Page 16 - Black Velvet Issue 87

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started getting very interested in the idea that deal with it better than others. So I guess the lat- TN: It’s insane. It’s mental. The only thing I can
from a very 3 dimensional perspective time is ter part of my teens was tricky. And I fell into really say to that is, if our music has affected you
just linear. You have a past, present and future. quite an abusive relationship with drugs. I spent in any kind of way, thank you, because, as I say,
But really that’s just a manmade way of meas- about 18 months - 2 years of my life being a little myself and Drew, when we write songs, some-
uring now or lots of moments. So I try to live my bit lost and not really knowing where I was. For- times we write together, sometimes we write
life just moment to moment and not worry about tunately some friends of mine pulled me out of it songs separately but just as artists we write be-
the past or worry about what’s going to happen and I thank them so much for doing that, ‘cause cause we have something to say. We have
in the future, because that’s just distracting me I love life now and I love being alive. I’m really something inside us we feel we need to get out.
from being right now and if that’s all that can glad that I’ve come from that because now when So the fact that someone can relate to that and
ever exist I want to honour that moment. So, I I meet people at shows, who essentially it’s like it helps them is an amazing feeling. I meet kids
guess to answer your question, there are a num- looking into the past at me, the way some of every now and then who are like “This song
ber of moments that have happened in my life these kids talk, is how I felt and how I spoke changed my life, thank you so much,” and while
which have been incredible. One was stepping about things, so it’s really nice that I have knowl- it’s so lovely that they’re thanking me for giving
out on stage at Slam Dunk a couple of years edge of where that came from and where I’m at that to them, I want to thank them because they
ago. It was the first time we’d ever played any- now to try and offer them some kind of comfort were open enough to be touched by someone
thing like that and the response we had ab- or just reassurance of, “It’s alright, life gets poos else’s art, and ultimately that’s how I feel about
solutely blew us away. It was like nothing else, I sometimes, but it is wonderful and you’ve just music and all kinds of art. It’s just an expression
can’t explain that feeling. It was again very hum- got to be the chance you want to see”. Be that of the person inside and it really upsets me
bling. Last night was incredible. We were in happy vibe because if you’re that, then the peo- when I see people making music to be cool or
Glasgow and there was 20/30 kids there, the ple around you are going to be like that and then to be famous ‘cause it’s a sacred art form and it
room wasn’t sold out by any stretch of the imag- in turn it’s going to make you like that. I guess means something. It’s lovely to see it affecting
ination. But the fact that I essentially went to a it’s like a self-perpetual feedback of happiness. people so organically.
different country, there was a whole bunch of
people that I’d never met before, that knew the BV: What’s been your most nerve-racking BV: On May 14th, 2014 the band tweeted
words to something I wrote in my bedroom when day? about Stephen Sutton passing away and
I was sad one day is an incredible feeling. That’s TN: I love talking to people; guys, girls, gays, called him a ‘modern day hero’, mentioning
something I don’t think will ever get old. I don’t straight, black, white – I love people; people are that he’d raised over £3 million for charity
know, I just enjoy life! I think I strive to make great. I love going on stage. That’s like an am- before he passed away. Who else do you
every day the best day of my life. plified way of being able to talk to people. When think is a modern day hero? What makes
I get most nervous is when I’m attracted to someone a modern day hero in your eyes?
BV: Tell us about your album release day on someone. That’s the part of me that I’m a lot less TN: To be honest with you I think we’re all he-
January 26th. How was that? confident about. There’s always a part of you roes or we all have the capacity to be heroes. It
TN: That was mad. We recorded the album that strives to… you want to be noticed by that makes me really sad when I reflect on modern
Summer of 2013 and then by the Summer of person, you want them to notice you, so you culture and how we live because we operate on
2014 we still hadn’t released it yet, so we were then start doing things out of character, I guess such an eye for an eye basis whereas really if
getting very on edge, “Are we going to be able to try and impress them, which is silly. No-one we just started being nice to each other and
to release this?” We were really struggling should be doing that because if they don’t like helping each other the world would be a much
with… we could have just put it out, but in terms you for who you are, then they don’t deserve better place. Then we would all be heroes.
of making the impact that we wanted to make, you. But yeah, I get most nervous talking to girls There are guys out there and girls out there that
we wanted to do it as professionally as possible, that I’m attracted to, I get very fumbly with my are doing fabulous things for no recognition.
and with no label backing and stuff, obviously words, and I don’t know what to do. It hasn’t They are just doing things to help people and
that takes your own money into account so there happened for a while but I’m sure it will happen that to me is what a hero is. It’s being selfless
was a period where we thought we weren’t again in the future. and trying to sort the rubbish out of this world
going to be able to put the album out. Leading and try and make it a better place. We stayed at
up until the actual release we were so focused BV: In ‘Monsters’ you sing ‘I’d like to say that a friend of ours’ in Glasgow last night and
on the idea of getting the album actually out that I fit in and I really belong’. Was there a day walked into her kitchen and she had a little
we completely lost sight of the fact that we were when you felt like you fit in? plaque on her wall which said, “Be the reason
releasing an album in the first place. I think none TN: I tried really hard through my teens and someone smiles today” and I think that’s lovely
of us really anticipated it. It was like waking up struggled a lot with my identity. I kept the ego because smiles are infectious. You can’t help it.
on Christmas Day and forgetting it was Christ- very present in the driving seat of my life, so I If someone smiles at you in the street, even if
mas Day until you walk downstairs and every- had this image of what I was and how people it’s just a little grimace, you can’t help but crack
one’s there. So it was only really until the perceived me, which again is ludicrous because a little smile. So yeah, for me, that’s what mod-
response started coming in that it really sank in that’s not you, this is you (touching his heart). I ern day heroes are and you see them all the
and we were like “This is mental.” It was an think ego’s an important thing to keep within you time. I heard this lovely story. It was fairly local
amazing day, because I feel like everything we but let it take a back seat. Don’t let that be the to me. We have a bookstore, which by the way
had worked really hard for up until that point re- driving force or what is you. So I think through- I think is awesome. The whole kindle thing I
ally paid off. Given that it was 18 months to put out my teens I was very egoic. I guess to kind of don’t get at all, there’s something so magical
out this album, We love those songs, we’ve all answer that question, that was when I felt I fitted about holding a book and feeling a book. Sup-
grown up in terms of writing since we wrote in, sort of, because I was trying so hard to fit in port your local libraries. Books are great as well,
those songs, they still mean a lot to us, but there and be like everyone else and I think that’s I love learning. So there’s a bookstore local to
is a part of you throughout that long period of where my dysfunction came from up here be- us which is run by one person every single day
time where no-one else has heard it that you cause I was refusing to accept me for me. Now and I can’t even remember what time of year it
start to doubt it, “Are these songs good I think is when I fit in the most. I accept my was but it was absolutely manic in there and I
enough?” and all of that, but that just fizzled into weirdness. I’m not an average guy. I do what I heard this story of this guy that walks past and
nothing when we started hearing what the kids want, I’m pretty effeminate. I’m pretty outra- saw the cashier and she was trying really hard
who really wanted to hear the record were say- geous. I just like to be me, I just don’t like to to be positive and helpful but you know what it’s
ing about it. So it was amazing. Such a wicked force anything and fortunately I have people like in retail, a lot of the time customers treat staff
day, I can’t describe how amazing that felt. around me that really accept me for who I am, like they don’t exist or they’re inferior, so this guy
and I think that’s the most important thing. So in saw that this lady was having a bad time so he
BV: In ‘Foxfire’ you sing ‘I feel this weight terms of those songs, whilst when I wrote ‘Mon- went across the street and he just bought her a
bearing on me every day’. What’s been your sters’, I’d like to say I fit in and I really belonged, plant, this beautiful plant, and he gave it to her
hardest day ever? now I really can say that, because I’m me and and said “I hope you have a good day,” and she
TN: That’s pretty subjective. I think everyone I’m not going to change that. turned around and said “I am now.” Those two
has their ups and downs. Towards the latter end may have not seen or spoken to each other ever
of my teens I struggled really bad with anxiety BV: You retweeted a fan called Joe Wilson again but that doesn’t matter because he went
and depression as do most people of our gen- who tweeted ‘Jamming some @lightyouup- out of his way just to make someone else feel
eration, I think that is a fault of modern culture, band on the long walk to work, one of the few better and that’s what a hero is to me.
but obviously it’s been spun like it’s an individual things that can always keep me positive’.
thing, like “Oh, I have an anxiety disorder”. So How does it feel knowing you’ve made Visit www.facebook.com/lightyouupofficial for
does everyone else, it’s just that some people someone’s day better with your music? more info.
Words & Photos By Shari Black Velvet
LIGHT YOU UP