James: How did the band come about?
Villains: Well there's a long story…Never Means Maybe was a lot heavier, we had the screaming vocals, and we've become more melodic. It's a more mature and grown up sound that reflects how we've grown as musicians and people. It's a change in sound and tastes really, the new album is a good collection of songs. It's a different band, and different musicality. We came together with a new, fresh, different sound, and had a rebrand, as it were, in November 2012.
James: How was 2013 for Villains, and what plans do you have going into 2014?
Villains: 2013 was a bit of a quiet year for us, we worked a lot on the behind the scenes stuff, recording the album and practising. We did do a few small tours towards the end of the year. We wanted to launch 2014 anew, with a vision and a plan. We did a few hometown shows which always have a great crowd and now we're all geared up to go.
James: What were your main musical influences when writing this album?
Villains: It might sound a bit clichéd to say it, but we’re all influenced by different music and I think it’s when that all comes together that we find the right balance that makes us sound like we do. To say we listen to a variety of music is an understatement! From The Who to the Mars Volta, Nirvana to Katy Perry and The Devil Wears Prada to Lionel Richie, there's room for everything, and in some way they all have an influence somewhere along the line. I don't think we sound like any one of those bands, and you can’t necessarily hear where those influences have come in but, believe me, they are there!
James: What were your main non-musical influences when writing this album?
Villains: A lot of the songs we write are built (lyrically) around a theme, even if that theme might not necessarily be completely clear to the listener on a first listen. We like people to be able to pick up their own meanings and messages from our songs but they are all written around personal experiences, a lot of the time from being in a band. We've been through the mill a few times, we've been chewed up and spat out by various people in the industry; we've even been sued by an ex-member and taken to court. (Don’t worry, we won!) All of these things and a variety of other life experiences influence our music. I don't write any of the lyrics but even I have themes in mind when I'm writing the music, which a lot of the time I will communicate to Renz when he's in the writing process.
James: How was the recording process?
Villains: It was a great experience. We've worked with Mike (Curtis, CDS Studios) a number of times over the past few years on other projects so it was a bit of a no-brainer when it came to recording the album. He's a top producer, lives at his studio, and it's just down the road from where we live, so it worked well for everyone. It meant that the recording was done at quite a leisurely pace, with a lot of weekends and evenings, recording in and around work and so on. But it also meant that we had the time to make sure we got everything sounding exactly how we wanted it to, and that is definitely evident in the end product. I couldn't be prouder of the album and Mike has done an incredible job.
James: Chelmsford and Essex in general has been a hot bed for musical talent, what do you think of the local scene there? Is there anyone other than yourselves we should be looking to check out?
Villains: The Essex music scene is definitely on the up at the moment which is brilliant. Back in 06-07 Essex seemed to be producing some absolutely incredible bands on a consistent basis, but then for some reason the whole scene seemed to die down. People stopped coming to shows, venues closed down and it meant that bands had to go further afield to play to people.
Fortunately it now seems like it is turning a corner again and there a whole host of bands popping up. I would say definitely check out Hey Vanity who are good friends of ours. Marc and Will used to be in Fei Comodo, who we played a whole host of shows with back in the day, and they're producing some great tunes. I'd also recommend our friend in The Younger, again made up of people we've played in bands with and / or toured with over the years. They've got a real epic-pop vibe going on, kinda like 30 Seconds to Mars I guess, and they've been making quite the name for themselves. I'd also recommend our friends in The Library Suits if you're looking for something a bit different. Think the Manics but with a modern twist. Feel good music that gets your head bobbing and choruses that stick in your head for ages.
Believe me, that’s the tip of the iceberg. I really hope Essex puts itself back on the map again and becomes somewhere that touring bands consider playing on tours again. Get the right people involved, inviting the right bands and it WILL happen.
James: In keeping with that, what do you think of the current UK rock scene?
Villains: The current UK rock scene is probably at its most exciting I would say. You've got Bring Me The Horizon playing Wembley, You Me At Six having a number one album, Young Guns having a hit single in America, it's mental. I think there’re so many great UK bands out there that are already established, and that are also on the brink of becoming massive. We'd obviously love to be part of that bigger scene in the months and years to come, but even being on the periphery of it at the moment is exciting.
What I like about it, currently, is that you feel that these bands have got longevity on their side. You don't seem to get many ‘one-hit wonders’ in rock music and I think that's brilliant. Bands that aren't influenced by fads or the latest craze seem to go further (unsurprisingly!); they're just relying on good, honest songs and I think audiences tap into that. Mallory Knox, Blitz Kids, Fort Hope, Verses – they're all friends of ours but they're also absolutely amazing bands that literally have the world at their feet in terms of what they can do.
James: Why are you so damn handsome?
Villains: I know right!? It's a burden at times but generally we have just learnt to live with it and do our best to remain at a generally high base level of handsomeness.
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