The13th AÑO: 4 | NÚMERO 41
UNA R E VISTA IMA GINARIA
WHEN THE SUN HITS THE BAND IS EVOLVING ALL THE TIME
[ Interview With Martin Orton From When The Sun Hits by Diego Centuriรณn ]
THE BAND IS EVOLVING ALL THE TIME
3 The gene of the song of Slowdive gave different fruits, on one hand a fascinating blog about shoegaze & dreampop and on the other, the band that we interviewed today. Born eight years ago, in the shadow of other projects that its members, until they decided to put "When the sun hits" to the front of all his musical activities. The quintet is from Nottingham, England, and consists of Chris M, Rob M, Chris D, Martin O, Rich D. Recently they just released their debut EP and it caught my attention so much that I decided to contact them for this interview. Thanks to Kool Things for providing us with this EP and thanks to you for accepting this interview. For starters there are two things I would like to ask. First: Did you know about the blog? And secondly: Why the name of that Slowdive song and no other? Hi… sorry have not heard of the blog but have no and like what I see. Chris came up with the name, we’ve always been fans but it was a just a cool name for a band and seemed to fit our music. Even our last band always wanted to evoke that feeling at sunset, and it’s that sound that we often capture. According to what I could find of data on the web, you have been postponing this project by others. What made them relive When the Sun Hits? Well, where to start. Chris M, Rob and myself were all in a band called Model Morning, and our singer took some time out to have his first child… during that time we wrote and recorded some tracks which was sort of a side project. The model morning finished and we got Martin in and planned to release it, only problem is we had no drummer. We asked Chris Davis as we’d known him for years, but he said he as busy with Spotlight
Kid so would struggle. We agreed that we would help him with Spotlight Kid and he would help with WTSHs but Spotlight sort of took off and WTSHs got forgotten about. I never really thought I’d work with the guys again but we sort of drifted back together one by one and now we have a band... it feels very natural, and I think it’s because we all have broadly the same musical shorthand so we can understand where we are all coming from musically. The EP was sent to Saint Marie Records right at the start of the band starting up again and finally has been released but it’s been a long gestation… we have written a album twice over since then so now we are just working out the best songs to record! If you had to describe your music to those readers who have not yet discovered them, how would they do it? Ethereal and eclectic. Like a soundtrack to a film that hasn’t been made yet. How is the composition work of the songs? Because there are two instrumental very environmental. Do they have a methodology? Hmm… for the longest time it was Chris M, Rob and myself jamming when other band members (from previous bands) were away (having babies, on tours). Chris M would drum and he has a unique and very mathematical style of drumming. As the band has formed we have started doing more with a whole band which is more fund as Chris D’s drumming gives the band a whole new feel and it feels more like a unit... he doesn’t play on the EP so it will be a good one to wait for the album for. It’s sounding great at the moment. Vocal are usually added on after but there’s no set rule, and the band is evolving all the time. They have just released an EP "Immersed within Your Eyes" of six songs under the Saint Marie Records label. What period of the band are these songs?
I think broadly 2009 or 10, not sure… old. We added drums to stereopium but that wasn’t even Chris D as he hadn’t jointed yet. In recent years the sound shoegaze has grown in a striking way, and fortunately, you can discover a lot of new music. How do you coexist with the tireless wave of new bands?
We are close to Nottingham bands, Six. By Seven obviously and Amusement Parks on Fire and we’ve played gigs with many of the shoegaze and nugaze bands. Our sound is very different, less psychedelic but the same soaring guitars. We try not to lean too much to the past but bring a fresh sound to things.
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I would like to do a track by track of the EP. They cheer up? The Last Light The last light is the acceptance of fate, and fulfilling every day until it’s arrival - Martin Lie To Me Lie to Me is strength and awakening, it’s grown and wisdom. It’ finally dropping your guard because all along you were bulletproof. Twilight An instrumental. Stereopium Steroepium is the salvation you never knew you needed and consuming it heart and soul. Lovedead Town Lovedead town is trying to fix the unfixable and the realisation that a new start elsewhere is the only way forward. Coopers Secrets All I can say is that Cooper is Agent Cooper from Twin Peaks.
What bands near you recommend us? Amusement Parks on Fire. Iamlono. I know they are thinking about the first album for 2018. What can we anticipate? 10 tracks that are almost all unheard and unique. We’re not sure what the final thing will look
like, it will be sonically a step on from the EP, louder and softer at the same time. Finally we leave this space for you to say what you want to our readers. Hello readers. :)
The13th U NA R EVISTA IMA GINA RIA