London‘s synth-dream-pop FERAL FIVE – Kat and Drew Five – released
their splendid debut LPTRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD last February.
Stream/buy below.
The titillating title track is now remixed byMartyn Ware, the musical maestro of
veteran synth pop act Heaven 17 formed in 1980 after Ware left The Human League.
Martyn Ware, W-Fest, Belgium, 2016 – photo by Turn Up The Volume
I’m not a great fan of remixes. To my ears, if the original isn’t good,
the remix can’t save it. Also lots of remixes drown the original in
an overdone tangle of exaggerated production.
But (there’s always a but) what Ware did here is quite cool.
He turned the ambient dream-pop tune into an acid-house dancefloor
filler by adding spot-on bleeps, bass vibes and funky guitars. Simple and
subtle, but terrifically effective. And no, we still don’t need that fascist
groove thang.
London‘s synth-dream-pop FERAL FIVE – Kat and Drew Five – released
their long-awaited debut LPTRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD last month.
They introduced it with this message: “It’s an evocative voyage through a Feraltropolis style future city, and an offering of sonic elixir for heart, feet and mind. Leading us through secret spaces, changing skies, personal truths and revelations, the Ferals glide seamlessly between bold alt-pop, experimental electronica, and cinematic landscapes.”
What can I add? Turn Up The Volume‘s ears are FF fans for several years now and
this debut longplayer spoiled them again and again with a series of spins and many
more to come. Kat and Drew took their time to come up with a first full-length, and
they hit all the right buttons with this golden trance-dance-pop accomplishment.
Kat and Drew will tell us all about it in this Q&A.
Hello FF,
welcome and thanks
for taking the time
to do this interview
This July it will be 10 years since you released your debut single SKIN.
Since then several swirling singles followed. Why did it take so long
to have an album out?
“We wanted the album to be all killer no filler! Skin was a cracking single, we still love playing it live, and we’ve evolved a lot since, both as musicians and producers. We didn’t just want to put an album out because we could. We’ve released 4 EPs and a load of singles, plus we’ve been producing and remixing for other artists. We’ve been busy.”
. Now that it’s here how does it feel to have that CD and vinyl in your hands?
“Awesome. It’s a culmination of recent ideas, sonic explorations and experimental pop tendencies. It’s also a story and a journey. To have it literally in our hands and not just as
a DL is pretty cool, and it’s been great working with ethical record label Reckless Yes for
this release.”
Which artists and or music was your biggest inspiration along the way?
“We’ve a huge melting pot of musical loves from Siouxsie Sioux to Killing Joke, Goldfrapp to Hot Chip, Billy Nomates to Billie Eilish, Daniel Avery to Kelly Lee Owens,
Hans Zimmer to Hildur Guðnadóttir. There are many.”
What’s the story behind the album’s title ‘TRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD’?
“It sums up exactly what we think, and our values right now. It came from our
song of that name, Truth Is The New Gold. We’ve experienced so many devastating
shifts in the world and people manipulating truth and reality. We wanted the title
to be purposeful, clear, and give hope.”
All songs are no older than about 2 years, besides PET SHOW
released in 2018? Does that track mean something special to you?
“We wanted the album songs to be ultra new as we were heading
in fresh lyrical and sonic directions, and most of them are.
Pet Show was our first exploration of the world of Artificial Intelligence, a playful song
about AI robo-companions. It spawned our idea of the journey for the album, which explores different kinds of truth and trust, and includes some AI sonics.”
I miss that 2019 dancefloor banger SHAKE IT. Did you
ever thought of including this one on the album?
“We had a vision for our album, and it had to be a cohesive and inspiring
piece of new work. Shake It still finds its way into our live set though.”
All the artwork for your music used to be glossy, glamorous and flashy. The cover sleeve of the album is different. It’s the title that dominates the look. A conscious choice?
“The album is high concept and thought-provoking. We wanted to make a statement. It was very exciting working with cover art legend Malcolm Garrett (Buzzcocks, Duran Duran, Simple Minds) on all our artwork and band merch, and we had many meetings to discuss ideas.
We took a very bold step in not putting our band name on the front cover – but letting
the statement speak for itself, and there’s gold on the cover! Plus wearable glamour, we collaborated with cult UK jewelers Tatty Devine on a gold mirror necklace based on the album artwork, and we’ve gold t-shirts.”
You recently launched a video clip for the LP’s title track.
How did the content came about? What’s the idea behind
the visuals?
“The Truth Is The New Gold music video is all about the search for truth in melting worlds. Set in beautiful landscapes it’s also unsettling as we stride across the narrows, caped in gold and morphing into new shapes ourselves.
It was entirely shot using drones, and the drones became characters too, like surveillance machines. Kat directed it, along with David Morris from Flying Film Labs who did the amazing filming.”
Any memorable anecdotes of the ‘making of’ in the studio?
“No trashed TVs just trashed hard drives! A lot of the sounds on the album were
taken from field recordings that we made and interesting objects. We were doing
lots of experimental sound making, using things that would disintegrate and never
sound the same again.
For example, never use crystals as percussion instruments!
Listen carefully and you can hear the sound of crystals
splintering.
In Feral Five we have our studio language. When one of us says ‘can
we make it sound more silver’ we know exactly what that means.”
I suppose you got this question already a million times. What about
the Artificial Intelligence vocals? What does that mean? How does
that work?
“Playing with reality in sound, we collaborated with Berlin technologists Birds on Mars who created an ‘AI Kat’ for us. Kat had to record her voice, and they trained their AI on it to give us AI vocal synthesis that we could use to make new and unique otherworldly vocals on four of the tracks.
It became a character too, an instigator, an oracle. In Silver Sky it almost sounds like an AI child, retorting to Kat’s human vocals telling her: “it’s not the end, it’s not the end.”
GOLDEN RULE is one of my favourite pieces. It’s about what we need to survive: togetherness. Should we be hopeful that this can actually happen in these troubled times?
“It’s great to hear that Golden Rule resonates with you. That was the reason it’s the final track on the album. Togetherness is key, and yes that can happen. The more chaos there
is in the world, the more people respond to each other as humans, and that is a superpower.”
Will you go out and play THE TRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD on the road?
“Yes for sure. We are working with a leading audiovisual artist on a new show that will bring the album to life, make it grow, and create a unique performance in each location.”
Is this the end of a FERAL FIVE era, a continuation or
the harbinger of a new beginning?
“We’re all about newness and new beginnings. Feral Five is on a continuum.
Anything can happen in Feral land. This is just the start.”
Thank you very much for this interview.
May the road rise with Feral Five!
London‘s synth-dream-pop FERAL FIVE – Kat and Drew Five – released
their long-awaited debut LPTRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD last month.
“An evocative voyage through a Feraltropolis style future city, and an offering
of sonic elixir for heart, feet and mind. Leading us through secret spaces, changing
skies, personal truths and revelations, the Ferals glide seamlessly between bold
alt-pop, experimental electronica, and cinematic landscapes.”
Now, the Fives have an eye-catching video clip out for the album’s magnific title track.
A de-stressing, mid-tempo ambient tune with a heartening affect. Its smooth synth sparks, trance-inducing electro beats, combative guitars, and crystal vocals come all together in an easy-going and groovy way that creates a laidback feel for mind and soul.
Artists: FERAL FIVE Who: Electro-punk dance music duo,
Kat and Drew Five , from London.
Debut Album: TRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD.
The album will be out (on limited edition vinyl, cd and digital)
on 10 February via ethical independent label Reckless Yes.
Info: Feral Five’s dazzling debut album is an evocative voyage through
a Feraltropolis style future city, and an offering of sonic elixir for heart,
feet and mind. Leading us through secret spaces, changing skies, personal
truths and revelations, the Ferals glide seamlessly between bold alt-pop,
experimental electronica, and cinematic landscapes.
The duo use AI (Artificial Intelligence) vocals is an innovative tack taken
on this single and across the album. Working with AI technologists Birds
on Mars from Berlin their krach.ai tool was trained on Kat’s voice, giving
the Ferals an otherworldly ‘AI Kat’, acting alternately as instigator and
truth-teller.
New single: TRUTH IS THE NEW GOLD
The title track, following Golden Rule, shared last November.
It explores truth and trust, both between people, and of
information.
TUTV: Truth Is The New Gold is a kick back, de-stressing, mid-tempo ambient
tune with a heartening affect. Smooth synth sparks, trance-inducing electro
beats, combative guitars, and crystal vocals come all together in an easy-going
and groovy way that creates a laidback feel for mind and soul. Score!
A stream of rattling rippers, jagged jams, and magnific musings
All 20 on Spotify
. Track by Track
Stoogefather IGGY POP still wants to be your dog.
Next January he launches a new album, named Every Loser.
First lead single FRENZY is a motherfucker of a punk bomb
featuring an all-star band including Watt, Guns N’ Roses‘ Duff
McKagan and Red Hot Chili Peppers‘ Chad Smith.
I’m in a frenzy
Fucking prick
I’m in a frenzy
Goddamn dick
But they’re not done yet this year. They teamed up with Laurie Vincent
of London‘s punk duo Slaves for a brand new hammer blow called THE DELICATE NATURE
It goes like this…
BOB VYLAN: Facebook – Instagram
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Both a gloomy and foot-tapping drum/bass are the backbone of this ominous post-punk stroke. Haunting guitar layers inject this jaw-dropper with edgy electricity, grim vocals add a kind of dark tension, while the sickly catchy groove rattles on and on, before a surprising finish with a weeping violin.
The video features the English comedian Sean Walsh in a much darker tone than his usual TV appearances, as he is seen battling his inner demons through the bottom of a whisky bottle.
DEAD PATRONS: Facebook
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Band: ULTRA SUNN Who: Cold/darkwave duo – Sam Huge
and Gaelle Souflet – from Brussels
Turn Up The Volume: Can you believe this? Even before the music comes
on I’m already moving furniture to make room, because with ULTRA SUNN
it’s always shake your booty time.
The tantalizing combination of boosting beats, shadowplay sound textures,
reverberant vocals, and a pumping chorus at work here, attract you to act the
whole way through. Just irresistible. With ambitious artists like ULTRA SUNN
darkwave music will never age.
First taster LIFE IS AN EXPERIMENT (Cloud Climber Version) is vintage dub electronica honoring Lee “Scratch” Pery wonderfully. The Jamaican dub music pioneer who gave reggae another vibe with his revolutionary studio wizardry and visionary production technics. He passed away last year, aged 85. R.I.P.
Hear the ghost of Perry at work…
NEW AGE DOOM: Website
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(Keira-Anee Photography)
Band: BUGEYE Who: Female pop quartet from London blending cherry-liqueur lyrics,
bubblegum-kneecap bass electrics, goth-heavy drum compactions and
hi-rise guitar sculptures.
Swedish electro-pop artist FEVER RAY (born Karin Elisabeth Dreijer, 47 years ago)
canned her 3rd album and named it RADICAL ROMANTICS. It comes out on 10 March 2023. More info here.
Spicy taster CARBON DIOXIDE is an edgy
Björk-esque disco-pop stomper. Bingo!
Band:MEMES Who: A noisy Glasgow duo (cousins) called John and Paul – not that John and Paul, obviously. And as band name John Paul II would be ridiculous, they called themselves Memes, and hit the scene in 2019, and have been twisting heads ever since
After their eponymous bonkers debut EP (2020) followed by some staggering singles,
the high-decibels tandem nail it with another sucker punch. Leader is a funk-punk riff ripsnorter that kicks forth and back before a freakish guitar outbreak slashes and
trashes its way to the end.
Watch out for the pigman,
he looks like a meme in disguise…
DEATH VALLEY GIRLS, the garage rock fury from Los Angeles, led by vocalist/guitarist/organist and charismatic voodoo doll Bonnie Bloomgarden,
who love to doom boogie while glowing in the dark, have their new – 5th – album,
baptized ISLANDS IN THE SKY out on 24 February 2023. Pre-order info here.
Along with the great news, DVG spoil our ears with the first single WHAT ARE THE ODDS.
It’s a ridiculously sticky juiced-up power-pop chant triggering your limbs to get up and move. And when the under the spell of joy choir joins Bonnie Bloomgarden on the elated chorus you just feel that the odds are huge for the simulated Californian girls having another top album are huge. Fact!
We are living in a simulated world
And we are simulated girls!
Band: CROSS WIRES Who: fervid post-punk 4-piece
from Romford, UK.
Single: MOURNING
The first piece of the band’s
upcoming second longplayer.
TUTV: Great news for all Cross Wires fans, including myself, out there.
Their 2nd album is finished/recorded and ready to leave its vault early
next year through Culture Wars Records. It follows the band’s album A Life Extinct. One of the most poignant debut records of 2019.
Lead single. Mourning is not a happy story. It’s a post-break-up cry out,
a cathartic shout out. Sixties psychedelic-sounding wah-wah guitar fuzz,
alternated with cutting six-string fervor stoke up the energy of this crackerjack
all the way, along with a steadfast drum/bass tandem, and back up frontman Jonathan Chapman‘s harrowing confession of lovesickness.
Band: JUSTINE PAYNE & CO. Who: Musician, composer and performer, describing himself
as a “natural born underdog.” With over 15 years of experience
in the industry
Payne describes how his life is changing throughout the song, but no amount
of fame or distraction could deviate him from the one he loves. The tender lyrics
contrast in the baddest way possible with Justine‘s gritty delivery.
TUTV: Expect a slow-burning slacker cracker with poignant Dinosaur Jr echoes and
garage rock reverberation stoked up by cranked-up guitars. As the song progresses Payne spellbinding voice takes over. Breathtaking.
A speedy psych roller featuring guitar lines from Johnny Marr.
The song is the first piece The Chief shared from a new album
coming next year. Details follow later.
Gallagher:“For this new record it was the first thing I wrote, the first thing I demoed and the first thing I finished, so it’s only right that it’s the first thing people get to hear. Massive shout out to my mainest man Johnny Marr for taking it somewhere special. Oh… and watch out for a cameo from me in the video… first one to spot me wins a bag of Flamin’ Hot Wotsits Giants!!”
Music, maestro, please…
NOEL GALLAGHER’S HIGH FLYING BIRDS: Facebook – Instagram
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Who: Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm. The project started in 2017.
They describe their sound as deathgaze, combining the raw energy
of deathrock with the depth of shoegaze. So far the duo released
four albums and a handful of singles and EPs.
TUTV: Vazum ventilate their anger versus the money-greedy corporate music industry
with this brutal straightforward shocker generating a wall-of-fuck-the-elite-labels sound that bulldozes its way on repeat with schizo guitars, a non-stop spiteful rant and Emily Sturm‘s freakish backing vocals. Bang-on!
Lyrically and sonically it follows Lin Manuel closely. Lyrical guitar play
stars along Chavez‘s fervid soul/blues voice. She still has hope for the
future. No, it’s not over yet.
Artists: FERAL FIVE Who: Electro-punk dance music duo – Kat and Drew Five – from London
with bite, fusing snarling guitars, sparkling synths, and ferocious beats.
Single: GOLDEN RULE
Fresh piece from their long-awaited debut album, named The New Truth Is Gold out on 10 February 2023 through Reckless Yes.
FF: “‘The golden rule is people come together. This is a shimmering
anthem of renewal, and a clarion call for people to come together.”
TUTV: Golden Rule is a desirous pick-me-up pop tune. Airy, breezy, instantly catching and an invitation to get together in these troublous times. Kat Five‘s vocals float all over this romantic reflection and glossy synths sparkle throughout. The most notable component, to my ears, of this new piece, is the distinctive Cure-like guitar sonority. Feverish, shadowy and arresting. Pretty cool. Bring on the album FF.
Band: VOGUE VILLAINS Who: A hard-rocking alternative band from Vancouver Island, Canada with a musical foundation planted firmly in catchy melodies and multipart harmonies. Set on making music that feels unique, yet unafraid to wear the boys many influences on their sleeves, this powerhouse of a band has created a sound that is undeniably and unmistakably VV.
TUTV: Hells bells! This nasty motherrocker of a hammer blow speeds up your adrenalin machine from the kick-off. VV mix blues rock, classic rock and hard rock seamlessly into a red-hot-blooded wall-of-riff-sick sound. A boiling mishmash of intimidating guitars, a powerhouse rhythm section, a Herculean chorus, boogie-woogie flashes and vociferous vocals is what your stereo speakers will spit out. Just what you need to bang your head against a wall. Hells bell, indeed.
Band: TAPE TRASH Who: This new duo project draw inspiration from the music they listened to when
they first picked up their instruments as enthusiastic teenagers: Indie rock induced with infectious choruses, catchy guitar riffs, and huge drums. After an involuntary break due to the corona epidemic, they have spent the past year working on their debut album.
Single: OLD HIGHS
2nd piece, following lead-single Not Going Home,
from their upcoming debut longplayer
TUTV: Expect a multi-layered, towering and schizophrenic wall-of-guitar-electricity propelled by a pushing rhythm section. When they take the decibels a bit down it’s
only a foreplay moment for a stormy finale. Breathtaking stroke!
Band: SUEP Who: A stubbornly high-spirited combo creating oddball music with
a touch of theatrical storytelling. Fronted by Georgie Stott (Porridge Radio,
Garden Centre, The GN Band) and Brain Wastefield. SUEP is born out of a
near-decade of wearing silly clothes and deconstructing pop together.
TUTV: I love the vivid vibe here. In Good Health resonates like a comforting chant with friends, hand in hand, taking care of each other. It’s a frisky tune that plays instantly on your inner stereo in your head. It’s an all-together ditty that puts a big smile on your face.
More of that is expected when SUEP release their debut album, namedShop,
It lands on 27th January 2023 via Memorials Of Distinction.
The Short Causeway are a notable 2022 example. They zig-zag their way through
this debut single with capricious tempo changes, with glimmering guitar sparks,
breezy melodiousness, and moony vocals. Welcome!
Tune in.
. THE SHORT CAUSEWAY: Facebook – Twitter
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PISTOL brings together all of the elements that have made CAS such a celebrated band, while also introducing a subtle yet impactful increase in tempo. Equal parts transportive and romantic, the song’s driving rhythm meets a stark, minimalistic atmosphere that is given dimension by dreamy, washed-out guitars, swelling synths, and intimate, yearning vocals from Greg Gonzalez.
Artists: FERAL FIVE Who: Electro-punk dance music duo – Kat and Drew Five – from London
with bite, fusing snarling guitars, sparkling synths, and ferocious beats.
Single: GOLDEN RULE
Fresh piece from their long-awaited debut album, named The New Truth Is Gold out on 10 February 2023 through Reckless Yes.
FF: “‘The golden rule is people come together. This is a shimmering
anthem of renewal, and a clarion call for people to come together.”
The duo use AI (Artificial Intelligence) vocals is an innovative tack taken on this
single and across the album. Working with AI technologists Birds on Mars from Berlin their krach.ai tool was trained on Kat’s voice, giving the Ferals an otherworldly
‘AI Kat’, acting alternately as instigator and truth-teller.
TUTV: Golden Rule is a desirous pick-me-up pop tune. Airy, breezy, instantly catching and an invitation to get together in these troublous times. Kat Five‘s vocals float all over this romantic reflection and glossy synths sparkle throughout. The most notable component, to my ears, of this new piece, is the distinctive Cure-like guitar sonority. Feverish, shadowy and arresting. Pretty cool. Bring on the album FF.
Artists: FERAL FIVE Who: Electro-punk dance music duo – Kat and Drew Five – from London
with bite, fusing snarling guitars, sparkling synths, and ferocious beats.
The first track from the long-awaited, forthcoming debut album, named Truth Is The New Gold. Out on 10 February 2023 on limited vinyl, CD
and digital via ethical and indie label Reckless Yes
About the LP: “An album of true innovation, dazzling melodies, and boundary-defying themes. ‘Silver Sky’ introduces a sonic world of multi-layered songs and hook-laden grooves all making use of a unique palette of tools and instruments, both hyper-modern and ancient. From the AI vocals to live coded sounds, strings, and played quartz crystals,
to the skillfully interwoven electronics, synths, and guitars.”
Turn Up The Volume: I champion this explorative synth duo for some time now
as they made me always get up and shake my booty with their dancefloor anthems.
I also applaud every artist who has caring attention to threatening humankind issues.
But this brand new piece is quite a surprise, a formidable one. A more pensive, moody one.
Silver Sky is a glowing electro-pop reverie, scintillatingly constructed and orchestrated. Trancy, moony and yearning. Alison Goldfrapp‘s sensuous voice and tempting vibrancy
are not far away. A sassy stroke. One more thing, of course, you can sway your hips
here too, but in a more slow-mo chill-out way.
London’s electronic duo FERAL FIVE pay
homage to the late great glam rock icon MARC BOLAN and T.REX with their new
cover of the classic GET IT ON.
FF: “Featuring both Ferals on vocals, this stomping version saw a fans-only sneak
peek to celebrate finishing their album. They soon had requests for a full release,
which the band dutifully obliged. Talk about ‘Bang A Gong’, this track has dirty synths,
floating fuzz guitar, heavy bass and beats (including cymbals and gongs of course).
Crank up the generator and set your speakers to overload, this song is more than
electric, it’s a mesmeric fully Feralised electronic smash!”
The duo’s version is a repetitive banging gong going on and on.
Glam and glitter electro for the dancefloor lit by a rotating, shiny
disco ball.
Let’s dance, take a chance, understand me
You’re dirty, sweet and you’re my girl…
London’s dance floor fillers FERAL FIVE will hide for a while to work on their long-
awaited debut album. But first, their notable contribution to a massive compilation
record (81 tracks, 81 artists) to help UK musicians in these hard times, featured as Album Of The Day on Turn Up The Volume last week. All info & music here.
Kat & Drew about their contribution, a meditation called ROLL WITH IT…
“As the world prepares itself for a revolution of the heart, the Ferals know that all
you really need is love. The fabric of our connected societies depends on the Internet,
a medium used not only to transmit hate but also hope. Having had their fill of the
2020 doom merchants and conspiracy theorists, this Feral Five chill out track urges
the avoidance of doomscrolling for a better world where we just roll together.”
ROLL WITH IT resonates like one of their ecstatic techno shots slowed down,
stripped down, and shook down to a pondering vibration. Entrancing, magnetic
and calming. Get away from your computer and phone for some moments, enjoy
reality for a change and roll with the tape…
London‘s party expert duo FERAL FIVE is a seductive and swirling Shake It dance tandem specialised in creating adrenalised knockout crackers to fill dance floors. They mix droning synths, glimmering disco ball percussion, layered guitar fuzz into an effervescent cocktail. Add sensuous vocals and what you get in the end are sensual-hip-swaying vibrations to start and end all 24-hour raves and dirty dancing extravaganzas. Hot Saturday Night Fever stuff, indeed.
Let’s get a grip on Kat and Drew Five and find out how they experienced these past strange 12 months. But as usual Turn Up The Volume starts a chat with music. Here’s
one of my favorite FF bangers…
Hello Kat and Drew,
Thank you for making
time for this Q & A…
I follow you for a long time now, but I never asked if there’s
a story behind your artist name FERAL FIVE. Is there?
Kat: “We see ourselves as a space gang… We ate the others.” Drew: “People think there’s an upgrade path… room for an
extra three… but it’s just our family name really.”
Writing swinging dance floor killers is what FERAL FIVE is about.
I suppose you’re both party animals too, are you?
Kat: “For sure, though I make it on to the dance floor more often. Drew’s the demon dancing behind the decks.”
Brand new track GET A GRIP is a psych-chilling groove, with a
different vibe than before. What or who inspired you for this one?
Drew: “We’d been too long not being in the studio together this year. We both
thought that it was time to get on with things but just in a different way.” Kat: “Yes. I was really missing the studio part of the creative process. So, we were
both angry with how this year played out at home and across the pond and felt
it was time for people to ‘get a grip’ on things. For the world to have a rethink,
or at least the humans running it. Or should that be ruining it?”
Over the years you wrote enough material for a whole album,
but so far no longplayer. Any specific reason why?
Drew: “You’re right. In fact we’ve probably got several albums
worth of material but we wanted to create some new stuff.” Kat: “We considered releasing an album a couple of years ago.”
Drew: “In 2019 we had a really fertile writing period. We started writing some really
cool new stuff which we felt deserved to be up there with our best stuff so we had a rethink. Shelved the release plan and continued working on the new stuff.” Kat: “We’ve pretty much got most of the album written and are working on mixing it. Although from March onwards there have been some difficulties. I’m usually at the controls with Drew when it comes to mixing and production so this has been a tough
one.”
Drew: “2021 it will happen.”
Hello Five’s, I want EGO on the album…
This year you both, Kat and Drew, released solo tracks
for the first time. How did that happen?
Drew: “I mean we’ve both been writing separately and as Feral Five for a while. Feral Five
is our main channel but occasionally there’s a personal piece of music that expresses our individual creativity.”
Kat: “As we weren’t able to rehearse and gig, let alone finish album production,
we both released solo stuff to keep our creative energies flowing.”
Drew: “In addition one or two of the things we have been working
on have been with extended members of the Feral family.” Kat: “Can’t say more yet but in the new year we’ve both got some more
solo stuff. Rather than dilute what we’re doing, it’s really recharged us
for the final album push actually.”
During these weird times lots of artists came up with covers.
Which song would you pick to turn it into a Feral Five one?
Kat: “We’ve done a few covers. Usually we play them as a fun extra at gigs.”
Drew: “We covered Japan, The Normal, Poly Styrene…”
Kat: “…Kylie! We did a cover of ‘Can’t Get You Out Of My Head’ which we played at
our Neurotrash launch show ages ago. We decided to call it ‘sad Kylie’ because we
made it dark in a very upbeat Nadine Shah style way. Maybe we should record it
finally!”
How’s life in London after 4 years of Brexit?
Kat: “Turbocharged! So much creativity around right now, especially in music,
and activism to fight the powers. London said a great big fat no to Brexit. Maybe
we should form a breakaway state.”
Drew: “London? Where’s that? Isn’t there a London, Ontario I wonder how
the Canadians are getting on? “
Suppose you were asked to rewrite and put new music to the British
royal anthem ‘God Save The Queen’, without any restrictions, what would
be the outcome, in sound and vision?
Kat: “We definitely need a punchier national anthem. We don’t need it to be royal. I’m
a big fan of the Marseillaise. What would we make? Think Kylie crossed with the Sex Pistols.”
Drew: “I think the Pistols did it.”
What was the best track and album you heard in 2020?
Drew: “Best track: ’Unfollow The Rules’ by Rufus Wainwright just because this year really made everyone I know think about what we’re doing and how important family and friends really are especially when times are tough. Best album: Max Richter’s All Human Beings because that’s all we are and all we got baby, and it’s up to us to work things out.”
Kat: “My yes for best track is for Billy Nomates’ ‘No’. Absolute fire. Best album: Bugeye’s Ready Steady Bang, razor sharp disco punk party with meaning.”
What video clip impressed your eyes the most in the past 12 months?
Drew: “I’m a fan of dance and was moved by the video clip of Michael Fryer’s BLM dance protest that went viral this year. The concept of ‘Dancers For Social Justice’ is also a really important movement. Artists and creatives have a duty to speak and for that matter ‘dance’ for humanity. It’s said that Shiva created the world from a dance.”
Kat: “Chicago footwork dancers at a BLM protest. Amazing. I follow some of them on
insta now and watch all the rehearsals.”
Best movie of the year?
Kat: “The Small Axe series of films by Steve McQueen. Mega movie
power in so many different ways, though they’re on the BBC.”
Drew: “From a creative point of view it has to be Sonequa Martin-Green in Star Trek: Discovery. There’s a moment where she gives the command for: “black alert”, a poignant moment reflecting our current collective realities and a creative call to action that calls
out beyond the fourth wall.
Also sadly we lost great granny this year. She was a total inspiration for everyone who knew her. She was 94 and during WW2 when she was probably only 13, she was trapped between retreating Germans and advancing Russians. She survived many changes and difficulties through her life but was responsible for bringing up an amazing family and inspiring further generations.”
Kat: “In music, a joint first – mastering ace Katie Tavini and artist/producer Rookes who founded the 2% Rising group for women and non-binary producers and engineers, that
I’m part of. So much talent and support in that virtual room, punching through more by the day.”
Which song would you pick to play out loud on 31 December,
when the clock strikes midnight?
Both: “Get A Grip” Kat: “It’s what our so-called leaders need to do, as they push us off a cliff.”
Drew: “That or ‘Here Comes The Sun’ by George Harrison.”
31st December: The remix…
Three things you really want to see happen in 2021?
Drew: “Peace, love and Feral Five’s album, insert name here.” Kat: “Build back better happening for real, positivity winning out, and
that insert name here (note TUTV: Get A Grip On Feral Five) album, oh yes!”
(photo: Gary Hennsey)
Thank you Kat and Drew for this interview.
May the road rise with Feral Five in 2021.
