The Chemists are a Bristol-based indie band that, having clearly outgrown its pub days have recently released their album “The Theories of Dr Lovelock” and I am keen to find out more about the band and their latest single, This City. We caught up with guitarist Sam for a chat about what’s going on…
HTF: Hey! How is everything going?
S: We’re good! We’re just recovering from our last tour and writing some new songs which is great.
HTF: What can those who have not yet listened to This City expect from it? Does it differ in any way to the rest of the material on the album?
S: I think it’s a bit darker lyrically than some of the other stuff on the album, but the music has some huge riffs and great hooks. I believe it’s a perfectly crafted pop song.
HTF: The video to the single features Richard E. Grant, which took me by surprise when I found out. How did that come about?
S: It was a massive stroke of luck mixed with a bit of cheek! I was lucky enough to meet him at an event and I started telling him about the band. He seemed really interested so I asked him if he fancied doing a voice over on the album. He was totally cool, and couple of weeks later we were recording his parts. Whilst we were recording I thought I’d ask him if he wanted to be in a video, it paid off!!
HTF: What was it like to work with him? I saw the teaser video for This City, and found Richard E. Grant’s voice-over pretty sinister, putting a completely different twist on the lyrics to how you make them sound. Also, the bits in the actual video itself where he turns robotic are really interesting! Whose idea was that?
S: He is a total legend! It was amazing being there watching him perform live. In real life he’s a gentle, calm guy, and then when the cameras went on, he immediately turned into this twisted lunatic. Perfect!
We initially saw the robot as a viral on the internet. Our management contacted the company and it turned out that they really wanted to do a music video. They came to a couple of gigs and got really excited about This City. When we new we had Richard E Grant, the whole idea slotted into place. The shoot was done in a day, but the CGI for the robot took about three months!
HTF: For those who haven’t listened to Theories of Dr Lovelock before, how would you summarise it in only three words?
S: Hard, Fast, Deep
HTF: Despite having an indie image, I think you pulled off covering Britney Spears’ Toxic really well. What made you want to try something so different?
S: We wanted to do a cover live, and it’s something we had never done before. It’s always a bit more interesting when a band covers a song which was originally written for a completely different genre. It’s easier to make it your own and harder for people to compare it to the original. It’s also great when you see the dawn of recognition on peoples faces when you get to the chorus. Although it was recorded by Britney Spears, the original song is a great song!
HTF: What made you want to name your album after Dr Lovelock? Why do you admire him, and what is it about him that made you consider him a good association to have with your album?
S: It was more to do with his personal story. He came up with the theory back in the 70’s that the Earth was a living super organism. At the time he worked for Nasa and was ridiculed by his piers. 30 years later they discover that he was right and that we are damaging our planet beyond repair. He was clearly a genius, ahead of his time, and we should have all listened to him a long time ago. He also has the coolest name, sounds like a character in James Bond!
HTF: As well as Lovelock, who else do you admire? Who do you view as an inspiration for your music?
S: There was a period early on where we were really inspired by American music, bands like Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Sonic Youth, Pavement etc, but now we get really inspired by new music. We’re always searching for great albums, recently we have been listening to Mumford & Sons, MGMT, The Band Of Skulls, Sparrow & The Workshop and many others.
HTF: Speaking of inspiration, you have come quite a way considering that you originated in a pub, an achievement that must inspire other bands hoping for success. What advice would you give to bands striving to do well and boost their profile?
S: We’ve always believed that you need to be an accomplished band. American bands will often tour for years before they start to break through. This gives you a really solid base, develops a unique sound and you learn how to perform, making you an amazing live band. We’ve been touring for quite a few years, so you really appreciate it when things get good. You can also figure out whether you do it for the love of music or the fame. Repeatedly slogging on tours is tough, and you have to love your music to continue. Try and tour as much as you can, and as you get good, word will spread.
HTF: Finally, what are the Chemists’ plans for the rest of the year?
S: We have a whole load of German festivals booked for the summer. We toured with Skunk Anansie earlier in the year and we went down really well in Germany. We’re going to head back there and see how we get on. We should be touring again here after the summer.
Interviewer: Nicola Stewart
