Page 12 - Black Velvet Magazine Issue 105

BV105 pg 10-15 SKAM.qxp_BV105 pg12 27/12/2021 23:32 Page 3

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 12
been such an amazing journey for us and it had politics and loss. Steve explains, "And it was a the time. That's what I do, I put the lyrics down
been picked up by the fans and the whole con- decision made by us to do that. I try not to be and we pen music to it and it helps me as a cre-
cept idea [the album is about a World War II self-deflating too much about looking back at ative artist."
fighter pilot who travels through time], which we some of our earlier work. While I am incredibly
had an idea in the van, had taken off the way it proud of it, it wasn't the most high-brow lyric writ- ith the band achieving chart positions
did. To be honest, we were a little bit worried, ing that I've ever done! And when we did 'TA- Wat last, we ask how special this was.
going forward onto a new album, because we MOGG', we picked up this new way of writing Steve replies, "It certainly feels like the pinnacle
knew we couldn't do another concept album and between the three of us that really worked. It of everything we've ever achieved in the band.
so it almost seemed a backwards step to just was at this time that my little brother [drummer] It sounds a bit daft to say it these days, and I
stick out another 12 songs on a new album. You Neal had come into the band and he brings a lot don't think people who aren't involved in the
know, ‘There you go, 12 new songs, in the pack- of musicality to the band. He is incredible and music scene fully understand what getting in the
aging, done and dusted’. definitely the best musician in the band. And up charts actually means, but for a band like us, it's
"So we started thinking of ideas and we got until that point, the first two albums were pretty a piece of history. It's there, it's recorded down
picked up by Golden Robot Records and we much written by me on my tod at home, but on the UK charts, 2021, that we are a charted
were talking to the CEO and he was interested when he came in we really gelled as a three- artist and it is something we never ever thought
in the idea of having a bit more longevity in the piece writing unit. we could achieve.
year and he suggested breaking the album "And we needed content because when we "I've talked about 'TAMOGG' a lot, but when
down into two EPs. So it was him who dropped wrote 'TAMOGG' we had this amazing story to we released it, it was our most accomplished
that little idea in our heads and when we started tell and it was a really nice, easy starting point piece of work and we were incredibly proud of it
chatting about it among ourselves it became this rather than me just penning lyrics about my wife and put a lot of effort into the design of it all and
little quirky idea. or stuff that had happened in my life. Instead we the music was the best we had done at that time
"We really liked the idea of spreading out had these little bits of subject matter which we and it didn't even get a sniff of the charts. And
the release of the material over a longer period could get involved in and we really wanted to so, without being too negative, I just thought at
of time rather than having just one hit and then take that forward with the new writing we were the time it was something which would be out of
fading into obscurity. We thought how great it doing. our reach with the fanbase that we have and so,
would be to start the year, release a new record, "I'd written 'Green Eyes' really early on, when 'Intra' charted, it was an incredibly emo-
get people talking about SKAM again and listen- about the theme of jealousy, and that kind of tional moment.
ing to some new music, and then ride that wave piqued our interest. I also had 'Wake Up', which "I remember going online to check the
towards the end of the year and release a sec- was about mental health, and it started to form charts, and I actually checked it at around 6pm
ond one within six months of each other. We re- this little idea about these different human con- when they go up and we weren't there and I was
ally fell in love with that idea. ditions, and so we just stuck with it and it gave absolutely gutted and was ‘Well, I suppose it's
"By then, the record was half-written and so us a great starting point for the rest of the to be expected, you can't just get in the charts if
we started talking about a theme to tie the two songs." you release any old thing,’ and then Neal sent
halves together and that was when the human We ask Steve where the inspiration to work me a message telling me to get on Zoom and
condition came up, so even though it's not a towards a more mature and meaningful song- there he is with his screenshot and it turned out
concept album like 'Goddard', we did tie our- writing process came from. "I think we're just I hadn't refreshed what I was looking at and I'd
selves down to some interest- been looking at the previous
ing subject matter to give us week’s chart and it was there! It
something to write about and was just this amazing moment.
make that process easier. And "Then we set this ridiculous tar-
then we finished the 12 songs get to try and beat it with 'Venous'
and split them into two EPs and six months later, and again, I
I think it worked an absolute started being all pessimistic and
treat. that we were asking a lot and there
"Especially with the way were some big releases out that
the world ended up. It meant month and that we probably would-
we were able to stay in peo- n't get near what we'd done before,
ple's minds and thoughts rather but we did, and we managed to go
than just for a three-month one better. And that was the plan all
campaign after which you are along, and I was so elated when it
pretty much done for another happened."
few years." As mentioned, it was the UK
Having mentioned the Rock Chart which was the most
themes of some of the songs pleasing for the band.
on the records, we ask Steve to “I had people messaging me
tell us some more about the who I had not spoken to for years
motivation behind the unified because of that,” the frontman
album name and whether it says. “I grew up listening to the
was fuelled from the idea of charts and the Radio 1 Rock Show
songs about the human condi- with Daniel P. Carter and I'd tape
tion or if it was just a creative songs off the radio, and to think we
way to incorporate the Roman are now in that mix with some of
numerals for the number four (IV). getting a bit older,” he replies. “I've been writing those bands which are in there is incredible.
"It was a bit of both," he tells us. "The work- songs for the band for over 20 years now and "I know there are bands who are in there
ing title for the album was always 'IV' from day we are now at an age and a stage in our lives every week because they are always selling
one of writing and then, as we started to split it, when it was the right time to start writing songs records, like Queen and Nirvana. They are in
the idea evolved because we then needed two with a more deeper meaning behind them com- there every single week and have been for like
names and we needed something which would pared to the older songs which are pretty much 3,000 weeks in a row, and so, just to be up there
go well together and that was where 'Intra- about getting drunk and shagging birds! with those names is amazing. I don't really care
venous' came from and then it just worked per- "We're not at that stage of our lives anymore for competing with acts like Dua Lipa and Ed
fectly. and so it just made sense to start writing and Sheeran, but to be in that top 10 of UK rock re-
"I'm not sure when that materialised but it talking about the world we see around us. Those leases was just amazing."
was something that we thought about for ages. first couple of songs I mentioned came without
We talked and talked about it for hours, about any kind of focus, they were just what I wanted he opening track of the latest record 'Ve-
different names, but we kept coming back to 'IV' to write about at the time because I was experi- Tnous' is 'Circles', genuinely one of the
and this was a perfect fit for that." encing stuff in my life and in the life of the band finest tracks the band has ever produced. It in-
and it just made sense, because that's what mu- troduces listeners with the following thoughts, ‘I
he songs seem to have more deeper sicians do; they write about what's going on. It feel left out, I've been wasting on my own again,
Tmeanings than the band's previous was the same with the song I wrote about my I've been locked away, I can't stand this one
work, delving into subjects like mental health, mum ['The Cure']; that's what was going on at more day, living life just feeling down.’ Deep stuff
SKAM