Interview with Dave from The Fades

How is it going with the recording for the new album? Are you now in the mixing procedure?
It's going really well. Taking a lot longer than how we have worked in the past, but it's how we want to do it this time because we want to get everything exactly right. This will be the first proper Fades record. A full body of work that has been recorded, produced and mixed using the same studio, same engineers etc. We are now at the mixing stage, which can sometimes be the longest part, but it will be worth it.

I think I saw on your Facebook page that the album title will be Ragnarök. I never heard this word before. First I thought this is a species from Doctor Who. But then I had a look in the dictionary and found a translation – Götterdämmerung. I'm not sure if I get it, what's the story behind?
I was reading some of the Sandman graphic novels around the time of writing and they often reference myths and folklore. I have always been fascinated with the story of Thor and Norse mythology, vikings and stuff like that. So I looked into it a bit more and Ragnarok is a huge battle between the Gods. Ultimately resulting in the end of the world, a bit like the coming of the apocolypse, but there is also an element of rebirth to it too. So I thought this might be appropriate for the title of the new Fades album. Building again. A new start after an end of an era. Also it has the word Rok in it ;-)

I love Doctor Who. What's about you, do you watch it? Who is your favourite Doctor?
Myself and James are fans of Doctor Who, James moreso I think. I particularly liked the more recent episode in the last series written by Neil Gaiman.

There is another interesting show on BBC television called The Fades. But to my utter astonishment it's not about you!
It is surprisingly not about us. Obvisously it should be some sort of documentary soap opera revolving around us, but alas it is not.

Did they use at least your music for the soundtrack?
No they did not. They should do I think, as some of the tracks would work for it.

The Hollywood NBC show “Life” used a few tracks from The Fades for the show. What was going through your mind as you saw it?
It's always amazing to hear or see your music on the radio or TV. It's pretty special to think that there will be thousands of others hearing it as well. Especially when it really works contextually for a film or TV show.

Next year you have your 10th anniversary. If you look back, what were the highlights?
Wow! That is a tough question. We have done sooooooooooo much. The trip to Tbilisi, touring New York, touring Italy, Ireland, the tour with Art Brut, being playlisted on the radio. One day we will write a biography and detail it all (if we can remember!)

Did the USA trip influence the new album in any way?
The USA trip is the MAIN reason we have done a new album. We had such an amazing time and were received so well over there to a whole new audience that really got what we were doing. It made us realise that we should finally do an album properly, so as soon as we got back and recovered from the trip, we booked the studio to start writing and recording as soon as we could.

Can you tell us a bit about the new album?
The new album is going to be the first complete and properly realised Fades album. We are incredibly excited about it and have written some of our best songs to date. It is rock but there are some very catchy songs on there. Imagine Nirvana, QOTSA, Faith No More, the Stooges, Future of the Left and the Helmholtz Resonators in the same room together with a load of booze for a week and that might be getting there.

Can't wait to hear it! What do you think, when will it be released?
We are hoping to release the album sometime around April 2012

BACK