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Nearly three years have passed since Howling Bells’ melancholic soundscapes emerged on the British music scene amid the critical acclaim that their debut received back in 2006. As they release it’s follow up, Radio Wars the Australian four piece talk to Gigwise on the significance of moving to British shores four years ago.
“We moved here to be a British band” says drummer, Glenn Moule “We’ve been in and out so much working and touring, it’s hard to say we’ve been here permanently the whole time” he confirms.
Singer, Juanita Stein explains the band’s reasons, “We connect a lot to the history, although when we first moved here we got compared to a lot of older Australian bands but we all grew up on British bands our whole lives, so it just felt like the right thing to do. I don’t think we would have been pushed creatively had we not have moved.”
Did the success of the first album add any pressure when it came to writing Radio Wars? “We were free. There was no major label pressure, the only pressure was the pressure we put on ourselves but we didn’t put that much pressure on because it’s just a way, we just want to be creative” responds bassist, Brendan Picchio.
What about pressure in terms of pleasing the fans?
“No. First of all I don’t like the word fans” says Brendan firmly, “The audiences that came to see us. Serious, I hate that world, fanatical, it’s weird.
“The audiences that we have, they have to grow, they have to learn to grow along with us, because that’s what we’re doing and…”
“Well, that’s what you want” says guitarist, Joel Stein as he elaborates on the bassist’s comment. “It’s not like we’ve changed singers and band members. We’re all still the same people, if anything the first album created a platform for us to be able to do what we wanted to do next.”
“The only pressure that we had is from ourselves”, offers his sister, Juanita. “We have an extreme standard of how we want to progress as a band musically. Not just as a band but individually. Everybody in this band works a great deal on themselves and it’s very important to want to grow and change as people.”
Do you think you have more freedom in making the music with the funding you have behind you, especially in this present economical climate? Does it make a difference or would you still be doing the same whatever the circumstances?
Brendan: “Well we’d be doing whatever we could do to put music out, so if that meant we’d have to try hunt deer with spears to do that, then we’d do that”.
“That would definitely affect the music as well you can’t deny that” says Glenn, “Everything that you experience in life affects how you express your situation in society so hunting deer with spears...I don’t know what sort of music would come out then?” The drummer appears bemused at this idea.
Howling Bells recorded their second album in LA with producer, Dan Grech-Marguerat. Reports from the press have stated a more democratic writing and creative process with this album. So, how much of Radio Wars was done before the studio, and how much was created while you were there?
Brendan: “More so on this album than the first. This record we left a little bit up to Dan. He compiled notes on everything when he heard the demos, then came in [to] the studio and we’d work through it. Once we got in to the studio some songs that we had done that we hadn’t really focused and put together was then retranslated. So, we would start recording in a different manner, start back to front, with guitar or a piano first.”
“It was way more left up to chance this time, wasn’t it” says Juanita, before Brendan adds, “We still worked hard, that’s not to say we didn’t work hard on the demos, we worked hard on them and made them as good as we could but they came out differently”.
In the past, some writers among the music press have likened Howling Bells’ sound to that of PJ Harvey’s which has been reportedly frustrating for the band. Are you expecting any more PJ Harvey comparisons to surface with Radio Wars then?
“No!” says Juanita, as Glenn reveals the real reason behind the band’s frustrations at the comparisons, “That was lazy journalism, that was what we were pissed at more than anything. It wasn’t the comparisons it was that people were so lazy to generalise everything and put us in holes, you know.”
“A magazine said that first and then every other magazine followed” confirms Joel.
Do you personally perceive that as lazy journalism then?
A resounding “Yes” is the response from around the room before Joel offers an explanation, “When every other magazine follows one journalists’ call and it’s not even follows they won’t even elaborate on why, they’ll just throw it in. It’s quite frustrating for us, because you go into a studio and you do your thing and then all these other people who are given the right and authority to share their opinion with everyone just go and copy everyone else. That’s not what it’s about really is it, even as a journalist, is it? You’re given the power to have your own mind, use it!”
For most writers, the use of a comparison in a review is intended for thought provoking, to provide the reader with a basis for comparison to other artists, they can then see the relevance by how the writer explores the band’s music in their descriptions, intended as a comparative basis and not as a label. But then a reviewer always runs the risk of offending a band through this descriptive process.
Many reviews of Howling Bell’s new album have compared Radio Wars with the theatrics of the band’s debut and described how their sound has expanded. This theme of imagery is also noted, and often revisited in reviews of both albums. So, musical comparisons aside, are the band more about imagery then? What are Howling Bells influenced by?
“As in mediums?” asks Juanita, “Films.”
Is it more visual?
“It’s everything” says the singer. “I mean film for me (and I know the rest of us) is kind of the perfect meeting point for all our forms. So, if a film is great, like, Back To The Future, or The Godfather or anything that works, it’s film, it’s visual, it’s music, it’s script, it’s fashion, it’s ideology, it’s everything and it would be grand if we always aim to create music and environments that mirror that”.
The sense of imagery seems strong in Howling Bells’ music, not just in what’s evoked in the sound but also from some of the titles of tracks such as, Wishing Stone, Setting Sun and In The Woods from their first album and Treasure Hunt, Golden Web and Cities Burning Down from Radio Wars. However, the band claim it’s not an effect they have consciously or deliberately aimed for as Joel confirms, “Yeah, it’s got nothing to do with it it’s just ironic”.
“It’s funny but we try to steer away from nature in imagery” says Brendan before Joel adds, “It’s not offensive we don’t mind”.
“It’s the way people interpret it, which is completely fair…swampy and mystical…” says Brendan.
“But you can make it whatever you want” offers Joel.
Throughout the interview the band have remained in good spirits and this continues as the topic turns to the touring aspect of life in Howling Bells. You’ve toured a great deal in the past, has that affected the creative process and life as a band in terms of what you’ve written about and where you are as a band?
“It’s huge!” exclaims Joel. “You just made me realise that now, it plays a massive, massive role in what comes out of you. It’s like, when you tour the wool has been pulled from out of your eyes and you get to experience everything, it’s like secrets are revealed to you on the road.
What secrets about each other, or about life?
“Everything, the road is the grand teacher about us, about people you meet it’s like this long journey, it’s amazing.”
What are the negative things, is it the monotonous side to travelling?
“Airports are a negative thing, it’s such a hard thing to deal with” says Glenn.
“They are” agrees Joel. “It’s like a modern day prison, like when you walk into an airport I feel like I’ve walked into a modern day prison...”
Do you get to see much of the places you are visiting?
“We make an effort but generally it’s not enough especially if there’s a good bakery out of the tour bus and you’re sitting there for three hours” says Brendan as the conversation topic jumps to food.
“One day in Belgium is not enough, you get a taste of it and you’re like damn!” says Juanita before Glenn continues her thought. “You get a taste of the chocolate [all laugh in agreement] and it’s not enough. There should be a rule where you get a day before the gig and the day afterwards.”
So, how do you cope with the periods of time where you are cooped up together?
The band all laugh as Joel jokes “You get in your bunk and you shut the curtain.”
As the band enjoy a laugh together it’s clear how much they get along and in playing gigs the audiences get a share of this union too. The group’s forthcoming twelve date tour of the UK is something Glenn says Howling Bells are “psyched” about.
“Definitely” Joel reiterates, “We’re vibed up and excited to get back on the road.”
“It’s beautiful to connect every night with a group of people,” says Glenn.
Four years and two albums later, with no regrets in their decision to relocate to the UK, we wish Howling Bells well and good luck as we take our leave.
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