When did you first realise that COVID-19 was going to have an effect on your band?
I think it was early March when the news started to look quite scary from all around the world. We’ve just released a new single “Optimist” a month earlier – and we were trying to stay optimistic, hoping there is a way for the world to avoid this pandemic. There wasn’t (or maybe there was?) March was a scary month.
Initially, what was that whole situation like, and how did your band overcome/react to it?
Live music collapsed right away and we were just looking into booking a year full of gigs. Bummer. But we’ve decided to focus on finishing “Self-Theories” album and promised ourselves that it will be out this year, against all odds. We did keep that promise – “Self-Theories” was released on the 23rd of November – and we couldn’t be more proud of this record.
How has your creative process changed as a band over the last couple of months?
We are used to working remotely, because I live in London and Paul has moved to Paris last year. So in term of the actual creative process not much has changed. But we’ve been focusing on the mixing most of this year and trying to get “Self-Theories” sounding as close as we can to the noises in our heads.
What’s been the hardest part about writing/doing music this way?
You cannot feed off the energy of the other person in the same room. Absence of this often leads to overthinking certain aspects of a song, that would otherwise come together by a happy accident.
What bands/artists have you been listening to over the last couple of months?
I’ve been rediscovering early 1990s British indie/shoegaze scene and getting reacquainted with Echobelly, Ride and Boo Radleys. I like how little these guys cared about pop music conventions. Everyone likes an underdog.
So, what do you think you’ve learnt the most from being a band through COVID-19?
You cannot rely on live gigs for promotion. Music is 100% online this year and we have to find new ways to keep the connection to our fans going.
What kind of effect do you think that it’s had on the music industry all together, and how excited are you to see it return to normal?
Streaming services are blowing up while the live venues are closing down. I honestly hope that after a year with no gigs people will realise how important those actually are and will support live bands much more in the years to come. You know how they say – sometimes you have to lose something in order to realise how much you needed it in the first place.
What tips/advice would you like to give to other bands who are also going through this?
Refocus your attention on learning new skills and writing new music as much as you can. A modern day independent musician needs to wear a lot of hats, including the uncomfortable ones, like marketing and promotion. You just have to accept that no one is a bigger fan of your music than yourself. This means you need to understand as many facets of the music industry as possible. It will feel impossibly hard some days, but if you learn to enjoy the process no matter what, then you will be alright regardless of the outcome.
‘Self-Theories’ is out now! https://www.plasticbarricades.eu