing the songs live. That’s how they are all formed and sound best to us: live and loud in a room.
Christmas is not too far away. Do you all have plans already - or will you be busy working?
We will be sitting in our pants, drunk; watching The Muppets Christmas Carol.
What do you have planned for next year? Will there be more material?
We are working on some new stuff that we can hopefully get out for Jan/Feb sort of time – that and some gigging around the country!
Finally, and for being good sports; you can each name a song and I’ll play it here (not one of yours as I’ll do that).
Candi: Against Me! - Osama bin Laden As the Crucified Christ
Joe: Grinderman - Honey Bee (Let’s Fly to Mars)
Sam: Nomad - Death From Above 1979
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