Iain Cook - Chvrches (27/10/2013)
No sooner had they left our shores after a whirlwind visit, Glasgow trio Chvrches have released their long awaited debute album, The Bones Of What You Believe, and confirmed their place on 2014’s St. Jerome’s Laneway Festival line-up.
With world wide acclaim sweeping the band, Iain Cook spoke with The 59th Sound, sharing with us his insights into self producing the bands creating bands debut record, while reflecting on their recent Australian tour. “We played recently in Sydney and Melbourne for the first time”, Cook says. “It was quite humbling for us to travel so far from home and for the music to be as well received as it was. The crowds were fantastic and a lot of people knew the words - even to songs that we hadn't released! We try to put as much energy into our live show as possible, it doesn't feel like a proper gig if it isn't hot 'n' sweaty!”
As Cook explains, while the band uses electronics and samples in their music, a Chvrches performance is as live as music can be. When fans attend their shows, it’s the genuine performance that they will experience. “We never wanted to be one of those electronic bands who just show up and press play on a backing track. For us, coming as we do from indie rock backgrounds, it's important to put as much physicality into the performance as we can.”
In fact, the band’s production set up has becoming as much a part of the live show as the music itself.
“It's hard to have any kind of perspective on what we do live. Imagination when it comes to production is very important to us, we want to put on a show that complements the music and that moves people. For example, we work with an incredibly talented lighting designer called Louis Oliver who seems to be able to make even a small array of lights do incredible things."
Their debut album The Bones Of What You Believe was self-produced by the band and recorded in their studio in Glasgow. As Cook explains, the final product was the result of years of recording, and the unique dynamic shared between the trio.
“We produced it ourselves. Recorded pretty much entirely in our basement studio on the south side of Glasgow between Oct 2011 and June 2013. At first, we were all working different jobs and trying to squeeze in writing and recording time in between those commitments, but the last six months of that time frame we were in the studio pretty solidly. It was a bit of a pressure cooker scenario with the writing and recording. We don't tend to come in prepared with any ideas, we just launch ourselves into it and things tend to snowball pretty quickly. It's a very intense and exciting dynamic between the three of us - quite unlike anything I have experienced before. I am much more at home in the studio than on the road. It's where I feel happiest. Already I can't wait to start properly recording the second album."
As Chvrches exposure in the industry grew, the band were invited to some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including T In The Park, and SxSW, moments which have surely been early highlights in the band’s promising career.
“T in the Park was a very important experience for us, in many ways it was our festival growing up so it was very significant for us to be playing it this year,” Cook explains. “SxSW is just so legendary - you hear so many insane stories from bands who have played there and you have to experience it to properly comprehend it. I think this year there were about 2500 bands playing. That's a lot of bands. We were very well received there and bafflingly walked away with the inaugural Grulke prize for best Non-US act.”
There’s no doubt that life on the road is tough. While on tour, you’re constantly on the move, never truly staying put in one place for more than a few days. But Iain wouldn’t have it any other way. As he explains, his role in Chvrches is opening all kinds of doors, and allowing for all kinds of experiences.
“I have been a musician and played in bands for many years now and there are a lot of cons. Sometimes it seems like the pros are pretty heavily outweighed and it can become very exhausting. But with this band it seems like that ratio is very different. The opportunity to travel the world and meet people who have been moved by your work and talk about it with people is something quite unique and is a real honour. The only real downside is that sometimes the schedule gets grueling and things like sleeping and eating well fall by the wayside and tiredness creeps in."
"The bottom line is that you have to be properly passionate about what you are doing. Music isn't just something you do as a hobby a couple of nights a week and hope to make any kind of impact. In order to become an accomplished musician I think you have to devote a lot of time and energy into learning your craft. Many times you will have to make big sacrifices. But even then, there's nothing certain. It's not an easy path, it's probably even foolish, but if you can make it work, there's no better life in my opinion.”
Luke Sutton
@lukesutton
With world wide acclaim sweeping the band, Iain Cook spoke with The 59th Sound, sharing with us his insights into self producing the bands creating bands debut record, while reflecting on their recent Australian tour. “We played recently in Sydney and Melbourne for the first time”, Cook says. “It was quite humbling for us to travel so far from home and for the music to be as well received as it was. The crowds were fantastic and a lot of people knew the words - even to songs that we hadn't released! We try to put as much energy into our live show as possible, it doesn't feel like a proper gig if it isn't hot 'n' sweaty!”
As Cook explains, while the band uses electronics and samples in their music, a Chvrches performance is as live as music can be. When fans attend their shows, it’s the genuine performance that they will experience. “We never wanted to be one of those electronic bands who just show up and press play on a backing track. For us, coming as we do from indie rock backgrounds, it's important to put as much physicality into the performance as we can.”
In fact, the band’s production set up has becoming as much a part of the live show as the music itself.
“It's hard to have any kind of perspective on what we do live. Imagination when it comes to production is very important to us, we want to put on a show that complements the music and that moves people. For example, we work with an incredibly talented lighting designer called Louis Oliver who seems to be able to make even a small array of lights do incredible things."
Their debut album The Bones Of What You Believe was self-produced by the band and recorded in their studio in Glasgow. As Cook explains, the final product was the result of years of recording, and the unique dynamic shared between the trio.
“We produced it ourselves. Recorded pretty much entirely in our basement studio on the south side of Glasgow between Oct 2011 and June 2013. At first, we were all working different jobs and trying to squeeze in writing and recording time in between those commitments, but the last six months of that time frame we were in the studio pretty solidly. It was a bit of a pressure cooker scenario with the writing and recording. We don't tend to come in prepared with any ideas, we just launch ourselves into it and things tend to snowball pretty quickly. It's a very intense and exciting dynamic between the three of us - quite unlike anything I have experienced before. I am much more at home in the studio than on the road. It's where I feel happiest. Already I can't wait to start properly recording the second album."
As Chvrches exposure in the industry grew, the band were invited to some of the world’s most prestigious festivals, including T In The Park, and SxSW, moments which have surely been early highlights in the band’s promising career.
“T in the Park was a very important experience for us, in many ways it was our festival growing up so it was very significant for us to be playing it this year,” Cook explains. “SxSW is just so legendary - you hear so many insane stories from bands who have played there and you have to experience it to properly comprehend it. I think this year there were about 2500 bands playing. That's a lot of bands. We were very well received there and bafflingly walked away with the inaugural Grulke prize for best Non-US act.”
There’s no doubt that life on the road is tough. While on tour, you’re constantly on the move, never truly staying put in one place for more than a few days. But Iain wouldn’t have it any other way. As he explains, his role in Chvrches is opening all kinds of doors, and allowing for all kinds of experiences.
“I have been a musician and played in bands for many years now and there are a lot of cons. Sometimes it seems like the pros are pretty heavily outweighed and it can become very exhausting. But with this band it seems like that ratio is very different. The opportunity to travel the world and meet people who have been moved by your work and talk about it with people is something quite unique and is a real honour. The only real downside is that sometimes the schedule gets grueling and things like sleeping and eating well fall by the wayside and tiredness creeps in."
"The bottom line is that you have to be properly passionate about what you are doing. Music isn't just something you do as a hobby a couple of nights a week and hope to make any kind of impact. In order to become an accomplished musician I think you have to devote a lot of time and energy into learning your craft. Many times you will have to make big sacrifices. But even then, there's nothing certain. It's not an easy path, it's probably even foolish, but if you can make it work, there's no better life in my opinion.”
Luke Sutton
@lukesutton