Page 6 - Black Velvet Issue 95

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was it. I think there were about 20 kids, mixed Torches and they very much recommended us. so far. But now he moved out to Stockholm. So
with female and male.” Ryan checked us out and we said, “Can we take both of us have 30 minutes to the studio and
you out to Sweden for two weeks in the sum- we’ll hang out every day, so we’ll see where the
few weeks prior to their UK tour, the mer?” That was last year. We met with him and music ends up. It’s not like he’ll influence the
Aband released another single, ‘Pay For wrote some music for a week. We were lucky, to music, but we’ll build everything from the ground
This’. “After all of the positivity of ‘Ghost’, we be honest. We had a good team that’s working together and that’s going to have a bigger influ-
wanted to write one song that could be, not neg- with us: X-ray Touring. They’re doing their best ence than anything I think.”
ative in that aspect but more like; we wanted to to find opportunities for us. That was a really The new full-length album should be re-
have one with a little bit of a darker vibe song good one; the legends’ final tour ever.” leased in 2018, with the members talking of put-
that could feel edgy,” says Philip. “The words Now, Normandie are back to working on ting out a cover song before then, as well as
‘Pay For This’ sort of came out of thin air, but I new music for their next full-length release. some sort of live sessions, either live from the
think the verse was the first thing to come. I think Philip says they have 25-30 demos so far with studio or live on Facebook. “It’s very important
that song doesn’t have that much of a deeper at least a verse, chorus and name – although for us to write music in the studio that we can
meaning but when I’m thinking of the song, I hope to whittle them down to 13 or 14 that make also perform as good live, so the live bit for us
would say that someone has been stuck some- the final cut. “We wanna do something that’s a has been really, really important.”
where for a very long time, like being kidnapped little bit different to ‘Inguz’, but at the same time
in your mind and then getting out of it, but in- it should have the same positive and o with a new album out in 2018, and
stead of just moving forward, also taking the bouncy/dancey vibe, I guess. You should be Sgoing back to the latest single ‘Pay For
time and energy to make sure it doesn’t happen able to move to the music even if it’s just a slow This’, we ask what Philip thinks about fans that
again. So a little bit of a middle finger to strug- jam.” DO pay for their music. “Some people double
gle,” he laughs. Now the band have their own studio, which buy the album,” he says. “They buy it online and
The struggles are hopefully fading, and is helping. “We’re finding our sound way more then the CD just to have something to sign, but
things seem positive at the moment with the ad- now than on ‘Inguz’,” says Philip. “With this new at the same time, if someone from Taiwan says
dition of bassist Lucas Englund as an official album, I’m basically not listening to music any- that they found the music on a Russian website
member. He originally filled in for a tour, before more. Everything that I listen to is basically just and they downloaded it, then it’s way better than
being announced as a permanent member in podcasts and demos that we are writing right not. We’ve always been fine with people down-
October. “Lucas is amazing. He’s everything that now. And on top of that I’m listening to instru- loading, because the more people that illegally
we ever needed and wanted,” gushes Philip. mental music from EDM artists or sci-fi. Artists download the songs, the more people will come
like Tycho and John Mayer. They cannot have a to the shows and sing the words. But if they
ith the tour with Ryan Key of Yellow- direct influence on our music. So I’m trying to want to pay for it then do it, yes, it’ll help the
Wcard, Philip explains how that came find myself in the new album and what feels band.”
about. Backtracking to the previous tour, Philip 100% right without being affected by other So check the band out, if you haven’t.
says, “It started out with Torches or Yellowcard artists right now. But it’s really helping to have a Chances are you WILL like them enough to want
offering us the tour. Torches are another studio. All of us are from different cities. None of to pay for it. And let’s hope they can then return
Swedish band and they were supposed to do us come from the same place. Håkan, our gui- to the UK again to spread more positivity soon.
the full world tour with Yellowcard, but they didn’t tarist, he used to live five hours away from me, Visit www.normandieofficial.com for more
get the time off to do Europe. We were the next so it’s been a struggle writing music for us. info.
in line, sort of, because we’re good friends with That’s basically why I’ve been writing most of it
Words By Shari Black Velvet

NORMANDIE